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Refuting the false doctrine of the line of Christ
Fred R. Coulter—December 19, 2020
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Today we're going to cover some astounding things concerning what this man—David Heilbron Price—who is a graduate of Bricketwood (former Ambassador College) in England Jesus, James, Joseph and the Past and Future Temple. Here's what he says:
From the back cover: Jesus, James, Joseph and the Past and Future Temple
…During the lives of Joseph, Jesus, and James, craftsmen spent a million man-years glorifying it….
the temple
…Roman legions…destroyed every last trace…
took the gold and everything; however:
…later imperial "Christian" church of Constantine imposed anti-Semitic laws and continued to oppress the Jews, the family of Jesus and authentic Christians.
So far, so good!
Jesus taught the high priests in the Temple….
He did, but not as a teacher that they recognized. We'll look at some of that a little later.
…He was intimately involved with the Temple….
Not true!
…So was his father Joseph. His brother James had a throne there. He died in the Temple.
There's another aspect that Price had, and I wrote him about it, because he e-mailed me. What he wrote was that 'when Jesus was crucified, He was also stoned.' But there is not a single word in the Scriptures that Jesus was stoned!
Let's see where Jesus allegedly taught the doctors of the Law in Luke 11. Price makes it appear that they accepted Jesus as a teacher and came to be taught by Him. That's why some of His followers called Him 'Rabboni,' which means a high-level teacher. Well, Jesus was greater than any 'rabboni'; He was the Son of God! We will also see that Price did not believe in the virgin birth of Jesus.
Luke 11:37: "Now, while He was speaking, a certain Pharisee asked Him to dine with him; and He went in and sat down."
It didn't say that a certain Pharisee asked Him, 'O Rabboni Jesus, will you come and teach us.' He came to lunch and it was a trap for Jesus.
Verse 38: "But the Pharisee, seeing this, wondered why He had not first washed before dinner…. [always washed their hands before dinner] …Then the Lord said to him…. [notice how Jesus taught them] …'Now, you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are full of greediness and wickedness'" (vs 38-39).
Whatever He taught them, He was condemning their own ways!
Verse 40: "Fools…"
- Do you think they would recognize Him?
- Do you know the Greek word for 'fool'? 'moroni'—moron!
You're all a bunch of morons!
"…did not He Who made the outside also make the inside? Rather, give alms from the things that are within; and behold, all things are clean to you. But woe to you, Pharisees!…." (vs 40-42).
- How is that for teaching?
- Did they listen?
- Did they learn?
- How many repented and withdrew from wanting to have Jesus crucified? Zero!
"…For you pay tithes of mint and rue and every herb, but you pass over the judgment and the love of God…." (v 42).
What did Jesus say that the first commandments of God was? Love God with all your heart, mind, soul and being!
"…It is obligatory for you to do these things, and not to set aside those lesser things. Woe to you, Pharisees! For you love the chief seat in the synagogues and the salutations in the marketplaces. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are as unseen tombs, and men who walk over them do not know it" (vs 42-44).
Verse 45: "And one of the doctors of the Law…"
This is the point; Price said that Jesus taught the doctors of the Law. Let's see how Jesus taught the doctors of the Law, the 'experts,' the other 'rabbonis.'
"…answered and said to Him, 'Teacher, by saying these things You are also insulting us.' And He said, 'Woe to you also, doctors of the law! For you weigh men down with burdens heavy to bear, but you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers" (vs 45-46).
Yes, Jesus is teaching them, isn't He? But not in the way that Price indicates!
Verse 47: "Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, whom your fathers killed. Therefore, you are bearing witness and consenting to the works of your fathers; for they indeed killed them, and you build their tombs. Because of this, the wisdom of God also said, 'I will send prophets and apostles to them; and some of them they shall kill, and others they shall drive out so that the blood of all the prophets, poured out from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation… [that's quite a statement] …from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zacharias, who perished between the altar and the house of God.'…. [killed right in the area of the Temple of God] …Yes, I tell you, it shall be required of this generation. Woe to you, doctors of the Law! For you have taken away the key of knowledge; you yourselves did not enter, and you prevented those who were entering" (vs 47-52).
Verse 53: "And as He was saying these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began vehemently to press and provoke Him to speak about many things, while they kept a close watch on Him, seeking to catch something out of His mouth so that they might accuse Him" (vs 53-54).
So, just in reading the back cover of this book, if you know anything about the Bible, you can disprove what's already coming by checking it with the Bible.
This is a great principle to learn: Nothing works the way it should without Truth! That's nothing in the world. You can even take this camera that we have, you buy it and it comes in a box with an instruction manual. If you don't work it according to the instructions, which is the truth on how to operate the camera, it won't work. Same way with your car. But more importantly with the Bible!
- the Bible is the Word of God
- it is the Truth of God
- it is good for all time
because human nature and human ways are the same from the beginning of time until now!
As this man—David Price—likes to do, he adds things to the Word of God to become important! We are to teach the Word of God from the Word of God, comparing the Word of God, and everything that comes along to check it out with the Word of God.
- What did Jesus say about teachers and false prophets? There would be many!
- What did Jesus say about the end-time? There shall be false christs and false prophets who will show 'great signs and wonders'!
Let's look at some things concerning Melchisedec. We have a lot to cover, and why Melchisedec is important. Christ is called 'a Priest after the order of Melchisedec.'
Gen. 14—this is after Abraham went out and overcame all of the ones who attacked the cities around Sodom and Gomorrah and took Lot and his family, as well.
Genesis 14:16: "And he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his kinsman Lot and his goods, and the women also, and the people. And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer and of the kings with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's valley. And Melchisedec the King of Salem brought forth bread and wine…." (vs 16-18).
Melchisedec was King and Priest. That's important. Aaron was never king and priest, priest only!
"…And He was the Priest of the Most High God" (v 18).
If Melchisedec was the Priest of the Most High God, that means the One Who was Melchisedec was the One Who became Jesus Christ.
Verse 19: "And He blessed him, and said, 'Blessed be Abram of the Most High God, possessor of heaven and earth. And blessed be the Most High God, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.' And he gave Him tithes of all" (vs 19-20).
This had to do with Abraham. Who was Abraham? The one to whom the promises were made of everything that God was going to do from that time forward in the entire history of the world! That's what the Most High was involved!
Psa. 2—let's read something very interesting here, and also see a way of how it's constructed. This is way we are told in Isa. 28 that the way we understand the Bible is 'a little here, little there, line upon line, precept upon precept' and so forth. In the Old Testament especially in many of the prophesies, there will be a first coming of Christ and then the second coming right after it. Not a word about His ministry. This is also a prophecy of today.
Do you have the complete Messiah? You ought to get it. That is the most perfect music in the world! That has to do with the whole life of Jesus Christ. One of the songs is why the heathen rage.
Psalm 2:1: "Why do the nations rage and the people plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together against the LORD and against His Christ, saying" (vs 1-2).
That's all down through time, and then what do we have at the end-time. All the kings, rulers and nations coming to fight Christ.
Verse 3: "Let us break Their bands asunder and cast away Their cords from us." They say that they don't need God, 'We know how to do things; we can make it work!'
Remember that if it's not done by truth, it won't work! If you have success at evil for a while, know that your punishment is going to be greater the longer that you have success in it!
Verse 4: "He Who sits in the heavens laughs; the LORD scoffs at them. Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and in His fury He terrifies them. 'Yea, I have set My King upon Zion, My Holy mountain'" (vs 4-6).
All of that is various reactions to God down through time, plus the final one. Notice what it is next:
Verse 7: "I will declare the decree of the LORD. He has said to Me, 'You are My Son; this day I have begotten You…. [now it backs up to when Jesus was begotten]: …Ask of Me, and I shall give the nations for Your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Your possession…. [again, His second coming]: …You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.' Now therefore, be wise, O kings; be admonished O judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and you perish in the way, for His wrath can flame up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in Him" (vs 7-12).
Now let's look at Melchisedec again. This is also a good lesson on how the Old Testament and the New Testament consist of one book with all the books of the Bible necessary to understand what is in it.
There is no single, one place, where everything is described in chronological order. You may get a chronology for something here, then it will jump ahead and get you will get a chronology for something there, and you'll get an event here, an event there.
Hebrews 6:13: "For God, after promising Abraham, swore by Himself, since He could swear by none greater."
Always remember that when God swears by Himself, you know it's going to happen! There's no way that's going to fail, because that's based on His existence!
Verse 14: "Saying, 'Surely in blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply you.' Now, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. For indeed, men swear by the greater, and confirmation by an oath puts an end to all disputes between them. In this way God… [because He swore by Himself] …desiring more abundantly to show the heirs of the promise" (vs 14-15).
That's beginning with Abraham all the way down through Israel, down through Judah, down through the Church and right to the end of time! Isn't that what God promised Abraham (Gen. 15). Remember that God said, 'You're going to have a son from your own loins.' Then god took Abraham out and 'count the stars if you're able to number them; so shall your seed be.'
So, the first one—Isaac—was physical seed. The second one was the Church, spiritual seed. When we're resurrected, how are we to look when we're able to turn on our glory? Like the sun! That's pretty spectacular!
Next time you get up in the morning and you look in the mirror and it's one of those mornings that you don't feel good and you look in the mirror and say, 'Who are you?' Remember God's promise! That's why He gave the promises.
Verse 17: "In this way God, desiring more abundantly to show the heirs of the promise the unchangeable nature of His own purpose, confirmed it by an oath; so that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to lay hold on the hope that has been set before us… [that's what we are to do] …which hope we have as an anchor of the soul…" (vs 17-19)
An anchor keeps you from moving; this means an anchor to keep you close to God, to keep you from moving away from God.
"….both secure and steadfast, and which enters into the sanctuary within the veil, where Jesus has entered for us as a forerunner, having become a High Priest forever according to the order of Melchisedec" (vs 19-20).
The Melchisedec rehearses the one in Gen. 14; it explains that the Melchisedec of Gen. 14 had neither mother or father. Jesus had a mother and father, but His genealogy is different from what it was from the priests. Paul says of Melchisedec:
Hebrews 7:12: "For since the priesthood has changed… [from Aaron to Melchisedec] …it is obligatory that a change of the priestly law also take place."
Protestants think that means that you can change the Ten Commandments! NO!it's changing the priestly laws!
Verse 13: "Because the One of Whom these things are said belongs to another tribe… [Jesus was reckoned to David who was from Judah, which goes clear back to Abraham] …from which no one was appointed to serve at the altar."
David Price says that Jesus was "…appointed to serve at the altar." But nowhere does it say that Jesus went into the temple and offered sacrifices. What did Jesus do when He first came to the temple? To fulfill the prophecy that He would 'suddenly come to His Temple.' He went in and drove out the oxen, turned over the moneychanger's tables and strew the money all over the place.
The Scribes and Pharisees went out there and welcomed Him and embraced Him and said, 'Oh, we're so glad You're here.' NO!
They came and said, 'Tell us by what authority You do this?' And Jesus said, 'Destroy this temple and in three days I'll raise it up.' So, He never answered them!
Yet, Price says that Jesus and Joseph worked on the temple. Can you find that in the Bible? NO!
Verse 13: "Because the One of Whom these things are said belongs to another tribe, from which no one was appointed to serve at the altar."
Now let's look at the genealogy of Jesus and Mary. We will see some very important things.
Now, in one of Price's e-mails and in the book, he said that Joseph was the father of Jesus, and that both Joseph and Mary were old. We'll see that that didn't happen! How many other children did Mary have besides Jesus? Four brothers and at least three sisters! Mary had to be young.
We have the whole genealogy, and notice how it starts out:
Matthew 1:1: "The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham." Those are the two highpoints! Then it goes through all of them.
Verse 15: "And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, from whom was born Jesus, Who is called the Christ" (vs 15-16).
- What do you make of this verse?
- From whom?
Price says that that means that Jesus was from Joseph. If he would have looked it up in the Greek, he would have found out that the word 'whom' is feminine, meaning from Mary, not from Joseph!
- What would it have to say if it were from Joseph? Begat!
- Why? All the way through the genealogy here in Matt. 1 is 'begat'! 'begat'! 'begat'!
So, He was from Mary and is called the Christ!
The angel came and told Joseph that Mary was pregnant, but she's pregnant of the Holy Spirit, but you go ahead and marry her, because this is of God. Joseph was a righteous man.
Joseph had to come all the way down through Abraham, David and right to here. He had to be of the line of David from Judah! Had to be in order to be the step-father. Here's the prophecy of it:
Verse 23: "'Behold, the virgin…"
That's interesting, because in the Greek it is the 'virgin, not a virgin, meaning a specific, particular virgin, one that God chose! We will look at Mary's genealogy in a little bit.
"'…shall be with child and shall give birth to a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel,' which is being interpreted, 'God with us.' And when Joseph was awakened from his sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded, and took his wife to wed; but he did not have sexual relations with her until after she had given birth to her Son, the firstborn; and he called His name Jesus" (vs 23-25).
How could Jesus be begotten by Joseph when you have all of these clear verses? Impossible! You can't say it was by v 16 because that is feminine whom. If it were masculine whom, it might be a possibility. But it's not! That's why God used the Greek language, to help you understand how you find all the discrepancies.
He also says, we'll just summarize Matt. 1. We have the story of the Magi, and that means they were from the east. They came wondering where the King of the Jews was; they heard He was born. So, Herod got all the priests and they said that it had to be in Bethlehem.
The Magi stayed with Herod for a while, and then he told them that after they went to worship the One Who was born King of the Jews, 'come back and let me know because I want to go worship Him.' Well, when they went and found Jesus they saw the star.
- Do it tell us when they saw the star?
- How far away were they?
- They were in the Parthian/Persia Empire, which over in Iran today!
So, they traveled all the way with a fair sized contingency, and finally came to Herod. Herod probably thought, when he saw the star, that was when Jesus was born. That wasn't when He was born.
Price writes that when the Magi came, Jesus was there with Joseph and Mary for two years, because the little child and mother and father were in a house. That's what a lot have said. The Greek word for
- young child is 'paidion'
- babe is 'brephos'
When Elizabeth heard the voice of Mary, the babe in her womb—brephos'—leapt! When Jesus was born the shepherd were told, 'Go into Bethlehem and you'll find a babe—brephos'—wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger.'
David Price says 'that was a myth.'
They gave the frankincense and myrrh and gifts to Jesus and Mary, and they left a different way. Herod didn't know when they (the Magi) left. An angel came that night and said, 'Joseph, take the child and His mother and you get out of here and go to Egypt.' So, they left that night.
Then Herod got all angry because the Magi didn't come back and tell him where the King of the Jews was. So, he calculated from the time they first saw the star until the present time, and he calculated two years, and killed every child two-years-old and under in Bethlehem.
- Where did Joseph take Mary and Jesus?
- Where did they go? They went into Egypt!
- How long did all of this take from the time that Jesus was born?
We will get an approximation in Luke 2; Luke says Mary had 40 days to be cleansed of her impurities. On the eighth day Jesus was circumcised. Then in on the 41st day they went to the Temple to present Jesus and to give the offerings for a son that was born. Notice what Luke writes:
Luke 2:39: "Now, when they had completed all things according to the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city Nazareth."
Matthew says that they went into Egypt and then they went to Nazareth.
- What does this tell us?
- How many days was it when they left to go into Egypt and then after that to Nazareth? 40 days, plus we'll give it three, say 43 days!
That's not two years!
Another thing was when John the Baptist was circumcised on the 8th day, he was called a 'paidion'—he's only 8-days-old. Up to that point he was a 'brephos.'
When Jesus was 12-years-old his mother 'teknon'—child.
Let's see if we can put all of this together and determine a physical chronology for Jesus. First of all, we begin with Zacharias and Elizabeth, who was of the daughters of Aaron. That means she was pure Aaronic blood. Mary became pregnant by the impregnation of the Most High, and that was when Elizabeth was six months pregnant. Mary went over to visit her; we've already covered that in The Birth of Jesus Christ #1 & 2.
Mary had to be young, and she also had to be of the house of David. Elizabeth was Mary's aunt, so Mary's mother had to be of the house of Aaron, and Mary's father had to be of the house Judah/David. How can we know this?
David Price says that the genealogy in Luke 3 was Joseph's priestly genealogy. Joseph from the house of David could never be a priest! So, what do we have in the genes of Jesus:
- God the Father
- the genes from father and mother of Mary
Mary had to be of the daughter's of Aaron, and her father had to be of the sons of David and Judah.
I want you to lay both of these genealogies side-by-side and you will see that they are entirely different, and why the one in Luke 3 has to be the genealogy of Mary's father. This is the way we have it translated in The Faithful Version:
Luke 3:23: "And Jesus Himself began to be about thirty years old, being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph, the son-in-law of Eli."
When you read Matt. 1, the father of Joseph was not Eli, so this had to be the father-in-law of Joseph who had to be Eli, the father of Mary. That genealogy has to checkout, too, which it does.
We will see that this is a line from David; 31: "The son of Meleas, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David."
The genealogy in Matt. 1 has Solomon. But Solomon is excluded in the literally genealogy of the fleshly Jesus because of Solomon's sins. Nathan was the brother of Solomon, and that's the line of David that came down to Mary. That's what this genealogy is. Mary had within her the genes from:
- God the Father
- her mother
- her father
All of them together amounted up to the Son of God, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham. I hope you go that!
(break)
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This book is very deep in understanding, but also it shows how great God is. Think about it for a minute. Everyone of us here are adults and we have children that will grow up. We all started out as a speck of dust, so small you couldn't see it. Look at all that we are now full grown.
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So, anyone who thinks they are important or how beautiful they are, or how smart they are, or how tall/short, it all comes from God. The thing that is important is God's plan! Where we're headed!
Sidebar: Rachelle has been here and we have an extra bedroom downstairs. She has been fixing up that room as a memorial room for Dolores. I had a special big black bookcase made, because all the furniture in there is Japanese black furniture that Dolores has in there. Everything turned out wonderful, and the carpet looks like it newly laid just for this, but it wasn't.
I was sitting there looking at everything last night and thinking about everything. I looked at the pictures of everyone, the relatives are there and all of our kids. We have one big picture on top of the bookcase that has the whole family all together. I was thinking: look at that! All from a speck of something you couldn't see without a microscope!
Amazing, indeed! So, look back and you think of all of those things. I remember our firstborn—Deborah—who died at nine months old, and Rachelle was able to get picture of her tombstone in Boise, Idaho, and I'm going to put that up on top of the bookcase. I was thinking about all that time! Like a flash! You look back on it:
God has got to be so fantastic and so great that His plan for all of mankind is going to work out His way. It's going to be absolutely marvelous, indeed! All of us have been called to be in the first resurrection. I want you think about that for a minute. If there are any ministers out there listening, I want you think about that, because you need to teach the brethren this.
We're going to be heading for some tough times, and unless—like we read in Heb. 6, we have an 'anchor for the soul'—the Truth of God—it's going to be difficult. Yet, if you go read the book of Acts, the next time you have a 'boo-hoo pity party for your little ole self' go read what happened to Paul and some of his helpers, and some of the people in the Church because of everything that came against them.
If you think that you're down and out and can hardly make it, were you left to die from being stoned? No!
*****
Now then, this man—David Heilbron Price—also has another thought. But here's a good lesson: you never draw a conclusion based upon a subjective unprovable clause and have that as fact to build on something else! That's what Price did. He said that Jesus was a least two-years-old when we come to the time just before the Magi came, and that Joseph came back to Bethlehem—which had been previously destroyed—and built the house of David, the house that they lived in when the Magi came, supposedly two years later.
If you want to know the exact chronology, you find out when Jesus was born; it's in The Holy Bible in Its Original Order, A Faithful Version:
- Appendix E: When Was Jesus Christ Born?
- Appendix F: Chart Establishing the Year of Christ' Birth
Also in A Harmony of the Gospels
It couldn't have been two years! So, Price said that Joseph built the Tabernacle of David. We will see that that is an impossible statement physically speaking, but there is a spiritual meaning of it for us today.
Acts 15 took place in about 49A.D.; this is 19 years after the ministry began. Add 30 years to that, that's 50 years when account for the shortage. That's 50 years later that James, the brother of Jesus, made this statement. So, it couldn't possibly apply to Joseph in building the house when Jesus was just born.
- What is the Tabernacle of David
- What meaning do we get out of it today?
Peter explains; remember that Peter went to see Cornelius and the Gentiles were added to the Church.
Acts 15:11: "But by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we believe we shall be saved in the same manner as they also.'…. [saved by grace in the first resurrection] …Then all the multitude kept silence and heard Barnabas and Paul relate what signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. And after they were silent, James answered and said, 'Men, brethren, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles to take out a people for His name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, as it is written, "after these things, I will return and will build again the Tabernacle of David, which has fallen, and its ruins I will build again, and will set it up"'" (vs 11-16).
- What is the Tabernacle of David?
- What significance does it have for us?
- Did David have a tabernacle?
- If he did, what was it used for?
- Where was it?
Remember that David had a very close relationship with God. David had the Holy Spirit of God, and that's important.
1-Chronicles 16:1: "And they brought the Ark of God and set it in the middle of the tent… [a little tabernacle] …which David had pitched for it…."
He built a special room, had it all there and he put the Ark of the Covenant inside that little tent. He didn't take it to Gibeon where the priests were offering sacrifices, he brought to his own house. That was quite a thing, and we will see how close to God he felt because of it.
"…And they offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings before God" (v 1).
Outside of that room and that tent they had an altar made of whole stones, because that what they had made an altar that was not the altar with the temple (book of Exodus).
Verse 2: "And when David had made an end of offering the burnt offering and the peace offerings…"
Notice that he didn't offer sin offerings on there. Just thank offerings and peace offerings, which are to glorify God.
"…he blessed the people in the name of the LORD" (v 2)—then he sent them away!
Verse 4: "And he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the Ark of the LORD, and to record, and to thank and praise the LORD God of Israel. Asaph the chief…" (vs 4-5).
Asaph wrote a lot of Psalms, but also when David wrote a Psalm, if he wanted it kept then he gave it to Asaph the priest. We will see that in just a minute.
Verse 6: "…the priests praised with silver trumpets continually before the Ark of the Covenant of God. Then on that day David first delivered this psalm into the hand of Asaph and his brethren in order to thank the LORD" (vs 6-7).
We'll look at some of the verses in this, and we find that this has to do with the covenant with Abraham.
Verse 8: "'O give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name, make known His deeds among the people. Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him, tell of all His wondrous works. Glory in His Holy name, let the heart of those who seek the LORD rejoice. Seek the LORD and His strength; seek His face continually" (vs 8-11).
That's something for all of us. I want you to understand that this is what we would call New Testament instructions for us in coming to God.
Verse 12: "Remember His marvelous works, which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth, O seed of Israel His servant, children of Jacob, His chosen ones. He is the LORD our God. His judgments are in all the earth" (vs 12-14).
Here he expands everything out to the world in what is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, expanded out to the whole world.
So, the Tabernacle of David is this tent and David's relationship with God.
Verse 15: "Be always mindful of His covenant, the word He commanded to a thousand generations… [remember that it's impossible for God to lie] …even the covenant, which He made with Abraham, and of His oath unto Isaac. And He has established it unto Jacob for a law, to Israel for an everlasting covenant, saying, 'To you will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance,' When you were but few, even a few, and strangers in it, and they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people, He did not allow any man to do them wrong. Yea, He reproved kings for their sakes, saying, 'Touch not My anointed, and do My prophets no harm'" (vs 15-22).
Let's see the spiritual relationship that David had with God because the Ark was in his house in this special tent or tabernacle. Notice his desire. It's interesting that his sin with Bathsheba occurred after this. But notice how his relationship was before it. What was his relationship with God afterward? It was different, because his whole household was against him and in rebellion and turmoil because of his sin with Bathsheba.
But God never withdrew His promise that He would always have a man sitting on David's throne. Once God makes a firm promise, He's going to keep it.
If there is sin, there will be correction, punishment. But before that happened, listen to David, and we will see that he had to be right in front of that tent where the Ark of the Covenant was, and he could see through the tent.
Psalm 63:1: "O God, You are my God, earnestly I will seek You! My soul thirsts for You. My flesh longs for You, as in a dry and thirsty land where no water is."
See how your relationship with God can be if you don't have some major sin smashing into your life.
Verse 2: "To see Your power and Your glory as I have seen You in the sanctuary." That was in that tabernacle where the Ark of the Covenant was!.
Verse 3: "Because Your loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips when I remember You upon my bed and meditate on You in the night watches" (vs 3-6).
That's a very important statement! There are nights, I'm sure it's happened to you, that you can't go to sleep. What do you do? Think on God! Maybe even get up and pray! That means that God is dealing with you directly, because we have the Spirit of God.
That also ties in with the Tabernacle of David as it applies to the Church. David had a physical presence right before the Ark of the Covenant. He also had God's Holy Spirit. We're going to see how there is a parallel for us as New Covenant Christians.
Verse 7: "Because You have been my help, therefore, in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice."
That's the special protection of God that the world cannot see. But we can experience because God blesses us and protects us. Notice David's attitude:
Verse 8: "My soul follows hard after You; Your right hand upholds me." Think about what God has given to us:
- His Word
- His Truth
Look at how much more of the Word of God that we have than David ever had. It wasn't even complete until John finished the book of Revelation. In other words, the complete Bible was available to people down through history until after it was canonized by the Apostle John, Andrew, Philip and those with John. That's quite an amazing thing!
God has watched over it, preserved it, and has kept it so that we can have it in the last days. That's something!
Psa. 84 is another before David committed the sin with Bathsheba. Here's a good lesson: When you are close to God, don't go out and sin! He will forgive you, but why put yourself under the correction that will come?
Psalm 84:1: "How lovely are Your tabernacles, O LORD of hosts!"
In his experience by seeing the Ark of the Covenant and thinking about God's way, God also gave him all the plans for the temple. David drew them. He saved up gold, silver, iron, brass and all of that and gave it to Solomon. God said, 'Your son is going to build it, because you're a bloody man, a man of war.'
Think about how great God's plan is for us. We have got this back in Rev. 21, 'Behold the Tabernacle of God is with men; men and women made perfect.'
Here's a time when David was really yearning for God. It's hard to keep that up all the time, but when you're really yearning for God, take advantage of that time and study and pray and get close to Him.
Verse 2: "My soul longs, yea, even faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God."
Think about that! That's the attitude we need to have toward God:
- God will hear us!
- God will answer us!
- God will be with us!
He gave us His Spirit so that we could do it!
We will see that just as David had a direct connection with God with the tabernacle with the Ark of the Covenant right in that little tabernacle, we're as close to God in the same way.
Verse 4: "Blessed are those who dwell in Your house…"
Jesus said, 'You believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many dwelling places. I am going to prepare a place for you!' Think about that! God is going to prepare a place for every one of us in New Jerusalem!
Verse 5: "Blessed is the man whose strength is in You; Your ways are in their hearts; Who passing through the valley of weeping make it a place of springs… [in even the most depressing times, God will turn out for the good] …yea, the early rain also clothes it with blessings…. [this is a type of God's Spirit coming down on us] …They go from strength to strength, every one of them appearing in Zion before God. O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob. Selah" (vs 5-8).
Let's see the prophecy of where He said that He would raise up the Tabernacle of David again. Just one verse, and sometimes the prophecies that are important are a word, a phrase or a verse.
Amos 9:11: "In that day I will raise up the Tabernacle of David that has fallen…"
The Tabernacle of David was only for David. When he died there's no record that Solomon went to that Tabernacle. Solomon went where the offerings were offered at Gibeon, and there is where God appeared to him at night.
"…and close up its breaches; and I will raise up its ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old" (v 11). This is applying to the Church, to us:
- we have the Spirit of God
- we have the Word of God
- we are called the Church of God
- the Church of God is the House of God
- we pray to God the Father in heaven above through Jesus Christ
- we pray to Jesus as well
- we have direct connection with God
Where is God? In His Tabernacle in heaven above!
Let's see what Paul writes about that. When we come to pray to God, there are many things that are happening in such a way that we cannot see.
As you look to the west down toward the Temple, you have Fort Antonia, then you have where the Temple was located. Then the Tabernacle of David was on the Hill of David. His house was built on a hill, and later that was torn down. That whole area where the Temple was and where David's house was, was Mount Zion. So, here's the connection:
Hebrews 12:22: "But you have come to Mount Sion… [in heaven above] …and to the city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem; and to an innumerable company of angels."
If you want to get a vision of that, read Rev. 4 & 5. that will tell you that. When we pray, come to God, study His Word, think about what God has provided for us.
Verse 23: "To the joyous festival gathering… [the resurrection] …and to the Church of the Firstborn…"
That's what we are. We're in the first resurrection, and all of those in the first resurrection are the Church of the Firstborn. The firstborn always has precedence over every other one who is born.
"…registered in the Book of Life in heaven; and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the just who have been perfected" (v 23).
Jonathan and I were talking about the condition of the Church. There have been times down through time where there's always a generational change. Think about how many people you have known in the Church who have died. Look at what the Church is today. There are many of us who are old and gray, creaky and cranky, and all of that sort of thing.
We know that our time is going to come. So, there has to be a generational change, and it's up to all of you who are younger that you listen to things like this and you study the things that we have so you can be prepared when the time comes. I'm trying to do all I can to prepare the Church so that when I pass everything will go smoothly. A lot of us are going to come to the end before Christ returns, and that's the way it is.
Look at how many people have died. I forget where they have it, but there's a website that you can go look at all the graduates of Ambassador College who have died, and different important ones who have died. Darlene actually attended Herbert Armstrong's funeral down in Pasadena. There was time we thought and even said, 'Christ is going to come before I die.' Never happen! Remember what we're coming to.
Let's see how important our relationship with God is. We with the Church of God are now fulfilling the Tabernacle of David. Why? Because:
- we have the Spirit of God
- we are in the household of God
- we have access to God the Father and Jesus Christ directly
You don't have to go to a priest; you just get on your knees. If you can't get on your knees, you can pray in your mind. God will hear and answer; He promises that He will!
Eph. 2—this was really difficult for the Jews to handle right at first, because they thought that were the only important ones on earth. When God led Peter over to Cornelius remember the reaction back in Jerusalem; all the elders said, 'You went into a house of a Gentile and ate with them and stayed with them. Then Peter had to tell them that God did this and that. That was their first exposure to it.
In the synagogues they had the place for all the Jews and Israelites, a place of the proselytes, and a place for women. In the Church all of that is abolished. That's what Paul says here:
Ephesians 2:11: "Therefore, remember that you were once Gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by those who are called circumcision in the flesh made by hands; and that you were without Christ at that time, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus…" (vs 11-13).
All of that has changed, because when it came time to grant salvation, and the promise of eternal life, God opened the door for all nations. That's why we have it recorded in the book of Acts. Here's Paul telling them that.
"…But now in Christ Jesus, you who were once far off are made near by the blood of Christ. For He is our peace… [it's now together, Jews and Gentiles]: …Who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of partition" (vs 13-14)—all of the traditions of the Jews!
Verse 15: "Having annulled in His flesh the enmity, the law of commandments contained in the decrees of men… [the laws of Judaism] …so that in Himself He might create both into one new man, making peace… [that's what God wants; that's conversion] …and that He might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross, having slain the enmity by it. Now when He came, He preached the Gospel—peace to you who were far off and to those who were near. For through Him we both… [no difference, no preference] …have direct access by one Spirit to the Father" (vs 15-18).
Just like David had originally with the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant in that special room in his house. Wherever we are, direct connection to God!
Verse 19: "So then, you are no longer aliens and foreigners; but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of the household of God. You are being built up on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief Cornerstone in Whom all the building… [everything that God is doing] …being conjointly fitted together is increasing into a Holy temple in the Lord… [that is with the true sanctuary] …in Whom you also are being built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit" (vs 19-22).
That is our Tabernacle of David that God has raised up, which is the Church so that we will be directly connected to God in everything we do.
This is what is so important, and I hope that all the ministers and all the brethren can learn this. Church, the way it with God, is not like it is with the churches in the world, which is a social club or a political club, whatever.
It is that we come to learn of God and His way, and all the elders and ministers need to learn the Word of God to teach it! To teach it! To teach it! That's what Paul said to Timothy, 'Preach the Word!' this is our Tabernacle of David, and God is doing a mighty fine job in rebuilding it!
Scriptural References:
- Luke 11:37-54
- Genesis 14:16-20
- Psalm 2:1-12
- Hebrews 6:13-15, 17-20
- Hebrews 7:12-13
- Matthew 1:1, 15-16, 23-25
- Luke 2:39
- Luke 3:23, 31
- Acts 15:11-16
- 1 Chronicles 16:1-2, 4-22
- Psalm 63:1-8
- Psalm 84:1-2. 4-8
- Amos 9:11
- Hebrews 12:22-23
- Ephesians 2:11-22
Scriptures referenced, not quoted:
- Isaiah 22
- Genesis 15
- Exodus 13
- Deuteronomy 16
- Revelation 21; 4; 5
Also referenced:
Books:
- Jesus, James, Joseph and the Past and Future Temple by David Heilbron Price (Nazarene Project)
- The Christian Passover by Fred R. Coulter
- From a Speck of Dust to a Son of God: Why Were You Born by Fred R. Coulter
- A Harmony of the Gospels by Fred R. Coulter
From The Holy Bible in Its Original Order, A Faithful Version:
- Appendix E: When Was Jesus Christ Born?
- Appendix F: Chart Establishing the Year of Christ' Birth
Messages: The Birth of Jesus Christ #1 & 2.
FRC:bo
Transcribed: 12/23/24
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