The Perfect Gifts of God

Time just keeps rolling on it seems, and the Feast days come up upon us real quickly, and especially this year because it seems as though with the year being earlier than it was last year, it just seems to come so much more quicker.

I hope that you're going to have a good Feast of Pentecost wherever you are, and today we're going to cover the meaning of the Feast of Pentecost and to understand the things that we need to concerning it.

We know that God tells us to take up an offering on the Holy Days, so we take up offerings. It says there in

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, and in the Feast of Weeks, and in the Feast of Tabernacles. 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 you give any offering of any kind, you need to consider the blessings that God has given you. Consider

• the spiritual blessings
• the physical blessings
• some of the trials that you have gone through and count those also as blessings

because God uses these to:

• help develop your character
• help develop more of the mind of Christ
• understand what God wants you to understand

Because we learn through the things that we go through!

It's very interesting, and in reading about the life of William Tyndale, and reading his writings, he says that God gives trials to those who are His best friends. He says consider what Christ went through.

What I want you to do in considering you blessings, I want you to look at all of your blessings. Just don't look at the blessings that you consider that are good. Because we have learned over a period of time that even those lessons of trials that come along, that when we are in the midst of a trial, it does not seem like it's pleasant, but afterwards it yields the peaceable fruits of righteousness. Then afterwards it gives us the understanding that God wants us to have.

So, consider that too when you consider according to the blessings that your Lord and your God has given you.

Since Pentecost is a harvest feast, let's see what God has done with the Feast days. The reason that we have the Feast days every year, and the Sabbath every week, is because as human beings IF we don't go over these things and learn them, and add to them every year, and come before God, and come before His presence on the day that He says to be there, which is His appointed time, THEN the lesson is this: spiritual things do not stay in a physical mind!

You have to have the Spirit of God, and you have to have it renewed, and you have to have it stirred up, and it has to be constantly fed so that:

• you grow in grace
• you grow in knowledge
• you grow in the mind of Christ

To go over these Scriptures, even some of them that we cover every year, it's important for us to realize the true and inspired meaning of what we have according to the Scriptures.

2-Corinthians 9:6: "But this I say: the one who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly…"

• that is an absolute truism
• that is something you need to consider
• you need to consider some of the things that you do are sowing:
• for blessings
• for reaping of the things that God has for you
• to understand that if you are a curmudgeon with God

Then God will be a curmudgeon to you, because God will judge everyone of us according to our attitude toward Him.

That's why Paul wrote this; where on the other hand:

"…and the one who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully" (v 6).

This is very important to understand in relationship to the talents that God gives us.

I'll just call your mind to the ones who were given the five talents, the two talents, and the one talent. When it was all said and done, the one who had the five increased to five. The one who had the two increased to two. The one who had one went and hid it because he:

• was a curmudgeon
• was lazy
• he didn't want to apply himself
• he didn't want to ask for God's blessing
• he was critical and accused God of being a harsh taskmaster

When you accuse God of being that, He definitely is going to be!

The one who had the one talent, that was taken from him, and he was cast into the Lake of Fire, and the one talent was given to the one who had ten. Every one said, 'Lord, he has ten.' Well, God gave it to him because he wants it to increase and produce. The one who increased and produced the more, it was given to him. That's why it says, "…and the one who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully."

Verse 7: "Each one as he purposes in his heart..."

Though God commands it, God desires your free will in it! God also desires that you purpose to do so. Not something that's kind of a last minute thing that's thrown together at the last second.

"…so let him give, but not grudgingly or by compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver" (v 7).

Notice this, here's a promise. Tie this in with Mal. 3 about the blessings that God will give you.

Verse 8: "For God is able to make all grace abound toward you so that in every way you may always have sufficiency in all things, and may abound unto every good work."

The final analysis of all of this is kind of like a sphere. It all fits together. It's all part of what God wants. It's all part of the character that we develop as firstfruits to God.

This is really a tremendously important thing to understand, especially when we are living in the land of plenty, and the home of the free and the brave, and while we still have time to work, to work, because we need to understand the darkness is coming and no man will be able to work, as Christ said! So, we need to understand that and realize it.

(pause for the offering)

Yesterday we thoroughly went through and saw how to count to Pentecost, so I'm not going to go back over it again, except to say that #8 is always associated with the resurrection. We know with the Feast of Tabernacles that we have seven days, and then the eighth day, which pictures the second resurrection, for the resurrection of all of those who never had an opportunity for salvation and have not committed the unpardonable sin.

Also, we saw—as I mentioned during the Feast of Unleavened Bread—Jesus was selected as the Lamb of God on the 10th of Nisan, and He was raised from the dead on the 17th, with inclusive counting is 8 days. From Sabbath to Sabbath inclusive counting is always 8 days. So again, #8 is associated with the resurrection.

When we come to Pentecost we count 7 weeks plus 1 day, which is the 50th day. And that 50th day is the 8th day of the 7th week. Again, we will see that this applies.

Let's understand something concerning that this is a Holy convocation. Let's see all of God's instruction for that:

Leviticus 23:15: "And you shall count to you beginning with the next day after the Sabbath… [that means beginning with the morrow after the Sabbath] …beginning with the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven Sabbaths shall be complete. Even unto the day after the seventh Sabbath you shall number fifty days…" (vs 15-16).

How on earth anyone can get 51 out of that is an amazing thing to me. But you know, there are some people who just cling to the idolatry of their pet doctrine, that they are unwilling to yield to the Word of God.

"…And you shall offer a new grain offering to the LORD" (v 16).

This offering is from the wheat, whereas the Wave Sheaf Offering was from the barley, which first ripens in the spring. Now we're getting later in the spring and close toward summer, not quite the summer, and now is the beginning of the wheat harvest. Here is the new meal offering, or the offering made from flour. It says 'meat' in the King James, and that is a very misleading term.

Verse 17: "You shall bring out of your homes…"

Everyone was to do this who came to the temple. I don't know if they did this in the synagogues where they were, but at least all of those who went to the temple did.

"…two wave loaves of two tenth parts. They shall be of fine flour.…" (v 17). It's interesting how God gives specific instructions.

"…They shall be baked with leaven; they are the firstfruits to the LORD" (v 17).

This is unusual, especially coming from the Feast of Unleavened Bread, because the Feast of Unleavened Bread says you shall not have any leaven seen with you all during the days of Unleavened Bread. Here He specifically says, 'What I want you to do is to make it out of leaven.' There's a special reason for it. The only other offering that had leaven in it for the meal offering was the peace offering, which accompanied the offering of the sacrifice of the animals. They are firstfruits unto the LORD. In other words, they are accepted as firstfruits unto the LORD.

Now, we come back up here to v 10 and it talks about Jesus Christ, Who is the First of the firstfruits, the Premiere Wave Sheaf, or the Wave Sheaf Offering. From Christ being resurrected and accepted by God the Father, down to the first resurrection—which is called a harvest—we are going to see that it is one continuous thing. There is no interruption between it. All the days are counted, all the of weeks are counted, and then we come down to the 50th day. We are going to see why the first resurrection cannot be on Trumpets.

I'll just state right here, the #1 prime reason that it cannot be on Trumpets is because Trumpets is not a harvest Feast! That's what's important to understand. I realize that in the past that was taught. I realize that it was a mistake made because of two things:

• we didn't keep Pentecost on the right day; we kept it on a Monday instead of on the 1st day of the week as the Bible properly shows how we need to count
• because it was a concordance study where Trumpets is; here's a trumpet, there's another trumpet, there's another trumpet like the seven trumpets in the book of Revelation

Obviously, the resurrection—because there is the trumpet sound associated with the resurrection—it has to be on the Feast of Trumpets. The Feast of Trumpets is discounted because there is a break after Pentecost until you get to Trumpets, which that break is not there between the Wave Sheaf Offering Day that begins the count to Pentecost, then Pentecost. So, those 50 days are tied together, and we'll see the symbolic meaning of that.

Then it tells all about the animal offerings they were to bring, and the sin offerings that they were to bring.

Verse 21: "And you shall proclaim on the same 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…. [then He gives something else] …And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not completely reap the corners of your field. And the gleaning of your harvest you shall not gather. But you shall leave them for the poor and for the stranger. I am the LORD your God" (vs 21-22).

Showing that not only are we to be generous to God, but we are not to be curmudgeons toward others, and this verse here really is a verse of:

• love toward your neighbor
• love toward the stranger
• love toward the one who is poor

That you leave something for them!

They are not going for a handout. They have a right to come into the field and to glean the corners, and to harvest the things that were there. God gave that to them so that they always had the dignity that they had to do something to get it, and they didn't have to go beg, and they didn't have to go on welfare.

Now let's see how God talks about the firstfruits, and talks about the offering that we are to bring. After all, we need to understand that we are firstfruits, and God wants the firstfruit harvest on time. It belongs to Him. Therefore, we find the principle here in:

Exodus 22:29: "You shall not delay to offer the first of your ripe fruits and of your vintage. You shall give the firstborn of your sons to Me. Likewise you shall do with your oxen and with your sheep; it shall be with its dam seven days. On the eighth day you shall give it… [the firstborn] …to Me" (vs 29-30).

So, we find the firstborn and firstfruits always interrelated in the things that we find in God's commandments here.

The firstfruits are very important to God. Let's see this again, where after the children of Israel rebelled and built themselves the golden calves and had their orgy, worshipping the golden calves, then God re-gives the Law, rewrites the ten commandments, and here are part of His instructions again.

What you find is that the same instructions at one time. You find the same instructions at another time. You come to the book of Deuteronomy and you find the same or very similar instructions at that time, which tells us then that God intends us to keep the Holy Days. That these things are important for us to know, understand and realize, and they're important to God. There are things from which we can learn spiritual lessons.

Exodus 34:22: "And you shall observe the Feast of Weeks, of the firstfruits of wheat harvest…"

So, we begin with the barley harvest. Then down through the seven weeks that barley harvest is completed. By the time we come to the Feast of Pentecost, then the wheat harvest is beginning. When we have those two-tenth deals made into loaves, then we are talking about wheat. The leaven has a special meaning.

Remember what we covered yesterday concerning the battle of Jericho, and the fall of the walls, and everything that was involved with that?

Remember what God said—and this has relationship also to the fact that it is Holy, even though it was contaminated and polluted by pagan hands of the Canaanites. We saw that it's not possible that for grain that was planted by a Canaanite could pollute the grain which grew, because the grain that is planted is not the grain that is harvested. So, there is no way that can be contaminated. God gave them the harvest, so it was their harvest.

God said that 'when you come into the land and harvest it's harvest,' rather than one that you plant by hand, after that first harvest, which the Canaanites planted for them, they harvested their own.

Remember the instruction that God gave to Joshua, that all of the gold and the silver in Jericho was Holy to Him. What happened was that Achan decided he would take some for himself. What happened? He caused all of Israel then in the next battle to be defeated. Joshua came moaning and groaning to God. God said,

Why are you moaning and groaning to Me? You search out who took that which I said was Holy.

If it's Holy to God then it's His! Then they went through the Urim and Thummim and found out that it was Achan and his family. What did God do with them? They were history!

Prov. 3:5—this is very important; this is again, an overall principle, and let's apply this to everything we're learning on Pentecost.

Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart…"

That's the whole key of everything that we do. If you do that, that means that:

• you're going to love God and love Jesus Christ
• you're going to love the brethren
• you're going to love your neighbor as yourself
• you're going to do the things that God wants you to do.

If you "…lean not to your own understanding" (v 5). As it says:

• God will lead you
• God will bless you
• God will guide you

Verse 6: "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."

Tie that in with Col. 3, which says do everything, whether in word or in deed, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's acknowledging God in all your ways.

Verse 7: "Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and depart from evil. It shall be health to your navel and marrow to your bones. Honor the LORD with your substance and with the firstfruits of all your increase; and your barns shall be filled with plenty, and your presses shall burst with new wine" (vs. 7-10). That is to be a blessing in the physical sense!

Now then, let's apply this to the Church, which is the Church of the Firstborn, or the firstfruits of God. We are going to be this to the whole world after the resurrection and the Kingdom of God being on the earth. We are going to be the firstfruits, which will help the whole world increase, improve and have the knowledge of God. That makes it very profound and important for us to understand.

Let's understand something her concerning the Feasts of God, that Pentecost is a harvest Feast. Now first of all we read all the instructions there concerning Pentecost. Let's see the command:

Leviticus 23:24: "'Speak to the children of Israel saying, 'In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, you shall have a Sabbath, a memorial of blowing of ram's horns… [not a single trumpet, but many] …a Holy convocation.'"

It says nothing about 'in remembrance of' any harvest. But what this is, this shows us that it is a Feast of war when Christ returns to put down all rule. That's important for us to understand. That's a great distinction. But here's where the confusion comes.

Let's understand something that many people do not really realize. Num. 10 talks about the blowing of the trumpet, making of the trumpets, two trumpets of silver. They were to be for:

• the calling of assembly
• for the journey
• for the assembling of the princes

God gives them the signals and how many times they would blow!

• for spies
• for the alarm of war

Blow the alarm the second time! Then it tells when the camps are to move, when all of Israel is to be gathered together.

The sons of Israel shall blow them throughout their generations. If you go to war then you are to take them and blow them, and to have them go before the Ark. That's what they did in Jericho:

Numbers 10:9: "And if you go to war in your land against the enemy who attacks you, then you shall blow with the silver trumpets. And you shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies."

Remember the account of Eli's sons: Hophni and Phinehas. They went out to battle against the Philistines. Because they were corrupt, and they were sinful, God was not giving them the victory in the battle. So, they said,

We know what we're going to do. We're going to go back and bring the Ark of God, and God is going to have to fight the battle and win the battle for us because His Ark is here.

So what happened? They both died. The Philistines took the Ark of God, and they had it for seven months. Woe be unto them, they had it. Remember what happened to them. Then the news came back and told Eli, and he was so stunned at what happened, that the ark had been taken and the battle had been lost, that he fell over backwards and died. So, true to the prophecy that God gave to Eli, all three of them died the same day.

Now let's continue on here and let's see how was the trumpet is to be used besides war.

Verse 10: "Also in the day of your gladness… [when you have a special celebration to thank God] …and in your appointed Feasts… [meaning all the Holy Days and on the Sabbath] …and in the beginnings of your months, you shall blow with the silver trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings, so that they may be to you for a memorial before your GOD. I am the LORD your God."

There is a specific reason why the trumpet is blown. But remember, it's blown

• on the Sabbath
• over every offering
• on the first day of Unleavened Bread
• on the last day of Unleavened Bread
• on Pentecost
• on the Feast of Trumpets the trumpets are blown with many, many trumpets as a memorial of it, all day long
• on the Day of Atonement
• on the 1st day of the Feast of Tabernacles
• on the 8th day or the Last Great Day

As well as going down through all the months.

That's why we need to understand that also on Pentecost a trumpet is sounded. We will see the relationship of that concerning the first resurrection a little bit later when we get into the New Testament.

Let's come to John 4, and let's understand something really important concerning the time coming up to the Feast of Pentecost.

Remember, Jesus came up to the temple and suddenly appeared, according to the prophecy of Mal. 3. We find that recorded in John 2, where He cleansed the temple, stayed there for the Feast of Unleavened Bread, did many miracles. Then He did the conversation with Nicodemus concerning being born again. Then He came on down to Samaria and stopped at the well at Samaria, talked to the woman, told her about eternal life (John 4). Then the disciples came back and they wondered who gave Him anything to eat.

They brought something back for Him to eat, John 4:31: "But in the meantime, the disciples were urging Him, saying, 'Rabbi, eat.' And He said to them, 'I have meat to eat that you are not aware of.' Then the disciples said to one another, 'Did anyone bring Him something to eat?' Jesus said to them, 'My meat is to do the will of Him Who sent Me, and to finish His work" (vs 31-34).

Now there is a big goal for all of us. That needs to be our goal. That needs to be our whole purpose in life. Why we eat, why we breathe, why we do what we do, and that's what Christ was saying here.

Verse 35: "Do not say that there are yet four months, and then the harvest comes…"

This has to be just right around the time of the Feast of Pentecost. In the four months He is referring to the harvest as pictured by the Feast of Tabernacles. All of the things that are harvested in the fall. He's saying:

Verse 35: "Do not say that there are yet four months, and then the harvest comes. I say to you, look around. Lift up your eyes and see the fields…" (v 35).

What are you going to see? You are going to see the fields of wheat, which are ready to be harvested for Pentecost.

"…for they are already ripe to harvest" (v 35).

This again is showing how Pentecost is involved in harvesting. No other Feast is involved in that. We will see from the New Testament how that the Church is the harvest. We'll see that whole parable here in just a little bit.

Verse 36: "And the one who reaps receives a reward, and gathers fruit unto eternal life; so that the one who is sowing and the one who is reaping may both rejoice together." The way they rejoice is they are resurrected together!

Verse 37: "For in this the saying is true, that one sows and another reaps. I sent you to reap that in which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labor" (vs 37-38). How's that?

• by the Law
• by the Prophets
• by the Psalms
• by John the Baptist preparing the way
• by the work that God was doing in the land of Judea and Galilee to prepare the way for Christ

It was all ready for them!

That's why they had to go out and preach the Kingdom of God is at hand. Then we will see on the Day of Pentecost God gave the Holy Spirit to give them the power to do that, and to accomplish what God wanted them to do.

We're going to see that the whole work of Christ leading to the resurrection is likened unto a harvest! That the harvest is that which once the seed is planted, we are responsible for how it grows.

Of course, one thing that is important, once we receive the Holy Spirit as a begettal from God the Father, His seed remains in us, and we are to grow in grace and knowledge, and we are to prepare for he harvest that God is going to do, which will be the harvest of the firstfruits. We're going to see we are called the Church of the Firstborn, and we are firstfruits unto God. That's important for us to realize.

Matt. 13—just explaining the parable, and let's understand what Jesus is telling us. One of the things we need to do, and why we have Pentecost is so that we always focus on the goal of attaining the resurrection of the dead. This is such a tremendous and important thing to receive the begettal of eternal life, which is pictured by the receiving of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. Now then, with that God also does something that He does not give to the rest of the world, and He wants us to realize that He has given us heavenly knowledge, spiritual knowledge, which other people cannot receive because they don't have the Spirit of God! Neither can they understand because they are so busy with their own things!

This is why, then, when we come to the book of Revelation and it gives the account there of the Laodiceans. They have clouded the vision that God has given them here. They do not count as much as they should, how great the blessing is, and hold it in high esteem to be called to the first resurrection. That's why they are 'naked and poor and blind.'

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).

So you have special knowledge that other people in the world do not have. You have special understanding that God has given through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Verse 12: "For whoever has understanding, to him more shall be given… [God is going to give you more] …and he shall have an abundance, but whoever does not have understanding, even what he has shall be taken away from him."

Let's just stop here for just a second and understand that that is exactly what is happening to Protestantism today. We have seen that is exactly what happened to Judaism because they rejected Christ, and so when we go down through the whole history of the world we see that this is a living principle, and it's going to be taken or it's going to be given because Christ is the One Who gives and takes.

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. 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 13-15).

That's why God is not calling everyone. That's why God the Father has to intervene and draw those that He calls, grant them repentance, lead them to the acceptance of Christ as the sacrifice for their sins, and baptism and laying on of hands, and the Holy Spirit. God knows what He's doing!

He has given the world over to blindness. He has given them over to their own ways. That's why He doesn't want us going back into the world, because you walk back into the darkness, and the blindness, and that's the problem with the Laodiceans. They have one foot in the world, and they have one foot in the Church. They have enough religion that they are acceptable to the world, and enough religion that if trouble comes that they feel they can run to God.

 But we need to understand the words of God. We've seen this happen, too, in our lifetime. The things that destroyed the Worldwide Church of God was internal corruption:

• lying
• cheating
• stealing

False doctrine was the penalty that came upon them, and they closed their eyes and their ears to the Word of God, and opened them to false doctrines and became a part of the world!

Verse 16: "But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. For truly I say to you, many prophets and righteous men have desired to see what you see … [as we saw recently concerning the book of Daniel and the prophecies he didn't know] …and have not seen; and to hear what you hear, and have not heard" (vs 16-17).

Imagine what it would be if you could hear Jesus Christ in person. Not just read the words that have been inspired to be preserved for us for the Word of God to lead us to salvation. But you could hear Christ in person. What a fantastic thing that would be. Well, all the population there heard Him. Healed thousands and thousands, and all of those things, and how many did they end up with on the Day of Pentecost? 120! So, it's quite a thing!

God holds it. Once you receive the Word, you're going to be responsible, even though there are outside influences that come along to affect you. Let's look at those influences that affect people, and where they make the wrong choices.

Verse 18: "Therefore hear the parable of the sower."

We're talking about seed, we're talking about sowing, and we're going to see it talks about a harvest, in a little bit.

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."

Satan the devil is able to come along and take away from you, and if you yield to him he'll just suck it all out like a leach.

Verse 20: "Now, the one who was sown upon the rocky places is the one who hears the Word and immediately receives it with joy."

I remember a man that worked for me as a loan officer, and he thought, 'Oh, this is great. This is the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to me. Boy, this is marvelous.' Well, he fulfilled:

Verse 21: "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. 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. But the one who was sown on good ground, this is the one who hears the Word and understands, who indeed brings forth fruit…" (vs 21-23). That's what God wants us to do!

Every Feast of Pentecost we are reminded that God has planted in us that which He wants to grow and to be harvested as the fruit of God. The firstfruits of God in being in the Church of the Firstborn. God wants to come and reap a harvest from you.

• What will your harvest be?
• How will your harvest be?
• Will it be with joy?
• Will it be with happiness?
• Will it be with abundance?
• Will it be like the one who had the one talent and went and hid it?

Those are all the choices that God gives us. That's why, in order to produce the fruit, this is the one who hears and produces fruit 100-fold, another 60-fold, and another 30-fold. We need to ask the question: How much are we producing?

Let's also put another factor into this equation. Many times when trials are upon us and we draw close to God, that's when we develop the most spiritual character, which is fine. That's absolutely true and needed, and there is nothing wrong with that. That will also produce fruit. But let's understand something else: that when you have things planted in the ground, and it's bringing forth abundantly:

• because there is peace
• because there is time
• because there is water
• because there is fertilizer
• because there is sunshine
• because there is rain

 And remember, God sends the former rain and the later rain! We are the rain that the Holy Spirit brings upon us that we will bring forth the fruit and produce.

So, in these times of peace, and I feel it more and more, brethren as we go along. I feel a sense of urgency that I have not felt ever before, that God wants us to really get serious about what He wants us to do:

• to really produce the fruit
• to stay close to Him in prayer and study, and know the Word of God
• to produce the character that God wants

The day is coming when the night is going to fall! When it slams down with the new dark age, and all the hell that comes with it,

• there are going to be many running to and fro and wondering what they are going to do
• there are going to be many who are going to be like the foolish virgins
  • who did not do the will of God
  • who did not prepare themselves
  • who did not take oil in their lamps
  • who did not serve God with a pure heart
  • who did not get out and strive to produce and to increase and to bring forth fruit

After all, you belong to God, and you are His, and whatever fruit you produce is what He does in and through you! That's why it's so important that we understand the meaning of the Day of Pentecost and how it relates to the first resurrection.

(break)

Jesus gives another parable: a man planted good seed in his field and then an enemy came along and planted tares. Now let's see the explanation of this.

Matthew 13:24: And He put another parable before them, saying, 'The Kingdom of Heaven is compared to a man who was sowing good seed in his field; but while men were sleeping…'" (vs 24-25).

Tie that in with Matt. 25 and the ten virgins, wise and foolish; both slumbered and slept. This means we're going to have our down time. This means we're going to have our weaknesses. But then we need to be revived and really go forth in zeal.

Verse 25: "But while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away."

This is like throwing infiltrators into the Church. This is why every once in a while God has got to scatter the Church, He's got to give the upheaval, He's got to separate the wheat from the tares, He's got to separate the enemy from those who love Him, and let the enemy go on their way thinking that they have a great victory, which they really don't. But it has a way of cleansing and purging. There's something about tares:

Verse 26: "And when the blade sprouted and produced fruit, then the tares also appeared."

Before the tares are apparent, before the wheat sprouts the heads of grain, the tares and the wheat look the same. So, you can't tell. We saw how that happened. Some snuck in unawares, like it says there in Jude and 2 Peter that they stealthily crept in. They disrupted the Churches.

Verse 27: "And the servants came to the master of the house and said to him 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? Then where did these tares come from?' And he said to them, 'A man who is an enemy has done this.' Then the servants said to him, 'Do you want us to go out and gather them?' But he said, 'No, lest while you are gathering the tares, you also uproot the wheat with them. Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and at the time of the harvest, I will say to the reapers, "Gather the tares first, and bind them into bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my granary"'" (vs 26-30).

Now, gathering the wheat into the granary then is, being resurrected and coming into the House of God. So, we are likened unto a harvest. That's why Pentecost has to be the day of the first resurrection, because it is a harvest feast.

Here's where we understand the good use of leaven, v 33: "Another parable He spoke to them: 'The Kingdom of Heaven is compared to leaven…'"

That's why only during the Feast of Unleavened Bread is leaven compared to sin. It's compared to sin during that time because leaven is such a common thing. Leaven can do good things. It makes fine bread; it causes it to rise. It also helps to ferment wine and beer, and to do other things. It's also is in the process of pickling and things like this. Here's leaven in a good sense. Now you can't say that the Kingdom of Heaven is likened unto sin because it's not, it's righteousness. So, here is a good use of leaven.

"…which a woman… [a type of the Church] …took and hid in three measures of flour until all was leavened" (v 33).

This shows the process of growing. When you reach a certain point, and I think it's interesting that when you leaven bread, you let it rise and then you punch it down. We can liken that unto trials, difficulties, growing and overcoming. Then it rises again. I don't know if you do it two times or three times. I suppose it would depend on what kind of bread you were making.

When it's raised in it's final form, it is either made into loaves and then raised to it's final form, or into rolls or into whatever it may be. When you put it in the oven and bake it, you have permanently changed the nature of the dough into a finished product of bread. Likewise, that's why we saw in Lev. 23 there were to be two leavened loaves, which were to be brought and accepted by God. These two loaves symbolize the firstfruits

• who will be permanently be changed forever at the resurrection, who come from the Old Covenant
• the firstfruits who come from the New Covenant, who at the resurrection will be permanently changed

Now let's understand that there is not going to be any half-baked Christians, because you're either going to make the resurrection or you're not going to make the resurrection! That's the whole story involved. So, this is why we have the two loaves in Lev. 23. This is why the Kingdom of God is likened unto leaven, because those who are in the resurrection will be changed just like the dough when it's leavened and then baked has been permanently changed.

Acts 2 is the whole focal point of Pentecost and it's meaning in the New Testament. This is a start. Remember, when you received the Holy Spirit, it is the planting of the seed. Then you go through your whole lifetime, which is the growth, and then you die and are put in the grave. Then the harvest comes! So right here we are seeing:

• on the Day of Pentecost, the beginning of the Church by the giving of the Holy Spirit
• the very firstfruits after the 120, which included the apostles, into the Church who received the firstfruits of the Holy Spirit

Acts 2:1: "And when the Day of Pentecost, the fiftieth day, was being fulfilled…"—a present tense articular infinitive!. Not after it had been completed, but:

• during the completion of it
• while the Day of Pentecost was being fulfilled
• while the Day of Pentecost was being completed
• during the fulfilling of the Day of Pentecost

All of those would be legitimate translations of the articular infinitive!

"…they were all with one accord in the same place" (v 1).

What's going to happen on the last Pentecost? We're all going to be in one accord in one place on the Sea of Glass!

Verse 2: "And suddenly there came from heaven 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 2-4).

We find the whole end of this after Peter gives a powerful message, tells the meaning of it, tells about Christ, and brings them to repentance.

Verse 36: "Therefore, let all the house of Israel know with full assurance that God has made this same Jesus, Whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."

God wants us to understand something concerning our sins. Since Christ died for the sins of the world, He also died for us. If He died for us, that means He died for you as an individual! If He died for you as an individual to cover your sins, that means you had your particular part in the crucifixion of Christ! You need to think about that. You need to understand the severity and the consequences of sin that was put upon Christ!

Verse 37: "Now, after hearing this, they were cut to the heart; and they said to Peter and the other apostles, 'Men and brethren, what shall we do?' Then Peter said to them, 'Repent and be baptized each one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you yourselves shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all those who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God may call'" (vs 37-39). That's a prophecy coming clear down to our day.

Verse 40: "And with many other words he earnestly testified and exhorted, saying, 'Be saved from this perverse generation.'"

If that was a perverse generation, oh I wonder what they'd call this generation? Perverse, perverse, perverse!God is saving us from this perverse generation and we are to shine as lights in the world because of that, brethren.

Verse 41: "Then those who joyfully received his message were baptized; and about three thousand souls were added that day"—the Day of Pentecost!

Here is the first fulfillment of the Day of Pentecost of the spiritual fulfillment of the two wave loaves that were waved before the Lord; the accepting of the 3,000.

In the Old Testament we were told that Israel was firstfruits unto God (Jer. 2:3). The Church is the true Israel of God; we are firstfruits unto God. Let's see what James shows what we are to God. We are called the firstfruits of His creation, the most important thing of all that God has created:

• consider the heavens
• consider the earth
• consider the universe
• consider all of the planets
• consider all the people
• consider the earth and everything that is in it
• consider all that God has done to make it so that mankind can be here

The most important thing is those who are the firstfruits; that's the most important thing to God!

James 1:17: "Every good act of giving and every perfect gift is from above…"

We have the good act of giving; God gave His only begotten Son, because He loved the world, and whosoever believes on Him should not perish but have everlasting life. That is a good and perfect gift!

• the gift of the Holy Spirit is a good and perfect gift
• the gift of the understanding of the Word of God is a perfect gift

Living in the day and age in which we now live, and able to see unfold before us all the things that have been prophesied from the creation of the world are going to be finished in this life. We may be able to see all of that, which is a good and perfect gift from God!

Then the resurrection is the greatest and most perfect gift that comes from God, because you will be perfected, changed from flesh to spirit. Changed from a human being to a living eternal glorified son or daughter of God.

"…coming down from the Father of lights, with Whom there is no variation, nor shadow of turning According to His own will, He begat us by the Word of Truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all His created beings" (vs 7-18).

Remember as we saw during Unleavened Bread, Christ is being created in us. Salvation is creation, and there is the final act of creation by resurrecting us from the dead.

Now let's see something concerning Christ for the Wave Sheaf Offering:

• He is the First of the firstfruits
• He is the Premiere Sheaf
• He leads the way

1-Corinthians 15:20: "But now Christ has been raised from the dead; He has become the Firstfruit of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death… [t through Adam] …by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die…" (vs 20-22).

No man has stopped that. The only ones who will not die in Adam are those who are still alive at the time of Christ. Everyone else before the return of Christ is going to die in Adam. No way around it.

Now let's understand something, also. That if you die in the faith, that's a glorification of God, and you'll be in your place of rest, and you will hear the voice of Christ to call you when the resurrection comes on that last Pentecost.

"…so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order…" (vs 22-23).

That shows no one is going to heaven. Christ the firstfruit, then at His coming those who are Christ's. That's why it's so very important.

Rom. 8—let's see something else concerning firstfruits, the firstfruits of the Spirit! I want you to understand something here. Whether the world realizes it or not, the world is waiting for you, and all the sons of God (v 19). It's out there going it's own way, all the troubles, and difficulties, and war, and sin, and wretchedness, and it doesn't know why. It doesn't have a clue. They try everything to change. They try everything to make it work. Human nature being evil, a mixture of good and evil, can never make things right. All of that is part of the curse that came with Adam!

Romans 8:20: "Because the creation was subject to vanity, not willingly… [God did it because there was hope] …but by reason of Him who subjected it in hope, in order that the creation itself might be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God" (vs 20-21).

That's us at the resurrection. That's what the world is waiting for now. It doesn't know that, and that's why we need to be dedicated. We need to be excited about what God has given us to do. Our calling that God has given us. It's a one time special calling that is greater than anything else.

Verse 22: "For we know that all the creation is groaning together and travailing together until now. And not only that, but even we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit…" (vs 22-23).

Yes, we are the firstfruits, the begettal, so that we become the bona fide harvest of the full firstfruit at the harvest at that last Pentecost.

"…also groan within ourselves, awaiting the sonship—the redemption of our bodies" (v 23).

Let's understand this, and how important that this is. Let's understand how important it is in relationship to Christ

Verse 26: "Now, in the same way also, the Spirit is conjointly helping our weaknesses… [that's why God has given the Spirit] …because we do not fully understand what we should pray for, according as it is necessary, but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groaning that cannot be expressed by us."

Because our weaknesses will pull us down, but the Holy Spirit there is to help us and lift us up. Because we do not fully understand...and this is true, and pray. What we should be praying for according is necessary, but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings that cannot be expressed by us. God, in our prayers, conveys the meaning and feeling of our hear, and our mind, and our prayers, and brings that to God in an understandable language without all of the trappings and difficulties that happen because of the weakness of our mind, and brings to God a pure offering, which is, as we have seen, is like in the book of Revelation where the prayers of the saints ascend up to the altar of incense and before God, and are a sweet incense before Him.

Verse 27: "And the One Who searches the hearts comprehends what the strivings of the Spirit are… [God understands it] …because it makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God"

Right now the Holy Spirit of God it is interceding for you to bring:

• your thoughts
• your mind
• your heart
• your intent before Christ, before Whom everyone is laid bare

He is our High Priest

• to help us
• to hear us
• to cleanse us
• to forgive us
• to lead us
• to guide us
• to develop His character in us

Verse 28: "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God…"

That's the paramount important thing is to love God with all your heart, all your mind, all your soul and all your being.

"…to those who are called according to His purpose… [you have been] …because those whom He did foreknow… [He knows you] …He also predestinated… [this is your destiny] …to be conformed to the image of His own Son, that He might be the Firstborn among many brethren" (vs 28-29).

That's why He's the Firstborn of the firstfruits:

• we are the firstfruits
• we are the Church of the Firstborn

1-John 3—here is a great and marvelous thing. I want you to understand that no religion in the world has a clue. They don't understand. Now I know there have been people upset at me because I say God hates religion. He does. Just step back and you look at all religions, and ask:

• Are they doing the will of God or are they blinded?
• Do they understand the purpose of God?
• Do they know the plan of God?
• Do they understand what the whole purpose of human life is?

NO!

As a matter of fact, the religions of this world decry what the Bible teaches, that we will become the very sons of God, and that we will share in the very glory of Christ, the same glory that He has. But God wants us to understand that, and keep that as a burning thing right in the forehead of our minds and our thoughts.

1-John 3:1: "Behold! What glorious love the Father has given to us, that we should be called the children of God!…."

The people that are in the world are the children of the devil doing his will. We are the children of God.

"…For this very reason, the world does not know us because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are the children of God…" (vs 1-2).

Think about that, because you have the begettal of the Holy Spirit, you are a child of God!

Just like when it refers to John the Baptist: Remember what happened when Mary came to visit Elizabeth when she was six months pregnant. The child leaped in her womb at the sound of the voice of Mary coming to see Elisabeth. So, though you are not yet born into the Kingdom, you are every much a child as it describes John the Baptist was a child at that particular time, but you have not yet been born of the resurrection into the Kingdom of God, you have not been born again. But God counts us in the same way.

"…we are the children of God, and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be…" (v 2).

Just like a baby that is developing before it's born, you don't know what it is. It hasn't been revealed, yet, because it hasn't been born. I mean, you can have a good idea, but you really don't know. But this one thing John says we know, and I want you to know this brethren. I want you to really grasp this, and I want you to understand the power and the meaning of the Day of Pentecost.

"…but we know that when He is manifested, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him exactly as He is…. [this is to propel us in growth and overcoming] …And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, even as He is pure" (vs 2-3).

Let's see what Christ looks like, and get a glimpse of some of this glory that God is going to share with us that we are going to be part of.

Revelation 1:10: "I was in the Spirit on the Day of the Lord; and I heard a loud voice like a trumpet behind me, saying, 'I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, and what you see, write in a book, and send it to the churches that are in Asia…'" (vs 10-11).

• Isn't it interesting that there are seven churches?
• Isn't it interesting that there are seven weeks unto the harvest?

There's a parallel that takes place there!

Verse 12: "And I turned to see the voice that spoke with me; and when I turned, I saw seven golden lampstands…. [seven, probably in a circle] …and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of man, clothed in a garment reaching to the feet, and girded about the chest with a golden breastplate. And His head and hair were like white wool, white as snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire; and His feet were like fine brass, as if they glowed in a furnace; and His voice was like the sound of many waters. And in His right hand He had seven stars, and a sharp two-edged sword went out of His mouth, and His countenance was as the sun shining in its full power" (vs 12-16).

You are going to have that kind of glory, because it says we will be like Him!

Let's just briefly review the seven churches. I'm not going to go through them except to say this: each of the churches pictures the equivalent of a one week harvest, the seven weeks to the harvest, as fulfilled in the time leading up to the first resurrection from Christ Who is the first of the firstfruits, to the resurrection of the saints from the dead. When that happens that is going to be a glorious thing.

When we come to Rev. 7 we have something that is very important. So we have the seven churches, but we also know that there is something else that God is doing, reserved for the 50th day, or the 8th day of the 7th week. We find that in Rev. 7 is the 144,000 and the great innumerable multitude.

{note several messages on the 144,000 at truthofGod.org}

This is the 50th-day harvest, which God reserves exclusively for Himself. This is one in which that He sends the Holy Spirit and has an angel seal them with the Holy Spirit, as differentiated from during the time now where we repent and are baptized and receive the Holy Spirit with the laying on of hands.

The 144,000 in Rev. 7 have to do with the children of Israel, and the great innumerable multitude are all of those who come out of great tribulation. They are the last day harvest! Very similar to the parable that Christ gave of those who were working where the man went out, and he hired them the first hour. You know, and then all the way down through the day. He came to the very eleventh hour and he hired them, brought them into his vineyard. They worked just a short time. He paid them first. He paid them the same as the ones that started at sunrise. See because, that's symbolic of eternal life. Likewise, the 144,000 and the great innumerable multitude are those who are the eleventh hour. But they make it into the Kingdom of God. That's what's so important and what's so profound.

Let's look at another principle that God has, and we'll apply this, and then we will look at the thing concerning the trumpet, and the resurrection from the dead, and the harvest of the firstfruits and where they will be. Let's pick it up in Rev. 11 with the two witnesses whose bodies laid in the street of the city called Sodom and Egypt, which is Jerusalem, where Christ was crucified. Then they're resurrected.

Revelation 11:11: "Then after the three and a half days, the spirit of life from God entered into them and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who were watching them." I guess so!

Here is a tremendous thing to understand. Remember the principle: the last shall be first, and the first shall be last. Here we see it exactly fulfilled in the resurrection. The last two who are martyred, the two witnesses, are the first two who are resurrected.

Verse 12: "And they heard a great voice from heaven, say, 'Come up here!' And they ascended into heaven in a cloud; and their enemies saw them rise. And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; and seven thousand men were killed in the earthquake. And the rest were filled with fear, and gave glory to the God of heaven. The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming immediately. Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet…" (vs 12-15).

Let's notice what happened at this seventh trumpet. This is one trumpet, not many trumpets. It is the last trumpet, and it is the trumpet that sounds for the resurrection, as we will see right here.

"…and there were great voices in heaven, saying, 'The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and 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'" (vs 15-18). That is the time of the resurrection!

Let's see how 1-Cor. 15 ties right in with it, and how with the sound of the trumpet, not trumpets! Remember that on the Day of Pentecost the sound of the trumpet was blown at the temple.

1-Corinthians 15:44: "It is sown a natural body… [when you are put into the grave] …It is raised a spiritual body…."

There will be a complete change, just like when the loaf of the leavened dough is baked, it is a permanent change. So here is a permanent change with a spiritual body.

"…There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body" (v 44).

The very fact that you can put your arms around yourself, and give yourself a hug and squeeze, as it were, you have walking all the time with you, your body, wherever you go. That is an absolute guarantee, if you have the Spirit of God, that if you endure to the end, you will have a spirit body. No doubt about it! That's why God does not want you to doubt one second. He does not want you to waver in belief one bit.

If you do, go stand in front of a mirror and see that you have a physical body, and know that you will have a spiritual body. It's not going to be the same kind of body that you have now, because it's spiritual.

Verse 45: "Accordingly, it is written, 'The first man, Adam, became a living soul; the last Adam became an ever-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 45-48) —which you will be! You will have the glory of God with the spirit body!

"…And as we have borne the image of the one made of dust, 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… [you must be a spirit being] … nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I show you a mystery: we shall not all fall asleep… [remain in the grave] … but we shall all be changed, in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet… [not trumpets] … for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put 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 49-54).

Yes, that will be a tremendous victory! Absolutely marvelous! Let's see how this is going to happen:

Matthew 24:29: "But immediately after the tribulation of those days…"

Almost every Pentecost I go through the chronology of that, so this year I won't, but you can go back over some of the other Pentecost messages and get the chronology of it.

"…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. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven; 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).

What happens is that they will see Him first. Those of us who are alive will see this. Then an event happens; here is the harvest:

Verse 31: "And He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet; and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."

They shall carry them, as we will see, to the Sea of Glass. As you view the earth from God's Throne, as it is turning, when the Day of Pentecost begins at sunset, as you go around the earth, it's 24 hours till sunset comes to everyone. Then when in order to compete the day, then sunset comes and it takes another 24 yours for it to come to everyone on the earth, so there is going to be 24 hours of resurrection if we could put it that way.

We see again that Paul also reaffirms and upholds the same teachings that Christ gave:

1-Thessalonians 4:13: "But I do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, that you be not grieved, even as others, who have no hope. 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. 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; 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" (vs 13-17).

Where are we going to meet him? Let's see the 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'" (vs 14-15). That's the first resurrection! We are the firstfruits, the first resurrection! Where are we going to go?

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. And they were singing the song of Moses… [the victory song, overcoming death] …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. Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You only are Holy; and all the nations shall come and worship before You, for Your judgments have been revealed'" (vs 2-4).

So, when we're resurrected, we're going to meet Christ in the air on the Sea of Glass! We will be on the Sea of Glass from Pentecost until the time that we return to the earth with Him on the Feast of Trumpets. That's when the servants of God will fight! So, that's the meaning of the Feast of Pentecost.

Scriptures from The Holy Bible in Its Original Order, A Faithful Version

Scriptural References:

• Deuteronomy 16:16-17
• 2 Corinthians 9:6-8

• Leviticus 23:15-17, 21-22
• Exodus 22:29-30
• Exodus 34:22
• Proverbs 3:5-10
• Leviticus 23:24
• Numbers 10:9-10
• John 4:31-38
• Matthew 13:10-30, 33
• Acts 2:1-4, 36-41
• James 1:17-18
• 1 Corinthians 15:20-23
• Romans 8:20-23, 26-29
• 1 John 3:1-3
• Revelation 1:10-16
• Revelation 11:11-18
• 1 Corinthians 15:44-54
• Matthew 24:29-31
• 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17
• Revelation 14:14-15
• Revelation 15:2-4

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• Malachi 3
• Colossians 3
• John 2
• Matthew 25
• Jeremiah 2:3
• Romans 8:19
• Revelation 7

FRC:
original transcription date unknown
Reformatted: 2/2022