SACRIFICE WITHHELD

06-04-17 This message may be viewed live streaming video at www.tabernacleofmoses.org commencing today Sunday at 11:00am, and repeated 24/7 for one week; thereafter, the video, audio, and study notes are archived.

The brightness of our revelations depends upon the correctness of our doctrines (our building blocks)

 

(Mark 4:13)  And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?

 

THE KEY TO UNDERSTANDING ALL PARABLES IS:

THE SEED IS THE WORD OF GOD

(Luke 8:11-15)  Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those [persons] by the way side [unsaved persons living outside the tabernacle compound (outside the church) and experiencing a life of sin: the devil’s domain] are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. They on the rock [unsaved persons inside the courtyard of the tabernacle church standing before the brasen altar of sacrifice: Jesus Christ] [1] are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. And that which fell among thorns [saved persons inside the courtyard of the tabernacle church around the brasen laver water of cleansing: the Holy Spirit] [2] are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. But that on the good ground [saved persons inside the tabernacle church of love: God] are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

1.     brasen = Heb: copper; fig. base (as compared with gold or silver): brass, filthiness. [symbolizing sin]

2.     laver = Heb: something round; a washbowl, a pulpit.

3.     by the way side             (a life of sin)           the devil           outside the tabernacle compound

4.     on the rock                    (sacrifice)      Jesus Christ               inside the courtyard of the tabernacle

5.     among thorns               (cleansing)    the Holy Spirit          inside the courtyard of the tabernacle

6.     on the good ground      (love)                      God                 inside “the tabernacle of God” (Rev 21:3)

 

AN EXAMPLE OF USING THE KEY TO UNLOCK THE DOOR OF OUR UNDERSTANDING

(Judg 8:4-9)  And Gideon [Heb: a feller (warrior) /// to fell a tree: hew down] [a type and shadow of Jesus Christ] came to Jordan [Heb: a descender /// to descend, go downward] [a type and shadow of the Holy Spirit], and passed over [the river Jordan], he, and the three hundred [300] men that were with him, faint [Heb: weary], yet pursuing them [pursuing the remaining 15,000 Midianite warriors]. And he said unto the men of Succoth [Heb: booths /// a hut or lair: tabernacle, tent] [i.e., a covering made of love], Give, I pray you, loaves of bread [i.e., help, support] unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am pursuing after Zebah [Heb: sacrifice] and Zalmunna [Heb: withheld], kings of Midian [Heb: brawling, contentious, discord, strife] [a type and shadow of all unsaved peoples]. And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands [Heb: powers] of Zebah and Zalmunna now in thine hand [Heb: power], that we should give bread unto thine army? And Gideon said, Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah [Heb: sacrifice] and Zalmunna [Heb: withheld] into mine hand, then I will tear [Heb: thresh] your flesh with the thorns [Heb: in the sense of pricking; thorns] of the wilderness [wild er ness] and with briers [Dict: bushes] [Heb: thorny bushes (perhaps as burning brightly) /// lightning; a flashing sword: glittering sword]. And he went up thence [farther eastward into the wilderness] to Penuel [Heb: the face of God /// turn (aside, away, back)], and spake unto them likewise: and the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him. And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come again in peace, I will break down this tower [Heb: a tower (from its size or height): castle] [i.e., a covering made of stone – hardness of heart, pride].

 

(Judg 8:10-12)  Now Zebah [Heb: sacrifice] and Zalmunna [Heb: withheld] were in Karkor [Heb: rest], and their hosts with them, about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the children of the east: for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand [120,000] men that drew sword. And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents [“nomads” NIV] on the east [farther eastward into the wilderness] of Nobah [Heb: to bark (as a dog)] and Jogbehah [Heb: to be haughty, be proud], and smote the host: for the host was secure [“thought itself secure” Amplif. Bible] [safe]. And when Zebah [Heb: sacrifice] and Zalmunna [Heb: withheld] fled, he pursued after them, and took [Heb: captured] the two kings of Midian, Zebah [Heb: sacrifice] and Zalmunna [Heb: withheld], and discomfited all the host [“and terrified all the army” Amplif.].

(Judg 8:13-17)  And Gideon the son of Joash returned from [the night-time] battle before the sun was up [i.e., just before the second coming of Jesus Christ for judgment], And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and enquired of him: and he described unto him [Gideon] the princes of Succoth, and the elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen men [77 men]. And he came unto the men of Succoth [bypassing Penuel] [1], and said, Behold Zebah [Heb: sacrifice] and Zalmunna [Heb: withheld], with whom ye did upbraid [Heb: blaspheme, defy, defame] me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah [Heb: sacrifice] and Zalmunna [Heb: withheld] now in thine hand, that we should give bread [i.e., help, support] unto thy men that are weary? And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught [(cleansed)] the men of Succoth [Gideon (Jesus Christ) “taught” (cleansed) the saved people living “among thorns” about sacrifice, as He is teaching you now through me]. And he beat down [Heb: destroyed, overthrew, pulled down] the tower of Penuel [the unsaved people “on the rock” who symbolize “sacrifice withheld”], and slew [Heb: killed, slaughtered] the men of the city.

1.     (1 Pet 4:17)  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God [Succoth]: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them [Penuel] that obey not the gospel of God?

 

OPENING THE DOOR OF OUR UNDERSTANDING

SACRIFICE WITHHELD

(Mal 3:6-12)  For I am the LORD [Heb: Jehovah], I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed [Heb: utterly destroyed]. Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from [disobedient to] mine ordinances [Heb: commands, laws], and have not kept them. Return unto me [(dual meanings)], and I will return unto you [(dual meanings)], saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein [Heb: How] shall we return? Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes [a tenth of your increase in financial terms (dual meanings)] and offerings [love gifts over and above the tithe]. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse [Dict: a place where things are stored; esp., a warehouse], that there may be meat [Heb: food] in mine house, and prove me [Heb: test me] now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open [to] you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing [Heb: happiness], that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke [1] the devourer [2] for your sakes, and he [the devil motivating the unsaved Midianites] shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the [correct] time in the field [i.e., no abortion], saith the LORD of hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed [Heb: happy]: for ye shall be a delightsome land [to God, to others, and to ourselves], saith the LORD of hosts.

1.     rebuke = Dict: 1. to blame or scold in a sharp way; reprimand. 2. to force back.

2.     (1 Pet 5:8)  Be sober [Gk: abstain from wine] [drugs], be vigilant [Gk: keep awake: be watchful]; because your adversary [Gk: Satan (as your arch enemy)] the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour [Gk: to gulp entirely: swallow up]:

 

DECISIONS

Commentary to unsaved persons: What is your decision? You have only two choices. Get born-again (saved), your life literally depends upon it, or don’t get born-again (saved). 

 

Commentary to Christians: What is your decision? You have only two choices: will you obey the LORD, or do you prefer to be “taughtobedience by the thorns and briers of the wilderness?

 

 

Amen