CHOOSING THE LAMB

With Easter now upon us, there will no doubt be the usual discussions/debates about what day was the crucifixion.  Some want to make it on the Wednesday to accommodate the ‘sign of Jonah’ Matthew 12:30; therefore they insist that ‘three days and three nights’ mean exactly 72 hours in the tomb. However the majority of Scripture references to the Resurrection say it was on ‘the third day.’

There is one date that everyone overlooks but when you place this date correctly then all the other days of Easter fall naturally into place. That is the day of the choosing of the Lamb. To do that we need to go back to the very first Passover keeping in mind that it was God Himself who gave the instructions, knowing exactly what was going to happen all those hundreds of years later.

Most Christians understand that the Jewish Feast of Passover was fulfilled in Jesus, “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” John 1:29. He fulfilled all the requirements down to the last detail. The instructions are found in Exodus 12.

“Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying: ’On the tenth day of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household.’” Exodus 12:3

On what day did Israel choose the Lamb? It was the day when Jesus rode into Jerusalem riding a donkey to be acclaimed by the crowds as a king. When the Pharisees saw it they said “Master, rebuke your disciples.” Jesus told them that if the crowds were silent the stones would cry out. This was the day of the choosing of the Lamb, and nothing would stop it.

This is the day we celebrate as Palm Sunday. So since that day was the 10^th   (Nisan) as decreed by God, then we can place the events of that week accurately.

The Lamb was to be slain on the 14^th (Exodus 12:6) which, counting from Sunday the 10^th, would have been on Thursday. There were two Sabbaths that week – The day of Unleavened Bread which was kept as a Sabbath and the weekly Sabbath. Leaven is a type of sin. Jesus’ body bearing our sins went into the grave as this day began. The only thing that prevented the women going to the tomb earlier was the Sabbath restrictions. They rested on the next two days which would have been Friday and Saturday which brings us to Sunday ‘the third day.’ This was the Feast of Firstfruits when the first sheaf was reaped from the harvest.  (Leviticus 23:10,14) Jesus rose on that day and became ‘the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep; ( 1 Corinthians 15:20) This was the beginning of a great harvest which has yet to be completed.

The lamb had to be a perfect lamb without any defect. Accordingly, Jesus presented Himself in the temple on the days preceding the crucifixion. There He was questioned by Scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees and finally by the High Priest, King Herod and Pilate – every authority in the Land, and no one could fault Him. Finally Pilate declared “I find no fault in Him.” The Lamb was declared perfect.

“knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver and gold…but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1Peter 1:18,19)

While every household had their Passover Lamb, there was also a lamb at the Temple. The lamb was tied to the altar at 9am and killed at 3pm – the hours Jesus was on the Cross. Before Jesus and His disciples left the Last Supper, they sang a hymn, very likely Ps 118 which was sung at Passover. It contains the words ‘Bind the sacrifice with cords to the altar” Jesus went out knowing that He was going to be bound to the altar of the Cross. When all was accomplished He cried “It is finished.” The veil in the temple was rent in two from top to bottom opening the way into the Presence of God.

Though the enemy thought he had put an end to Jesus, it was all according to plan. The blood of the Passover Lamb had secured the deliverance of God’s people from bondage in Egypt; the blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God, brings deliverance from bondage to sin and death in the kingdom of darkness ruled by Satan. From the sacrifice of the Lamb of God, flows ultimately the redemption of the world – surely something to celebrate.

While Christians may differ as to the day and date etc. it is what happened that we all celebrate. We all need to make a personal decision to choose the Lamb of God and we need to apply His blood over our lives 

10^th Nisan Sunday – the Lamb chosen (Palm Sunday)

14^th Thursday – the Lamb slain.  Passover

15^th Friday - Jesus body committed to the tomb. Unleavened Bread

17^th Sunday – Jesus rose from the grave. The Feast of Firstfruits.

 

 

SIGNS IN THE HEAVENS?

There has been some excitement recently about a star event which seems to be depicting a significant birth which is due to happen in September 2017. I have heard three different interpretations of what this birth is so far. Signs in the heavens were promised and they can confirm what the Word is saying though I hasten to say that truth is gleaned from the Word of God not primarily from astronomy. So I would give yet another interpretation of this Star birth as it seems to confirm what the Word has revealed to me as I have studied it for nearly half a century now.

Revelation 12 records signs in the heavens which show the birth of a Man Child who brings about the downfall of the devil. This is surely the fulfilment of the promise in Genesis 3:15 about a coming Deliverer who will crush the Serpent’s head. A lot of Christians quite naturally believed that this Child is Jesus, and some say that the Woman is Israel; but there are certain things about the  Revelation 12 Scripture that don’t fit this interpretation.  E.g. Revelation is “The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave Him to show His servants – things which must shortly take place.” So it depicts things which were future to the time it was given; and therefore, as Jesus is the One who is giving the revelation, it would not be depicting the birth of the Saviour.

So, who is the Child and who is the Woman? These are questions which Christians have wrestled with for a long time. It is a mistake to take Revelation too literally. It is too big for that. Mostly it depicts systems, companies of people or beings, and movements in the realm of the Spirit. I believe that both the Woman and the Child are companies of people.

This Woman has been travailing since the Fall to produce the Seed destined to crush the Serpent’s head and thus reverse the effects of the Fall.  No doubt Mother Eve hoped that Cain would be the promised deliverer. Is Israel the Woman? This is what Isaiah wrote of Judah [26:17,18]

“As a woman with child is in pain and cries out in her pangs, when she draws near the time of her delivery, so have we been in Your sight, O Lord. We have been with child, we have been in pain; we have, as it were, brought forth wind; we have not accomplished any deliverance in the earth, nor have the inhabitants of the world fallen.”

It goes on to promise that deliverance would come with a resurrection. The purpose of all the travail is to accomplish deliverance in the earth. Israel did not accomplish deliverance in the Earth but they did produce the Messiah, Who would make it all possible because of His death and resurrection.

So again we consider:- who is the Child of Revelation 12 who was to come at the time of its writing? Is this birth still to happen? Is that what is being depicted in the star sign that is causing a lot of speculation lately?

The key to unlocking the Book is in the types of the Old Testament. In His redemptive dealings with Israel, God has shown His plan for the redemption of the world.  What He has done in the physical in the natural descendants of Abraham, He does in the spiritual through the spiritual descendants of Abraham ‘who is the father of us all.’[Romans 4:16] As Isaac and all who came from him were considered to be the son of God; [Exodus 4:22] so Jesus and all who come from Him are God’s Son. [Galatians 3:16, 29] Christ and His Church are One; they cannot be separated. This is a vital truth and we need to understand all of its implications. We are the Seed of Abraham and the promised Seed of the woman in Genesis 3:15, destined to crush the head of the Serpent and end his devastation of the earth. This is a huge study and I have written about it in my books.[The Other Bible Code and End Time Insights]

The Bible is about much more than taking you to heaven when you die; it’s about reclaiming the earth for the Kingdom of God. The promise He made in Eden after the Fall, was that the Seed of the Woman would crush the Serpent’s head. Thus the Promised Seed would liberate the Earth from the Serpent’s influence. The Bible tells us that “the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.” [1 John 5:19]. That is why this Earth is in such a mess.  During the temptation, Satan showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and boasted that they belonged to him. Jesus did not dispute this claim but set about making a way to reclaim the Earth. Through His substitutionary death on the Cross, Jesus brought us out from under the control of the Serpent and gave us Kingdom authority. We are now of the promised Seed along with Jesus and every Christian of every age.

The Seed of the Woman was to come through the line of Abraham. God gave Abraham physical seed through Isaac;-  the Nation of Israel. The land of Canaan was their inheritance.  Likewise, Abraham’s spiritual Seed was Christ and all who came from Him – the Church. Their inheritance is the earth. [Romans 4:13] Most Christians know that Jesus is the fulfilment of the Passover Lamb which brought deliverance from bondage to Israel: Jesus the Lamb of God brought us out of bondage in the kingdom of darkness. Most Christians understand that. What they usually fail to do is to follow the Type through to its conclusion. The redeemed slaves became an army of conquerors who routed the inhabitants of the Promised Land and possessed it for the Kingdom. That is to be the destiny of the Church. As we follow the history of Israel through we find that it was a generation of Israel, the Joshua generation, that finally conquered the enemy and possessed their inheritance, -  the Promised Land. That sets the pattern for the Church. It is a generation of spiritual Israel [the Church] that will overcome the Serpent and possess the earth for God. This is the generation of Overcomers which God has been working towards since Eden. Jesus said ‘I will build My church and the gates of hell will not stand against it.’ [Matthew 16;18] The Church is destined to rise up and overthrow the reign of the Serpent and usher in the Kingdom of God. Anything less than total victory for the Church in the earth, comes short of that for which Jesus agonised on the Cross.

It is the manifestation of this generation of Overcomers which I believe is being depicted in the Heavens. John the Revelator, saw it played out in the heavens. In Revelation 12 we see the Woman travailing to give birth; the Dragon waiting to devour the Child; the Child caught up to the throne of God from thence to exercise power over the nations. God’s plan is ‘Christ in you, the hope of glory.’ This is ‘the mystery which has been hidden from ages and generations, but now is made manifest.’ [Colossians 1:26].

Our legal position in Christ is to be seated ‘together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.’ [Ephesians 2:6] It is a position which the Church has yet to take up. We have in our hands the spiritual authority which will bring down the Serpent’s rule and liberate the earth. Remember that Revelation 12 is not about a literal catching up to the throne, it is a spiritual rising up in the realm of the Spirit, into the Kingdom authority that Jesus died to give us.

 Israel’s victory was delayed because they did not really understand the greatness of their deliverance. The Church has yet to see just what the Cross has achieved. Everything necessary has been done and Christ is seated at the right hand of God waiting for His enemies to be made His footstool.  [Hebrews 10:12,13]The end time Church will come into a deeper revelation of the Cross which will cause them to rise up in victory over the enemy. It is a revelation shown in the Type of the Tabernacle, on the Day of Atonement. All Christians have Outer Court revelation of the Cross; some have an ongoing revelation available in the Holy Place: but on the Day of Atonement the High Priest went into the Holy of Holies. That is where God is taking those who will be Overcomers with ‘power over the nations’ into the fullness of truth and the Glory of God. The long travail is almost over and deliverance for the Earth will be accomplished.

The Woman is the people of faith of all ages travailing to bring forth deliverance to the Earth; the Child is the end time Overcomers who will cause Satan’s  fall from the place of authority which he has occupied illegally since the Cross and Resurrection. Jesus took authority over the earth from him and gave it to His Church. The birth of the Overcomers will take place ‘about 2,000’ years after Jesus emerged from the Wilderness and began His ministry, bringing down the strongholds of the devil. How I know that is another study.  Is this the Birth that is happening in the heavens in September 2017? Allowing that our calendar is not totally in line with the Jewish calendar, it could very well be so.

This is a very abbreviated sketch of what is a complex study; but it is an awesome truth and one which the Church will enter into shortly. I pray that you will seek the revelation of the Holy Spirit as you ponder these things. [Ephesians 1:15-19]

ABRAHAM

  Physical Seed:  Isaac and all in him – the Nation of Israel. Their inheritance [which they have to possess] The Land of Canaan  The hosts of Heaven waiting to do battle with them. Joshua 5:13-15

Spiritual Seed: Jesus and all in Him. [Galatians 3:16,29] Their inheritance [which they have to possess]– the Earth [Romans 4:13] The hosts of heaven waiting to do battle with them. Rev. 12:7-9

 

 

ELIJAH COMES FIRST

Jesus is Coming but....
ELIJAH COMES FIRST

 The time is coming, and very soon, when this sin-spoiled Earth will be cleansed, restored, and filled with the Glory of God. In Acts 3:19–21, we read that the heavens must retain Jesus, “until the time of the restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began” (emphasis added).

Some might say this means that when Jesus comes again He will restore all things. However, Jesus Himself said that the work of restoration involves the mysterious appearance of “Elijah.” The disciples Peter, James, and John had been on the Mount of Transfiguration with Jesus. They had seen Him talking to Moses and Elijah and heard the voice from Heaven. [Matthew 17:1-13].Their minds must have turned to the prophecy at the close of the Old Testament Scriptures:

Behold I send you Elijah the prophet

Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord

And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children

And the hearts of the children to their fathers,

Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse. (Malachi 4:6)

This prophecy was kept before Israel at the annual Passover celebration when a cup of wine was placed on the table for Elijah in anticipation of his return. There were four cups of wine which were drunk in conjunction with four promises of deliverance. They were:

1. “I will take you out.”

2. “I will save you.”

3. “I will redeem you.”

4. “I will take you as a nation.”

There was a fifth promise, “I will take you into the Land,” and a fifth cup which is never drunk. This is the cup of Elijah. (Is this the ‘fruit of the vine’ which He will drink when the kingdom comes that He spoke of at the Last Supper? Luke 22:18)

Even though Israel eventually possessed the Promised Land, they look for a greater deliverance which is yet to come. Elijah will herald the coming of the Messiah and they will possess the Land in peace. It was the promise of a golden age when Messiah would sit on the throne in Jerusalem and rule the Earth. When Elijah comes, they believe, he will explain fully the meaning of the fifth cup.

Seeing Elijah on the mountaintop and remembering the prophecy, the disciples must have thought that the day of the Messiah had come. When Jesus instructed them not to tell of the vision until after the resurrection, they asked, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”

Jesus replied, “Elijah truly is coming first and will restore all things” (Matthew 17:10, 11; emphasis added). He went on to say that Elijah had already come, referring to John the Baptist who came “in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1:17).

John’s appearance on the stage of history was a partial fulfillment of the prophecy. It was a sign that restoration had begun. The ministry of Elijah is not yet complete. At the time Jesus spoke, John was dead. Yet Jesus said that Elijah was still to come and would restore all things. Elijah was the great prophet of the Spirit in the Old Testament. By the anointing of the Spirit upon him, Elijah challenged the Prophets of Baal―satanic powers of darkness of the day―and turned the nation back to God. Jesus’ reference to Elijah here is not the literal return of the Old Testament Prophet but the Spirit coming on human flesh to restore all things and prepare the way for the Second Coming of the Lord. Elijah will turn the world back to God.

The restoration of all things has already been accomplished in seed form at the Cross.

For it pleased the Father that in Him [Jesus] all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. (Colossians 1:19, 20; emphasis added)

When Jesus said “It is finished,” that work of reconciliation was completed. It is an accomplished fact in the realm of the Spirit. We can bind and loose on Earth that which is already bound and loosed in Heaven (or in the realm of the Spirit). Reconciliation becomes restoration in the Earth when it is claimed by faith, e.g., a sinner is born again by the Spirit of God when he believes that Jesus has died to reconcile him to God. That reconciliation was accomplished two thousand years ago but it has to be appropriated. So it is with all that was accomplished at the Cross.

God continues to bring restoration whenever and wherever faith is exercised. The greater the revelation of the reconciling work of the Cross that we have, the greater the measure of restoration will be. That’s why it is crucial to have an ongoing vision. The reconciliation of all things will be manifested as the restoration of all things when Elijah comes, Elijah being the Spirit of God coming in fullness upon the people of God in these last days. The Holy Spirit continues to lead and guide us into all truth and reveal things to come to all who are open to receive. When Elijah comes, the Church will enter into all that Jesus accomplished at His first coming. All things will be restored and Jesus will return to take up His throne on Earth. All of creation is waiting for that time.

For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. (Romans 8:19–21)

In Biblical history, we find that Creation reflects the spiritual state of man. The Fall corrupted all of nature. When wickedness increased on the Earth, it resulted in the Flood, which again radically changed the face of the Earth. It has been shown in the Transformations video series hosted by George Otis Jr. that when revival takes place, even the surrounding area is renewed, pollution and corruption recede and the Earth begins to flourish. The answer to the climate crisis the world faces is to change the spiritual climate of Planet Earth.

All of God’s dealings with Man have been toward the Restoration. It is the message “which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:21). Restoration sometimes requires cleansing and chastening but the goal hasn’t changed. In the face of all the chaos on Earth caused by Man’s rebellion, God still wants the message of Restoration to be declared. In the following passage, we can sense something of the burden of God’s heart when His servants don’t deliver the message.

“Hear, you deaf; and look, you blind, that you may see.

Who is blind but My servant, or deaf as My messenger whom I send?

Who is blind as he who is perfect, and blind as the Lord’s servant?

Seeing many things, but you do not observe; opening the ears, but he does not hear.”

The Lord is well pleased for His righteousness’ sake;

He will magnify the law and make it honourable

But this is a people robbed and plundered; all of them are snared in holes,

And they are hidden in prison houses;

They are for prey, and no one delivers;

For plunder, and no one says “Restore!” (Isaiah 42:18–22; emphasis added)

We are living in a day in which, increasingly, the people are prey to all the snares and evil devices of our spiritual enemy. Captive of his deceit, plundered and robbed to build his anti-God kingdom, the world seems headed towards destruction. In the face of all this, God still wants the message of Restoration declared on Earth. The messengers see and hear many things, and there is much speculation, but there are not many saying “Restore.” Mostly the message is “Retreat” (or, “Rapture at any moment”). Most messengers are preparing to abandon the Earth to the ravages of the enemy.

God gave His beloved Son to the Earth to be the means of restoration. Speaking prophetically of the One Who was to come, God said “I will preserve You and give You as a covenant to the people, To restore the earth, to cause them to inherit the desolate heritages” (Isaiah 49:8). (emphasis mine).

Jesus came to reconcile ALL things to God (Colossians 1:20). The full effects of the Cross are yet to be manifested in the Earth. The restoration of all things will come to pass. Meanwhile, wherever the people of God lay hold of the reconciling work of the Cross, the process of restoration continues: broken lives, broken families, even broken communities can experience restoration.

So according to the Scriptures, Jesus will not come again until the times of the restoration of all things, which God has spoken of since the world began. Since the Fall, this is what God has been working towards. Jesus said that this work of restoration is to be accomplished by ‘Elijah” who will come first.

Before the first coming of the Lord, the spirit and power of Elijah came upon John the Baptist to prepare the way: Before the Lord comes again, the Spirit will come upon the Church to bring restoration and to prepare the way for His coming again to reign over the Earth. This is ‘Elijah’ who is to come – the Spirit of God upon the Redeemed to bring into manifestation the work of reconciliation accomplished at the Cross.

Most Christians are waiting for Jesus to come back and do all the work; however his work is finished. He is seated at the right hand of God waiting for his enemies to be made his footstool. (Hebrews 10:12 -14) Christ in you is the hope of God’s glory filling the Earth. (Colossians 1: 27) In the coming great revival, ‘Elijah’ will stand up in the Earth and scatter the powers of darkness He will usher in the Age of the Kingdom and reign of the King. Amen. Come Lord Jesus. 

 

 

ISRAEL AND THE CHURCH IN THE END TIME

There is a prophetic picture in the Old Testament showing what will happen in the time of the end.  In Israel at one time there were three places of worship representing the people of God: - The Tabernacle of David which housed the Ark [the Presence of God] accessible to all and with 24 hour worship and praise. It represents the Gentile Church. [Acts 15:13 – 18], Also the Tabernacle of Moses which was at Gibeon, It had lost the Ark but still continued to function. It represents God’s Old Covenant people. Then there was Solomon’s great golden Temple under construction. Solomon, son of David, is a type of the Lord Jesus. This Temple represents the Living Temple which Jesus is now building. ’a Habitation of God in the Spirit’ [Ephesians 2:29-22 and other Scriptures]

When the Temple was finished they brought up the Ark and placed it in the Holy of Holies; and they also brought up the old tabernacle of Moses. It was probably put in one of the store rooms. The Temple was dedicated and then filled with the Glory of God. [2 Chronicles 7:1,2]

At the time of the end, Jews and Christians will come together in Messiah Jesus and this Temple will be filled with God’s Glory. 

Speaking of Israel Paul said, “For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?” The Resurrection life of Jesus will flow from this Temple. It will draw all people in.

“Arise, shine, for thy light has come and the Glory of the Lord has risen upon thee.  For behold, darkness shall cover the Earth and deep darkness the people; but the Lord shall arise upon thee and His Glory shall be seen upon thee.  The Gentiles shall come to thy light and kings to the brightness of thy rising.” Isaiah 60:1-3

Yes the darkness and deep darkness is closing in; but the future is brilliant.

UNSEATING SATAN

UNSEATING SATAN

First Read Revelation 12. It has been said that if you get Revelation 12 right, you will get the rest of it right. It is pivotal. When reading ‘in heaven,’ think ‘in the realm of the Spirit.’ This will give you a better understanding of what is happening. Revelation is a drama being played out in the spiritual realm. Remember that Revelation is symbolic. People make the mistake of trying to take it too literal. Symbols allow for a much larger interpretation.

                                                  ………………………………………………..

God is in control! So says just about every Christian preacher or teacher that I’ve heard.  It must follow then that everything that happens is the will of God – all the horrible tragedies that we witness day by day on our television screen, radio, and in our own lives; sicknesses of soul and body and mind rampant in the Earth. God lets these things happen to teach us patience and faith etc. so the story goes.

Jesus taught us to pray that God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Are these things happening in heaven? The answer to that is ‘No.’ God’s will for Man is seen in Eden before the Fall –No sickness, no poverty, no wars, no death or any of the things that plague us now. The Earth was an extension of Heaven. The ultimate end of the Cross is that the Kingdom of God reigns in the earth again. THEN God’s will, will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. In the meantime we are to look for and pray for the Kingdom to come in its fullness; and yes, God does walk with us through all of life’s happenings and He does continue to mould us into Christ’s image.

God IS in control; but that statement needs to be qualified or at least explained. God is the just Judge and all the legals have to be settled. The Cross was a legal transaction which legally changed everything, but that change has yet to be brought into manifestation.

 In the beginning God gave Man dominion over the Earth.

“The heavens, even the heavens, are the Lord’s, but the earth He has given to the children of men.” Psalm 115:16

When God gives something, he doesn’t take it back; that is unless it is a conditional gift or promise.

“For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” Romans 11:29

It is like “the law of the Medes and the Persians, which does not alter.” [Daniel 6:8] It cannot be changed.

So the deeds of the earth were given to Man.  Satan gained authority over the Earth when mankind yielded allegiance to him. Satan showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and boasted, “All this authority I will give you, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.” Luke 4:6. Jesus didn’t argue with that; He knew it was true; but He came to change things.

The sin of Man gave Satan the authority he exercises over the Earth. At the Cross Jesus paid for the sins of all Mankind. The trial of Jesus was much more than an earthly trial; the Courts of Heaven were in session. God was the Judge, Satan [the Accuser], was the Prosecutor; Jesus was the Accused; He stood in the dock on behalf of all Mankind.  The verdict was ‘Guilty’ and the punishment carried out. The Cross removed Satan’s legal hold on the earth. Satan had no legal right to accuse us anymore. However man has to come into the knowledge of this in order to be really free.  Jesus rose as the new Man, head of all the redeemed, and as the representative Man, He regained the authority Man had lost. He said,

“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on the earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations….” Matthew 28: 18, 19

Authority over the earth has been restored to redeemed Man, to exercise in Jesus’ name. Satan no longer has any legal hold over the Earth, however he retains his grip on the Earth by the only two powers he has left; - deceit and accusation. [See Revelation 12:9, 10]. By these two powers he continues to operate in the Earth and still ‘the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.’ 1 John 5:19

That is why the world continues to be in such a mess. The Cross is about much more than going to Heaven when we die; it’s about removing Satan’s grip on the Earth and restoring the Kingdom of God on Earth as it is in Heaven. The Earth has been given to redeemed Man [Romans 4:13] but Man has to possess it. The Types of the Old Testament are there to show us how it can be done. The principle of Typology is ‘First the natural, then the spiritual.’ God did in Israel in the physical, what He intended to do in the spiritual through the Church. You might say He did a ‘dry run’ to show us how to reclaim the Earth and bring in the Kingdom. As Israel was set free from bondage by the blood of the Passover Lamb, to repossess their lost inheritance; so we are set free from bondage by the Blood of the Lamb of God in order to reclaim ours. Our Promised Land is the Earth – a good Land flowing with milk and honey, but spoilt because it is overrun by ‘giants’ of evil with their demonic strongholds. Moreover the spiritual dimension which Creation had, has to be restored. All Creation is waiting for this. [Romans :19-21]

The Bible says that unredeemed Man is in a state of spiritual blindness. The Church moves forward by Truth. We are a people still coming out of blindness. [2 Corinthians 4:3,4]. God leads His people on into the fullness of Truth, building ‘precept upon precept, line upon line’ by the Holy Spirit who leads and guides us into all truth. The Holy Spirit is symbolised by the Pillar of Cloud and Fire which led Israel to the Promised Land. The end result of this journey into Truth, will be a Church which has come into the revelation of the finished work of Christ, i.e. they will have come into the knowledge of all that the Cross has purchased. They are not deceived anymore by the lies of the Devil and they cannot be intimidated by the ‘Accuser of the brethren,’ because they know that all grounds of accusation have been removed. They will have come into the fullness of Grace. Those who do not have this revelation will oppose, calling it ‘hyper-Grace’ but Truth will prevail. Satan has been dreading the rise of this End Time Army, ever since the promise in Eden that the Seed of the Woman would cause his demise.

The unseating of Satan from his position of authority is pictured in Revelation 12 when the Manchild is ‘caught up to God and to His throne.’ To be ‘raised up and made to sit in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus’ has been legally his since the Resurrection, it is his birthright. Now finally a generation is birthed into the Earth which will take up that position. This is the catalyst for warfare in the heavenlies, with Michael and his angels defeating Satan and his angels and casting them to the Earth. Why did Michael and his angels have to wait for the Manchild to rise? Because in matters to do with the Earth, angels do not have the authority; Man does. The Old Testament type of this is when Joshua and his army crossed Jordan to be met by the Captain of the hosts of heaven. They had to wait for Israel to come in order to do battle.

ast

That the Manchild of Revelation 12 is the End Time Overcomers is confirmed by vs 11:-

1.        The Manchild is a ‘they.’ They overcame. Galatians 3 vs 16 and 29 show that the promised Seed is one but many. Vs16 says that Jesus is the promised Seed and vs 29 says that if we are Christ’s then WE are Abraham’s Seed and heirs according to the promise. The promised Seed is One but many.

2.       ‘They’ overcame Satan by the blood of the Lamb, the Word of their testimony and they loved not their lives to the death. This could only be said of the Redeemed; certainly not of the angels.

The Manchild is destined to rule all nations with a rod of iron [Revelation 12:5] c/f Rev 2:26,27 –

“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;…’ “                                      

The Woman in Revelation 12 is the people of faith of all ages. Since the fall she has been travailing to bring forth the Seed that will cause Satan’s downfall. Now the great moment has come. The glad cry goes up:-

“Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. Revelation 12:10

An incident in the history of Israel gives a strong clue that this event is about to happen very soon. The Manchild is about to be born!  

[Watch for the next exciting instalment of this drama of the ages!]