THE THIRD HEAVEN

 

CONT., page 2

 

PART TWO

 

Let us now look some more at this subject passage regarding Paul’s vision.  Paul specifically identifies this vision with the passing of fourteen years.  He wrote of it fourteen years after it occurred.  The number “fourteen” is an interesting number.  Here are a few of the places where it appears in the Scriptures:

 

 

 

 

 

While seven is the number of the mark of the beast, doubling that number seems to afford that which is good.  Jacob’s two-part bride, the dedication of Solomon’s temple, the fourteen sons of David’s seer who were a part of the 2 x 144 singers, all seem to testify of that which would take place in the Millennial reign.  And even as the three periods of fourteen generations attest to the marking of time, even the completion of periods of time, so Paul’s fourteen years do likewise.  The completion of two periods of mark-of-the-beast Christianity would in effect be two sevens, therefore the fourteen years would look to the end of the generations of Christianity when Paul’s vision will actually be revealed and fulfilled.

 

But there is another very significant fourteen stated by Paul in Galatians 2:1 that we must look at as well, and undoubtedly affords light as to how he legally struck the rock twice with his rod which caused him to not enter into the Millennial reign.  Quite revealingly, there are only three times in which Paul gave any record of timing – these two references to these two fourteen year periods, and also in Galatians 1:18 wherein he waited three years to go see “Cephas,” and stayed fifteen days.

 

In Galatians 2:1 Paul states that it was after a period of fourteen years before he came back to Jerusalem, and according to his own boasting rebuffed the apostles.  In that chapter, Paul repeatedly slighted the apostles as being merely “reputed,” and that what they were meant nothing to him.  In doing this he struck the rock once.  But he also struck the “rock” a second time in a more vivid way when he publicly rebuked the “rock,” Peter, who was named such by Yahshua Himself.  Both of these grave actions were even contrary to his own teachings.  (Read He Was Jealous With My Jealousy, pages 4 and 5.)

 

Here we see what is undoubtedly Yahweh’s testimony as to why, like Moses, Paul could not enter into the Shelah/Shiloh promised land.  The fourteen years identified with the vision he received in which he duplicated Moses’ experience on Mount Nebo, and the fourteen years identified with the occasion in which he struck twice the rock of the apostles and Peter, as similarly performed by Moses, clearly are not happenstance.  These two unmistakably related events tie together in a most confirming and revealing way Paul’s repeat of that which was testified by Moses – because Paul struck the rock twice, he was not allowed to enter into the promised land, but only saw it at a distance in a vision. 

 

Now back to the other testimony afforded by Paul’s only other mention of timing.  In Galatians 1:18 Paul stated:

 

Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him fifteen days.

 

We will address this matter of the three years, but first it is incumbent and most fruitful that we note that Paul repeatedly refused to call Peter by this Greek translation of the name that Yahshua gave him, even though he wrote his letters in Greek.  Instead, he called him by the Aramaic name, Cephas.  As you will see, this tells a GREAT deal about Paul!  The best way to see this is by examining the occasion in which he actually interchanged these two names, which occurred right here in Galatians.

 

In Galatians 1:18 and 2:9, 11, and 14, Paul called Peter Cephas.  Let us see what he said in each of these cases.

 

 

 

 

 

In each of these cases, Paul was slandering Peter.  Now let us look in this same chapter at the two cases where he called him by the Greek name, Peter.

 

 

 

These comparisons are quite revealing, for when Paul was belittling Peter, he chose to call him Cephas.  But in the same letter when he was comparing himself to him so as to exalt and establish himself in higher regard, he called him Peter.

 

In John 1:42 Yahshua said – “You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas (which translated means Peter).”  Other than the eight times that Paul chose to call him this name, this is the only other time in the New Testament that the name Cephas is used to identify Peter.  The other 155 times in which he is identified by name is always by the Greek name, Peter.  So why did Paul choose to be different and call him by the Aramaic name, Cephas, other than when he wanted to exalt himself? 

 

The Aramaic language was the vulgar language of the common people.  This is what the “unlearned and ignorant” apostles (Acts 4:13) spoke and probably wrote.  But certainly Paul wrote his letters in Greek, the more reputable language for the learned, as was Paul.  Is it not quite revealing then that when Paul wrote concerning Peter, that he alone referred to him in the vulgar language of Aramaic, except on this occasion when he wanted to elevate himself?  As evidenced here in this unique testimony, Paul (or should we in like regard call him Saul, even as he did in similar regard with Peter) once again was despising the apostles, and thereby struck the rock (Cephas) twice and thus could not enter into the Millennial third heaven.  Now to the telling matter of the three years.

 

The other time that Paul referenced years of time was the account we have already noted – he waited three years before he ever went to see “Cephas.”  There he stayed with him for fifteen days, but did not even bother to see any of the other apostles, except James.  We will get straight to the point. 

 

How many years was Christianity supposed to receive?  Was it not 3,000 years?  And as addressed in The Issue – II, page 11, when is the second resurrection of Christianity to take place?  At the end of those 3,000 years, or after the Millennial reign.  Thus Paul, and every other Christian who has died, will remain in the grave during the 3,000 year period of the church.  Paul died at the beginning of that period; so how long will he have to wait in order to see the apostle Peter, who will have already entered into immortality and ruled and reigned with Yahshua during the Millennium?  Even as Paul waited three years before he went to see “Cephas,” so he will equally wait 3,000 years before he will see the apostle Peter, who will sit around the throne with Yahshua.

 

And how long did Paul stay with “Cephas”?  But before we answer this, do you think these specifically enumerated days and years are placed here for no reason?  They are here to give testimony to truth, to prophesy.  Paul remained with “Cephas” for fifteen days.  Fifteen is the number associated with rest.  Thus on the eighth day of mankind, the day after the Millennial sabbath, Paul and other Christians will finally enter into their rest, even as they call the eighth day their Sabbath.  What Paul did in the natural, will be fulfilled both personally and corporately in the spiritual.

 

Let us continue our consideration of this matter of the third heaven.

 

“The park,” or what is otherwise translated “Paradise,” that Paul saw, is the Millennial reign.  In Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words we read:

 

PARADISE:  <1,,3857,paradeisos>  is an Oriental word, first used by the historian Xenophon, denoting "the parks of Perisian kings and nobles."  It is of Persian origin (Old Pers. pairidaeza, akin to Gk. peri, "around," and teichos, "a wall") whence it passed into Greek.  See the Sept., e.g., in Neh. 2:8; Eccl. 2:5; Song of Sol. 4:13.  The Sept. translators used it of the garden of Eden, Gen. 2:8, and in other respects, e.g., Num. 24:6; Isa. 1:30; Jer. 29:5; Ezek. 31:8,9. … The same region is mentioned in Rev. 2:7, where the "tree of life," the figurative antitype of that in Eden, held out to the overcomer, is spoken of as being in "the Paradise of God" (RV), marg., "garden," as in Gen. 2:8.

 

Thus we see even more clearly that what Paul saw, was in fact the Millennial period when the tree of life work is brought to man and the garden of Eden is restored/established.  Let us quote here Revelation 2:7.  Yahshua declared:

 

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.  To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise (park) of God.”

 

Today is the day in which Yahweh is restoring to us an ear to hear what He has kept sealed for 2,000 years.  The “unspoken words” are now being spoken.  Even as Yahshua replaced and healed the right ear (the specific ear that is anointed in priesthood) of the high priest’s slave, Malchus (John 18:10), which was cut off with a sword by Peter, so today He is restoring and healing the hearing ear that Peter Christianity has cut off in their violent, “take it by force”/”snatch it away” work.  This is the Peter who denied Yahshua three times, or the 3,000 years of the church.

 

Concerning that which Paul saw, it was not lawful for him to speak.  Why?  Because he saw it only at a distance, and it would be another 2,000 years before another would be able to legally take that rod and reveal it.  As we have already seen, Yahweh blinded Christianity so they would not defile the last-days second golden rod and the two Remnant virgins, and in like regard Paul could not speak of what he saw.  For 2,000 years, these truths have literally been “unspoken words.”  Paul was a Christian, and though Christians have had the rod, they have been legally forbidden from bringing forth the more complete message and truth regarding the Millennial reign.  That right belongs to another – the second golden rod.

 

These statements that Paul made in this subject account regarding “a man” were quite unique, even per the entire Bible:

 

 

 

 

 

Evidently, Paul was speaking of himself here, but insomuch that he knew that he would not enter into that land (being “untimely born,” as he said, which again is true with all Christians who have died), the way this is repeated over and over and over, he seemed to be eluding to one coming later who would be “such a one” who would reveal and fulfill these things.  Even his insistence about the state of the body is unusual.

 

 

 

Evidently, once again, he was relating this to himself; but when one considers that the first resurrection takes place in the Shelah/Shiloh period, Paul’s emphasis on the transcendental nature of the body seems quite revealing and even appropriate for this “third heaven” experience.

 

So what happened to Paul after his vision?  Of course he began the breach period of the church.  This is the period in which Satan has afflicted kingdom man.  Thus we read next concerning Paul:

 

To keep me from exalting myself, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me – to keep me from exalting myself!  Concerning this I entreated the Lord three times that it might depart from me.  And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:7-9).

 

It is quite significant here that the word “of” in “of Satan,” is not in the Greek, and even the Greek word here translated “messenger” is the word “aggelos,” which is translated 169 times – “angel.”  Thus this would more accurately read – “there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the angel, Satan, to buffet me.”  (Frankly, a “messenger from Satan” makes no sense.)  As we have seen in several other cases, that which happened to Paul, foreshadowed that which would happen in the church – it would be afflicted by Satan – but with one important exception. 

 

Paul asked three times for Satan to depart from him.  As we know, the church was supposed to receive 3,000 years.  However, Yahweh must cut those days short to 2,000, and in so doing to bind Satan “early.”  Thus, while Paul himself had to deal with Satan despite his three requests, Yahweh will in fact answer his request after the second time and bind Satan in the church.  Yahweh is merciful, and He used Paul as an intercessor to help pay the price for Satan to be bound at the completion of 2,000 years. 

 

In 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, we read:

 

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep.  For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, and with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord.

 

Quite interestingly, and bringing more insight to Paul’s vision, the Greek word here in verse 17 for “caught up,” is the same word used in his vision in 2 Corinthians 12:2 and 4 wherein he was “snatched away.”  This could explain why Paul did not know whether he was in the body or out of the body.  It certainly relates to the ascension of the Remnant in the Millennial Òthird heaven.Ó  One would wonder if this vision is the source of PaulÕs understanding regarding the first resurrection as spoken of in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17.

 

But Christians have taken this passage and tried to take the kingdom by force, to snatch it away.  Even as the men of Sodom were blinded but wearied themselves by all the more trying to find and press in through the door, so Christianity through its “by force” efforts through a multiplicity of popular books and novels and videos, have tried to fulfill that which only the second golden rod, the “Lot,” and the two-part Remnant, the two virgin daughters, can and will fulfill.  What we are seeing today with this frenzy over end time mania, is the very fulfillment of this vivid testimony regarding Sodom.  Christians are trying to snatch away the kingdom from the Remnant, and they will miserably fail!  They are the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel who equally went into a frenzy trying to get their offering to ascend.  They say they are going to ascend alive (“rapture”), BUT THEY WILL NOT!  What they are trying to accomplish by their own vain efforts, will be accomplished by the sovereign will of Yahweh in a way in which they are not even aware – by a work that does not take the sandals.

 

We will now close this writing with a very clear and confirming message that Yahweh has for His Bride from the book of Ruth, where in fact the issue of who takes the sandals is in play.  Kyle Nixon pointed out this remarkable truth. 

 

Ruth is a clear picture of the Remnant Bride.  We will not go into all the pictures and testimonies that are available to us here, but only point out three relevant points.  Before we do though, we need to confirm that Boaz in type is Yahshua, our kinsman redeemer, the one who “came from Bethlehem” (2:4) and will not only redeem us so as to marry us, but also in this account gives us some very important instruction, to which we will be most wise to heed.  Here are the three confirming and relevant testimonies.

 

First, we have already seen in the testimony from Sodom that Yahweh would not let the two Remnant virgins be turned over to Christianity.  He blinded those who sought to enter the door, so that though they tried all the more, they could not enter in.  This is what He will continue to do even today.  In like testimony we read in this account that Boaz told Ruth – “I have commanded the servants not to touch you” (2:9).  Even as He would not let the men of Sodom touch the two virgins, or even Lot, so Boaz commanded his servants to not touch Ruth.

 

The second point is clearly evidenced by not only this writing, but by the incredible amount of new truth that Yahweh has given to His Bride.  We are gleaning from the corners of Boaz’/Yahshua’s field (who is “a man of great wealth,” Ruth 2:1) and have found favor in His eyes, and are the Bride whom He is obligated to redeem as our kinsman.  Thus we read here in Ruth what that favor means to us at this time – “Let her glean even from among the sheaves, and do not humiliate her.  And also you shall purposely pull out for her some grain from the bundles and leave it that she may glean, and do not rebuke her” (2:15-16).

 

This is what Yahweh is doing for His Bride right now.  He has commanded that more be given to her than any others have ever received before, and she is not to be stopped in her bounteous gleaning.  This is remarkably evident as we see truths that have never before been seen.  Yahweh is giving to us abundantly in our gleaning!  Ruth gleaned that first day “an ephah of barley.”  We, His bride, are the unleavened Passover barley work, and He is giving to us truth that He has never given to man before.  Now for the most important and most direct and clear message that is here given to us, His Bride.

 

Boaz’ first and clearest instruction to Ruth was this – “Listen carefully, my daughter.  Do not go to another field; furthermore, do not go on from this one, but stay here with my maids.  Let your eyes be on the field which they reap, and go after them. … When you are thirsty, go to the water jars and drink from what the servants draw” (2:8-9).

 

Yahshua is telling us to “listen carefully” to this point, and that is what this writing is all about.  Remnant Bride, do not go to the other fields of Christianity and glean from them so as to take in their false teachings.  Yahweh is giving us truth from His field and has given us favor as His bride.  As we read here, our eyes are to stay on this field alone.  This is not this man’s instruction, but this is the warning of our Kinsman Redeemer, Yahshua – “Listen carefully, my daughter.” 

 

Do not think you can mix the gleanings of the field of Christianity with the gleanings of the field that Yahshua has abundantly made available to His Bride.  Do not think you can mix the “overcomer” teachings of Christianity, or any of the other false teachings of Christianity, with Remnant teachings, for you are doing exactly what Yahshua warns here not to do.  And Yahweh has given His Remnant servants the ability to bring forth water that will not run dry, and you are to go to those water jars and drink the water these servants have drawn.  This is the truth that He is giving us that will set us free, and our eyes are to be on this truth only!

 

As a result of Boaz’ generosity, Ruth “fell on her face, bowing to the ground and said to him, ‘Why have I found favor in your sight that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?’” (2:10).  This is indeed the response of the Remnant Bride to that which Yahshua is abundantly doing for His bride at this time.  He is giving us truth that has never before been gleaned, and in quantities that have never before been given.  Our response is to bow to the ground before Him and to thank Him for having such mercy on an unworthy Moabite foreigner as we.

 

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