Christian Churches of God
No. 65
The Leaven of Pentecost
(Edition 2.0
20040503-20070820)
The leavened loaves of Pentecost were entirely misunderstood by the Church of God in the last half of the twentieth century. The understanding of the purpose of de-leavening in order to become sons of God in power from the Resurrection of the Dead as Christ was lost for some time. The aim of this paper is to revive that understanding.
Christian Churches of God
(Copyright ©2004, 2007 Wade Cox)
This paper may be freely copied and distributed provided it is copied in total with no alterations or deletions. The publisher’s name and address and the copyright notice must be included. No charge may be levied on recipients of distributed copies. Brief quotations may be embodied in critical articles and reviews without breaching copyright.
The
Leaven of Pentecost
The New Moon of the Third month of the Sacred Year usually falls in the seventh week of the Omer count to Pentecost. In most years, the following Sabbath and the first day of the week that follows it make up the two-day Feast of Weeks or Pentecost. As we should know, Pentecost means to “count fifty”. In this period we build up to the receipt of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. There are a number of things that we seek to perfect in this Omer count. The love and unity of the brethren is of great importance and also follows on from our love of God.
We should have kept the Passover, having sanctified ourselves from the New Year on the 1st of Abib. We should have fasted on the 7th of Abib. Some Churches of God have actually ignored the sanctification of the “simple and erroneous” when they should have fasted, and instead appointed a fast on the Sabbath on a day in the Omer count to satisfy one of their traditions. God wants obedience more than sacrifice. When He says to sanctify the congregation with a fast and to keep the 7th of Abib for the simple and erroneous, He means just that. See the papers Commentary on Joel (No. 021B) and Sanctification of the Simple and Erroneous (No. 291).
The entire period of twenty-one days in the First month of Abib is a period of sanctification. We have to keep it to understand this fact. We have to remove the leaven of malice and wickedness and keep the Feast in sincerity and truth (see the paper The Old and the New Leaven (No. 106a)). In this way the count to Pentecost is commenced on a sound basis. The procedure is then commenced to the Feast, where we are given the leaven of the Kingdom of Heaven. Christ said that the Kingdom of Heaven is like leaven that was given to the woman, who placed it within the three measures of meal until the whole was leavened (Mat. 13:33). Bullinger’s explanation of this text in The Companion Bible is the exact opposite of the words of Christ.
Over the years, the Churches of God have failed to come to grips with the symbolism of the leaven of malice and wickedness being replaced by the leaven of the Holy Spirit, which is the Kingdom of Heaven and which is among us. Much of this failure is directly attributable to the failure to keep the Feast correctly for the full eight days from 14 Abib to 21 Abib. It is only by obedience in keeping the Feast of Unleavened Bread for the seven days, and being present in fellowship, that we come to understand.
We should not be surprised when those in the Churches of God understand this process the least. They do not understand because they do not obey God. We ought to remember this fact: “Give your ways to the Lord and He will establish your thoughts” (Prov. 16:3). It is not the other way around. It is not: “Think about God a little and He will then establish your ways”. That is not the way it works. We are simply required to do it, and then we will understand.
The fact is that God has ordered the placement of leaven in the two loaves at Pentecost. Are we truly asserting that God would place the symbols of sin in one of His offerings? Do we attribute sin or capriciousness to God?
The offerings at Pentecost pointed towards the Church – the Temple of God. The leaven in the loaves of Pentecost pointed towards the dual nature of the Scriptures, and of man in his walk with God through the Holy Spirit. It also alludes to the duality of the heavenly and earthly Host in the City of God (see the paper The City of God (No. 180)). The three measures of meal represent the threefold aspect of the Kingdom of God. Christ was present as King, Priest and Prophet (see the paper Jesus the Christ, King, Priest and Prophet (No. 280)). So too are we called out and chosen to become a nation of kings and priests, and the work of prophecy is among us as the third element of the Church and its people.
The Holy Spirit works in the individual, forming him/her into the Body of Christ and developing everyone as kings, priests and prophets. In this way, as scribes of the Church we are instructed in the mysteries of God. We are like a householder who brings forth things old and new out of his treasure (Mat. 13:52).
In the days of Christ, things were spoken in parables so that people would not see and understand, and hence turn and be saved before their time. The Church also has been prevented from speaking plainly over the years by the actions of the Adversary. Through persecution, the Church was protected by parables and the slow release of information. In many cases, the Church itself did not understand through the disobedience of its officers and people. The Church is like the moon, waxing and waning in understanding over the centuries.
The disciples asked Christ: “Why do you speak to them in Parables?”
Christ said:
“Because it is given to you to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it is not given to them. For whosoever has, to him shall be given and he shall have more abundance, but whosoever has not, from him will be taken away even what little he has. Therefore I speak to them in parables; because they, seeing, see not; and hearing, they hear not and do not understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah which says: ‘By hearing ye shall hear and not understand, and seeing ye shall see and not perceive; For this peoples heart is waxed gross and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and should be converted and I should heal them.’ But blessed are your eyes for they see and your ears for they hear;” (Mat. 13:10-16; cf. Isa. 6:9-10, and also the versions in Jn. 12:39-40; Acts 28:26).
The development of the Church has always been in sincerity and truth. The old leaven of malice and wickedness is removed. The Feast is kept in sincerity and truth, and through sincerity and truth we progress to the leaven of the Holy Spirit, which makes the person a new functioning whole. Through that leaven we are converted and become a new person. Christ said to Peter:
“Simon, Simon, Satan has desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat but I have prayed for you that your strength fail not: and when you are converted strengthen your brethren” (Lk. 22:31-32).
We should all progress in truth. Pilate asked: “What is truth?” because he had seen so many lies and false ideas. The Church of God should be able to discern truth and divide the word of God in righteousness. Conversion is the turning of the individual to God (cf. Mat. 18:3). To be as a little child is to come to God in innocence and a desire to learn. One cannot grow by stifling the truth. Only the truth can set us free (see the paper Truth (No. 168)). It is through the truth and a love of the truth that one is converted (see the paper Conversion and Truth (No. 72)).
We see that there is a
distinction between the normal carnal mind and the minds of the sons of God. There
are a number of concepts and Scriptures that are related to the parables of
Matthew 13.
It is we who are made
alive by the leaven of the Holy Spirit.
And you did he make alive, when ye were dead
through your trespasses and sins, 2 wherein ye once walked according
to the course of this world, according to the prince of the powers of the air,
of the spirit that now worketh in the sons of disobedience (Eph. 2:1-2).
For, indeed, the
Adversary had blinded us all, as Paul says in 2Corinthians.
…in whom the god of this
world hath blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the gospel
of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn upon them (2Cor. 4: 4).
In this sense, the
gospel of the glory of Christ is what makes us enlightened.
Many of us are called to the Faith, and some are chosen. These are they that hear and see, and the seed bears fruit.
A major parable of Matthew 13, following on from the injunction to the disciples regarding hearing and seeing and being converted (see above), is that of the sower.
On that day went Jesus
out of the house, and sat by the sea side. 2 And there were gathered
unto him great multitudes, so that he entered into a boat, and sat; and all the
multitude stood on the beach. 3And he spake to them many things in
parables, saying, Behold, the sower went forth to
sow; 4 and as he sowed, some seeds
fell by the way side, and the birds came and devoured them: 5 and
others fell upon the rocky places, where they had not much earth: and
straightway they sprang up, because they had no deepness of earth: 6 and
when the sun was risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they
withered away. 7 And others fell upon the thorns; and the thorns
grew up and choked them: 8 and others fell upon the good ground, and
yielded fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He
that hath ears, let him hear (Mat. 13:1-9).
The most faithful of
the Churches of God He termed the Philadelphians, because they loved one
another. These had little power but worked in faith and dedication through the
power of the Holy Spirit.
I know thy works (behold, I have set before thee a door opened, which none can shut), that thou hast a little power, and didst keep my word, and didst not deny my name (Rev. 3:8).
What sets us apart is
the power of God in the Holy Spirit, so that we are able to keep the
Commandments of God and the Faith or Testimony of Christ.
And the dragon waxed
wroth with the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of her seed, that
keep the commandments of God, and hold the testimony of Jesus (Rev. 12:17).
Here is the patience of
the saints, they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus
(Rev. 14:12).
The process of baptism
and repentance brings us to the point where the Holy Spirit works within us. We
wash our robes in the blood of the Lamb, for his sacrifice enabled us to enter
into Judgment and receive the Holy Spirit, which then works within us.
14 Blessed are they that wash their robes, that
they may have the right to come to the
tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city (Rev. 22:14).
It is by hearing the
word in the Spirit, and acting on it, that we are able to understand.
Matthew13:10-23 says:
And the disciples came,
and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11 And
he answered and said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of
the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 12 For whosoever
hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but whosoever hath
not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath. 13 Therefore
speak I to them in parables; because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear
not, neither do they understand. 14 And unto them is fulfilled the
prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall in no wise
understand; And seeing ye shall see, and shall in no wise perceive: 15 For
this people’s heart is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing, And
their eyes they have closed; Lest haply they should perceive with their eyes,
And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And should turn
again, And I should heal them. 16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and
your ears, for they hear. 17 For verily I say unto you, that many
prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which ye see, and saw them
not; and to hear the things which ye hear, and heard them not. 18 Hear
then ye the parable of the sower. 19 When
any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the evil one, and snatcheth away that which hath
been sown in his heart. This is he that was sown by the way side. 20 And
he that was sown upon the rocky places, this is he that heareth the word, and
straightway with joy receiveth it; 21 yet
hath he not root in himself, but endureth for a while; and when tribulation or
persecution ariseth because of the word, straightway he stumbleth. 22 And
he that was sown among the thorns, this is he that heareth the word; and the
care of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he
becometh unfruitful. 23 And he that was sown upon the good ground,
this is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; who verily beareth
fruit, and bringeth forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
In understanding, we bear fruit by action.
Matthew13:24-30 says:
Another parable set he
before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man that sowed
good seed in his field: 25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed
tares also among the wheat, and went away. 26 But
when the blade sprang up and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
27 And the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir,
didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? whence then hath it tares? 28 And
he said unto them, An enemy hath done this. And the servants say unto him, Wilt
thou then that we go and gather them up? 29 But
he saith, Nay; lest haply while ye gather up the tares, ye root up the wheat
with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and
in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather up first the
tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my
barn.
This grain grows in the individual and becomes all in all as God becomes
all in all, and we then become elohim (see The Elect as Elohim
(No. 1)). That is the end object of our calling, as we also see from
Psalm 82.
Matthew 13:31-32 says:
Another parable set he
before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a grain of mustard
seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: 32 which indeed is
less than all seeds; but when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs, and
becometh a tree, so that the birds of the heaven come and lodge in the branches
thereof.
God destroyed the Earth and all that was in it in the Flood, because the evil was insurmountable. Genesis 6:5 shows us the evil of man’s heart also.
And Jehovah saw that the
wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the
thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
However, God promised to redeem us and He sent Christ to do just that, as we see.
Matthew 13:33 shows us that the Church, represented by the woman, divides the leaven of the Kingdom of Heaven into three measures.
Another parable spake he
unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and
hid in three measures of meal, till it was all leavened.
Those three measures represent the threefold functions of the Church. These are the roles of Christ as King, Priest and Prophet.
The elect are redeemed from among men as a body of kings and priests,
and in them is handled the spirit of prophecy. Thus the Church is prepared for
its task in this threefold phase, where the Holy Spirit develops gifts and
gives them to the individual according to the needs of the Church at the
time.
The trauma of the Faith is worth the effort for the salvation of us all.
John 16:21 A woman when
she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but when she is
delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for the joy that a
man is born into the world.
The woman is the Church of God, and the bride of Christ. For this reason the Adversary persecutes the Church, as we see from Revelation 12:13:
And when the dragon saw
that he was cast down to the earth, he persecuted the woman that brought forth
the man child.
Revelation 12:17 continues:
And the dragon waxed wroth with the woman, and
went away to make war with the rest of her seed, that keep the commandments of
God, and hold the testimony of Jesus:
The seed, which is Christ and the Church, will triumph over the Adversary and his system, as we shall see. The prophet Zechariah shows us what will come to pass. He was raised up for the encouragement of the nation after their return from captivity.
Zechariah 5:5-11:
Then the angel that
talked with me went forth, and said unto me, Lift up now thine eyes, and see
what is this that goeth forth. 6 And I said, What is it? And he said, This is
the ephah that goeth forth. He said moreover, This is their appearance in all
the land 7 (and, behold, there was lifted up a talent of
lead); and this is a woman sitting in the midst of the ephah. 8 And
he said, This is Wickedness: and he cast her down into the midst of the ephah;
and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof. 9 Then
lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there came forth two women, and
the wind was in their wings; now they had wings like the wings of a stork; and
they lifted up the ephah between earth and heaven. 10 Then
said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah? 11 And he said unto me, To build her a house in
the land of Shinar: and when it is prepared, she shall be set there in her own
place.
This text does not refer to the Babylonian captivity
but to the Latter Days. The woman here is the lawless system and she is
cast down and her mouth is sealed with a talent of lead and she is carried away
to the land of Shinar by the two who were like storks. The ephah,
as a symbol of commerce coupled with the false religion of the Adversary, is set up as the Babylonian system. It is the
Church of God that is responsible for correcting those errors of this false
system.
We are rendered unclean by our association,
as we see from Haggai.2:13:
Then said Haggai, If one
that is unclean by reason of a dead body touch any of these, shall it be
unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean.
Sin is uncleaness, and this aspect was instilled in Israel by the requirements of ritual purification, as we see in Leviticus 22:4-6:
4 What man soever of
the seed of Aaron is a leper, or hath an issue; he shall not eat of the holy
things, until he be clean. And whoso toucheth anything that is unclean by the
dead, or a man whose seed goeth from him; 5 or
whosoever toucheth any creeping thing, whereby he may be made unclean, or a man
of whom he may take uncleanness, whatsoever uncleanness he hath; 6 the
soul that toucheth any such shall be unclean until the even, and shall not eat
of the holy things, unless he bathe his flesh in water.
These things require repentance as we are cut off by sin. The Corinthian Church had a particular example of it and did not realise its significance, as we see from 1Corinthians 5:1-6:
It is actually reported
that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not even among
the Gentiles, that one of you hath
his father’s wife. 2 And ye are puffed up, and did not rather mourn,
that he that had done this deed might be taken away from among you. 3 For
I verily, being absent in body but present in spirit, have already as though I
were present judged him that hath so wrought this thing, 4 in the
name of our Lord Jesus, ye being gathered together, and my spirit, with the power
of our Lord Jesus, 5 to deliver such a one unto Satan for the
destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord
Jesus. 6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a
little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
In this sense, the leaven was a member who was sinning and was
corrupting the Body of the Church that did not see the problem as Paul saw it.
But sin is much more than fornication, and he who is angry and hates his
brother is as much at fault.
There are two competing leavens. The leaven of Satan seeks to make us
unfit for the leaven of the Holy Spirit, which is the Kingdom of Heaven, for
then the Spirit withdraws from us and we are further corrupted.
Matthew 13:34-58 says:
All these things spake
Jesus in parables unto the multitudes; and without a parable spake he nothing
unto them: 35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken
through the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter
things hidden from the foundation of the world. 36 Then
he left the multitudes, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto
him, saying, Explain unto us the parable of the tares of the field. 37 And
he answered and said, He that soweth the good seed is
the Son of man; 38 and the field is the world; and the good seed,
these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one; 39 and the enemy that sowed them is the devil: and the
harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are angels. 40 As therefore the tares are gathered up and burned with
fire; so shall it be in the end of the world. 41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they
shall gather out of his kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and them that
do iniquity, 42 and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there
shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. 43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the
kingdom of their Father. He that hath ears, let him hear. 44 The
kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hidden in the field; which a man
found, and hid; and in his joy he goeth and selleth all that he hath, and
buyeth that field. 45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a
man that is a merchant seeking goodly pearls: 46 and having found one pearl of great price, he went and
sold all that he had, and bought it. 47 Again, the kingdom of heaven
is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: 48 which, when it was filled, they drew up on the beach;
and they sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but the bad they cast
away. 49 So shall it be in the end of the
world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the
righteous, 50 and shall cast them into the
furnace of fire: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. 51
Have ye understood all these things?
They say unto him, Yea. 52 And he said unto them, Therefore every scribe who hath been made a disciple to the
kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a householder, who bringeth forth
out of his treasure things new and old. 53 And it came to pass,
when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence. 54 And
coming into his own country he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that
they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these
mighty works? 55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother
called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Judas? 56 And
his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these
things? 57 And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without
honor, save in his own country, and in his own house. 58 And
he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
The use of the term leaven also concerns teaching and doctrine. The teachings of the Bible texts as the leaven of the Kingdom of Heaven not only concern the Holy Spirit as the power of God, being the Kingdom of God extended to all mankind, but also of the truth and doctrines it imparts. The understanding of the texts of Scripture was corrupted by the Pharisees, and although the Sadducees had the Calendar correct so that the Temple functioned, nevertheless, their teachings were contrary to the Kingdom of God and hence a leaven that was to be avoided.
In Matthew16:6-12 we read:
And Jesus said unto them,
Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. 7 And
they reasoned among themselves, saying, We took no bread. 8 And
Jesus perceiving it said, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves,
because ye have no bread? 9 Do ye not yet perceive, neither remember the
five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? 10 Neither
the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? 11
How is it that ye do not perceive that I spake not to you concerning bread?
But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. 12 Then
understood they that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the
teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
The concept of leaven
as sin was derived from texts such as these, where what was false and improper,
if continued, would destroy the person.
1Corinthians 5:6-8
says:
Your glorying is not
good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? 7 Purge
out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, even as ye are unleavened. For
our passover also hath been sacrificed, even
Christ: 8 wherefore let us keep the feast, not with old
leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the
unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
The offering of leaven
as a pure offering of thanksgiving was not only at Pentecost, but also
symbolised the pure of the repentant hearts of Israel. Through the prophet Amos, God said what He wanted from
Israel. He was again referring to the pure heart filled with the Holy
Spirit, and this was symbolised by the leaven in the thanksgiving offering.
Amos 4:1-5:
Hear this word, ye kine
of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria, that oppress the poor, that
crush the needy, that say unto their lords, Bring, and let us drink. 2 The
Lord Yahovah hath sworn by his holiness, that, lo,
the days shall come upon you, that they shall take you away with hooks, and
your residue with fish-hooks. 3 And ye shall go out at the breaches,
every one straight before her; and ye shall cast yourselves into Harmon, saith Jehovah. 4 Come
to Beth-el, and transgress; to Gilgal, and
multiply transgression; and bring your sacrifices every morning, and your tithes every three days; 5
and offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving of that which is leavened, and proclaim
freewill-offerings and publish them: for this pleaseth you, O ye children of
Israel, saith the Lord Yahovah.
Amos refers to the oppressors as the kine or cattle of Bashan. This attitude pleases men but it does not please God. We need to study what Amos has to say about the system and the proper keeping of Sabbaths and New Moons (Amos 8:5).
We will now look now what the Pentecost Offering is all about. In Leviticus 23:15-16 we see the details of the count to Pentecost. It goes on to reveal exactly what the loaves represent.
Leviticus 23:17-22 says:
Ye shall bring out of
your habitations two wave-loaves of two tenth parts of an ephah: they shall be of fine flour, they shall be baken with
leaven, for first-fruits unto Yahovah. 18 And ye shall present with
the bread seven lambs without blemish a year old, and one young bullock, and
two rams: they shall be a burnt-offering unto Yahovah, with their
meal-offering, and their drink-offerings, even an offering made by fire, of a
sweet savor unto Yahovah. 19 And ye shall offer one he-goat for a
sin-offering, and two he-lambs a year old for a sacrifice of peace-offerings. 20
And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the first-fruits for a
wave-offering before Yahovah, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to Yahovah
for the priest. 21 And ye shall make proclamation on the selfsame
day; there shall be a holy convocation unto you; ye shall do no servile work:
it is a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations. 22 And
when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners
of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt
leave them for the poor, and for the sojourner: I am Yahovah your God.
These are the loaves
or bread of the first-fruits. It is the plainest of symbols that the
first-fruits after Christ is the Church of God, and the Holy Spirit is
represented by leaven in the loaves. Both Christ and the Church are made into
sons of God through the power of the Holy Spirit, and the bread of Christ at
Pentecost becomes a leavened loaf. This leaven can only represent the leaven of
the Kingdom of God that is the Holy
Spirit. Also note here the other requirements of
righteousness, and especially the regularity of tithing (see the paper Tithing (No. 161)). Our sacrifices are prayer and fasting together with freewill offerings.
We all sin and we
all fall short of the glory of God. We are required to overcome and use the
Holy Spirit to good effect and be strengthened by it. We ought not to grieve the Holy Spirit nor diminish it, but
should repent and be sincere.
Romans 7:14-25 says:
For we know that the law
is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For
that which I do I know not: for not what I would, that do I practise; but what
I hate, that I do. 16 But if what I would not, that I do, I consent
unto the law that it is good. 17 So now it is no more I that do it, but sin
which dwelleth in me. 18 For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh,
dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me, but to do that which is
good is not. 19 For
the good which I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I
practise. 20 But if what I would not, that I do, it is no more I
that do it, but sin which dwelleth in me. 21 I
find then the law, that, to me who would do good, evil is present. 22 For
I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23 but
I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and
bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members. 24
Wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me out of the body of this
death? 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So
then I of myself with the mind, indeed, serve the law of God; but with the
flesh the law of sin.
Thus, Paul depicts the duality of the conflict between the leaven of Satan and the leaven of the Kingdom of Heaven – the Holy Spirit. It is the means by which the Kingdom can be among us.
We are all corrupt as carnal people. Yahovah searches the mind for the intent of what we do and think.
Jeremiah 17:9-10 also states:
The heart is deceitful above all things, and
it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it? 10 I, Yahovah, search
the mind, I try the heart, even to give every man according to his ways,
according to the fruit of his doings.
We ourselves cannot
overcome without the intervention of God through His Holy Spirit.
Jeremiah 10:23-24:
O Yahovah, I know that
the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his
steps. 24 O Yahovah, correct me, but in measure: not in
thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.
Through Isaiah, God
promises us that He will pour out His Holy Spirit on the seed, which is the
Body of Christ as the Church. This Body is symbolised
by bread. The bread at Passover is not leavened because we have to remove the
leaven of malice and wickedness. Only from the last day of Unleavened Bread on
21st of Abib, when we are properly de-leavened of the former self
and sin, can we proceed to Pentecost where the Spirit is present and we are
leavened by the power of God. It is thus important that we keep the full eight
days of the Feast in order to prepare ourselves properly for Pentecost.
Isaiah 44:3 says:
For I will pour water upon
him that is thirsty, and streams upon the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit
upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:
The sin offering
made those who touched it holy (Lev. 6:24-27), and that was to indicate that
Christ would atone for sin and make Israel – and ultimately the whole
world – holy.
However, the means by
which it was prepared is broken and left, as we ourselves will become spirit
beings and lose our bodies.
Leviticus 6:28 says:
But the earthen vessel wherein it is boiled
shall be broken; and if it be boiled in a brazen vessel, it shall be scoured,
and rinsed in water.
The Levites who helped
prepare the sin offering were also cleansed, as we ourselves must be cleansed.
And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: sprinkle the
water of expiation upon them, and let them cause a razor to pass over all their
flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and cleanse themselves (Num. 8:7).
The symbols of Christ
being the means by which we access the Holy Spirit of God were given to us in
the wilderness.
Numbers 20:8-11 says:
“Take the rod, and
assemble the congregation, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the
rock before their eyes, that it give forth its water; and thou shalt bring
forth to them water out of the rock; so thou shalt give the congregation and
their cattle drink.” 9 And Moses took the rod from before Yahovah, as
he commanded him. 10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly
together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; shall we
bring you forth water out of this rock? 11 And
Moses lifted up his hand, and smote the rock with his rod twice: and water came
forth abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their cattle.
So also, Nehemiah says
they were given that food from Heaven, so that they might inherit their
birthright promises.
… and gavest
them bread from heaven for their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them
out of the rock for their thirst, and commandedst them that they should go in
to possess the land which thou hadst sworn to give them (Neh. 9:15).
And that Rock was
Christ.
… and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of a spiritual rock that followed them: and the rock was Christ (1Cor. 10:4).
And that was Beer or
the well or spring.
And from thence they journeyed to Beer: that is the well
whereof Yahovah said unto Moses, Gather the people together, and I will give
them water (Num. 21:16).
We see that this
symbolism of the water of the Spirit revives the spirit in man.
Judges15:19 says:
But God clave the hollow
place that is in Lehi, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk,
his spirit came again, and he revived: wherefore the name thereof was called
En-hakkore, which is in Lehi, unto this day.
This leaven of the
Holy Spirit is also likened to the oil that fills the lamps of the elect.
Matthew 25:1-13 says:
Then shall the kingdom of
heaven be likened unto ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went forth to
meet the bridegroom. 2 And five of them were foolish, and five were
wise. 3 For the foolish, when they took their lamps,
took no oil with them: 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with
their lamps. 5 Now while the bridegroom tarried, they all
slumbered and slept. 6 But at midnight there is a cry, Behold, the
bridegroom! Come ye forth to meet him. 7 Then
all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8 And
the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are going
out. 9 But the wise answered, saying, Peradventure
there will not be enough for us and you: go ye rather to them that sell, and
buy for yourselves. 10 And while they went away to buy, the bridegroom
came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage feast: and the
door was shut. 11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying,
Lord, Lord, open to us. 12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto
you, I know you not. 13 Watch therefore, for ye know not the day nor
the hour.
Christ showed us that
the water was symbolic of the living waters of the Holy Spirit that would be
poured out on all people at the judgment represented by the Last Great Day.
John 7:37-39 says:
Now on the last day, the
great day of the feast, Jesus stood
and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. 38 He
that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, from within him shall flow
rivers of living water. 39 But this spake he of the Spirit, which they
that believed on him were to receive: for the Spirit was not yet given; because Jesus was not yet
glorified.
So also he extended
that gift to the Gentiles.
John 4:10-15 says:
Jesus answered and said
unto unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to
thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have
given thee living water. 11 The woman saith
unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: whence
then hast thou that living water? 12 Art
thou greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank thereof
himself, and his sons, and his cattle? 13 Jesus answered and said
unto her, Every one that drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14 but
whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but
the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing
up unto eternal life. 15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this
water, that I thirst not, neither come all the way hither to draw.
Thus we are all
baptised with the Holy Spirit and that power fills us and makes us new beings.
We are leavened with a new leaven and a new power making us the loaf, which is
the Body of Christ and the Manna of Heaven.
Matthew 3:11 states:
I indeed baptize you in
water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose
shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire:
Mark 1:8 renders it:
I baptized you in water;
But he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit.
While Luke says in
Luke 3:16:
John answered, saying
unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but there cometh he that is
mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he
shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in
fire:
Ephesians 5:26 shows
us how the sanctification occurs.
… that he might sanctify
it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word,
We should also be
ever mindful of the symbols of these who eat with us and yet are without the Spirit, as we see in Jude 12.
Jude 12:
These are they who are
hidden rocks in your love-feasts when they feast with you, shepherds that
without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds;
autumn leaves without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
God says through
Christ in Revelation 21:6:
And he said unto me, They
are come to pass. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I
will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life
freely.
We are fed of the Holy
Spirit freely as we overcome.
Likewise, he says in
Revelation 21:17:
And he measured the wall
thereof, a hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel.
We shall be as angels
and sons of God together with the loyal Host as spirit beings.
1Corinthians 6:11
shows us we are all washed and sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord
Jesus Christ, in the Spirit of our God.
And such were some of
you: but ye were washed, but ye were sanctified, but ye were justified in the
name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God.
We are all made into
one body for that Spirit is one.
1Corinthians 12:13
shows us our unity of Spirit.
For in one Spirit were we all baptized into
one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all made to
drink of one Spirit.
In this we are one and brothers together, and brides of Christ – all of us. We are the leavened loaves of Pentecost with the heavenly Host as first-fruits unto God.
(Quotations are based on the American Standard Version 1901, but amended to read Yahovah. There is no letter 'J' in Hebrew; and we know from the excavations that the old name was Yaho and Yahovah, and not Jah and Jehovah, or even Yahweh as is also often claimed.)
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