Try it and see.
Try it and see.
Did you ever hear anyone preach about God's Firstfruits? Neither did I!
Why is this passage ignored? Probably because we do not know what it means. Or we do not want to be guilty of elitism. Or because it has nothing to say about the "rapture." Or perhaps it is talking about Jews or somebody somewhere we do not know about.
Some pastors say we should not read the Book of Revelation because no one can understand it; and it confuses the saints; and we might get into error. Imagine that! An entire book of the Bible that we are not supposed to read. But Revelation itself says we are blessed if we read it.
This does not sit well with me. I would rather ask God to help me understand it. Perhaps it has something to say to us that is important as we enter the closing days of the Church Age.
"They follow the Lamb wherever he goes." "They were purchased from among men and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb." If the Book of Revelation really is from God, I would like to follow the Lamb wherever He goes. I would like to be part of the Firstfruits to God and the Lamb. How about you?
First, is there anywhere in the Bible to support the idea that God's people are found in differing ranks? Yes, in many places in both Testaments.
We are going to have to get used to this idea. It is not that God loves some of His children more than He does others. It is that God is building a kingdom, and in any kingdom there are ranks.
Salvation is of the Lord. It is not our choice what rank we are in, in the Kingdom or how God uses us. Our effort is to be, as the Apostle Paul mentioned: to grasp that for which we have been grasped. A lack of diligence can cause us to lose our crown.
It is true that the members of the Royal Priesthood have been chosen from the beginning of the world. But those people must be careful to make their calling and election certain by applying themselves diligently to the tasks set before them.
Some examples of differing roles in God's Kingdom are as follows:
The priests, Levites, and common people during the time of the Tabernacle of the Congregation.
The configuration of the Tabernacle itself, the Holy and Most Holy places.
David's rule from Hebron and then over all Israel.
The calling of Abraham, Moses and Aaron, and the Prophets, including John the Baptist.
The calling of the twelve Apostles.
The bringing of Peter, James, and John to be with Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration.
The marriage of part of the Bride, in the nineteenth chapter of Revelation.
The overcomers, of the second and third chapters of the Book of Revelation.
The fact that God chose Israel from the nations of the earth.
Salvation is of the Lord. He chooses whom He will to be close to Him. This is a difficult concept for us Americans to accept because we have been taught that all people have the same opportunity to excel. From observing what actually is true among us, we ought to know better than this. But we persist in this delusion.
God chooses whom He will. Each one of us is to accept the role and tasks that are ours, and do our job to the best of our ability. If we prove ourselves faithful in the small things, God may choose to increase our talents.
My point in saying all this is to demonstrate that there is biblical support for the concept of a Firstfruits. I am not sure if everyone is called to be a member of the Firstfruits. But I would say to anyone who desires to be part of God's Firstfruits, that desire most likely comes from God and it is up to you to put it before you as a goal. I can't imagine God saying to anyone "you can't come up to this level!"
I know this is a role I want. If God says to me, "I have something else for you," then I realize that being a member of the Firstfruits would not bring me the eternal righteousness, love, peace, and joy that I desire.
So let's you and me assume that God wants us to be a member of the Firstfruits company, and think about what is characteristic of such believers.
Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb . He is the Lamb, not the Lion, in this instance, because the Firstfruits are part of the Bride. The Bride is not the Bride of Christ, or the Bride of the Lion, but the Bride of the Lamb. This is because she is married to the Lamb by eating His flesh and drinking His blood.
This wonderful vision was given to the Apostle John, not because he earned it but because God chose to give it to him. John then did what God expects of every believer to whom God has given the riches of His Kingdom: John wrote the vision so his fellow Christians could share in what had been given to him. He put his talent to use, just as you and I must do.
Standing on Mount Zion . Christ has been seated at God's right hand, waiting for God to make His enemies His footstool. Today we are entering the spiritual fulfillment of the Jewish Blowing of Trumpets. It is the beginning of the final war between good and evil. Therefore Christ is standing today, ready for the conflict, beginning with the enemies in His people.
Mount Zion is the place of deliverance and of the rule of the Kingdom of God.
Deliverers will go up on Mount Zion to govern the mountains of Esau. And the kingdom will be the LORD's. (Obadiah 1:21)
And with him 144,000. Those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful. Notice that not every believer is with Him. 144,000 is a multiple of twelve, so the number may be symbolic. The point is, now that it is time to enter the war that is to conclude successfully with the overthrow of Satan, not all believers are qualified to be with Christ.
In First Thessalonians we find the expression, "And so we will be with the Lord forever." I think most believers of today have been led to believe that when Jesus returns they will be raised from the dead and be caught up to meet Him in the air.
I do not believe such is the case. Those who participate in the resurrection and ascension mentioned in the fourth chapter of First Thessalonians are God's Firstfruits. They will fight alongside Christ when He comes, and then will govern the nations of the earth along with Him.
The idea that the casual church-attenders of our day are competent to fight alongside Christ and then govern the nations of the earth with Him seems unreal to me. Most of them are not fervent, cross-carrying disciples. They do not appear to have the iron scepter created in them. They have a problem acting like a Christian during the simplest of trials. They are not victorious saints, and therefore are not qualified according to the Bible to govern the nations with Christ.
The Bible says "the dead in Christ shall rise." Being "in Christ" may mean a lot more than saying "I accept Christ," and then living to please ourselves in our customary manner. Abiding in Christ requires a lifelong pursuit of Jesus.
Those who teach that all professing believers are about to be caught up to Heaven to escape the Great Tribulation will probably keep on believing this, though such an idea does not lie clearly in the words of the Apostles. It is a delusion and it is preventing people from preparing themselves to stand in the evil day that is on the horizon.
In fact, the number 144,000 suggest an elite, doesn't it? It certainly is not the entire Church, the entire Body of Christ.
Who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. I think the name of Christ and the Father written on the forehead of each member of the Firstfruits tells us two things: first of all, these people belong especially to God, which makes them unusually holy; and second, they do God's will, since it is written on their forehead. They delight to do God's will.
The idea of doing God's will is of special importance to me.
When I was in Bible school, 1946-48, I was taught that no one ever has done God's will perfectly. It is impossible to do God's will. The world is waiting for someone to do God's will. Such nonsense! It is as though God has the personality of a satan.
I was not raised in a Christian home, and had been a Christian for about three years when I entered Bible school. This was the first time I had been exposed to the idea that no one can do God's will perfectly. I soon found that the general teaching in the churches I was exposed to was that while we are in this world we have to sin.
I do not know why I reacted so strongly against this idea that no one can do God's perfect will. My wife, Audrey, says it is because I am a maverick. But honestly—I can't live like this, always feeling guilty that I am not doing God's will.
So during one recess, I told God if He would give me the grace to do so, I would do His perfect will. While I am living on the earth He cannot say there is no one to stand in the gap and make up the hedge before Him.
Next Part Can you imagine such effrontery?