A Teacher's Blog

God of Wonders

noreply@blogger.com (Ralph Rickenbach) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 14:33:00 +0000

God of wonders. That is how God introduces himself in the first place. This is how he begins it all: creating the world in 6 days. Wondrous enough for man to come up with many different ideas on what that account might mean and how to interpret it, even leave God out of the picture - and calling that scientific, smart, logical, and even unbiased.

God brought Israel into existence birthing a promised son, a son of wonders. His parents were way past child bearing and producing time. This son was sacrificed to produce something bigger - the people of Israel.

Formed in captivity, they were brought out of Egypt through wonders humanity had never seen before. The world did, that is how it was formed. Even more, they were brought into the promised land with wonders: Jericho fell with no fight at all.

What followed was a time of the occasional outbreak of God's superpowers through the times of the judges, the kings, the exile, with long periods of just normal life in between, with cycles of believe and unbelief.

But then God again brought a son, in a miraculous time and way. A son that was birthed by a couple that had never slept together - the wonder was not a supernatural birth outside of normal time, yet a supernatural birth outside of normal procedures. This son was to fulfill the old covenant exactly the same way it started - just on a bigger scale. Jesus in this sense is a better Isaac:

Living a life of wonders, Jesus on the cross ended sacrifices and offering in the sense of the Aaronic priesthood. He was the final sacrifice, once and for all.

A new time was born in His resurrection. Again, it all started with a time of wonders. Pentecost, healings through the apostles, a message that was brought to the world in less than 60 years. Again it started in oppression and sacrifice, with many of the new church giving their lives for Him. But the church was brought out of the captivity of the old covenant and into the new with wonders.

The last few centuries were sprinkled with times of wonders and very dark times, with believe and unbelief. And again God wants to bring a son that will fulfill the new covenant and usher in the next phase: Jesus coming back and living in our midst, preparing the world for God the Father to live with us.

The supernatural birthing of the Kingdom on the earth was outside of normal timing: Israel was oppressed by the Romans, nobody expected this to happen. Jesus had been prophesied - to the date, in Daniel. Yet ending the old covenant through a new, spiritual Israel and a new covenant had not been expected. The son that will be born now will be supernaturally born outside of normal procedures. It will not happen by "church as usual."

The son born at the beginning of the new covenant is a many membered son, and therefore the son finishing this age will be many membered as well. These are those that the bible talks of as the sons of God the whole earth is waiting for. These are those that gave their lives for the gospel.

Externally? The old covenant is external, as a picture for us to understand the internal and spiritual outworking in the new covenant. Therefore I am lead to believe that the ones crying out to Jesus when there would be revenge, the ones John got to know as "these are those" in Revelation, might not be the ones martyred physically only, but also the ones that died to self to become the sons of God He pictured them to be before the foundation of the earth.

God prophesied a Kingdom to fill the whole earth in Daniel. It will overcome all other kingdoms. But it grows, from a normal sized rock to fill the earth. It started rolling a long time ago when its King walked the earth, and it will fill the earth when its kings and sons, together with the King of kings, finish the work. And once again He will say: it is finished.

Faith and Expectation

noreply@blogger.com (Ralph Rickenbach) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Quantum physics states that a subatomic particle at a certain time has no state, but contains all states with certain probabilities. Only when observed a particle falls into a certain state. Which state depends upon the expectation of the observer as well as the measurement method. Will it be a wave or a particle?
New studies show that human creativity works the same way. Within subcontiousness everything is possible and thoughts are in indefinite stages. Only when oserved by consiousness they fall into a certain state, and they fall prey to the observation method and expectations of the person observing.
What do I mean by that?
Science often sees man as a rules engine driven by the sum of memories from the past. This they apply to body and soul. Body memories would include both trained movements like walking or strategies to relief pain, such as limping. Other things include basic needs like food, drink, and sleep to keep the rules engine going in the first place. Soulwise it's basic instincts, emotions, as well as memories in the more narrow sense like "this did not work last time, so it won't this time either".
If we define man like this, where is the difference to animals? It for sure is not reason, if that is only chemistry and rules application.
But there is a third part to man: spirit. Spirit is different as it does not know natural borders - just like subatomic particles and thoughts. It is the part that makes us an image of God.
Spirit is dead in most man. When Adam fell, that part died. And suddenly, the way to look at the world changed. And that happens again when we acknowledge the need of Jesus redemtpive work and allow Him to be Lord of our life. The spirit is revived and saved - made whole again.
But what changes in our world view? Maybe we can look at it as a change or redesign of our rules engine. Creative thoughts as well as impressions from within and without, when become consious, now pass through a different rules engine. There is an additional event fired when a new thought comes up: go through the spirit as well. This spirit has a basic set of rules, of which God says that He "will write it on our hearts". These rules look at thoughts from an eternal perspective, processes them through with the Holy Spirit ("when deep talks to deep"), and is far less limiting than our other actors on thought filtering. It has an other basic tendency - "yes and amen" instead of negativity, life instead of death, light instead of darkness.
Yet we have been living for such a long time with our two agents of decision making. They drove our life and are not very keen of loosing power. Paul says that we have been saved (spirit), are being saved daily (soul) by changing our mindset, and will be saved in an instance (body) when Jesus returns or we return to Him.
Changing our decision making process is by no means narrowing down our options. In the contrary, we start experiencing the creativity of God with no early negativistic road blocks such as "I don't feel like it", "how could that be", "it never worked", "I am not worthy or capable". Yet it is not easy and needs work to train my rules engine to change the weights on the rules, the priorities and sequence of application. As I said, we have long been trained.
Yet there is hope. Paul in Romans 7:19-20 says that if he is urged to do bad things, it is not him, but sin that urges him. We are not defined by our memories, we are defined by God: we are children of God. Therefore, when we accept Him, we can change sides. Instead of staying on sin's side, always ashamed of failure, giving in to excuses, and eventually giving up and/or blaming God ("you made me like this", "this is just who I am"), we can join God. Look at myself just like God does.
From God's viewpoint, my old nature is dead. It died 2000 years ago on the cross, as Jesus became sin - or let's say humanity - and died for us all. Therefore, my problems are long gone memories. No, I do not mean that I do not have any problems any more, no, those long gone memories, those lies about me, the facts that were true of this dead body called ego, these are my problems. Standing on God's side, seeing the truth about it, lets me confess in faith what is true: I am a new creation, and these memories, trained behaviours, emotions are facts of the past.
Easy? By no means. But we are not alone. God became man in Jesus to give us a perfect example. And just remember: He was all man! He gave us His Word, talking about all these men and women that came through and giving us great examples of great successes and failures to glean from. And even more than this. Just as Paul told the Corintheans to immitate him, there have been people at any time in history to immitate.
Look around, and you will find people God placed in your environment, especially your church, who do things differently and godly. They somehow do not seem to be limited or preconditioned on things. They spark an idea in your head: this can be done differently! Let them mentor you. Learn from the Word, books, and godly people.
And feed your spirit. Give it the energy to influence your other parts. Feed on the Word. Pray. Live in an environment that brings forth the best in you. Or as the Bible says it: do not forsake the coming together. That means: assemble as the church often. And have your spirit take authority and train your soul and body to behave godly: fast (that will get your body to listen), talk to yourself, build great memories, but also:
Expect! As we saw in the beginning, scientists measure what they expect. Expect God to come through. And your bill is not another piece of the road to bankrupcy, but another oportunity for God to brake through, another sign of your being blessed.
Nature is an external example of God's principles at work that we can learn from. As Paul said, nobody has an excuse that he did not know God as He reveals Himself in nature manyfold. For so many centuries scientists have believed that nature is based on simple rules, on memories (gene pools), and mathematical equations. Now they find that nature is determined by the observer.
The quintessence: you and God, you form your future - through faith and expectation. The measurement method: first and foremost a living and nurtured spirit, then a soul preconditioned through expectation, and a willing body by training. The view point: I am a new creation on God's side.

Old and New - External and Internal

noreply@blogger.com (Ralph Rickenbach) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

The old covenant started with the promise of a child being born. And it panned out with a son being given. It started with a child being sacrificed. And panned out with a son giving himself for all. As it started it went.
The new covenant started with the promise of a child being born, the church. And it will go out with a son being given, fully given to the Lord, the sons of God. As you saw Him go, He will return.
In the old covenant, God married Israel at Mount Sinai and produced a son. In the new covenant Jesus married the church at the cross and Pentecost, and will produce a many membered son.
In the old covenant, everything was external. In the new, it is within. It is easier to understand what is going on within if we have an example that we can see with our senses.
Are there any more parallels? Tons of them. One thing that comes to mind is prophecy.
Much of the prophecy in the old covenant had an immediate fulfillment and a future one, many years, sometimes hundreds of years into the future. Could it be that this is true also in the new covenant?
When Peter said that "this is that", pointing to Joel and interpreting Pentecost as a fulfillment of his prophecy, Peter deviated slightly from Joel's wording. Joel wrote "I will pour out my Spirit", and Peter said "I will pour out of my Spirit". Pentecost was a partial fulfillment of Joel's prophecy, and there will be a time of the former and later rain together - in the future.
Jesus prophecied utter destruction during the lifetime of the generation listening to Him. Jerusalem and all old covenant elements or symbols that had become so religious and with the advent of the new covenant superfluous where destroyed 70 AD. A partial fulfillment. The 42nd generation, Christ (see my former post), is still alive and well, and there will be times as in the times of Noah. Yet the destruction will only be external in as much as everything that goes on in our inner being has its outflow into and consequences in the world. Two man on the field. One will die - the old ego - and one will be caught up to higher levels, seated with Christ. Identity, not locality.
As there was a strong, vivid, powerful, magnificent, eminent, wonderful (in its literal meaning) church back then, there will be the sons of God when this covenant and this age comes to an end. The whole earth is growning for the revelation of the sons of God.

Uneven Yoke

noreply@blogger.com (Ralph Rickenbach) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:00:00 +0000

My yoke is easy and my burden is light. Mat 11:30
The yoke of Jesus Christ its easy because it is even. What do I mean by that? Both oxen in the yoke are of comparable size. Imagine one being much larger - the yoke would be very uncomfortable for any of the two.
Even though we like the utopia of being without yoke, what we call totally free, it is exactly that: an utopia. We are always in a yoke, namely the yoke of sin if not yoked with Jesus.
In this yoke of sin - independent of the shade - we are yoked unevenly. Be it humanism, addictions, egoism - it is all the same: self. We are to big for this yoke, ending up being the big bull of the two. Why this? All this only speaks to our flesh or soul, that is intellect and emotions. Our spirit is unsatisfied and unchallenged.
If we get yoked with Jesus, but do it half heartedly, we are the small bull in the pair. Phi 3:10-11 tells us that we can only experience the resurrection power in effect in Jesus' life if suffering with Him - dying to self. Not only accepting His provision - like Vashti - but also His purpose - like Esther.
Another way to see it: imagine we only accept God's grace in our lives. This will lead us to do whatever we want - greasy grace. Yet only knowing our identity in Christ will lead us into legalism as a way to keep our identity.
Being fully yoked with Jesus is to accept His grace - He has done it all, we cannot add a tittle. Yet also be aware of our identity as children of God, with the desire and obligation to mature and grow up.
Provision and purpose - the easy yoke.

No place to rest his head

noreply@blogger.com (Ralph Rickenbach) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:00:00 +0000

Foxes have dens, birds have nests, but the son of man does not have a place to rest his head. (Luk 9:58)
For many years the church has believed that this was proof of Jesus being poor. Yet the bible teaches us that Jesus had women financially supporting him, as well as had received a great financial start with kingmakers bringing him a gift for a king. This might be debated, but bare with me for a moment.
The verse does not tell us that Jesus could not afford a bed at night. Jesus for example stayed at Bethsaida with Maria, Martha, and Lazarus, as it was his custom when he was in Jerusalem.
What does the verse tell us then?
Today it is said that a man needs a den, a cave for productive work, where women need a nest to feel at home. But Jesus needs a place to rest his head.
Where does your head rest, right now? My head rests on my shoulders. Thinking of Kol 1:18 here: we are the body, and he, Jesus, is the head. Jes 9:6 tells us that the government or leadership rests on his shoulder, or better neck.
In the macrocosm of the church, the goal is to grow up such that the head has a place to rest, the shoulder of the body. Ephesians in chapter 4 puts it like this: the 5fold ministry is given to build the body. Build here is often translated edify, yet in the Greek is an architectural term meaning to build. The next verse makes this more concrete (pun intended) by saying that the body is to grow up into maturity, the full stature of a mature man. Such that the head finds a place to rest.
This building of the body is done in twofold ways. Having more people realize "Christ in them" is one. But too often the border of the Kingdom is right within us. As Paul puts it: there are two souls in my body - one draws me to do good, while the other draws me to sin.
The other way to grow the body is to grow myself, to mature myself. Or as the bible puts it: to die to self. I have to decrease, but he has to increase.

So salvation is realizing that Jesus lives in me. Maturing is to change into what Jesus made me to be by giving him more room: himself in the earth.

My son has suffered from a heavy car accident some years ago. Frontal lobe and other brain injuries let his body be disfunctional. Especially the right side first was totally lame, and still cannot control fine motoric movement. Doctors told him that he can do two things to improve: exercise and be in a positive environment.
When we recognize that we are part of the body of Christ, we are usually very disfunctional. We had been dead. To improve, we exercise - pray, read the bible, make right decisions - and join a positive environment - do not forsake the assembly of the body of Christ.

Fathers and Sons

noreply@blogger.com (Ralph Rickenbach) — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 21:00:00 +0000

For even if you have ten thousand trainers in connection with the Messiah, you do not have many fathers; for in connection with the Messiah Yeshua it was I who became your father by means of the Good News. Therefore I urge you to imitate me. This is why I have sent you Timothy, my beloved and trustworthy child in the Lord. He will remind you of the way of life I follow in union with the Messiah Yeshua and teach everywhere in every congregation.
(1Co 4:15-17 CJB)

Before Paul wrote the letter to the Corinthians, he stopped and talked with Timothy:

"Timothy, I got notice that the Corinthians have major problems. They are a wonderful church, they lack nothing. But some things are just not right. I know I should go there and help them, but I can't."

Maybe Paul was tied up, maybe in a very literal sense, as it happened to Paul on occasions. He continued:

"You are a great son to me. You have grown so much and have been so faithful to me in all those years." Paul knew exactly, that Timothy needed the encouragement for what layed ahead of him. "I am going to send you!"

Timothy immediately recognized the pattern that was played out here: when God heard the Israelites in Egypt call for His help, He appeared to Moses in a burning bush and told Him: "I have heard the cries of my people and will help them. So I send you". This was biblical, which did not make it any more comfortable.

Paul knew that Timothy as a real son would perfectly represent him. Not as a carbon copy, with his own personality, but in the same spirit. He trusted Timothy. But how did this develop? What was necessary on the way for Timothy to reach this spot?

Abraham and Melchisedek

Prior to Abraham's meeting with Melchisedek, Abraham had but promises from God. Wonderful, powerful promises, but nothing had happened so far. Well, not exactly nothing. He had wandered from Ur to Egypt and back into what would become the home land of his offspring. But there was no offspring yet. He had undergone problems with family, especially Lot.

Yet after he met Melchisedek, was blessed by him and submitted to his leadership by paying the tithe, things changed. Hebrews tells us that the higher blesses the lower. Seeing Melchisedek as higher in spiritual rank, as a father figure, unleashed the promises and turned them into blessings. Soon after God cut covenant with Abraham, and then a son was born. Submission to an elder unlocks blessings.

Moses and Joshua

When Moses knew he was to die he asked the Lord who to appoint as his successor. The Lord answered him to place part of his anointing on Joshua. Why Joshua? Kaleb was a spy with Joshua, had the same answer and attitude when coming back from spying out the land as Joshua did, and - according to other sources than the bible - was the one training the army, especially the youth. Why not him? Because Joshua had a father - son relationship with Moses. For 40 years he served Moses. And he had a relationship with God and did not leave the tent of meeting.

When Joshua fought against the Amalekites, a chore that Moses placed on him fairly early, he did not see what happened on the mount where Moses was with Aaron and Hur. For Joshua it looked as if he was winning the battle through sheer power. He knew that Moses was on the mount and drew strength and confidence from it, but he did not know that he was only winning when Moses' hands were stretch up to heaven, and that Aaron and Hur helped Moses to keep his hands up. God commanded Moses to write this down on a scroll and make sure that Joshua read it, so Joshua would know that he was walking in delegated authority and won through his father's blessing. A son accomplishes things far outside his own anointing in relationship and submission to a father.

But why did God say that Moses should only place part of his anointing on Joshua? Because part had to be given to the high priest. Moses did high priestly duties, such as set in Aaron as high priest. This part had to remain with Levi, while the kingly anointing of leadership had to go to Juda.

Elijah and Elisha

Elisha served Elijah for 20 years, pouring water on his hands. He was faithful from the first moment, when called in a very peculiar way: Elijah threw a mantle over him, passed him and told him to follow if he wanted to. And even in the end, when Elijah told him to stay, Elisha knew that he had to keep following. And at the end he got his double blessing. Could it be that this was his part from his heavenly father that he would have had if he did not follow Elijah, and the anointing that was on Elijah added on top of it? Sons can inherit their father's anointing.

Jesus and John the Baptist

When Jesus walked this earth, he was blessed and grew in wisdom and understanding to the point that as a 12 year old he astonished the priests and pharisees in the temple. But he did not commence his ministry before somebody that was in ministry before him, somebody that had the explicit call to pave his way - what a description of a father - had blessed him in the Jordan. It was but then that the Father in Heaven acknowledged Jesus' sonship and expressed His approval.

Conclusion

Pastors for ages had the same career path: conversion, bible school, ministry. And all they were was educated children. I do not blame any of them. It was not the time prophecied in Malachi, when the spirit of Elijah would come and turn the hearts of the fathers to their sons and vice versa. But now this time has come. It does not suffice any longer to be an educated child. We have just learned that only the relationship and submission to a father permits the blessings and anointing to flow and turns a child into a son.

When I had been converted for a year, I was depressed because in all the books I read, people - especially in the parts of the world that God was at work like Africa - within 3-6 months founded their own churches. And here I was, not yet a pastor. But nowadays I am so thankful that the Lord did not let this happen. I got to know my spiritual father, and even if I did not get commissioned into my calling with quite the speed that Jesus was - I was not without sin, remember - I started to change rapidly and grew to become a son.

This is not where I want to stay. Even Jesus did grow further and became the eternal father that Isaiah prophecies about. But without being a son, nobody will become a father. Granted, Elijah did not have a father we know of, and God gave grace that in a fatherless generation a father could stand up and beget a son. Not long ago the same happened again, as it did in Jesus' generation with John the Baptist. Interesting - Jesus told us that Elijah had come in John the baptist, and he will come again before the return of Christ. Now we live, or let's say I live in a privileged environment where there are fathers around that themselves are sons. So my desire is to become a great son and a great father for others.

Many think that the call was taken from Elijah when he ran from Jezebel. I personally believe that when he was commanded to anoint Elisha as his successor, Elijah came into a great call, maybe the pinnacle of his calling, by becoming a father for somebody else, so his anointing, vision, assignment could live on.

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

What do I have to observe? We learned that blessings are passed from father to son. Just like Abraham passed the blessing to Isaac and God acknowledged this by repeating the blessings to Isaac personally, Isaac was to hand them on.

There is one person in the bible that God says he hates. It is not David that broke just about every law there was. It is not Saul, even though kingship and anointing were taken from him. It was not Adam, even though he pretty much blew it. Or Eve, for that matter. It was Esau. But what did he do? He despised his inheritance. He later on wept over the loss of his father's blessing, but did not realize that the inheritance was both: earthly riches and heavenly blessings.

Why is this story in the bible? The bible is inspired to teach us the ways of God and man. So could it be that we do the same? When we talk about our pastor behind his back, when we leave a relationship as it seems not needed any longer, when we do not take note of prophetic words and follow up with them, when we leave a meeting not remembering a word of what was said - don't we despise out inheritance and the fathers we are to get it through by God's setting and plan? We live in an age of grace, and we can repent and do differently. So I did and do. God is faithful and forgives.

Fatherhood

We are all a people of priests, as Peter tells us, representing the people before God. We are all to represent Christ before the people. But fathers represent the heavenly father to their sons. Christ as everlasting father represented the father in that he did not do anything he did not see the father do. He said: if you have seen me, you have seen the father. Representing Christ to the people was why Paul could say: imitate me. but representing the father to Timothy is why he could say: I will send you Timothy. He fully represents me.

We live in an age in which the testator of the covenant has died. The testament is to be executed, the inheritance to be had. Our fathers have died too to self by means of the cross and a life lived. We do not have to wait until they die to inherit the blessing.

I want to be all that I can be in Christ. I need the blessings and the anointing of a father to become myself a father for others. I will ask my father to bless me and keep on blessing me by the laying on of hands and will continue in that relationship and submission because and want to be all for others that God planned me to be: a father.

I Am

noreply@blogger.com (Ralph Rickenbach) — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 17:00:00 +0000

When God met Moses at the burning bush, He revealed His Name to Moses: God said to Moses, "I-AM-WHO-I-AM. Tell the People of Israel, 'I-AM sent me to you.'" (2Mo 3:14 MSG)

When Jesus was walking on the water and met the disciples in the midst of the storm and the night, He said: Don't be afraid. I am.

When the people came to get Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, asking which one Jesus was, He answered: I am, and they all fell to the ground.

We are made in God's image and likeness. Jesus is the head and we are the body. Does the head listen to another name than the rest of the body?

I can, without shame or fear, say that I am. My name is I am. I am a son of God. I am Christ in the earth, maybe the only one some people will ever see.

Jesus prayed in John 17 that we may be one with Him as the Father and He are one. At the cross he proclaimed: It is finished. All is accomplished. Is it fair to say then that we are now one with Him and by inclusion with the Father? Is it OK to say that we have been restored to our former condition from before the fall? Is it true then that we are again of His likeness and character?

Judging from my everyday walk and experience, all outside of Christ cries that this is not the case. It sounds like a lie. Yet let me explain to you the difference of fact and truth. Facts are temporal and subject to change. Just think of today's opinion on whatever from science that is overhauled tomorrow. Truth is a person and never changes. Jesus said: I am the way, the truth and the light.

Therefore it is true that we are whatever Jesus is apart from his headship. We are of His character and nature. Yet we do not believe it and therefore it is only partially fact. Wherever we come into agreement with the truth, facts will align and truth will be manifested and walked out.

What is the nature of Jesus? Jesus said: I am peace. One of His titles is Prince of Peace. Therefore we are peace. Live it, and the atmosphere changes when you come into a room. Peace will abound. Why?

Jesus also said: I am the light. And He said: You are the light of the world. When light comes on, darkness does not flee, it just disappears. Darkness does not exist, it is just the absence of light. Therefore, when peace appears, strive and struggles just disappear.

Jesus called Himself the way. The early church, before being called Christian or Christ-likes, was called "the way". Jesus, when asked a question, told a story. The story only was to be understood by the hungry. "I am the water of life" is all that is needed to the thirsty, "I am the bread from heaven", all to the hungry. Yet it is a road of discovery, a road to be discovered. So, when we are the way for people to Jesus, we are no programs with 7 steps, we are stories told that mean everything to the needy.

There are a few things that Jesus did not give to everybody. In Ephesians 4 it says that He gave of Himself apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. Paul in 1 Corinthians 12 asks the question: so are all apostles, prophets, teachers, and implies the answer no. Jesus is the great apostle of our faith, as much as He is the greatest prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher there ever was. Yet, 1 Corinthians 13 tells us that all gifts will cease. Ephesians 6 continues to say that He gave until. There will be an end to the ministry gifts. They are facts, temporal, not eternal truths. That is the difference to the things we all are in Christ:

We are love, hope, faith, kindness, truth, patience, self-control, peace...

Unbroken Law

noreply@blogger.com (Ralph Rickenbach) — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 07:19:00 +0000

When did Moses lose the right to go into the promised land? When he for a second time hit the rock. Why? He broke the shadow that pointed to Jesus: Jesus was hit once, but now we just talk to Him. Ask, and I will give you.

So could it be that Moses didn't break the foreshadowing signs he did before that? What happened when he broke the tables of the law when coming down from the mountain? Within the arc of covenant there where the unbroken tablets of the law that God made the second time Moses was on the mountain.

This is a shadow for the two covenants: under the first covenant, as Galatians tells us, it was impossible to keep the law. It was broken. But Jesus fulfilled the law - therefore the unbroken law is ours. God wrote the law on our hearts, and it is unbroken. It is done. It is fulfilled.

Jesus is the true arc of covenant. When He rose, two cherubs stood at both ends of the place He laid - see the shadow arc of covenant. In Him is the unbroken law, in Him is the tree of life and the true priesthood (Aaron's budding rod), and the true manna ("I am the true bread") in a golden vessel. We are the golden - worthy, honourable - vessels with the true bread of life within.

Giving, Doors, and Two Witnesses

noreply@blogger.com (Ralph Rickenbach) — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 04:00:00 +0000

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only and unique Son, so that everyone who trusts in him may have eternal life, instead of being utterly destroyed.
(John 3:16 CJB)

When did God decide that He would die for us? As a project manager I am used to calculate my risks ahead of time. A risk has a cost and it has a probability of happening. Now, let me tell you this: if I had a project with a risk of death and a probability of that risk happening of 100%, I would shrink back from even starting this endeavour.

God, other than me, is the perfect project manager and knows all risks beforehand. He knew before the foundation of the earth, before even starting this "experiment" with human race, that there would be a risk that He would have to give His life for us, not only a risk, a sure thing. And still He decided to go forward. For he is a giver.

All we want is to become like Him - let us display His character traid of giving.

I am the gate; if someone enters through me, he will be safe and will go in and out and find pasture.
(John 10:9 CJB)

Jesus, giving Himself for us, became the gate, the doorway to the father, to go in and out. God tells us, that if we tithe and give, that He will open the doors of heaven.

Now, if we portray Jesus through our giving, He became a gate or doorway, and our giving will open the doors of heaven, is it fair to say that we are to become the doors of heaven for others to go in and out and find pasture?

In the mouth of two or three witnesses everything is established, Moses, Paul, and even Jesus said. The first witness of the Father is Jesus, as He became the door to find Him. Let us become the second witness to establish the truth in peoples lives. Jesus went ahead as pattern Son, let us become the testimony that gets this truth real in peoples lives as the second witness.

The 42nd Generation

noreply@blogger.com (Ralph Rickenbach) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:15:00 +0000

Matthew starts his Gospel with a genealogy of Jesus, dating back to Abraham. He then breaks the names down into three groups of 14 names:

There were fourteen generations from Abraham to David, another fourteen from David to the Babylonian exile, and yet another fourteen from the Babylonian exile to Christ. (Mat 1:17 MSG)

But let's count again: there are 14 names in the first group, and there are 14 in the second. Yet in the third, Josef is the 12th name mentioned. This makes him number 40 on the list, and Jesus therefore number 41. Where is the 42nd generation?

Well, in Mat 1:17 it says: "and yet another fourteen from the Babylonian exile to Christ." Christ, not Jesus. Now, we are His many membered body, we are the Christ. He the head, and we the body. Could the 42nd generation be us?

Isaiah stated about himself, after he had children and gave them very explicit names to remind Israel of its future:

I stand my ground and hope, I and the children GOD gave me as signs to Israel, Warning signs and hope signs from GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies, who makes his home in Mount Zion. (Isa 8:18 MSG)

But the writer of Hebrews takes this verse and attaches it to Jesus:

Jesus and the people he makes holy all belong to the same family. That is why he isn't ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters. He even said to God, "I will tell them your name and sing your praises when they come together to worship." He also said, "I will trust God." Then he said, "Here I am with the children God has given me." (Heb 2:11-13 CEV)

So we are Jesus' children. That is why He is called: prince of peace, everlasting Father. We are the 42nd generation.

There is a book that I do not count as literature that has to be read, but for programmers like me it is somewhat cult: "A Hijacker's Guide to the Galaxy". In that book a computer is built and given 1000 years to find the answer to all problems. His output is "42". Asked about what the question to it was, he asks for another 1000 years time.

Well, let's see - they were so prophetic unknowingly: after 2000 years it not only becomes apparent that 42 is the answer, but we find the question as well: "which one is the generation to bring salvation to the world?". The 42nd generation is the answer, the only Christ many will ever see, Christ manifest on this earth.

Now what does the number 42 signify in the Bible. First some math:

42 = 3*14 = 6*7 = 2*3*7

The meaning of the number three is "union". Fourteen means "salvation". Six is the number of "man", while seven is the number of "God, fulness, completeness". Two stands for the "woman, church".

42 is linked with the first coming of the Lord, right in Mat 1:17. It is linked several times to the second coming, speaking of 42 months in Rev 13:5 & 11:2. It is linked with accepting the new in 2Ki 2:24: right after Elisa received the double portion and the spirit of Elijah laid on him, he was mocked by children. 42 of them were killed by some bears.

But 42 also stands for

3*14, union leading unto salvation
6*7, man achieving godliness, fulness (in opposition of 666), He in us and we in Him
2*3*7, the church in union reaching fullness

We are the 42nd generation, the church in union reaching godliness and fulness, the answer of the problems of the world.

The Wedding of the Lamb

noreply@blogger.com (Ralph Rickenbach) — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 05:02:00 +0000

When Israel was at Mount Sinai, what happened there can be closely likened to a Jewish wedding ceremony. There was a canopy, a marriage contract, a wedding ring every male had to bring, and much more.

When did this happen? It happened shortly after the people of Israel passed through the Red Sea, being baptized in water, shortly after they became a nation, at Pentecost, when they were given the law. It happened at the beginning of their journey, not at the end.

Some things the bible says about marriage: A man will leave his mother and father and cleave to his wife. What God joined together, man shall not tear apart.

Well, Jesus left the Father when He came to earth and became man. He ultimately left the Father at the cross. He cried "Father, why have you forsaken me?", while it was Him, sin laden, that left the Father, as it is with us. What for? To cleave to His wife.

He said that he would never leave us nor forsake us. Does this sound to you like "until death us part", but there is no death any longer as it has been conquered?

At Pentecost He came to live with and in us. Sounds to me as if the wedding of the lamb has already taken place. Maybe that is why Jesus performed a miracle at a wedding as His first miracle - to show us that it would all start with His wedding.

In Ephesians Paul talks about marriage between man and woman, yet tells us that he really is talking about Jesus and the Church. Let us for a moment postpone the wedding to the future: We would still be in the engagement phase, courting each other. We know what this means: no intimacy.

Postponing the wedding of the Lamb to the future deprives us of intimacy with Him. Remember that the Song of Songs is in the Old Testament, which in my eyes was the engagement phase with the Messiah.

In Rev 12 we see the Church being pregnant with the man child, birthing the Christ in us. Wouldn't this man child be a bastard, misbegotten during engagement?

Each of us takes part in this wedding when he or she becomes part of the Church. Each of us is cleansed and invited, ingrained into His Church, and He comes to live with him or her. In Passover and Pentecost lies the wedding.

In the life after lies the married life - becoming one more and more until we fully display and represent Him in Tabernacles.

We no longer are the bride of Christ, we are Mrs. Jesus Christ. Seated with Him in heavenly places, acting in His authority. Proclaiming and acting out His finished work.

I go to prepare a Place for you

noreply@blogger.com (Ralph Rickenbach) — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 14:40:00 +0000

"Don't let yourselves be disturbed. Trust in God and trust in me. In my Father's house are many places [mansions] to live. If there weren't, I would have told you; because I am going there to prepare a place for you. Since I am going and preparing a place for you, I will return to take you with me; so that where I am, you may be also. (John 14:1-3 CJB)

What mansions is Jesus talking about? The word used for mansion is mone, and the word is used again in verse 23:

Yeshua answered him, "If someone loves me, he will keep my word; and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. (John 14:23 CJB)

Jesus was on His way to the cross, not to heaven, when he said all this. From verse 23 we learn that He did not mean a mansion in heaven. He went to prepare us on the cross to become a mansion, an abode for Him and His Father.

A second way to see this: where are the mansions? In His Father's house. Now, we are the temple, therefore the mansions are within us.

Shortly thereafter he already started to dwell in us, what Paul calls the mystery: Christ in us, the hope of glory. He now, together with us, prepares us and the world to be a dwelling place for the Father:

I heard a loud voice from the throne say, "See! God's Sh'khinah [glory] is with mankind, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and he himself, God-with-them, will be their God. (Rev 21:3 CJB)

New Resource in the Making

noreply@blogger.com (Ralph Rickenbach) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 06:29:00 +0000

StackExchange, a question and answer platform on the internet, has opened up the possibility to build communities around topics other than their strengths, programming and system administration. Many new platforms are being birthed at the moment. One looks very promissing: a site for Biblical Hermeneutics.

What is it about? From it's description: "Proposed Q&A site for professors, theologians, authors, and anybody else interested in an exegetical understanding of the meaning and proper application of the Christian scriptures."

What does the site need now? People that commit themselves to, when it starts in a few days or weeks, answer questions and populate the site with new questions. As soon as enough people commited, the site will go in a beta phase.

I personally think that this can be a great resource for hermeneutical question you have. Obviously first resource will always be a Spirit lead interpretation of the Scripture.

Would you like to invest yourself into the success of this site? Then follow this link.

We will judge the World

noreply@blogger.com (Ralph Rickenbach) — Tue, 18 May 2010 05:39:00 +0000

We have been talking about the priestly garments lately and applying them to this time we are living in. We applied the three layers of garments to the three feast seasons of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles, to the outer court, Holy, and Holy of Holies, to church history with three reformations of last truths. Read about it here.

We further have seen that we are on the rim of the third reformation, the feast of Tabernacles coming into its full prophetic fulfilment.

We applied the verses in Heb 6:1-2 to the truths and revelations of the three feasts:

Therefore, leaving behind the initial lessons about the Messiah, let us go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of turning from works that lead to death, trusting God, and instruction about washings, s'mikhah, the resurrection of the dead and eternal punishment. (Heb 6:1-2 CJB)

Passover - turning from works that lead to death and trusting God
Pentecost - instructions about baptisms (there are more than one) and the laying on of hands
Tabernacles - the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgement

As we have lived through the first two feasts and see them lived out today in Church in evangelicals and pentecostals, we pretty much seem to know what they are all about. But what about the third one?

The resurrection of the dead speaks of Jesus' second coming. We will be resurrected by the last trumpet call. And before that we will be coming forth as the mature and manifested Sons of God that the whole earth is groaning for (Rom 8:19). But the eternal judgment?

Don't you know that God's people are going to judge the universe [world]? If you are going to judge the universe, are you incompetent to judge these minor matters? Don't you know that we will judge angels, not to mention affairs of everyday life? (1Co 6:2-3 CJB)

The reformation of Tabernacles is were we get prepared to do this. Only a people in Christ, fully manifested as Sons of God, displaying His character (Gold), being one side of the Ephod, the absolutely identical back side with Jesus being the front side, being Christ, His body, we the Body, He the head, will be prepared to do what Paul is talking about here.

We will judge the world. We will be judged first at the Mercy Seat and during this life. We are already seated in Heavenly places with Christ, we are already in the judging position. What does our judge do at the moment - intercede for us. The bible speaks about times that He will shake again what can be shaken, and that He will start with His church. Preparation. Cleansing. The feast season of Tabernacles.

We will judge the world. Let's get prepared for it. Let us manifest the Sons of God. Let us take hold of the revelation that lays within the feast of Tabernacles and this season.

For we will judge the world.

The Length of the Garments

noreply@blogger.com (Ralph Rickenbach) — Sat, 15 May 2010 12:40:00 +0000

For the accidental or new reader of my blog: this post is part of a series that started with this blog. I would advice you to start reading there for foundation.

Let's have another look at Aaron, now that he is fully clothed. Did you see the different lengths of the three layers?

The first, linen layer depicting Passover goes down to the ankles. it covers all of our shame, all of our flesh.

The second, blue layer depicting Pentecost goes down to the knees. It leaves part of the first layer visible. If we only wore this layer, not all of our shame and flesh would be covered.

The third, many colored layer depicting Tabernacles goes down to the waist, again leaving some of the second layer visible. No manifested Sons of God without the Spirit.

But these measurements sound familiar. Where did I get across those before?

The man walked east, then took out his measuring stick and measured five hundred sixty yards downstream. He told me to wade through the stream there, and the water came up to my ankles. Then he measured another five hundred sixty yards downstream, and told me to wade through it there. The water came up to my knees. Another five hundred sixty yards downstream the water came up to my waist. Another five hundred sixty yards downstream, the stream had become a river that could be crossed only by swimming. (Eze 47:3-5 CEV)

Wait, there is a forth level? Swimming? Maturity, completion, perfection in Him. Let me point you to an earlier post as we complete this series.

The Seals

noreply@blogger.com (Ralph Rickenbach) — Sat, 15 May 2010 12:29:00 +0000

For the accidental or new reader of my blog: this post is part of a series that started with this blog. I would advice you to start reading there for foundation.

In addition to the three layers of priestly garments, Aaron wore three seals.

Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. (John 6:27 KJV)

The Son has been sealed. Other translations translate authorized. Seals are signs of authorization. Which are the three seals?

The breastplate with the twelve stones for each tribe
The shoulder pieces with the two onyx stones
The golden plate on Aaron's forehead

The breastplate covers the heart. It shows that we are to carry the people on our heart, individually, as there is a stone for every tribe or every son of Jacob and therefore Israel, and we are en-grafted in the tree and therefore sons of Israel. God also carries each of us individually in His heart. Both Passover and Pentecost are experienced individually.

The shoulder pieces are on the shoulders. We carry authority and government in our realm of authority. There are only two stones, as this is team ministry, this is corporate. Tabernacle is corporate. All tribes are listed, as they all are under authority. Jesus the head, five fold ministry as His tool to bring unity and maturity.

The golden plate covers the mind. Rom 12:1-2 comes to mind. Our mind is to be set apart for the Lord, we are to have His mind. We are to be in His will.

The three seals are visible and on top of all layers of the garments. Except the golden plate that only is on top of the first linen layer, the headgear or turban of linen. The mind can and has to be changed from the beginning of our walk. But authority over and ministry for the people only comes in the maturity of all three layers.

Only when we have been sealed, we can pass out food that gives eternal life (John 6:27 CEV).

Are you sealed?

The curious Girdle

noreply@blogger.com (Ralph Rickenbach) — Sat, 15 May 2010 12:08:00 +0000

For the accidental or new reader of my blog: this post is part of a series that started with this blog. I would advice you to start reading there for foundation.

We have reached the last piece of the priestly garment on the third and last layer - the curious girdle.

The curious girdle was made from the same materials and colors as the Ephod and the veil in the Tabernacle:

Gold - speaking of the character of God
Blue - the Holy Spirit
Purple - the King
Scarlet - the Blood
White - Righteousness

Why is it called the curious girdle? The word in Hebrew means girdle or ingenious work, and is taken from a root meaning to think, plan, esteem, calculate, invent, make a judgment, imagine, count. God thought out, planed, imagined this girdle and gave wisdom to the artist that made it.

This is the outward girdle, the one seen by the people, in opposition to the girdle on the first layer that is not seen. The first girdle we learned means inner strength, and this one, given by God, means outer strength. Strength coming from a sending, a calling, an appointment from God. As the garments were given for ministry, it is an apostolic ministry. Let's look at some attributes of it:

Moses put the girdle on Aaron, as he did with all other pieces of the garments. Jesus, as the mediator of the New Covenant, girds us through His Spirit.

Truly, truly, I say to you, When you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you wished. But when you grow old, you shall stretch forth your hands and another shall gird you and carry you where you do not wish. He spoke this signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, Follow Me. (John 21:18-19 MKJV)

When we were young, little children, immature, nepios (Gal 4:1), we decided ourselves, what kind of ministry we would do, what we were willing to do for God, how tight our girdle should fit. We in Passover decided to pull it real tight, going back under the law almost, with rules for dress, hair, behaviour, outward demeanour. Then, in Pentecost, we loosened the belt to the degree that our pants almost fell down, we had freedom. Did you see that there is no belt on the second layer of garments? But now, another decides on how tight the belt should be. He even decides on the design of the belt. He decides on the kind of ministry we are to live.

Is it getting tighter around your waste? This has two reasons: first you are pregnant with His cause for your life. And then He is tightening the belt. Things that were OK in Passover and Pentecost, cannot be done in Tabernacle.

The same happened to Paul, when Agabus prophecied to Him:

We had been in Caesarea for several days, when the prophet Agabus came to us from Judea. He took Paul's belt, and with it he tied up his own hands and feet. Then he told us, "The Holy Spirit says that some of the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will tie up the man who owns this belt. They will also hand him over to the Gentiles." After Agabus said this, we and the followers living there begged Paul not to go to Jerusalem. But Paul answered, "Why are you crying and breaking my heart? I am not only willing to be put in jail for the Lord Jesus. I am even willing to die for him in Jerusalem!" (Acts 21:10-13 CEV)

The belt Agabus took was Paul's. The ministry is yours. But another will decide on what will happen with it. Here the prophet attributed it to the leaders of the Jews, but they were but the tools of the Spirit to bring forth the will of God. Paul told them that only saw the natural outworking: "Why are you breaking my heart. I'm willing to do God's will. He decides how tight the belt is going to be and what it is going to be used for."

A third apostle had an experience with a girdle. When John saw the Lord on Patmos on the Lord's day, he saw him girded with a golden belt around his breast.

The breastplate has been called the breastplate of righteousness and judgment and faith and love (Ex 28:15, Eph 6:14, 1Th 5:8). The girdle, the ministry moved to the breast calls the ones underdeveloped in this area to mature and become feeders of righteousness, judgment, faith, and love. Are you ready to invest yourself in others?

The Ephod

noreply@blogger.com (Ralph Rickenbach) — Sat, 15 May 2010 11:27:00 +0000

For the accidental or new reader of my blog: this post is part of a series that started with this blog. I would advice you to start reading there for foundation.

We come to the third layer of the priestly garments - this should make you curious, as it says:

Have I not written to thee three times [three fold truths] with counsels and knowledge? (Pro 22:20 YLT)

The Ephod is the only robe like piece of clothes that is not made from one piece. It consists of two identical pieces, front and back, held together by the shoulder pieces (Ex 28:6-8).

Two identical twins - let's call them the pattern Son and the Sons of God: Jesus is the front piece, we are the back, grown up into full maturity, representing the first born Son of God totally, fully, in perfection and maturity. The glorious church without spots or wrinkles.

Let's look at the colors: We already know white, blue, purple, and scarlet. But we find gold here too. Gold speaks of the character of God, purity. We are to get the character of God (Rom 12:1-2). No ministry without the character of God

But wait, there are many ministering and lack character. Gods gifts are without regret. But look at their ending.

The two pieces are identical and connected. There is unity. Jesus prayed for this unity in John 17, and he gave us a mean to achieve this unity and to grow up into Him.

And the One who climbed down is the One who climbed back up, up to highest heaven. He handed out gifts above and below, filled heaven with his gifts, filled earth with his gifts. He handed out gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher to train Christians in skilled servant work, working within Christ's body, the church, until we're all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God's Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ. No prolonged infancies among us, please. We'll not tolerate babes in the woods, small children who are an easy mark for impostors. God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love--like Christ in everything. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do. He keeps us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love. (Eph 4:10-16 MSG)

He gave us the five fold ministry, the government gifts to bring us into unity and maturity.

For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be on His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Isa 9:6 MKJV)

The government shall be on His shoulder. The two shoulder pieces represent government, represent the five fold ministry that was given to bring us into His likeness. We are His bride, we are just like Him.

Finally, the color that was foreshadowed both in Aaron's girdle in the first layer and the fruits in the second layer, has come to fruition: purple, the King, government. We will see what this means shortly for the restoration of truths.

There were two more pieces in this layer, the curious girdle and the breastplate. I will come back to the two shoulder pieces in a later post, and talk about the precious stones on the breast plate there too, together with the golden plate that was on Aaron's forehead. But for now let's tackle the breastplate:

The breastplate was made from the same material as the Ephod. And by the way the veil that was between the holy place and the holy of holies. Just to blow your mind:

first layer, linen, outer court
second layer, blue coat, holy place
third layer, Ephod containing all colors, holy of holies

The breastplate was folded, a kind of sachet, both one span of a hand long and wide. God holds the universe in the span of His hand. It includes everything. It was called the breastplate of judgment and within it there were Urim and Thummim, the fire and the complete truth.

Remember the truths of the third feast, the Tabernacle? In Heb 6:1-2 the writer calls them the resurrection from the death and eternal judgment. We are resurrected from the death and turned into His image and face eternal judgment when Christ returns. Or let's put it like this: when we find our identity in Christ and He manifests through us, when we bring forth the man child from Rev 12. We are to judge angels, Paul says. And we are to face judgment at the Mercy Seat, where we are rewarded. All this when we manifested as the Sons of God, in maturity.

At that moment we experienced all three baptisms:

The baptism of water in Passover, forgiveness of sin, righteousness
The baptism of the Spirit in Pentecost, infilling with the Spirit, speaking in tongues, with the Spirit descending like a dove
The baptism of fire, pressure, and testing in Tabernacles, becoming like Him, with the voice of the Father saying: "This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. Do as he tells you", the adoption and authorization as Son

The breastplate is connected with golden strings - strings of God's character - to both the shoulder pieces and the Ephod, right above the curious girdle. The shoulder pieces are depicting government - no perfection, no fire, no judgment, no manifestation without government. No mature Sons of God without the Lordship and Headship of Jesus, but also no mature Sons of God without government gifts, without the five fold ministry and authority in their lives. No authority without being under authority.

But the officer answered, "Sir, I am unfit to have you come into my home. Rather, if you will only give the command, my orderly will recover. For I too am a man under authority. I have soldiers under me, and I say to this one, 'Go!' and he goes; to another, 'Come!' and he comes; to my slave, 'Do this!' and he does it." (Mat 8:8-9 CJB)

The other connection was made to the front piece of the Ephod, Jesus. No maturity without Him, no judgment without Him, as he is given all authority in the Earth and in Heaven.

The breastplate is, through these connections, held close to Aaron's heart. It can't move away from it. No judgment without the heart and grace of God.

Join me in the next post when I discuss the curious girdle.

The blue Coat

noreply@blogger.com (Ralph Rickenbach) — Sat, 15 May 2010 10:29:00 +0000

For the accidental or new reader of my blog: this post is part of a series that started with this blog. I would advice you to start reading there for foundation.

In our discourse on the priestly garments we have reached the blue coat.

You are to make the robe for the ritual vest entirely of blue. It is to have an opening for the head in the middle. Around the opening is to be a border woven like the neck of a coat of mail, so that it won't tear. On its bottom hem make pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet; and put them all the way around, with gold bells between them all the way around --gold bell, pomegranate, gold bell, pomegranate, all the way around the hem of the robe. Aharon is to wear it when he ministers, and its sound will be heard whenever he enters the Holy Place before Adonai and when he leaves, so that he won't die. (Ex 28:31-35 CJB)

This robe was all blue, which speaks of the Holy Spirit. It had an opening for the head in the middle and was put on Aaron from above by Moses, the mediator of the Old Covenant.

Jesus, the mediator of the New Covenant, went to heaven, even passed through the Heavens (Heb 4:14), breaking it open as the first fruit from the dead, and through the opening the Holy Spirit descended on Pentecost from above.

The great truths revealed are these (Heb 6:1-2):

There are more than one baptism - the teaching of baptisms - there is a baptism of the Spirit
The laying on of hands, especially found in exercising the gifts of the Spirit

On the hem of the robe there are fruits and bells. They speak of the nine fold Fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23) and the nine fold Gifts of the Spirit (1Co 12:7-11).

We learned that towards after the first reformation, towards the end of the time span, right before the second reformation 1906 at Azusa Street, there were the healing revivals. Healing is found in Passover truths, but it leads to the Pentecostal truths in the expression of the Gift of Healings - healing through the laying on of hands, with the immediate miracle working power of the Spirit.

I already mentioned the reformation of Azusa Street as the start of the restoration of Pentecostal truths. It leads right up to the Latter Rain Revival, and as you might expect, Latter Rain foreshadows the next step of restoration with its truths about the manifested Sons of God, five fold ministry, and the laying on of hands for authority.

Let's take another look at the fruits on the hem. They were in the same colors as Aaron's girdle: blue, purple, and scarlet. Here the scarlet reminds us of the first layer, the blood at the cross, a done work. The blue has been introduced in this layer as the workings of the Spirit. And the purple foreshadows the workings of the King, you guessed it, in the next layer. These colors were also seen in the door to the Holy Place.

This is to show us that the three layers work together, ascending, but not excluding each other. As Jesus came to fulfil the law, bring it to completeness, but not do away with it, as the blue coat is worn over the white linen, we are not to forget the truths of the former revelation or feast - no Pentecost without Passover. No Spirit without righteousness.

You remember that the garments are authorizing Aaron for ministry? So there is no ministry without the Holy Spirit, without the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

The blue coat was woven from one piece, as was the linen coat. It again reminds us of the tunic that Jesus wore. Let's look at another attribute of the blue coat: it had a border, a collar around the opening for the head such that it would and could not be torn. Jesus' coat was not torn, but at the cross they threw the lots to find out who would get it. But also the collar signifies a border that is not to be passed. We are the body, but He, Jesus, is the head.

Curious enough to read on?

The linen Garments

noreply@blogger.com (Ralph Rickenbach) — Sat, 15 May 2010 09:56:00 +0000

For the accidental or new reader of my blog: this post is part of a series that started with this blog. I would advice you to start reading there for foundation.

Here we start anew with the linen garments, the first layer of the priestly vestment. The first piece that was put on Aaron was a pair of trousers, shorts, lets call them drawers. They were given to hide his shame.

Right away they saw what they had done, and they realized they were naked. Then they sewed fig leaves together to make something to cover themselves. (Gen 3:7 CEV)

They tried to cover themselves and hide their shame. But you know that this was not enough. The fig leaves remind me of a hospital shirt (giving a fresh meaning to ICU) - just don't turn around. So God offered the first sacrifice ever, an animal had to die to cover their shame. He took from the earth to cover their bodily shame. In the same way the shorts are the only part of the garments that is put on from beneath. Everything else is put on from above.

Aaron and his sons were never to come before God without the shorts on, by death penalty. We can come before God empty handed, but He will always take our shame away, it has no place in His sight.

The linen tunic was woven from one piece. We are reminded of the tunic that Jesus wore. As we saw, the white linen speaks of righteousness. It speaks of dieing to worthless deeds and faith into the done work of Christ on the cross. Passover.

When I think of Jesus' robe, the woman with the issue of blood comes to mind. When she touch the hem of His garment, she was immediately healed. There is healing in the cross, in His stripes we are healed. When we look at church history, we see that all these truths were restores from the first reformation with Martin Luther right through the healing crusades with Smith Wigglesworth, John G. Lake, Maria Woodworth-Etter, John Alexander Dowie and others.

The Mitra speaks of our covering.We are covered by God.

The linen garments came with a girdle. This girdle was not seen. It speaks of inner strength. It is interesting that Aaron's sons had all the linen garments as well, but their girdle was from white linen, plain, while Aaron's girdle was crafted with needle work in blue, purple, and scarlett.

Blue - Heaven, the Holy Spirit
Purple - Kingdom, the King
Scarlett - the Blood
White - righteousness

These colors can be seen in the door to the outer court of the Tabernacle.

The needle work speaks of piercing. God will pierce and work you to make you ready for ministry. The colors in the girdle set Aaron apart and are a foreshadow of the layers, the truths to come. Before Jesus went to the cross and all authority was given to Him, he foreshadowed His Kingship on Palm Sunday. Before Jesus went to heaven and the Holy Spirit was released, He blew at His disciples and said: take the Holy Spirit. And everything is bought by the blood.

Since Aaron's sons are priests, they should also look dignified. So make robes, sashes, and special caps for them. Then dress Aaron and his sons in these clothes, pour olive oil on their heads, and ordain them as my priests. Make linen shorts for them that reach from the waist down to the thigh, so they won't expose themselves. (Ex 28:40-42 CEV)

Does this mean that - as Jesus is our High Priest and we are a people of kingly priests - that this was it for us? If we are kings, and He is the King of Kings, if we are priests, and He ist the High Priest, if we are sons, and He is the first born Son, we have to stop here, as Aaron's sons did. But then Pentecost and Tabernacle are not for us.

By experience we know that this is not true - each of us has experienced Pentecost. But we do not base doctrine on experience.

But we are also called the Bride. The Priests Wife (I could not resist - remember the Preachers Wife?). And the two of them shall become one.

Well, as we saw in my post about your identity, we are part of the body of Christ. There are only two people on the earth, Adam and Christ, and with Christ being our High Priest in Heaven (Heb 7), we are part of the High Priest. We have the right and the obligation to be clothed with the two other layers as well.

The priestly Garments

noreply@blogger.com (Ralph Rickenbach) — Sat, 15 May 2010 09:53:00 +0000

For the accidental or new reader of my blog: this post is part of a series that started with this blog. I would advice you to start reading there for foundation.

Maybe, when you read my last post, you found out a major difference between the promises in the first two feasts, Passover and Pentecost, as opposed to the ones in the last feast, Tabernacles. The promises of the first two are for the individual, while the others can only be experienced, enjoyed, but even received in the corporate. We will, through two other groups of threes, work this out.

Let us look at the garments of Aaron, the high priest. We find them in Ex 28:1-43.

The first group of threes we will look at are the garments, the second are the seals of the ministry.

I reverse the order of the garments on purpose as in regards to their mention in the bible and look at them in the order they were put on, starting with the most inner layer, the linen tunic, girdle, headgear, and shorts.

They were made of white linen.We are reminded of the mantle of righteousness that will be given to the over-comers:

"Sir," I answered, "you must know." Then he told me: "These are the ones who have gone through the great suffering. They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and have made them white. (Rev 7:14 CEV)

Washed in the blood of the Lamb and made white. White linen speaks of Passover, salvation, being made righteous, whole, and of provision.

The blue coat followed. Blue speaking of Heaven, the Holy Spirit. The fruits and the bells speak of the fruit of the Spirit and the Gifts of the Spirit. Pentecost.

The Ephod then speaks of authority and son-ship. Tabernacle.

But let's slow down.

God told Moses to cloth Aaron and his 4 sons - a five fold ministry - in priestly garments. These garments were made by wise artists, given for glory and beauty, and authorized Aaron for ministry and office (Ex 28:1-3).

So we see 7 things in the first few verses that speak right into our time:

God is the one that chooses, calls, equips, and sets people into ministry.
Ordination is done through His representative. There Moses, here Jesus, and by extension His set man.
Ministry is team work. For today God gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers.
God used skilled (one Hebrew meaning of wise) artists and gave them the plan and wisdom to craft the garments.
The garments were given for glory and beauty (Eph 5:25-27, Rom 10:15).
The garments authorized Aaron to minister. No ministry without the right vesture - and I'm not talking about cloths. But you'll see.
The garments were the sign of ordination into office and authority to minister before God and to the people.

Do I get this right - without the full vestment there is no ministry? Now I'm really curious to know what they represent for us today, as the Old Testament is types and shadows in the natural that point to this time and the supernatural.

Have I not written to thee three times with counsels and knowledge?

noreply@blogger.com (Ralph Rickenbach) — Fri, 14 May 2010 15:15:00 +0000

Have I not written to thee three times with counsels and knowledge? (Pro 22:20 YLT)

I believe that God a lot of times communicates to us in groups of three things with one thing in common: growth. It's interesting that the word Young translates "three times" in other translations is rendered "excellent things". A few examples:

The good, acceptable, perfect (Rom 12:2)
Nepios (toddler), Teknon (technically a son), Huios (a mature son) (Gal 4)
Child, Youngster, Father (1Jo 2:12-14)
Outer Court, Holy Place, Holy of Holies
Water Baptism, Baptism in the Spirit, Baptism by Fire
Passover, Pentecost, Feast of Tabernacles (Lev 23)

There are many more. Let's have a closer look at the last one in the list.

Most people know Passover or Easter, when Christ died without sin and rose again and therefore brought salvation. It has been perfectly foreshadowed in the three feasts Passover, unleavened Bread, and First Fruits, in the Old Testament (Lev 23:5-14).

We are also well knowledgeable about Pentecost (Lev 23:15-22). Fifty days after Passover, it was when the fruit came in. And in Acts 2, it is when the Spirit of God ushered in.

But what about the Feast of Tabernacles (Lev 23:34-42)?

We know that it was for remembrance of the days Israel was in tents in the wilderness. And it foreshadowed God tabernacling in our midst as he did in Jesus. Do the math and you will find out that Jesus was born during the Feast of Tabernacles.

The three feasts are special, as seen here:

Then hath Solomon caused to ascend burnt-offerings to Jehovah on the altar of Jehovah that he built before the porch, even by the matter of a day in its day, to cause to ascend according to the command of Moses, on sabbaths, and on new moons, and on appointed seasons, three times in a year--in the feast of unleavened things, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of booths. (2Ch 8:12-13 YLT)

For I am going to expel nations ahead of you and expand your territory, and no one will even covet your land when you go up to appear before Adonai your God three times a year. (Ex 34:24 CJB)

Celebrate three festivals each year in my honor. Celebrate the Festival of Thin Bread by eating bread made without yeast, just as I have commanded. Do this at the proper time during the month of Abib, because it is the month when you left Egypt. And make certain that everyone brings the proper offerings. Celebrate the Harvest Festival each spring when you start harvesting your wheat, and celebrate the Festival of Shelters each autumn when you pick your fruit. (Ex 23:14-16 CEV)

I strongly believe that we have not seen the total prophetic fulfilment of the Feast of Tabernacles yet. Let me take you on a journey:

Joel prophesied that there will be a time when God sends the early and the latter rain in the same prophecy he declared that God would pour out His Spirit. Let's have a look:

Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil. ... And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. (Joel 2:23-28 KJV)

And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.(Acts 2:17 KJV)

We know that - as Peter declared - this happened in Acts 2 at Pentecost. But Peter declared that God had poured out of His Spirit, which clearly is not the same as pouring out His Spirit. A bucket of sea water is not the sea, it is of the sea. This is what Joel said: He has given you the former rain moderately. But he does not stop there. He goes on to say: and he will cause to come down for you the former rain and the latter rain in the first month.

As the three feasts are agricultural feasts, we can safely assume that the first month in question here is the first month of the agricultural year, which is the seventh month in the religious year - the month of the Feast of Tabernacles. Both rains, all the promises of all these feasts, all the fruits of these three feasts will be given by God together. It will come to pass.

The LORD your God commands you to love him and to serve him with all your heart and soul. If you obey him, he will send rain at the right seasons, so you will have more than enough food, wine, and olive oil, and there will be plenty of grass for your cattle. (Deu 11:13-14 CEV)

What are those promises: corn, wine, and oil.

Corn is used to make bread. Jesus, the bread of Heaven, the Word, was broken for us at Passover. This has been and is a finished work, and it takes place in the life of the individual believer when he accepts Jesus as Lord and Saviour.

Wine stands for the Holy Spirit. He has been poured out at Pentecost. Every believer can and should receive the Holy Spirit in the baptism of the Spirit.

Oil stands for the anointing. Christ, the anointed and His anointing. Christ dwells in us with His anointing. This happens in the Feast of Tabernacles.

Don't get me wrong. All this has happened. When Jesus was baptized, the Spirit descended upon Him like a dove and the Father said: "This is my son, in whom I am well pleased". Anointed, authorized by the Father.

Even the apostles where saved, spirit filled, and anointed. Yet we lost all this during the dark ages.

In 1517, Martin Luther in the first reformation restored the first feast and truth to us: personal salvation through forgiveness, death to sin, and resurrection in water baptism as an outward sign through the works of Jesus on the cross.

1906 in Azusa Street God restored the infilling with His Spirit with the outward sign of speaking in tongues and therefore Pentecost.

1948 God restored some further truths in Saskatoon/North Battleford that were not accepted by the body of Christ and the revival stopped. Several prophecies point to a time 50 years later (just about the day we are living in) when God will come back and restore these truths - the manifested Sons of God, 5fold ministry, the laying on of hands.

Yes, you are right - there always has been a thin red line, a remnant that held fast to these truths. But God wants to restore them to His Church, His Body, His Sons.

These are truths connected with the Feast of Tabernacle - the anointing and indwelling of the Lord Jesus Christ. And it will bring the truths of the other feasts to completion - the former and the latter rain together in the first month, yet the seventh month, the month of completion and rest.

Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. (Hebr 6:1-2 KJV)

Passover in the Feast of Tabernacles:

Repentance from dead works - we will no longer only think of ourselves, but invest in others. As Jesus left everything to serve us, we will leave everything and serve. Maturity.
Faith towards God - no longer we only believe for God to provide for the individual, but corporately as a body.

Pentecost in the Feast of Tabernacles:

Doctrines of baptisms - not only two, but three: the baptism in fire. Let's join in His sufferings to help others.
Laying on of hands - no longer just for healing, but with authority for the anointing

Feast of Tabernacles

Being prepared for the resurrection from the dead and eternal judgment - the 2nd coming of the Lord and eternal life. For Him to abode in us and we in Him and He in the Father. These are the many mansions he talked about.

Two other views - oh there is so much in there:

Passover - God gave: For God so loved the world that he gave His Son.
Pentecost - the Spirit gave: Gifts of the Spirit
Tabernacle - Jesus gave: And he gave to the church apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers

Or how about this - if this does not make you shout, nothing will:

There are three seasons of feasts. The first three were connectively fulfilled in Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection. The second one in the infilling with the Holy Spirit. And the third one? It again consists of three feasts:

Feast of Trumpets: at the sound of the last trumpet
Yom Kippur, Day of Atonement: Judgment at the Mercy Seat, rewards, eternal judgment
Tabernacle: God will come to live with us (Rev 21:3)

The day is at hand.

And he answering said to them, Elias indeed comes first and will restore all things. (Mat 17:11 Darby)

Your Identity

noreply@blogger.com (Ralph Rickenbach) — Tue, 04 May 2010 16:00:00 +0000

We are created in the image of God. But even more than that, the bible says that we are gods.

I, the Most High God, say that all of you are gods and also my own children. (Psalmen 82:6 CEV)

Even more, Paul calls us the body of Christ, with Jesus being the head. If we are the body of Christ, we are Christ, as my body is not somebody else than my head is, its all me. Therefore being in Christ means being part of the body of Christ or part of Christ (or, by implication, part of God).

We might well look at history as the story of two people: Adam and Christ, as either you are in Adam or in the second Adam, which is Christ.

Now, obviously we need faith to understand this truth. Everything has been done at the cross, and when you accepted this work it became yours in its completion and fulness. Yet we have yet to see, believe, recognize, manifest it. We have to exercise faith as in seeing things as if they are even if they are not seen (Hebr 11:1).

What are the consequences of this: the more we believe this, the more we manifest what we are. We would call it becoming more like Him. Let me rephrase this to being more what we have been all along: Him.

Now, if we manifest Him more and more, we will display His character traits more and more. We will

point to the Father and give Him all the glory
leave everything and die for the people that don't know Him yet
multiply ourselves in others to do the work with us
lead others in their full calling in Christ

What does that mean? Get to know your real identity and live it!

Called and Chosen

noreply@blogger.com (Ralph Rickenbach) — Tue, 04 May 2010 16:00:00 +0000

Therefore, brothers, try even harder to make your being called and chosen a certainty. For if you keep doing this, you will never stumble. (2 Pet 1:10 CJB)

Called and chosen, or better from the Greek: invited and selected. In another verse it says:

Many are called [or invited], but few are chosen [or selected]. (Mat 22:14 KJV)

When I read this, a few questions arise:

why are there two words - called and chosen?

do we have to work out both, as Peter suggests, or are we predestined to be called and/or chosen, as a casual reading of Mat 22:14 would imply?

if we are predestined, what about our free will?

if we are predestined, why not just let everything happen - it doesn't matter anyhow what we do.

Not long ago I was priviledged to sit under one of my spiritual fathers and hear a teaching on being chosen and nothing being able to prevent me making it, reaching my calling but maybe myself. He stated that God knows the end from the beginning, he knows everything that will happen and has planned for it before the foundation of the earth.

A well known principle - foresight or prevision instead of predestination. But really not easy to grasp. Let me have a go at it.

I am a programmer and especially interested in artificial intelligence. I worked with rule systems, neural networks, and genetic programming. For our reasoning here the last is very interesting. Let me explain.

Genetic algorithms are programs that live in an enclosing program, an environment, a world you might call it. They have a string of commands that govern their actions. Let's say, they have to find and follow a certain path. Each character in the string will tell them to go straight, left, right, backwards, stop, start, or turn. Now let's say that we take a couple thousand of such little programs - you might well see them as little virtual ants - with different command strings, and some succeed more than others following the path further down. We now create new ants by cutting the command strings at an arbitrary point and combining a "fathers" and a "mothers" partial command string - just like it happens in biology with DNS. We might even through in some mutation and at a small rate change some command by chance. We do this with the best ants we have, through in some of the bad ones just for fun (not really, but this would be to complicated to explain here), copy them to have a new full population and start the next round.

The command strings formed based on chance - where to cut, who are the parents, what gets mutated - are not predictable and can fully be decided by the system inherently. I only provided the methods. Free will, if you will. Or at least a good simulation of it.

If you think evolution now, you are mostly correct. Hey, this is supposed to be a Christian blog, why are you bringing up this evil concept? Well, first of all, it is more like intelligent design, as I as a programmer design the world, the rules, the goals, and the methods, as well as the philosophy of what I call life in my world. And then - this is my world, so I am doing what I want. Just bear with me.

Let's have a look at the world itself the ants are living in: as you can derive from the command set specified above it is a two dimensional world with paths. Imaging a piece of paper with handwriting on it, and the ants that follow a B shaped path will recognice all B's for me - just to give you a picture of a real world application. But back to the world: it does have a notion of time. The computer clock rate, today at a frequency of let's say 2 GHertz. 2 billion clicks a second. It is easy to see that this time, even if connected with our time we experience, is different. A generation in my world is defined by one cicle of problem solving: let the ants run, evaluate the results, and let them reproduce.

What do we have now? A world with ants on a mission that reproduce and live in a time different than ours. Now let's do some magic:

Let me introduce a slider which allows me to inspect any point of time within the world at wish. I can slide backwards into history or fast forward into the future in this world. Just like a time line you know from school or modern Apple operating systems. Suddenly the time in this world, though unidirectional for the ants (they can't go back in time), becomes a normal dimension for me as the observer. I can go back and forth and look at it from different angels just like I can with length, breadth and depth in our universe. Their time just became totally disconnected from my time. And I therefore know the future of any given ant. I can both prophesy to it if I so choose and provide a way to do so, and know the end result as well as all the decision on the way of its life.

Back to us and God. God is outside of time. So what I just found to be true for me and my ants holds true for Him and me.

God outside of time knows my future and my past. He knows whatever decision I am going to make out of my free will and the destiny I am going to reach. He knew before the foundation of the earth.

Christ died for all of us. All have been invited to live a life with God. God knows how we will decide, and whether we select or choose the right way. All have been called by Christ, but few have been chosen by themselves at the end.

Therefore, brothers, try even harder to make your being called and chosen a certainty. For if you keep doing this, you will never stumble. (2 Pet 1:10 CJB)

Peter admonishes us to make sure we are both: called and chosen.

Founded and established

noreply@blogger.com (Ralph Rickenbach) — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 23:31:00 +0000

And Josiah fathered Jehoiachin and his brothers, at the time they were carried away to Babylon.
(Mat 1:11 MKJV)

Josiah means "God founded", Jehoiachin "God establishes" or "God appoints", or even "God prospers"and "God confirms".

When times look the worst for Judah in the Old Testament, when they are carried away into exile, God confirms, establishes, prospers, appoints, directs, perfects, ordains [Hebr kun, Strongs 3559] what he has founded before.