Are You Preparing?

 

The Lord Jesus gave clear instructions and warnings, concerning the signs of the end times, and pertaining to His coming. As we see the signs occurring more and more frequently, it is very likely that Jesus' words apply to our generation more than any generation that has come before us. The nearer we draw to His return, the more important it is that we heed His instructions, and prepare ourselves accordingly. When speaking of these end times, Jesus referred to the fig tree in parable. Many believe that the fig tree represents Israel, and its place in end time events. We will also see how it is an important sign for the Church, even from the Old Testament.

After warning of tribulation, false Christs, and referring to the catching away of the Church, Jesus continues:

"Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only...Watch therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come."

                                                                                          Mt. 24:32-42 (excerpt)

Jesus described the behavior that should accompany this uncertainty regarding the exact moment of His coming. He tells of how a good man, or servant, of the house, if he knew the moment of the coming of a thief, would make sure to have kept watch for it.

He instructs us to keep the same kind of vigil, so we will not be caught unprepared for His sudden coming. It will come at the exact time that we think it won't come. He warned, "Therefore be ye also ready."   Mt. 24:43-44

Not only are we to watch, but we are to be found doing the work at His coming that we have been called and purposed to do. If we are doing that work, we will be blessed and rewarded.  What is the work that the Lord should find us doing upon His return?

"Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his Lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?"  Mt. 24:45

We are to be occupied in the work that He has purposed us to do-providing spiritual meat for all called to the household of God. The "meat" to be provided is the uncompromised Word of truth, and the works of ministry in the name of the Lord, and the making of disciples.

At the same time, Jesus also told about the evil servant, who, based on his belief that the lord of the house would not be returning soon, not only did not perform the duties expected of him, but abused the others serving in the household, and spent his hours in sinful activity (v.48-49). Jesus warned that the consequences to this servant will be devastating:

"The lord of that servant...shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth (extreme anguish and utter despair)....and will appoint him his portion with unbelievers"  Mt. 24:50-51, Lk. 12:46
This is the same judgment that was determined for the guest at the king's wedding banquet for his son, who was not attired in the proper wedding garment. The king ordered that guest to be bound and cast into the outer darkness (Mt. 22:12-13). Jesus concluded with the chilling statement:
"For many are called, but few are chosen."  Mt. 22:14
There will not be time to prepare or to be ready when the moment of His coming arrives. The Lord instructed to have our loins girded about (out of bed and dressed), and our lights burning, even in the middle of the night, when others have gone to bed thinking the master is not about to return. At the sound of His knock, we are to be ready to open the door to Him immediately (Lk. 12:35-36). Like the servant, this is the Lord's expectation of us, this is part of the "duties" that have been given to us:
"For the Son of man...gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch...Lest coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say to you all, Watch."  Mk. 13:34-37 (excerpt)
In the Song of Songs, the bride lost her opportunity to go with the bridegroom because she was not prepared for his knock, though the signs and seasons pointed to his soon arrival:
(The bridegroom is speaking) "The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with their tender grapes give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away." 
                                                                                                     Song 2:13
(The bride is speaking) "I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night. I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?"  Song 5:2-3
The bride had already undressed and gone to bed. She was not prepared to open the door immediately to the bridegroom. By the time she got to the door, he had withdrawn (turned away). She went out into the streets looking for him, but couldn't find him. She called out to him, but he didn't answer. The watchmen and the keepers of the wall beat her, and took her veil away from her. The protectors of the city would have judged her to be a harlot, belonging to no one, out in the streets at night (Song 5:6-7 ).
In all of these parables and prophetic pictures, excuses were not accepted for not being prepared properly, for not being found performing the assigned work.
We need to understand and heed the signs of the times, and we need to know and be in our proper places in the Body of Christ, doing the work that has been purposed by the Lord for each one: awake, watchful, and prayerful, fully prepared for His coming at a moment when we might least expect Him. Peter told us that in the last days, the world will scoff at the idea of the Lord's imminent return (2 Pet. 3:3-4). However, we are to be prepared. Every indication we have points to the fact that He is coming soon.

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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.





What Is Truth?

 

We live in a world where truth has become a rare commodity. Sadly, in many situations, we no longer even expect to find the truth.

However, Jesus was an uncompromising speaker of truth. He is truth personified (Jn. 14:6). He knows the value of truth to the human soul and spirit (Jn. 8:32). He stood for the truth of His Father, without exception. When Pontius Pilate, a coldly practical Roman governor, was examining Jesus before the crucifixion, he cynically asked Jesus, "What is truth?" Jesus had just finished describing His purpose and the reason for His coming, to Pilate:

"...To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Everyone that is of the truth heareth My voice."  Jn. 18:37

The word used here for the expression "bear witness", is the Greek word martyreo, from which we get the word "martyr", meaning those who will declare the truth even unto their own death.

Pilate, though he was a worldly man, knew he was hearing the truth from Jesus, because he went out to the crowd and said to them, "I find in Him no fault at all." (Jn. 18:38). Ultimately, even knowing this, Pilate still delivered The Truth to the mob to be crucified (Jn. 19:16).

Jesus, as Truth, died, and was raised again. Shouldn't we, the Church, also bear this same legacy of truth? Sadly, this is not always the case. In fact, the early Church was structured, in part, on the rejection of truth. Early in Church history, doctrines were established, still existing to this day, that purposefully denied truth. Both the Council of Nicaea, in 325 A.D., and the Council of Laodicea in 364 A.D., denied the Jewish Sabbath, and the observances of Jewish Feasts ordained by God, which were a prophetic picture of the Messiah, Jesus. They referred to these things and more, as "Jewish superstitions". Their goal was to separate the Christian faith from any connection to its Jewish origins and foundational truths found in the Word of God. The Church summarily discarded the truth that Jesus was the Passover Lamb of God, Who came to take away the sins of the world (Jn. 1:29, 36), and the First Fruit of the resurrection of the dead (Rev. 1:5).

The Apostle Paul would have disagreed with those early Church decisions. He compared those of the Christian faith to wild branches that had been grafted into the olive tree, which is the Jewish faith (Rom. 11:17, 24). Those branches, by established Church doctrine, later decided to separate themselves from the very root that sustained them. How could those branches now thrive and live, having been separated from their root? Certainly not in truth.

 

Scripture describes the calling of believers as being one of "kings and priests" and a "royal priesthood" (Rev. 1:6, 5:10, 1 Pet. 2:9), called out of darkness and into His marvelous light. What is that light? It is the light of truth:

"O send out Thy light and Thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto Thy holy hill, and to Thy tabernacles."  Ps. 43:3

"But he that doeth truth, cometh to the light..."  Jn. 3:21

The prophet Hosea warned that the priesthood, to which we also have been called, can be lost to us, and rejected by God. The priesthood is rejected because truth, and the knowledge of God, is rejected (Hos. 4:1, 6, 9):

"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, and thou shalt be no priest to Me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children."  Hos. 4:6

In the same manner, as His kings, we are called to walk in God's kabode glory. We do this by searching the Word of His truth (Prov. 25:1). We are to search the Word so diligently, that we discover even the hidden things in the Word. If it seems shocking to read that we are to share the glory of God, scripture very much connects truth and the glory where we are concerned (Jer. 4:2, Jn. 1:14, Jn. 17:17-22).

In addition, scripture teaches that kings are preserved (guarded, protected, watched over, kept, maintained) by their association with truth (Prov. 20:28). This is the Word of God regarding kings.

As Jesus powerfully described His purpose to bear witness to the truth, it was in answer to Pilate's question, "Art Thou a king then?" (Jn. 18:37).

Like priests, kings are not to separate themselves from truth.

As the Church continues to reject the knowledge of the truth of its Jewish foundations and roots, as well as other truths of the Word of God, will God in turn reject the Church as kings and priests in His kingdom?

The Church needs to begin asking, "What is truth?", and to begin to search it out in the Word.

 

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My Name's Not Job! Or is it?

 

At this time, we are seeing hatred, and even persecution, directed towards Christians across the globe. America, as a perceived Christian nation, is along with Israel, one of the most hated nations. In America itself, Bible believing Christians are finding that they are hated for the truth for which they stand. Jesus told us that this would be so, and it is recorded in all four Gospels:

"...hated of all nations {hated of all men} for My name's sake," 

                                                                        Mt. 10, Mt. 24, Mk. 13, Lk. 21, Jn. 15

Jesus said there would be persecution (Mt. 10:23). This hatred and persecution would be because of His name, and because the world not only hated Him first, but also because they hate His Father, who sent Him. Jesus said that the world hates Him because He has removed the cloak with which they hide and cover their sin, so they now have no excuse. The world would hate His believers because those believers are not of the world, just as He is not of the world (Jn. 15:18-24). If they hate the Master, and call Him Beelzebub, how much more will they hate those of His household (Mt. 10:24-25).

Sometimes, because this place of hatred in the world becomes so uncomfortable, the church begins to compromise, and give the world back that cloak to cover and excuse sins, but Jesus came to remove the cloak.

Rather than make friends with the hatred, or compromise with it, Jesus instructs us to patiently endure it (Mt. 10:22, Mk. 13:13, Lk. 21:18-19). This very patience and endurance would save us. His use of the word "patience" means cheerful endurance. He prays the Father to equip us with the joy that He has (Jn. 17:13). It seems difficult to endure hatred and persecution with cheerfulness and joy, but Jesus has prayed the Father on our behalf.
 



As we consider patience in the face of adversity, we cannot help but be reminded of Job. It should not surprise us to find that Job's name means "hated, persecuted". Where did he receive the patience to endure? The Hebrew letters of his name, aleph, yod, beth, give us a hint. The meaning of these letters form a picture of dwelling in the tent/tabernacle of God's strength and powerful hand. As Job begins to falter in the presence and counsel of his "comforters", the LORD intervenes and brings Job back to that tent of His strength in no uncertain terms in chapters 38-41. Job's dwelling place, though he is in the world, is not of this world. It is in that tabernacle of God's strength and mighty power! This was the moment of Job's deliverance - when he was brought back to that tabernacle. Job said that previously he had known God by hearing of Him, but now Job knew God by seeing and experiencing for himself God's great power (Job 42:5). What is found in this tabernacle of God's strength and power that delivers us? Hope is found there.

David found this in Psalms 42 and 43:

"When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, and with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted in me? Hope thou in God:  for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance...for Thou art the God of my strength...why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?...let them bring me unto Thy holy hill, and to Thy tabernacles (tent). Then I will go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy...I praise Thee, O God my God...hope in God: for I shall yet praise Him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

Consider God's strength and power, and stir up that hope and joy that can be found in His tent, even in the face of hatred and persecution. It is our deliverance. Look where this hope brings us:

"...we might have a strong consolation (comfort, encouragement, solace, refreshment, strengthening), who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the vail (veil); Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made a high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec."     Heb. 6:18-20

Into this tent of Job's, and David's, and Jesus, into this place within the veil, where hope brings us, there is not only comfort and consolation, but blessing and rewards as well. Jesus said, "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven..."      Mt. 5:10-12 





Even as Job, hated and persecuted, received a double portion (Job 42:10, 12) as he entered back into those tent of God's strength and powerful hand, and prayed for those who had not been a comfort to him (Mt. 5:44), so the prophets promise a double portion:

"For your shame you shall have double; and for confusion, they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them."   Isa. 61:7   and

"Turn ye to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even today do I declare that I will render double unto thee."     Zech. 9:12

 



As we endure with patience by entering the tent of God's strength and powerful hand, following hope through the veil, Jesus promised:

"Because thou hast kept the word of My patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth...Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple (tent) of My God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from My God: and I will write upon him My new name."   Rev. 3:10-12

 

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? Hope in God.



Esther, the Beautiful Bride

 

 

This is the season of Purim and Resurrection. As we are looking into the Book of Esther, which is the story of Purim, it is rich with revelation and prophetic meaning. It has layers of truth, and the deeper you look, the more layers you can uncover.
One of the beautiful portraits from the Book of Esther is the portrait of the Bride of Christ. Esther was chosen to marry King Ahasuerus. His name translates as "I will be silent and poor (humble)", but even more interestingly, from an older source, his name means "lion-king". His city of Shushan means "lily, trumpet, white" from a root word meaning, "exult, rejoice, leap with joy".
As Esther married the king, she carried two identities. Outwardly, publicly, Esther was a Gentile. However, inwardly and truly, she was a Jew. Her Hebrew birth name was Hadassah, meaning "myrtle". According to rabbinical teaching, the myrtle tree releases a fragrant aroma called "Maharsha" when its leaves are crushed. The leaves were also used in brews and teas for medicinal purposes. The myrtle tree is associated with righteousness as it is mentioned in Zech. 1:8-11.
The name Esther is of Persian origin and means "star". The Hebrew word closest to this name is hester, meaning "hidden". What was hidden about Esther? It was her Jewish identity. This hidden Jewish identity made all the difference in foiling the plot of the wicked Haman against the covenant people of God. Esther's uncle, Mordecai, commanded her not to reveal her Jewish heritage, nor her connection to the Jewish people (Est. 2:10,20). So she lived as a Gentile, known only by her Gentile name.
The Bride of Christ is also both Jewish and Gentile. Although most of the Church is identified as being Gentile, its roots, and its Savior are very much Jewish. Our scriptures are Jewish. The Gentile branches may have been grafted in, but the root is Jewish. Not only that, but scripture tells us that those original Jewish branches are going to be restored.

 

"For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature,

and wert grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree:

how much more shall these,

which be the natural branches,

be grafted into their own olive tree?"
 Rom. 11:24

And
"For if their (the Jews) being cast away is the reconciling of the world,
what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?"
Rom. 11:15

 

Queen Esther finally revealed to the king that she was Jewish, as she petitioned the king for her life and for the lives of her people, which were endangered by the plot of Haman (Est. 7:3). While the king originally gave his favor to Esther as a Gentile bride, it is the Jewish bride who came forth from hiding, who broke the plan of the enemy. It is in this moment of her revelation that the king decided the fate of Haman. She was his bride, and he upheld her life, and her royal honor as his wife. 
The Esther story has so many things to teach us. One thing it teaches us, the Church in general, is that if we ignore the importance of the Jewish people as part of the Church identity, and the importance of our Jewish roots, we do so at our own peril, and we will not be able to fulfill properly the role that God has purposed for us in an "Esther victory" over the enemy. That victory is His plan of enlargement and deliverance (Est. 4:14).

Esther is the beautiful Bride of the King. The Bride of Christ is neither Jew nor Gentile (Gal. 3:28, Col. 3:11), but a new creation that requires both identities to be grafted in together, to be made one in His hand, to be all one in Christ Jesus, our King and Bridegroom. It requires the unifying in Him of both identities to become "life from the dead".

 



 







photo above: myrtle branch