The first coming of Jesus fulfilled the spring Feasts of the LORD which are Passover, First Fruits, and Pentecost. These feasts were ordained by the LORD to be a prophetic picture of the Messiah, so Israel would be able to recognize Him when He came. With His second coming, or return, Jesus will fulfil the fall feasts, as well. As there is a spacing of months between the series of spring feasts and fall feasts, there is a spacing of time between His first appearing, and His return. The first fall feast is the Feast of Trumpets. Scripture connects this feast with the resurrection of the dead in Christ, with an event called "The Rapture of the Church", and with Christ's return. First let us see the connection of this feast to these events in scripture:
"Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed...this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality...then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory...the victory through our Lord, Jesus Christ." 1 Cor. 15:51-57 (excerpt)
"For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord..." 1 Thess. 4:15-17
At the end of the Feast of Trumpets, there is a last blast of the trumpet, or shofar, called
Teki'ah Gedolah (the Great Blowing), a long blast signaling victory, or good news. This is the last trump, the trump of God, referred to in the above scriptures.
Last week, we spoke about the bridal garment the Jewish bride would prepare for her wedding in order to make herself ready. Similarly, the fine linen, clean and white that the bride of Christ is given to wear for her marriage supper spoken of in Rev. 19:7-9, represents the righteousness of the saints. After the wedding covenant (Ketubah) was signed, the Jewish bride would also prepare woven and embroidered tapestries to beautify her new home with her bridegroom. For the Bride of Christ, the bridal garment, and the beautifully woven tapestries represent the works of righteousness, the fruits of our faith, as led by the Holy Spirit. Our faith is expected to produce divinely inspired, eternal fruit, or righteous works. These righteous works of faith are described in scripture. They are works that come from holiness, prepared for the holy temple of God, which we are, and to which we are purposed. Our works are built upon the holy foundation which has been built by Christ, and is Christ. Carnality in believers, which produces strife and divisions, creates carnal works that will not survive:
"...every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor...Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burnt, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire." 1 Cor. 3:8, 13-1
As we see and understand the times and the seasons in which we live, and understand that the Lord is soon to return, that the last trump is soon to sound, we are not to be caught unawares and unprepared (1 Thess. 5:1-6).
Jesus used the parable about the seed and the sower to illustrate the effects of carnality upon the Word that we have received, and the subsequent fruit, or works, that we produce. When we receive the Word, but don't bother to understand its value and therefore treat it carelessly, it is easily taken from us. When we receive the Word but fail to incorporate it into our character, "Yet hath he no root in himself", when tested by tribulation and persecution for the Word's sake, this person becomes offended at the Word that was sown into his life. When we hear the Word, but allow the Word to become choked by the cares of this world, and the "deceitfulness of riches" that we have given the greater importance, we become unfruitful. However, the Word that has been planted into good ground, is so considered because the hearer has made an effort to understand (to set or join together in the mind, to be wise) and join the Word into his life. This hearer of the Word with understanding also bears fruit. The fruit is abundant: "some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty". We bring forth fruit that spiritually feeds others, and impacts their lives with salvation (Mt. 13:19-23).
This parable above about the sower is very similar in meaning to the parable Jesus taught about the "talents" given by the master to "every man according to his several ability", who expected a multiplication and return (Mt. 25:14-30). Along with the Word, works have been ordained to us. These works have divine multiplication built into them.
In the telling of this parable, Jesus acknowledged that not all would "understand". That was the purpose of the parable form (Mt. 13:11). We need to be those who hear the word, and understand these mysteries of the kingdom of heaven that are being revealed to us.
Daniel, who wrote of the resurrection that was to come (Dan. 12:2), also spoke of those who are wise and have understanding. He wrote that "they shall shine as the brightness of the firmament" with those "that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever." (v. 3). Daniel also referred to the Bride of Christ as he wrote:
"Many shall be purified and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand." v. 10
Daniel was told by the LORD that what he was writing was to be sealed "till the end". We who have received Christ understand what Daniel was writing about, because it has become "unsealed" for us in this time of the end of the age.
We understand that now is the time to prepare ourselves for our Bridegroom's soon return, including the preparation of those works of righteousness, those fruits of the Word of salvation in our lives, works that will last through the fire of testing and purifying, built upon the holy foundation of Christ:
"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."
1 Cor. 15:58
To Contact/Submit Prayer request/To Support the Ministry/To order "NAZAH""
https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8
http://endtimeschool.com/
To Watch the Complete Message from Dr. Stevenson:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9Uv3uzpyyQ&feature=youtu.be
Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior:
Lord Jesus, open the eyes of my heart. I want to know You as my Lord, and as my Savior, who covers my sins, and cleanses my heart. Come into my heart, and also fill me with the Holy Spirit, who will lead me into all truth, and will teach me how to follow You. I believe that You are the Son of God, the Messiah, that You were crucified for me, and rose from the dead to give me everlasting life. I believe that You are coming again. Lord Jesus, in Your name I believe, pray, and receive all of these things. Amen.
"...every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor...Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burnt, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire." 1 Cor. 3:8, 13-1
As we see and understand the times and the seasons in which we live, and understand that the Lord is soon to return, that the last trump is soon to sound, we are not to be caught unawares and unprepared (1 Thess. 5:1-6).
Jesus used the parable about the seed and the sower to illustrate the effects of carnality upon the Word that we have received, and the subsequent fruit, or works, that we produce. When we receive the Word, but don't bother to understand its value and therefore treat it carelessly, it is easily taken from us. When we receive the Word but fail to incorporate it into our character, "Yet hath he no root in himself", when tested by tribulation and persecution for the Word's sake, this person becomes offended at the Word that was sown into his life. When we hear the Word, but allow the Word to become choked by the cares of this world, and the "deceitfulness of riches" that we have given the greater importance, we become unfruitful. However, the Word that has been planted into good ground, is so considered because the hearer has made an effort to understand (to set or join together in the mind, to be wise) and join the Word into his life. This hearer of the Word with understanding also bears fruit. The fruit is abundant: "some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty". We bring forth fruit that spiritually feeds others, and impacts their lives with salvation (Mt. 13:19-23).
This parable above about the sower is very similar in meaning to the parable Jesus taught about the "talents" given by the master to "every man according to his several ability", who expected a multiplication and return (Mt. 25:14-30). Along with the Word, works have been ordained to us. These works have divine multiplication built into them.
In the telling of this parable, Jesus acknowledged that not all would "understand". That was the purpose of the parable form (Mt. 13:11). We need to be those who hear the word, and understand these mysteries of the kingdom of heaven that are being revealed to us.
Daniel, who wrote of the resurrection that was to come (Dan. 12:2), also spoke of those who are wise and have understanding. He wrote that "they shall shine as the brightness of the firmament" with those "that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever." (v. 3). Daniel also referred to the Bride of Christ as he wrote:
"Many shall be purified and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand." v. 10
Daniel was told by the LORD that what he was writing was to be sealed "till the end". We who have received Christ understand what Daniel was writing about, because it has become "unsealed" for us in this time of the end of the age.
We understand that now is the time to prepare ourselves for our Bridegroom's soon return, including the preparation of those works of righteousness, those fruits of the Word of salvation in our lives, works that will last through the fire of testing and purifying, built upon the holy foundation of Christ:
"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."
1 Cor. 15:58
To Contact/Submit Prayer request/To Support the Ministry/To order "NAZAH""
https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8
http://endtimeschool.com/
To Watch the Complete Message from Dr. Stevenson:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9Uv3uzpyyQ&feature=youtu.be
Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior:
Lord Jesus, open the eyes of my heart. I want to know You as my Lord, and as my Savior, who covers my sins, and cleanses my heart. Come into my heart, and also fill me with the Holy Spirit, who will lead me into all truth, and will teach me how to follow You. I believe that You are the Son of God, the Messiah, that You were crucified for me, and rose from the dead to give me everlasting life. I believe that You are coming again. Lord Jesus, in Your name I believe, pray, and receive all of these things. Amen.
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