Appointed to Hope: The Bridegroom Has Not Tarried
...this I know,
That in my flesh I shall see God,
Whom I shall see for myself,
And my eyes shall behold, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me!
—Job 19:25-27
While I've been aware of these last days at other points in my life, this degree of high-alert is new to me. I've never felt so urgent. I’m jumping at everything sort-of-trumpety. I ache with lovesick longing. And as we move deeper into autumn with one significant high-watch season left for 2017, truth be told: I’m also a little tired. But this is a good thing. My sister, a brand new mom, tells me that when you’re exhausted and think you can’t go on, that’s when the baby comes.
Come, thou long expected.
As we continue to watch, wait and occupy, how do we stay vigilant? How do we continue to endure? How do we protect our joy?
I want to share a study that I hope encourages you as we watch for our Lord’s appearing. Grab a fresh cup of coffee…this is long, but covers a lot of important ground.
Rightly dividing the word of truth
While all of Scripture is written for us (2 Tim. 3:16-17), not all is written to us. And to be workmen that need not be ashamed before God, we must rightly divide it. (2 Tim. 2:14-16)
However, passages can hold more than one meaning or application, and there are shadows & typologies all throughout Scripture. We need to examine them in context and determine who is speaking, who they are speaking to, when, for what, and more in order to glean the fruit of them. I don’t always get this right & am not ashamed to say I’m still learning! And I love God for His kindness, patience & faithfulness.
So I share this with humility as I feel like my “right dividing” is a little messy at times and my edges aren’t perfect.
I believe that everything Jesus said as He answered His disciples’ questions about “the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world” (Matt. 24:3) was about His 2nd Coming. We can learn so much about Jesus and the end times by studying His parables and the passages about the end of the age, but it’s important to remember that Jesus was a Jew speaking to Jews who did not know about the harpazo. The catching-away of the body was a mystery kept hidden from the foundation of the world until God revealed it to Paul, which means the disciples would not have known to ask about a rapture, and Jesus did not reveal it to them.
However, because His 2nd Coming occurs only seven years or so after the catching away, we watchmen can see and apply many things He said because it’s still a short period of time. (And they also help to illuminate other prophetic Scriptures, such as the book of Daniel.)
Take, for example, the parable of the ten virgins. Scholars have discussed the meaning of it for years. I believe it has various applications, but I want to say softly that this parable was not given directly to the body of Christ, nor is it about us. Jesus, sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, spoke it to the Jews when they asked about His 2nd coming and the end of the world.
It’s about the Kingdom of Heaven.
“Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.” (Matt. 25:1)
The word “then” suggests a chronological & ongoing conversation about unfolding events. Looking back, we see the immediate context and learn the message of the parable.
“Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods. But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart [note: what is said in the heart is what one believes, rightly or wrongly], My lord delayeth his coming; And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.” (Matt. 24:42-Matt. 25:1)
The faithful and evil servants are not part of the body of Christ. The wise & foolish virgins are not part of the body of Christ. They are a picture of the Kingdom of Heaven, which could have been established if Israel had received the One who stood in the synagogue to read from the prophet Isaiah:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.” (Luke 4:18-21)
Likewise Matthew tells us,
“The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matt. 4:16-17)
The kingdom of heaven is at hand … remember, Jesus spoke only to the ones he was sent to: the lost sheep of the house of Israel. God sent John the Baptist to prepare the way, and this is what the Lord said of him:
“Verily I say unto you, among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” (Matt. 11:11)
And finally, John said of himself:
“He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.” (John 3:29)
John the Baptist, friend of the bridegroom and of the kingdom of heaven, is not the bride of Christ.
The body of Christ is of the kingdom of God. This is an important distinction which helps us to rightly divide and discern, so let's look at a brief overview of the two kingdoms.
The kingdom of God
Preacher Robert Breaker teaches that the kingdom of God is a spiritual kingdom for believing Jews and Gentiles (the Church). It is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom. 14:17). It does not come with observation; it is within (Luke 17:20-21). To enter, one must be born of the Spirit (John 3:3, 5-6). The gospel of the grace of God is the gospel of the kingdom of God (Acts 20:24-25) and those who practice the works of the flesh will not inherit the kingdom of God (Gal. 5:21-22). We are to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matt. 6:33), which we know is found in Christ.
The kingdom of heaven
Breaker goes on to teach that the kingdom of heaven is a physical kingdom for the Jews. Rejected the first time, the Messiah will restore it in the millennium. He told his disciples not to go to the Gentiles, but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matt. 10:5-7). As Jew to Jew they preached “repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matt. 3:2, Matt. 4:17) The Jewish kingdom-mindset revealed itself when they hailed Jesus as the king of Israel in John 12:13. Mark 11:9-10 talks about the kingdom of David (or the Millennial Kingdom). To enter the kingdom of heaven, one's righteousness by keeping the commandments & works of the law must exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees (Matt. 5:17-20).
This kingdom was put on hold because Israel rejected God in three ways: they rejected God the Father (Matt. 21:23-33), God the Son (Mark 15:11-15) and God the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51-60). (See also Matt. 23:13, 37-39.)
“Jesus saith unto them, did ye never read in the scriptures, the stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, the kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.” (Matt. 21:42-43)
The great mystery: Christ and the church
Even when Jesus returned to the Father & sat down on His throne, Israel still had a chance for the kingdom of Heaven to begin. The Messiah could have come back right then (see Luke 13:7-9). But after Stephen’s testimony and death (Acts 7:51-60) God gave them up (Micah 5:3 / Romans 9-11) and revealed his secret to Paul: that the Gentiles would also be partakers of the inheritance (Rom. 16:25-26, 1 Cor. 2:6-8, Eph. 3:1-3, et al.). “This is a great mystery,” he wrote, “but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” (Eph. 5:32)
As the body of Christ, we the Church belong to the Kingdom of God. We are the future New Jerusalem. The parables about the kingdom of heaven can inspire, encourage and inform us, but they are not specifically to us. So when we read the parable of the ten virgins, which Jesus said the kingdom of heaven shall be likened unto, we can begin piecing together an even bigger story. Let’s take a look.
The secret message of the ten virgins
The setting is the 2nd Coming and the “end of the age.” We know this occurs at least seven years after the body of Christ is caught up to be with the Lord (1 Thess. 4:15-17), so these passages do not specifically apply to us. The audience are the Jewish disciples of Jesus. In this parable, ten virgins are waiting for the Bridegroom. “He that hath the bride is the Bridegroom.” The ten virgins are not the bride; without the bride there would be no wedding at all! The virgins are guests.
“While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.”
Notice that none of the virgins were watching. At this point, they all were asleep. On the outside they all looked the same, which parallels another kingdom-of-heaven story:
Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.” (Matt. 13:24-26)
Tares are weeds that look like wheat, but do not actually produce fruit. Only in the appointed season are they made manifest. In the parable, like the wise and foolish virgins, they continued together until the end when truth was revealed. The tares were gathered and burned. Not all of the virgins were ready. For even though they all slumbered and slept, we know there was a crucial difference between them: the wise had enough oil for their lamps. The foolish did not.
“And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.” (Matt. 25:10-12)
Lord, Lord
In this parable, Jesus is reminding the disciples of an earlier warning:
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Matt. 7:21-23
Those who protested with their “wonderful works” were declared workers of iniquity by the Lord. Why iniquity? Because they put their faith in their own ability to enter the kingdom, receive eternal life and enter the rest of God. They relied on their own righteousness. They trusted in their works to buy entrance to the kingdom, rather than trusting in what was already purchased for them by the blood of Jesus. They didn’t have enough oil. But those who do have enough oil, the ones who do the will of the Father, are the ones the Lord knows and allows to enter in.
What is the will of the Father?
“Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” (John 6:28-29)
It is about faith.
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Ps. 119:105)
“Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. For we who have believed do enter that rest…” (Heb. 4:1-3)
So while the parable of the ten virgins is about the kingdom of heaven, we can reap a powerful application because readiness, for us, is about one thing and one thing alone: putting our faith in Jesus Christ.
He already did all the work.
Do you believe? If so, you are ready. If you believe, you are sealed with the Holy Spirit and He knows you. He will never turn you away! If you have yet to trust in the blood of Jesus which takes away your sins and grants you eternal life, I implore you to do so today! The gospel is found in 1 Cor. 15:1-4 and is so simple and free. It is truly free to you.
As you see the Day approaching
So now let’s bring this home. We are not the ten virgins. The wife of the Lamb is not found in Matthew 25. The virgins are waiting to go to the wedding feast, where many are called, but few are chosen. We see that they are of Israel, or are Gentiles who become tribulation saints during Jacob’s trouble.
This means our bridegroom has not delayed!
As we, the future New Jerusalem, watch and long for our Lord’s appearing, gather together, share Scripture and end-time theories and videos and encouragement, I know that many of us, including me, are feeling weary. But take heart! I want you to remember this: our beloved is not delayed. He is not tarrying. In fact, Scripture says He will not tarry:
“For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.” (Heb. 10:36-37)
Dispensationally this refers to the 2nd Coming, so we are at least 7 years closer than even this. He is right on {appointed} time, and yet a little while, He will come. I believe He is longing and eager to gather us. Paul says that the Lord Himself will descend for us, while at the end of the age, He sends His angels! (Matt. 13:37-43, Matt. 24:30-31) But He is coming. And while God turns back to Israel during Daniel’s 70th week, we will be hidden in the bridal chamber that the Lord has lovingly created for us (John 14:1-3, Is. 26:20). Afterwards, Christ will return to earth and reign for a thousand years.
This time will begin with joy!
“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called [see also Matt. 22:1-14] unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.” (Rev. 19:7-9)
We'll know in a few more days if our Father chooses to send His Son for us during this season, or if we are to wait and continue watching for The Blessed Hope. In the meantime, let's talk about hope.
Hope is the medicine for disappointment (Rom. 5:5). It keeps our inner fire alive as we eagerly wait for our beloved. We can only hope for what we do not yet have (Rom. 8:23-25), and we who watch are blessed! Think of it...you and I were chosen by God to be alive now as He fulfills all He declared from the foundation of the world. We get to witness things that prophets longed to see. We could have been born at anytime in the last six thousand years, but the Most High chose us to be the ones who are alive and remain.
We are so blessed!
And so now, as we eagerly wait with perseverance, let's continue to hope and to encourage one another to walk in the Spirit and do the work that He has given to us with joy, knowing our redemption draws nigh.
We may not know everything we want to, and we may not always get our eschatology right. But as we speculate, circle days on the calendar, study the moedims, fervently pray, and jump every time the school band practices their brass on the football field, know this: right now, every one of us is appointed to hope.
This is our appointed time: hope.
And we can never go wrong with hope.
Protect your joy
It feels like we are on our collective toes here, on the edge of our seats with the expectancy of this season. How are you holding up? How are you choosing to occupy until He comes? How are you holding fast to joy?
Let's discuss!
Due to Paul's use of simile, some do not believe the body of Christ is the same as the bride. I have studied this out and respect those who hold a different view, but what I gather from Scripture is that the church (made of believing Jews & Gentiles who were caught up before Daniel's 70th week) is the New Jerusalem, the wife of the Lamb. God was married to Israel, to whom He gave a certificate of divorce but will restore. Thoughts?
Thanks! I needed that.
ReplyDeleteGod bless you! <3
DeleteWhat an amazing job sister! God bless you and see you soon!
DeleteIm glad you mentioned the 'Kingdom of God' vs 'Kingdom of Heaven' in this article. Too many people treating them as one, giving ammunition to the preterists and replacement theology folk.
ReplyDeleteI'm truly grateful to have learned it...it's made a huge difference in how I understand & approach Scripture and theology. Thanks for reading!
DeleteAwesome article Hillary! Loving all the Scripture references.....
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sam! That's great to hear. Believe it or not I had several more but it was getting way too long! 😂
DeleteOh you wrote this one -sorry Hillary - thank you sister :)
DeleteAs I understand it, the body of Christ and the bride are the same - but the body of Christ must be born into heaven and reunited with the head first, then it becomes the bride and so can be married to the groom.
Excellent, but I'll have to grab another cup of coffee and reread it. So many nuggets. So much to sink in. God's word is so complete, so final. Amen and amen. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy that coffee, Bob, and I hope the next read through blesses you! God is so good! Thanks for reading.
DeleteVery encouraging thoughts and much needed for the saints right about now. (:
ReplyDeleteThanks, Gary! I think many of us are feeling the strain, but His appearing is SO CLOSE. Just a little longer, and He who is coming will come! God bless you!
DeleteThank you brother!
DeleteAs I understand it, the body of Christ and the bride are the same - but the body of Christ must be born into heaven and reunited with the head first, then it becomes the bride and so can be married to the groom.
Thank you, just what I needed for today :)
ReplyDeleteSo glad to hear this, Andrea!
DeleteAnother interesting thing about these parables is that they are talking about comparisons. 'The kingdom will be likened' or compared to something. I see people making these comparisons all the time and wonder if they are fulfilling His words, putting us further down the line of signs than we may realize.
ReplyDeleteJust as the 'Pepe the Frog' meme seems to elude to the frogs later on in Revelation as a 'foreshadow' of that sign, I sometimes wonder if we have missed something and the hour is later than we realize. (The frogs come right before the thief in the night verse btw... Looking back in Exodus, this was the last sign of Moses that Egypt's magicians could copy... After that, they couldn't reproduce anything Moses did.)
Every airplane flying over makes me jump. They all sound like trumpets now :P
I loved your article. It was a drink of cool water to have someone write the truth and to explain it so clearly and lovingly
DeleteYou were so very encouraging. I learned a few things to think upon.
As for Israel, God will fulfill His promises to them. And, we are inheritors of through our belief in Jesus Christ. We have been grafted in. As Abraham's believed God it was counted to him as righteousness and so are we. Romans 4:3.
@Kris I am glad to know I'm not the only one jumping at unexpected noises. I know I must look insane. 😂 But one of these days, it will be the real thing. Let's keep looking up. (And great point about those frogs!)
Delete@Anonymous I'm so glad this article was refreshing to you! That is an answer to prayer. I'm so excited for God to fulfill His promises to Israel! Thank you for reading and for adding your thoughts! God bless you.
Wow, good one Hillary! Glad you like Robert Breaker.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Matthew! Yes, he has been a huge blessing in my life!
DeleteThank you.
ReplyDeleteThank you for reading, Christopher. Keep looking up. He is near!
DeleteI have been following this site since the beginning of the Revelation 12 sign. I came across it while googling Revelation 12. Thank you for your posts and info. It is comforting to be around like minded people.
ReplyDeleteHi Lynette! I originally found this site looking for info about Revelation 12, too! There is such a wealth of content here. So much life and encouragement in these archives! Thanks for reading!
DeleteI totally agree with your study and analysis. I LOVE your eager perseverance. My Hope has been enduring since 1976 and was strengthened in 1988, at which time I slept until 2011.
ReplyDeleteRecent excitement in the heavens has lit the fire of my Hopes again..this time not to be extinguished! Too many increasing and ongoing events for me to sleep or be distracted again!
Someone needs to check on Scottie Clarke though..I'm a little concerned about him. He took such a bashing from the mockers, scoffers and immature believers he's gone off the radar.
Thank you for your continued encouragement and I eagerly look forward to further studies.
God Bless the Watchers! In the Name of Jesus.
Love your name, Uncle Jimmy! :) I can relate to the up & down nature of your hope, but I'm glad to hear that it is unshakeable now! Your encouragement has blessed me so much and I love your care & concern for Scottie. Keep him and all of us in your prayers! God bless you.
DeleteThank you Hillary! ..I couldn't help noticing the Time Stamp of your Reply [October 8, 2017 at 11:11 PM]
Delete1111 Sycamore ..My childhood Address..In the Ghetto..1968-1975
11/11/08 ..Day Dad (60) passed to the Lord..[Thank God he didn't see who won the election!] ;)D
11:11am and 11:11pm ..Times I repeatedly look at the clock.. ..? ..? ..
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteA very timely article Hillary.
ReplyDelete"Wrongly dividing" the word of truth can get us into all sorts of mess regarding doctrine. In particular, this very parable, where I've heard all sorts of things from; Only half the church will be raptured to "What if I don't have enough Holy Spirit in my lamp to get raptured?" (I guess you'd better buy some right?!) I even watched a video the other day where someone tried to use this parable to explain that children won't get taken in the rapture! What nonsense! Where is the comfort in that?
Paul tells us that we should feel comforted by our knowledge of the rapture (1 Thess 4:18)I'm noticing more and more in these last days there is an attempt, deliberately or naively, to steal our "comfort" regarding the rapture. It is our "blessed hope" and our bridegroom and indeed all of heaven is just as excited about the gathering together of the bride as we are.
You nailed the KOH vs KOG thing. Its is important that we understand that scripture always supports scripture. There is not a single parable Jesus gave that cannot be explained using scripture. So with that being said here are some additional nuggets of info regarding the 10 virgins;
1/ Who are the virgins? 10 tribes of Israel. 10? Weren't there 12? Technically yes however the other 2 tribes come from Judah a different "kingdom" to Israel (1 Kings 11, 1 Kings 12).
2/ The wise and foolish represents being either obedient (Matt 7:25) and disobedient (Prov 1:7).
3/ The oil represents Israels desire to obey the torah/law or rather, their works. The greater your works the more "oil" you have and the longer your light (keeping the law/torah) will burn. (Lev 24:2)
4/ The lamp and the light? Easy - Prov 6:23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life
There is a sign of Christ before His second advent (Matt 24:30) Once you see this sign towards the end of the 7yr tribulation you can't just run around doing some last minute good works and expect to make it into the Millennial Kingdom. By the way, it's faith & works that'll save you during the tribulation not grace.
It is also my belief that the marriage supper takes place on earth in the "Kingdom of Heaven" with all who make it through the 7yr tribulation as Jesus and his bride (The Church) is presented to the world to rule and reign together. This also seems to fit well with traditional Jewish wedding customs. Jewish newlyweds had to disappear for 7 days after the ceremony before they could be presented to all the guests and be introduced as "Mr & Mrs." Now that's a long wedding.
So using this parable to support various rapture theories is very dangerous and could even lead a saved person to think they can lose their salvation. Let's continue to "rightly divide" and be comforted with God's promises.
Love ya work
Marcus from Down Under
"Wrongly dividing" the word of truth can get us into all sorts of mess regarding doctrine." SO true, Marcus. I'm sad for all those years I studied Scripture so intensely without knowing or getting the simple clarity of right dividing. Like I said in my article, I'm still getting some of my edges cleaned up, but God is so faithful and I feel like in His grace He is helping me make up for lost time. Although His grace has been with me all along, and I learned so much so I can't be too sad about it. I'm just so over the moon that He is so merciful, loving, faithful and kind. I cannot wait to see Him face to face!
DeleteThanks for reading and sharing these wonderful nuggets of wisdom!
Hi Marcus, perhaps this article can she's some light to your questions above? (Please note that 5 and 10 are numbers of prophetical value i.e. not to be taken literally here.) http://www.bible.ca/marriage/ancient-jewish-three-stage-weddings-and-marriage-customs-ceremony-in-the-bible.htm Blessings from Germany :)
DeleteThank you. A lot of good information here. Danke fur Irhe Antwort :)
DeleteMarcus
I should also add, it is made very clear in Luke 12:35-38 that the bridegroom is returning from a wedding not coming to collect his bride.
DeleteMarcus
WoW Marcus.
DeleteThank you for that my brother in our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus.
You're welcome Raoul.
DeleteSee you at the wedding!
Marcus.
Forgot to add:
ReplyDeleteIsrael is married to God the Father, The Church is married to Jesus Christ. It's a bit hard to get your head around but here's a great explanation by Robert Breaker;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SL3YcM25AUk
Completely agree!
DeleteHillary,
ReplyDeleteThank you for the excellent work and detail.
This is an encouragement. He is coming. Even at the door.
Grateful for you.
Greg
God bless you, Greg. Thank you for your kind words & encouragement. He is so near.
DeleteWith gratitude,
Hillary
I do appreciate the ongoing articles on Unsealed.org, but feel I must reply accordingly.
ReplyDelete> lost sheep of the tribe of Israel, spoke it to the Jews
There is no "tribe of Israel". There were 12 tribes, then 13 due to the birthright split of Joseph into Ephraim and Manasseh, creating a double portion for the birthright aka first born rights. (Implication, the first born into the Kingdom of God do, too. A "better resurrection" per Hebrews).
It's also how we identify "and a company of nations" God promised to make of Abraham, Gen 35:11.
ONLY the House of Judah are Jews. The rest (and overwhelming majority) of Israel are not Jews, nor Jewish. (The only reason we still identify Jews with Ancient Israel: the promise of the Sabbath covenant was to be identified as God's people - a separate company put into the Old Covenant).
Today's House of Judah is the political state of Israel. And, the ONLY "Jews" in Israel (sans some Benjaminites and Levites). In end times address, "Jacob" means ALL the tribes and the Jews are only one tribe; thus it is addressing the political state of Israel -and- "a company of nations" God made of Abraham's descendants, Gen 35:11. "A nation" = House of Judah. "and a company of nations" = House of Israel.
We know who the House of Israel is because only one people could remotely fulfill it in all of world history: the British Empire. And, all the "company of nations" that proceeded from her. They are the ONLY empire to own the gates of their enemies, to be an overflowing vine to all nations on earth, and all nations literally bowed down per her power.
Then, comes the second and equal portion: The USA.
Just like the Rev 12 sign, etc. there are all kinds of twists and spins that are just wrong about it, but the fact is the UK & company + USA are the House of Israel and they are "Jacob" per end times.
It means EVERYTHING now to know this, because many are getting setup for false end times scenarios. One example,
The context of the 10 virgins is Matt 24:45, "who is a faithful and wise servant." There are those serving Christ who are not faithful nor wise. There are many who THINK they are serving The Lord who are not faithful and wise. This includes nation-states thinking God is on their side when they're really just tools to keep the world from collapsing before God reaps what He is after in ekklesia, "called out ones", the church.
BUT, it most certainly also means ekklesia who *neglect* their calling. The tribulation will be a purifying time. The sad truth is many believers simply will not put their priorities in order without such a tribulation.
peace
RE: > lost sheep of the tribe of Israel, spoke it to the Jews
DeleteBen, I appreciate you pointing this out. My intention was to write "house of Israel," as I did here: "remember, Jesus spoke only to the ones he was sent to: the lost sheep of the house of Israel. God sent John the Baptist to prepare the way..." and here: "He told his disciples not to go to the Gentiles, but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" and inadvertently I used the word "tribe" in the paragraph you quoted. This is an important detail and I take this seriously. I've edited the article to correct this.
Thanks for replying.
DeleteI was concerned for it being too harsh. But, I couldn't edit it after submission.
My concern is people expecting events like a rapture, then not seeing it happen and giving up. The emphasis on House of Israel and Jacob is many who think they are gentiles are not. Thus, end times prophecies addressed to those two take on a completely different meaning than the all-too-often "all of Israel is Jewish" paradigm.
Ben Gillis, thank you for sharing an expanded understanding about the difference between House of Judah and House of Israel. It is an important observation to make and yes many who think to be Gentiles are very likely of Israel (Jacob's Sons = Zac's Sons = Saxons). We have to remember that the House of Israel was scattered and they migrated north west into Europe. This puts a whole new angle on where "Jacob's trouble" might actually take place.
DeleteIt gives us something new to consider.
"The word 'then' suggests a chronological & ongoing conversation about unfolding events."
ReplyDelete...events that *follow* the Second Coming in Matthew 24:29-31. Yes yes yes. The Parable of the 10 Virgins effectively has a time stamp in Matthew 25:1 that places the primary action of the parable after the Second Coming. This parable *cannot* be directed at the Church, for this and a veritable laundry list of other reasons.
Greg L.
Agreed, Greg. Untangling myself from decades of prior understanding feels a little sticky sometimes, but it's so much clearer now!
DeleteTHANK YOU, Hillary, I can't WAIT to meet you!!! You have confirmed so much of what I have found in my study!!!
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU, for sharing it!!!
Bless you, dear soul! This is an answer to prayer. May God bless you as you continue to study & seek Him! Maranatha!
DeleteThank you so much, Hillary. Beautiful article. I, like you and so many, also feel weary and lethargic. Like someone let the air out of my balloon. Thank you for the encouragement. Come soon, Lord Jesus!!
ReplyDeleteTake a deep breath and let those lungs fill up with joy, because He is coming soon! 💜 Thank you for your kind words. God bless you!
DeleteAND - has anyone noticed that trains - especially in the still of the night - sound just like a trumpet? I sit straight up in bed all thru the night every time I hear a train in the distance.
ReplyDeleteI think if I heard a train right now my heart would jump out of my chest!
DeleteYes Deekabee.. One go'n by right now matter of fact! LOL! At least 7 times a day! Feels like an earthquake too! ..On top of that, the Trumpet of Fort Carson Blows 3 times a day! And on a quiet night it can be heard miles away! Talk about Eager Attacks! LOL! ;)D
DeleteHillary that was fantastic. Never heard the Kingdom of Heaven vs Kingdom of God before. Awesome.
ReplyDeleteI am even more happy that you tackled the Mathew 24/25 thing. It's been heavy on me since I hear and see so many confusing it. And confusing it leads to misunderstandings that in some cases puts people into thinking it fits with a post tribulation rapture or something.
Final thought, and I'm not sure if it's 100% accurate, but I was taught that if scripture is referring to the Jews it will speak of The Son of Man. For the Church scripture uses Son of God. What's your take on that? It was how I finally put Mathew 24 & 25 into the right context.
Anyway that was a very good study and explanation. Thank you.
I'm glad this study was a blessing to you, J! The differences between the Kingdom of Heaven vs Kingdom of God really became clear to me through a teaching by Robert Breaker. He has many sermons on YouTube that you might like...he breaks everything down visually on a white board so it's easy to follow along.
DeleteI want to give more thought to your question before answering in greater detail, but I believe that when Jesus referred to Himself as Son of Man it was to emphasize that He had made Himself of no reputation & come in the form of a man. I will look into this more!
Thanks for reading & sharing your thoughts! God bless you.
THANK YOU, Hillary, I can't WAIT to meet you!!! You have confirmed so much of what I have found in my study!!!
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU, for sharing it!!! Kat (zoegirl)
You are so sweet! Bless you, dear soul! This is an answer to prayer. May God bless you as you continue to study & seek Him! Maranatha!
DeleteIs anyone else out there feeling like you just don't belong or fit in to this world anymore? Having a very difficult time fitting in any where anymore....I feel a deep longing to "go home," but also morning for those who may not go and everyone around me is so asleep. How are you all managing?
ReplyDeleteI'm feeling the same way.
DeleteI can relate so much! I am longing for Christ's appearing and also weeping for the lost. It's quite an emotional time, actually. I thank God that His long-suffering is salvation (2 Pet. 3:15) and also that He is coming quickly. (Rev. 3:11). Take heart knowing that God loves your loved ones even more than you do...and thank Him for all He is doing in their lives. He is so faithful. He will complete the work that has begun! Lots of love to you.
DeleteUnknown, hang in there, what you are feeling is common among many Watchers and comments sprinkled on all the various pages attest to this. Our up then down ride is His reminder to get our eyes off the waves and, instead, focus on Christ alone, yet still watch, and, in response to your question, OCCUPY UNTIL HE COMES. That's it, follow His directive and keep putting one foot in front of the other, doing your best to shine His Light into this ever darker world, until HE says COME UP HEREE!
DeleteI have the feeling of not fitting into this world from early childhood and lived with it until Jesus finally saved me 39 years later. So I'm quite familiar with it. The feeling has only changed but very much increased once I understood that it was God who already set me apart long time ago before saving me through faith by grace. Without knowing before this was not really comforting but now I know as a Christian. How I deal with it today at the very end of days? Revelation 22:11 is what my personal calling is currently. I rely on God who does not fail ever and who always works out everything to HIS GLORIFICATION only. Proverbs 16:4 / Romans 9 He is sovereign, His thoughts are higher than mine Isaiah 55:8-9 HALLELUJAH!! Blessings to you ;)
DeleteYou are not alone
DeleteDitto!..Ditto!..Ditto!..Ditto!..Ditto!..Ditto!.. ;)D
Delete"I believe He is longing and eager to gather us. Paul says that the Lord Himself will descend for us, while at the end of the age, He sends His angels!" Wonderful!
ReplyDeleteA very encouraging and much needed article, much needed on many fronts! Praise the Lord!
I also like the teachings of Robert Breaker, I'm glad I've found his you tube channel a few weeks ago (which I see is linked above in the article).
DeleteThanks, Nora! I'm glad you've discovered him also. What a gifted teacher! Thank you for reading this article & for your kind words. God bless you!
DeleteHi Hillary, thanks for this liberating message. I would like to compare the rapture story to a Hebrew wedding:
ReplyDeleteWedding Practice – Bridegroom Comes for his Bride: The bridegroom could get His bride when the father deemed the chamber ready. The bridegroom would abduct his bride secretly, like a thief at night and take her to the wedding chamber. As the bridegroom approached the bride's home, he would shout and blow the shofar (ram's horn trumpet) so that she had some warning to gather her belongings to take into the wedding chamber.
In the same way the rapture fulfilled the 3 fall feasts like a Hebrew wedding: Jesus shouting out the Revelation 12 sign on feast of trumpets to get the attention of His bride, then He blow the shofar on the year of Jubilee on the day of atonement to warn His bride of his nearness, follow by the secret snatching of the bride during the feast of tabernacles (Like in John 7 that says Jesus attend the feast of tabernacles in secret when His time has come).
KIm, I love that! Thank you for sharing, very insightful!
DeleteOh, Kim, I cannot tell you what your comment meant to me. I've heard the Jewish Wedding analogies and have always agreed they are spot on, but I've never heard it broken down to Fall Feast likenesses. It could not be clearer. What a great, great insight and blessing. Thank you so much - Blessings - Sherry
DeleteI hope you're right Kim... MARANATHA! :)
DeleteKim! What an incredible point! I love & have used the comparison of the rapture to the traditional Hebrew wedding many times, but I absolutely love what you said about the last three relating to the fall feasts. What an astonishing insight. Thank you so much!
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ReplyDeleteHillary, I was so encouraged by this and thank you for the much needed exhortation. What an added blessing you are to this wonderful site that has encouraged me and so many others for months. God bless you dear sister and I look forward to meeting you someday!
ReplyDeleteMaranatha!
Keith
I look forward to that too, Keith! I was thinking yesterday that I'm sure glad we have eternity because there are so many dear souls I can't wait to connect with. Thanks for your encouraging words! God bless you as we walk out these last days.
DeleteHillary, you are an encouraging breath of fresh air sent by The Almighty... I thank Him for you, and for this article. Remind me to give you a hug when we are all in the throne room one day (hopefully soon).
ReplyDeleteI will definitely take that hug! :) Thank you for these kind words; I truly pray to be able to bless and uplift the body....always, but especially in these times. Thank you for reading and taking the time to share your heart.
DeleteWOW! That was a great read and very refreshing. And some say women have no place preaching...
ReplyDeleteCan't wait for your next study.
I'm definitely no preacher or teacher but more of a "here, read over my shoulder" sharer. 😂 I'm glad to know this encouraged you! Lots of love in Christ!
DeleteThank you for you words! I, too, feel such a strong sense of urgency like never before. I feel like we are so close! I am so thankful for this website and others like it. I have no one around with of a similar mindset and I so appreciate the work you guys are doing. Keep it up and thank you! Truly, our redemption draws near.
ReplyDelete-Melissa
Melissa, I can so relate to your words. I am blessed to have found an online community of likeminded people but don't have many in my everyday life who get it. I'm glad to know you've been blessed through Unsealed. Lots of love to you, and stay encouraged. The Lord is coming and He is so near!
DeleteHillary, you are spot on. I think this is the most timely article we could have right now. I grew up in Right Division, wasn't properly taught it (more likely didn't properly listen) and drifted away into total and mass confusion. I believe most of the angry discussions between believers recently would not exist if they understood Right Division. Robert Breaker has put my feet firmly back on the path to sanity and I will be eternally grateful to him. You have done a splendid job in succinctly documenting and outlining major points of Right Division that can be overwhelming to someone hearing it for the first time. If we could only convey that clarity and dawning of light you see when you first come to an understanding of the teaching that would be terrific. I think you have done a marvelous job of that and I look forward to more. What a breath of fresh air this was this morning. Praying for your continued success in conveying what is most precious to us all - the Truth of Our Savior. Blessings - Sherry
ReplyDeleteSherry, thank you for your encouraging words! And I fully agree that with right division, most conflicts and theological misunderstandings would completely evaporate. I love that you brought up that "clarity and dawning of light" that happens when things begin to fall into place. It's a huge, incredible gift. An awakening. I imagine that the Father is leaping for joy to see His children "get it." Thanks again for your kind thoughts and prayers. You are a blessing. Lots of love! 💜
DeleteHaha! I'm so glad that I'm not the only one jumping at noises! Thank you for sharing this study with us.
ReplyDeletePretty much everyday! :)) Thank you for reading!
DeleteHillary, thank you so much for such an excellent article. Very well written and easy to understand. Because I was raised by a Pentecostal mother, that was all I knew until the Lord brought our family out of the false movement this past spring. It has been quite an undertaking to unlearn and relearn, to say the least. That being said, I rarely give much attention to dreams that others have. And am always quite cautious when they say they are from the Lord. This leaves me in a predicament. I rarely have dreams I remember. Last night I was awoken from a dream, startled. All I remember vividly was seeing "Elul 29". My initial thought was one of confusion. But I did think to myself that it sounded like a Hebrew month, possibly. I was unable to fall back asleep. I googled, and it turns out that Elul 29 recently passed and is the last day before Rosh Hashanah. This all meant nothing to me. However, while trying to find something of possible relevance, I found a site that said there is a connection between the word "Elul" and Psalm 27. I read Psalm 27 and this stood out very much as I read. It is taken from the Complete Jewish Bible version. I'd appreciate any input, folks(also, "tent" can be translated as "tabernacle")..."Just one thing have I asked of ADONAI; only this will I seek: to live in the house of ADONAI all the days of my life, to see the beauty of ADONAI and visit in his temple. 5 For he will conceal me in his shelter on the day of trouble, he will hide me in the folds of his tent, he will set me high on a rock. 6 Then my head will be lifted up above my surrounding foes, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing, sing praises to ADONAI." I do not know why I had this dream last night, and am not confident to say it was from the Lord. I do know, though, that I couldn't fall back asleep until I found that Psalm. God bless you all. You're the only church I have since we left our former Assembly of God fellowship. I should also say that I could not remember the word "Elul" when I woke this morning(thank goodness for HebCal.com).
ReplyDeletePsalm 27 is one of my favorite Psalms! I love that you had a dream with "Elul 29" and connected it with Ps. 27. I will be thinking about this....what comes to mind is that when we put off the corruption & take on incorruption, Scripture likens it to a change in our habitation. This passage is so rich with imagery and so many potential applications. What calls to my spirit with longing is a deep hunger for His presence. Come quickly, Lord!
DeleteThank you so much for sharing this, 2Tim. May God give you wisdom and courage as you continue untangling from former beliefs...I know what labor that is, but God is so merciful and faithful and the reward is beyond compare. I love that He brought you out of darkness and into His light! He is so gracious and good!
Lots of love & God bless you!
2Tim, are you saying that the Pentecostal movement is a false movement? What were some of the things that caused you to leave?
DeleteYes, I am saying this as I was raised in it. I was taught what my Mother was taught. She was raised as a Roman Catholic, but left catholicism when she felt that there was much more to know about the Lord and Scripture than what she was being taught. Unfortunately, she went straight from catholicism to sitting under the teaching of a man named Dr. Hobart Freeman. He was a former Baptist, turned charismatic preacher, after someone convinced him that all believers were not filled with the Holy Spirit until they "received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, with evidence of speaking in tongues". Upon accepting this belief, this man began getting "messages from the Lord", and many followers confirmed those messages(I truly believe that this "baptism" opened the door to messages from the demonic realm). He began teaching that believers wouldn't be taken in the soon coming rapture unless they were "filled with the Holy Spirit, with evidence of tongues." His growing "ministry" came to a screeching halt when he began teaching the classic word of faith message that true believers had to live by faith alone which meant consulting physicians showed God a lack of faith for His healing. Not so surprisingly, over 90 deaths are documented related to families who would not seek medical treatment for themselves or their children. This ALL began with a Baptist preacher who believed the lie that is the Pentecostal movement. There is so much online that reveals the history of it, and how the occult has its tentacles throughout. God bless!
DeleteMy attention was piqued as I read your original comment because I am a "Pentecostal mom" :)
DeleteWow, you have quite the story and I'm glad you have shared it. Obviously I don't agree with your blanket statement that it is all a false movement, but I'm not here to invalidate what you have experienced. I had to google the name that you gave as I had not heard of him. I'm in Canada. What I found was simply tragic. I am glad that you are still holding on to God after all you have experienced. God is so faithful!
Just wanted to share my experience and a different perspective. I was not raised in a Christian home but was sent to the local church every Sunday in our small community of about 300-400. It was a conservative and wonderfully kind assembly that treated me as one of their own (as I was a newcomer/outsider to the community). The teaching, as far as I can remember, was Biblically solid and I remember having a constant awareness then, even as a child, that the Lord could return at any moment. Bible prophecy was taught, but I did not live in fear, more like awe and anticipation.
A lot of water under the bridge since then...I'm now 50+ years old, children are raised, been through a couple of church splits. Do I agree with everything in the Pentecostal movement? No. I have seen larger churches adopt a business-model style of leadership, where the pastor is now more of a CEO. Bible prophecy teaching has been rare. Do I speak in tongues? No. Nor am I pressured to. Many a time in a church service I have prayed "Lord, if this is not of you, please protect me from it." I find myself reviewing a lot of what I was taught as I dig more deeply into scripture, to "test all things." But the biggest validation I can give for the Pentecostal movement is that God, in his infinite mercy, came alongside me as an adolescent and convicted me of my sinful state and utterly lost condition outside of Him. God was there! And He saved me. Romans 10:17 "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
Most of my family (parents, siblings, aunts, uncles) is unsaved, and I am very burdened for them. Eternity feels so close. I visit this site just about every day, and I find refreshing insights on a regular basis. I appreciate all your perspectives, experiences and discernment. I'm still seeking, still learning, ever grateful. To God be the glory!
I appreciate reading your thoughtful reply,"Pentecostal Mom". I myself am a mother and it was in fact my oldest who the Lord used to lead us into the truth. He came to me asking for more information on how to be "baptized with the Holy Spirit". I thought, well, what better place to find your answers than the Word. Turns out, it isn't in the Bible, but I never checked for myself until that point. I am so very grateful today that the Lord spared my children. He is so good. I also have come to understand that because this is a "false" gospel, it can be looked at as a main factor in why my older sisters and my father have such a bitter taste in their mouth when it comes to what they know as "Christianity". The unfortunate thing is that they now have little interest in hearing the truth. Only the Lord can fix that, but I can't imagine the pain it has caused my mother who believed this was "the Gospel." And mostly because many "signs and wonders" accompanied. In our previous Assembly of God church(it is A.of God's "official" doctrine, per a pamphlet I have of theirs), they taught that believers can not know for certain that they have been filled with the Holy Spirit unless they have spoken in tongues(or "prayed in tongues", which you won't find Biblical support for). This then creates a false, essentially works based gospel, that indeed will not lead to the True salvation of anyone. I'm not sure which Jesus they are worshipping, but I do know that mine never asked any of us to pray to him in "babble". The Corinthians did bring pagan practices into their church(which is why Paul had to address their false tongues), and many false religions today "speak in tongues". At my previous church, it was never done in the Biblical format. And I most definitely was never present to see an unbeliever there whose native tongue was being spoken to allow them to hear the Gospel(very small congregation with the same regulars). All this being said, I do not doubt that there are true believers in Pentecostal churches. But, I do believe He pulled my entire family out of this movement(which involved 3 different Pentecostal churches) in perhaps the knick of time for a reason. It was not the Gospel of the Bible. Galatians really opened my eyes, as well as Corinthians, Ephesians...well I guess He used a lot more Scripture than I even realized to bring us out of it. I am just grateful that all we need is His word to know what the true Gospel is and to discern what is not. I appreciate the fellowship, and hope I am not hurting feelings. That is not my intention. Looking so forward to meeting many here, and of course, no longer needing to be on our guard against deception. Sooner, rather than later, Lord!
DeleteHi, Pentecostal mom here again...although I identify first and foremost as a Christ follower, in spite of the place of worship I find myself at each week. It's not all sunshine and lollipops, but compared to some, my experiences have been quite tame. No hurt feelings here :)
DeleteI'm not an apologist for Pentecostalism, but the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada does not teach that speaking in tongues is necessary for salvation. I can see why you say that is a works-based salvation. I don't see any signs and wonders emphasized either. I'm in my third church, because of moving back and forth across the country. First one was conservative, second one was more contemporary, third one is back to conservative. I've seen videos on YT of people in church barking, laughing, rolling on the floor, things you just don't see in the Bible. Being "slain in the spirit" is something that IS accepted here, but I'm searching that out in scripture and am coming up empty so far. And yes, we must be on our guard for counterfeits of the enemy. I've seen videos of unbelievers speaking in tongues. We are truly to "Prove all things; hold fast to that which is good" 1 Thes. 5:21. And "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world" 1 John 4:1. Thank God He is protecting you and your precious children from those false teachings and that He has brought you out of that. I pray for discernment and wisdom on a regular basis!
> He came to me asking for more information on how to be "baptized with the Holy Spirit". I thought, well, what better place to find your answers than the Word. Turns out, it isn't in the Bible, but I never checked for myself until that point. <
Again, I don't speak in tongues. And I'm no scholar with all the answers, just copied/pasted some references for you, although I'm not wanting to press this issue further, since you have had such painful experiences in the past and have moved on in your Christian walk.
Matthew 3:11: …He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit…"
Mark 1:8: …He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit…"
Luke 3:16: "He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit…"
John 1:33: …the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit."
Acts 1:4–5: …the Promise of the Father…"; …you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit…"
Acts 2:1–4: "All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages…"
Acts 2:14–18: …I will pour out my Spirit…" (quoting Joel 2:28–29).
Acts 4:31: …they were all filled with the Holy Spirit…"
Acts 8:14–17: …prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit…"; …as yet the Spirit had not yet come upon any of them…"; …they received the Holy Spirit…"; …the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands…."
Acts 9:17: …Jesus…has sent me…that you may…be filled with the Holy Spirit."
Acts 10:44–48: "The Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word…"; …the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out…"; …people who have received the Holy Spirit…"
Acts 11:15–16: …the Holy Spirit fell upon them…"; …you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit…"
Acts 19:1–6: "Did you receive the Holy Spirit…?"; …the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied…"
1 Cor 12:13: "For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--Jews or Greeks, slaves or free..."
I like the one where the Holy Ghost fell on the Gentiles as Peter was speaking to them (Acts 10:44). God bless!
Hello again! Will make this brief, but I wasn't as clear as I should have been regarding "the baptism of the Holy Spirit". I meant to explain that I do not believe in a second baptism after one believes and is sealed with the Holy Spirit. My mother was taught by the preacher who I spoke of in my previous post that when someone is saved, they have the Holy Spirit "alongside them", but when a believer "receives the baptism of the Holy Spirit", they now have Him "inside of them". This is unbiblical, and calls for believers to seek a second experience that results in something "supernatural" and causes them to believe they now have the Holy Spirit in them, but didn't previously. This is where demonic deception often occurs, in my opinion. Also, the experiences of those spoken of in Acts is very unique to that time. They were the first human beings to ever have the Holy Spirit forever indwelling available to them. So, by studying Acts, you will find that first He poured out on the Jews, next the Samaritans(partial Jews), and last he poured himself out on the Gentile believers. After this point in history, anytime someone of any ethnicity believes, the moment they believe on Him, they are filled with His Spirit. If I didn't already recommend it, please check out "Richard Bennett Pentecostal Road to Rome" on Youtube. He is a former catholic priest, turned Pentecostal and the Lord ultimately pulled him out. He details why it is a false movement to be very concerned about.Blessings again!
DeleteI don't believe the entire Pentecostal movement is false since a good portion of it adheres to historical Protestantism (sola fide, in particular). However there are many wayward sects and denominations in the movement that most definitely are false ("oneness", works-righteousness, dominionism, etc).
DeleteAnd I do think the whole "second baptism" or "second move of God" is a faulty teaching. Baptism of the Holy Spirit
I read that post back in September, and thought it was very well done Gary. When I began my research into the movement, I had to learn as much as I could about the "founders". Much can be found there to show an occult connection. A distinctive trait of Pentecostalism is that the Holy Spirit is speaking "new words" through people today. That's not biblical, as no one has the authority today to add to what God spoke through his Word. I personally can't imagine what God thinks when people begin "speaking for Him". The canon of Scripture is closed. If one cares to study historical figures who really resemble Pentecostal teaching today, Montanus is a good one. Nothing new under the sun. Keep up the good work.
DeleteThank you, Hillary. Robert Breaker is awesome. We found him in August when we first heard of the Rev. 12 sign, and have watched many of his videos since. Amazing how much Scripture opens up to a person when it's rightly divided!
ReplyDeleteI agree! It all falls into place perfectly. I love sharing it whenever I can because I know what a profound difference it made for me.
DeleteThank you Hillary. God bless you and people like you that are gifted with patience and understanding, for helping people like me who are lacking in both. Know that the time and effort you expend, which must be exhausting, is a precious gift to me and others.
ReplyDeleteYou have no idea how much you have blessed me with these words, Michael. I am humbled and grateful. All glory to God most high.
DeleteWonderful article and so encouraging! Can you please clarify what group the saved backslider’s Fall into? Those that are saved and part of the body of Christ yet are more in the world at His coming. Will they too be raptured or will they be included with the Jews and unbelievers who come to faith during the tribulation and among the wheat harvest? My heart is heavy for those I love whom are saved but have not remained faithful.
ReplyDeleteMy heart is heavy and concerned for my sisters,who as children believed, but grew up and married unbelievers. My sisters now fall into the "prodigal son" category, but they seem to have no desire to turn back to their Father, who I know would graciously receive them. Any attempts to try to reach out with the Gospel again is met with the response of the scoffers and mockers of today. But they did believe as children. Still praying.
Delete@Chandler, this may actually be the topic of my next, or one of my next articles. I hope you can find great comfort in what Jesus said in John 10:28-29 "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand."
DeleteIf someone has truly trusted in the blood of Jesus and believed that He died, was buried & rose again (1 Cor. 15:1-4) then they are sealed with the Holy Spirit. A child cannot become unborn once it has been born. It's physically impossible. When one has been born again, they cannot become spiritually unborn. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." John 3:6
Those who have been sealed with the Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance, (Eph. 1:13-14) but have not continued to walk in the Spirit, and instead walk after the lusts of the flesh, they will suffer loss. Read and study 1 Cor. 3:9-15. This is a powerful passage that explains this clearly. I hope this will give you comfort, but know this: those who have been born again have put on Christ. Christ is in us. Even if your loved ones have not remained faithful, this is true: "If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself." 2 Tim. 2:13
God bless you, dear heart. Lord willing, I'll write about this more soon.
@chandler perhaps there are difficulties in definition because in fact there are only saved or unsaved people. "Saved backsliders" were indeed many among the Corinthians, just read both letters of Paul! God knows who is His if we don't recognize them.
Delete@Tim2 I do agree with Hillary here. But there is in fact no excuse for an adult mocker of God to have "believed" as a child. I'm sorry. If it is not God who prepared the good soul for the seed to grow in the heart of your sisters it now may have fallen on dry ground. Blessings to you!
Sorry @Tim2 due to automatic typing it must be "good soil" (not "soul") above, I meant the parable of the sower. YSIC
DeleteThank you Annabel. I know my mother clings to Acts 16:31.
DeleteMay God bless you, Hillary! Great study and presentation. It helped me to get some things cleared up. Maranatha, Sister!
ReplyDeleteSo glad to hear it! God bless you, too!
DeleteThank you Hillary! Ha, I was just on the shoutbox a couple nights ago saying "you gotta keep 'em separated"...i.e. your second coming verses from your rapture verses. Likewise, your delineation, church from Israel, was so good to read. Not so much here, but in other forums, videos, etc., I see all kinds of scriptures being twisted into knots and much error being disseminated. Thank you for rightly dividing.
ReplyDeleteThanks, William...I'm just so deeply grateful that God has opened my eyes to the simplicity of rightly dividing & understanding His word...said with great humility, as it is an ongoing process. I pray that so many more....EVERYONE....learns this! God bless you!
DeleteGreat study!! I was wondering about this very thing the other day because of Matt 24:36. The context is of Jesus talking to His Jewish disciples...there would be no cause to inquire about the rapture, so the whole "no man knows the day or our" in that setting is not referring to the rapture. However, the parable of the 10 virgins is used as a "rapture" teaching by some....which I believed. I realized the other day that this parable has the same context (Jesus talking to Jews), so it can't be speaking of the rapture either...had me scratching my head a bit. Then whaddya know, you publish this study??? Well articulated....thanks!
ReplyDeleteContext is a breath of fresh air :)
DeleteI'm so glad that the timing of this is a blessing to you, Lance. Reading comments like yours reminds me of how mysteriously and graciously the Holy Spirit moves within the body. It's humbling and beautiful.
Along with Kim's comment about the Jewish wedding representing all three Fall moedim, Isaiah 26 keeps coming up daily lately. :)
ReplyDeleteBeing in labor and giving birth to "wind" [spirit]...
And also especially verse 20! (Come my people, enter your chambers for yet a little while while the Lord's wrath passes by).
Excellent article Hillary! <3
Blessings!
Kim's comment is worthy of a gilded frame with it's very own spotlight! :)
DeleteIsaiah 26:20 is such a beautiful promise. I can't tell you how many times I "read" that in my life with my eyes glazed over. Praise God for His faithful and gentle awakening!
Thanks Hillary. Remember the first miracle Jesus performed was in a wedding, and towards the end of the wedding feast, it turns the water into the best wine ever..
ReplyDeleteThe eighth day of the feast of tabernacles is Simchat Torah, it is a day of celebration with lots of liquor.. Jesus is saving the best wine for His own..
Beautiful, Kim! (This & the comment below.) I really have been so blessed by your approach to Scripture & their application during these times. If you're on Facebook, please connect with me! (Click on my avatar for the link.)
DeleteWhen Jesus read from the book of Isaiah in the synagogue, proclaiming the acceptable year of the Lord, He closed the book without complete reading and He also added the verse “recovery of sight to the blind” to the book of Isaiah. In the context, He seems to be referring to spiritual blindness. Why would Jesus have unfinished business on earth?
ReplyDeleteThis seems to signify to me that He will come again in the year of Jubilee for the Church first. Because the recovery of sight was first proclaim to the Church who saw Him as their Savior, the unbelieving Jews then did not recognize Him.
From then on that Jesus proclaim in the synagogue, Israel had not celebrated their Jubilee (not even in 1967 as they fought the 6-day war), 2017 is the first time that Israel will sound the Jubilee trumpet on the day of atonement.
Indeed right after Isaiah 53 where our Lord is crucified... God reveals in Isaiah 54…
ReplyDeleteSing, O barren one (Gentiles) who did not bear; break forth into singing and cry aloud, you who have not been in labor! For the children of the desolate one will be more than the children of her who is married,(Israel) ” says the Lord.
And later in the same chapter verse 4 God introduces Himself to the Barren Women – Gentile who have not been into Labor.
Fear not, for you will not be ashamed; be not confounded, for you will not be disgraced; for you will forget the shame of your youth, and the reproach of your widowhood (the right word would be Husbandless-ness) you will remember no more. For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called.
This is beautiful, Keerti! You've opened this passage up for me in ways that I've not yet seen. Thank you so much for adding your valuable contribution! God bless you!
DeleteAs I stated again on rev12daily, I cannot find any consistent logic in this modern "Jews only" teaching as far as Matthew 24-25 are concerned. Seems to be a hype bandwagon everybody likes to jump onto these days (sadly even Robert Breaker). This is NOT "rightly dividing" to me in this case. Please consider the biblical reasons for my opinion here: ** http://www.solagroup.org/articles/endtimes/ep_0009.html ** but there are even more arguments than these. The ones mentioned are yet sufficient to disprove (most of) the conclusions from Hillarys article. Much love to the body, MARANATHA!
ReplyDeleteHi Annabel! Thank you for sharing your concerns. I'm sorry that you feel this is a hype bandwagon that everybody likes to jump on; I'm usually running the opposite direction from those ;) .
DeleteI agree & made clear in the article that there are many applications for us in the parables & was sad to see the suggestion in the recommended link that if one does not believe this pertains to the Church, they should just rip it out and throw it away. This reveals a lot about the heart & spirit they write from and in no way do I agree with or support their dangerous advice.
I believe & wrote above that all of scripture is written for us and can encourage, inspire and inform us. Perhaps it is a matter of semantics, but when I talk about the "Church" I refer to those who are believing Gentiles & Jews who are saved by grace through faith according to the gospel given by Jesus to Paul. (It's found in 1 Cor. 15:1-4). This gospel had not yet been given, nor the mystery of the body of Christ revealed, when Jesus spoke His Olivet discourse. For that matter, Jesus' blood had not yet even been shed. Heb. 9:11-22 explains that a testament is not in force until after the testator is dead, so we know that until Christ was crucified it was still "old testament." Right now we are in a dispensation that was given to Paul, which means it is different than the one in which Jesus spoke to His disciples.
Of course we can glean richly from all He said, but it's important to realize that He was talking about His second coming and not the catching-away. From the article you shared, it was unclear their position on this but a few points suggested that they did not seem to think we would be caught away beforehand.
This is of course a *very* brief response and while the arguments you linked to have yet to convince me otherwise, I hope readers will prayerfully weigh all sides and with the guidance of the Scripture & the Spirit, draw truth-based conclusions. I include myself in this with humility as I appreciate the dissenting voice, because it either strengthens my views or guides me to grow into new ones.
God bless you, and Maranatha!
Dear Hillary first of all thank you for your kind reply! In fact I didn't mean to sadden you but just to point out that the"Jews only" argument doesn't convince me from scriptures and why it seems to me a kind of "popular new teaching" nowadays. I prove everything from scriptures and in the Spirit and this kind of teaching simply doesn't convince me to be something I should replace my former point of view with. (For example, I did this with Scott Clarkes teaching about the 'conception' of church rather than 'birth' at Pentecost which made so much sense to me that I was glad to adopt the idea immediately!) If you like you can search out all the arguments given in the article and try to disprove them by using the biblical way of scriptural discernment (patterns, logic, history, scripture interprets scripture). I should wonder about if you come to the same conclusions as today. Anyway I'm sorry that I cannot applause with all the others for those reasons but I do highly esteem every effort in digging into scripture and proving the nuggets openly by sharing them with the brethren. :) All glory to the LORD only! Stay blessed and safe in Christ, hope to meet you in the air soon! MARANATHA
DeleteHi Annabel! You didn't sadden me; it was the statement in the article that that if one does not believe this pertains to the Church, they should just rip it out of their Bibles and throw it away. And please do not apologize. That's not what this is about; rather, iron sharpening iron! God bless you!
DeleteHillary. Welcome to the Unsealed team! You're in good company.
DeleteRegarding your quote "...it's important to realize that He was talking about His second coming and not the catching-away."
Jesus warns that the coming of the Son of Man would be like the days of Noah in Matt 24:36-39. In verses 40-41 He says "Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a handmill; one will be taken and the other left." These verses in Matthew 24 speaking to His Jewish disciples certainly sound like a 'catching away' to me. God bless.
Dear Hillary please notice another link with some information to pondering in the Spirit and compare with scriptures in context: http://www.bible.ca/ef/expository-matthew-24.htm
ReplyDeleteAlthough this author implies there would be "normal" times before the 'days of Noah' (1999 he couldn't yet know how the birth pangs would develop and about blood moons & Rev12-sign) it is still true that people don't recognize Gods warnings until today according to Matthew 24:39. They still claim there's nothing out of the ordinary which again is fulfilled prophecy for the church (and not for the Jews). Blessings again!
Thanks for the link, Annabel. At cursory glance it seems to hold a preterist view. When I can I will look at it with more depth. Many blessings to you!
DeleteHillary yes it may be 'preterist'-like and not everything is perfect with it (I don't support preterism personally) but we might agree that there are always ## multiple ## fulfillments of prophecies as we know (e.g. Joel2:28-29 = Pentecost is not yet completely fulfilled but will be at the end of tribulation period for the Jews as it was in Acts2:17 for the church). Anyway I suggested this link only to ponder on the scriptures and patterns given with regards to the church age. Blessings to you!
DeleteAnnabel...Thank you for the link to the Olivet Discourse. I have printed it and it is filed away with other similar teachings that proved to myself who that the "elect" are Christians and not just Israel.
ReplyDeleteDear Stan, TY for responding! :) yes indeed that has also clarified some of my own questions about the "elect" of Matth24:31 when compared with Rev14:6! It is strange to me somehow to see Robert Breaker doing such a brilliant teaching on the "Tribulation Gospel" (YouTube) but in the same video completel ignoring the church in Matth24. But I'm glad the script helped you along, much blessings and MARANATHA!
DeleteStan, and I forgot to mention another issue: Matth24:45 (and following...) now what about a "due season" during tribulation if the whole chapter should be adressed to "Jews only"? What "good" and "evil servants" should that be and what "due season" is Jesus talking of if there was time for mentioning "SEASON" during a period of short 7 years? I mean just try to IMAGINE the 70th week of Daniel: where in the world should there some kind of 'teaching' (=food) be that is described here, served from good and evil servants (=bible teachers) in "due season"? (A) If the gospel is spread by ANGELS and (B) imagine the desaster and chaos on earth, when could there be some "due season" to do sth like mentioned here?
DeleteIs it not in fact the CHURCH age with its different "seasons" of digging knowledge from scriptures like the Reformation age 500 years ago or Eschatology / Prophecy today? Aren't the "evil servants" perfectly described in 2Peter 3:3-4 as the mockers (e.g. of Rev12-sign) of today? We just experienced them HERE! How can these people be in any case (in questions of quality and "due season" = time) have anything to do with the "JEWS"? Now everyone supporting this article by applauding above may just please answer these questions to me (and these are just a few of them) and I will repent from my former views of Matth24. Blessings! :)
May I suggest everyone watch this video?
ReplyDeleteA wonderful, scriptural definition of the Parable of the 10 Virgins.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=objYSwc15wo
Love to all
Marcus from Down Under
Thanks, I needed that. I've been really having to fight the "Once bitten, twice shy" mentality that's been trying so hard to set in and get me to relax my raised alert status. Blessings!
ReplyDeleteAnnabel....Exactly! I have posted Matthew 24:45-46 several times. Its one of my favorite pair of scriptures. Saying in different words..The Lord will bless his servants who he FINDS feeding his family in due season when He COMES.
ReplyDeleteThe one key word is "elect" in Matthew 24 and in Mark 13. When I realized that the "elect" were not just Isrsel, but instead were all followers of Chrust, Jew and gentile, then the whole eschatological meaning of Matthew 24, Mark 13 changed for me. There are if I recall correctly without googling, 16 times the word "elect" is used in the Bible. It would take too long for me to show the elect are Christians, and not just Jews. I would suggest anyone googling all the articles on the "elect." Of course you will find both sides presented, and everyone will just have to pray for discernment and follow the scriptural support presented for each side.
In a recent conversation with Jan Markel, Amir Tsarfati from Behold Israel made an interesting comment (Click here to watch; it's set to begin right at the place he makes his point) that we must keep Israel & the Church separate, and that these chapters which talk about the end times (Matt. 24, Mark 13, etc) say things that are obviously specific to Israel, such as "pray your flight is not on the Sabbath" etc. These clues and others help confirm that these passages, while offering us great insight & wisdom, are specific to Israel.
ReplyDeleteHillary, I appreciate your posting this video from Jan Markel with Amir's comments.
DeleteAlso, Marcus at 8:15 a.m. mentioned a video to watch on the 10 virgins that was also informative.
'A Little Strength' article by Greg L. discusses Matt 24-25 which I found under articles, picking the year 2014, typing in 'glasses' to open the article 'church-colored glasses. This was easy to understand and is worth reading.
Thank you.
Thank you, Anonymous 5:59. Wow...I actually have a tab open right now with Greg L's article & haven't finished it yet, but I will soon. And I look forward to watching Marcus' link. Thank you so much!
DeleteA Little Strength - By Greg Lauer. At least 1 cup of coffee long.
Deletehttp://www.alittlestrength.com/articles/2014/1405-glasses.htm
Marcus
Oh yes indeed, Jan Markell is the one and only source of wisdom to me in anything about Matth24 and other valid biblical exegesis since she mocked Rev12-sign fulfillment on 9/23/17 so openly and continuously... She (who is btw not allowed to teach according to scriptures) would be the first one to run to about the meaning of this chapter now. * off irony* LOL Matth24: 48-51 / 2 Peter 3:3-4 ;)
DeleteThankfully, it was Amir who made the comment during a conversation with Jan and JD Farag at a conference they were attending / speaking at. No one is running to her. I thought Amir's comment was interesting and timely. Thanks for adding your thoughts. God bless you!
DeleteMay the Father bless you in Yeshua's name for this encouraging word sister in Christ. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteSame to you, dear heart!
DeleteGood words, Sister. We are to encourage one another. Our faith and hope is NOT misplaced. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteGreat article Hilary, I'm high watch today especially. I have always had a fascination with The Knights Templar and today Friday 13th October is the 710 year anniversary of their demise, which was a massive moment in history. Word 710 in Strong's is purple meaning royal).
ReplyDeleteJesus was clothed in purple to be beaten by the Romans mocking his claim to be royal. The other amazing thing is that the Tabernacle at the entrance to the Holy of Holies was swathed in purple.
Added to that the colour theme at my wedding was purple everything, probably just coincidence that it was a wedding!! Maranatha, shalom
Hi, I'd like to share with the followers/believers two resources that compliment Robert Breaker and give more detailed insight into rightly dividing scripture. 1) http://doctrine.org/ and 2) http://graceambassadors.com/
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteHillary, your closing words were about 'Protecting Your Joy'. You wrote: "How are you choosing to occupy until He comes? How are you holding fast to joy?" This is a choice, to be sure, and one I was struggling with. I didn't realize it at the time, but the Lord spoke to be about this (joy) and then used both your words and those of my son's to minister to me about choosing joy. I can't lose my joy or close camp just because I was disappointed. Thank you for these words! They ministered me far beyond the intellectual aspect of this great article.
ReplyDeleteMark, thank you for sharing this with me! "Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." Ps. 16:11
DeleteMay the Lord bless you & keep you!
I have been comimg to this site for the past month, and am in awe of the working of the Holy Spirit through believers in Yeshua. Thank you all for your diligent work in unpacking the mysteries of His word! Truly inspirational!
DeleteI have been comimg to this site for the past month, and am in awe of the working of the Holy Spirit through believers in Yeshua. Thank you all for your diligent work in unpacking the mysteries of His word! Truly inspirational!
DeleteAn interesting paradox came to mind this evening in light of this moment which we are in during the days after the Rev 12 Wonder. With every single passing day the needle on the meter slides closer to a point in very close proximity, (as opposed to prior iterations where no such Wonder anchored things and the timeline was still so long ahead it wasn't the same, locally.) WE get that but THEY do not. Therefore...
ReplyDeleteEach moment which passes now is like the almost expired sand in the hourglass glued to the table. So, the REALITY is that each additional second INCREASES the intensity of our Watch. WE KNOW that we are standing in a Jump Line in an aircraft and that ANY MOMENT NOW the plane is over the Drop Zone, the door opens and the Sgt at the front yells, "GO! GO! GO! GO! "
Meanwhile, the EXACT SAME THING, the more time passes from the day of the Wonder, has the exact opposite effect on the unwise. The unwise will feel further confirmed in their critique and those hanging on for reasons other than authentic ones become less likely to hang in.
Somehow this 'slight of hand' on our Lord's part to use the same 'spin on the ball' to work His Will, perfectly yet oppositely in these two camps, is astounding, Praise Him, Amen, Maranatha!