It is interesting to note here in history, a striking prefigurement to the time of the end, in which we are now currently living, and to see how aptly history has repeated itself with the arising of Michael at this present time. In the historical rebuilding of the temple, and the specific figures, and their anointed work, are prefigured the events which have unfolded at the return of Messiah at this time. Father brought these parallels to light.
In the twelfth chapter of Daniel, Michael is revealed arising at the time of the end, the angelic Prince who defends and has charge of God's people. Daniel sees this archangel Prince again, as the "Man clothed in linen," with "two others, the one on the brink of the river on this side and the other on the brink of the river on that side." They are communing in regard to the "end of these wonders," the wonders of Michael arising and bringing timely deliverance to His people, and the awakening of some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Michael held up His hands toward the Father and "swore by Him Who lives forever that it shall be for a time, times, and a half time, or three and one-half years; and when they [Michael and these "two others"] have made an end of shattering and crushing the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished." Dan. 12:6,7 Amplified.
In history, "two anointed instruments" led the exiles from Babylon back to Jerusalem. In vision, God showed His prophet, Zechariah, that these "two anointed ones" were standing "before the Lord of the whole earth as His anointed instruments." Zech. 4:14 Amplified. They historically foreshadowed the "two witnesses" in Revelation, who were anointed to lead the exiled people of God from "confusion" back to peace, to rebuild the true spiritual temple of Messiah. This time, God showed His prophet, John, in vision, that these "two witnesses are the two olive trees and two lampstands which stand before the Lord of the earth...for 1,260 days, three and one-half years." Rev. 11:3,4 Amplified.
In history, Michael stood up to deliver the people of God from their captivity in Babylon. The involvement of Michael, Who initiated the release of the captive people of God, and the two anointed instruments who led out in the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem, was a living parable in history of the current work of Michael the archangel. Now, at the end of time, Michael appeared visibly in human flesh, standing up to release His people from the invisible hostile forces that had kept them in confusion. Michael stood up to assure that the rebuilding of the temple of Christ would take place, that the marriage of the Lamb would be consummated.
Michael shall arise, the great angelic prince who defends and has charge of your people...Michael and his angels...battled with the dragon...and the dragon and his angels fought, and they were defeated...and no room was found for them in heaven any longer...And the sanctuary in heaven is thrown open...and measured...and those who worship there are numbered...and the two witnesses stand before the Lord of the earth. (From Dan. 12; Rev.11,12).
In history, two anointed instruments were chosen to lead the captive people of God from Babylon to Jerusalem. Now, once again, two witnesses stand before the Lord of the whole earth, and lead the captive people of God out of their confusion and into the peace of the consummated Messianic kingdom of God. Michael's arising made it possible for the two witnesses to lead the people who had been held captive by their confusion, back to peace, for the rebuilding of the true and living temple of Messiah. Messiah built this temple when He appeared in humanity the first time. Thus, the initial building of the temple in Jerusalem, foreshadowed the building of the temple of the "bride of Christ," and the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem after their captivity, typified beforehand that the temple of the "bride of Christ," would need to be rebuilt at the second appearing of Messiah in humanity.
In history, "when Christ, the Anointed One, came into visibility in this world, He said to the Father, A body You have prepared Me." Now, once again, the Anointing appears in the body His Father prepared for Him. Now, not just appearing in one single human body, but in many, who are invisibly bonded together by the Father and the Son into one living organism, one marriage.
In history, it was prophesied that the glory of the rebuilt temple would be greater than the glory of the temple at its building. Now, once again, the glory of the rebuilding of the body of Christ at the reappearing of the Anointing in humanity, is greater than the initial building of it. This time, the glory of the Anointing is reappearing in many. The Anointing of Messiah has now come "to be glorified in His saints...made more glorious in His consecrated people, and He will be marveled at and admired in His glory reflected in all who have believed, who have adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Him, because our witnessing among you was confidently accepted and believed and confirmed in your lives." 2 Thess. 1:10 Amplified.
Most of God's people didn't make the transfer with the change in how God was going to manifest His glory in the rebuilt temple. Since they could no longer see the visible Presence of God, their focus began to shift to the physical building itself. In the time that lapsed between the rebuilding of the temple and the coming of the One to Whom it pointed, the house of God itself became their object of worship and regard, and this divine symbol became a graven image to them. Because they could no longer see God's Presence in a visible way, their focus turned to what they could see, the building. This is precisely what the professed Christians did with Jesus. When the power of the church left, because of its fallen state, the people began to worship the man Jesus. They made a graven image of what they thought His body looked like and put that imagined body on crosses and in stained glass windows. They worshipped not the divine Presence, but the picture they made of Him. They hired good artists to make Jesus look just as their human nature pictured Him. They worshipped a "good man" but not the Spirit of Messiah in that man. The Spirit of Messiah, they crucified as before, as their focus turned to what they could see, the body of a man.
Thus it was, when the fulness of time came for the living "Tent of Meeting with God" to appear, the people of God were not in a state to recognize His way of appearing among them. The temple was not a symbol to them of Messiah's life. It had become an object of worship, the source of their pride, and its services were used to buy God's favor, instead of receiving the revelation of His heart to them, and the divine provision that He had opened up for their communion with Him.
Before Christ's first advent the world seemed indeed to have become the grave for all piety. It was Satan's seat; man was in the power of the great apostate, helplessly receiving his lies of God and of Christ, as truth. The heavenly angels looked upon the world polluted by sin under the inhabitants thereof, and thought how much easier it would be to exterminate it than to reform it. But the Son of God himself came to work a reformation.
Heaven's councils decided that Christ, the great Teacher, must himself come to the world. God has spoken through nature, through types and symbols, through patriarchs and prophets. Lessons must be given to humanity in the language of humanity. The messenger of the covenant, the Sun of Righteousness, must rise upon the world. His voice must be heard in his own temple. Christ must come to utter words which would be clearly and definitely understood. He, the Author of truth, must separate truth from the chaff of man's utterance, which had made it of none effect. The principles of God's moral government, and the plan of redemption, must be clearly defined. The lessons of the Old Testament must be fully set before men.
"When the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son." Man's terrible necessity demanded help without delay. Who met this necessity? --An illustrious teacher, the Son of God. The eternal Word came to our world to win the confidence of humanity. The prophet that had been revealed to Moses, like unto his brethren, whom they should hear in all things, came as man's Redeemer. Hear, O heavens, and be astonished, O earth; for the appointed instructor of man was no less a personage than the Son of God! ST 4-15-97.
And the Word, Christ, became flesh, human, incarnate, and tabernacled, fixed His tent of flesh, among us; and we actually saw His glory, such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 Amplified.
The moveable "Tent of Meeting" in the wilderness, which was covered with skin and filled with the visible glory of God, had long pointed forward with such encrypted accuracy to the revelation of this moving, living "tent of flesh," filled and anointed with the glory of God Himself. Yet when the Spirit of Messiah came in Jesus of Nazareth, no one knew or had any conception of what Messiah's life would be like, what His purpose was, or the nature of the work that was before Him.
When Jesus came into our world, the Jewish nation was not ready to receive Him. "The world knew Him not." "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not." They had lost sight of the character that He would reveal, and the manner of His coming, although these were plainly delineated in the Word. As a nation, they had become estranged from the pure spirituality attained through obedience to God's law. And so, when the Lord Jesus came to the world, His chosen people did not recognize their Deliverer; and they continued to teach for doctrine the commandments of men. SpTB09 10.
Only a few souls were in a spiritual condition to understand the communications of the Spirit to their own heart, and recognize the Completor of the entire temple system, and the Fulfiller of all of the prophecies, when He came. Two of the souls who were intuitive to the invisible things of the Spirit were Simeon and Anna, who each bore witness to the Presence of Messiah at the very beginning of His earthly life.
Spiritual things are spiritually discerned. In the temple the Son of God was dedicated to the work He had come to do [when He was 40 days old]. The priest looked upon Him as he would upon any other child. But though he neither saw nor felt anything unusual, God's act in giving His Son to the world was acknowledged. This occasion did not pass without some recognition of Christ. "There was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ."
As Simeon enters the temple, he sees a family presenting their first-born son before the priest. Their appearance bespeaks poverty; but Simeon understands the warnings of the Spirit, and he is deeply impressed that the infant being presented to the Lord is the Consolation of Israel, the One he has longed to see...Anna also, a prophetess, came in and confirmed Simeon's testimony concerning Christ. As Simeon spoke, her face lighted up with the glory of God, and she poured out her heartfelt thanks that she had been permitted to behold Christ the Lord.
These humble worshipers had not studied the prophecies in vain. But those who held positions as rulers and priests in Israel, though they too had before them the precious utterances of prophecy, were not walking in the way of the Lord, and their eyes were not open to behold the Light of life.
So it is still. Events upon which the attention of all heaven is centered are undiscerned, their very occurrence is unnoticed, by religious leaders, and worshipers in the house of God. Men acknowledge Christ in history, while they turn away from the living Christ (Michael). DA 55,56.
The intimate, personal reality of what the wilderness "Tent of Meeting" had actually symbolized, was now about to unfold throughout the life of Father's Messiah. The life of the Anointed One would reveal the specific divine purpose toward which the Father had been so patiently and steadily drawing His people.
In this chapter, Father is desiring to clearly unveil vivid, physical symbols, which He encrypted in the life of Messiah at His first coming. Father also gave His Son several living parables to act out during His earthly life, which would reveal broad and far-reaching spiritual realities, but which have been hidden from sight until now.
To bring us to a full appreciation and understanding of the Anointing Who lived within Jesus of Nazareth 2000 years ago, Father gave us a little parable at the very beginning of the founding of the Atonement in the earth. Encrypted in the names of the people and places connected with Messiah's conception and birth in human flesh, are the details of a parable which reveal how every human soul conceives and gives birth to Father's Anointed One. Allow yourself to patiently and attentively look with me into the details of this parable, and you will be blessed with the precious significance of what Father desires to reveal to you personally.
Now, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee named Nazareth, to a girl never having been married, and a virgin, engaged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, a descendant of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, Hail, O favored one, endued with grace! The Lord is with you!...You will become pregnant and will give birth to a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, eminent, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His forefather David...and of His reign there will be no end. Luke 1:26-28 Amplified.
To get down to the basics of reality, in order for any conception to take place, there are two indispensable parts that must be fully present together - the female and the male. This is where Father's symbolism began, when the Anointing was first conceived in a human being, and everyone understands the imagery. From all of nature, to plumbing parts and electrical fittings, the female part is the receptacle part, and the male part is the entering part, the part that fits within. Each one has to be present, and functioning in the capacity for which it was designed. The dictionary defines female as "designed with a hollow, into which a corresponding male part fits." Father designed this visible, physical representation of the female to the male, to be a symbol for the invisible spiritual reality of the human to the divine. It is like a key into a keyhole that the divine was to go into a human.
"From the beginning of the creation God made them male and female." Mark 10:6. These two parts were originally created by Father to reveal the spiritual reality that, just as within the female is a hollow part into which the male part fits, so within the human being is an invisible hollow, into which the corresponding invisible divine Being fits. This "hollow" that God designed in human beings is the soul; and its corresponding counterpart, is the divine Being, the Anointing, Who was made to "fit" in the soul. The human lives out the female representation, and the divine lives out the male representation. This event 2000 years ago was going to be a living parable to every human soul, of how God comes into its "hollow place" and is conceived there, and how God is born out of that hollow place. Michael has said, "Every man must be Mary;" now, Father shows us how that is.
In Father's living parable of the conception and birth of the Anointed One, Mary was the chosen human, and prepared to be the mother of the Anointing. The word mother comes from "matrix, or womb; the cavity (hollow) in which a new life is formed and nourished till its birth." In several languages, the word mother also conveys the meaning, "bed or channel of a river," representing again, the human as the "resting place" or "channel" for the divine life. Thus the human mother of the Anointed One was symbolic of the female part - the part designed with a hollow, the womb of the soul - into which her male counterpart, the divine Seed of the Anointing, is to enter.
Originally, the human soul was formed in the image of God, and was the exclusive place that God had chosen to reproduce His divine fulness of life. But the name of Jesus' human mother betrays the natural, hostile nature of the human soul since humanity fell in Eden, and separated itself from God. Mary comes from the Hebrew word Miriam, and literally means, "their rebellion; to be contentious, disobedient towards father, towards God." A more vivid and accurate name couldn't have been used to symbolize and describe the natural human nature into which the Seed of the Anointing of God was to be conceived. The name that the mother of Jesus was given symbolizes what ALL natural, human nature is, of itself. Contentious means, "exhibiting an often perverse and wearisome tendency to quarrels and disputes." To dispute is literally, "to discuss, from dis- + putare to think; to call into question." Mary's name reveals that human nature thinks differently than the divine nature, and is naturally rebellious to it. The name Mary personifies what the Scriptures say of the natural human nature:
Now the mind of the flesh [human nature], which is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit, is death...That is because the mind of the flesh, with its carnal thoughts and purposes, is hostile [rebellious] to God, for it does not submit itself to God's Law; indeed it cannot. Rom. 8:6,7 Amplified.
Yet, this living parable reveals that something took place which enabled this naturally unfit, human nature to be prepared to receive the Seed of the Anointing into itself. Mary was betrothed to marry Joseph. In Hebrew, Joseph means "Jehovah has added," and from Greek it is translated, "let Him add." This parable reveals that something could be "added" to rebellious humanity to make it ready to conceive God within the womb of the soul, and nurture Him to His birth. The angel whom Father sent to Mary to communicate His desire for her to bear His Child, revealed this secret: "And he came to her and said, Hail, O favored one, endued with grace!" Luke 1:28 Amplified. This human soul's naturally rebellious nature had been endued with grace! The word endued is translated from French - to bring in, introduce, and from Latin - to lead; to move by persuasion or influence.
Michael has spoken of this grace that "Jehovah has added" to us, which gives us this unhuman ability to respond to Him. "You have been given the power to lay down." You have been given everything you need to let God do whatever He wants to, with you. "Father has added" to you the power of letting.
This grace that we "let Jehovah add" to our natural human natures, means much more to us than we ever thought, much more than we had ever known by personal experience. The dictionary definition of grace is "unmerited divine assistance given humans; a virtue coming from God." The way that the word grace is translated from several languages brings precious nuances of meaning into its definition. From the Welsh grace is translated, "a blessing, a gratuity". Blessing means "a present; a gift; the means of increasing happiness," and gratuity is "a free gift; a present; a donation; that which is given without compensation or equivalent." The dictionary continues with this insightful thought about the word donation, revealing the reciprocal and interactive nature of Father's grace with our human nature. "To be valid, a donation supposes capacity both in the donor to give, and donee to take, and requires consent, acceptance and delivery." The translation of grace from French means "to agree, be congruous (come together in harmony), and ready. The primary sense of gratus (grace) is free, ready, quick, willing, prompt." Webster 1828. This reveals the true heart of Father in His gift of grace to us.
When I looked up the word unmerited, from the definition for grace - "unmerited divine assistance," I was quite poignantly amused at what that choice word really means, for it unveils the precise process through which we - naturally rebellious and super righteous human beings - are prepared to receive God into us. The prefix un means "deprive of; remove (a specified thing from) [in this case, OUR "OWN MERIT"], i.e. undress, unfrock." Merit means "to deserve; the qualities or actions that constitute the basis of one's fitness or suitability for some just compensation." In other words, the grace that God gives humans is the divine assistance which unfrocks us of our own rightness, our own merit that makes us feel "worthy" to "deserve" His help. All of our own sincere, earnest efforts to be worthy, fit and suitable for God, keep us unworthy, unfit, and unsuitable to the Father. They are a most integral part of our rebellious nature, which simply cannot "let" Father be faithful to His own word, and makes us feel driven to personally do the "adding" instead of "letting" Him add grace to us.
Chapter 10, page: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
