The Apostle Peter wrote to the persecuted believers who inhabited regions in what we now call the nation of Turkey in 1 Peter Chapter 1. He wrote to them to encourage them to remain steadfast in the faith and hope that they have in Jesus Christ, even throughout the extreme trials they were experiencing for a season. Their faith, Peter wrote, was being tried by fire unto the praise, the honor, and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ, "Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls." These believers, these elect, have an incorruptible inheritance waiting for them in heaven. These persecuted believers were part of the elect, wrote Peter, "according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling (the meaning of "nazah") of the blood of Jesus Christ....Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." (v. 2, 5). The Greek word used to mean "last time" is the word kyros, meaning set time, specific time.
Those in the "last time" must expect persecution. In Lk. 21:9-36, Jesus described the signs of the last days before His return. Some of the signs He described included: wars and commotions of nations (ethnic groups), and kingdoms, great earthquakes, famines, pestilences, fearful sights and great signs in the heavens. Even before these signs and throughout them, there shall be persecution. Jesus also spoke that Jerusalem would be compassed about with great armies. "For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled." (v. 22). Jesus also spoke of Jerusalem being trodden down of the Gentiles, "until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." (v. 24). We are seeing these signs fulfilled, and the conclusion of the times of the Gentiles regarding Jerusalem in this generation. Jesus also said:
"So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled." (v. 31-32).
When Jesus spoke of "this generation", He spoke of the generation living when the signs of which He spoke were coming to pass. We are this generation. Jesus went on to warn:
Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare it shall come on all that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." (v. 33-36).
Both Peter's letter to the persecuted believers, and Christ's prophecies regarding the signs of the last days before His return, refer to very specific and set times.
All of the events of Christ's life, His crucifixion, resurrection, the catching away of the Church, and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, are foretold in the Feasts of the LORD that He commanded for Israel to keep for all of their generations. Christ has already fulfilled the three spring feasts with His first coming. He will likewise fulfill the three fall feasts with His return. All of these feasts are assigned to very specific timing and set dates, as is the meaning of the Greek kyros, which we saw above.
The fall feasts are detailed in Lev. 23:23-37. These fall feasts of the LORD begin with the Feast of Trumpets, the sounding of the shofar, calling the congregation of the Lord to assemble, calling them to days of repentance. This Feast is set at a specific time: the first day of the seventh month, at the sighting of the new moon. To many in the Church, this feast is prophetically associated with and will be fulfilled in the rapture of the Church, which is also signified by the sounding of the Great Trump, the Last Trump, according to scripture.
During the next ten days, called The Days of Awe, the congregation spends time in solemn repentance. On the tenth day of this seventh month, the Day of Atonement, the people are to afflict their souls, and the high priest applies the blood of the atonement upon the mercy seat of God in the tabernacle or temple. Jesus is our blood of atonement. We are not to take His atoning blood lightly, or for granted. The tradition of the Jews during this solemn and holy time, is to gather in small groups with friends, examining each other for sin. Sins are confessed and repented. The third feast is Tabernacles, set on the fifteenth day of this same first month. This feast continues for seven days. To the Church, the late harvest and shutting in of Tabernacles, which is a joyful feast, is to be fulfilled by a final harvest of souls, and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, with His spotless Bride in heaven. These Feasts of the LORD are all designated as Sabbaths, wherein the congregation focuses their attention solely on the LORD, rather than other activities, and their offerings are made to Him by fire.
The LORD does all things by His set, specific times, as we have seen above. This same principle applies to the events of the end times as well.
We are already seeing the signs, and many across the world are seeing the persecution that attends them, as Jesus foretold. We in this nation are not yet being persecuted to death, but we are seeing that Christians are being blamed for many of the ills being sighted by those who call themselves "Progressives", because, unfortunately, Christians seem to be supporting ungodly things. In America, we still have the liberty to practice our faith, but what are we doing with that liberty? We are not here to support either a Republican or Democratic political agenda, but a Godly, Biblical, Christ-like agenda.
Innocent people, like our son, Sean Stevenson, are being murdered, and no justice is coming forth. We, the people of God, need to call sin, sin and evil, evil, in these things. Is there a greater abomination before God than child murder? Yet many in the Church support it. The prophets and Jesus warned all, including religious leadership, regarding this compromise of truth saying, "Woe unto you...". Considering all of these things, are we shocked to see judgment and catastrophes fall?
The people of God need to pray, confess their sins, and turn from their wicked ways before God, so He will hear from heaven and heal our land (2 Chron. 7:14).
everlastingcovenant@ymail.com
Dr. Stevenson's newest book is now available:
Sean Stevenson
Both Peter's letter to the persecuted believers, and Christ's prophecies regarding the signs of the last days before His return, refer to very specific and set times.
All of the events of Christ's life, His crucifixion, resurrection, the catching away of the Church, and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, are foretold in the Feasts of the LORD that He commanded for Israel to keep for all of their generations. Christ has already fulfilled the three spring feasts with His first coming. He will likewise fulfill the three fall feasts with His return. All of these feasts are assigned to very specific timing and set dates, as is the meaning of the Greek kyros, which we saw above.
The fall feasts are detailed in Lev. 23:23-37. These fall feasts of the LORD begin with the Feast of Trumpets, the sounding of the shofar, calling the congregation of the Lord to assemble, calling them to days of repentance. This Feast is set at a specific time: the first day of the seventh month, at the sighting of the new moon. To many in the Church, this feast is prophetically associated with and will be fulfilled in the rapture of the Church, which is also signified by the sounding of the Great Trump, the Last Trump, according to scripture.
During the next ten days, called The Days of Awe, the congregation spends time in solemn repentance. On the tenth day of this seventh month, the Day of Atonement, the people are to afflict their souls, and the high priest applies the blood of the atonement upon the mercy seat of God in the tabernacle or temple. Jesus is our blood of atonement. We are not to take His atoning blood lightly, or for granted. The tradition of the Jews during this solemn and holy time, is to gather in small groups with friends, examining each other for sin. Sins are confessed and repented. The third feast is Tabernacles, set on the fifteenth day of this same first month. This feast continues for seven days. To the Church, the late harvest and shutting in of Tabernacles, which is a joyful feast, is to be fulfilled by a final harvest of souls, and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, with His spotless Bride in heaven. These Feasts of the LORD are all designated as Sabbaths, wherein the congregation focuses their attention solely on the LORD, rather than other activities, and their offerings are made to Him by fire.
The LORD does all things by His set, specific times, as we have seen above. This same principle applies to the events of the end times as well.
We are already seeing the signs, and many across the world are seeing the persecution that attends them, as Jesus foretold. We in this nation are not yet being persecuted to death, but we are seeing that Christians are being blamed for many of the ills being sighted by those who call themselves "Progressives", because, unfortunately, Christians seem to be supporting ungodly things. In America, we still have the liberty to practice our faith, but what are we doing with that liberty? We are not here to support either a Republican or Democratic political agenda, but a Godly, Biblical, Christ-like agenda.
Innocent people, like our son, Sean Stevenson, are being murdered, and no justice is coming forth. We, the people of God, need to call sin, sin and evil, evil, in these things. Is there a greater abomination before God than child murder? Yet many in the Church support it. The prophets and Jesus warned all, including religious leadership, regarding this compromise of truth saying, "Woe unto you...". Considering all of these things, are we shocked to see judgment and catastrophes fall?
The people of God need to pray, confess their sins, and turn from their wicked ways before God, so He will hear from heaven and heal our land (2 Chron. 7:14).
*The above is based upon the 8/30/20 message to the Church from Dr. Kenneth Stevenson.
To Contact/Submit prayer requests/Support the ministry/Order the book, "NAZAH-White Linen and the Blood of Sprinkling", and to help us get out the message, to contribute to the Book of Remembrance, or Memorial Fund for Sean Stevenson:
Dr. Kenneth Stevenson
P.O. Box 154221
Waco, TX 76705
https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8
http://endtimeschool.com/
P.O. Box 154221
Waco, TX 76705
https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8
http://endtimeschool.com/
everlastingcovenant@ymail.com
To watch/hear Dr. Stevenson's complete message:
https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8
Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior: Lord Jesus, I desire to know You, and to know Your salvation. I believe that You died for me, and that You were resurrected for me. Forgive me of my sins. Come into my heart, change me, fill me with Your righteousness. Inscribe my name in the Lamb's book of life. Baptize me in Your Holy Spirit, so that I can learn the truth of Your Word and ways, and be strengthened in my walk all the days of my life. You are the hope of my life, and You are my eternal life. I place my trust in You, Lord, for myself, and my whole household. Use me to do the will of the heavenly Father, Who sent You, in Whose name You came. In Your name, and in thanks and praise I pray, Amen.
https://twitter.com/everlastingcov8
Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior: Lord Jesus, I desire to know You, and to know Your salvation. I believe that You died for me, and that You were resurrected for me. Forgive me of my sins. Come into my heart, change me, fill me with Your righteousness. Inscribe my name in the Lamb's book of life. Baptize me in Your Holy Spirit, so that I can learn the truth of Your Word and ways, and be strengthened in my walk all the days of my life. You are the hope of my life, and You are my eternal life. I place my trust in You, Lord, for myself, and my whole household. Use me to do the will of the heavenly Father, Who sent You, in Whose name You came. In Your name, and in thanks and praise I pray, Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment