Chapter 4: The Signature of The Witnesses
Date: March 31st 2001
et me very briefly review last week's teaching. We looked at the high priest's garment, that of Aaron. We saw that stones were engraved as seals, with the names of the 12 tribes of Israel. We also emphasized the principle of doing on earth what is done in Heaven. We saw on Aaron's garment that it was a reflection or image of what Christ's High Priestly garment is in the Heavenly Sanctuary. We see that the law of Moses calls for a numbering of the tribes of literal Israel, and the law of Yah calls for a numbering of the tribes of spiritual Israel in the book of Revelation.
Isaiah 8:16 says, "Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples." So the 144,000 mentioned in Revelation 7 and Revelation 14, who are the last day remnant Church, will be made up of overcomers who have the law of Yah sealed upon their hearts. And they are sealed in their foreheads with the name Yah. And we will see that they have set their mark or seal among their various tribes, or congregations, indicating their unity of spirit and purpose with the Church in Heaven.
We showed last week how ancient Israel was numbered by name, and coming down to the last generation the 144,000 are numbered by name likewise. Here are three Scriptures that we did not consider. Let's turn there, to Psalm 147:4. Speaking of Yah it says: "He telleth the number of the stars; He calleth them all by their names." And in Acts 1, let's turn there. Acts 1:15-17: "And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,) 'Men and brethren, this Scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Yahshua. For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.'"
We see, even in the very fledgling Apostolic congregation, that there was a numbering by name – a numbering by name. Now we go to Revelation 3:4. Speaking unto the angel of the Church in Sardis it says: "Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy." We see in the Church of Sardis that they were numbered by name. So we see further evidence from these Scriptures that Yah places importance on numbering His people by name.
Now this week we want to investigate another aspect of the Church membership roll which proves to be important. And that is the signature of the witnesses. The signature of the witnesses. Let's turn to Isaiah 43:12. I have a lot of material as usual, and I'm going to have to go through it fairly quickly. If you want to take notes and then go back over these things please do that.
Isaiah 43:12: "'I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses,' saith Yah, 'that I am the Almighty.'" Ye are my witnesses that I am the Almighty. Let's turn to Acts 1:8. If nothing else, these sermons turn out to be quite a Bible drill, don't they? Acts 1:8 – Yahshua is speaking, He says, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part [or farthest points] of the earth." When would they become powerful witnesses? After the Holy Spirit came upon them. They would then have power to become witnesses. We see a condition for being a witness. You must have the power of the Holy Spirit.
Now at the first Advent of Christ, we had these witnesses. Acts 10:39-42, Peter is preaching here, and in verse 39 he says: "And we are witnesses of all things which He [Yahshua] did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: Him Yah raised up the third day, and shewed Him openly; Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of Yah, even to us, who did eat and drink with Him after He rose from the dead. And He commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is He which was ordained of Yah to be the Judge of quick [living] and dead."
We see that these witnesses had experience with Yahshua. They had a personal experience; they knew what they were talking about. At the second Advent of Christ, there are some witnesses, and we find them recorded in Revelation 14. Let's turn there. Revelation 14:4: "These are they [speaking of the 144,000] which were not defiled with women [they're not into denominationalism]; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto Yah and to the Lamb." They go wherever the Lamb goes. If you were going to be a witness to something, would you not have to be present to see it happen? The 144,000 are witnesses because they go wherever the Lamb goes. They know what He is doing, and it says, number 2, they are firstfruits unto Yah and to the Lamb. We will speak to that more shortly.
How do these 144,000 witness? Let's look at Revelation 12:11. "And they overcame him [that is, the old dragon, the devil] by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death." Number 1: The 144,000 overcome Satan by the blood of the Lamb. Their past is forgiven, and they are carrying no guilt. This presents in itself a witness. Number 2: The word of their testimony. What testimony is it? Let's see what testimony it is in Revelation 12:17, same chapter, last verse: "And the dragon [that is, the devil] was wroth [or angry] with the woman [that's with the pure woman, the true Church], and went to make war with the remnant [or last part] of her seed [which is the 144,000, the true remnant Church], which [1] keep the commandments of Yah, and [2] have the testimony of Yahshua the Messiah."
These 144,000 have the testimony of Yahshua Himself. The word of their testimony is the testimony of Yahshua. And Number 3: It says they loved not their lives unto the death. These 144,000 have a devoted commitment. They would rather die than be false witnesses.
What is another way in which the 144,000 witness? Yah says we are His witnesses, that He is the Almighty One. For this we'll turn to Jeremiah 32. Now you must put on your spiritual eyeglasses, for what we are about to get into now may require some good spiritual discernment. Reading from Jeremiah 32... Before I start reading I need to tell you this: Jeremiah here is a type of Christ, and he is going to be involved in a land deal. Before we read this, perhaps it would be good for us to look at the law of land transfer or land redemption. Hold your hand in Jeremiah 32 and let's turn over to Leviticus 25, and verses 23 through 25. "The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine [Yah is speaking here now]; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me. And in all the land of your possession ye shall grant a redemption for the land. If thy brother be waxen poor, and hath sold away some of his possession, and if any of his kin [or close relatives] come to redeem it, then shall he redeem that which his brother sold."
Did not Adam, through his sin, sell the property? Did not Adam lose title to his inheritance in the earth through sin? He was weakened by sin, and lost that, or sold it. And who was his close relative that purchased it back? Christ Himself. The second Adam purchased the land, redeemed the land, for Adam before his offspring. The promise was given to Abraham, and we'll be seeing it here shortly.
I want to read to you from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, 1986, pages 628 and 629 under the topic, "Land." I want to read this to you because I think they put it in a very clear form that's easy to understand. They say,
"The Old Testament ideal was that every Hebrew family was to own a portion of land where every person could sit under his own vine and fig tree. (1Kings 4:25, Micah 4:4) The land of Canaan belonged to Yah [they say "the Lord"], and He had given it to His people. (Joshua 24:11-13) They were His tenants. (Leviticus 25:23) After the conquest of the land under Joshua, the whole country was divided among the individual tribes and families. (Joshua 13 through 22) Boundary stones were not to be removed. (Deuteronomy 19:4) Naboth's refusal to sell family land, even to the king (1Kings 21) illustrates the ideal, that land should become a permanent family heritage. Although land could be sold in difficult times, a near relative had the right to buy this land back so that it did not pass permanently from a family's hands. Land was eventually supposed to revert back to the original family at the year of Jubilee, every 50th year. (Leviticus 25:23-28) Inheritance laws also sought to ensure that property remained within the family or the tribe. (Numbers 27:7-11)"
Now we begin to see a picture developing. Adam and his family were to permanently inherit the earth. But through hard times, through the fall of Adam, he sold out and lost the inheritance to Satan, the prince of the power of the air, the god of this world. But the second Adam came, who was a near relative and redeemed the land – and took the title to it, that it might stay in the family. Now we don't see the full fulfillment of this until the New Earth, you see. Let's go forward in Jeremiah 32, and we'll see a type of Christ here:
"The word that came to Jeremiah from Yah in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar." Now remember, Nebuchadnezzar is the king of Babylon. "For then the king of Babylon's army besieged Jerusalem: and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the prison, which was in the king of Judah's house. For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, 'Wherefore dost thou prophesy, and say, Thus saith Yah, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it?" You see the king, the wicked king, is angry with Jeremiah the prophet, because Jeremiah the prophet is prophesying doom on Jerusalem, saying: "And Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him mouth to mouth, and his eyes shall behold his eyes; And he shall lead Zedekiah to Babylon, and there shall he be until I visit him, saith Yah: though ye fight with the Chaldeans, ye shall not prosper.'"
So Jeremiah was put in prison. "And Jeremiah said, 'The word of Yah came unto me, saying, Behold, Hanameel the son of Shallum thine uncle shall come unto thee, saying, Buy thee my field that is in Anathoth: for the right of redemption is thine to buy it.'" They were in hard times, they were being besieged by the Babylonians, and here Hanameel is supposed to ask Jeremiah to redeem the land. Let's look at it in verse 8: "So Hanameel mine uncle's son came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of Yah, and said unto me, 'Buy my field, I pray thee, that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of Benjamin: for the right of inheritance is thine, and the redemption is thine; buy it for thyself.' Then I knew that this was the word of Yah."
"And I bought the field of Hanameel my uncle's son, that was in Anathoth, and weighed him the money, even seventeen shekels of silver. And I subscribed the evidence [which is the deed], and sealed it, and took witnesses..." now emphasize that right there, "...took witnesses and weighed him the money in the balances. So I took the evidence [deed] of the purchase, both that which was sealed according to the law and custom [that which had the terms and conditions of the deed], and that which was open: And I gave the evidence [deed] of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, in the sight of Hanameel mine uncle's son, and in the presence of the witnesses that subscribed the book of the purchase, before all the Jews that sat in the court of the prison." {In the Hebrew, "evidence" is literally sefer, which is a "book," or "legal document," and is used here to mean "deed of purchase."}
What is the court of the prison today? Planet earth has become the "pits." It is the pit of sin. You've heard of hell on earth? This is a sinful world, this is not the planet that our Father in Heaven - it's not the place He created for His family to inherit. This world has been taken captive by Babylon. This world has been taken captive by Lucifer, who is known as Satan, the red Dragon, that old Dragon the devil. But he has no inheritance here. He took it by craft, and the court of the prison is a spiritual parallel to this world in which we live, where people are imprisoned in sin. And he had witnesses sign {subscribe} this deed before all the Jews, that is, before all the people of God, before all the people of Yah.
And verse 13: "And I charged Baruch before them, saying, 'Thus saith Yah of hosts, the Almighty of Israel; 'Take these evidences [deeds], this evidence of the purchase, both which is sealed, and this evidence [deed] which is open; and put them in an earthen vessel..." what does that make you think of? "...put them in an earthen vessel that they may continue many days [or last for a long time].'" Last for a long time... let's stop right here a minute. In verse 10 it said he signed and sealed the deed, and called in witnesses to sign. In verse 11 it gives the terms and conditions of the deed.
Let's look at the terms and conditions of the land deal here that we're involved in. Deuteronomy 6:17,18: "Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of Yah your Almighty One, and His testimonies, and His statutes, which He hath commanded thee. And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of Yah: that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess the good land which Yah sware unto thy fathers." What is the land we're looking forward to? Are we not looking forward to the heavenly Canaan? Are we not looking forward to our inheritance in the New Earth? Yah has promised. So, the terms and conditions of the deed to planet earth is that we diligently hearken to keep His commandments: to do that which is good in His sight, to please Him.
And in Revelation 12:17, we have read there before, turning back there, the conditions are that they keep the commandments of Yah, and have the testimony of Yahshua the Messiah. And in Revelation 14:12 it echoes these words, "Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of Yah, and the faith of Yahshua." And in Jeremiah 32, verse 14: put these deeds in earthen vessels, or "in an earthen vessel," that they last a long time.
Let's look at 2 Corinthians 4:7. We're covering a lot of material, and I realize you don't have much time to think about this. Perhaps you can get a tape or listen to it on the internet and absorb it again. 2Corinthians 4:7 says this: "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of Yah, and not of us." The deeds are to be secured in earthen vessels. We are those earthen vessels, dearly beloved. Turn also to 2Corinthians 1:22... start at verse 20: "For all the promises of Yah in Him [that is, in Christ] are 'yea,' and in Him 'Amen,' unto the glory of Yah by us. Now He which stablisheth [strengthens] us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is Yah."
Let me go over that one more time. We're in 2Corinthians 1:20, reading it again – "For all the promises of Yah in Him are 'yea,' and in Him 'Amen,' unto the glory of Yah by us. Now He which stablisheth [strengthens] us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is Yah. Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest [or part payment, or deposit] of the Spirit in our hearts." Here's the earnest-money, the Holy Spirit is the earnest for the land. And the deeds are secured in earthen vessels. Secured by the Holy Spirit. Are you following me? Now let's go back to Jeremiah 32, and jump over to verses 37 through 44. Actually, we can start with verse 36, that's where the paragraph begins.
"And now therefore thus saith Yah, the Almighty One of Israel, concerning this city, whereof ye say, 'It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence;' 'Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely: And they shall be my people, and I will be their Almighty One: And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me."
"Yea," verse 21, "Yes, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul.'" Yah is talking here, now. Do you see the promise of placing Israel in the New Earth? And who have we said is Israel now? We are Israel; we are spiritual Israel now, and this is a promise to us, brothers and sisters, that we will be placed in the land of our inheritance.
"For thus saith Yah; 'Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them.'" Have you had some evil befall you? Have you had some trials? Have you had battles with Satan? Don't fear, beloved. He who has promised is faithful. Verse 43: "'And fields shall be bought in this land, whereof ye say, It is desolate without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.'" Verse 44: "'Men shall buy fields for money, and subscribe evidences [or deeds], and seal them, and take witnesses in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the mountains, and in the cities of the valley, and in the cities of the south: for I will cause their captivity to return,' saith Yah."
Let's go through Ephesians 1:10 through 14: "That in the dispensation [or plan] of the fulness of times He {the Father} might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will: That we should be to the praise of His glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed [or confirmed] with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest [or pledge] of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory."
Christ purchased the field, which is planet earth. Christ purchased this field, which would eventually be desolate. In Jeremiah he was talking about the land, which is desolate - without man or beast - given into the hand of the Babylonians, or Chaldeans. This land, which Christ purchased, will be desolate. Look at Jeremiah 4:23-27. "I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of Yah, and by His fierce anger. For thus hath Yah said, 'The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end.'"
Do you see the parallel to Jeremiah chapter 32, where Jeremiah has bought this field, and Israel is going into exile in Babylon, and there will be no man or beast on the property, yet it's been purchased? It's been redeemed? And then Yah prophesies that there will come a day when His people will be restored to that land? And it will bring forth fruit. It is a parallel to the redemption of planet earth by Yahshua Himself. During the 1000 years mentioned in the book of Revelation {Chapter 20:1-6}, planet earth will be desolate. Yet a day is coming, when Matthew 5:5 is fulfilled. Matthew 5:5 says the meek shall inherit the earth.
Look at Isaiah 65, and verses 17, and 21 through 23. "For, behold, I create New Heavens and a New Earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind," Which is cross-referenced to Revelation 21:1. And then skip down to verse 21: "And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of Yah, and their offspring with them." Hallelu-Yah. A day is coming when this will be fulfilled.
Now let's review. Jeremiah 32:44. Yah says, "Men shall buy fields for money, and subscribe evidences [or make out deeds of purchase], and seal them, and take witnesses..." or call witnesses. {The Hebrew word there, 'uwd, means "to cause someone to witness." In English, to either "take" or "call" as a witness is an appropriate translation of the verb.} I've listed out some things here on the board. I have:
No. 1 – Buy field.What would we put for "No. 1 - Buy field?" Well, that corresponds to the earth made new. Let's read Leviticus 20:24 – "But I have said unto you, 'Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey:' I am Yah your Almighty One, which have separated you from other people." All saints will be separated from sinners, and it will be the righteous that inherit the New Earth.No. 2 – For money, or precious value.
No. 3 – Sign deed for title.
No. 4 – Seal the deed for title.
No. 5 – Take (or call) witnesses.
Okay, "No. 2 - For money." The precious blood of Christ purchased the inheritance. 1Corinthians 6:19 and 20: "What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of Yah, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify Yah in your body, and in your spirit, which are Yah's." Did not Yah say the land was His? We are His – by creation, and redemption. Acts 20:28: "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the Church of Yah, which He hath purchased with His own blood." 1Peter 1:18 and 19: "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation [or empty manner of life] received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." Yes, it cost Yah to purchase the inheritance back for us.
Okay, what about "No. 3 - Sign deed for title?" Let's look at Matthew 27:37; it's speaking of the crucifixion of Yahshua. Let's start with verse 34: "They gave Him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when He had tasted thereof, He would not drink. And they crucified Him, and parted His garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, 'They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.' And sitting down they watched Him there; And set up over His head His accusation written, THIS IS YAHSHUA THE KING OF THE JEWS."
That was His title. At the crucifixion, Yahshua received title to the inheritance. This is Yahshua: Yah-is-our-Savior, Yah-is-our-Redeemer, Yah-is-our-Deliverer. King of the Jews. He signed it with His name, right there.
He sealed it with His blood as well. This corresponds to "No. 4 - Seal the deed for title." Look at Galatians 3:15: "Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant [or agreement], yet if it be confirmed [or ratified], no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto." The deed to planet earth cannot be annulled. It's confirmed by the blood of Christ; it is sealed. 2Corinthians 1:22, we go back there: "Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest [or partial payment, or deposit] of the [Holy] Spirit in our hearts." We have received the Holy Spirit as a partial payment, or earnest, of the purchase. And as we mentioned before, these deeds have been placed in earthen vessels. The Holy Spirit has been placed in earthen vessels.
Now there's one part that's left here. A part down here, No. 5, which says, "Call witnesses." And verse 44, Jeremiah 32:44, says, after sealing the deeds it says he called "witnesses in the land of Benjamin." And we get back now to the firstfruits, or the witnesses, of this land deal. The witnesses must sign the deeds of purchase, according to Jeremiah 32:12. The witnesses "subscribed," or signed, the deeds. And let's look at Hebrews 9:15: "And for this cause He [Yahshua] is the mediator of the New Testament [agreement], that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament [agreement], they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance."
Get this; we are intimately involved in this land deal! We are the recipients of the eternal inheritance. We receive the earnest, we receive the deeds, and we must sign the deeds. We are called to witness the deeds. Should we not sign, or seal, the deeds of purchase if we are called to be His witnesses, that He is the Almighty One that has redeemed us?
Romans 8:16-22: "The Spirit Itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of Yah: And if children, then heirs; heirs of Yah, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of Yah. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of Him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of Yah. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now."
The whole creation desires to be delivered! And we are those witnesses that must sign the deed, and finish the work. We must seal our names in the family of Yah. All creation looks forward to redemption, and if we are joined heirs with Christ... let's look at Numbers 26:53-55: "Unto these the land shall be divided for an inheritance according to the number of names. To many thou shalt give the more inheritance, and to few thou shalt give the less inheritance: to every one shall his inheritance be given according to those that were numbered of him. Notwithstanding the land shall be divided by lot: according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit."
Turn over with me, please, to Revelation 7. Oh, this is so wonderful, that we now know why there are 12,000 in each tribe. Revelation 7, verse 4, speaking of the 144,000: "And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand." Etc. etc. etc. Twelve tribes, all receiving numbers of twelve thousand. The land, the inheritance, is given according to the number of each tribe. They get an equal inheritance! And the number 12 represents completeness; they are completely satisfied with their inheritance. There is no tribe that gets more than another. Joint heirs with Christ.
But we must seal our names to the deed, or we have no inheritance. We must be numbered by name, or we have no inheritance. Church Membership is important. You must be numbered among your tribe, or congregation.
Joshua 11:23. I'm going to have to go over an hour today, I'm sorry... I'm just not going to make it in an hour, but please be patient with me... Joshua 11:23: "So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that Yah said unto Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. And the land rested from war." The war will be over! When Yahshua gives us our inheritance, which He purchased with His precious blood, there will be no more war. The war in Heaven, and the war in Earth, will have been finished. The battle is won, and Yahshua secured it there upon the Cross when He won title to the land. Yahshua, the King of the Jews, the King of Israel.
And the 144,000 are the witnesses that He's called to sign the deed. Time is almost over. Time is short.
Let's turn to Psalm 37:29. We could have ended there; that would have been a good place to end this study, but let's continue, because we have a lot for next week! Psalm 37:29: "The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever." It's the righteous that shall inherit the earth. It's the righteous that shall go into the goodly land, the heavenly land of Canaan and populate the New Earth. They are they that obey the commandments of Yah, and have the testimony of Yahshua the Messiah. They shall dwell therein forever. Oh, what a wonderful promise!
What was the promise to Abraham and his seed? Let's go to Genesis 17, and let's read verses 1 through 8. "And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, Yah appeared to Abram, and said unto him, 'I am El Shaddai, the Almighty One;" What did we read a while ago? "Ye are my witnesses that I am Yah, the Almighty One." We are witnesses of that fact, and we are to represent Him in such a way that others will know it's true. Well he says to Abram, "I am the Almighty One; walk before me, and be thou [what? What is the word in the King James here?] perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.'" That references to Galatians 3:17, for those that are taking notes.
"And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, 'As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations [or many families]. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many [families] have I made thee.'" He changes his name before he ever saw the many families. He gave us the earnest of the Holy Spirit before He saw the victory in us. He gave us His Son, while we were yet on probation. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Verse 6: "'And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed [very important here] after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be an Almighty One unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their Almighty One.'"
Who is the Seed? Galatians 3:16: "Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He saith not, 'And to seeds,' as of many; but as of one, 'And to thy Seed,' which is Christ." Christ is that Seed to which the promise was made. Skip over to verse 29: "And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." We are joint heirs with Christ, who is the Seed. Now, look at this. Nothing we could ever have done would have gained us the inheritance. As sinners, we were out of the inheritance altogether. We could have never been a part of the seed – except by redemption. Except by a Kinsman Redeemer, that would redeem the inheritance. And our only inheritance is through Christ; we are joint heirs with Christ – He shares with us.
We, who were sinners; He, who was perfect, who left the glory of Heaven, made Himself a reproach. He was made sin, that we might be made the righteousness of Yah in Him: joint heirs with Christ, of the earth made new, and everlasting life. Would you not put your signature to the deed? Would you not be willing to even write it in blood if necessary? Revelation 12:7 says, "they loved not their lives unto the death." The Scriptures testify that Christ was faithful, even to the death of the cross.
Christ was the promised Seed. 1Peter 1:23, let's go there. One thing this lesson should teach you is that there's no way any of us could ever merit everlasting life. None of us could ever have, or ever in any way, been able to merit the eternal inheritance. 1Peter 1, verse 23: "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of Yah, which liveth and abideth for ever." You see, we must be born again. We cannot be of the family of Lucifer. We cannot be of the devil, the father of sinners. We must be born again of incorruptible seed, into the family – adopted into the family of Yah, grafted in (as it were) to Israel. And now, spiritual Israel. We must become a part of that family by the new birth; and by the new birth we have the name of our Father written in our foreheads, and then we are made a part of whatever family Yah brings us to. That is the family of the congregation – your tribe.
1John 3:9, one of my favorite Bible verses, says, "Whosoever is born of Yah doth not commit sin; for His Seed [now that's Christ] remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of Yah." The Seed remains in Him; you see, that's the only way that we can inherit the land. Because if the Seed does not remain in us, we are not of the family. If we are born of Yah, the Seed remains. It liveth and abideth forever. And when the Seed remains, we have power to witness for Yah. What did Christ say in Acts 1:8? He says, "Ye shall be witnesses unto me," "unto all the uttermost parts of the earth." When? "After that the Holy Spirit is come upon you." After the pledge, after the partial payment for the land, has come upon you, then you have the power to be my witnesses.
Now we're in the last part of time, we're in the last generation, we're in the remnant Church. And it's time to divvy up the inheritance. It's time for the deed to be brought forward. Where are the witnesses? The witnesses have been called. Where are their signatures? We, our lives, really, are signatures. The lives we live, the character we live, is our signature – that's the spirit of it. But the letter of it is in the Church membership roll. That's where you sign the deed to the New Earth. {There are two Deeds, and we will discuss them in the next part of the study.}
The 144,000 witnesses are firstfruits unto Yah and to the Lamb. Read again Revelation 14:4 and 5: "These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth." That's why they can be witnesses, they go whithersoever the Lamb goeth. They have an experience with the Lamb. "These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto Yah and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God." Firstfruits are a perfect representation of the intended harvest from the seed. Every seed brings forth a harvest after its own kind. Did you not know that?
Every seed brings forth a harvest after its own kind. Christ's seed brings forth the harvest of the 144,000 witnesses. They are the true "Jehovah's Witnesses." These are perfect or, shall we say, perfected, witnesses to the power of Yah. These witnesses have experienced the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives. They have experienced deliverance from sin; they know what they're talking about. And they have the testimony of Yahshua their elder brother, their Kinsman Redeemer. And they say, with Him, "We do always those things that please our Father." {see John 8:29}
Look at little closer at these witnesses. Revelation 17:14; and yes, there's more in part 5. This was a two-part study that has become expanded greatly. I hope it never ends! I've enjoyed this study. Revelation 17:14, speaking of the wicked ones of Babylon: "These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful." Who are they that are with Him? Who are they that go whithersoever He goes? The 144,000. They are called, they are chosen, and they are faithful.
Let's break these things down, and look at some Scriptures. Let's look at "Called." Jeremiah 32:10, we're back over there in that chapter. "And I subscribed the evidence, and sealed it, and took [called] witnesses, and weighed him the money in the balances." The witnesses are called, made to witness. Matthew 4:21, 22: "And going on from thence, He [Yahshua] saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and He called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed Him." Those who are called will follow.
Colossians 3:15: "And let the peace of Yah rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful." You're not called to many bodies, you're called to one body – the body of the Messiah. You're called to our elder Brother, you're called to the Seed of Israel, the promised Seed. You're called to the family of Yahshua, to join your tribe. 1Thessalonians 2:12: "That ye would walk worthy of Yah, who hath called you unto His kingdom and glory." Yahshua told us that the Kingdom is within us. He has called us to that Kingdom of grace, to His glory.
"Chosen," Number 2. Let's look at Acts 10:41. These witnesses are chosen: "Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of Yah, even to us, who did eat and drink with Him after He rose from the dead." And we have been eating and drinking of His body and His blood through the word of Yah.
Every New Moon festival we come together as the family of Yahshua, and we come to the table (in symbol) eating of His flesh, and drinking of His blood. We are chosen to be in the family, to be witnesses of Yahshua. Deuteronomy 14:2: "For thou art an holy people unto Yah thy Almighty One, and Yah hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto Himself, above all the nations [families] that are upon the earth." A holy people, the chosen possession of Yah. John 15:16: "Ye have not chosen me, [Yahshua's talking] but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, He may give it you." What a promise!
1Peter 2:9: "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation [family], a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light."
And point 3, these witnesses are "Faithful." We're still looking at Revelation 17:14, the three points there: Called and Chosen and Faithful. Proverbs 14:5: "A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies." What did it say in Revelation 14? Revelation 14:5, it says: "And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God." That means they tell no lies, they are faithful witnesses. Revelation 1:5 – here's the Seed that brings forth the harvest. Revelation 1:5 says, "And from Yahshua the Christ, who is the faithful Witness..." Yahshua is the faithful Witness, He's the Seed. His offspring, His joint-heirs, bring forth a faithful witness after His kind. Isaiah 8:2... starting in verse 1: "Moreover Yah said unto me, 'Take thee a great roll, and write in it with a man's pen concerning Maher-shalal-hashbaz.' [that's the longest word in the Bible] And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record," and so forth.
2Timothy 2:2: "And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also." We should be able to teach others, did you know that? We should be faithful men and women and children, and we should be faithful witnesses, and be able to teach others the truth as it is in Yahshua. Hallelu-Yah.
These witnesses are awaiting an eternal inheritance. They are signing their names on Church rolls all over the world, among their various tribes, or congregations, as they witness, by their signature, to the almighty power of Yah, which has redeemed them from the land of bondage, and made them joint heirs of a better land: that Heavenly Canaan, and the earth made new. We invite you, wherever you are, all over the world, to join the family of Yah. The Creation Seventh Day Adventist family has been raised up, by Yah Himself, to call the 144,000 witnesses. Will ye not sign the deed, and be united with the family in Heaven that we may claim our inheritance by the number of our name?
Let us pray.
Our Father which art in Heaven, we thank you so much for shedding this light upon us. We thank you that you have given us the earnest of your Holy Spirit. You give us power to be witnesses in Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth, as we are now doing. We are witnessing to the great delivering power, the saving power, of Yahshua. We are witnessing to that perfect, spotless life of your only begotten Son. We are witnessing to the victory that we have, moment-by-moment, as we walk in the Spirit of Yah.
Dismiss us with your love, we pray, and may your hand be upon us as our lives continue to witness until the end of all things. For Yahshua's sake, in His name we pray. Amen.
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