Sermons - Cornerstone Christian Fellowship

Passover to Tabernacles - Part Thirty

Jul 03, 2022 by: John Herbert | Series: Passover to Tabernacles

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Mt 17:3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.

We will continue to look at the events on the Holy Mountain.

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Sunday July 3rd 2022
Passover to Tabernacles
Part 30

1). 2 Pe 1:16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. [greatest regal magnificence]

2 Co 12:2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven.

Re 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet……..

We had seen last time how Peter, Paul, and John had all had personal, eye-witness experiences with the glorified Christ that had fundamentally changed their lives, and that these experiences all had one common focus, the coming Kingdom of Christ, portending a change of rulership from the heavens and a change of rulership on the earth. A change set out in the foundation in Genesis with a Man and a Woman who were to rule together in the Seventh Day – Heb 2:5 For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels.

The writer of Hebrews in the verses that precede this one wrote about the so great salvation that is inseparable from rulership in the Seventh Day – Heb 2:2 For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great  salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him….

There was then, confirmation of the so great salvation, given to the writer of Hebrews and others, by those who had personally heard the Christ speak about it. The writer of Hebrews was not there when Christ spoke but the witness of those who were there was a confirmation for him of the certainty of that which the Holy Spirit had revealed to him.
	a). And in the same way, we have not had the eye-witness experiences that Peter, Paul, and John had but their witness has confirmed to us all that the Holy Spirit has taught us through the Scriptures, beginning in the first chapter of Genesis.
	b). And because their witness is confirmed to us, we are admonished in - Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

The One who has given us the ‘exceedingly great and precious promises’ is faithful. The hope that we have of the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, has been confirmed to us by Peter, Paul and John and in addition to this we also know – Nu 23:19 “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

Therefore, we are to ‘hold fast the confession of our hope’, being unmoved in it, irrespective of what we see with our natural eyes – Acts 20:22 And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. 24 But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

What Paul had seen, what Paul had heard and what Paul preached was so real and so certain, that nothing would move him from his purpose. And we, through the Scriptures, know what Paul has seen, we know what he heard, and we are the recipients of what he preached, and all has been confirmed to us by the Holy Spirit – 1 Co 2:9 But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” 10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.

The coming Kingdom of Christ is no less certain for us than it was for Paul, or Peter, or John, or any of the OT prophets, beginning with Moses. Consequently, we should not be distracted by speculation as to why, after all this time, we are still here. Rather, we need to be focused on the command of Scripture to consider one another to stir up love and good works, and to exhort one another, and so much the more, as we see the Day approaching.
	c). Given the length of time between when the writer of Hebrews penned these words and where we find ourselves today, seeing the Day approaching, can really have little to do with the passing of time. The command given through him was as valid for those who were the recipients of the letter to the Hebrews as it is for us, and so, seeing the Day approaching will have more to do with our grasp of the reality and certainty of it, being absolutely assured of His coming and what awaits us at His Judgment Seat when He does – Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland.

It is the living out of our faith from a renewed mind that will follow the command of Scripture to stir up and exhort one another as we remain unmovable in the confession of our hope. And this singlemindedness with respect to the Lord’s return, irrespective of our circumstances or our present timeframe, is essential to the outcome for us at the Judgment Seat Jas 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

The wisdom that James speaks of here is the wisdom that is brought forth from above, the wisdom that comes from God, that he would go on to write about in more detail in Chapter 3 – Jas 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

And within the context of today’s message, the wisdom from above assures us of the certainty of our Lord’s return, whereas the wisdom from below which is earthly, sensual, demonic, speculates, ‘will the Lord ever return?’
	d). And what have we been promised? If we lack the wisdom from above concerning the Lord’s return, then we just have to ask and God who gives to all liberally and without reproach, will give it to us.

2). Let us go back to the high mountain, after six days - Mt 16:28 Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” 17:1 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.

The Son of Man coming in His Kingdom, witnessed by Peter, James, and John, takes us forward in time, to the end of the tribulation and the return of Christ to the earth to deal with His brethren, according to the flesh, and the Gentile nations. These verses though only deal with part of that picture.
	a). The scene here is entirely Jewish in its focus. This is Jesus returning to the Jewish people, portrayed through the presence of Peter, James, and John with Him on the mountain. And the Lord’s return, seen in association with the feast of Tabernacles, looks to the time of the blessing of the Jewish people in anticipation of the Millennial Kingdom. A time of blessing which has previously been revealed through the type of Abraham’s meeting with Melchizedek following the battle with the kings - Ge 14:18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. 19 And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20 And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.”

The blessing of Abraham in Genesis Chapter 14 foreshadows the future blessing of the descendants of Abraham through Isaac, and Jacob. This is the focus for the events on the Holy Mountain in Matthew Chapter 17. And while the events on the mountain were taking place there was a multitude gathered at the base of the mountain, representing the Gentile nations, who in the Day when Tabernacles is fulfilled, will receive God’s blessings through Israel – Ge 12:3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

That which took place on the mountain takes us somewhat to the end of the matter, the outcome of the Lord’s return, which for the Jewish people can only result in blessing. The return of the Christ witnessed by John was recorded by him, in two different places, in the Book of the Revelation with a different presentation in both – Re 6:12 I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. 13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. 14 Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. 15 And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, 16 and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

The events depicted through the opening of the sixth seal on the seven sealed scroll will happen just prior to and at the end of the tribulation. This will be the time, as we have noted, that brings Christ’s return in response to Israel’s cry for deliverance, which is figuratively described in Revelation Chapter 6, through the phrase, ‘Him who sits on the throne’.  To be sitting on the throne is an expression of both Christ’s regality and Him now being in possession of the Kingdom – Lk 19:12 Therefore He said: “A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return.

That seen here in Luke that introduces the parable of the minas, is the event witnessed in Matthew Chapter 17 and seen again in Revelation Chapter 6.
	b). That described for us in the verses from Revelation Chapter 6, through the opening of the sixth seal, show that by the end of the tribulation, the kingdom of this world under the Antichrist, will be in a state of utter chaos, with those on the earth seemingly doing all they can to put as much distance as possible between themselves and ‘Him who sits on the throne’, apparently they will have some understanding of what the return of Christ means for the nations, the wrath of the Lamb.
	c). The Lord’s return is then depicted a second time by John in – 
Re 19:11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

We might remember from Acts Chapter 7 that Stephen saw ‘the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’ And we will remember that if the Jewish religious leaders had heeded Stephen’s words that day, the Lord would have returned through the opened heaven to establish His Kingdom. However, as we know, this did not happen. Following the murderous rejection of Stephen’s message, the Lord sat down again at the right hand of the Father and the heavens were closed and will remain closed, until the Lord comes forth on a white horse as King of kings and Lord of lords.
	d). And just to make sure we are clear, the Lord’s return through an opened heaven, is what we see in Revelation Chapters 6 and 19 and Matthew Chapter 17.
	e). So, why we might ask, is there no mention of a white horse, and the armies in heaven in Matthew Chapter 17? Well, very simply, it’s because of reasons we have already seen. The events at the beginning of Matthew Chapter 17 deal with the blessing that awaits the Jewish people in that Day. Blessings that Peter had drawn the nation’s attention to following the Day of Pentecost when the re-offer of the Kingdom had begun – Acts 3:19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20 and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, 21 whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. 22 For Moses truly said to the fathers, ‘The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you. 23 And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’ 24 Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days. 25 You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ 26 To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.”

The return of the Lord through an opened heaven as recorded by John, who was also on the mountain with Peter, in Revelation Chapters 6 and 19 has as its focus, the Lord’s dealings with the kingdom of this world under the Antichrist, the total devastation of this kingdom and the complete overthrow of Gentile world power.
	f). And then again, there is no mention of Moses and Elijah in Revelation Chapters 6 and 19, and really there is no need for there to be as they are clearly seen in Matthew Chapter 17 and Revelation Chapter 11
Re 11:3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”

3). Mal 4: 1 “For behold, the day is coming, Burning like an oven, And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble………….. 4 “Remember the Law of Moses, My servant, Which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel, With the statutes and judgments. 5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. 6 And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”

Let’s remind ourselves that the Book of Malachi, the last Book of the OT, comes to an end with a reference to both Moses and Elijah, and this reference is in connection with ‘the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.’ This great and dreadful day is not speaking of the Lord’s Day per se but of a specific day within the Lord’s Day prior to the beginning of the Millennial Kingdom.
	a). In one sense it is only fitting that Moses and Elijah should be mentioned together at the end of the OT as they represent the Law and the prophets, which is a way of describing the totality of the OT Scriptures.
	b). But perhaps more importantly, we see with respect to Elijah, that he has a vitally important role to play before the great and dreadful day occurs. He is to, turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers. He is to turn the hearts of the Jewish people back to the prophets and the prophets back to the Jewish people.
	c). There will be a turning back to the prophetic Scriptures after a similar fashion to what happened when Elijah dealt with the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel – 1 Ki 18:38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 Now when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!”

Elijah, we will remember was a prophet during the darkest days of Jewish history when the wicked Ahab and his pagan queen Jezebel had turned the nation from God to Baal worship – 1 Ki 16:30 Now Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD, more than all who were before him. 31 And it came to pass, as though it had been a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took as wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians; and he went and served Baal and worshiped him.

We will no doubt recognize a parallel between Israel in the days of Ahab and the great harlot within the kingdom of this world. We will see then that Elijah, following his return with the Lord, will have a ministry to the Jewish people that we could see as a continuation of his ministry to the nation in the days of Ahab.
	d). So, what about Moses? Well, let’s remember that Moses was the one who dealt with the Assyrian Pharaoh, prior to the Exodus and it was also Moses who had instituted the first Passover following God’s instruction.
	e). And again, we will remember that the Exodus provides the type for the experiences of the Jewish people within the kingdom of the Assyrian Antichrist and their deliverance from it.
	f). It would be inconceivable to think that Moses would not have a significant role to play following the Lord’s return to the earth. And clearly, he does as he was with Elijah and the Lord on the holy mountain. We can say for certain that he was not there just to make up the numbers.
	g). Now, we have also seen that Moses and Elijah are the two witnesses in Revelation Chapter 11, and although the witnesses are not named, their identity is obvious.
	h). We can begin by asking ourselves what are these two witnesses witnesses to? They are God’s witnesses as He deals with His chosen people once again in fulfillment of the prophetic Scriptures, the Law, and the Prophets. They are witnesses to the living Word, the Scriptures, and the Word made flesh who is alive.
	i). Within the OT Scriptures, the Law and the Prophets, there are only two sets of individuals who were empowered to perform miraculous signs, Elijah and his successor, Elisha, and Moses and his successor, Joshua. And as we look at the description of the miraculous signs performed by the two witnesses, we can see the direct connection with the signs previously performed by Moses and Elijah – Re 6:6 These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.

And it is through the ministry of the two witnesses, Moses, and Elijah, during the first half of the tribulation, that the one hundred and forty-four thousand are converted and sealed, being the firstfruits of the nation that will emerge from the end of the tribulation.
	j). Moses and Elijah then, representing the Law and the prophets, the OT Scriptures, have a vital role to play in the first three- and one-half years of God’s resumed dealings with His chosen people – Re 11:7 When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. 8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. 9 Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. 10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth. 11 Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. 12 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them.

The death of Moses and Elijah takes place at the midpoint in the tribulation, and probably marks the time when Antichrist will break his covenant with Israel and begin his attempted genocide. But as we see from the Scripture the two are resurrected after three and one-half-days, one day for each year of their ministry. 
	k). They are then taken up into heaven where they will stay for three and one-half-years before returning with the Christ and the armies in heaven, the Lord’s angels, at the end of the tribulation, when Moses and Christ will deal with Antichrist and Elijah will fulfill his ministry to the Jewish people – Mal 3:1 “Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,” Says the LORD of hosts…………4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. 6 And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”

We will continue next week if we remain and the Lord is willing, and we have prayed.

Passover to Tabernacles - Part Thirty

Refresh A Recap from the Sermon

Passover to Tabernacles - Part Thirty

Jul 03, 2022

Speaker: John Herbert

Series: Passover to Tabernacles

Category: Sunday Morning

Refresh
A Recap from the Sermon