Category: Jesus the Tabernacle


Why Jesus Came

Filed under: Covenant, Jesus, Jesus the Tabernacle — 1 Comment
October 5, 2009

Why Jesus Came

Jesus came to earth to save us from eternal separation from God.

All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:  ‘for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me. “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?  ‘When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?  Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?  And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: (Matthew 25:32 – 41 )

He achieved this by sacrificing His life as an atonement for our sins.

But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree.

Jesus on the Cross Sheds His Blood

Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.” (Acts 5:29 – 32)

Jesus came to tell us the truth about the kingdom of heaven and the love of the Father.

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32)

He came to demonstrate the Father’s love for all of us by healing the sick, casting out demons, raising the dead and preaching the gospel of the truth.

Jesus while healing a young man, who is Demon-possessed, with no hearing

Jesus while healing a young man, who is Demon-possessed, with no hearing

Jesus came to introduce us to His Holy Spirit and if we follow the leading of His spirit we will then be empowered to do the things that He did on this earth. In following the lead of His spirit we will find that God directs us to seek the perfection that is demonstrated in the words and actions of His Son.

The Power of Prayer

The Power of Prayer

Our investigation into Jesus, “the Life, the Truth and the Way” is designed to help us better understand His attributes, so that may seek to instill them into our own lives by the power of His Holy Spirit. It is in such a metamorphous that we find ourselves taking up the cross of Jesus. It is at this point that miracles will come to support the ministry of Jesus. It is here that we will fulfill the prediction or prophesy of Jesus, who said:

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. (John 14:12)

And some of the thing that Jesus did are captured in the following passage:

Jesus answered and said to them, Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

Jesus Raises Lazarus From The Grave

Jesus Raises Lazarus From The Grave

And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me. (Matthew 11:4-6)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Comment

The Tabernacle Is Prophetic Of Jesus

Filed under: Covenant, Faith, Jesus, Jesus is the Most Holy Place, Jesus is the Most Holy Place, Jesus the Holy Place, Jesus the Tabernacle, Jesus the Tabernacle Courtyard, Tabernacle, Tabernacle Courtyard, The Holy Of Holies, The Holy Place — 2 Comments
September 29, 2009

The Tabernacle Is Prophetic Of Jesus

The Tabernacle was built to be the earthly abode of God: the place where God would dwell among His people. The following diagram will enable you to see the organizational structure of the Tabernacle.

The Chanbers of the Tabernacle

The Chanbers of the Tabernacle

In addition, the Following picture also communicates how it may have actually looked.

The Tabernacle Courtyard

The Tabernacle Courtyard

The Tabernacle

Moses built the Tabernacle in strict conformance to the specifications given by God. For example, in the following scripture God gives Moses a detailed list of items that are required to build the Tabernacle:

Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: “Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring Me an offering. From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering. And this is the offering which you shall take from them: gold, silver, and bronze; blue, purple, and scarlet thread, fine linen, and goats’ hair; ram skins dyed red, badger skins, and acacia wood; oil for the light, and spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense; onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod and in the breastplate. And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it.” (Exodus 25:1-9)

Statements like this one are frequently found in the scriptures written by Moses. Many of these references emphasize building of the Tabernacle precisely to God’s instructions. This fact suggests that the form and content of the Tabernacle is extremely important to God; that perhaps it is designed on a heavenly model, one that will enable Him to dwell among His people. If this is the case, then the Tabernacle must be prophetic of the Christ who would also come to dwell with God’s people. Over the centuries the intention of God to dwell with His people did not change as even today, He continues to strive to restore the relationship man lost with Him at the fall. Therefore, the scriptures that define the specifications, processes and objects found in the Tabernacle reflect the will of God to abide with us, and as a result, must also be applicable to the attributes, words and life of Christ, who was sent to accomplish God’s intention.

The Ascension of Jesus

We are going to look at the Tabernacle scriptures because they are prophetic of Christ. If Jesus is the Christ then the attributes and characteristics of the Tabernacle must be clearly demonstrated in His words and deeds. What we are about to reveal is that there is a precise correlation between the Tabernacle and Jesus. It is for this reason that we will use the scriptural specifications for each component of the Tabernacle to prove that Jesus is the Christ. In the process we will also uncover many hidden attributes of Jesus that will serve to help us better understand His nature.

The Ascension of Jesus

The Ascension of Jesus

Remembering that Jesus claimed to be “the Way, the Truth and the Life”, we look at the diagram found at (You ARE the Temple of the Holy Spirit) to find that these names (the Way, the Truth and the Life) are used to identify the entryways into the three major compartments of the Tabernacle. The Way leads us into the Courtyard, the Truth leads us into the Holy Place, and the Life leads us into the Most Holy Place. It should also be noted that the Tabernacle is constructed in such a way that these passageways must be entered in order. The Way must be entered prior to entering the Truth, and the Truth must be entered prior to entering the Way. This significance will be discussed latter.

So, what we find here is that the words of Jesus have led us to the Tabernacle. His claim is that He is the passageway into the three compartments of the place that God designed to dwell with His people here on earth. Therefore, our plan is to investigate each of these three chambers in an effort to identify what it is that He is leading us toward. What we will find is that Jesus is drawing us into a closer relationship with God. He is drawing us toward Him by showing us that the Tabernacle because tells us about Him. Jesus knows that in doing this we will grow and strengthen our relationship with Him. What we are about to discover is that the Tabernacle structure will communicate that there are three separate and distinct levels of relationship that we can have with God. In addition, these relationships can only be obtained by passing through the doors of the Tabernacle in the prescribed sequence. In fact, we will develop a progressively deeper relationship with God as we enter each successive chamber to find the gifts that God has waiting for those who seek Him with all their heart.

While all of this is quite mysterious at a high level, we plan to present the details in subsequent postings. For now we will present a high level overview of our journey through the Tabernacle and its correlation with the life of Jesus. With that said let us start with the Tabernacle Courtyard.

The Tabernacle

The Tabernacle

The Tabernacle Courtyard

Our presentation of the Tabernacle Courtyard is found in the following post:

The-Tabernacle-Courtyard-And-Jesus

The Tabernacle Holy Place

Priest in the Holy Place of the Tabernacle

Priest in the Holy Place of the Tabernacle

Our presentation of the Tabernacle Holy Place is found in the following post:

The-Tabernacle-Holy-Place-Is-Prophetic-Of-Jesus

The Tabernacle Most Holy Place

The Priest in the Holy of Holies

The Priest in the Holy of Holies

Our presentation of the Tabernacles Most Holy Place is found in the following post:

The-Tabernacle-Most-Holy-Place-Is-Prophetic-Of-Jesus

All of these links will also lead the reader toward a better understanding of the objects found inside each of the major chambers of the Tabernacle. They will also lead toward a better understanding how each object is prophetic of the coming of Jesus.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Comment

The Unification of the Bride

Filed under: Bride of Christ, Covenant, Jesus, Jesus the Tabernacle, Ministry, New Jerusalem, Prayer, Spirituality — 1 Comment
September 25, 2009

The Unification of the Bride

Now let’s take another look at a scripture (that we introduced previously in: Preparing-the-Bride-of-Christ-for-Jesus) that foresees the coming of the bride and the bridegroom:

Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” (Revelation 21:2-5)

the bride of christ

This scripture tells us that the Tabernacle of God will be with men when the above scripture is fulfilled. Since we have identified Jesus as the living Tabernacle that came to earth (in the post: The-Tabernacle-is-Prophetic-of-Jesus), then the above scripture is referring to Jesus. This means that Jesus and the bride are together on earth and more importantly, that the bride is prepared for marriage.

The rest of the scripture communicates how the bride will be loved by Jesus. He will live with her and take care of her every need. He will take away all her sorrows and will make all things new, including her body, so that she can have life everlasting in Him.

Jesus is the husband who will provide and care for His bride. Each of us individually can be members of the body of the bride who is now preparing for the wedding feast. To do so we must be united as one in the spiritual body of the Bride and empowered by the Holy Spirit.  It should be exactly as Jesus prayed in the following scripture:

I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. (John 17:20-23)

Jesus in Prayer Geting Direction from the Father

Jesus in Prayer Geting Direction from the Father

This prayer of Jesus reveals His desire to be one with us (the bride) and the Father. His prayer will be consummated in His marriage to His bride.

Therefore, as we wait for the return of Jesus in glory we are to be busy perfecting the bride by continuing the work that He left us to do. By way of the miraculous power of the Holy Spirit the bride becomes like Jesus as her heart is conformed to His heart. As the bride speaks the word of God to others the body is matured as more followers are incorporated into the body. As the bride takes charge in the spiritual world the entire body is strengthened as the strongholds of the devil are broken. As the sick are healed and the spiritually bound are set free through the prayer of the bride the body becomes ready for ministry. As the forces of darkness are defeated more souls will turn to the true light of God.

As we finish this posting the Bridegroom remains seated at the right hand of the Father, patiently waiting for His bride to prepare the way of His return. This preparation can only be achieved when His bride has finished the work that He Himself started over 2000 years ago.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Comment

Preparing the Bride of Christ for Jesus

Filed under: Bride of Christ, Covenant, Jesus, Jesus is the Most Holy Place, Jesus is the Most Holy Place, Jesus the Holy Place, Jesus the Tabernacle, Jesus the Tabernacle Courtyard, Ministry, Spirituality, spirtual warfare — 4 Comments
September 20, 2009

Preparing the Bride of Christ for Jesus

We introduced the Bride of Christ in a previous post (The-Bride-of-Christ-Revealed) and now attempt to expand on this subject a bit. Our understanding of the bride is critical because Jesus is coming back for His bride and therefore, we should do all that we can to prepare for this event. To this end an understanding who the bride is and knowledge of how to prepare for the second coming of Jesus is of primary importance to those of us who are truly seeking Jesus.

The New Jerusalem - The Bride of Christ

The New Jerusalem - The Bride of Christ

We as Christians must all seek to be a part of the bride of Christ. Doing so means that we all become a part of something much bigger that ourselves. We become a part of the collective body of all the saints who followed and worshiped Jesus. By becoming a part of this body we become eligible to also become one in marriage to Jesus and to live forever in His care. This is the ultimate goal of regaining the garden and dwelling there with God in the cool of the day.

But are we ready? Are we even members of the bride? If so, are we ready for the marriage feast? Has the pathway for our Lords return been made straight? Is the bride of whom we are a member matured and ready for this most scared union with God?

On an individual basis we must examine our lives to determine if we have done the things that Jesus did when He walked the earth? Did we say the things that He did? Have we emulated His life in everything that we do? Have we achieved the individual purity and holiness required to being a part of the bride?

In doing these things the body of Christ (which is the bride in waiting) grows and matures. Jesus has sent us to prepare a way for His return. He has put us in charge of His ministry and He wants us to finish the work that He started. It is in the completion of this work that the bride is matured. Only when the bride has sufficiently matured will the bridegroom come for His bride.

Now let’s take a look at a scripture that foresees the coming of the bride and the bridegroom:

Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” (Revelation 21:2-5)

The New Jerusalem is the bride of Christ in this passage. Firstly, she is adorned as a bride and is seen coming down from heaven. She therefore is the body of all the saints of Jesus. As Jerusalem is a city comprised of many people, so the New Jerusalem (the bride) is comprised of God’s saints.

The scripture above also communicates that the Bride is adorned for her husband and therefore she has prepared herself for the wedding feast. On an individual basis this adornment is initiated as we are cleansed in the Blood of our Lamb Jesus on the cross (Jesus-is-the-Way).  It is completed by the washing in the water of His word (Jesus-the-Brazen-Laver), which matures us as we seek to become like our Lord (Becoming-like-Jesus-the-Way). Finally, our adornment comes by being victorious in the spiritual warfare of Jesus (Jesus-is-the-Golden-Altar-of-Incense). In achieving this we enter a closer relationship with God where as we are empowered to know our mission and pathway, as we develop a familial relationship with the Father and as we bring down the evil strongholds of the devil with our prayers (The-Victory-of-Jesus-Empowers-Us). Once we have entered into this relationship of empowerment we can stand before the Lord adorned with the good works done in the name of Jesus His Son. It is at this time that we become ready to move on to the next level of relationship with God, a relationship of covenant (Jesus-is-the-Ark-of-the-New-Covenant). It is in the covenant relationship that the bride and the bridegroom can become one.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Comment

Jesus Provides All That We Need

Filed under: Jesus, Jesus the Golden Altar, Jesus the Holy Place, Jesus the Tabernacle, Prayer, Spirituality, spirtual warfare — 2 Comments
September 8, 2009

Jesus Provides All That We Need

Jesus empowers the Disciples that He sends out into ministry.

Saint Peter Healing the Cripple - Raising Tabitha - Masolino

Saint Peter Healing the Cripple - Raising Tabitha - Masolino

The following scripture presents an example of this:

After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither He himself would come. Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way. And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house. And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again. And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. (Luke 10:1-9)

The interesting part of this scripture is that Jesus sends His disciples out without basic necessities. In essence, He is teaching them to depend on God to empower them for the task at hand. The results of this lesson is evident when we look at the scripture that documents the return of the 70:

And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. (Luke 10:17-19)

Violence in Heaven

Violence in Heaven

This is what spiritual warfare is all about; knocking down the strongholds of the devil through the ministry of Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. When we knock down the strongholds of the devil we set people free from the bondage of the devil. The consequence of such action is that we build and mature the body of Christ (the Bride of Christ). By the words of Jesus we are empowered and have dominion over everything evil, and our prayers have power over the devil.

The Power of Prayer

The Power of Prayer

In other words, our prayers in the spirit before the Golden Altar of Incense (of which Jesus is the fulfillment of) bring results in spiritual warfare. It is here at the Altar that we are empowered by God so that we become the aggressor seeking the fight and bring down evil. We go to the places of battle based on the leading of the Holy Spirit and we tear down the strong holds of the enemy. We fully understand that our action in ministry will result in our securing a place in heaven:

Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. (Luke 10:20)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Comment

When will the Anointing Come for Service in Ministry?

Filed under: Brazen Laver, Jesus, Jesus the Altar of Burnt Offerings, Jesus the Brazen Laver, Jesus the Holy Place, Jesus the Tabernacle, Jesus the Tabernacle Courtyard, Ministry, Tabernacle, Tabernacle Courtyard, The Alter of Burnt Offerings, The Holy Of Holies, The Way — Leave a comment
August 1, 2009

When will the Anointing Come for Service in Ministry?

I had a question that asked when the anointing would come in support of ministry. As I though this answer may have a general interest I provide it here for everyone.

The anointing comes in support of our service in doing God’s will. This web site does a couple of things that will help you in finding the answers to your questions.

First it helps us to better understand Jesus by looking at Tabernacle, which is prophetic of Him in every way.

The Tabernacle Courtyard

The Tabernacle Courtyard

Secondly, it helps us to understand our walk with God by closely looking at the Tabernacle and the life of Jesus. What we find there is that the Tabernacle is divided into three compartments and they are called the Tabernacle Courtyard, the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place.

The Chanbers of the Tabernacle

The Chanbers of the Tabernacle

Each chamber resents a type of relationship that we can have with God and since these chambers can be entered in only one sequence our relationship with God therefore must grow progressively as we seek to become more like our savior Jesus.

This first compartment (the Courtyard) is where a relationship of “grace” is achieved. It is here that a lamb was sacrificed and burned on a brazen altar for the forgiveness of the sins of the people.

The Tabernacle Courtyard

The Lamb Brought to the Tabernacle Courtyard

Jesus of course was the perfect Lamb who gave His life for the forgiveness of our sins. In addition, the Courtyard is a place of preparation of the priest who desire a more intimate ministry with God. This preparation was manifest at the Brazen Laver where the priests would purify themselves prior entering into ministry in the Holy Place.

Since the Laver surface had a mirror like quality the priest could see his reflection as he washed in the Laver. As they washed they believed that they saw themselves as God saw them. As a result their hidden faults were uncovered and they earnestly contemplated their worthiness to enter into a closer relationship with God in the Holy Place. This reflection resulted n a change of heart, which is necessary to enter into the service of almighty God in the Holy Place.

Priest in the Holy Place of the Tabernacle

Priest in the Holy Place of the Tabernacle

Our posting prove that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Tabernacles prophesy and that He is the Tabernacle Courtyard, the Brazen Altar, the Lamb and the Brazen Laver. He is our Brazen Laver in that by looking intently at His life, His words and His actions we can see ourselves as God sees us. By finding scripture that identifies these things and asking the Holy Spirit for help we can see how our actions, words and lives stack up to His. This could give us much to contemplate prior to launching out into a ministry.

I mention all of this because the Holy Place is where our pathway is enlightened, our relationship with the Father is matured and we become empowered for spiritual warfare, which is the anointing for God’s service.

I believe that reviewing the following links can explain all of this in more detail:

The-Tabernacle-Courtyard-is-Prophetic-of-Jesus-a-Review

The-Brazen-Laver

The-Baptism-of-Jesus-and-the-Brazen-Laver

Being-Born-of-the-Spirit-and-the-Brazen-Laver

Jesus-gives-the-Living-Water-of-the-Laver

True-Baptism-Reveled-in-the-Reflections-of-the-Laver

Lessons-from-Jesus-our-Brazen-Laver

Jesus-the-Laver-Washes-His-Disciples-Feet

Jesus-Gave-us-all-he-had

Jesus-the-Brazen-Laver-Reveals-our-Destiny

Reflections-of-Jesus-Regarding-Service

Jesus-the-Laver-Teaches-do-what-ever-it-takes

Jesus-the-Laver-Teaches-Disregard-Status

Jesus-the-Laver-Teaches-Lead-by-Example

Jesus-the-Laver-Teaches-Personally-Touch-People

Jesus-our-Laver-Teaches-that-we-will-be-Tested

Yes, I will pray for you. Please keep me posted on your progress and otherwise let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

May God bless you in all ways to spread the word of His Son to all of India.

Papa Joe Gordon

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Comment

Jesus and the Cherubim

Filed under: Jesus, Jesus is the Ark of the New Covenant, Jesus is the Most Holy Place, Jesus is the Most Holy Place, Jesus the Tabernacle, The Ark Of The Covenant, The Golden Cherubim, The Holy Of Holies, The Most Holy Place — 2 Comments
July 2, 2009

cropped-possessthevisionfront013.jpg

Jesus and the Cherubim

We have just completed a series of postings that addressed the Ark of the Covenant, which is one of the objects found inside the Most Holy place of the Tabernacle.

The Ark of the Covenant Covered by Cherbim
The Ark of the Covenant Covered by Cherbim

We have investigated this topic in a quest to understand the meaning of a statement made by Jesus claiming to be “the Life”. Since the entrance to the Most Holy Place is called “the Life, gaining a better understanding of it will help us to better comprehend His claim. Therefore we will expand our investigation by focusing on the Golden Cherubim, which are  found inside the Most Holy Place.

Cherubim are angelic beings that surround God in the spiritual realm. These cherubim are represented in the Most Holy Place as the angels that cover the Ark of the Covenant (see the picture above). The Cherbs found in the Most Holy Place are made of pure gold that has been hammered into shape by artisans. They are positioned in such that they are facing each other just above the Ark of the Covenant. The two Cherubim are created as a single piece, connected together at their base by a flat strip of gold called the Mercy Seat. The Mercy Seat is the precise spot over which the divine presence of God dwells. Therefore there is a single Cherub on each side of the Mercy Seat and each is looking directly toward the place where God dwells. In addition, each Cherub has extended His wings in such a way that they completely hover over and protect the Mercy Seat and the space above it. This positioning represents the eternal watchfulness and ministry of these angels to God. The presence of the Golden Cherubim symbolizes the protection given the divine presence of God in the Most Holy Place.

Jesus is surrounded by Angels

Violence in Heaven
Violence in Heaven

So if the prophesy of the Tabernacle is true predictor of the coming Christ, then there must be some evidence of Angels watching over and ministering to Him found in scripture.

What we are about to uncover is that there were angels supporting Jesus before He came to earth, while He was an infant and throughout His entire ministry. We will also find that angels will be active even at the time of His second coming. The following scriptures are used as examples to demonstrate the activity of Angles through out the life of Jesus.

Jesus is Protected by Angels at Birth

We start with the angel who announced to Mary that she was to be the mother of the Son of God:

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.”

We continue with another angelic scripture. In this one an angel announces the truth of Jesus and Mary to Joseph:

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.” So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS. (Matthew 1:18-25)

Then there is the story of the wise men that are lead to the newly born Son of God by a star that is really an angel. The gift of Gold is most likely used to fund the trip to Egypt to escape the king who sought to kill Jesus. Joseph was warned by an angel that this danger was present:

When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way. Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.” When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.” (Matthew 2:9-15)

Angels Minister to Jesus

Jesus was ministered to by angels several times during His ministry. One time occurred shortly after He had been tempted by the devil in the desert after fasting for 40 days:

Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’“  Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’“ Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”  Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’“ Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him. (Matthew 4:5- 11)

Another angelic visitation occurred when He was strengthened in the garden as He prayed just prior to His crucifixion:

And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. (Luke 22:41-4

Jesus’ Resurrection is Announced by Angels

Even Jesus’ resurrection from the dead is supported as an angel nullifies the army guard that was in place to ensure that the body of Jesus was not removed from the grave. In addition, they announce his resurrection and whereabouts such that there is no doubt about what happened to Him in the mind of His believers:

Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.

Jesus rises from the grave
Jesus rises from the grave

But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.” (Matthew 28:1-7)

Jesus’ Angel Testifies of His Revelation to the Church

I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star. And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. (Revelation 22:16-17)

So, as we can see from the above scriptures that angels support Jesus’ ministry from beginning and forevermore. So it should be with us who uphold the ministry of Jesus Christ, the living tabernacle of God.

The Mercy Seat

We have introduced the Mercy Seat in our description of the Cherubim. The Mercy Seat resides in the Most Holy place in the Tabernacle. It is the flat gold strip of gold that connects the two Cherubs together at the base. Its significance is that the divine presence of God dwells directly over it, just below the wings of the Cherubim. It therefore, is the precise place from which God speaks with His people. It is also interesting to note that there is no figure or symbol for God in the Tabernacle and this is a testament of the invisible presence of God that requires no man made image or idol.

cropped-possessthevisionfront013.jpg

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Comment

Jesus and the Bride of Christ

Filed under: Bride of Christ, Covenant, Jesus, Jesus is the Ark of the New Covenant, Jesus is the Most Holy Place, Jesus is the Most Holy Place, Jesus the Tabernacle — 4 Comments
June 28, 2009

cropped-possessthevisionfront013.jpg

Read my story by ordering my book, “Possess the Vision”


Jesus and the Bride of Christ

As we have read in our previous posting, our journey leads us toward becoming a part of the New Jerusalem, the Lambs wife.

the bride of christ

Let us look at a scripture to develop this view in greater detail:

Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” (Revelation 21:2-5)

We are the Bride, the New Jerusalem adorned for her Husband. Jesus is the Tabernacle of God and will dwell with us and He will care for our every need. He will restore everything to the perfect state it was in the beginning.

The Bride

To develop the concept of the Bride a bit further let me present an experience I had at a prayer meeting several years ago. The words that follow are a reflection of my experience being a part of the Bride in the spirit. I include it hear as I believe that it provides insight into the Bride and the marriage feast. Here it is:

We were alone in a beautiful room. It was a quite time. A time of preparedness. For there was to be a great event of which none can compare. There was joy and happiness. There was anticipation. For we are the source of celebration. We are the focus of attention. There is no sound in the room. Just the song of rustling linen[i].

The quiet is good for reflection. The images of the old world. The trials, the tribulations. The threats of war. The wars. The earthquakes, the storms, the floods. The disease, the famine, the pestilence. The sin. The fouling of the earth. The war with Satan and the victory of souls. The confrontation with the beast, the final victory. The deliverance. The unity of the saved.

We are a new creation!  We are the culmination of saved souls[ii]. We are one being comprised of many in the perfect image and likeness of God. Assembled like the atoms of the bodies we once knew[iii]. There is great unity and power in the new creation. There is great joy in the Bride[iv]. Every soul of our existence shouts with joy. For we all know that we confessed Him, we all know that we changed our sinful ways for Him, we all obeyed His commandments, we all loved Him. We are so united when we think of Him.

How many times did He forgive us? How many times did He heal us? How many times did He save us from evil or keep us from harm? How endless is His love? Truly, this is our hour.

And the hour is upon us. The preparation is complete[v]. The door knocks. It is the Father. He is beaming. He holds out His arm. We take it and we walk arm and arm. We enter the great hall. The floor is as a single dark green emerald[vi]. The pews are crystal[vii]. The walls are gold. There is no ceiling but the sky. The seats are filled with the angels, all in white, all with wings. They are all singing. It is the wedding song in seven-part harmony. All gaze upon us. We look for Him but the passage is too long to see the end. We walk. We walk.

We see Him!  JOY!!  JOY!!  He is so handsome. He smiles a big smile. In His eyes we see heaven. We keep walking. We are there. The Father gives up the Bride. Jesus holds out His hand. Our heart sings. We take His hand. The angel Gabrielle conducts the ceremony. We can think of nothing but Him. I do. You may kiss the Bride. Anticipation!!  He comes closer, facing us. He lifts the veil, draws closer and embraces us. Cheers and celebrations!!  We turn to face the assembly. We walk down the aisle. The angels are drunk. They sing, they fly, they cause great explosions in the sky.

A new larger sun rises[viii] over the altar behind us. The New World awaits.

So, the significance of the Pot of Manna placed in the Ark of the Covenant is that it represents the care, guidance and provision that God provides to His people who seek to enter into covenant with Him. While this support was provided to Israel under the first covenant, it has been perfected in Jesus under the new covenant. Israel’s walk with the Lord toward the Promised Land was prophetic of the superior covenant we would have with Jesus. Under the new covenant we receive blessings and gifts from God both on this earth but also in the spiritual realm. In addition, our spiritual destiny is to be one with Jesus as the new covenant is consummated with us, His Bride after the second coming of Jesus.

[i] Revelation 19:8  And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

[ii] Ephesians  4:15-16  but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head; Christ;  from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

[iii] 1 Corinthians 12:12  For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.

[iv] Revelation 21:9-11  Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, “Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.”  And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.

[v] Revelation 19:7  Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.

[vi] Revelation 4:3  And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.

[vii] Revelation 4:6  Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal.

[viii] Revelation 22:16-17  “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”  And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.

Revelation 21:23  The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.

Revelation 2:26-28  And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations;  ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’; as I also have received from My Father;  “and I will give him the morning star.

The Sun that rose was the Morning Star. He rose but then stopped low in the morning sky, apparently positioned in an optimal location to provide light.

Isaiah 60:19-21  The sun shall no longer be your light by day, Nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; But the LORD will be to you an everlasting light, And your God your glory. Your sun shall no longer go down, Nor shall your moon withdraw itself; For the LORD will be your everlasting light, And the days of your mourning shall be ended. Also your people shall all be righteous; They shall inherit the land forever, The branch of My planting, The work of My hands, That I may be glorified.

Read my story by ordering my book, “Possess the Vision”

cropped-possessthevisionfront013.jpg

Read my book entitled, “Possess the Vision.”


Read the truly amazing life story about how the forces of good and evil battle over a man and the vision that God gives him. Joseph W. Gordon’s Possess the Vision (Xulon Press, $12.95, 140 pages, ISBN 1-59781-205-6) tells about the mysterious spiritual experiences that occur throughout his lifetime.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Comment

Jesus is the Reward of the Spirit Filled Warrior Nation

Filed under: Bride of Christ, Covenant, Jesus, Jesus is the Most Holy Place, Jesus is the Most Holy Place, Jesus the Tabernacle, New Jerusalem, spirtual warfare, The Ark Of The Covenant, The Holy Of Holies — 2 Comments
June 26, 2009

cropped-possessthevisionfront013.jpg

Jesus is the Reward of the Spirit Filled Warrior Nation

The promises of God to Israel for taking the Promised Land are predictive of the rewards we as Christians will receive for entering into spiritual warfare and taking down the strongholds of evil around us.

The Ark Brings Down the Walls of Jerico

The Ark Brings Down the Walls of Jerico

To understand our spiritual rewards better we must first summarize the rewards promised to Israel.

Israel’s rewards included peace, prosperity and possession of the Promised Land and everything in it:

But when you cross over the Jordan and dwell in the land which the LORD your God is giving you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all your enemies round about, so that you dwell in safety, (Deuteronomy 12:10)

In addition, God would abide with them in the land such that their offerings could be made:

Then there will be the place where the LORD your God chooses to make His name abide. There you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the heave offerings of your hand, and all your choice offerings which you vow to the LORD. (Deuteronomy 12:11)

They also received favor from the Lord that came in the form of the early rain as well as the latter rain for their crops. Through this rain they would then derive their new wine and their oil:

Then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil. And I will send grass in your fields for your livestock, that you may eat and be filled. (Deuteronomy 11:14 – 15)

Again, these physical rewards are prophetic of our spiritual inheritance. In place of the land of Canaan the Christian Nation will enter into the New Jerusalem that will come down from heaven. The New Jerusalem is also referred to as the Lamb’s wife in the Bible. We will cover the New Jerusalem and the Lamb’s wife in greater detail later in subsequent posts. For now, suffice it to say that each true Christian is a component of the bride. After Christ comes again, the bride will become one with Jesus in marriage and as a result, Jesus will love and care for us as a perfect husband loves and cares for his wife. In addition, since Jesus is in the Father and the Father is in Him, then we will become one with God as well.

Until the time that Jesus comes for His Bride, she is to be working preparing the way for His return. This would be a similar mission to that of John the Baptist:

Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” He said: I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the LORD,” as the prophet Isaiah said. Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. (John 1:22 – 24)

John Baptizes Jesus in the Jordan River

John Baptizes Jesus in the Jordan River

The work that we do as members of the bride comes with the blessings of the Holy Spirit that empowers our work. The harvest of our grain is prophetic of the spiritual seeds that we sow and in turn, the spiritual fruit that we reap. Our new wine is the new covenant which is based on the shed blood of Jesus that is effective in setting us free from sin. Finally, our oil is the anointing of the Spirit that enables us to achieve His purpose.

This is the essence of the new covenant. We enter into it by eating the body and drinking the blood of Jesus as He taught us at the last supper:

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. (Matthew 26:26 – 28)

However, this physical act of communion that we practice today is emblematic of the transformation of our nature to that of Christ Jesus through the leading of the Holy Spirit.

eucharist_in_monstrance

It is in eating His body and drinking His blood that we become like Him. In encouraging and fostering this transformation we must prepare ourselves, the bride of Christ, for the Bridegroom. We do this by carrying on the mission and the works that He did here on this earth:

He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. (1 John 2:6)

In addition, let us not forget that gifts and blessings come from God washed with the blood of Jesus. As we have discussed previously, we have open access to the Holy Place that brings with it the blessings of becoming enlightened to know our purpose, our mission and our direction. We can commune with the Father and are empowered to be victorious in spiritual warfare, which in turn brings safety, protection salvation and peace to the loved ones that we pray for. In this regard, we take up our cross and follow in His footsteps. We cling to the promises of God with all of our being and remain steadfast to our purpose, our dream and the mission that He created us to achieve.

All of this is to say that in Jesus we have a perfected Manna in that He sustains us as we walk in our desert place toward the fulfillment of the new covenant.

Violence in Heaven

Violence in Heaven

This covenant will be fulfilled when the bride takes possession of the spiritual Promised Land, which is in heaven, and the bride is united in Christ Jesus and the two become one.


cropped-possessthevisionfront013.jpg

Read my book entitled, “Possess the Vision.”


Read the truly amazing life story about how the forces of good and evil battle over a man and the vision that God gives him. Joseph W. Gordon’s Possess the Vision (Xulon Press, $12.95, 140 pages, ISBN 1-59781-205-6) tells about the mysterious spiritual experiences that occur throughout his lifetime. They start in his youth when amazingly he has a series of dreams that warn of impending danger that come true. In a mind gripping account he tells what happened when he turned away from God and suffered demonic attacks that took him into spiritual Golgotha, the place of death. There he is confronted by Satin and is brought before the judgment seat of Christ. Fortunately, judgment is not dispensed. He awakes in the hospital the next day disbelieving what he perceives as a very bad dream. He is then pummeled by a series of physical attacks and teeters near death for months. Out of desperation he picks up a bible and later gives his life back to God.

Immediately God responds by leading him through a series of spiritual and prophetic experiences, that when melded together, communicate God’s desire. Possess the Vision weaves these experiences into a proposal to unite Christians in a common ministry to improve the life and living standards of the world’s people — in support of the command of Jesus Christ that we love one another.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Comment

The Spiritual Duty of the Warrior Nation

Filed under: Jesus, Jesus is the Most Holy Place, Jesus is the Most Holy Place, Jesus the Tabernacle, spirtual warfare — 2 Comments
June 23, 2009

The Morning Star Rising on the First Day

The Spiritual Duty of the Warrior Nation

In the section entitled: “the Duty of the Warrior Nation”, which can be found in the posting; Jesus-and-the-Covenant, we get an interesting insight into what God expects of a warrior. In this posting you will find that God communicated the nation of Israel (via Moses), to utterly destroy the evil religion and the people who inhabited the Promised Land.

The Ark Leads the People to Canaan

The Ark Leads the People to Canaan

This message applies to Christians today, in the sense that we are all called into the spiritual battles of Jesus. There is a huge difference however between our spiritual battles and the physical battles of Israel. Israel’s warfare was physical because it required the destruction of a people devoted to an evil religion.

The Walls of Jerico fall Befor the Ark

The Walls of Jerico fall Befor the Ark

While our spiritual warfare addresses the defeat of the devils evil forces and the restoration of God’s intentions for mankind.

Violence in Heaven

Violence in Heaven

Let’s look at a scripture that helps to reinforce this idea:

Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?” But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went to another village. (Luke 9:51 – 56)

Paul also entices us to enter into spiritual warfare in this scripture:

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;  praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints;  (Ephesians 6:10-18)

Additional information may require a review of the ten postings on our web site that start with the posting named Jesus-the-Golden-Altar-of-Incense.  One thing that we did not cover there however was the savagery of spiritual warfare. The warfare of Israel taking the Promised Land by force is prophetic of our requirement to take the spiritual Promised Land (heaven) in a like manner. Both call for the total elimination of evil from the land. Again, here are some supporting scriptures:

For this is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.’  Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. (Matthew 11:10 – 14)

Therefore, we are called on to utterly destroy the spiritual places where evil spirits serve their false gods. We are to destroy their Altars, break their sacred pillars, and burn their wooden images with fire: we are to cut down the carved images of their gods and destroy their names form those places, all in the spirit. These are the statutes and judgments which you shall be careful to observe in the land which the LORD God of your fathers is giving you to possess, all the days that you live on the earth. You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations which you shall dispossess served their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree. And you shall destroy their altars, break their sacred pillars, and burn their wooden images with fire; you shall cut down the carved images of their gods and destroy their names from that place. You shall not worship the LORD your God with such things. But you shall seek the place where the LORD your God chooses, out of all your tribes, to put His name for His dwelling place; and there you shall go. (Deuteronomy 12:1 – 5)

Please note that victory in the spirit will also bring victory here on earth as well.

We enter into spiritual battle because the Lords prayer instructs us to so as it states:

Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10)

It is therefore God’s will that we become spiritual warriors and dispossess all evil from our Promised Land.

In our next posting we will take a look at the rewards of being a spirit filled warrior for God. Until then, may God’s blessings be upon you.

Read the truly amazing life story about how the forces of good and evil battle over a man and the vision that God gives him. Joseph W. Gordon’s Possess the Vision (Xulon Press, $12.95, 140 pages, ISBN 1-59781-205-6) tells about the mysterious spiritual experiences that occur throughout his lifetime.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Comment