Editorial comment: this was written in Tabernacles, 2002.

How does one conclude such a sound, challenging, and even often breathtaking writing such as this entails? The answer will be two-part, with a final third-part important contrast. First, we will give an account of where the Bride has been, and where we are going. Second, and most importantly, we will look at the matter of government. Without government, there can be no structure, nor even progress. As the bones provide the body both order and an ability for coordinated movement, so government is the bones to any assembly. Third, after summarizing the choice you have before you, we will close by citing an important and decisive contrast that is taking place today. But for now, let us look at what selling all will mean today.

In a delayed Passover of May, 2000, when the writing, The Signs That Cause Belief, was published on The Remnant Bride web site, for the first time ever a very small rib of people believed and came out of Christianity. Then just before and during Tabernacles of the same year, Yahweh began to open my eyes concerning the marvelous and copious amount of evidence that the Remnant Bride must come under the covering of holding all things in common. This resulted in writing the three related pieces titled, One Thing You Still Lack, Tabernacles and Devoted Things, and Prepare the Way!.

At that time, we began to make an effort to locate property and purchase it for the purpose of holding all things in common. We were led to property in eastern Washington, but because of lacking funds, unavailable water rights on the property, and the inability for those who were working toward this purpose to endure to the end and see it fulfilled, this attempt failed. Then one year later, beginning right at Tabernacles in November, 2001, several people began tithing in order to establish a fig leaf covering over the Bride. But we knew that the fig leaf tithe was only temporary, even as the fig leaf coverings that Adam and Eve sewed together to cover their nakedness were only temporary.

Now in 2002, as we once again approach Tabernacles, Yahweh is again dealing with us about covering this Bride, providing us information and understanding that has never before been seen by man. But this cannot be the scant fig leaf covering of the tithe, but the more complete garments of skin covering of holding all things in common. And let it be said that none of this has been by the ingenuity or plan of man. No one has sat down and said - "Tabernacles is here, so let's come up with a program for the season." No, each one of these events has occurred because the Spirit of Yahweh has compelled and accomplished them.

As Tabernacles, and even Trumpets, approached this year in 2002, two brothers contacted me and wanted to come and spend Trumpets together. The first sections of this writing you are reading now were already in the draft stage, and before they came, I sent to them in advance what had been written thus far. In my mind, the purpose for the three of us being together was to consider what the Spirit was saying and leading in this matter of holding all things in common; and Yahweh certainly dealt with us and gave us increased understanding regarding this. Let me tell you what was placed in our hearts and what we are pursuing.

As a result of being together, our conclusion and commitment is to purchase some land and, as it seemed best, to live in RV's. These RV's would make us mobile, able to be sent out, and able to be gathered together. In reality, we would be spiritual Rechabites, to whom Yahweh said, "shall not lack a man to stand before Me always" (Jeremiah 35:19). The company of the Rechabites, as has been written about before, are the fulfillment of the successful Remnant Nazirites, in contrast to three-part Christianity's Samson, Samuel, and John the Baptist. The Rechabites were Kenites, or descendants of Cain, as was Jael (who killed Satan Sisera - Judges 4:17-22) and Moses' wife (who prevented the death of Moses - Exodus 4:24-26). But that which is highly telling about them is that they were equally mobile. Thus, their mandated tents are our modern day RV's.

Right now we are looking at a specific piece of property in Washington State; but we are open to wherever Yahweh wants to lead us. As Yahweh opens the door, and as He provides, we will walk through that door.

Up to now, myself and the Remnant Bride have looked to Yahweh to pour out upon us His Spirit in power. While He has not done this as we understand "power," without any question, He has indeed poured out upon us the latter rain of His vital truth. We have hoped for, and anticipated that we had to have, some outward demonstration of "power" in order to hold all things in common. But, this evidently will not be the case. The very way in which this Bride is developing, is exactly the way I did not want it to go, where we have to move in faith without first seeing the "power." Even now we are as it is written concerning second Remnant Philadelphia - "you are of little power." But we also read of Philadelphia regarding the hope that a door has been opened that no man can close. Equally, they kept the word of His perseverance, and thus Yahshua promised that He would keep them from the hour of testing (Revelation 3:7-13). This is the perseverance we have had to exercise, and must continue to exercise, if we wish to be kept from "the hour of testing" that is now upon the earth and the church.

Even as Mary pressed Yahshua into action at the wedding when it was not yet His time (John 2:3-5), so we, the Mary who prepare the way for the second coming of Yahshua, must press Him with our belief and perseverance. Even as the widow woman pressed the unrighteous judge for the desperately needed legal protection from her opponent (Luke 18:1-8), so we, the widow, must press Yahweh for protection from our opponent, Satan. Even as the man who went to his friend at an unwelcomed hour pressed him for three loaves of bread for his guest (Luke 11:5-8), so we must press Yahweh for the knowledge and fulfillment that should have prevailed in the 3,000 years of the church.

Even as Jacob, who at one time had placed his head on the stone and saw the messengers ascending and descending, strove with God to bless him, and his life was preserved (Genesis 32:22-32), so we must not release God until He delivers us from death. And even as the Israelites placed their feet into the water of the Jordan before it opened, and they then entered into the promised land (Joshua 3:14-15), so we must place our feet in the water in order to enter into the promised land.

In contrast, this needed persistence was not the case with the first Remnant. When the Israelites came up to the Sea of Reeds, the waters parted before them and they crossed over into the wilderness on dry land. Yahshua was personally with the first Remnant, and everything was essentially handed to them. This, however, will obviously not be the case for the second Remnant as we cross into the promised land. As we have just noted, when the Israelites came to the waters of the Jordan, those waters did not open until they first put their feet into them. Only then did the miracle of opening the way into the promised land take place. Such seems to be the case with us today - we are going to have to put our feet into the water first!

In equal revealing testimony, the way Elisha received the mantle the first time, and the way he received it the second time, were entirely different. The first time he received it, like Peter, Andrew, James, and John, Elisha was out performing his labors of plowing in the field. Even as Yahshua came to these fishermen and they left their nets, when Elijah came to Elisha and placed his mantle upon him, Elisha likewise left his oxen (after first sacrificing a pair). That which happened to Elisha, was precisely that which happened to the first Remnant apostles. Yahshua came to the four and called them to follow Him, and they left their nets. When Elijah's mantle was placed on Elisha, he had the same response of leaving his oxen. And importantly, we see here that the mantle is relative to leaving one's earthly labors and possessions.

Since the response of the second Remnant to a similar call is not yet recorded in history, but rather we are "making" history, the only way we can understand the situation surrounding our response is to look at accounts like the two times when the sons of Israel passed through water, or this one involving Elijah and Elisha. Let us now look at the second time Elisha received the mantle of Elijah.

You know the account (2 Kings 2). Elijah kept urging Elisha to stay behind, but Elisha would not do so. As we have just seen in other like testimonies, Elisha instead PRESSED Elijah for that which he desired. Finally, Elijah spoke to him - "Ask what I will do for you before I am taken from you." "Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me," answered Elisha. "You have asked a hard thing," responded Elijah. "If you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so."

As we see testified in both the crossing of the Sea of Reeds, as well as the first time Elisha received Elijah's mantle, the response of the first Remnant to hold all things in common was relatively easy. BUT, in each testimony, this was not the case the second time. Even as the Israelites had to put their feet into the water, so Elisha had to persevere to the end. The mantle that gave testimony to leaving everything the first time it was received, will not be so easy to receive the second time. We do not have Yahshua Himself standing in our midst, telling us what to do. That would be easy. What we have is His word recorded for us, along with the testimony of the first Remnant, as well as the instruction of this writer. This second time the mantle of holding all things in common is received, will require placing our feet in the water first and persevering to the end, pressing Yahweh for His blessing!

Just as Elijah's mantle was dropped and lay in the dust, so the mantle of holding all things in common was dropped and lay in the dust throughout the entire time of Christianity. It is the second Remnant who will now be the ensuing Elisha by picking up that mantle. And it is with this mantle that the second Remnant will be able to equally strike the Jordan of the Spirit and say - "Where is Yahweh, the God of Elijah?," and the Jordan will open!

While living here in Washington, there have been times in which I thought that Yahweh would use our neighbors as those vessels within whom He would place His Spirit. In 2 Kings 4:1-7, we read that the widow was sent by the prophet, Elisha, to all her neighbors to gather empty vessels in order to fill them with oil. The purpose of this oil was to pay an outstanding debt, and deliver her two sons from slavery. Thus we see that her boys were the two sons who were delivered by the fresh oil. Is this not unmistakably tied to Zechariah 4 where we see that the two olive tree Remnant are the two "sons of fresh oil"? The two sons who were delivered from slavery by fresh oil, and the two "sons of fresh oil," are unmistakably the same - the two-part Remnant, separated by the lampstand breach.

And undoubtedly significant, one would thus ask, as this writer did for several years - Where are the neighbors who provide the empty vessels so that the oil can be poured into them? It is now clear that these neighbors will be those who come to be with me, to be literal neighbors to me, and into them Yahshua will pour His much needed latter rain oil!

It is also worth noting that these vessels had to be empty, before they could be filled. Elisha told the widow to get vessels, "empty vessels," and "do not get a few." A vessel full of the "unrighteous mammon" of this world that belongs to Satan, will not be available to receive the fresh oil. Only empty vessels, those in which the "unrighteous mammon" has been removed first (for you cannot be a vessel for God and mammon), can be filled.

Thus, it is now our intentions to purchase land and live in RV's, and as Rechabites, gather together so that what took place in the first Remnant where they were "breaking bread from house to house" and "taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart," can now occur in the second Remnant.

This revealing message of 2 Kings 4 can therefore only be fulfilled when the second Remnant follows the direction and example of the Elisha first Remnant, and are close enough to each other to be neighbors. This is our intention, and at this time (October, 2002), we are looking at property here in Washington State to provide this. (And may we point out here that as the first Remnant are not present with us today, but even so instruct us, so Elisha instructed the widow, but was not present when the miracle of the oil took place.)

How will everything be purchased? By the Remnant Bride doing just what Yahshua said. He said what He meant, and He meant what He said; and the Remnant will sell all, and the proceeds of the sales will go to provide for the poor Remnant neighbors, just as it took place in the first Remnant.

There is one difference from them though, really two. When comparing the gospels, we find the testimony that the second Remnant is to leave "everything," and this is what we must do (other than giving up personal items like photos). Paul said to be content with food and covering (1 Timothy 6:8), which echoed the teachings of Yahshua in Luke 12:22-31. Even so, with food and covering we will be content.

Second, while the first Remnant was not the "door" for Yahshua's return, but was barricaded with cedar (Song of Solomon 8:8-9), the second Remnant IS the door and will, as the Elijah work, prepare the way for His return, lest the rocks of judgment cry out. What the first Remnant failed to accomplish for reasons of timing and law, the second Remnant will accomplish, but not without entering under the same covering of holding all things in common.

Continue to page 14 of The Love of Money for THE PLAN AND GOVERNMENT OF THE REMNANT, PART 2

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