Pentecost 2012—LIVE

Live in Gilroy, California

Fred R. Coulter—May 27, 2012

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Before we get started I want to ask a couple of questions. How many were in the Church of God when they kept Pentecost on Monday? About 40%, not quite half!

Let me tell you a little story, which is a true account. For 40 years they observed Pentecost on Monday because they didn't count it correctly. Somehow they figured that the day after the seventh Sabbath was not the first day of the week, but the second day of the week. There was a little sleight of hand by one of the leading scholars in that Church of God to justify what the leader had said that it would be on Monday.

There were battles back and forth through the years because it never was on a Monday. They finally had a ministerial conference in 1974, and through much research that was done before that they finally saw the truth of the matter that yes, when you count you include the first day as day one, which then is the Wave Sheaf Offering Day. Then you end up seven weeks, plus one day, again on the first day of the week. When that occurred we had Pentecost in the Los Angeles area, I was pastoring two large churches there—Torrance and Santa Monica.

We had altogether about 450 brethren there on Pentecost. Since it was close to headquarters in Pasadena they sent a man down to bring the sermonette and they sent an evangelist down there Gerald Waterhouse. Of course, he's a very rigorous strong man. If you say one word out of line, you're going to hear from him afterwards.

As the pastor of those two churches I led the songs and gave the announcements and introduced the speakers. As I was telling them, since this was the first day that we were keeping Pentecost on the correct day, I said, 'Brethren, here we are for the first time in forty years keeping Pentecost on the correct day. And who knows maybe we'll find out that Pentecost pictures the first resurrection.'

That was in 1974. The evangelist in question was busy with his notes, went right over his head so I got off the hook. 1974-2004 is 30 years, plus 7 that's 37 years. They just made an announcement in one of the other Churches of God that they set up a committee to disprove that Pentecost pictures the first resurrection. That's a difficult proposition, if you're going to be honest.

I know that the leader of that church has been getting all of our things back door through someone else all these years. So, he's known about it all these years. Yet, because he didn't particularly like me some years ago, he had the audacity in another church to try and disfellowship me from our church, because people were coming to him about Pentecost and other things.

The committee that was set out to disprove that the resurrection is on Pentecost ended up guess what? If you stick to the Truth—we'll give them credit, you've got to stick to the Truth—that Pentecost does picture the first resurrection and that we are the firstfruits of God. I will not be looking for any letter of thanks, nor any apology for trying to get rid of me, but I am happy that they discovered the Truth and I hope they teach it and I hope it helps the brethren. That's been an answer to prayer that we have prayed for a long time that God would deal with His churches, lead them in Truth, help them to understand what is right.

We're not in battle or anything against any of the other Churches of God by any means whatsoever. Any way we can help them, we are happy to. Any way that they are preaching false doctrine, we will be sure and alert people of the false doctrine.

There's one other false doctrine and false prophet that came up. You all know him, Ron Weinland. He said he was one of the two witnesses. He said that Jesus was going to return on May 26, Jerusalem time. He changed his mind. I guess so. I hope that likewise if he's changed his mind that there will be repentance on his part and whatever it is. This is what is necessary. We all pray that we come to the unity of the faith.

• The way that we do that is with the Word of God.
• The way that we do that is with the Spirit of God.
• The way that we do that is with the love of God

and not be in hostility or competition with any of the other Churches of God.

I think this, I'm not praying that we all get together in one organization, because that's not the will of God. I'm praying that all the different organizations would all get on the same page with God, that they would preach the Gospel as a witness. Just think of that. There are many major Churches of God but all told there are 500 different Churches of God now. Just think if there were 500 Churches of God each doing what they should do—in preaching the Gospel, in giving a warning, in serving the brethren—how much could be accomplished that way.
So I'm happy that they have finally discovered that you cannot disprove Pentecost does not picture the first resurrection. I hope they continue growing in grace and knowledge. I hope that that will help the brethren. I hope that we can all come to the unity of the faith as we go down the road toward the end.

I heard of it the other day and I heard they made the announcement yesterday in one of the churches. So I'm happy to relay that to you.

*****

Today is the Day of Pentecost and it is the day of the harvest of the firstfruits! Let's come to Leviticus 23 and let's understand something very important concerning the Bible—the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament gives us the foundation and the laws and commandments of God were required to be kept in the letter of the Law.

When you come to the New Testament everything is raised to a higher level. All the things that look like they're only rituals, that look like they're only harvest festivals, actually has meaning concerning the plan of God and why Jesus came and why He established the Church and what is going to happen to the Church. Here we have the foundation. Everything else builds from there.

Let's come to where the Wave Sheaf Offering is given. Remember this, the Wave Sheaf Offering Day is always the first day of the week during the Feast of Unleavened Bread whether it is the first day of Unleavened Bread or whether it is the fifth day of Unleavened Bread. On that day there was a special offering called the wave sheaf.

Leviticus 23:10: "Speak to the children of Israel and say to them, 'When you have come into the land which I give to you, and shall reap the harvest of it, then you shall bring the premier sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest.'"

There was a special area where they planted this section where it was to be for the special offering for the priest on the Wave Sheaf Offering Day. When we come to the New Testament, we understand that Jesus Christ is the first of the firstfruits to be resurrected from the dead. This Wave Sheaf Offering pictures, in the New Testament, the acceptance of Jesus Christ by God the Father on the Wave Sheaf Offering Day.

So, with that in mind, without the New Testament and without understanding what goes on in the New Testament just reading this alone you would never come to that conclusion. This is why the Jews, who reject the New Testament, cannot understand anything but the letter of the Law and the physical things concerning the laws of God. And they reject Jesus Christ.
I also found out recently concerning the Jubilee that they are in arguments and disarray about the Jubilee themselves. I think we're going to find out that what we put in the book The Appointed Times of Jesus the Messiah and the Jubilee year beginning Jesus' ministry is correct. We're having Michael Heiss work on that right now. We'll have a few things that we'll put in there as we go along.

Verse 11: "'And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD to be accepted for you…."'" Was Jesus accepted for us? You have combined with the Passover:

• His death provided the forgiveness with the shed blood of our sins.
• His resurrection: He is the firstborn from among the dead.
• His ascension pictured by this Wave Sheaf Offering Day He goes to God the Father to be accepted by the Father as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all of those who repent.

God is not saving the world. That's coming after Jesus returns. He's calling the firstfruits. It's fitting that He is the first of the firstfruits. Then it shows what they should offer there along with the wave sheaf.

Verse 15: "And you shall count to you beginning with the next day after the Sabbath... [that's the correct translation] ...beginning with the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven Sabbaths shall be complete.... [a whole week ending in a Sabbath] ...Even unto the day after the seventh Sabbath you shall number fifty days…. [that's where we come to today] …And you shall offer a new grain offering to the LORD" (vs 15-16).

Here's an individual offering that we will cover which is very unusual because we know that during the Feast of Unleavened Bread leaven is a type of sin and we're warned, 'Know you not that a little leaven leavens the whole lump,' and that we are to put leaven out of their homes. Here is an entirely different command because there is a good aspect to the work of leaven. I'll explain that to you as we go along.

Here is what they were to do, v 17: "You shall bring out of your homes two waves loaves of two tenth parts. They shall be of fine flour. They shall be baked with leaven. They are the firstfruits to the LORD." Offered on the 50th day; they also were waved before the Lord.

Let's get the scene of what happened. All of those who would come to the temple to keep the Feast of Pentecost, each family would bring two wave loaves. Here's a whole multitude of wave loaves being waved to God which then is a type of the resurrection being resurrected. The reason the leaven is there is not because it pictures sin but it pictures the invisible work of the Holy Spirit within us to change the dough from flat dough to raise it up into a different form. Then when it's baked it is permanently changed. That is symbolic of being resurrected and permanently changed.

Verse 18: "And you shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year... [Could those be the seven churches of Rev. 2 & 3? Could be, we don't know!] ...and one young bull, and two rams. They shall be for a burnt offering to the LORD with their grain offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savor to the LORD. Then you shall sacrifice one male goat for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings. And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits, a wave offering before the LORD, with the two lambs. They shall be holy to the LORD for the priest. And you shall proclaim on the same day... [50th day] ...that it may be a holy convocation to you. You shall do no servile work therein. It shall be a statute forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations" (vs 18-21).

These are the commands and some of the spiritual meaning that we have concerning the Feast of Pentecost, the Feast of Firstfruits. We are also told that we are to bring an offering (Deut 16) and on the Holy Days we do take up an offering.

Deuteronomy 16:16: "Three times in a year shall all your males appear before the LORD your God in the place which He shall choose; in the Feast of Unleavened Bread... [we've kept that] ...and in the Feast of Weeks, and in the Feast of Tabernacles... [coming in the fall] ...And they shall not appear before the LORD empty. Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God, which He has given you" (vs 16-17).

Whenever we bring an offering to God then we should look at the blessings, count the physical blessings, count the spiritual blessings. Look how God has operated in your life, how God has answered your prayers, how God has opened doors for you, how God has protected you. All of those things you can count as the blessings that God has given you.

(pause for the offering)

Let's come to James 1 and let's see how James understood it at his time. When you read the appendices and the commentaries we discuss each book, when it was written, who wrote it, and then in the back of the book of the Bible we have the chronologies showing what the apostles were doing and what the Apostle Paul was doing when he did it, and so forth. As you will find, as you read these things and study the Bible, this Bible is a complete study Bible for all the basic things you need to understand.
James 1 shows you some things that tell us some very important clues as to what they knew. When you write a letter and you mail it to someone you know where they are so they can receive it—correct? Except if you're on a raft in the ocean and all you have is a bottle and a little piece of paper. Then you don't know what will happen.

James 1:1: "James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes, which are in the dispersion: Greetings!" Why would he send an important letter to the twelve tribes of Israel if ten of them were lost and didn't know where they were?

Verse 17: "Every good act of giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with Whom there is no variation, nor shadow of turning.... [Very interesting—right?] ...According to His own will, He begat us by the Word of truth... [through the Holy Spirit] ...that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all His created beings" (vs 17-18).

We find in Eph. 2 that we are God the Father's workmanship created in Christ Jesus. So, the truth of the matter is this: salvation is creation, a spiritual creation that God is creating in us, the mind of Christ, we're begotten by the Father so that we can be born again at the resurrection.

We covered yesterday that God gave the Ten Commandments on the Day of Pentecost. Then there was the marriage covenant between God and Israel, which took place shortly afterwards. The next time that Pentecost became a great feast, a memorable feast, was in Acts 2 on the Day of Pentecost.

Remember what happened at Mt. Sinai? There was the trumpet, there was the wind blowing, the thunder, the lightning, they could see the fire of it and everything. All the Jews knew and all of those of the ten tribes of Israel that came to Jerusalem to keep this Pentecost knew that they worshiped God at the temple because that's where God put His name. Anything that would be important, that would be done, God would begin it there.

This is why we find that God began the Church on the day of Pentecost at the temple where He placed His name so there would be absolutely no doubt that this was from God. Any other place in the world would not satisfy those who knew the truth of the Bible at that time.

Remember God came down on Mt. Sinai in the morning. Let's see what happened here on this Day of Pentecost and we will find that it was in the morning, Acts 2:1: "And when the Day of Pentecost, the fiftieth day, was being fulfilled... [present tense passive articular participle] ...they were all with one accord in the same place. And suddenly there came from heaven... [God the Father and Jesus Christ] ...a sound like the rushing of a powerful wind, and filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them divided tongues as of fire, and sat upon each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit; and they began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the words to proclaim" (vs 1-4)—intelligible language. There is a counterfeit speaking in tongues which the Pentecostals profess but that is not true. That is a counterfeit.

Notice there were many witnesses here, v 5: "Now, there were many Jews who were sojourning in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. And when word of this went out, the multitude came together and were confounded, because each one heard them speaking in his own language" (vs 5-6). They could understand what they were saying. Here we have two miracles:

• In their minds they were speaking in their own language
• What came out of their mouth were the different languages that God intended to come out of their mouths

I don't know if it came out in all the different languages from all the apostles or that some languages came from one and some languages came from another. We don't know, it doesn't tell us. But nevertheless, v 7: "And they were all amazed, and marveled, saying to one another..."

Why did they say this? Who was the most important person at the temple? The high priest! Then the other priests, what did they do on the Passover Day? What did Caiaphas the high priest do just before Passover? He prophesied that one should die for the nation! They were guilty of conspiring to kill Christ even though God intended it.

Let me just add a little bit so you will understand. A lot of people ask, 'Who killed Christ?' Those who hate the Jews say the Jews did. Let's look at it just a little bit differently here.

• The high priest represented not just the Jews, but all the religions of the world because the high priest had apostatized to Judaism, which is a religion of men.
• Pontus Pilate represented all the governments in the world because he was the representative of Rome, and Rome was one of the successors to Babylon.
• The people of the Jews who were out there said, 'Crucify Him, crucify Him,' represented all the people of the earth.

That's why the Jews did not kill Him, the sins of the whole world did: individuals, political leaders and religious leaders.

So it shows where they were from, v 9: "'Parthians... [that's where the twelve tribes of Israel were] ...and Medes... [twelve tribes] ...and Elamites, and those who inhabit Mesopotamia, and Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Both Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya which are near Cyrene, and the Romans who are sojourning here, both Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians; we hear them speaking in our own languages the great things of God" (vs 9-11). So they understand what was being said.

That's why they said, v 7: "…'Behold, are not all these who are speaking Galileans?'"

• Why isn't the high priest speaking?
• Why are not all the other priests speaking?
• Why are not the Levites speaking?

But here are the chosen ones that Jesus chose, His twelve apostles, and they were there doing this great and fantastic thing, obviously from God, coming from heaven, preaching to them about Jesus Christ raised from the dead. The giving of the Holy Spirit was the beginning of the Church on the Day of Pentecost.

Also, it was signaling the beginning of the end of the temple ritual. There was a 40-year overlap between the giving of the Holy Spirit and the destruction of the temple. They preached, they told them what happened, they told them about Christ. After they were mocked and said they were all drunk. If you're drunk at 9 o'clock in the morning you really got a problem.

Verse 14: "Then Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice and spoke out to them: 'Men, Jews, and all those of you who inhabit Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and pay attention to my words. For these are not drunken as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day" (vs 14-15). God came down on Mt. Sinai in the morning; God sent the Holy Spirit in the morning. Notice the parallels.

That's why when you go to the Old Testament and then you come to the New then you have to look for the fulfilling of the things in the Old Testament. But understand when things are fulfilled from the Old Testament that does not do away with it, that lifts everything to a higher standard. That's why it started out with the Spirit of God because now we are to keep the commandments of God through the grace of God, through the mercy of God, have them written in our hearts and in our minds—that's a higher standard.

Verse 16: "But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel... [Notice what he says because we'll tie this in with the book of Revelation.] ... '"And it shall come to pass in the last days," says God, "that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; and even upon My servants and upon My handmaids will I pour out My Spirit in those days, and they shall prophesy; and I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and vapors of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord"'" (vs 19-20).

Why give this prophecy here from Joel on the Day of Pentecost? There were things in type that happened. Did darkness cover the land when Jesus was on the cross? Yes! Were there signs in the sun and the moon? Yes! Was there an earthquake? Yes! But notice this is talking about the day of the Lord, not His first coming but His second coming.

Just a little background on the book of Revelation. The Apostle John was arrested and he was martyred by being thrown into a pot of boiling oil. Nothing touched him. They couldn't kill him. So what they did, because he was still alive and not burned, and at this time he was probably a very old man, somewhere in his middle 90s. They exiled him to the Isle of Patmos where he received the vision of the book of Revelation.

Rev. 2-3 are direct letters from Jesus Christ to the seven churches. Those churches existed at that time, but just everything else that God does in many other places, there are multiple meanings to the seven churches. It was the seven churches at that time. As God views His churches down through history they were also a prophetic projection of the Church from the time of John until the return of Christ. No other place in the Bible do you have that prophecy, only here in Rev. 2-3.

He was told to write to the seven churches. Since everything else from Rev. 4-6, everything else in the book of Revelation has to do with our time and was not to be understood as Daniel said until the time of the end. Imagine this, because when the book of Revelation was first sent out to the different churches they made the copies of it because in Ephesus they had what is called a Scriptorium. A Scriptorium is where they wrote down all the New Testament Scriptures in Koine Greek and sent them out to all the Churches.

Some of the Churches didn't receive very well the book of Revelation because they couldn't understand it. How, when you're in the area of Asia Minor, are you going to understand the 'whole world'? How are you going to understand every nations, tongues, and so forth? How are you going to understand a great worldwide government and financial system and religious system? You couldn't! So some of the churches refused to accept it for a while.

I imagine some of the said, 'Maybe John got a little bit touched after he came out of that boiling oil. Maybe it left him a little demented.' If you read it, if you put yourself in a mindset back in the first century, about 100A.D. and you start reading the book of Revelation, there's nothing there you can understand. I'm sure John didn't understand it. He was just told to write it.

How many churches do we have listed here? Seven churches! We're called firstfruits—correct? How many weeks do we have to Pentecost? Seven weeks! I'm going to leave it up to you to read about them. We have online a number of sermons about the seven churches, what they would go through.

But all these seven churches tell us exactly what the Churches of God would go through. From losing their first love to being martyred, to incorporating within the churches, the structure of the Nicolaitans and a hierarchical government, to listening to the prophetess Jezebel with false doctrine and even those in the depths of Satan. They had to be cut off. Then becoming very 'lackadaisical' and dead in the works. Then we have being faithful. Then at the end we have being lukewarm. That's a quick summary of Rev. 2 & 3, because we have a lot more ground to cover.

Matthew 13 shows us that the plan of God is like a harvest. Remember, the wheat harvest was seven weeks. I don't know if you saw it, but if you drove up from Los Angeles you came up Highway 5 there were barley fields that were just cut, time for the harvest. We have the parable of the sower. The disciples didn't understand why Jesus was speaking to the people in parables. Let's follow this through some of the other parables that we have.

Matthew 13:10: "And His disciples came to Him and asked, 'Why do You speak to them in parables?' And He answered and said to them, 'Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them it has not been given'" (vs 10-11)—very important to understand. Any knowledge that we have, any understanding that we have comes from God, from His Spirit. Not because we' re smart, not because we can figure out things on our own. This is why unconverted commentators of the Bible can get some things right, but other things they get utterly wrong. But 'to them it has not been given.'

Verse 12: "For whoever has understanding, to him more shall be given... [God will add the understanding.] ...and he shall have an abundance; but whoever does not have understanding, even what he has shall be taken away from him." This is what's happening in the Christian world today, out there in the world.

As you know, when I travel I always read a book. I finished off the book that's entitled Christianity After Religion by Diana Butler Bass. You heard me years ago tell you about the book Christianity Without God by Lloyd Geering. That's what gave the inspiration to me for Church at Home.

Look what's happening today even with the President with his enunciation concerning what churches can and cannot do and should and should not provide in health insurance. He's squeezing God out again and so now there's a big lawsuit going by the Roman Catholic Church. We'll let them do the lawsuits. It does infringe upon freedom of religion. In the long run that will protect us and give us more time. But nevertheless, you see this happen all the time. Whatever understanding they had, they lose.

Verse 13: "For this reason I speak to them in parables, because seeing, they see not; and hearing, they hear not; neither do they understand." They have the Bible. They bring it to church. Do they really believe it and understand it? No, they don't!

Verse 14: "And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which says, 'In hearing you shall hear, and in no way understand; and in seeing you shall see, and in no way perceive; for the heart of this people has grown fat, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and should hear with their ears, and should understand with their hearts, and should be converted, and I should heal them'" (vs 14-15). This is not describing someone going to sleep in front of a television set. But sometimes we have to do that.

Verse 16: "But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear." Brethren, I want you to understand what Jesus says next so that we really hold in value everything that God has taught us, everything that the Word of God has revealed to us. These things are revealed by the Spirit of God. That's why He gave His Spirit.

Verse 17: "For truly I say to you, many prophets and righteous men have desired to see what you see, and have not seen; and to hear what you hear, and have not heard. Therefore, hear the parable of the sower" (vs 17-18). The seed is the Word of God. Let's see what happens. There are quite a few categories of people who hear the Word of God.

• Many of them have Bibles in their homes
• Many of them go to church
• Many of them believe that God exists

Isn't it amazing that upwards of 85-90% of people believe that there is a God? But how many people act upon that belief? They don't! So, He explains it.

Verse 19: "When anyone hears the Word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the wicked one comes and snatches away that which was sown in his heart. This is the one who was sown by the way. Now, the one who was sown upon the rocky places is the one who hears the Word and immediately receives it with joy; but because he has no root in himself, he does not endure; for when tribulation or persecution arises because of the Word, he is quickly offended" (vs 19-21).

You ever had that? What happened to you the first time that you announced to your boss you were going to keep the Sabbath? What happened to you the first time that you announced to your family that you are no longer going to keep Christmas? They are offended!

Verse 22: "And the one who was sown among the thorns is the one who hears the Word, but the cares of this life and the deceitfulness of riches choke the Word, and it becomes unfruitful." Today you can say that's someone right in front of his computer trying to work the stock market and increase his riches and everything, and hopes that he can make a lot of money before it crashes.

Verse 23: "But the one who was sown on good ground, this is the one who hears the Word and understands..." If you just hear, you're listening, but if you hear and act upon it you understand. Let's understand something that goes along with this, too.

When you obey God, you understand! They go hand in hand. I've met people who have not kept the Sabbath, so I've given them the 'Four Sabbath Challenge,' which is this. You keep the Sabbath four Sabbaths in a row, and you get your Bible and you study every place where it talks about the Sabbath day. I'll come back and visit you in a month. Everyone understands the Sabbath when they obey! Just like the Holy Days. You understand the Holy Days when you obey! You understand the commandments of God when you obey! God gives you the strength through His Holy Spirit to do so.

Verse 23: "But the one who was sown on good ground, this is the one who hears the Word and understands, who indeed brings forth fruit... [What is the fruit that you produce? The fruits of the Spirit.] ...and produces—one a hundredfold, another sixtyfold and another thirtyfold."

We're in the fertile ground here, brethren, but let's understand something very, very important about fertile ground. Remember the parable of the tree that didn't bring forth any fruit and the landowner came to the keeper of the land and said, 'I've been coming here for three years and this tree hasn't produced any fruit. Cut it down and put in something else.'

The caretaker of the land said, 'Let me hoe it and dung it and if it produces fruit, let's keep it.' So he said to do that. This tells in this parable that we are to constantly grow and change and use the Spirit of God and use the Word of God that we become fruitful.

(go to the next track)

[sidebar]: Let's come down to v 33 and this answers the question about the two wave loaves of Lev. 23 with leaven. This tells us the good aspect of leaven. v 33: "Another parable He spoke to them: 'The kingdom of heaven is compared to leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour until all was leavened.'" Is the Kingdom of God sin? No! The Kingdom of God is righteousness! What this is showing is the hidden work of the Spirit changing us within.

Let's come back to the book of Revelation and let's tie in the Feast of Pentecost again with an event that will take place. Rev. 2 & 3 is a historical projection of the Churches of God. As God looks down on the earth, I believe that all seven of these churches are to be found in different groups. Then we come to Rev. 4 & 5 showing the throne of God, which I covered recently in a sermon.

Rev. 6 is the beginning of the end—not the beginning of the end-times, but the beginning of the end. We will see what happens here. Then we will see why Peter was inspired to quote Joel 2 on the Day of Pentecost.

Christ was the One Who was selected to open the seals. Revelation 6:1: "And I looked when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures say, like the sound of thunder, 'Come and see.' And I looked, and behold, there was a white horse; and the one who was sitting on it had a bow, and a crown was given to him; and he went out conquering, and to conquer" (vs 1-2).

A little sidebar right here: Some people believe this is Christ, the white horse. There is a white horse that Christ sits on, sure enough, described in Rev. 19, but this is Rev. 6. Who is the One Who opened the seal? Christ did! He opened the seal and out came the horse, so this is not Christ, but the antichrist.

Let me just give you a little preview from the book, Christianity After Religion, which is this: You may ask: How are all the religions of the world going to come together in a diversified unity into one religion? She gave me a clue to the answer. They are now believing that God is in every human being, naturally occurring. What does that tell you? 'Well, if we all look for the good in each other we can get along.' That'll work for a while, but it's not going to hold together. That's what the Buddhists believe. That's what the Hindus believe and I'm sure we're going to see a moderation of Islam. It'll be hard, but there will be. If the Protestants believe it and the Catholics believe it, then guess what? It's possible!

Since we're talking about the false prophet here, let me add just a little bit to it—speculation: I've got the Catholic The Prophecies of St. Malachy. I've had that book for years. If you're on the Internet you've heard of 'Petrus Romanus' Peter the Roman who is supposed to be the last pope. What if the pope that is there now dies and they elect another old man and he dies. The last pope died and the antichrist, who is really Christ, has not come. Because they say when the antichrist comes he's going to rule a thousand years and do away with idols. Who do you suppose that would be? Christ! Not the antichrist, because the antichrist is the mystery of iniquity. What a terrible thing to happen—a prophecy fail. But remember, a failed prophecy gives them an opportunity for new start.

They could say 'this is a sign from God and now we are going to reform the Catholic Church and we are going to embrace all religions.' Does that sound possible? I rang my bell, so if it doesn't happen you know I've discounted it in advance. But how is something like that going to change the Catholic Church dramatically?

Here's when the Tribulation begins. If you don't have the series on Daniel and Revelation, send in for it. That will explain everything step-by-step all the way through the book of Revelation connected with Daniel.

Verse 3: "And when He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, 'Come and see.' And another horse went out that was red; and power was given to the one sitting on it to take peace from the earth, and to cause them to kill one another; and a great sword was given to him" (vs 3-4).

This is when the king of the south pushes against the king of the north. When you look at prophecy there's a lot to happen before it gets to that point. Things in the Middle East are working toward that. Things in Europe are working toward that. But the way that they are in the condition they are in now it's going to be years off before it comes to fruition and ready to go.

Remember this, another truism. Every time we think a prophecy is ready to happen, if all the other things are not also ready to happen, it's not going to happen.

Then here follows very quickly, v 5: "And when He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, 'Come and see.' And I looked, and behold, there was a black horse; and the one sitting on it had a balance in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures say, 'A measure of wheat for a silver coin, and three measures of barley for a silver coin; and see that you do not damage the oil and the wine'" (vs 5-6).

Shortages will come quickly, just like that. So it's wise when difficulties come to have some things set aside. Because everyone's going to run to the supermarket and the supermarket will be wiped out. There are some other things I could bring up concerning that, especially for the United States that you need to think on. The United States has plans for several hundred cities to be 'free trade zones' and operated by other countries within the United States of America. In Idaho there is going to be a Chinese city moving in there.

What do you suppose could happen with that? Multiply that by 250, what do you have? Foreign armies on our soil, ready to act whenever the time comes to do so! They will be here. Not many people know that. When the Great Tribulation starts it's going to be something! It's going to be instant. Then quickly following that, and it will:

Verse 7: "And when He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, 'Come and see.' And I looked, and behold, there was a pale horse; and the name of the one sitting on it was Death, and the grave followed him; and authority was given to them over one fourth of the earth, to kill with the sword and with famine and with death and by the beasts of the earth" (vs 7-8).

When these things happen, they are going to be just one right after the other. Look at what's happening in the Middle East. They are saying right now that Egypt is on the verge of terrible things to happen, even including a shortage of food to such an extent that there may be famine. There's already famine in the Sudan. These things can come quickly. There can be famine in a land of plenty very quickly. Just cut off the supplies. How long will you last? Three days, five days, seven days, two weeks, three weeks, a month? How about other people who have nothing? Who is going to get the blame? All those who are true Christians are going to get the blame.

Verse 9: "And when He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the Word of God, and for the testimony that they held. And they cried out with a loud voice..." (vs 9-10). This is in vision to tell us a prophecy of future martyrdom. There are a lot of martyrs today who are martyrs of Jesus Christ but are not saints. There's a distinction made in Rev. 17, blood of the saints and blood of the martyrs of Jesus. They are being killed today.

"...And white robes were given to each of them; and they were told that they should rest a short time yet, until it be fulfilled that both their fellow servants and their brethren also would be killed, just as they had been. And when He opened the sixth seal..." (vs 10-12). Here is the signal event that Christ is going to reveal Himself to the world, and reveal Himself to the world in such a profound way that everyone is going to know. There's going to be no doubt. The world will label it as an invasion from outer space.

Stop and think for a minute. As my wife has said many times, Satan telegraphs what he's going to do by the movies and television. What do you see in the movies? Death and destruction and the end of the world! You see invasion of aliens—right? What was Independence Day? Invasion of aliens!

• God the Father and Jesus Christ and the angels of God, are they aliens? Yes!
• When we're resurrected, are we aliens? Yes!
• Did you know that most of the nations of the world have secret agreements to work together in case of alien invasions?

Are we living in the end time or no?

Here's how Christ is going to announce that He's returning, long before He puts His feet on the earth. There are other Scriptures in Hosea that we show in the Daniel and Revelation series that this takes place right at about two years into the Great Tribulation. Since it's two years into the Great Tribulation, how much time is left from three and a half years? A year and a half! Let's see how He announces it and let's see how it happens.

Verse 12: "And when He opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as the hair of sackcloth, and the moon became as blood." Very similar to what Peter said, 'Before the great and terrible day of the Lord...'—right? Yes!

Verse 13: "And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its untimely figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. Then the heaven departed like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place" (vs 13-14). Going to shake the earth. There are prophecies:

• Isa. 2—He's going to shake the earth
• Isa. 24—He's going to shake the earth
• Hag. 2—He's going to shake the heavens, the earth, the sea, the land

The whole world's going to know that this is happening.

Verse 15: "And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the powerful men, and every bondman, and every free man hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains; and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, 'Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him Who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb Because the great day of His wrath has come, and who has the power to stand?'" (vs 15-17).

How is the world going to see this? Matthew 24:21: "For then shall there be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until this time, nor ever shall be again.... [that is an awesome time, brethren] ...And if those days were not limited... [The King James and other versions say cut short. It's not cutting short. God predetermined three and half years for the Tribulation, limited it.] ...there would no flesh be saved; but for elect's sake those days shall be limited'" (vs 21-22).

Let's see what's going to happen here. When the heavens roll back, they're going to see what appears to be a new sun out there in the solar system. He said, 'Don't believe that I'm here on the earth' (vs 24-26).

Then He said, v 27: "For as the light of day, which comes forth from the east and shines as far as the west, so also shall the coming of the Son of man be." What shines from east to west? The sun! There's going appear like a new sun. The world is going to be startled. After a while they'll kind of get used to it because it's out there. Let's see how that's going to happen:

Verse 29: "But immediately after the tribulation of those days... [This is the Tribulation against Israel, not the whole three and a half years. This is the two years against Israel.] ...the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken…. [Isn't that what we just read in Rev. 6? Yes!] …And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven... [Which is what? Shines like the light of day (v 27).] ...and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming upon the clouds of heaven with power and great glory" (vs 29-30).

Here's the earth, all of these things have taken place. All of a sudden there's the sign of the Son of man in heaven. The earth has been shaken. They're going to have to start cleaning up right away, which they will do. If it happens after two full years of tribulation, what we find then is another Pentecost in Rev., because to come to Pentecost you have seven weeks plus one day. That's what Rev. 7 is all about.

Now here's the scene. Those of the Church who have gone to a place of safety went before the Tribulation began. How many few are there are there. Remember this, if you're planning on going, you won't get there. If you think you know where it is, you may be surprised. If you are not planning on going, but you're trusting in God with all your heart, mind, soul and being, an angel may come and take you there. We don't know who that will be.

But there have to some because the fifth seal is the martyrdom of the saints. You know that with all the modern technology that they have today they can get every last single one who does have the mark of the beast or who is not submissive to the beast system; they can find you. They can do it with the satellites. They can read your license plate from the satellites. They know where you are. Just think about all the things that are going to be transpiring.

Just a little sidebar here: How many have seen the new phone fund-transfer? Smartphone! Put a little clip in the top of it and you want to go buy something for someone who wants to sell something to you but doesn't have a store? He's got his Smartphone with a little clip on top of it and all you do is put in the amount agreed upon the sale and he opens up his cell phone to receive it. All you do is touch him and push a button and the funds are transferred.

All a preparation for what? The mark of the beast! This is why the martyrdom of the saints in the fifth seal becomes very important. Everyone who is not in a place of safety is going to be martyred. If there weren't those in the place of safety and they were all martyred, then what would happen to the Church that Jesus founded? It would have died out—right? Jesus said, 'The gates of the grave will never prevail against it.' So this is why the place of safety, so that that Word of Christ will never be broken.

We have a tremendous act of salvation by God unilaterally toward the twelve tribes of Israel and the great innumerable multitude. Could this be—and I think it is—the 50th-day harvest on Pentecost, next to the last Pentecost before the resurrection.

Revelation 7:1: "And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, so that the wind might not blow on the earth, or on the sea, or on any tree. Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God; and he cried out with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to damage the earth and the sea, saying, 'Do not damage the earth, or the sea, or the trees until we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.' And I heard the number of those who were sealed: one hundred forty-four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the children of Israel" (vs 1-4). These are the 144,000 from Israel. Where are they? They are in various places of captivity!

Who is the first to be saved according to the promise of prophecy? From the tribe of Judah! It says n that He will save the tents of Judah first (Zech. 12).

Verse 5: "From the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand were sealed; from the tribe of Reuben, twelve thousand were sealed; from the tribe of Gad..."—all the way down. What happens when they are in captivity? They see all these things take place. What happens to the children of Israel? They know the hand of God when it comes even though they've been sinners and sent off into captivity. The prophecy is in Lev. 26 that they would repent in the captivity that they were in.

Here's the fulfillment of it here. Other people in other nations are going to repent too. Because remember, God said to Jeremiah that 'if I had gone to any other nation, they would still have been faithful to Me.' So, they're going to repent.

Verse 9: "After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no one was able to number, out of every nation and tribe and people and language..." Do you think someone was there to tell them what the sacred names were? No! Sacred names are not needed for salvation. A converted heart is! The sacred names of the New Testament are Jesus the Christ and God the Father. We are in a family relationship with Them. Michael Heiss has some good sermons coming up, why sacred names are not needed. So have a lot in store coming.

What is their ultimate destiny? "...was standing before the throne and before the Lamb... [The resurrection hasn't happened yet so this is a projection to the resurrection when it will take place.] ...clothed with white robes and holding palms in their hands; And they were calling out with a loud voice to Him Who sits on the throne and to the Lamb, saying, 'The salvation of our God has come'" (vs 9-10).

Then the next thing to happen; if this happens on Pentecost—which I'm convinced that it will—that's the 50th-day harvest in prophecy. Rev. 8 talks about trumpets and trumpet plagues. What is the next Feast day after Pentecost? Trumpets! How long a time is it between Pentecost and Trumpets? About four and half months—correct?

What is the world going to do in the four and a half months? They're going to have to scrape everything together. They're going to have to clear off the roads. They're going to have to get things going again. Just when they think they have things up and going again—just think of the tsunami in Japan. Just when they got things up and going again what happened? They had another giant earthquake and they were scared to death that it was going to be a repeat.

But look at all the junk. Look at everything that that tsunami did. That's the way the world's going to be. So they're going to have to clear it out. It's going to take them the four and a half months to clear everything out. Now they're ready to begin fighting each other again. Only this time God is involved. Before it was Satan and the demons against men and other demons. Now it's the angels of God against Satan and the demons and men.

Revelation 8:1: "Now, when He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about a half hour. Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. And another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar; and much incense was given to him, so that he might offer it with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar that was before the throne" (vs 1-3). This is how your prayers come directly before God symbolically. When you pray Our Father, you are praying directly to Him through Christ. Everyone who are God's at that time are going to be praying everyday.

There won't be, 'Do I have time to pray today?' You're going to get up in the morning and be praying immediately. You'll be praying all through the day. You'll be praying before you go to bed at night. They'll be lots of prayers going up—

• the prayers of the 144,000
• the prayers of the great innumerable multitude
• the prayers of those who are the saints in the place of safety

This is going to be something going on right from the throne of God.

Verse 5: "And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire from the altar, and cast it into the earth; and there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings, and an earthquake. Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound their trumpets" (vs 5-6). So, they go 1-2-3-4, very quickly, one right after the other. If that weren't enough, then after the four have sounded their trumpets and the plagues of the angels come on the earth.

Verse 13: "And I looked; and I heard an angel flying in the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, 'Woe, woe, woe to those who are dwelling on the earth, because of the voices of the remaining trumpets of the three angels who are about to sound their trumpets.'"

Then we have the great war (Rev. 9), army of 200-million. Guess what the Chinese are building through Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and whatever other stan that there is. They are building a six-lane freeway. Alongside it they are building high-speed rail tracks. Alongside that they are putting oil pipelines to go back to China. When we leave Afghanistan, I wonder who is going to fill the vacuum? The Chinese have purchased almost all the mineral rights in Afghanistan for rare-earth minerals, for silver, for gold, and they have their mining companies building there now.

Don't you think they'll send some troops there to protect those? Besides, how are the armies of 200-million going to come from the Far East over to the Holy Land unless there's a highway. When this was written by John none of this could be understood. This could not be understood a hundred years ago. This could not be understood fifty years ago. Now we can see it happening. Now we see the things taking place. So, the trumpets sound—trumpet five and trumpet six.

Here we come to the next Pentecost. We're going to look at some Scriptures that say that we are going to be resurrected and changed at the last trumpet. What did we see that was blown on the day of Pentecost at Mt. Sinai? A trumpet! The Feast of Trumpets, if you blow trumpets all day long, think of this. When is the last trumpet blown? Right as the day ends! So, how could the resurrection be on Trumpets when the day is ended? You need to think of the logistics involved of it.

Revelation 11:15: "Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet... [The last trumpet. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7—correct? We hear of no more trumpets.] ...and there were great voices in heaven, saying, 'The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign into the ages of eternity.' And the twenty-four elders who sit before God on their thrones, fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, 'We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, Who is, and Who was, and Who is to come; for You have taken to Yourself Your great power, and have reigned. For the nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, and the time for the dead to be judged, and to give reward to Your servants the prophets, and to the saints, and to all those who fear Your name, the small and the great; and to destroy those who destroy the earth'" (vs 15-18). That's the resurrection!

Let's look at some things concerning the resurrection. Jesus talks about the resurrection. This is after the sign of the Son of man. So here's what He does. I don't know exactly how this is going to happen, so let me ring my cowbell again (speculation): We can have some thoughts on it. which may be good, which are these:

Is the resurrection going to take place beginning in the morning on the Day of Pentecost when it comes? Because the way the Calculated Hebrew Calendar is, it is calculated 90-degrees to the east, which includes New Zealand at the beginning of the next day. Is that when the resurrection is going to start right there? Then it will occur at 9 o'clock going all the way around, the twenty-four hour time zones of the earth? I don't know! Could very well be. Is it something that the people of the world will see? Could very well happen that they could see it!

Matthew 24:31: "And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet... [the seventh trumpet] ...and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." That's looking down at the earth because they're raised and then where do we go? You know that down through the ages all Christians who were faithful are in the grave. I think a lot of them were expecting Christ to return in their lifetime. Yes, indeed! All of us thought that we would be in the Kingdom of God by well over 25-30 years now.

So Paul writes, 1-Thessalonians 4:13: "But I do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep... [that's how God looks at death] ...that you be not grieved, even as others, who have no hope.... [we have the hope of the resurrection] ...For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, in exactly the same way also, those who have fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with Him" (vs 13-14).

The Protestants stop right there and say, 'See, you go to heaven.' They don't ask the question, how do they get with Jesus if they are in the grave and souls don't go to heaven. How do they get with Him so He can bring them? The verses that follow tell us. So, the answer comes:

Verse 15: "For this we say to you by the Word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall in no wise precede those who have fallen asleep, because the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first" (vs 15-16). Rise to where? The angels are going to take them. Where are they going to go?

Verse 17: "Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds for the meeting with the Lord in the air; and so shall we always be with the Lord." Where will that be? Are we just going to walk on clouds?

We're going to see something else that also affirms what we have covered already. At the last trump, the seventh trump, based on the same thing that Paul wrote; that there is a resurrection because Jesus rose from the dead! No one has produced a body. Don't you think that if the Jews could have produced a body they would have done it? Yes, indeed! He rose from the dead.

1-Corinthians 15:35: "Nevertheless, someone will say, 'How are the dead raised?'" Good question!

• What happens if you're burned?
• Anything left?
• You think it's going to be the same bones that you have now? How does that happen?
• What is God going to do?
• How about all of those that everything about their life has been just totally disintegrated in the ground and there is nothing left?
• How is God going to raise them back?

All the answers are in the Bible!

Hebrews 12:18: "For you have not come to the mount that could be touched... [Mt. Sinai, Day of Pentecost] ...and that burned with fire, nor to gloominess, and fearful darkness, and the whirlwind; And to the sound of the trumpet, and to the voice of the words, which those who heard, begged that the word not be spoken directly to them. (For they could not endure what was being commanded: 'And if even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned, or shot through with an arrow'; And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, 'I am greatly afraid and trembling.') But you have come to Mount Sion..." (vs 18-22)—in heaven above. When we pray that's where our prayers go. When we're resurrected, that's where we will go.

"...and to the city of the living God... [that's when New Jerusalem comes to the earth later] ...heavenly Jerusalem; and to an innumerable company of angels; to the joyous festival gathering... [Day of Pentecost] ...and to the Church of the firstborn, registered in the book of life in heaven... [that's where our names are written now] ...and to God, the Judge of all; and to the spirits of the just who have been perfected; and to Jesus, the Mediator of the New Covenant; and to sprinkling of the blood of ratification, proclaiming superior things than that of Abel" (vs 22-24).

Let's focus on the spirits of the just who have been perfected. Remember when Jesus died, what did He say, the last thing He said: 'Father, into Your hands I commend My Spirit.' Every human being has a spirit of man within him or her. When we receive the Holy Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit of God unites with the spirit of man and we begin to develop the mind of Christ. We begin at that point to be the begotten sons and daughters of God the Father. He has given this to us because He has loved us and He has called us.

When we die the spirit combined with the Spirit that God gave us—which is the earnest of the redemption—goes back to God. 'The spirits of just men who have been perfected.' The spirit taken out of the body, James says, 'without the spirit the body is dead.' That's what gives life. Likewise spiritually speaking, when you die and your spirit goes back to God, there is no body, there is no thought, there is no action. It is stored.

I've got in my hand what I use to record the messages on. It is a digital chip. Without the machine or a speaker, this can't work. So, 'the spirits of just men made perfect' must have a spirit body to which the perfected spirit is put into at the resurrection. That's what happens at the resurrection. God has the Spirit. He resurrects you and here you are a spirit being. God is going to do it. Let's see what happens.

1-Corinthians 15:35: "How are the dead raised? And with what body do they come?' Fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And what you sow is not the body that shall be; rather, it is bare grain—it may be of wheat, or one of the other grains; and God gives it a body according to His will, and to each of the seeds its own body" (vs 35-38).

Just like a seed. You can store seeds for years and years. They found wheat seeds in the pyramids of the tombs in Egypt and there was wheat. They planted it and it grew. So there it was laying dormant 4,000 years. Give it water, very similar to receiving the Spirit, comes back to life. That's how God is going to do it.

Verse 39: "Likewise, not all flesh is the same flesh. Rather, there is one flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another of fish, and another of birds. And there are heavenly bodies, and earthly bodies; but the glory of the heavenly is different, and the glory of the earthly is different. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory" (vs 39-41). Jesus said we will shine as the sun. Daniel said we will be raised out of the grave and 'we will shine like the stars of heaven forever.'

Verse 42: "So, also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption." I've done this many times before, so we'll do it again. Then your pen, take a piece of paper and make one dot. That's you when you were conceived. Look at you now. Most of us would rather not.

Just like you could not tell an infant in the womb or a child who has been born and growing up, 'When you become as God.' We're going to be born into His Family. We're going to be His sons and daughters. We will have the same glory as Christ. We're going to share the inheritance of Christ or rather He's going to share that with us. The glory and magnificence that God has for us is so great, as great as looking at that dot and comprehending that from that dot came you and came me and every other human being that has been born into this world all according to the plan of God and the procreation that He put in human beings. So likewise, you compare that to being a spirit being. What's it going to be like? Let's read a little more here, we'll find out.

Verse 43: "It is sown in dishonor... [Isn't that true? Yes!] ...it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body" (vs 43-44). What is that going to be like? I'm convinced all of who are fat are not going to carry our fat into the resurrection. That will be the greatest weight-loss exercise ever.

Verse 44: "There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body; accordingly, it is written, 'The first man, Adam, became a living soul... [We're after Adam—correct? Yes!] ...the last Adam became an every-living Spirit.' However, the spiritual was not first, but the natural—then the spiritual. The first man is of the earth—made of dust. The second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the one made of dust, so also are all those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly one, so also are all those who are heavenly" (vs 44-48).

Notice the guarantee. Don't ever doubt that if you're faithful to the end that you won't be raised. You will be raised! You have a permanent guarantee. We'll see what that is right here.

Verse 49: "And as we have borne the image of the one made of dust... [That's your body—right? That's you now. You're made of dust. You have a body, you have a mind? Yes, sure do!] ...we shall also bear the image of the heavenly one. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I show you a mystery: we shall not all fall asleep, but we shall all be changed, In an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must be on incorruptibility, and this mortal must put on immortality. Now, when this corruptible shall have put on incorruptibility, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: 'Death is swallowed up in victory.' O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?" (vs 49-55).

That describes the resurrection. The angels are going to take us and we're going to meet Christ in the air. Here's what's going to happen. We will see a description of the resurrection here, likened to a harvest.

Revelation 14:14: "And I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and one like the Son of man sitting on the cloud, having a golden crown on His head; and in His hand was a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him Who was sitting on the cloud, 'Thrust in your sickle and reap, because the time has come for You to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.' And He Who was sitting on the cloud thrust forth His sickle upon the earth, and the earth was reaped" (vs 14-16). That's the harvest of the righteous. Remember, we talked about the sign of the Son of man as another sun in the heavens. That's how it will appear.
Just before it comes time for the resurrection to take place on this last Pentecost, that sun is probably going to start coming toward the earth very quickly. The whole world is going to think, 'The world is going to be blown up. Here comes that sun.' Then it's going to come into the clouds and I think it's going into a great sea of glass. That glass is going to be in the clouds and that's where the angels are going to take us to this great sea of glass.

Revelation 15:2: "And I saw a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, standing on the Sea of Glass, having the lyres of God…. [Those are stringed instruments] …And they were singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, 'Great and awesome are Your works, Lord God Almighty; righteous and true are Your ways, King of the saints" (vs 2-3). While we're on the Sea of Glass

• we're all going to receive a new name
• we're going to see Jesus Christ and God the Father.
• I think God the Father is going to perform the wedding ceremony for Christ and the bride
• we're all going to receive our rewards
• we're all going to receive our assignments—kings and priests and those over cities, etc
• the marriage supper of the Lamb is going to take place

The seven last plagues are poured out and then we return to the earth. We'll pick it up on Trumpets and carry the time from this last Pentecost through the seven last plagues and then we come back to the earth on Trumpets. Christ and the saints will take over the world!

Scriptural References:

• Leviticus 23:10-11, 15-21
• Deuteronomy 16:16-17
• James 1:1, 17-18
• Acts 2:1-7, 9-11, 7, 14-20
• Matthew 13:10-23, 33
• Revelation 6:1-17
• Matthew 24:21-22, 27, 29-30
• Revelation 7:1-5, 9-10
• Revelation 8:1-3, 5-6, 13
• Revelation 11:15-18
• Matthew 24:31
• 1-Thessalonians 4:13-17
• 1-Corinthians 15:35
• Hebrews 12:18-24
• 1-Corinthians 15:35-55
• Revelation 14:14-16
• Revelation 15:2-3

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• Revelation 2; 3
• Ephesians 2
• Revelation 1-5
• Joel 2
• Revelation 19;17
• Isaiah 2; 24
• Haggai 2
• Matthew 24:24-26
• Zechariah 12
• Leviticus 26

Also referenced:

Sermon Series: Daniel and Revelation
Books:

• The Appointed Times of Jesus the Messiah by Fred R. Coulter
• Christianity After Religion by Diana Butler Bass
• Christianity Without God by Lloyd Geering
• The Prophecies of St. Malachy

FRC:lp
Transcribed: 6-10-12
Formatted: bo—6-11-12

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