Where We Have Been, Where We Are, Where We Are Going
THE GOSPEL THAT WE PREACH VIEWS THE SALVATION OF MAN IN THREE GREAT DIMENSIONS:
The first dimension may be referred to as basic salvation. At this level the individual is saved from wrath through the blood of the Lord Jesus, leaves the world, and enters the Kingdom of God.
God wants all mankind, beginning with His Church, to understand that man was created to worship God. To praise and serve God in righteousness is the first duty of every person born on the earth.
THREE TIMES IN A YEAR SHALL ALL THY MALES APPEAR BEFORE THE LORD THY 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: Deuteronomy 16:16
The second dimension could be termed the Spirit-filled life. At this level the individual has been saved from wrath through the blood of the Lord Jesus and now is learning to rely on the Spirit of God for his thoughts, his words, and his actions. Speaking in tongues helps us press into the rest in God's Spirit.
God desires that all mankind, beginning with His Church, understand that man is not to live his life and perform his roles by his natural strength and wisdom but by the Spirit of God. If we learn now to live in God's Spirit, when the Lord comes we will be given a body that also lives in and by God's Spirit.
Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy 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: Deuteronomy 16:16
The third dimension may be thought of as the fullness of God.
And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God Ephesians 3:19
The fullness of God is the goal of the Christian salvation. The atoning blood of the Lord Jesus gives us the authority to press toward the goal. The Holy Spirit of God gives us the ability to press toward the goal. The goal of our salvation is not a change in location but a change in personality.
God desires that all mankind, beginning with his Church, understand that man was designed to be the throne of God. To man is given to rule all the works of God's hands. But man cannot sit on the throne of his own personality until first the Father and the Son sit there in undisputed sovereignty.
In the feast of unleavened bread,
And in the feast of weeks,
And in the feast of tabernacles: Deuteronomy 16:16
Thus far we have presented salvation as being in three dimensions:
Forgiveness through the blood of the cross, Life through the Holy Spirit, The fulfillment of the program of salvation as the Father and the Son settle down to rest in us--the fullness of God. These same three dimensions are portrayed symbolically by the three great symbols of Judaism--the Altar, the Lampstand, and the Booth.
The Altar symbolizes forgiveness through the blood of the cross. The Lampstand symbolizes life lived through the Holy Spirit. The Booth symbolizes the fulfillment of salvation, the fullness of God which is God in Christ coming to dwell in us. The Christian Church, the Body of Christ, is to experience these three dimensions and then bring them to all of saved mankind.
When the Church has experienced the fullness of salvation, the glorified Church, the new Jerusalem, will descend from Heaven to serve as the royal priesthood over the saved nations of the earth.
The Church is approaching the third dimension now and shall continue to be perfected throughout the thousand-year Kingdom Age.
We have portrayed the program of salvation in three dimensions: forgiveness through the blood (the Altar), life lived in the Holy Spirit (the Lampstand), and the fullness of God (the Booth).
Though the program of salvation is clearly seen in these three dimensions, it is portrayed in greater detail when the three dimensions are subdivided into seven phases.
The first dimension, forgiveness through the blood (the Altar), can be subdivided into three phases:
The Atonement
Water Baptism
The Born-again Experience
The second dimension, life in the Spirit (the Lampstand), stands alone. We have identified this phase as:
The Baptism in the Holy Spirit. The third dimension, the Fullness of God (the Booth), can be subdivided into three phases:
The Call to War
Reconciliation
Rest and Union with God In Jesus
SEVEN PHASES OF SALVATION:
| Forgiveness through the blood (the Altar) | 1 The Atonement 2 Water Baptism |
| The Spirit-filled life (the Lamp stand) | 4 The Baptism in the Holy Spirit |
| The Fullness of God (the Booth) | 5 The Call to War 6 Reconciliation |
As we have seen, the program of salvation can be viewed in three great dimensions: forgiveness, life in the Spirit, and the fullness of God. The three dimensions are symbolized by the Altar, the Lampstand and the Booth.
These three dimensions can also be subdivided into seven aspects or phases of salvation. When subdivided into their seven phases and grouped three-one-three, the three dimensions accurately portray the program of salvation.
These seven phases of salvation are clearly portrayed in the Scriptures in the form of four great types. The four great types, each of which has seven parts, reveal the program of salvation, which is change from the presence and image of Satan to the Presence and image of God.
Thus we have three major dimensions of salvation:
Forgiveness through the blood of the Lamb. Life through the Holy Spirit. Rest in God in Christ and union with God in Christ--the fullness of God. The major dimensions of salvation are symbolized by the Altar, the Lampstand, and the Booth.
The three major dimensions can be viewed in seven phases. The seven phases are grouped together three-one-three:
The Blood Atonement, Water Baptism, and the Born-again Experience (the Altar). Baptism in the Holy Spirit (the Lampstand). The Call to War, Reconciliation, and rest and union with God (the Booth). These seven phases are embodied in each of four major types of Scripture.
Each of the four major types of Scripture portray the program of salvation, which is:
The process of change from the presence and image of Satan to the Presence and image of God.
SATAN (The program of redemption) GOD
We now will employ four great types to describe in detail the seven phases through which we pass as we leave the presence and image of Satan and make our journey toward the Presence and image of God.
The four major types of Scripture are:
| I | THE SEVEN DAYS OF CREATION |
| II | THE TABERNACLE OF THE CONGREGATION |
| III | THE FEASTS OF THE LORD |
| IV | THE MOVEMENT OF ISRAEL FROM EGYPT TO CANAAN |
Each of these four types consists of seven phases. The seven phases are then arranged into three main groups, each group portraying one of the dimensions of salvation.
For example, one of the four great types is the Feasts of the Lord. There are seven feasts within the Feasts of the Lord and they are grouped together three-one-three.
The first three feasts compose the Passover week and symbolize the first dimension--forgiveness through the blood of the cross.
The fourth feast, Pentecost (feast of Weeks), is celebrated fifty days after Passover week and stands alone. It symbolizes the second dimension, life in the Spirit.
The last three feasts occur in one month and compose the feast of Tabernacles, symbolizing the third dimension, the fullness of God.
Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy 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: Deuteronomy 16:16
The Christian salvation can be seen in these seven parts. Salvation is the program of change from Satan to God. The four great types help us understand our progress through this transformation.
Using another type as an example, the movement of Israel from Egypt to Canaan, we have the first group of three, symbolizing basic salvation: leaving Egypt, crossing the Red Sea, and commencing the pilgrimage on the east side of the Jordan River.
Then by itself we have the Law from Mount Sinai, which symbolizes life lived in the Spirit.
Finally there is the third group of three which symbolizes rest in God: the forming of the army of the Lord, the invasion of Canaan, and rest in the land of promise.
Each of the four types can be arranged into three groups in this manner. The three groups portray the three dimensions of the Christian salvation.
It will be impossible for the student to understand our syllabus until the concept is grasped that the Christian salvation is not a ticket to Heaven.
The Christian salvation is the transformation of the believer until he or she is in the moral image of the Lord Jesus and at rest in the Father through Jesus. The Kingdom of God is a NEW CREATION.
THE DAYS OF CREATION
| 1 | Day one--the creating of light, the dividing of the light from the darkness, and the naming of the light and the darkness. |
| 2 | Day two--the placing of a firmament in the midst of the waters, and the use of the firmament to divide the waters that were under the firmament from the waters that were above the firmament. |
| 3 | Day three--the pulling back of the waters under the firmament to allow dry land to appear, the naming of the land and the waters under the firmament, and the creating of vegetation on the dry land. |
| 4 | Day four--the creating of the sun, moon and stars in the firmament to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and night, to divide the light from the darkness, the day from the night, and for signs. |
| 5 | Day five--the creating of fish in the water, and birds to fly in the firmament. |
| 6 | Day six--the creating of animal life on the earth, and of man in the image of god, male and female, and the assigning to mankind of fruitfulness, and of dominion over all the works of God's hands. |
| 7 | Day seven--the ending of God's work, and his rest. |
THE JOURNEY OF THE ISRAELITES FROM EGYPT TO THE LAND OF PROMISE
| 1 | The Passover, and the judgment on the gods of Egypt. |
| 2 | The passage through the Red Sea. |
| 3 | The safe arrival on the east bank of the Red Sea, and the beginning of life in the wilderness. |
| 4 | The giving of the Law on Mount Sinai, the ordinances, and the directions for the construction of the Tabernacle of the Congregation. |
| 5 | The organizing of Israel into an army, and skirmishes under the leadership of Moses. |
| 6 | The crossing of the Jordan, and the battle against the inhabitants of Canaan. |
| 7 | Rest in the land of milk and honey. |
THE SEVEN ARTICLES OF FURNITURE OF THE TABERNACLE OF THE CONGREGATION
| 1 | Altar of Burnt Offering |
| 2 | Laver |
| 3 | Table of Show-bread |
| 4 | Lamp-stand |
| 5 | Altar of Incense |
| 6 | Ark of the Covenant |
| 7 | The Mercy Seat, the Cherubim, and He who dwelled between the Cherubim |
THE FEASTS OF THE LORD
Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy 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: Deuteronomy 16:16
| 1 | PASSOVER | (PASSOVER) |
| 2 | UNLEAVENED BREAD | |
| 3 | FIRSTFRUITS | |
| 4 | PENTECOST | (WEEKS) |
| 5 | TRUMPETS | (TABERNACLES) |
| 6 | DAY OF ATONEMENT | |
| 7 | TABERNACLES |
The following section tells
WHERE WE HAVE BEEN
"At the place of basic salvation--deliverance from the wrath of God and entrance into the Kingdom of God..."
TAKING THE FIRST ELEMENT OF EACH OF THE FOUR TYPES, WE HAVE AS FOLLOWS:
| 1 | The creating of light, the dividing of the light from the darkness, the naming of the light and the darkness |
| 1 | The Passover, and the judgment on the gods of Egypt |
| 1 | The Altar of Burnt Offering |
| 1 | The feast of Passover |
The factors that stand out are:
The division between light and darkness
Judgment on the gods of the world
The blood of the Lamb as our protection from judgment
The making of an atonement for our sinful condition through the shedding of blood
The Christian will recognize immediately the first step of salvation.
He was in chaos of spirit, soul, and body.
Then God spoke! Christ, the light of the world, shone in his heart.
He was confronted with the Passover Lamb of God. He became aware of the wretchedness of his condition and then was informed that God had already provided a covering for him.
God will meet man only "at the door of the tabernacle," meaning at the place of the Altar of sacrifice, of the shedding of blood.
All of the efforts of man to save himself are to no avail.
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world John 1:29
For there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved Acts 4:12
TAKING THE THIRD ELEMENT OF EACH OF THE FOUR TYPES, WE HAVE AS FOLLOWS:
| 3 | The pulling back of the waters under the firmament to allow dry land to appear, the naming of the land and the waters under the firmament, and the creating of vegetation on the dry land |
| 3 | The safe arrival of Israel on the eastern bank of the Red Sea and the beginning of life in the wilderness |
| 3 | The Table of Show-bread |
| 3 | The feast of First-fruits |
The main thoughts are:
The appearing of the land and vegetation
The beginning of life in the wilderness
The twelve Loaves of the Presence together with the drink offering of strong wine
Offering to the priest the first sheaf of the barley harvest
The feast of firstfruits is fulfilled spiritually as we come out of the water of baptism. Our new reborn inner nature has ascended to the right hand of God with Christ as a firstfruits of the harvest of our entire personality.
Because the firstfruits is holy our whole personality is holy to the Lord.
For the first time in our life we are two people--Adam born of flesh and blood is alive in us and Christ is alive in us. Our human nature and the Presence of God in Christ are both dwelling in us.
There is in our personality a beginning of spiritual fruit. We have eternal Divine life as well as biologic life.
Satan cannot follow us through the Red Sea of water baptism. We now have the authority through the blood of the cross to choose to become the slave of righteousness.
God's gift to us is eternal life--eternal life that produces righteousness and also results from our willingness to become the slave of righteousness and to live in holiness before the Lord.
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life Romans 6:4
We have just finished discussing what might be referred to as the Altar phase of salvation.
The individual has repented and has been baptized in water. He or she has been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.
The old adamic nature has been crucified with Christ, as portrayed in the drama of water baptism. The new reborn inner nature has been raised with Christ to the right hand of the Father, far above every name that is named in this world and in that which is to come.
This is the first great phase of the Christian salvation. All who would be saved must appear here.
Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose;
In the feast of unleavened bread
The following section tells
WHERE WE ARE
"At the place of Pentecost, the Lampstand--life lived in the Spirit of God..."
TAKING THE FOURTH ELEMENT OF EACH OF THE FOUR TYPES, WE HAVE AS FOLLOWS:
| 4 | The creating of the sun, moon and stars in the firmament of heaven to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and night, to divide the light from the darkness and the day from the night, and for signs |
| 4 | The giving of the Law on Sinai with the Levitical statutes and ordinances, and the directions for the construction of the Tabernacle of the Congregation |
| 4 | The solid-gold Lampstand with its seven lamps |
| 4 | The feast of Pentecost |
The main aspects are:
The creating of the sun, moon and stars
The Law from Sinai and the design and construction of the Tabernacle of the Congregation
The Lampstand
The waving of the two loaves of wheat signaling the end of the wheat harvest
Pentecost is the fourth of the seven feasts and is referred to as the feast of Weeks in that it takes place a week of weeks (fifty days) after Passover week.
Pentecost speaks of the giving of the Holy Spirit of God.
The first three feasts are grouped together in one week. Pentecost stands by itself fifty days later. Finally the last three feasts take place in the seventh month of the religious year, but actually the first month of the civil year.
Whereas the Altar phase grants us the authority to press toward the fullness of God, Pentecost (the Lampstand phase) furnishes us with the ability, the power and wisdom, to enter the fullness, the rest of God. The Spirit gives us the power to bear witness of the Lord Jesus. The Spirit gives us also the ability to overcome the lusts of our flesh and soul.
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Acts 1:8
This I say then, walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. Galatians 5:16
We have just set forth what might be termed the Lampstand phase of salvation.
It is God's will that every saved individual on the earth learn that each detail of life is to be conducted "not by might nor by power but by my Spirit."
The Christian Church is the firstfruits of mankind. It is our privilege and responsibility to learn to live in the Spirit in advance of the remainder of the peoples of the nations of the earth.
Even our mortal bodies will be made alive in God's Spirit at the coming of the Lord provided we are diligent in putting to death the deeds of our flesh.
Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose;
In the feast of unleavened bread,
And in the feast of weeks (Pentecost),
The following section tells
WHERE WE ARE GOING
"To the fullness of God, the rest of God, the omega of the plan of salvation..."
TAKING THE FIFTH ELEMENT OF EACH OF THE FOUR TYPES, WE HAVE AS FOLLOWS:
| 5 | The creating of fish in the water and birds to fly in the firmament |
| 5 | The organizing of Israel into an army, and skirmishes under the leadership of Moses |
| 5 | The Altar of Incense |
| 5 | The blowing of Trumpets |