Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We are still discussing Revelation 2-3.
According to Tabernacle Teaching, it refers to the seven sprinklings of blood before the Ark of the Covenant.
It means the seven epistlesfor the seven churches of the Gentiles or the last sanctificationdone by Jesus for the seven churches of the Gentilesor the congregation in the last days to make them perfect or without blemish like Jesus. They become the perfect Bride of heaven who is ready to welcome Jesus' second coming on the glorious clouds to meet Him, the Heavenly Bridegroom, forever.
There are seven churches of the Gentilesthat experience the sprinkling of blood as follows.
AD. 3. THE CHURCH OF PERGAMOS
The last sanctification for the church of Pergamosis THEY MUST LEAVE THE FALSE TEACHINGS, namely Balaam's(serving and ministering to God only to look for physical wages) and Nicolaitan's(gathering many people by legalizing all ways). The two teachings cooperate because many people will result in much money.
There is God's promisefor the church of Pergamos when they are willingly sanctified to leave the false teachings as follows.
Revelation 2: 17
2:17. "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomesI will give some of the hidden mannato eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name writtenwhich no one knows except him who receives it."'
We are still discussing THE HIDDEN MANNA.
Manna is the bread coming down from heaven (John6) = the Word of God that is revealed (formerly, it was hidden in heaven, but then rained down for us), namely a verse explains other verses in the Bible. It is the revelation from God or the true teaching Word.
In Old Testament, manna means the angels' food.
Psalm 78: 23-25
78:23 Yet He had commanded the clouds above, And opened the doors of heaven,
78:24 Had rained down mannaon them to eat, And given them of the bread of heaven.
78:25 Men ate angels' food; He sent them food to the full.
The food refers to the Word.
The angel refers to the shepherd.
Thus, the angel's food means Shepherding Word, namely the true teaching Word that is trusted by God to a pastorto preach to the congregation faithfully, continually, repetitively, and in order to be the spiritual food for the congregation until they can grow spiritually to the maturity or perfection.
Numbers 27: 15-17
27:15 Then Moses spoke to the LORD, saying:
27:16 "Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a manover the congregation,
27:17 "who may go out before them and go in before them, who may lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the LORD may not be like sheep which have no shepherd."
We learn about "a man"(Joshua).Although the number of the house of Israel increased after six hundred and three thousand and five hundred and fifty people going out of Egypt, only a man became the shepherd. How many members of the congregation are, the pastor is only a man.
There are three functions of the manna or Shepherding Word written in Exodus 16: 16-36 as follows.
Manna is very useful from now on our present life up to the eternal one. We will not get any disadvantage by collecting it nowadays.
We are learning the second function of manna, namely MANNA FOR SABBATH.
Exodus 16: 22-23
16:22 And so it was, on the sixth day, that they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one. And all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses.
16:23 Then he said to them, "This is what the LORD has said: 'Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbathto the LORD. Bake what you will bake today, and boil what you will boil; and lay up for yourselves all that remains, to be kept until morning.' "
The meaning of the sixth day is as follows.
2 Peter 3: 8
3:8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
1 day = 1000 years.
The sixth day= 6 days = 6000 years.
According to the map of ages, 6000 years are the time chosen by God to place men in the world in three ages as follows.
After 6000 years (six days), there is the seventh day (Sabbath), namely One Thousand Years Kingdom of Peace/ the Future Paradise.
This is the term 'on the sixth day, that they gathered twice as much bread '.
Two omers of mannamust be gathered on the sixth day. It means as follows.
There are three kinds of Sabbathas follows.
The process and function of Sabbath is as follows.
God blesses you.
We are still discussing Revelation 2-3.
According to Tabernacle Teaching, it refers to the seven sprinklings of blood before the Ark of the Covenant.
It means the seven epistlesfor the seven churches of the Gentiles or the last sanctificationdone by Jesus for the seven churches of the Gentilesor the congregation in the last days to make them perfect or without blemish like Jesus. They become the perfect Bride of heaven who is ready to welcome Jesus' second coming on the glorious clouds to meet Him, the Heavenly Bridegroom, forever.
There are seven churches of the Gentilesthat experience the sprinkling of blood as follows.
- The church of EPHESUS(Revelation 2: 1-7) (it has been explained in General Service in Surabaya, July 27, 2014up to General Service in Surabaya, September 7, 2014). The church in Ephesus must return to the first loveto return to Paradise.
- The church of SMYRNA(Revelation 2: 8-11) that had to suffer. God said to them not to be afraid in the suffering, but faithful until death (it has been explained in General Service in Surabaya, September 14, 2014up to General Service in Surabaya, November 9, 2014).
- The church of PERGAMOS(Revelation 2: 12-17) (it has been explained in Bible Study Service in Surabaya, November 17, 2014).
AD. 3. THE CHURCH OF PERGAMOS
The last sanctification for the church of Pergamosis THEY MUST LEAVE THE FALSE TEACHINGS, namely Balaam's(serving and ministering to God only to look for physical wages) and Nicolaitan's(gathering many people by legalizing all ways). The two teachings cooperate because many people will result in much money.
There is God's promisefor the church of Pergamos when they are willingly sanctified to leave the false teachings as follows.
Revelation 2: 17
2:17. "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomesI will give some of the hidden mannato eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name writtenwhich no one knows except him who receives it."'
- Hidden manna (it has been explained since General Service in Surabaya, November 30, 2014),
- A white stone, on which a new name is written.
We are still discussing THE HIDDEN MANNA.
Manna is the bread coming down from heaven (John6) = the Word of God that is revealed (formerly, it was hidden in heaven, but then rained down for us), namely a verse explains other verses in the Bible. It is the revelation from God or the true teaching Word.
In Old Testament, manna means the angels' food.
Psalm 78: 23-25
78:23 Yet He had commanded the clouds above, And opened the doors of heaven,
78:24 Had rained down mannaon them to eat, And given them of the bread of heaven.
78:25 Men ate angels' food; He sent them food to the full.
The food refers to the Word.
The angel refers to the shepherd.
Thus, the angel's food means Shepherding Word, namely the true teaching Word that is trusted by God to a pastorto preach to the congregation faithfully, continually, repetitively, and in order to be the spiritual food for the congregation until they can grow spiritually to the maturity or perfection.
Numbers 27: 15-17
27:15 Then Moses spoke to the LORD, saying:
27:16 "Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a manover the congregation,
27:17 "who may go out before them and go in before them, who may lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the LORD may not be like sheep which have no shepherd."
We learn about "a man"(Joshua).Although the number of the house of Israel increased after six hundred and three thousand and five hundred and fifty people going out of Egypt, only a man became the shepherd. How many members of the congregation are, the pastor is only a man.
There are three functions of the manna or Shepherding Word written in Exodus 16: 16-36 as follows.
- Verse 16-21= For preserving our daily life (it has been explained in General Service in Surabaya, December 7, 2014).
Every day for five days, the house of Israel took an omer or about 3.6 liter.
It means abundance. If the Shepherding Word is abundant, our life will also be abundant.
The figure five refers to the five senses.
It means the sanctification to the five senses or the heart and mind.
The thing we mostly need in our daily life is the sanctification to the five senses. That is our concern. Afterwards, our food and drink become the concern of God. - Verse 22-31= For Sabbath or the day of rest and peace.
- Verse 32-36= For being kept in a golden pot that refers to eternal life.
Human is only like clay vessel. Nevertheless, it will be golden vessel if it is filled with manna. Moreover, it will not be destroyed by the fire of temptation, not even the death.
Manna is very useful from now on our present life up to the eternal one. We will not get any disadvantage by collecting it nowadays.
We are learning the second function of manna, namely MANNA FOR SABBATH.
Exodus 16: 22-23
16:22 And so it was, on the sixth day, that they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one. And all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses.
16:23 Then he said to them, "This is what the LORD has said: 'Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbathto the LORD. Bake what you will bake today, and boil what you will boil; and lay up for yourselves all that remains, to be kept until morning.' "
The meaning of the sixth day is as follows.
2 Peter 3: 8
3:8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
1 day = 1000 years.
The sixth day= 6 days = 6000 years.
According to the map of ages, 6000 years are the time chosen by God to place men in the world in three ages as follows.
- The beginning or the ages of Father God counted from Adam to Abraham for ± 2000 years.
- The middle or the ages of the Son of God counted from Abraham to Jesus' first coming to the world for ± 2000 years.
- The ending or the ages of Holy Spirit God counted from Jesus' first coming to His second coming for ± 2000 years.
After 6000 years (six days), there is the seventh day (Sabbath), namely One Thousand Years Kingdom of Peace/ the Future Paradise.
This is the term 'on the sixth day, that they gathered twice as much bread '.
Two omers of mannamust be gathered on the sixth day. It means as follows.
- One omer for the sixth day. It refers to the Shepherding Word to sanctify and preserveour daily life in the world until we can say 'I shall not want'.
'I shall not want' means abundanceor we always give thanks until we are perfect.
An omer of manna equals to 3.6 liter for each person. It means very abundant food or we are preserved physically and spiritually. - One omer for the seventh day.
It means that the Shepherding Word gives us peaceuntil we can enter the One Thousand Years Kingdom of Peace or the Most Holy Place, whose measure is 10 x 10 x 10 = 1000 cubits cube.
There are three kinds of Sabbathas follows.
- Little Sabbath= rest in the anointing of Holy Spirit.
We must experience it every day.
Romans 8: 6
8:6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spirituallyminded is life and peace.
'peace'= Sabbath.
If we experience the peace every day, we will experience the second one. - Great Sabbath= rest in the One Thousand Years Kingdom of Peace.
- Eternal Sabbath= rest in New Jerusalem or the eternal heavenly kingdom.
The process and function of Sabbath is as follows.
- THE FIRST FUNCTIONis to remove all weariness and heavy burdensthat bring one to enter the hell.
Matthew 11: 28-30
11:28 "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
11:29 "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
11:30 "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
'Come to Me'= God's invitation.
'rest'= peace.
THE FIRST PROCESSis we learn from Jesus on the cross who is LOWLY IN HEART AND GENTLE.
Jesus was lowly in heart on the cross by confessing and bearing all our sins although He had no sin.
Being lowly in heartmeans we have the ability to confess our sins honestly to God (vertical line) and others (horizontal line). The two lines form a cross. After being forgiven, we must not repeat it. It means that we receive the invitation of God.
Sinning without confessing the sin, one is arrogant.
A servant of God who sins without confessing the sin, but blaming others even God, is arrogant like Satan in the peak of arrogance who becomes an accuser. Consequently, one keeps heavy laden in the world up to the hell.
Being gentlemeans we have the ability to forgive and forgetthe sin of others.
We learn from Jesus on the cross who said 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do'.
Not forgivingthe sin of other who has asked the forgiveness, one has hard heartlike Satan.
If we dare to confess our sins, we will easily forgive the sins of others.
On the contrary, one who cannotconfess the sin will not forgive the sins of others for sure. Consequently, his sins will not be forgiven by God. He will keep heavy laden until in the hell.
Thus, arrogance and hard heart cause the heavy burden until in the hell.
If we are lowly in heart and gentlethrough confessing and forgiving one another, the blood of Jesus will finish all our sins and Holy Spirit is poured out in our heart.
As a result, we experience the rest or peacein Holy Spirit and all things become easy and light. The more Holy Spirit is poured out, the more all things in our life are easy and light. We must experience it every day in our marriage, ministry, and life, until someday we are lifted up on the glorious clouds to meet Jesus. - THE SECOND FUNCTIONis to help the destroyed or sunk life.
Isaiah 30: 14-15
30:14 And He shall break it like the breaking of the potter's vessel, Which is broken in pieces; He shall not spare. So there shall not be found among its fragments A shard to take fire from the hearth, Or to take water from the cistern."
30:15 For thus says the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel: "In returning and restyou shall be saved; In quietness and confidenceshall be your strength." But you would not,
'the breaking of the potter's vessel' = the sinful human in blood and flesh that is easily broken.
Sinning, one becomes like a clay vessel that is slammed until broken and there is no use at all.
THE PROCESSis through learning from Jesus who dies on the cross, namely BEING QUIET AND SILENT.
Being quiet means as follows.- Not blaming nor judging others, even God or the true teachings.
When we are in decrease, we will get the destruction more and sink if we blame others. - Correcting our lifethrough the sharpness of the sword of God's Word or the repetitive Shepherding Word.
The Word is repeated to correct our life, namely our sin is found.
Afterward, we must confess it honestly to God and others. After being forgiven, we do not sin anymore, but repent.
As a result, there is restoration. Sin is the cause of problem, destruction, difficulties, and so on. If there is no sin, we have the atmosphere of Paradise like Adam and Eve had when they did not sin.
Not repenting, but repeating the sins or keeping on sinning, the life is destroyed more, sinks, and never rises again together with Babylon.
Although one is clever and great, he is going toward destruction because of keeping the sin.
1 Peter 4: 7
4:7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.
It means that we do not hope in others, especially when we face problems. We only believe and hope in God or believe and entrust our life fully to Him, so we can pray to Him.
We must not be hopeless when there is no one helping us. We only need to look upon God, and be quiet and silent.
The house of Israel cried out in facing the Red Sea and God rebuked Moses 'Why do you cry to Me?' We must not cry out nor grumble, but cry to God and surrender fully to Him in our prayer.
One who is not silent, but always judges others including God and the true teaching Word, hopes in others, and is not shepherded, will go toward destruction, be drowned, and perish. Let us learn from Jacob who dwelt quietly and silently in the tent and got everything from God.
We learn from Jesus to be quiet and silent or stretch out our two hands, namely the hand of repentance and prayer. As a result, He stretches out the hand of His miraculous lovingkindness to us. There is restoration. The broken things can be healed and the failed can be made successful and beautiful in God's time.
Not repenting, but keeping sin, one cannot pray because the sin separates us with God or He will not hear our prayer. We must repent, and our prayer will be answered by God for sure.
Mark 4: 37-39
4:37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.
4:38 But He was in the stern, asleepon a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"
4:39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.
Jesus said 'Peace, be still!' and the wind ceased.
'He was in the stern, asleep'= Jesus dies on the cross.
'there was a great calm' = those who sink will be lifted up and the failed will be made successful and beautiful in the time of God. - Not blaming nor judging others, even God or the true teachings.
- THE THIRD FUNCTIONis to help us in facing the sprinkling of blood or the crossso that we are not disappointed and hopeless. We do not leave God, but experience the life renewal.
Hebrews 12: 2
12:2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
THE PROCESSis looking unto Jesusas the High Priest who sits on the right hand of the throne of Father God or worshiping Him.
Looking at human, one will not be peaceful, but have hatred. For example, Moses who wanted to serve to two people, but looked to the right and the left. Consequently, he killed or had hatred and no peace, but rottenness, envy, and revenge.
Lot's wife looked behind and became the pillar of salt. Her life was tasteless and useless.
Hebrews 12: 3
12:3 For consider Him who enduredsuch hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.
THE PROCESSis we PERSEVERE AND BE PATIENTin worshiping God in order to face the cross or the sprinkling of blood like Jesus.
Aaron, the High Priest, entered the Most Holy Place once a year by bringing the incense and blood. The blood was sprinkled two times seven and the incense is lifted up.
If there is no incense or worship prayer, we will not endure the sprinkling of blood or the suffering in the flesh without any sin until we become hopeless.
The sprinkling of blood happens in many ways such as coming to the church right after studying at school or working in the office, suffering because of ministering to God, fasting, being insulted or slandered, and so on.
Remember! There is glory (shekinah glory) or life renewal behind the cross.
2 Corinthians 4: 16-17
4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. |
4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
'our outward man is perishing'= being insulted and slandered, getting older and sick, and so on.
We experience the glory of God or life renewal from fleshy man to spiritual one like Jesus. It begins from 'do not lose heart' = being strong and of good courage.
Being strong and of good courage refers to four pillars as follows.- Keeping on holding fastto the true teaching Word and obeyingit, regardless of any risk we have to take.
Do not be tossed to and fro by the false teachings!Being tossed to and fro by the false teachings, one will be like Judas Iscariot who heard the teachings of the Pharisees and the scribes that are not in line with Jesus' until he was doubtful, did not endure, but sank.
The weakness of the church of Pergamos is in keeping the false teachings. It must be finished, or else there is the atmosphere of Satan's throne. Receiving the false teachings means being the throne of Satan. - Keeping on living in righteousnessin all aspects of life, regardless of any risk we have to take.
The right teachings will bring righteous life for sure and vice versa. - Not being disappointed, hopeless, not leaving God, but keeping faithful and fervent in spiritin the service and ministry to Him, regardless of any risk we have to take.
If we love God, we will keep faithful and fervent in spirit, regardless of any hindrance we have to face. Moreover, we will not leave God when we are blessed. - Keeping on worshiping God, regardless of any condition we have to face.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego said "But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up."
They kept on worshiping God or looking unto Him.
- We are preserved and protectedby God directly in the midst of impossibilities and difficulties in the world although we are only like a hair that is powerless and not precious.
Acts 27: 33-36
27:33 And as day was about to dawn, Paul implored them all to take food, saying, "Today is the fourteenth dayyou have waited and continued without food, and eaten nothing.
27:34 "Therefore I urge you to take nourishment, for this is for your survival, since not a hair will fall from the head of any of you."
27:35 And when he had said these things, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all; and when he had broken it he began to eat.
27:36 Then they were all encouraged, and also took food themselves.
'a hair'= our position in the midst of great waves.
If we murmur and become hopeless and disappointed, we will be like a hair that falls from the head and vanishes away forever.
In the weakness, they ate the bread on the fourteenth day. It refers to the slaughtering of the lamb of Passover or Holy Communion. As a result, we can be strong and of good courage.
We are preserved spiritually in the midst of sins and the peak as well as false teachings, so we can keep righteous and holy. - We are used by Godin the revival of Holy Spirit at the latter rain or the building of Christ's perfect body.
Joshua 1: 6
1:6 "Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.
If we compare with Moses, Joshua was like a hair without any experience or power. Being strong and of good courage, he was used by Godin the revival to go to Canaan.
Joshua 1: 9
1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with youwherever you go."
We have experienced God's accompanying. We will get it more in the fellowship service.
Do not keep under the fig tree (egoism)!We indeed have been cool under the leafy fig tree or in the shepherding. Nevertheless, being satisfied only in the shepherding will cause one not be able to see the heaven. The more the leaves are or the more we are blessed, the more we are covered by the leaves and we cannot see Jesus descending and ascending from heaven. Thus, we must go outalthough we must be under the sun, and we can see Jesus. It means that God's accompanying becomes more real. - The Lord is able to solve all impossible problemsin our life.
1 Chronicles 28: 20
28:20 And David said to his son Solomon, "Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God--my God--will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.
The condition of Solomon in his young age without any experience was like the hair. Nevertheless, he was used by God because he was strong and of good courage until the building of the temple was finished.
Spiritually, the Lord is able to sanctify and renewus until we are as perfect and glorious as Jesus and the perfect bride of heaven or the building of the perfect body of Christ is finished. We are ready to welcome Jesus' second coming on the glorious clouds and enter the marriage supper of the Lamb, the One Thousand Years Kingdom of Peace (the Great Sabbath), and New Jerusalem (the Eternal Sabbath).
- Keeping on holding fastto the true teaching Word and obeyingit, regardless of any risk we have to take.
God blesses you.