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About this Picture:
The Artwork was done by Marianne Adams, an accomplished artist from Carrollton,
GA. Marianne has taught art in the public school systems of Georgia for many
years.
The Church has been pulled up and its roots have been exposed.
Notice the leaves representing life springing forth from the roots.
The graveyard represents the customs of traditional Christianity
that can lend to the ineffectuality of the church, as a whole. The
countryside full of greenery represents the world and all that it has
to offer, both good and bad. Notice that even though the church has
been uprooted, it is still intact. Could it be possible that it takes a
Church Upside Down to be what it should be in today's world?
Cleaning and scraping in the proper manner
The 10 Commandments is our Ketubah
Distinction between commands 1-4 and 5-10
No Idols
Remember the Name
The Sabbath as the Wedding Ring
Our Romantic Husband
Preparation for marriage in the crossing of the Red Sea
The Betrothal
The Huppah and the Ketubah
The Bed Chamber
The Divorce
The Heartbroken Husband
The Conditions for remarriage
The Miracle of the New Covenant
The Proof of Miracle Virginity
The Church built on Truth
Doctrine
Authority Structure
Waiting for the Messiah
CHURCH UPSIDE DOWN
Introduction:
There is a major change coming to the Church of Jesus Christ. I believe that church,
as we know it, is facing one of the most, if not the most radical change since its
inception. We can choose to be a part of this dynamic move of God’s Spirit or be
left in the dust of religious traditionalism. If we are the generation that will usher
in the Reign of the Messiah on the earth then we must prepare ourselves for the
restoration that was prophesied concerning our time 2000 years ago.
The Restoration Process
Restoration- res·to·ra·tion
Function: noun
: the act of restoring or the condition of being restored: as a : a returning to a
normal or healthy condition
It is a fact of human nature that we will not change until the change is perceived to
make us more comfortable than the state in which we currently find ourselves.
Understanding this most basic of human behaviors causes us to realize that neither
truth or the lack thereof is sufficient to motivate us to change. We are “Comfort
Creatures.” Unless a restoration has a direct appeal to ease our level of comfort,
most times it will not be given a second thought.
A primary responsibility of the individual(s) called upon to undertake restoration is
to create a sense of discomfort with the current state of the article needing to be
restored. This is true whether we are talking about a priceless work of art, a
building that needs remodeled and updated, or the Church of Jesus Christ
(Assembly of Ye’shua the Messiah).
Scripture tells us that Messiah is returning for a Bride that has thoroughly prepared
herself for His coming. Everything we do in service to the Messiah must be in
relationship to the love that is exhibited between our Heavenly Father and His
Bride. Ephesians 5:25-27 says; “Husbands, love your wives, as Messiah also did
love the assembly and gave Himself for it, in order to set it apart and cleanse it
with the washing of water by the Word, in order to present it to Himself a splendid
assembly, not having spot or wrinkle or any of this sort, but that it might be set-
apart and blameless.
Knowing that most of the Body of Messiah is in a state of lethargic comfort, we
realize that promoting restoration will be met with great skepticism. Therefore, at
the risk of being labeled “troublemakers” we undertake our first task, which is
causing dissatisfaction with the status quo.
What is the Church?
One of the first things that needs restoration is our definition of the Church. We
have been taught that the Church, as we know it, began on the Day of Pentecost
as described in Acts, chapter 2. I submit to you that this is an incomplete
definition at best. As we look at the Word of God, we will see that God defined the
Church in His own terms.
Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and charged him, and said to him:
“You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan. Arise, go to Padan
Aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother’s father; and take yourself a wife
from there of the daughters of Laban your mother’s brother. “May God
Almighty bless you, And make you fruitful and multiply you, That you may be an
assembly of peoples; And give you the blessing of Abraham, To you and your
descendants with you, That you may inherit the land In which you are a
stranger, Which God gave to Abraham.” (Genesis 28:1-4).
The Hebrew word for “assembly” in verse 3 is :
qahòl
BDB Definition:
1) assembly, company, congregation, convocation
1a) assembly
1a1) for evil counsel, war or invasion, religious purposes
1b) company (of returning exiles)
1c) congregation
1c1) as organized body
Part of Speech: noun masculine
The word “qahal” is found 122 times in the Old Testament and translated as
follows:
Congregation-85 times, assembly-17 times, company- 16 times, multitude- 3
times, and companies 1 time.
In the Brit Chadasha (New Testament) the same word and concept is:
ekkleôsia
ek-klay-see'-ah
a calling out, that is, (concretely) a popular meeting, especially a religious
congregation (Jewish synagogue, or Christian community of members on earth or
saints in heaven or both):—assembly, church.
When Isaac sent Jacob for a wife, he “prophesied” the Church into existence.
Genesis 28
Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and charged him, and said to him:
“You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan. Arise, go to Padan
Aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother’s father; and take yourself a wife
from there of the daughters of Laban your mother’s brother.
“May God Almighty bless you,
And make you fruitful and multiply you,
That you may be an assembly of peoples;
And give you the blessing of Abraham,
To you and your descendants with you,
That you may inherit the land
In which you are a stranger,
Which God gave to Abraham.”
One does not have to look far into the Brit Chadasha (New Testament or
specifically “renewed Covenant”) to see the apostle Paul’s understanding of this
passage:
But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel
who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of
Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.” That is, those who are the
children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the
promise are counted as the seed. (Romans 9: 6-8)
From these definitions and passages we can safely conclude that there was no
redefining of the “Church” on the Day of Pentecost as recorded in the Book of Acts.
(We will explore the significance of the events of that day on history in a later
chapter.) What we do see is an infusion of power to carry the Word of God to the
entire world according to the terms of the New Covenant according to Jeremiah
31:31-34
“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant
with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah—not according to the
covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand
to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I
was a husband to them, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make
with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in
their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall
be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his
brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of
them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and
their sin I will remember no more.”
Let’s look at the conditions of this covenant individually:
- “I will put My laws in their minds.”
When God puts His laws in our minds, there can be no question that the entire
thought process is changed. It comes as no surprise then, that the thought
processes of the ‘Body of Christ’ would experience radical change as well.
One of the fastest growing segments of Christianity is the Messianic movement. I
believe this is a direct result of what God is doing in changing the minds of
believers. The Bible is being studied with a desire to understand the truth of
Scripture without western (Greek) influence and bias. There is coming to the
Church a greater understanding of the Torah (God’s teaching and instruction) and
the Tenach (remainder of the Old Testament) than at any other time in history.
The prophet Daniel foretold of this when he said that in the last days knowledge
would increase (Daniel 12:4). There is an awakening taking place in the minds of
students of the Word of God as they discover truth that previously been hidden
from their spiritual eyes.
2. “and write it on their hearts;”
When God writes His laws with His finger the results are every bit as profound as
what happened to Moses and the Children of Israel when He gave the Ten
Commandments on Mt. Sinai. The Laws of God that He outlined in His Word to us
are as much in effect today as they were the day they were given. When Yeshua
was on earth He fulfilled the Torah, not so that it would be done away with, but so
that we could fulfill it too as we follow His example.
The Cleaning Process:
Here is where we begin to get personal. If there is to be a restoration, and if you
are going to be a part of it, are you willing to be cleaned and restored along with
the rest of the church? As individuals, we must be willing to submit to the same
process as what needs to be done with the whole.
THE CHURCH REDEFINED
If we understand that Yahuweh used Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to start a nation
that He would have unique relationship with, then we also must understand that
unique relationship is still blossoming and it now includes you and me.
What needs to be restored?
Lifestyle repentance.
The Church, as we know it, has slipped into a lethargic coma when it comes to the
Scriptural meaning of repentance. Ye’shua’s first recorded sermon was a call to
repentance. Keep in mind that He was talking to people who were living a lifestyle
that taught them how to dress, what and what not to say and when to say it,
specific prayers for every occasion, etc., etc. Our Messiah stated that His mission
was first and foremost to these people, and then the rest of the world (Gentiles)
only after the Jews rejected His message. If these people, who were living their
lives according to (what they thought was) the will of Yahuweh, were challenged
and commanded to repent, how much more should we, who have limited knowledge
of Old Testament Scriptural commands and their relevance to us, be repenting? We
have been duped into thinking that New Testament repentance is limited to blatant
sins that have more to do with social standing than a walk that is pleasing to out
Heavenly Father. We think that as long as we are staying out of the bars, living in
a monogamous relationship, and holding a position of authority in the local church,
then we are living a “righteous life”. Although these things are commendable, they
fall far short of what Scripture calls for in a ‘set –apart life’.
Obedience to the Word
The Church has a 1700-year history of disobedience to Yahuweh’s Word. This
statement alone causes great emotional consternation among those with a heart
for purity and truth. We have been lulled into accepting concepts that are not
based upon the whole of Scriptural truth. We have adopted methods of New
Testament interpretation that are full of excuses as to why we have deviated from
the purity of the Word. When we look at one of the greatest expository sermons
ever preached (Matthew 5-7), we spend more time trying to figure what does not
apply to us, than accepting His words at face value and then walking in obedience.
We teach that the Torah is an outdated religious system done away with by the
Messiah. We say that we believe in one God and then teach that our God
contradicts Himself in the Persons of the Father and the Son. It is no wonder that
there are so few believers who grow into spiritual maturity. We have created a
system of religious tradition that causes ‘spiritual retardation’. Allow me to
illustrate: You have been witnessing to a co-worker and telling him of his need for
a Savior. Your friend comes to a point of decision and accepts Ye’shua as his
personal Lord. Your friend asks, “What’s next?” You explain the need of a daily
time of prayer and study of the Word. Your friend expresses willingness and wants
to know where to start. You tell him to begin where most Christians begin…The
Book of John. It never occurs to us that we may be causing a problem by starting
this new believer in the middle of the book! We totally eliminate the process of
foundation building that will allow our friend to develop maturity that will sustain
him through the storms of life that will surely come. A few weeks later, it comes to
your attention that this new believer is trapped in a habit they have participated in
for many years, namely playing around with witchcraft by reading his daily
horoscope. Although this activity is believed to simple harmless fun, you explain
that it is against God’s Word, and if he continues, he will be guilty of
disobedience. Your friend wants proof and so you show him Leviticus 19:26 and
other Torah scriptures pertaining to this subject. Your friend is convinced and, as
far as you are concerned, the matter is closed. The following Sunday your friend
hears a sermon on how the Law of Moses is done away with “completed by Jesus’
work on the cross.” We have succeeded in perpetuating the confusion that has
infiltrated the Body of Messiah.
As a father, I have never disciplined my children for “obeying too much”. I have
never said to them, “The instructions I gave you were for a different time period.
All of those rules are not to be applied today.” To the contrary, it gives me great
pleasure to see my own children, now grown with families of their own, pass on
those instructions to their children. They realize the instructions served them well
and allowed them to be mature, contributing members of society.
Understanding Yahuweh’s grace.
I believe the misunderstanding of the Almighty’s grace toward us is one of the
most grievous sins facing the corporate body. We misuse His grace toward us to
continue in our willful ignorance concerning His Word. We need to take a serious,
long look at the admonition of Ye’shua in relation to much of our Charismatic or
Pentecostal practice. Look at Matthew 7:21-23: “Not everyone who says to Me
‘Master, Master,’ shall enter into the reign of the heavens, but he who is doing
the desire of My Father in the heavens. Many shall say to Me in that day,
‘Master, Master, have we not prophesied in Your Name, and done many mighty
works in Your Name? And then I shall declare to them, ‘I never knew you,
depart from Me, you who work lawlessness.”
We need to understand that the word ‘lawlessness’ is translated from the Greek
word anomia. It means “illegality, that is, violation of law or (generally)
wickedness. This word can also be translated (more accurately, given the context)
Torah-less-ness.
In other words, casting out devils and prophesying is NOT necessarily proof that we
are following the will of our Father. It is not enough to just have and participate in
Pentecostal experiences. The true mark of our relationship to our Heavenly Father
is our obedience to Him.
The grace of our loving Heavenly Father must no longer be used to continue in
blatant disregard of His instruction to us.
Paradigm shift concerning Torah
Although ‘Paradigm Shift’ has become a ‘buzz’ phrase in both the church and
business world, it nevertheless is a concept requiring our attention. Paradigm Shift
simply means “a change in perspective’ or “acquiring a different point of view.”
Notice that a change of perspective always requires movement on behalf of the
viewer. If our discussion concerned photography, a paradigm shift would require
movement of just a few feet or even inches to give the viewer a more interesting
and/or pleasing picture. Since our discussion has to do with the church world, the
movement we are speaking of has to do with our view of the Word of Yahuweh or
more specifically, the Old Testament. We must learn to view our Scriptures as a
complete unit with every concept affecting you and me as believers. We must lay
aside our habits of discounting Old Testament teaching and instruction as
irrelevant and given for a different people and/ or time period. The Paradigm Shift
requires that we look at Torah, not as a harsh god’s laws that lead to death for
disobedience, but as a loving Heavenly Father’s teaching and instruction that will
ultimately guide us into an eternal marriage. Torah (in it’s broader scope Genesis
to Revelation) is the Bride’s manual that will prepare us for eternity ‘in the
presence of the King!
In summation of this section, I believe the Bride of Ye’shua must be willing to
view herself as Ye’shua Himself sees her. She must be willing to endure this
period of preparation with anticipation of the wedding. The Bride/Church must
come to the understanding that it is NOT up to her to determine times and
seasons. She must endure patiently, realizing that this period of preparation is
as vital to her corporately, as salvation is to the individuals who comprise her.
The Bride must be willing to undergo constant self-evaluation and embark on
the journey of Torah Fulfillment.
My Beautiful Bride
As a husband of almost 31 years, I remember with absolute clarity, when my bride
walked down the aisle to become my wife. For me, it was the most memorable part
of the entire day! When I saw her, in white shining raiment, I couldn't take my
eyes off of her. I was afraid to even blink for fear it might be a dream. As my
dream girl walked toward me with her arm intertwined with her father's, I was
aware that he was presenting me with the gift of his daughter. Even though I was
vaguely cognizant of the responsibilities I was undertaking, the overwhelming fact,
to me, was her incredible beauty. The physical preparation that she had gone
through, was simply an adornment of her personality, much like a single diamond
on a dainty chain adorns her neck and compliments her beauty. My bride has only
increased in beauty and grace through the years we have been blessed to spend
together.
What if, after a very short time of marriage, my bride decided she didn't want to
honor the vows that she made to me that day? What if she said she wanted to be
married, but still play the field?
That, my friends, is exactly what the Bride of the Almighty did even while Moses
was on the mountain, accepting the marriage contract signed with the very hand of
the Creator/Groom!
Back to Table of Contents
OUR KETUBBAH
For over 2000 years Jewish law has required that every
husband present his wife, at the time of their marriage,
with a marriage contract or ketubbah, guaranteeing the
wife's financial rights in case of the husband's death or
divorce. Yahuweh presented His bride, the Nation of
Israel, a Ketubah when He gave Moses the Ten
Commandments. The Ketubah must be written in the
handwriting of the Groom and explain how He will take care of His wife. The
Ketubah then becomes the sole possesion of the bride. It is her proof that her
groom has commited himself to her, and will provide for her even beyond his own
death. In this section, we will explain how the Ten Commandments fit the
definition of a Ketubah. In the following sections we will examine these
commandments for their relationships to a marriage covenant.
DISTINCTION BETWEEN COMMANDS 1-4 AND COMMANDS 6-10
As we look at the 10 Commandments it is very easy to see a vast difference
between the first four commands and the final six. There is no hidden secret here.
The first four commands tell us how we are to relate to our Loving Husband. Far
from being strict edicts from our Creator, these commands teach us much about the
very nature of our incredibly Romantic Supernatural Lover.
The other six commands teach us how we are to relate to each other as a chaste
bride, which in turn teaches us even more of the nature of Yahuweh.
You shall have no other gods before me.
And God spoke all these words, saying: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you
out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. “You shall have no other
gods before Me. (Exodus 20:1-3).
Yahuweh stated clearly that the Children of Israel were set apart by Him, and for
Him. In our 'western Gentile mindset' we look at this command not from a Husbsnd
to His bride, but more as an Unknown Diety making a declaration of His property.
While the latter concept is certainly within the bounds of the Creator toward His
creation, it completely misses the true intent of our Heavenly Father's words. In the
marriage covenant context, this command is a declaration of devotion by the Groom
to His intended. He is saying, "I have personally set you apart and saved you out of
bondage. I have declared my love to you by delivering you from a pagan land and
society. Of all the peoples on the earth, I have chosen you and will be faithful to
you. Will you make that same declaration of love back to Me?"
“You shall not make for yourself a carved image"
“You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in
heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the
earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God,
am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third
and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to
those who love Me and keep My commandments. (Exodus 20:4-6)
Yahuweh is an Incredible Romantic!
Dr Gary Chapman has written an incredible best seller called “The Five Love Languages.” It is a book written for couples to help them understand their mates and their particular communication styles. It was a tremendous revelation for me to see each of these five love languages in operation in the Book of Exodus. Our loving Heavenly Father’s romantic pursuit of His beloved bride is nothing short of spectacular! He romances her in ways that will be sure to meet the needs of every individual involved. His example to us is a phenomenal show of love, honor, and respect to a bride who would disdain most, and eventually all, of His romantic advances. Before we walk down this romantic road, let’s take a brief look at these languages and how they apply to the subject at hand.
Five love languages
Encouraging Words
Exodus 19:5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’
Giving of Gifts
Manna and quail, shoes and clothing did not wear out
Exodus 16:11 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “I have heard the complaints of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. And you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’”
So it was that quails came up at evening and covered the camp, and in the morning the dew lay all around the camp. And when the layer of dew lifted, there, on the surface of the wilderness, was a small round substance, as fine as frost on the ground. So when the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was.
And Moses said to them, “This is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat. This is the thing which the Lord has commanded: ‘Let every man gather it according to each one’s need, one omer for each person, according to the number of persons; let every man take for those who are in his tent.’”
Quality Time
The Sabbath
The Sabbath was originally given to the people of YHVH as a sign of being in a covenant relationship with Him. It was given for the purpose of allowing all nations to observe this outward sign of a relationship that goes far beyond religious observance. The Sabbath is a “wedding ring” of sorts. According to Leviticus 23, the Sabbaths are regular times when the Almighty has promised to meet with His people. In addition to a weekly time of intimate communion with our Heavenly Father, He also gave us feast days that are designed as times to teach us about Himself and deepen our relationship with Him.
Acts of Service
Exodus 19:3 And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’
Physical Touch
Jealous
As we explore our romance with YHVH, keep in mind that even today the Jewish wedding ceremony has types and shadow pictures of how the Almighty has carried on a centuries old flame in His heart for His people. Every imaginable sin against Him could not extinguish the fire in His heart. He calls us the “Apple of His Eye”, “a kingdom of priests’, a peculiar people, set-apart unto Him, etc.
Look at Acts 3:19-21:
19Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, 21whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.
Strong’s Concordance defines restoration in verse 21 this way:
anapsuxis
an-aps'-ook-sis
From G404; properly a recovery of breath, that is, (figuratively) revival:—
revival.
In other words, before Christ returns, there will be a “recovery of breath” to the church. The Ruach Ha Kodesh (Holy Spirit) will be restored to the same degree that He was present at Mt. Sinai and in the Upper Room!
If there is to be a “restoration of all things” believers would be wise to study the Word to determine what needs to be restored, and then allow the Ruach Ha Kodesh to facilitate that change beginning in their own lives.
Date of Yeshua’s Birth:
September 23, 3BCE
Tishre 15, 3998
Just before the turn of the 5th century.
Yeshua was crucified on the 14th day of the 1st month in the year 4031
STATEMENT ABOUT THE SHEMA:
First of all, we need to explore a foundational thought that will encompass all of these questions. Who is Jesus Christ? No matter how we try to explain Him, there is only one answer that will face the scrutiny of Scripture! Look at Deuteronomy 6:4.
4"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!.
This statement, in Hebrew, is known as the Shema. Every feast or festival is started with its declaration. If we are to understand Christ’s work, both in His sinless life, and in His substitutionary work on the cross, we must view it in the light of this statement. This is where our traditional view of the Trinity can cause us some problems. Please don’t misunderstand. I believe in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but our explanations are sometimes incomplete, at best. We must view Jesus Christ and God the Father as one and the same. This is the mystery of the Gospel!
Look at Philippians 2:5-9: 5Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
Verse 6, in the Greek reads: “Who being completely God.” Verse 9 refers to the fact that God has exalted His name. What can that be? Certainly not simply Yeshua HaMashiach or Jesus the Christ, as wonderful as that sounds, but YHWH or Yahweh, or God the Father! This was prophesied by Isaiah in Chapter 9:6: “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (emphasis mine).
Now, back to your questions. If our faith is in Yeshua (Jesus), it is in God! Faith, emunah in Hebrew, is a word that requires action to be understood. That’s why James would say, “Faith without works is dead.” The ‘works’ spoken of is nothing more than obedience to His Word. Personally, I feel that it is impossible to put too much faith in what Yeshua did as a man. He was, and is, our example.
You are correct by saying we should’t put our faith in Christ’s works. Our faith must be in Him! This is how salvation has always taken place. It is obvious from Hebrews 11 and many other passages that Old Testament saints were saved. The question is how? God does not change! His plan of salvation has been the same from the foundation of the earth. Old Testament saints simply looked forward to the coming of Messiah through prophecy…We look back! The faith (emunah) must be the same. It is no accident that the Hebrew word for Salvation is Yeshua!
Look at Isaiah 12:
1And in that day you will say:
“O Lord, I will praise You;
Though You were angry with me,
Your anger is turned away, and You comfort me.
2 Behold, God is my salvation,
I will trust and not be afraid;
‘For YAH, the Lord, is my strength and song;
He also has become my salvation.’”
3 Therefore with joy you will draw water
From the wells of salvation.
4And in that day you will say:
“Praise the Lord, call upon His name;
Declare His deeds among the peoples,
Make mention that His name is exalted.
5 Sing to the Lord,
For He has done excellent things;
This is known in all the earth.
6 Cry out and shout, O inhabitant of Zion,
For great is the Holy One of Israel in your midst!”
In the Hebrew verse 2 reads, “Behold YHWH is my Yeshua!
Once again we see strong evidence that placing our faith in Jesus Christ and placing our faith in God the Father is one and the same.
The thought that there is no salvation in the Old Testament is not only error…I believe it falls into the category of heresy. James 1 tells us that God does not change and within Him is not a “shadow of turning.”
THE JOSEPH CONNECTION
In these days of restoration, we must keep in mind that Old Testament happenings are a type and shadow of things to come. I would like to take a look at Joseph and see what his life story has to say to us in this day. Without insulting your intelligence by revisiting every detail of this account, we will only look at some of the highlights. I would encourage you, however, to reread this account in its entirety at your leisure.
In this study, we will look at Joseph as a type of the church, and in particular, his relationship to the rest of his brethren (Israel).
Joseph was born a “younger brother”. In Eastern cultures, younger brothers were never given the same status as the eldest. Their opportunities in life were greatly limited simply due to birth order. In Scripture, however, we see that our Heavenly Father is not governed by rules of culture in accomplishing his purpose. In fact, there are many examples of YHVH going against ‘generally accepted cultural practices.’ This is especially true when He is establishing eternal principles for us to govern our lives.
Joseph was given revelation early in his life. This revelation would not come to pass until he had matured and was thoroughly prepared for what YHVH had in mind for him. In the same way, there are myriad New Testament prophecies that will only be fulfilled when the church reaches the level of maturity that will allow her to act in wisdom and discretion in fulfilling her destiny. When Joseph shared his dreams with his parents and brothers, their reaction was less than affirming, to say the least. It should come as no surprise to us, as we look on our past, that much of the Church’s efforts have been met with disdain, especially as they pertain to our older brothers, the Jews. It took cataclysmic world events to bring the ‘House of Israel’ to look to “Egypt” for life sustaining support. I believe we too are in the midst of world wide cataclysmic events that will once again bring our elder brethren to a place of receiving life support from younger brother Joseph.
Notice that Joseph was promoted to a position of royalty before he fulfilled his destiny. The Church has been preaching and teaching about its position for the past few years. There is a major difference, however, between preaching position and living it. This is the day when we must live our position as kingdom of priests. We must take our obedience to the Word to the next level, refusing to use our culture as reason for disobedience.
One of the first things that stand out in our memory of Joseph is his ‘coat of many colors.’ This ‘coat’ is probably the forerunner of the prophets’ mantle, which in turn became the tallit (Jewish prayer shawl). There is also great significance to the ‘many colors.” This speaks of many nations or people groups. The story of Joseph is a story of “priesthood to the nations.”
When Joseph was first given the dreams that were speaking of his future, he failed to use wisdom in explaining these things to his brothers. I believe Joseph (a type of the church) today fails to use wisdom in explaining the future to our elder brethren (the Jews). It is no wonder that Jewish people react with envy and animosity when we try to give them the gospel. It is only when the seven year famine hits the land that the brothers will be willing to walk in a salvation that is extremely contrary to their traditions.
Joseph was sold into slavery. He had to endure hardship in order to become fulfilled in his destiny. His hardship became his training ground. He found himself in a foreign land, subject to unfamiliar customs and culture, and yet prospered under YHVH’s providential hand. It was in the midst of the foreign prison that Joseph accepted his responsibility to become salvation for Egypt and Israel. I submit to you that the church (especially in the United States of America) has been in a prison and is about to be released. Just as Joseph was kept in prison by the lies of others, we too have been bound by the lies of our forefathers (Jeremiah 16:19). At this juncture, it would be tempting to bemoan the fact that we have been in prison. It is far more productive, however, if we begin to examine what we are to do with our new found freedom.
The church has settled for a religious system that misses the mark of the ‘high calling’ of our Messiah. We must repent of the sins of the past and learn to live responsibly to the freedom given to us through the blood of Yeshua. Our houses of worship must be “seeker-sensitive” only to the degree that the seeker is looking for eternal life and not simply entertainment. Our evangelism methods must move from models that are concerned with census figures to relationship structures that are governed by Scripture alone. Leadership must accept the challenge to build the Kingdom instead of building their local congregations. Now is the time to take the gospel outside the four walls of the physical buildings and into the marketplaces of society. Church leaders must release their people to do the work of the ministry.
The Joseph Connection #2 Lies that lead to prison.
Lies about Joseph:
- He is dead
- Attempted rape
- We will remember you
Jeremiah 16:14-21
14“Therefore behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “that it shall no more be said, ‘The Lord lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt,’ 15but, ‘The Lord lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north and from all the lands where He had driven them.’ For I will bring them back into their land which I gave to their fathers.
16“Behold, I will send for many fishermen,” says the Lord, “and they shall fish them; and afterward I will send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain and every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks. 17For My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from My face, nor is their iniquity hidden from My eyes. 18And first I will repay double for their iniquity and their sin, because they have defiled My land; they have filled My inheritance with the carcasses of their detestable and abominable idols.”
19 O Lord, my strength and my fortress,
My refuge in the day of affliction,
The Gentiles shall come to You
From the ends of the earth and say,
“Surely our fathers have inherited lies,
Worthlessness and unprofitable things.”
20 Will a man make gods for himself,
Which are not gods?
21 “Therefore behold, I will this once cause them to know,
I will cause them to know
My hand and My might;
And they shall know that My name is the Lord.
- The Gregorian Calendar
Genesis 1:14-18 Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; 15and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so. 16Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also. 17God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, 18and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19So the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
- Biblical Holidays
Leviticus 23
- Sabbath
- Passover
- Unleavened Bread
- First fruits
- Pentecost
- Trumpets
- Day of Atonement
- Tabernacles
- Leadership Models
- Accountability Structures
Biblical Church Government
Can you imagine a church board meeting where all the members come together with common purpose? Imagine a monthly meeting where the primary focus is the fulfillment of the God given vision for that local church. Imagine that more time is given to prayer and practical application of the Word of God than in dealing with finances (or the lack of them). Could it be possible for that to happen month after month, year after year, until Jesus returns? Is it in the scope of possibility for church leadership to be so focused upon the mission of the local church that personal agendas cease to exist? Is there a place such as this anywhere in Scripture? What about in the local church?
I submit to you that it is not only possible, but it is commanded in the Word of God. There is a divine order in the governmental structure of the local church that is largely overlooked in today’s culture. I believe that by simply returning to this form of biblical church government, most of the problems that we face in the church today will merely vanish.
Let us turn our attention to the book of 1 Corinthians 12:28.
And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.
Please notice the order that the Apostle Paul gives this list. In Ephesians 4:11 we have a listing of the 5 ministry gifts that Jesus gave to the church. (11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,) In this list in 1 Corinthians 12 we have a specific order.
When God said “first apostles” what did He mean? Look with me at the Greek language for clarification. First = proôton pro'-ton an adverb; firstly (in time, place, order, or importance): —before, at the beginning, chiefly, (at, at the) first (of all). This is where we get our English word ‘prototype’. An apostle is one who can see the prototype (and in many cases help in the creation of it) of the New Testament church and get her ready for mass production.
Why would the apostle be first? Because the primary gifting of an apostle is a gift of vision. God said, “Where there is no vision, the people perish. (Proverbs 29:18).
The church must have a sense of direction. She must know where she is going. This cannot be in generalized terms such as “We are on our way to heaven,” or “We are just going to hold our ground until Jesus comes back.” There must be a statement of vision and purpose that is relevant for the day and for the culture in which the local church finds herself.
Question: If the biblical pattern is for the vision of the church to be promoted first and foremost, why is there so much emphasis placed on other areas? Could this be a major reason why the church has lost her ability to win the lost?
The second position mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:28, is that of the prophet. The prophet is one who is gifted by Jesus Christ to guard the doctrine of the church (2 Timothy 3:16). They have a spirit that is tuned to watch for anything that even smells like a deviation from the Word of God. Their primary purpose is to impart spiritual knowledge to the church. A prophet’s major gifting is that of guardianship of the word of God (or the application of biblical knowledge). When you put together an apostle-prophet team, you have an unbeatable spiritual ‘dynamo’!
Think of this: Vision without knowledge leads to chaos. Knowledge without vision leads to legalism. Vision and knowledge are opposing forces. They seem to be going in opposite directions, however, when you put them together, in proper perspective, miraculous things can be accomplished. For example, think of your thumb as apostolic vision. Your thumb works in direct opposition to the rest of your fingers. If your thumb were the only digit on the end of your arm, you would be considered severely disabled. Now just add one finger to oppose the thumb and incredible things can be done! The first finger to be added is that of prophetic knowledge.
The third position of order that God has established in the church is that of the teacher. The teacher is probably the most misunderstood of all the gifts listed here. In contemporary circles the office of the teacher has been relegated to a place far lower than God has intended (i.e. Sunday School). This is a position that is drastically needed in today’s American culture. We need those who are gifted by God to impart the vision and knowledge that is given to the apostle and prophet. We need those individuals who can clearly explain the concepts of biblical living. We must have, on a local level, those who can design curriculum that is applicable to the LOCAL church. Can you imagine the Holy Spirit power that would be released when curriculum is developed that has in mind the fulfillment of a specific vision?
Before we look at the remainder of the gifts mentioned here, lets look at how they are received by an individual. Paul told Timothy “Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership” (1 Timothy 4:14). Please note that this is only one way that these gifts are imparted. These gifts belong to God and He will give them out as He wills (I Corinthians 12:11). We cannot put any limits on God as to how He distributes His gifts to mankind. All of the gifts that God gives to the church are recognizable by fellow believers. In other words, the proof is in the pudding. Just because someone calls himself a prophet does not make him one any more that me standing in a garage makes me an automobile. In addition, just because someone has received the gift or calling of an apostle (or any other office in the church) does NOT mean that that individual is automatically ready to begin to fulfill that calling. There is ALWAYS testing and proving that must take place before the individual can be released into the ministry that God has called him to.
MIRACLES, HEALINGS, HELPS, ADMINISTRATIONS, VARIETIES OF TONGUES.
As we look at the remainder of our text verse, please note that the chronology stops with the office of the teacher, and the other gifts are simply a list. I don’t believe that the Apostle Paul intended that one who is a worker of miracles would hold a higher position of authority in the church than one who gives messages in tongues.
I want to stress at this point the radical departure that the church has made from even looking at these qualities for people in leadership. We have neglected what the Word of God has to say in these matters and we should immediately fall on our faces in repentance before our heavenly Father. Is it any wonder that the church has lost its power to win the lost when our model of leadership is something far less that what Jesus intended when He said, “Upon this rock I will build My church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18)?
It is the pattern of New Covenant ministry that God ALWAYS confirms His word with signs and wonders. I believe that to the degree that we are willing to return to biblical leadership patterns, we will see the literal fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy (Joel 2; Acts 2). In other words what happened on the day of Pentecost in the Book of Acts was simply the beginning of prophecy fulfillment.
We, who have been in Pentecostal circles for some time, have noticed peculiarities concerning the gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12) that we have been reluctant to explain. For example: Sister Smith, a mature, Spirit-filled believer, seems to be used by God more than any other in our congregation, to give public words of prophecy. Why is it that she seems to be the primary one used in this particular gift? Or, Brother Jones seems to have a special anointing to pray for the sick and see them recover. Why is it that the church has not recognized these as leadership qualities? We have developed the tendency to govern our churches by NATURAL abilities and we have neglected the SUPERNATURAL.
When we allow the Spirit of God to couple together the strong moral fiber (qualifications that Paul gave to Timothy and Titus) and the supernatural Spiritual gifts, you have leadership qualifications that will be recognized by everyone, non-believer and believer alike!
Workers of Miracles.
Definition: Miracles can be defined as any work or change in circumstance that is beyond any natural law, i.e. gravity, physics, etc. True miracles have NO natural explanation.
When God gifts someone with a gift such as this, imagine the credibility that it brings to the entire leadership team. Simply because of the inclusion of a ministry gift such as this, there is a dynamic brought to the table heretofore not present. The Apostle Paul is saying to the church that there are ministry gifts that MUST be present in order for that particular presbytery to be effective.
I believe the working of miracles is lacking in biblical leadership circles today simply because Satan knows how detrimental this would be to his cause. When he gets us to settle for anything less than God’s perfect will for church leadership, we will find ourselves on a slippery road that will eventually lead to total ineffectiveness in the work of the ministry. It is time for the church to wake out of her slumber and recognize the gifts that our Father has given to us! We must stop trying to devise plans and methods that are substitutionary to what God intended.
Divine Healers
I believe that God is even now rising up an army of individuals that will carry with them a particular anointing for healing the sick. The apostle James wrote: “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven (James 5:14,15). Please note the harmony of our text scripture and this one in James. It was a given, in the early church, that there were elders who carried an anointing or gift to heal the sick. I submit to you that it is time to seek out these individuals, to raise them up to a walk of maturity in the Lord, and to ordain them as elders to help rule over the house of God. We must declare an end to eldership by popularity in the local assembly!
The Ministry of Helps
As I address this ministry position, I want to be very clear that some of what I present is conjecture on my part. I believe that this conjecture is backed by scripture, not necessarily chapter and verse, but more by actual practice of individuals involved. I will do my best to point out these examples.
The ministry of helps is NOT the same as the personality gift of service that is mentioned in Romans 12. I believe this ministry is a protoge' or mentoree type ministry. This gift is demonstrated by a life totally given over to another's’ ministry. The first example we will examine is that of Elisha and Elijah. This is typified in 2 Kings 2:4. “4Then Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here, please, for the Lord has sent me on to Jericho.” But he said, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” So they came to Jericho.”
Please note that Elisha was a prophet in training. He was committed to learn everything he could about the ministry of the prophet because he knew that one day he would be on his own. For New Testament examples look at the relationship of the apostle Paul with his mentorees, Timothy and Titus. Timothy and Titus were young apostles in training. They were each committed to the success of Paul’s ministry before they were released to do their own. They served their mentor with the knowledge that they were in training for their own future ministry. Paul told Titus that he was ready to be left alone to do whatever God would direct him to do. However Paul continued to give specific direction when necessary (Titus 1:5). I remind you here that these types of relationship are not without their problems. Think of the relationship of John-Mark with Paul versus his relationship with Barnabas. I submit to you that it is very likely that Paul’s problem with his mentoree was simply a personality conflict (Acts 15:36-41).
Administrators:
Administrators are those that are gifted by God to receive delegation. They will take an apostolic vision and put it into flow charts. They will look for the easiest avenues of communication so the job can be done most effectively. Biblical administrators must be under authority or they will become controlling. They are not necessarily looking for a ‘pat on the back’ as much as they are looking for the next task to get done. They are fulfilled when they (along with the apostles) see the vision coming to pass. Please note that this particular position is the only position listed that may have to do with natural ability (talent). The sad result is that we have looked for administrators to fill our pulpits and lead our congregations. How long, Oh Lord must we wait for the Church to rise up and become all that You intend for her to be?
Varieties of Tongues:
Before we can fully understand how this gift is to be used in leadership, I believe we would do well to clear up some of the confusion surrounding its general use in the church today. We will put scriptural parameters on the gift of tongues and its use in our private prayer language. We will examine a particular characteristic of our Heavenly Father that will help us along the way.
GOD IS A GOD OF ECONOMY! This does not mean in any way, shape, or form that God is a cheapskate. In fact quite the opposite is true. What I am saying is that God does things so well that He never has to figure out a second way to get any thing accomplished. Somehow Christians have gotten it into their heads that our salvation through the blood of Jesus was God’s way of covering up a mistake for giving us the law. How ridiculous! He gave us the law so that we would understand the need for a Savior. My point is this: The gift of prophecy and the gift of tongues (with interpretation) are not, nor have they ever been, the same. The purpose of prophecy in the local church is for edification, exhortation, and comfort. The gift of tongues has an entirely different purpose!
We have been taught that the gift of tongues is somehow different from our personal prayer language received in conjunction with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I find not one single verse of scripture to support this teaching. Just as our personal experiences with traditional church government have allowed us to stray from proper biblical perspective, so have our personal experiences with speaking in tongues. It is a dangerous thing to try to interpret scripture by our experiences! The bible is the Living Word of God and is fully capable of interpreting itself (Hebrews 4:12).
So then, what is the purpose of this most extraordinary gift? For the answer we turn to
God’s word. Look at Acts 2:1-12. When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. 6And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. 7Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? 8And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? 9Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” 12So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?”
According to this passage, the primary purpose of the gift of tongues is for supernatural evangelism. This is also brought to light in 1 Corinthians 14:22. Does this mean that the gift of tongues should only be manifested when there are peoples of different languages present? No. The bible is also clear about the gift of interpretation of tongues (1Corinthians 12:10;14:27,28). Now we will look at some other purposes of the gift of tongues.
The gift of tongues is an evidence of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Acts chapter two sets the pattern for this powerful experience. (Although it is not my purpose in this writing to prove that the gift of tongues always accompanies Holy Spirit baptism, I believe there is extremely strong scriptural evidence to support that line of thinking.) For the purpose of this writing, let me state this: The evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is the power of God permeating our lives. In other words, no power…no Spirit baptism. We know that a part (or characteristic) of the gift of tongues is a personal prayer language. This is given as a direct line of communication between the new spirit that God gives at conversion and the person of the Holy Spirit. Its primary purpose is self-edification. Jude wrote that we are to ‘build up yourselves on your most holy faith.’ The gift of tongues is a tool that the Spirit of God gives because He knows we humans are susceptible to things like doubt, discouragement, depression, etc.
The gift of tongues is an effective prayer device. There are times when we humans get into things that are way over our heads, spiritually speaking. The bible tells us that the Spirit Himself prays for us with groanings that cannot be uttered. Paul the apostle said, “I thank God that I speak in tongues more than you all” (1 Corinthians 14:18). He also gave some very simple instructions on keeping things in balance.
1 Corinthians 14; 13-17 says, “Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. 14For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. 16Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? 17For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified.”
I would like to add a personal note of instruction here. I have talked to individuals who have literally forgotten how to pray ‘with the understanding.’ I believe God wants to develop our intellect as much as He does our spirit man. He wants us to be complete and mature. So don’t get caught up in praying in tongues only. By the same token don’t neglect your prayer language.
Returning to Biblical Church Government
How do we get these gifts that are lacking back into church leadership? By following biblical principles of restoration:
- Repent (2 Chronicles 29:20-24). Church leaders must lead the way. Most people are looking for strong leadership.
- Examine the scriptures. Let God’s word be your model. Don’t look anywhere (including traditional models) except to God. When Jesus said, “I will build MY church” that is exactly what He meant.
- Begin looking for these gifts in current leadership.
God is even now rising up His church. We will be all that he intends for us to be. Let His gifts spring to life within your heart and then allow those gifts their place in your physical life. You will find a brand new power and anointing that has heretofore been sadly lacking. God bless you in your quest!
THE JOSEPH FACTOR
In these days of restoration, we must keep in mind that Old Testament happenings are a type and shadow of things to come. I would like to take a look at Joseph and see what his life story has to say to us in this day. Without insulting your intelligence by revisiting every detail of this account, we will only look at some of the highlights. I would encourage you, however, to reread this account in its entirety at your leisure.
One of the first things that stand out in our memory of Joseph is his ‘coat of many colors.’ This ‘coat’ is probably the forerunner of the prophets’ mantle, which in turn became the tallit (Jewish prayer shawl). There is also great significance to the ‘many colors.” This speaks of many nations or people groups. The story of Joseph is a story of “priesthood to the nations.”
When Joseph was first given the dreams that were speaking of his future, he failed to use wisdom in explaining these things to his brothers. I believe Joseph (a type of the church) today fails to use wisdom in explaining the future to our elder brethren (the Jews) in this day as well. It is no wonder that Jewish people react with envy and animosity when we try to give them the gospel. It is only when the seven year famine hits the land that the brothers will be willing to walk in a salvation that is extremely contrary to their traditions.
Joseph was sold into slavery. He had to endure hardship in order to become fulfilled in his destiny. His hardship became his training ground. He found himself in a foreign land, subject to unfamiliar customs and culture, and yet prospered under YHVH’s providential hand. It was in the midst of the foreign prison that Joseph accepted his responsibility to become salvation for Egypt and Israel. I submit to you that the church (especially in the United States of America) has been in a prison and is about to be released. Just as Joseph was kept in prison by the lies of others, we too have been bound by the lies of our forefathers (Jeremiah 16:19). At this juncture, it would be tempting to bemoan the fact that we have been in prison. It is far more productive, however, if we begin to examine what we are to do with our new found freedom.
The church has settled for a religious system that misses the mark of the ‘high calling’ of our Messiah. We must repent of the sins of the past and learn to live responsibly to the freedom given to us through the blood of Yeshua. Our houses of worship must be “seeker-sensitive” only to the degree that the seeker is looking for eternal life and not simply entertainment. Our evangelism methods must move from models that are concerned with census figures to relationship structures that are governed by Scripture alone. Leadership must accept the challenge to build the Kingdom instead of building their local congregations. Now is the time to take the gospel outside the four walls of the physical buildings and into the marketplaces of society. Church leaders must release their people to do the work of the ministry.