ASCENDING ALIVE

 

CONT., page 2

 

SIX DAYS OR EIGHT DAYS?

In the writing titled Bread in the Baskets, we related the comparative accounts of what occurred after Yahshua fed the 5,000. We noted that the account in Luke was remarkably different from the other two gospels, Matthew and Mark. In Luke, Yahshua did not send the multitude away, nor did He send the disciples out onto the sea in a boat, but instead they "were with Him" while "He was praying alone." Where He was praying is unclear. In Matthew we read that He sent the disciples away in a boat onto the sea and "went up to the mountain by Himself to pray" (Matthew 14:23). In Mark we likewise read that He sent them out onto the sea and "departed to the mountain to pray" (Mark 6:46). But in Luke 9:18, though He was praying alone, in clear contrast to Matthew and Mark it says the disciples were clearly with Him. Why? What can all of this mean? Do you suppose Yahweh might even use small details like these to tell us something? Yes, indeed He does! These once again are riddles which He has propounded for our understanding and benefit today.

As we have said, much of this regarding these contradictions is covered in the writing - Bread in the Baskets. But we are now going to consider a couple of points here that could not be addressed in that writing.

Yahweh's "goal," if you would, is to get us up on the mountain with Him - which speaks of our being glorified with Him, or entering into immortality, versus being sent out on the sea of death. In first Remnant Matthew, did Yahshua get anyone on the mountain with Him after the Unleavened Bread feeding of the 5,000? No, He was alone. Did He get anyone on the mountain with Him in Christianity Mark after feeding the 5,000? No, again He was alone. Thus far, as we have seen from both Matthew and Mark, Yahshua is on the mountain "alone" while all men have gone to the sea of death. No one has joined Him from the Matthew first Remnant. No one has joined Him from Mark Christianity. But in second Remnant Luke, we see an entirely different story. Though it says He was praying alone, clearly it says His disciples were with Him. So, He did in Luke get someone on the mountain with Him, and did not send them to the sea of death!

On this mountain in Luke, we are told that it was here that Yahshua told the disciples that some of the ones standing there with Him would not taste death, even up to seeing the kingdom of God "when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels" to "recompense every man according to his deeds." Before those disciples tasted death, did He come in His glory and the glory of His Father and the holy angels to recompense all men according to their deeds? No. As we cover in Bread in the Baskets and The Promise, there was a breach to that promise. Though they did die, this promise still speaks in this most important sequence of events, foretelling the experience that the second Remnant must and will fulfill.

Immediately after making this promise, what next great event do we find? Even as Yahshua had just told His disciples about the glory He would receive, it is of great significance that the next event to take place was Him taking three of those disciples once again upon a mountain, and just as He had told them, He was glorified or transfigured with Moses and Elijah. Why? Before we answer this, let us now note a most important but equally a most troubling and pesky passage for Bible chronologists. If the number of contradictions were not already replete enough in these passages, the next verse adds yet another.

In Luke, immediately after Yahshua said this about the disciples not tasting death even to seeing the kingdom of God, we read - "And some eight days after these sayings, it came about that He took along Peter and John and James, and went up to the mountain to pray" (Luke 9:28). How does this compare with Matthew and Mark? Let us read these two and compare. Preceding this same transfiguration, as well as immediately following identical statements made in the verses just before in all three gospels, we read the following.

And six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and brought them up to a high mountain by themselves (Matthew 17:1).

And six days later, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John, and brought them up to a high mountain by themselves (Mark 9:2).

First, it must be realized that the inclusion here of a specific number of days is not incidental or without divine purpose and significance. And the fact that this accounting is not just in one gospel but in all three independent accounts, makes this even more significant. Then add to this the contradiction of this number in first Remnant Matthew and Christianity Mark, in contrast to second Remnant Luke, there is a divinely intentional message here, entirely relevant to the drama and message of this entire account, and it seeks to say something very important to us.

As you will see, all the differences in these accounts, including the contradiction of the six and the eight days, are an intact message that must be considered as a whole to understand what the Spirit is saying. To more carefully understand the meaning of many of these differences requires that one read Bread in the Baskets. In that writing we find that Matthew and Mark, which reveal the 2,000 year period of the church that is corrupted by the flesh and Satan and falls short of all that Yahweh would have in His kingdom, include in their testimonies the interrupting breach period of leavened Christianity. In contrast, in Luke we see the repairing of that breach, the absence of leaven, and most importantly as we have seen here thus far in this writing, the right to join Yahshua on the mountain. Again, what is the purpose of joining Him on the mountain? It is to receive the promise which He made to His disciples to not die, to be glorified, and to enter into immortality.

Now, keeping these differing testimonies in mind and what they mean, this added matter of the clear differences in the number of days leading up to the transfiguration shares equal harmony and consistency with all that we have seen thus far. In Matthew and Mark where there was the extended breach and leavened bread and the sea, both of these accounts equally say that there were six days before the transfiguration; but clearly in contrast, in the Luke account where they not only went up on the mountain with Yahshua and not to the sea, but also there was no breach and leaven, consistent with this entire account, the number of days was - eight!

So why do Matthew and Mark say that the transfiguration occurred six days later, while Luke, which is already preceded at this point by some incredibly different and highly revealing contradictions, says this transfiguration occurred some eight days later? It all has to do with the entire harmonious message that is unfolding in these differing and revealing accounts. Eight is clearly associated with the group that joins Yahshua on the mountain, while six is associated with the group that is sent to the sea of death and do not join Him on the mountain. The answer to this, in context with all that is transpiring in this highly prophetic account, has to do with the affirming and even revealing difference in the prophetic meaning between these two numbers.

Six is the number of man, who was created on the sixth day. Eight is the number that speaks of new beginnings, even as the eighth day is the beginning day of a new week. Furthermore, eight is a number that is highly significant per a number of legal fulfillments related to cleansing, restoration, and covenant. We will briefly list these here, but as you will see later in this writing, these events relating specifically to the number eight are extraordinarily relevant and revealing per our consideration of this matter of entering into immortality associated with Trumpets and Tabernacles. Following are six significant legal events associated specifically with the number eight.

(1.) At the end of an eight day ceremony, the consecration of Aaron into priesthood was completed and the glory of Yahweh appeared - Leviticus 9.

(2.) On the eighth day the male child was circumcised - Lev. 12:3.

(3.) At the end of an eight day ceremony, the healed leper became clean - Lev. 14:10 and 23.

(4.) At the end of an eight day period, a man or a woman became clean from any discharge they had - Lev. 15:13 - 33.

(5.) At the end of an eight day ceremony, the vow of the defiled Nazirite was restored - Numbers 6.

(6.) And most importantly, Tabernacles is an eight day feast with the eighth day being a holy convocation - Lev. 23:36. This is the only feast that is prescribed to be eight days in length.

Thus the eight days, seen here to be highly significant, in contrast to the six days associated with earthly man, speak to a continuation of all that is consistent with this remarkably different account in Luke, and its culmination in the mount of transfiguration and the glorification of Moses and Elijah. But, you might object, the six days preceded the transfiguration as well. This we will address later in this writing. But for now, keep in mind that eight is a number that is quite relevant to this entire matter of getting someone on the mountain to be with Yahshua.

 

Continue to page 3 of Ascending Alive for A TABERNACLES CUT SHORT

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