ASCENDING ALIVE
CONT., page 12
CHRISTIANITY
We saw in the writing Bread in the Baskets that the accounts in Matthew and Mark (the two gospels which apply to the 2,000 year period of the church) regarding the two feedings of the multitudes, were distinctly different from the account in second Remnant Luke. These first two accounts included the leavened bread of Pentecost and did not include the disciples going up on the mountain with Yahshua to pray, but instead they were sent out onto the troubled sea of death. We have also noted here that these two accounts are equally distinct from Luke in that six days preceded the mount of transfiguration, versus the eight days in Luke. Even with these clear, consistent, and revealing differences, one might object that in both scenarios the disciples did ascend to the mount of transfiguration. Quite so, but keep in mind that there were two distinctly different groups on that mountain - those transfigured and those sleeping.
Considering the entirety of these events, it is evident that the six days were just one more testimony to the deficiency of these first two groups revealed in Matthew and Mark. On the other hand, we see that the eight days in Luke relate to a vital period of time for numerous reasons, including the eighth day cleansing and anointing procedures. Likewise, the accompanying events in that account are entirely harmonious with the positive inference of that number. Obviously it can be concluded as to which of these two groups these two conflicting number of days specifically point. The six days would bring one into the sleeping three experience, while the eight days would bring one into the glorified two experience. We have spent considerable time on this experience of the two-part Remnant; let us now consider more fully the experience of Christianity and how and when they too will enter into immortality.
As we have just considered, while the Remnant are in heaven, Christianity will fulfill and fully enter into the purpose of the Day of Atonement. What will be a time of long awaited Jubilee release for the Remnant, will concurrently be a time of sorrow and weeping with repentance for Christianity. Before we look at Christianity's ascension into immortality, let us see again how it is so intrinsically related to the preceding work of the Remnant.
The Remnant's resurrection will mark the first occasion for man's fulfillment of all the festivals. The Remnant are the Unleavened Bread group that are produced by the former and latter rains, and will celebrate Tabernacles early. But their being early is an essential part of Christianity's future fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles. We have already seen the vital aspect of the Remnant's entry into the holy of holies, which causes their "poles" to extend to Christianity as an "anchor ... which enters within the veil," an assurance that they too will be brought into priesthood. Likewise, if Christianity did not have the Remnant to open and prepare the way, they would be rejected; Yahshua would "pass by them," as we see indicated in Mark 6:48 and other passages.
The following verses in Isaiah 62:10-12 are a prophetic account of the work of the Remnant in preparing the way for Christianity, and later the world.
Go through, go through the gates;
Clear the way for the people;
Build up, build up the highway;
Remove the stones, lift up a standard over the peoples.
Behold, Yahweh has proclaimed to the end of the earth,
Say to the daughter of Zion, "Lo, your salvation comes;
Behold His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him."
And they will call them, "The holy people,
The redeemed of Yahweh;"
And you will be called, "Sought out, a city not forsaken."
Christianity would be forsaken if it were not for the work of Yahshua in establishing the two Remnant to "go through the gate," to "clear the way," and "build up the highway." The Remnant will "lift up a standard over the peoples."
We read that during the time of the Scriptures, the people arrived early to Jerusalem in order to prepare themselves for the feasts. This is why there was already a "great multitude" in Jerusalem for Passover and Unleavened Bread when Yahshua arrived on the donkey several days before. Likewise, in Ezra 3:4-6 the people began on the "first day of the seventh month" to offer burnt offerings to Yahweh per the Feast of Tabernacles. Equally, the early "preparation" work regarding the Remnant will make it possible for Christianity to celebrate Tabernacles later. How much later? Let us now look at this.
In the writing The Issue - II, we see evidenced that Christianity will enter into Tabernacles or immortality in the fifth "day" of the period of the church, or 5,000 years after Pentecost. This is 2,000 years after the Millennial reign. This timing is evidenced in many ways, as pointed out in that writing, including the law of the fruit tree that is planted in the promised land - Leviticus 19:23-25. The Issue - II is not easy reading and should be read in its entirety in order to fully grasp what is being said; but it is urged that you read a select portion of that writing in order to understand these next points. To read that portion, click here.
As we see in that writing, Christianity as we have known it receives two periods of time, or 2,000 years, which is actually a cut short period from an original allotment of 3,000 years. Cutting this period short ushers the church and the world into the Millennial reign. During this 1,000 year period, Christians will remain in their earthly bodies and be purified by fire, even as has been discussed in the FAQ writing on the 3,000 years of the church. Following the Millennium, we see that Christianity will enter into a 2,000 year white throne judgment in which Christians who died prior to the Millennium and have been sleeping, will resurrect into earthly bodies. During these final 2,000 years, they too will learn righteousness and be purified by Yahweh's refining fire. At the conclusion of those years, Christianity will then enter into immortality via their own Tabernacles experience. Thus we see the following timing.
Before we cover a most revealing, confirming, and vital point, let us look at another law that affirms precisely what we have seen here. In Leviticus 25:18-22, we read regarding Yahweh's promise for those who keep the Sabbath rest year:
"But if you say, 'What are we going to eat on the seventh year if we do not sow or gather in our crops?,' then I will so order My blessing for you in the sixth year that it will bring forth the crop for three years. When you are sowing the eighth year, you can still eat old things from the crop, eating until the ninth year when its crop comes in."
It is stated in these writings many times that Yahweh will fulfill all His laws on a much higher level - the kingdom of God! The question thus arises - Will Yahweh keep the Sabbath for mankind? Absolutely! This Sabbath will mean the release of mankind from 6,000 years of sin, bondage, and affliction by Satan. The Millennial reign will be the Sabbath rest or release for mankind for which he has longed and so desperately needed. And since Yahweh keeps His Sabbath, He has a very special promise that He has set forth. Here we read that since He commits to keep the Sabbath, He will provide a blessing in the sixth year that will fulfill man's hunger for the next three years, or on the higher kingdom level, for an actual 3,000 years! What could be this sustaining sixth day harvest? It is the harvest of the Remnant! And for how long will this work sustain the church and mankind? In complete harmony with what we saw in the law regarding the fruit tree - for the Millennial period and the 2,000 years following. Let us here look at both of these in the following graphic representation.
So what are we seeing here? First, referring back to the first testimony, Christianity is the fruit tree, the fruit thereof which is forbidden for 3,000 years. What does this mean? The same thing we saw in the law that forbade the harvesting of Nazirites on the Sabbath. It means that Christians who have died and are sleeping cannot come into Yahshua's restored kingdom until those three periods of time are completed - they are "forbidden," even as the law of the fruit tree required. When can Christians come into that kingdom? In the 1,000 year period following the Millennium, for it is that year that the fruit will be "an offering of praise to Yahweh." Christians who have been sleeping will return into their mortal bodies. (For more on this, click here to read from The Conflict.) Then in the fifth and final 1,000 year period, the fruit can be eaten and Christians will have completed the required five days, allowing them to enter into immortality in the fifth day.
The law of the Sabbath confirms this pattern or order, in that its last two years are the identical two periods of time or 2,000 years following the Millennial Sabbath. (See the above graphic.) In this period the provision gained on the day before the Sabbath will complete its duration. It is during this time following the Millennial rest that the Remnant will be in their immortal bodies, and Christians will reenter into earthly bodies. Thus during both the Millennium, as well as the 2,000 years following, the Remnant will actually be the legal covering over Christians (see The Raven). Once Christians enter into immortality as well, that covering will not be necessary. They too will have put off the flesh and will be covered in immortality.
Now for a most important and incredible truth! Let us reconfigure the pattern we have been considering for Christianity. In doing so, we will see some most revealing evidence. Here is the pattern for the actual days of creation Christianity will possess.
Considering this pattern, do we not see here a remarkable similarity to the following?
In this vision of the church from Zechariah 4, who or what is the central lampstand? Is it not the body of Christ, separating the two Remnant? Yes indeed! And as we see likewise on the mount of transfiguration, these two olive tree "sons of fresh oil" Remnant are the Moses and Elijah works. And while the body of Christ is the fulfillment of the central lampstand in the Zechariah 4 vision, a larger fulfillment of this pattern will not be the corrupt and afflicted body of Christ, but Yahshua Himself. This is in fact portended on the mount of transfiguration where Yahshua is seen with the two Remnant representatives. NOW, let us take this pattern this one important step higher.
Ecclesiastes 1:9 tells us plainly that there is nothing new under the sun. That which has been is that which will be. Thus, we arrive at a most important point - the pattern we see for the establishment and work of the first-fruits Remnant, is the identical pattern that must and will be followed in the establishment and work of Christianity!
Do you see above that while the Remnant work is divided by the body of Christ, Christianity is divided by Yahshua Himself. The body of Christ "splits the hoof" of the Remnant, making it legally clean, while Yahshua "splits the hoof" of Christianity, equally making it legally clean! It has often been a puzzling thing to this feeble writer that the Millennial reign is characterized in Revelation 20:4 as a period in which the Remnant will "reign with Christ for a thousand years." Yahshua's reign is far more than 1,000 years - it is without end! And the Remnant have the promise of never being put away. So it has been a puzzle as to why this time is viewed in such a limited way. With these remarkable truths we are here considering, the meaning is now much clearer; for the Millennial reign is a distinct 1,000 year period that separates the two works of Christianity, one on each side. The Millennium is thus a very distinct period of the reign of Yahshua (the Sabbath) that separates or splits Christianity into two distinct works, making it clean. Yahweh does all things well, and in order!
And even as each Remnant is often prophetically seen as two witnesses (e.g., Revelation 11:3f), likewise each period of Christianity located on both sides of the Millennium is a two-part witnesses with 2,000 years in each. How will these two works actually be carried out, and for what purposes? They MUST follow the pattern and works of the two-part Remnant who prepared the way before them. Let us see. This is most important!
Even as the first Remnant was the Moses work that had to die in order to enter into the promised land, and the second Remnant is the Elijah work that ascends alive, so the first 2,000 years of Christianity have become the Moses work that has had to die, and following the Millennium it too will next enter into the Elijah work that likewise ascends alive. The distinct difference between the Remnant and Christianity however, is that the second Remnant is a completely different set of people from that of the first and are separated in time, while Christianity will not be a separate group of people. Those who died in the first 2,000 years under that Moses period, after the Millennium will enter back into their mortal bodies to next fulfill the Elijah work. It is a most important point to note that after the first resurrection of the Remnant, anyone who enters into immortality will do so by ascending alive. In fact, the first Remnant will be the only ones who ever enter into immortality via a state of sleep or death. They are the great turning point for all mankind in this transition into immortality, as all those after them enter into heaven via the Elijah work.
And might we add here, this is the same pattern to be followed by the world. While the Remnant are the "blessed and holy" ones who are a part of the first resurrection (Revelation 20:4-6), and Christians enter into resurrection next, thus completing the two-part temple, the world must be the third group to enter into this essential resurrection, providing the two-part outer court that belongs to the nations (each being made clean by the divine split into two parts). And even as both Remnant and Christianity must be split in order to become clean, so the nations too must be split. Who will split the nations, the rest of the world? Of course it is the entire work of the church - the bride and the body who enter into immortality before them. The world was the first to enter into creation, and includes everyone before the church and all those who did not enter into the church as a freewill offering. For 6,000 years the world has been in the Moses period where they have all died. In time though, they too must come out of the grave, reenter their earthly bodies, carry out the Elijah work, and likewise ascend alive. The timing of this is to be seen, but if the world follows in the same order as Christianity in which the Elijah period is equal in duration to the Moses period, then we will see the following. (The overlap of the seventh and first days seen here is covered in The Issue - II.)
Remember, six is the number of man, so the pattern for the world will be 6-3-6, or 6,000 years-3,000 years-6,000 years. It is most interesting that the total years for this redeeming Tabernacles process would be 15,000 years, or fifteen at the kingdom level. We have already seen the great significance of the number fifteen. Now we see most notably here that fifteen is remarkably associated on the largest scale of all mankind with the very period by which this process of transformation was initiated - the Remnant's fifteen days in heaven leading to Tabernacles.
Earlier in this writing we said - "The beginning of every new month provided a repeated testimony of taking out the little Remnant on Trumpets. It is this taking out of the true Remnant that will mark the changing of the darkening cycle of mankind. This glorious event will lead us to the day when there will be a full moon - when all men in their own order eventually resurrect on the fifteenth day, or Tabernacles." Thus we see these 15,000 years would mark the completion of the Remnant's fifteen days of Unleavened Bread and Tabernacles at its most complete level for mankind.
And while we are seeing this interesting and affirming expression of the number fifteen per these 15,000 years, let us note something equally interesting in that due to the two overlaps on each of the two Sabbaths, the actual "legal" time is not 15,000 years, but 17,000 years. Thus in numerology we see an actual fifteen, but a legal seventeen. Let us consider this for a minute. We will now learn something about the Remnant's fifteen days in heaven that we have not been able to discuss until now.
If one were to add up the days of the three feasts that Yahweh commanded the sons of Israel to observe, one would find that they were seventeen days total - Passover (1) plus Unleavened Bread (7) plus Pentecost (1) plus Tabernacles (8) equals seventeen days.
It is most interesting that these fifteen "days" (or, 15,000 years) that mankind goes through in order to enter into immortality, are actually a legal seventeen "days" (or, 17,000 years). It is thus evident that the fifteen days in which the Remnant are in heaven are legally even more than the Unleavened Bread and Tabernacles fulfillments, but are actually a fulfillment of all the feasts which Yahweh instructed man to come to Jerusalem to observe. This is really quite amazing! The command that Yahweh gave to come to Jerusalem three times each year for these feasts, is fulfilled by the Remnant's ascension to New Jerusalem for a legal fulfillment in fifteen days. The seventeen days of the three feasts are legally fulfilled in the fifteen days.
And even as the number fifteen is highly significant and positive in its meaning, seventeen is equally positive in that it is the number of the perfection of spiritual order or victory or even fish, as in the 153 fish caught when Yahshua told the disciples to fish on "the right-hand side of the boat." For example, the sum of the first seventeen sequential numbers equals 153.
1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+10+11+12+13+14+15+16+17=153
Before we proceed to the next important section, let us consider just a few more points regarding this matter of one work effecting the salvation of the next. Even as we see that the two-part Remnant make it possible for Christianity to enter into immortality, so the two-part work in Christianity makes it possible for the world to enter into immortality. (This order and its purpose is further explained in the writing "Seedtime and harvest, ....".)
We have addressed in the writings here at The Remnant Bride, that the two-part Remnant are the two birds seen in Leviticus 14:1-9. Briefly, the first bird is the Moses work that must die, and the second bird is the Elijah work that must ascend alive. It is through these two works we find the legal basis for being cleansed from leprosy, and leprosy is a picture of sin. While we cannot go into this here (but is covered in the writing "Seedtime and harvest, ..."), each successive work is instrumental in providing a work of salvation to the group that follows. In other words, the Remnant are the Moses and Elijah first and second birds for the sake of Christianity. Now we see in a most clear and affirming way that this process is continued so that Christianity follows in that essential work by becoming the Moses and Elijah first and second birds for the sake of the world. And if you read "Seedtime," as well as Two Trees in the Garden, you will see that the world will continue that process for the sake of the fallen angels. How must that take place? Following the pattern from the beginning, the world must likewise become the Moses and Elijah first and second birds for the sake of the fallen angels. For 6,000 years the world has been led through the Moses first bird death work, which assures us and them that they will enter into the much needed Elijah second bird work and equally ascend alive.
It is most striking that this fifteen "day" or 15,000 year period is obviously that work or period that likewise splits the hoof of the fallen angels, making them clean as well. While we have some idea as to the total duration of man's restoration, we have no idea how long the angels have passed through a preceding Moses period. Whatever that period has been, it will likely be repeated in equal duration on the other side of man's restoration. Thus, man's restoration becomes the work that makes the angels clean, even as we have seen in each preceding case.
Thus we see most importantly that there is one simple pattern that will be used to effect the restoration of all things and the establishment of the kingdom of God. This is the pattern that is set forth in Zechariah 4, and is identified as - "'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says Yahweh of hosts." In order for the hosts of Yahweh to enter into immortality, they must pass through the pattern identified by that statement - a golden lampstand with olive trees on each side! Any work that is by His Spirit must pass through this pattern - first the Remnant, followed by Christianity, then the world, and then the angels. Each in their own order they will be "'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says Yahweh of hosts."
Continue to page 13 of Ascending Alive for THE BAPTISM OF FIRE