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And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. (Revelation 20:12) |
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Do you remember the reward given to the early Apostles? "You will sit on thrones judging the tribes of Israel." |
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I am glad that authority was assigned to them. I myself would not care to judge the tribes of Israel. They argue too much! |
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The victorious saints will judge the world, and the angels also. This honor have all the Lord's saints. |
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"Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection." Can you sense from these words that this is an elite group? The members are distinguished by being blessed and holy. |
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There is nothing about the first resurrection that sounds anything like a resurrection to basic salvation. Rather it is the resurrection of God's firstfruits, His holy kings and priests. |
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The second death has no authority over them because there is no sin in them. Do you remember when we were talking about the sealed servants that Dan (judgment) was not present? As long as there is sin in us the Lake of Fire has authority over that part of us, for the Father has assigned specific behaviors to the Lake of Fire and into the Lake of Fire they shall go. They shall not be admitted into the city of God, not by grace, mercy, or by any other means. |
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Again it is repeated, "shall reign with him a thousand years." |
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This is the last appearance of the victorious saints we shall mention. |
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The new Jerusalem, the holy city, is the Bride of the Lamb. All the elect of God are part of the new Jerusalem. The firstfruits, the victorious saints, were separated for a season in order that they might gain victory for the entire camp. |
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We see this pattern where Gideon and his three hundred gained victory for all Israel. Also where David won victory for all Israel. The Lord has His "mighty men"! |
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It is our point of view that the emphasis of the Holy Spirit in the present hour appears to be on the calling forth of rulers. Many who are last in time shall be first in the Kingdom of God. The Church is in travail. He who is to govern the creation of God is being brought forth. Christ, the King, is being formed in us. |
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Every generation of the Church Era has had it own revelation, its own grace, its own part in building the Kingdom of God. Those who have gone before have borne witness to us, making it possible for us to press toward the summit. |
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Now they are watching us and profiting as we struggle toward the peak. |
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The whole body is built by that which every joint supplies. |
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Not every member of God's elect has had the opportunity we have today to press upward toward the Throne just as we did not have the opportunity to walk with Jesus of Nazareth along the shore of the Sea of Galilee. But everyone who is called will attain his or her own destiny if found diligent and faithful to the Lord. |
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Ours is a truly great hour. The window is open. We can lay hold on the fullness of God. The generation after us will have even greater opportunity and so on and on until the Lord returns. |
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Let us serve our generation by the will of God. Those who have gone before will profit as they watch us from the spirit realm. Those who come after us will profit from our example and teaching and press upward toward the mark. |
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Only one life we have, and it is so brief! Let us not be foolish. Let us make every minute count. |
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We have all eternity to rest! |
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To be continued. |
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He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. (Revelation 21:7) |
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Our point in this series of Internet essays is to emphasize to God's people that we must live in victory in Jesus if we expect to receive the rewards normally associated with the Christian life. |
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The standard of Christian living in America is far, far below the Bible standard. We are living in the flesh. We have a fleshly hope (the rapture). We have a fleshly understanding of our destiny (eternal residence in a mansion in the spirit realm where we are surrounded with material wealth). |
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We have a fleshly understanding of Divine grace (God's way of receiving us even though we are making little or no effort to take up our cross and follow the Lord Jesus, little or no effort to live a righteous, holy, obedient life). |
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We have fleshly services in which we sit either quietly, passively, waiting for the minister to conduct the "service," or else we exhibit unrestrained emotionalism in an orgy of metaphysical-fleshly rejoicing which, on occasion, the elders are afraid to restrain. |
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We have a fleshly zeal for collecting members instead of bringing to maturity those believers whom God has brought to us to love and feed. |
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It is time now to pray, to seek the Lord, to hear and obey His voice. What He says may not be what we hear everyone else saying. Are we tough enough to do what Christ says even if it goes against the traditions of the elders? |
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Ours is a new day. We are close to the coming of the Lord. The Kingdom of God is at hand. Both the wheat and the tares are coming to maturity. |
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It is a new wine and cannot be put in old bottles. |
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There will be increased repentance, increased revelation of the Word, and increased evangelism in the days to come, for these three always accompany genuine revival. |
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There will be an increasing emphasis on spiritual warfare. As the Church brings forth Christ in the believers Michael and his angels will be empowered to cast Satan and his angels from the heavenlies. |
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As soon as Satan is cast down, and this may be beginning already from what we are seeing, it will be impossible to survive as a nominal Christian. You will be compelled to join the ranks of the militant remnant or else to remain in the Laodicean condition. In this case you will soon find yourself a part of Babylon the Great, the massive religious institution of the last days. The pressures will be too great to permit you to survive as a lone ranger. |
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Either you will be standing on the sea of glass singing praise to God or you will be moving about in a superheated environment, cursing God, suffering from huge boils and skin cancers, not permitted to escape by dying. Eventually mankind on the earth will come down to these two groups. |
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You can stand on the sea of glass and sing praise to God while yet alive on earth. Many spiritual realities are independent of whether we are alive in the body or at home with the Lord. |
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The symbolic images of the Book of Revelation portray what God sees in the spiritual realm. We behold the same thing or event in quite a different manner. God sees a white-robed angel (messenger) blowing the golden trumpet of God. We see the same individual as a preacher in a small church telling us what is on God's mind. |
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God sees an individual standing on a sea of glass mixed with fire, singing His praises. We see an ordinary church member, going through God's fire, lifting his or her hands in praise to the Father. |
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Revelation becomes a down-home, practical book when you understand that it is talking about ordinary things taking place now. |
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Soon it will be nearly impossible to resist temptation, especially lust. Soon it will be increasingly difficult to pray as the spirit of Antichrist reaches up into the heavens. |
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You will have to be a fervent Christian or you will default to the weakness and deception so common among the Evangelicals of our day. |
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Christ is ready to receive you and train you to be a soldier in His army. But you are going to have to mean business with God. |
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My burden is for you, that you will not miss the best God has for you. |
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You can be a victorious saint through Christ who is ready to strengthen you. |
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You can be part of the royal priesthood. |
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You can attain the first resurrection from the dead. |
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Go for it! |
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Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. (James 5:7) |
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It is our point of view that the latter rain began with the Protestant Reformation. |
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Why talk about the latter rain? Only because it is mentioned in Hosea, Joel, Zechariah, and James. If God finds it necessary to talk about the latter rain maybe we should also. Right? |
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The former, or planting, rain arrives in Israel the early part of October, following a half year of drought. The planting, or fall rain, makes plowing and planting possible. |
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Then there are occasional rains throughout the winter. |
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In March we can look for the spring, or latter rain. The spring rain brings up the wheat to maturity. Then there must be sun for the wheat to be ready to harvest. |
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Notice the pattern: planting rain, occasional rain, spring rain, and then sun. |
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This is the pattern of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit during the Church Age. The planting rain is described in the Book of Acts. Since then there have been various outpourings. As we understand it the first signs of the spring rain occurred in the Protestant Reformation. |
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Since the Reformation there has been an increase of worldwide evangelism and the understanding of the Scriptures. The spring rain will increase in intensity until the fullness has been attained. The Gospel of the Kingdom of God will be preached to every nation for a witness, and then the end of the Church Age as we know it will be at hand. |
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The power for witnessing will be withdrawn so Antichrist may have full expression in the major cities of the earth. Then the hot sun of persecution will separate the true saints from the babylonish structures. The remnant will be hidden away under the hand of God, being made perfect, prepared for their translation at the coming of Jesus. |
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Planting rain, occasional rain, harvest rain, and then sun. This, I believe, is what we can look forward to. |
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As we look through Revelation for the latter-rain revival our eyes fall on the eleventh chapter of the Book of Revelation. |
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We notice at the end of the tenth chapter that John is commissioned to prophesy again to all the nations. This is the commission, the Great Commission, which will be fulfilled so gloriously in the last days. |
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As we enter the eleventh chapter we notice the very necessary preliminary step. The saints who will bear the double portion of the Spirit assigned to the last-day revival must be judged. Those who are before the altar must be measured. |
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There is great significance associated with the measuring, the judging that takes place at this altar. The altar in question is the Altar of Incense. |
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The Church has been at Pentecost since the turn of the century. Now it is time to press forward. When we leave the Lampstand of the Tabernacle we come to the Altar of Incense. The Lampstand represents Pentecost. When we move past Pentecost we come to the Altar of Incense. |
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The Charismatic movement stands today facing the Altar of Incense. If you would go forward with God you must go toward the Altar of Incense. |
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To be continued. |
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As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. (Acts 13:2) |
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In Pentecost we receive gifts and ministries. The power of the Holy Spirit is upon us to bear witness. But then we have to go forward to the Altar of Incense. All of our spiritual accomplishments must be cast down before the Lord. The casting down of our accomplishments is emphasized by the fact that the four pillars that supported the veil had no capitals, no crowns. The crowns must be placed at the Master's feet. Can you say Amen? |
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The Altar of Incense is the place of worship. But more than that it is the place of worship that comes from the death of the "I will." Self must be crucified. |
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How often today we hear the exhortation that we are to use our gifts and "do something for God." I'm here to tell you that God is not looking for someone to do something for Him. God is looking for someone who will do something with Him. And right here you have the difference between Babylon and the true Church. |
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God is ready to move in the earth as never before. It is the time of the fullness of the latter, spring rain. But He cannot use people who have their head full of their own ideas. We must come to the Altar of Incense. We must get "beheaded." It is a time to listen. |
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When you have a head full of your own religious plans it can be difficult to bow at the Altar of Incense and say, "Not my will but Thine be done." |
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Someone recently said, "We should not say, 'Thy will be done.' Of course it is God's will to heal the sick. To say thy will be done is a sign of unbelief." |
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Such a statement is a symptom of the current man-centeredness that has gripped the churches. Are we greater than Jesus? We always are to say, "Thy will be done." This is the most dynamic, most powerful prayer there is. Do we want something that isn't God's will? |
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Do we know everything? Have we become God? What nonsense goes on today! |
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Let us cease our man-centeredness and bow at the Altar of Incense. We cannot possibly function as one of God's end-time witnesses until we are judged at the Altar of Incense. The frankincense of Christ's death must be there along with the onycha, stacte, and galbanum. The piercing must be present. The self- centeredness must be judged and driven completely from all who would bear the fullness of the Spirit when the spring rain reaches its climax. |
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One of the Lampstands is Christ. The second lampstand symbolizes the victorious saints. The two will bear witness as one just as the Father and the Son bore witness as One. |
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The two olive trees portray the double portion of the Spirit, the two wave-loaves of the Jewish feast of Pentecost. It is the former and the latter rain in the first month, the month of the Blowing of Trumpets, of the Day of Atonement, and of the feast of Tabernacles. |
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The spring rain is the "Elisha" anointing that will prepare the way for the return of the Lord Jesus. |
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What will the two witnesses preach? What sort of testimony will the spring rain empower? |
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To be continued. |
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And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. (Matthew 24:14) |
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First of all, the testimony empowered by the harvest rain will be the Gospel of the Kingdom. The Gospel of the Kingdom must be preached to every nation for a witness. The Kingdom of God is soon to come to the earth. |
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We think that everything that took place in the Book of Acts will be present in the spring rain. The sick will be healed. Devils will be cast out. The dead will be raised. |
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But another element has been added, as we notice in the eleventh chapter of Revelation. Terrible, tormenting judgments will be administered as Christ goes forth with His saints. The two witnesses will torment all those who dwell on the earth. |
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Would Christ do this? You better know it! |
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One of the state governors of America said recently that floods and hurricanes are not acts of God. No doubt our governor is a fine man. But he doesn't understand God or the Bible. No flood or hurricane ever at any time takes place that is not in its final sense an act of God. God is in total control of this world! |
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The current image of God held in America is incorrect. God is not like we think. The current image of God as Santa Claus will increase in the world until the time of the pouring out of the vials of wrath. Mankind finally will recognize that it is God who has been causing their pain. Then you will see the upraised fists shaken at God. There will be no repentance in that day for the ability to repent is a gift from God. The wicked will remain wicked and there will be no recourse. |
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When God says, "Enough!" that's the end of the matter. |
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We Christians need to recognize that the spirit of humanism has entered our ranks. We are creating a God in our own image, making Him too sympathetic to our pains and frustrations. We have ceased bearing a true witness of God and are trying to placate and heal humanity. We are attempting to reconcile God to man instead of man to God. |
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In our effort to win friends and influence people we are bearing a false witness of the Holy One of Israel. In fact, we have done this for so long we are beginning to believe our own false image! |
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The Lord Jesus Christ issued the flood of Noah. The tribulation and wrath of the last days will exceed by far the destruction of the flood. The Lake of Fire is worse yet! |
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We had better warn people to flee from the wrath to come. |
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I am not referring to sick preaching in which we picture God as a tyrant whom we never can please. |
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When "positive preaching" came into vogue I asked God if this was from Him. God answered and said, "Whoever preaches only that which is positive is seeking his own glory and whoever preaches only that which is negative is emotionally ill." And then God started me back from the beginning and showed me that the Scriptures always present both the positive and the negative. |
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I am not advocating being harsh and cruel toward people. I am saying that we are whispering sweet nothings to people in order to "win them to Christ" instead of warning them of the consequences of continuing in sin. |
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To be continued. |
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Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:19,20) |
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We have changed the Great Commission. We are telling people they don't have to keep God's commandments because of His great grace and mercy instead of warning them to keep God's commandments on the peril of being excluded from the Kingdom of God if they don't. Am I correct in this? If you think I am, are you bold enough to go against the tide of humanism that is preaching peace to sinning Americans? |
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"Oh Brother Thompson, you don't love the people because you yell at them." |
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One time I was loading some sacks of cement in my Ford pickup. I looked up and saw a man pull up behind me. He got out of his truck and stood between his truck and my truck waiting for me to finish. What he didn't see was that his truck was rolling and it was about to crush his legs between his front bumper and my rear bumper. |
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I yelled, "Get out of there!" |
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It isn't considered cool to yell at strangers and you can get in trouble doing that. |
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He jumped out of the way. I said, "I'm sorry I yelled at you." |
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He said something to the effect that I could yell at him all I wished to. |
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What is love? Is it crooning love songs to people standing on the track when the locomotive is roaring down on them? Is this the way you show love to people? |
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Do you say in your most charming manner, while you are smiling of course, "I would like to suggest that at your convenience you step off the track. It appears that a train may come at any second, although I know the engineer loves you and would never hurt you."? |
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Or do you shout, "Jump off the track now!" |
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Sometimes I think we are showing love to people so they will love us. That isn't true love at all. True love is when you act in the best interests of someone whether or not they like you as a result. Do you agree? |
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And so God has His prophets torment people because He is seeking a higher good for them. Did God ever bring you into suffering because He had a higher good for you? Not my will but Thine be done. Amen. |
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Those who today are laying down their lives at the Altar of Burnt Offering are positioned before the veil. Just past the veil is the Ark of the Covenant portraying the thousand-year Kingdom Age. The meaning is that after Pentecost comes laying down our life in total obedience, and the next step is to meet the Lord at His appearing. |
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The movement through the veil from the Holy Place to the Holy of Holies signifies the transition from the Church Age to the Kingdom Age. We are there now, as we are suggesting, and this is why the ministry of the two witnesses includes works of destruction that will torment people on the earth. They will prepare the nations for the fact that the Kingdom Age will be set up on the earth with terrific violence. |
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To be continued. |
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And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. (Revelation 11:3) |
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Regardless of who we believe the two witnesses to be, the fact remains that just before the return of the Lord Jesus to the earth the witnesses of God will, in addition to the customary Kingdom works of casting out devils, healing the sick, and raising the dead, perform works of judgment that will cause much suffering. |
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Now consider: of whom and what will the two witnesses be testifying? They will be testifying of God, of His Kingdom, His will, His way, His eternal purpose in Christ Jesus. Because of God's Person, His Kingdom, His will, His way, His eternal purpose in Christ Jesus, the last-days testimony must include not only acts of deliverance and blessing but also acts of judgment and destruction. The testimony must show the severity of God as well as the goodness of God if it is to be balanced and accurate. Can you see that? |
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The ministry of today in some instances is attempting to love people into the churches. It is absolutely necessary that God's love be revealed to mankind through the churches. But if the churches do not reveal also the expectations of God including presenting our body a living sacrifice, denying ourselves, taking up our cross, dying to our adamic nature and walking in the new life of righteousness, holiness, and stern obedience to the Father, we are not preparing people adequately for what they will be facing from here on out. |
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If we coax people into the churches by telling only about the goodness and mercy of God, at what point will we inform them they are supposed to be crucified with Christ and living by His Life? When will we present to them the concept that they are the slaves of Jesus Christ and are to live in stern obedience to Him? When will we press the truth that they have been saved for the Glory of God and not so they will have a better personality and family life and that God reserves the right to bring them through every sort of suffering without offering any explanation? |
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When will they be told they have to endure to the end in order to be saved? |
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If we promise them a life free from suffering how will they fare when God begins to chastise them? |
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And if we promise them a rapture to deliver them from persecution, and severe persecution comes, as happened to the Chinese Christians some years back, and they are not raptured, what will we do then with these unprepared people? |
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There have been palace prophets and self-seeking teachers in every generation. Let us make sure we never come under either category. |
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Picture the Tabernacle of the Congregation described in the Book of Exodus. Think of a barn with no roof. You open the front doors. You cannot see through to the back wall because a veil is hanging from four pillars that conceals the last third of the barn, forming a box-shaped room at the end. That is the Holy of Holies. The two-thirds of the barn you can see is the Holy Place. |
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Now we are going to put a ceiling on the barn. We make two large curtains of fine white linen and blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, having figures of cherubim wrought in them. Then we couple the two large curtains with fifty gold clasps. We use these two curtains as a ceiling for the barn with the fifty gold clasps over the veil and parallel to the veil. |
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When we are inside the Tabernacle and look up at the ceiling we see white, blue, purple, and scarlet and figures of cherubim. The cherubim are the image of God. The white, blue, purple, and scarlet speak of the fact that Christ and His brothers are born of man (Adam means red), born of God (blue), are rulers (purple--the blend of blue and red), and will govern in righteousness (white). |
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To be continued. |
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