December 2001

Sons of God in this hour are called to ascend the holy, heavenly hill of the Lord, in the Spirit and by the Spirit. Or, to put it another way, we are to grow and mature in the Spirit, as we journey spiritually from the east to the west, or from the spiritual realm of Pentecost to the high and holy realm of Tabernacles. And we are only able to do this as the Spirit leads us! When we have reached the pinnacle of the mountain, which is the highest spiritual realm of the mount of the Lord, the Spirit will lead us to go back eastward toward the people of the nations, bringing the fullness of the glory of the Lord, including the seven Spirits of God, with us to the earth. We thus bring the fullness of the kingdom of God "down" to the earth, providing full redemption and restoration for the multitudes of this world.

The sons of God, or the elect of the Father, are on a spiritual journey. At this time, they are progressing spiritually from the old church order of the past to the new and higher order of the kingdom of God. Other Christians may live their life in this world as most people do, paying little attention to their spiritual condition. But the true sons of God are not only vitally concerned about their spiritual condition, they are also deeply concerned about the growing needs and burdens of the whole creation. Because of their love and concern for their Father's creation, they are ascending the holy, heavenly hill of the Lord, as the Spirit leads them. They are ever moving, growing and ascending, in the Spirit and by the Spirit. And they are zealous for the Lord and for His just, righteous and eternal kingdom, which shall break in pieces all the kingdoms of man, to become the one, great Kingdom in all the earth, and eventually in all the universe. They also know that the kingdom of God has within it all the resources of God, by which every need of man, and of the whole creation also, shall be abundantly supplied.

The spiritual growth of all the sons of God - our spiritual growth - is the vital key that will unlock all the resources of the kingdom of God, providing full deliverance and complete restoration for every created thing. When we grow spiritually to understand this great truth, we will not hesitate to seek the Lord for His fullness, to be with Him where He is and as He is. We are seeking Him with full assurance and confidence, knowing He will lead us to the utmost heights in God, there to experience the wonder and the glory of Tabernacles. We believe the hour has come, when the prophetic message given by Jesus is coming to pass, which is "and then shall they fast" or mourn (Mt. 9:15). The "Bridegroom," which is Christ our Beloved, was taken from the world centuries ago. But the spiritual signs within us and around us now tell us that this may be the time for the elect of the Lord to mourn for Him.

We are mourning for our blessed elder Brother because we desire to be with Him WHERE He is, to become AS He is. The whole creation is waiting for the sons of God to come into their inheritance in the kingdom of their Father. And our inheritance is to partake of the fullness of God, become what He is, and manifest that glory to the whole creation, by the Spirit, releasing them all from the bondage of sin and death. In order for us to do all that, we must grow spiritually from where we are now to the greater glory of Tabernacles, to experience the fullness of God and bring all the fullness of the Father's glory "down" to the needy of earth. Just as we bring the light and the glory of the Lord with us (from the east) into His house or temple in the heavenlies of Spirit (to the west, Ez. 43:1-6), so also do we take the light and the glory of the Lord with us back to the earth (or back to the east, Ez. 47:1-5). In this way, we bring the fullness of God and His kingdom into the lives of all mankind throughout all the earth, meeting their every need. This is the high and holy calling of all the sons of God! It is the high calling of all those who are becoming manifest sons of God, as well as kings and priests after the order of Melchisedec, in the blessed and glorious kingdom of our Father.

The High Calling of the "Watchmen" in Jerusalem

To make sure that the will and purpose of the high calling of God in Christ is adhered to, observed and followed through to fulfillment, the Lord gave us this prophetic word: "I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which SHALL NEVER HOLD THEIR PEACE DAY NOR NIGHT: ye that make mention of the Lord KEEP NOT SILENCE, AND GIVE HIM NO REST, till He establish, and till He make Jerusalem a praise in the earth" (Is. 62:6-7). Father has put watchmen on the walls of the spiritual new Jerusalem "city" of God, and they shall never hold their peace, either by day or by night. Anointed "watchmen" are called of God to continually trumpet the message of the kingdom of God and the truths of sonship, including all of Father's purposes for that called and chosen company. Their trumpet-like message is directed to the saints of the new Jerusalem, and also to the heavenly hosts. And that trumpet-like message will not be silenced, nor will we give the Lord any rest, until He makes the saints of the "Jerusalem" realm the praise in the earth, which He explicitly purposed for them from the beginning.

The word "watchmen," as used in Is. 62:6, comes from the Hebrew word, "shamar." Strong's Concordance tells us that these "watchmen" on the walls of "Jerusalem," are "those who guard, generally protect and attend to," the spiritual needs of the saints of this heavenly, spiritual "Jerusalem" realm. Father has made them to be vigilant, alert, watchful and attentive to the needs and responsibilities of everyone in this sonship company. And Father has made those "watchmen" to be so diligent, so caring and attentive to the needs and responsibilities of the sonship company and the holy purposes of their Father that they will fulfill their high calling to the detriment of their own lives, for it is written of them that they love not "their lives unto the death" (Rev. 12:11).

Solomon gave us some insight into the divine purpose for the watchmen in his beautiful Song. "By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. I will rise now, and go about the city (the spiritual Jerusalem) in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom they said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?" (Solomon's Song 3:1-3). This most beautiful love story tells of a saint who looked for the One whom his soul loves, which is Christ, our beloved elder Brother. That one searched throughout the spiritual city, in the streets and in all the broad ways; he searched diligently for Him but found Him not. When this searching, mourning saint ran across some of the watchmen, they asked him if he had seen Him. He told them he had not seen Him, and neither had they.

From reading this passage, we can see that God's purpose for the watchmen is indeed to guard, protect, and attend to the needs of the saints of "Jerusalem." It is the watchmen's duty to let God's people know where our Lord is, what He is doing and when He is appearing, that He might strengthen us, reveal new truth to us, and raise us to the fullness of His Life. A true "watchman" will do this, by the power and ability of the indwelling Spirit! That one searched throughout the spiritual city for his Beloved but did not find Him. Then he met the "watchmen," who had no clue where He was. So the searching, mourning saint left the "watchmen" and found Him whom his soul loves. Thus, we read, "It was but a little that I passed from them (or from the watchmen), but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me" (Song 3:4).

Thank God, someone found Him, the One whom our souls love! It is not that He is lost or that we are lost. This story is but an earthly illustration of a greater spiritual truth. As with all things spiritual, intangible, and heavenly, the Lord our Beloved is in the realm of Spirit, where He is unseen and hidden from view. So often, we may feel forsaken of Him, and so alone and lonely. We may feel after Him in the natural, looking for Him in tangible ways, trying to "feel" His presence. But in all our searching, we come up empty, remaining alone and without feeling at times. But, He is ever near and ready to meet us when we search for Him with our whole heart (Jer. 29:13).

When this one found his Beloved, the One whom his soul loves, he held tightly to Him and would not let Him go. Then he "brought him into my mother's house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me." His "mother's house," or "her that conceived me," is none other than the holy, heavenly "city" of God, the glorious new Jerusalem. She is the "free" and heavenly "city," the "above" spiritual realm, "which is the mother of us all" (Ga. 4:26). When that one found His Lord, he then took Him to his mother's house, which is the new Jerusalem realm of the Spirit; it is the spiritual birthplace and home for each of us. In that heavenly, spiritual "city" of God, we all have free and open access to Him and the abundant resources of His kingdom!

It is also a sad indictment against the watchmen that they did not see Him, and were not able to tell that earnest seeker where He was. (Some of those watchmen are described in Solomon's Song 5:7 and in Isaiah 56:10-11.) Without a doubt, the Lord is using this illustration to show us that we should seek the Lord for ourselves, without trusting our spiritual lives to the so-called "watchmen" of this day. To each one of us is given the same Spirit, which enables us to see into the realm of Spirit and discern the times and seasons of His appearings. The one, true, spiritual evidence of the nearness of the appearing of Christ is the spirit of mourning now within some of the sons. Every true son, who is destined to become a manifest son, will know the general time and season of His appearing by their own, inner spiritual desires and feelings. We may not know the exact day and hour of His appearing (Mt. 24:36), but we will know the general season of His appearing. We will know it, not by outward signs and manifestations, but by the intensity of the travails and mournings deep within ourselves, and also within others who also are earnestly seeking Him. Those who shall see Him as He is are mourning for Him, "as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn" (Zech. 12:10). To those mourning, travailing and expectant sons, the promise is given: "Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted" (Mt. 5:4).

There is no comfort any where like the true comfort we will receive when Christ appears to us. When He "comforts all that mourn," our loving, merciful Father shall give unto us "beauty for ashes." That will be an embellishment of glory, which is as a fancy head-dress, something like a golden crown, symbolizing royalty and dominion in His kingdom. Next, He will give us "the oil of joy for mourning," which is a rich and fragrant anointing that expresses the richness and high quality of the Life of Christ with which we will be anointed. And that special anointing oil will replace our former, mournful state. Then, He will give to us "the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness" (see Is. 61:3). This is a new garment, not at all like anything we have ever "worn" before. That new garment will be like a vestment that will totally wrap us, covering us and veiling us with a glorious cloak of the Spirit of the Light and the Glory of Christ, replacing our former "spirit of heaviness." That will be our new covering, our new garment, or our new clothing. That spiritual garment will completely cover us, replacing our old physical, earthly body of this corruption with a new body that displays the glory and magnificence of the Light and the Life of Christ.

Christ and Christ alone is the One Who is sought after by the lonely seeker of Solomon's Song. He is the One whom our soul loves, yea, whom our spirits love as well! We long to see Him, for it is by seeing Him that we shall BECOME all that He is and BE where He is. Therefore, we are mourning for Him as a person would mourn for his only son and as one who is in bitterness for his firstborn. And our spiritual travail and mourning will bring forth positive results and blessings untold in the glorious kingdom of our Father! When we see Him as He is, we shall bring Heaven down to earth, releasing the whole creation from its many bondages to sin and death!

Although some watchmen are spiritually short-sighted, not able to "see" clearly, and are dull of hearing, the Lord gave this promise for all of them: "Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice TOGETHER shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion. Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God" (Is. 52:8-10). It should be very clear to us now that we are on the path to full restoration and redemption, not only for ourselves, but for all nations and all mankind. The whole creation is able to sense our spiritual maturity and also our nearness to the wonderful hour of our transformation or full salvation. They are all on tiptoe waiting to see the wonderful sight of the sons of God coming into their inheritance. When the Lord has fully restored Zion, which is the first realm to be restored, the realm He is restoring now, the watchmen shall then see eye to eye. They will sing together for the glorious work our Father has done for Zion, and for every other part of His groaning, travailing creation.

There also was a time in the history of Israel when the Lord set watchmen over them. At a time when the Lord was inclined to bring judgment on His people for their disobedience, the watchmen warned the people. They said to them, "Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken" (Jer. 6:17). But this is a new Day in God! It is a new Day of the greater manifestation of God's grace to His people; it is the age when "grace (shall) reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord" (Ro. 5:20-21). The grace of our Lord is reigning now through righteousness to bring us to "eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord." By His grace and mercy, we are being cleansed and purged of the Lord, thus giving us eyes to see Him and ears to hear His anointed Word of truth and life. And it is by seeing Christ as He is and by hearing His precious Word of truth that we shall be transformed into His glorious image and likeness.

Jeremiah also prophesied this anointed word of the Lord: "For there shall be a day, that the watchmen upon the mount of Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the Lord our God. For thus saith the Lord; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O Lord, save thy people, THE REMNANT OF ISRAEL" (Jer. 31:6-7). This pure word of the Lord emphatically declared that there would come a day when the watchmen in Israel would call upon the elect of the Lord to arise and go up to Zion, the holy, heavenly, spiritual mountain of the living God. And this is that Day! This watchman has been calling on the elect of the Lord to arise and ascend mount Zion, the holy, heavenly mount of the consummate and transcendent presence of the Lord. And all who have ears to hear and eyes to see are rising in the Spirit; they are ascending the holy, heavenly hill of the Lord to be transformed into His image and likeness, in the Spirit and by the Spirit.

Our Father has a purpose in calling His elect up to mount Zion, the holy heavenly, spiritual realm of the fullness of His presence and glory. It is that this is the Day when His elect and chosen ones, who also are the remnant of Israel, shall be gloriously saved in fullness. By the Spirit, I join the Lord's anointed prophet in saying, "O Lord, save thy people (in fullness), THE REMNANT OF ISRAEL." The Day has come, and this is the hour! At this time the Spirit of God is calling us to ascend mount Zion, the mountain of His presence, life and glory. Therefore, we will heed the trumpet call of His omnipotent Voice, and the leadings of His omniscient Spirit; we will ascend that holy, heavenly mount of the Lord, to BE WITH HIM WHERE HE IS AND BECOME ALL THAT HE IS.

When we have ascended the utmost height of mount Zion, the mount of the Lord, we shall meet Him there face-to-face, to see Him as He is (1 Jo. 3:2). This last mountain, which is the spiritual mountain we are climbing now, by the Spirit, is likened to the mount of Transfiguration. Just as Jesus took His three beloved disciples with Him up to the mount of Transfiguration (Mt. 17:1), so also is He taking us, His elect and chosen ones of this hour, up to mount Zion, by the Spirit, which is our mount of Transfiguration. It is this mount Zion that is the spiritual gathering place of all those who have been transformed, such as Enoch, Moses, Elijah and Jesus, and also of those who are next in divine order to be transformed, made alive in Christ, and given their new bodies of the Life and Glory of Christ (1 Co. 15:22-23). Keep ascending, saints of God! It will be worth it all!

Our Rewards When we See Him as He IS

It is obvious that the earthly ministry of Jesus was purposed of His Father to prepare His disciples, His chosen few, to grow to spiritual maturity and thus be transformed or changed into His image and likeness. With that purpose in mind, let us notice what Jesus said to those disciples. "For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they SEE the Son of man coming in his kingdom" (Mt. 16:27-28).

Father's supreme purpose for His sons is to prepare us to SEE Christ, in the Spirit and by the Spirit, and then to reward us for what we have done spiritually. All our religious, worldly works are as filthy rags in the sight of God. The only things that count with our Father are those spiritual "works" that produced our spiritual growth, along with the good spiritual "work" we have done for the Lord and His kingdom. Jesus explained what the greatest of our "work" is. When the disciples asked Him, "What shall we do that we might work the works of God?" Jesus answered, "This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent" (John 6:29). Indeed, there is no greater work for us to do at this time, than to believe God and His word!

All that Jesus said to His disciples then applies to us today. The Son of man shall indeed come in the glory of His Father with His angels, to reward us according to our spiritual "work." And if we have matured and grown spiritually to the point where we are fully prepared to SEE Him and be changed into His image and likeness, then our Lord may also say of us, "There be some standing here (on earth), which shall not taste of death, till they SEE the Son of man coming in his kingdom." I firmly believe there are a few today of whom this may be said by our Lord. Father has a few called, chosen and faithful saints today who are humbly and devotedly walking with their Father in the midst of this sinful world. They have renounced the ways of the world and of the flesh and are no longer involved with the corrupt ways of the church system and the related political system. They have put away the childish toys of the past age, and are walking in the light of the revelation of the present truth of the kingdom of God. Their only desire is to love and serve their Lord and Master, and to grow spiritually to BECOME all that HE IS and to BE as HE IS! Although there may be only a chosen few who shall grow spiritually to ascend mount Zion, their ascension to mount Zion and resulting manifestation as sons of God will also bring deliverance to all mankind and to the whole groaning and travailing creation!

What is the kingdom of God? It is the realm of the absolute dominion of the reign of Christ! It is the pure, holy, divine realm of the absence of sin and death! There are none of the carnal, religious works of man in the kingdom of our Father! His kingdom is the realm of total and complete Life, which is the Life of Christ! Jesus the Christ was raised from the grave and from death to lead us all into His kingdom, where there is abundant Life, unconditional Love and the purity of the Righteousness of Christ. That is what the kingdom of God is! And it is nothing less than that! This is the pure and glorious kingdom of Life and Love that Jesus referred to, when He said, "There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they SEE the Son of man COMING IN HIS KINGDOM."

Having said this in chapter sixteen, Jesus continued with the same thought in the beginning of chapter seventeen of Matthew's Gospel. (There probably should not have been a chapter division here at chapter seventeen, since the same thought that began at the end of chapter sixteen continues in chapter seventeen.) "And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light" (Mt. 17:1-2). This is Christ coming in His kingdom! The transformation of Jesus to become the Christ of God was a manifestation of the reality and the Life of the kingdom of God! And when we are transformed, we shall enter into the glorious fullness of the abundant Life of the kingdom of God, just as Jesus did!

The kingdom of God is not meat and drink, nor is it like anything of this world. His kingdom is a spiritual kingdom! And all who live in the kingdom of God, such as Enoch, Moses, Elijah, Jesus, and possibly others who may have been transformed at His previous appearings, are all living the Life of Christ. Without the Life, Love, Grace, Mercy, Justice, Purity, Righteousness and Glory of Christ, the kingdom of God would be no different than any of the kingdoms of man. Thank God, there is a vast difference between them!

The Overcomers, and their Permanent Home

As the elect of the Lord, we are also the overcomers referred to in scripture. Of us it is written, "Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, AND HE SHALL GO NO MORE OUT: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches" (Rev. 3:12-13). When we have ascended the holy, heavenly hill of the Lord, which is mount Zion, we shall remain there in blessed union with Christ and the Father, for God's word tells us we "SHALL GO NO MORE OUT."

There is just one more mountain for us, the overcomers, to climb. It is mount Zion, the spiritual realm of the greater and more complete fullness of the presence of the Lord, which we shall ascend. To overcome means to subdue, conquer and be victorious over. Therefore, we shall subdue, conquer and be victorious over everything of this worldly order. And when we, as the Lord's overcomers, have reached that high, glorious and holy realm of Spirit, we shall be born again to become spirit (Jo. 3:3-6) and given a new body. Once we have realized the fullness of God and of His kingdom, we shall never again leave that realm of His more complete, perfect and glorious presence. We shall remain there in His temple, in blessed and holy union with Christ and the Father, never again to leave that holy, heavenly realm. We will then become "pillars" in His temple, which are vital parts or elements of the Lord's temple in the Spirit. That is God's unalterable and unchanging promise to us, His overcomers! Only as we bring His holy temple and the glorious fullness of His presence with us, shall we come "down" to the needy multitudes of the earth and of the whole creation, to deliver them, set them free and restore them all.

When we have ascended the highest pinnacle of mount Zion and are born again of the Spirit to become spirit, we then become a spiritual part of the new Jerusalem realm of Spirit. We first become overcomers by the tests and trials of this life. Then, having overcome all things of this carnal, worldly order of man, we become pillars in the Lord's temple, in the Spirit and by the Spirit. We then will have ascended mount Zion's highest height, and shall go no more out of that high and holy, heavenly realm of Spirit. Then, when we have reached mount Zion's pinnacle, the Lord will write upon us the Name of God, which includes all of our Father's authority and character. We will then BE AS GOD, manifesting His glory, presence and Life to the groaning, travailing creation, delivering them all from the curse of sin and death. We shall also be given the name of the new Jerusalem city of God, thus possessing the full authority and character of all those who dwell in that holy, heavenly realm of Spirit. What a tremendous responsibility is ours in the blessed kingdom of our Father! And all the tests and trials of this life are preparing us for that greater responsibility in His glorious and all-powerful kingdom!

Next in the divine order of things, according to Rev. 3:12, is that the entire domain of the new Jerusalem realm of Spirit shall descend to the earth, transforming the whole earth and fully saving and transforming every one of earth's inhabitants, by the Spirit of the living God. When once we have fully ascended in the Spirit to the high and holy realm of mount Zion, that entire realm of Spirit, including ourselves, shall descend to the earth. It is imperative that the elect of the Lord ascend mount Zion to begin the wonderful and glorious process of the restoration of all things! Nothing is more important at this time than our spiritual growth unto the fullness of Christ!

In the best of Pentecost, spiritually active believers ascended Zion briefly and then descended from the heavenlies to the earth as individuals, spiritually speaking. In that Day, we shall ascend mount Zion's highest realm to remain in spiritual union with Christ and the saints of that realm. At Father's direction, the sons of the new Jerusalem shall come down to earth together, as one corporate man in the Spirit (see Eze. 1:4-14, 10:10-12, 37:7, Mt. 24:28, 31, Jo. 17:20-23 & Rev. 3:12). When we have reached the pinnacle of mount Zion, we shall remain in spiritual unity with all those of that heavenly realm. Not one of us shall ever revert to the old ways of Pentecost, for the unity of the Spirit will keep us bound together as ONE MAN, doing only and always the perfect will of our Father every where. As one corporate man of the Spirit, not as individuals, we shall come down from heaven to the earth, transforming this old earth into the new earth of Father's predetermined and foreordained purpose.

Last of all in Father's prophetic order of fulfillment is God's word telling us: "and I will write upon him my new name" (Rev. 3:12f). There is a new name that is to be given to us "which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it" (Rev. 2:17). And since no other person shall know that new name except those who receive it, then it obviously is a new, secret name. It is a name to be given by God to those whom Father has chosen for that purpose. And that new name is to be known only to those who have received it. No doubt some of us have heard of those who claimed to know the new name that God would give to His people. But all such incorrect and shallow claims turned out to be as false as anything else that was conceived in the carnal mind of man. Only God knows the new name we are to receive! And, according to Father's anointed Word of truth, we will also know our new name, after we have received it.

Christ's Appearing, First to His Chosen Elect

On one occasion, when Jesus spoke to His disciples, He warned them of "tribulation." In saying this, we believe Jesus was telling them of something that would take place at that time, shortly after His crucifixion, during the troublous times around 70 A.D. and also now, prior to the manifestation of the sons of God. Much that Jesus predicted would take place in the lives of His disciples, did indeed take place during their lifetime. Then He said to them, "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory" (Mt. 24:30).

Let us take this verse line by line and attempt to understand the real truth in the words of Jesus. First of all, the sign of the Son of man is to appear in heaven, which is the realm of the Spirit. This tells us that the Lord will give us the sign of the Son of man, and it is to be seen only in the realm of Spirit. And since that sign is to be in the realm of the Spirit, we who are spiritual should be able to interpret that spiritual sign, which foretells the appearing of Christ. And then, being made aware by that spiritual sign that Christ is soon to appear, all the tribes of the earth shall mourn. This does not mean that all the people of all the nations of the world will mourn. The word translated "tribes," literally means, "an off-shoot, a sprout, a race or clan." These words truly describe us, the elect of the Lord, as we are now in our present state. We are the off-shoots of Christendom, in that we are separated from them, that we might grow spiritually beyond their limited spiritual realm of understanding and experience. We are also as a "sprout" in the kingdom of God, for the Lord has joined the segment or sprout that we are to Himself, to become the "tree of Life" in His kingdom (see Gen. 2:9, 3:22-24, Pro. 3:13, 18, 11:30, 13:12, Mt. 13:31-32, Rev. 2:7, 22:2, 14). And we also may be considered a "race," or a "clan" of people, for we are a segment of the whole; we are a remnant that was taken out from among the whole of mankind.

Therefore, it should be abundantly clear to us all that Jesus was not referring to all mankind when He mentioned "all the tribes of the earth." He was referring only to a small segment of mankind, such as an off-shoot, a sprout, or a remnant of mankind, and not to all of them. Thus, the phrase, "all the tribes of the earth" refers to all those who are of the elect and chosen ones. We, as the elect of the Lord, are those to whom Jesus was referring, when He spoke of "all the tribes (or the remnant) of the earth."

Jesus explained this more fully in the next verse. "And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together HIS ELECT from the four winds, from one end of heaven (the realm of spirit) to the other" (Mt. 24:31). The object of Father's attention at this time is His called, chosen, and faithful elect! We are the ones with whom Father is dealing now, not all the people of the world. It is to the elect and chosen ones that Christ will appear next, not to all mankind. When Christ appears to us in the Spirit and by the Spirit, He will bring us to the maturity of full sonship. The Lord will then gather together His elect, by the Spirit, including those in the heavenlies of spirit as well as those who are still on earth. And what a glad and joyous union that will be!

The next appearing of Christ to transform us will also be the beginning of the wonderful and glorious times of the restitution of all things everywhere! Do these truths witness with your spirit? Do you sense that inner travail of spirit? Are you mourning for your Beloved as one would mourn for their only son? And because you miss your Lord, Savior and King, are you experiencing the "bitterness" of soul that one would experience who is in bitterness for his firstborn (Zech. 12:10)? If you can answer each of these questions in the affirmative, then you too will be comforted of the Lord by receiving His abundant Life!

The elect and chosen ones are those who are mourning for their Beloved. And those who are mourning for their Beloved also are those who shall see Him as He is! It is the will of their Father; it is also the sincere, spiritual and holy desire within them, to be with Him where He is and become as He is. Father has given us a strong desire, a holy ambition and an expression of His holy and perfect will, to be with Him where He is and to be like Him, as He is. And when we are with Him where He is to be like Him as He is, that will begin the manifestation of the sons of God, which is the urgent need and the sincere desire of the whole creation.

The Manner of Christ's Appearing

Many of these scriptures were formerly "closed" to us, which is to say, the Spirit had not yet revealed the truth of His appearing to us by the Spirit. So we interpreted them with the carnal wisdom of the mind of man. But when the time comes for the fulfillment of those prophetic events, the Spirit then reveals its truth to us by the wisdom of the mind of Christ. So it is with the scriptures relating to the coming of the Lord. Jesus is not coming in the flesh! Jesus has become Christ, the Spirit, through death, resurrection, ascension and glorification. When Christ comes or appears to us, He will not come or appear in a body of flesh. Jesus was taken up into heaven in a heavenly, spiritual cloud. Thus, it is written, "while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received (to take from below and carry upward) him out (off or away) of their sight" (Acts 1:9). No one saw Jesus ascend to heaven in a literal, physical body. He was taken up into heaven, or up to the realm of Spirit, in a cloud of spirit. And all those who watched Jesus ascend into heaven did not see Him leave this earth in a physical body. They only saw a spiritual cloud take Jesus into the heavenly realm of Spirit!

It is imperative that we understand clearly the manner of the appearing of Christ! While the disciples looked steadfastly toward heaven as a spiritual cloud took Him up, two men, possibly angels, said, "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so COME IN LIKE MANNER as ye have seen him go into heaven"(Acts 1:11). How did Jesus ascend into heaven? A cloud of Spirit took Him up from the earth into the heavens! And how shall He come again or appear to us? Christ shall appear in a cloud of Spirit the same way He left! Forget the old, traditional, uninspired teachings of the carnal minded theologians of the dead church system! Jesus is not now coming in the flesh! He shall appear to those who are mourning for Him, who are watching and waiting for Him to return, in the Spirit and by the Spirit!

The learned and spiritually inspired Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians, telling them of our bodily change and of the death and resurrection of Jesus, which assures our transformation. And then Paul wrote to say, "Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, YET NOW HENCEFORTH KNOW WE HIM (after the flesh) NO MORE" (2 Cor. 5:16). It may come as a complete surprise to many to understand that Jesus is no longer in the flesh. He died as a man of flesh and blood, was raised a spiritual being and given a new body. He walked and talked with some of His disciples, but they did not know Him (see Lu. 24:15-16, 27-32). Not until the holy Spirit opened their understanding could they see Him as the Christ of God, Who no longer had a body of flesh and blood. And it is the same way today! Only as the holy Spirit opens our understanding and gives us Light, can we then know Him as HE IS, a spirit-being, or a man of the Spirit!

In order for us to be changed into His image and likeness, WE MUST SEE HIM AS HE IS (as Christ), not as He was (as Jesus, 1 Jo. 3:2). I am sure we are all tired of seeing more of the flesh, whether it is the flesh of the most attractive people on earth or the flesh of Jesus! It is the rule of scripture that WE BECOME WHAT WE SEE (1 Jo. 3:2)! Therefore, we must see Christ in the Spirit and by the Spirit, and not as He once was: a man of the flesh. The spirit within me is not groaning and travailing to see more flesh, including Jesus in the flesh! My spirit is groaning and travailing within me that I might be changed into the very image and likeness of the risen and glorified Christ, Who is Spirit. I must see Christ in the Spirit to become spirit, and given a new body, thereby becoming all that He is!

When speaking of His appearing, Jesus warned the disciples, and us as well, of the possibility of being deceived. He said, "Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or, there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold he is in the desert (as a man of flesh would be); go not forth: behold he is in the secret chambers (as a man of flesh); believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together" (Mt. 24:23-28).

If anyone should try to tell us that Christ is here, there, or somewhere else on earth, we know they are wrong. Christ is Spirit and will not appear now in a body of flesh and blood. The church system abounds with false prophets who continue to repeat the old, dead doctrine of the literal, bodily return of Jesus to the earth. Some would have us believe that He will come in the flesh to the old, warring city of Jerusalem. Others would have us believe that Jesus will come in a fleshly body to a desert area, or to a secret chamber some where. But Jesus warned us, saying, "believe it not." Those false prophets would attempt to deceive the very elect, if it were possible. But, thank God, it is not possible for the elect to be deceived!

Jesus would have us understand that His appearing will be "as the lightening (that) cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together." The appearing of Christ will be a spiritual appearing! He will appear to us in the glory, light and power of the Spirit, as a flash of lightning, and not as a physical event that is of this world. His ways are not our ways, and He usually confounds the mind, the wisdom and the understanding of man. His lightning-like appearing is not at all like anything of this world. He will come in the Spirit and by the Spirit, lightening the spiritual heavens with the Light, Life and Glory of the Son of God. The coming or the appearing of Christ, in the Spirit and by the Spirit, will far transcend anything of this world!

When Christ appears or comes, He will bring His heavenly saints of the realm of spirit - those who died in Christ - with Him. They are the "eagles" of God's word! Eagle saints are not super-spiritual people who are still living an earthly life in this world. Eagle saints are those who have become "the spirits of just men made perfect" in the heavenlies of spirit (Heb. 12:23). They are also those who make up that "so great a cloud of witnesses" with which we "are compassed about" (Heb. 12:1). And they also are the "clouds of heaven," those with whom Christ comes when He appears to transform His called, chosen, fully prepared, and elect sons of God (see Da. 7:13, Mt. 24:30, 26:64 & Rev. 1:7).

The Eagles Joined to the Carcass

Jesus also said, "For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together." "The eagles" mentioned here are the saints of the heavenly realm of spirit. They are the "new Jerusalem" saints who have died in Christ. The "carcass," mentioned here represents the body of Christ, or the sons of God, who are living in physical bodies here on earth. They are ascending their Father's throne in the Spirit, as they walk out their life in this world. We know we have the life of Christ within us in part, but His Life is within us only as a Seed. In our present state, God considers us as a mere "carcass" that is in need of His Life to raise us to the glorious realm of the fullness of kingdom Life. The body of Christ here on earth is but a carcass, and will remain so until Christ appears, bringing the "eagle" saints with Him. Then, the "carcass," which is the earthly body of Christ, the sons of God on earth, will be joined to the "eagles" from the heavenly realm of Spirit, thus fulfilling the "gathering together" foretold by Jesus.

At the glorious appearing of Christ to transform us, the Lord will bring with Him all those saints of the heavenly ream. They are the "ten thousands of his saints" whom the Lord will bring with Him when He appears (1 Thess. 4:14, Jude 14). Then the earthly saints, which is the carcass, shall be joined to the "eagle" saints from the heavenly realm, making one complete, perfected and transformed Christ-Body (Jo. 10:16). When He appears, that Seed (Christ) within us shall then burst forth from within us to change us and transform us, from this worm of flesh into a beautiful "butterfly," which is a totally spirit being (Jo. 3:5-6) with a new body, manifesting the abundant Life and the transcendent Glory of the risen and glorified Christ of God!

When Christ comes to the earth or appears to His chosen elect, "he cometh in the glory of His Father with the holy angels" (Mk. 8:38). In other passages of scripture saints are mentioned as coming with the Lord. Here, those saints are referred to as "angels" or, it is possible that angels will also come along with Christ and His heavenly, spiritual saints. Again we read, "Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord" (Mk. 11:10). And again, "Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord" (Lu. 19:38). And in yet another scripture, Christ is declared to be "coming in a cloud with power and great glory" (Lu. 21:27).

Although we are in the beginning phase of the blessed age of the kingdom of God on earth now, which is the Davidic phase of His kingdom that began at "evening time," the morning is coming when Christ shall appear to transform His waiting saints. Christ will come or appear to His elect with His holy angels in a cloud of glory and in company with His heavenly saints, who are His elect and chosen sons who died in Christ. That will be the coming of the fullness of God to the earth, bringing His grand and glorious Tabernacle with Him when He comes. That will also be the coming of the great King in the name of the Lord, bringing all the fullness of His kingdom power and glory with Him. This will all take place literally, by the Spirit of God, to initiate the dawn of the new morning of this great Day!

The present state of the world should cause us to lift up our heads and rejoice, for our redemption is truly drawing near. The spiritual darkness that now blankets the whole earth and all the people in it will not diminish until all God's people have bowed to their Father in deep repentance. When Father calls His people to repentance, as He is doing now (see 2 Chr. 7:13-14), He is opening us up, that we might receive more of Him and be lifted up to a higher spiritual realm in His kingdom. This will result in the manifestation of the sons of God! Then, we will fully understand the wisdom of our Father's plan, which seemed to take so long in being fulfilled! What a privileged people we are to have been called for such a special time and a holy purpose as this! And we will be faithful to our Father and His sovereign plan of redemption and restoration, bringing to pass His eternal purposes for the manifestation of His kingdom in all the earth! Then the whole creation also shall be released from the curse of sin and death!

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