October 2001

We are now in the midnight hour of this new Day! Recent troubles in our nation indicate that spiritual darkness has come to the earth, bringing war and rumors of war to the world once again. September 11th, 2001 is another day that will live in infamy! Our national leaders should change our failed policy in the Middle East, which is clearly in error. On a personal level, every child of God is called to repent, especially the Lord's elect. God takes the responsibility for sending these disasters, whether there be "no rain," "locusts" or "pestilence" among us. These disasters are Father's way of bringing us to a new realm in Him, by repentance (please read 2 Chron. 7:13-14).

We also believe we are in the beginning phase of the rule and reign of Christ over all the earth. We call this beginning phase of the kingdom of God, the Davidic phase of the kingdom, for it is the kingdom era that corresponds to the reign of King David in Israel of old. The reign of King David on the throne of Israel in history was that part of the kingdom of God that had as its main purpose the defeat of all the enemies of Israel at that time. The Davidic phase of the kingdom of God on earth at this time has the same purpose in God, which is to defeat all the enemies of Christ and His kingdom and put them all under His feet (1 Co. 15:25, He. 2:8).

This may also be that period known scripturally as "the day of the Lord." The day of the Lord, of itself, is the day of the Lord's judgments on all unrighteousness. Yet, this new Day is much more than the era of the Lord's corrective judgments on all unrighteousness. When we realize the true, scriptural description of that period known as "the day of the Lord," we will then understand that this present Day is much more than that. This Day also manifests some of the truths and principles of the reign of Christ from His throne of all power and authority in the kingdom of our Father. Therefore, this new Day includes both the Lord's corrective judgments during this midnight hour of spiritual darkness, as well as His kingdom reign in the earth.

The Bible, which is the inspired Word of God when revealed to us by the Spirit, describes "the day of the Lord." We are told that it is a negative "day" that shall be upon all the proud and lofty (Is. 2:12). "The day of the Lord" also comes as a destruction from the Almighty, and is described as a "cruel" day (Is. 13:6, 9, Joel 1:15). It is also a "day of vengeance," during which the Lord shall "avenge him of his enemies" (Jer. 46:10). The day of the Lord is also to be a day of clouds; it is called "a time of doom for the nations" (Eze. 30:3, NAS). The prophet Joel described the day of the Lord as "a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness" (Joel 2:1-2).

Amos prophesied of the day of the Lord, saying, "Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness, and not light. As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?" (Amos 5:18-20, see also Zeph. 1:7-8, 14-18). You may know someone who is going through this corrective, redeeming process described by the prophet Amos. Or, you may be going through this process yourself, as all maturing sons of God are. Those who are experiencing "the day of the Lord" in their lives will attempt to flee from a lion, which represents a deep trial in their lives, only to run into a bear, which is symbolic of another deep trial. Or, they may have fled to the safety of their home, only to lean against a wall in their home and be bitten by a snake. Of course, the experiences described by Amos do not literally happen that way in these times, but they are symbolic examples of the ongoing troubles, tests and trials that a person will experience who is enduring the processings of "the day of the Lord." Every test and trial we endure is the perfect will of our Father, and is purposed of Him to bring us to perfection.

The New Testament continues with the same thought of spiritual darkness and judgment unto correction during the day of the Lord. "For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction (ruin resulting in punishment) cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they (who are judged and corrected of God during this day) shall not escape" (1 Thess. 5:2-3).

Peter continued the same general, negative thought when he said, "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night (and it has); in the which the heavens (the heavens of spirit, including our own spirits) shall pass away (to change and be made new) with a great noise, and the elements (the principles and practices of the past church order) shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the (old, dead religious) works (of man) that are therein shall be burned up" (2 Pet. 3:10). All this shall surely take place and is taking place during this present "Day of the Lord." Are you ready for this Day and all that it portends? If you are, your life shall be changed and you shall become a new wine vessel, fully prepared to receive the new Wine of the kingdom of God (see Mt. 9:17)! And only those who are thus transformed and changed in their souls (including the mind, the will and the emotions) and bodies shall receive the new Wine of the kingdom of their Father!

From reading these scriptures, it should be very clear to us all that this present time is much more than "the day of the Lord." The "day of the Lord" is that period of judgment unto correction, which comes from the presence of the Lord, during which the Lord shall judge His people, removing from them anything that would hinder them from seeking the fullness of the Lord and the Life that He is. Our Father is bringing His chosen sons to the maturity of full sonship, which is the total transformation of their minds and bodies (Ro. 12:1-2). But the Lord, our Savior, King and Head, is doing much more than judging and correcting His people during this present Day. Christ, our King and Lord of all, is not only judging and correcting His people now; He is also ruling and reigning in the affairs of men and nations.

The "day of the Lord," of itself, is a day of spiritual darkness, with no light or brightness in it at all. And while the Lord is bringing forth His judgments at this time of general, universal, spiritual darkness, He is also showing forth the Light and the glory of His increased Presence, as King over all the earth. Therefore, this present Day is much more than "the day of the Lord;" it is also the beginning of the Davidic phase of the kingdom of God, which is the reign of Christ over all the earth to defeat His enemies and put them all under His feet.

The "day of the Lord," of itself, is a day of spiritual darkness, with no spiritual light in it. But since we are beholding the greater Light of Christ and His kingdom at this time of spiritual darkness, we must see this great Day as having a dual manifestation of both spiritual darkness and spiritual light. It is "the day of the Lord," or "the day of adversity," on the surface, with "the day of prosperity," or the day of the greater power and authority of the kingdom of God behind it and above all the negative effects of "the day of the Lord." The wise man declared, "God also hath set the one over against the other." Or, as The New English Bible translates it, "Consider God's handiwork; who can straighten what He has made crooked? When things go well, be glad; but when things go ill, consider this: God has set the one alongside the other in such a way that no one can find out what is to happen next" (Ecc. 7:13-14). If this divine, kingdom principle makes sense to you, then you should also be able to see and understand that this new Day is a Day of contrasts between spiritual darkness and spiritual Light, and that it also is a strange time of transition.

Above and behind all that is taking place in the world around us today, there is the kingdom of God, with Christ the King seated on His royal, spiritual throne of all power and authority in the highest of the Heavens. Above and behind every Old Testament event, there was the kingdom of God, with Christ the King ruling and reigning over all the affairs of men and nations to fulfill Father's merciful, redemptive purposes. Above and behind the era of the early Church, there was the spiritual power and authority of the kingdom of God. Christ is reigning in a greater way in the earth now, changing and upsetting the plans of the carnal-minded presidents, kings and other worldly leaders, so that His wonderful kingdom purposes shall be gloriously fulfilled in all the earth. Let this be your vision and you will never again doubt the righteous results of the Heavenly, kingdom plans and purposes of your Father and mine for this troubled world.

It certainly does not take much spiritual discernment and understanding to see that spiritual darkness is in the world everywhere and that it is all around us. The carnal mind understands that quite well! But it does require a true revelation of the Spirit to also see and know that a new, spiritual Light has also shined in the midst of this darkness to begin a new Day in our Father's purposes for this world. If the Lord has opened your eyes to see this new Day in all the glory of Christ, then you have received a revelation from God. And only by a revelation of the Spirit can we know anything spiritual at all!

The prophet Zechariah also prophesied of the coming of the day of the Lord. He declared, by the anointing and the inspiration of the Spirit, "Behold, the day of the Lord cometh,..." And then he described what would take place to fulfill Father's purposes for the day of the Lord (see Zech. 14:1-5). Then the prophet Zechariah announced, "And it shall come to pass IN THAT (same) DAY, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: But it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that AT EVENING TIME IT SHALL BE LIGHT. And it shall be IN THAT (same) DAY, that living waters shall go out from (the new) Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be. AND THE LORD SHALL BE KING OVER ALL THE EARTH: in that (same) day shall there be one Lord, and his name one" (Zech. 14:6-9).

According to Zechariah's prophecy, this new Day is a very strange Day of unconventional contrasts in the Spirit! It cannot be described spiritually as either day or night, for it is a strange combination of both. It is a Day of spiritual darkness on one hand, but also a Day of increased spiritual Light shining within the elect during this night. In God's economy, any new day always begins at "even," which is evening time or sundown (see Ex. 12:18, Lev. 23:5, 32, Nu. 9:3, 5, 11, 15, Deut. 16:4, Josh. 5:10 & 1 Sam. 20:5). And when our omnipotent Lord and King of all purposes to begin a new Day, even the new Day of the greater power and glory of the kingdom of God on earth, He begins that new Day by showing forth the Light of the greater glory and presence of Christ. Those whose spiritual eyes and ears are open and spiritually tuned to see and hear the Lord, will then be able to see, hear and receive the glorious Light that He is, which has begun this new Day. We must have those seeing eyes and hearing ears of the Spirit, which will allow us to see and hear the good news of the beginning phase of the kingdom of God on earth. Then we will understand the mysteries of this Day, and of our tests and trials!

As this new kingdom Day progresses and increases from glory to glory, by the Spirit, living waters shall indeed flow out from the new Jerusalem realm of the Spirit. The Lord shall truly be King over all the earth; there shall ultimately be one Lord and His Name shall be one in the hearts and lives of all mankind, thus demonstrating the great truth that the Lord reigns everywhere and in every situation. And all this kingdom glory and power began with the shining forth of the illuminating and Life-changing Light of Christ into the hearts of His elect at evening time to begin this new kingdom Day. If we will keep our single eye focused on the Lord and our spiritual ear tuned to His voice and His voice alone we will surely hear any further words of truth and life that will yet come forth from the throne of our Father. His anointed Word will lead us onward and upward in the Spirit. This will bring about our complete transformation from this "worm" of flesh into the beautiful "butterfly" of His image and likeness, showing forth the glory and beauty of the risen and glorified Christ.

We have called this present era "A Strange Time of Transition;" it is a strange time of contrasts. It is a time of increased spiritual darkness in the world all around us at this midnight hour. But it is also a time when the Light of Christ has shone forth into the hearts of the Lord's chosen elect to begin this new Day. By the increased Light of His greater Presence, our Father has made this "a time of transition." We are now called of God to move, progress or transition from the old church order of the past to the new and higher order of the kingdom of God. The spiritually-minded will know that the Light of Christ is shining forth at this time of increased spiritual darkness. With this new and greater revelation of Christ, Father's spiritually-minded elect shall then grow to greater spiritual maturity in the blessed kingdom of their Father. What a strange time of contrasts this is!

It will also help us understand the kingdom of God if we will see and know, by the Spirit, that the kingdom of God has always existed. The kingdom of God did not just begin with the first coming of Jesus Christ to this earth. The kingdom of God existed in the Garden of Eden, and has been working and functioning above everything of this worldly order and in the background ever since that Genesis Day of new beginnings.

The kingdom of God existed in Eden and was again set forth at Sinai, when the Lord gave the law to Israel and formed them as a nation of people unto Himself. Since then, the kingdom of God was spiritualized and placed within the hearts and lives of God's people (Lu. 17:21). This was accomplished with the first coming of Jesus Christ to the earth as the Son of God and as the King of kings and Lord of lords. And now, in this glorious new Day, we see and acknowledge that Christ is seated on the throne of His royal power and authority in the highest of the Heavens. >From there He is ruling and reigning spiritually over all the affairs of men and nations. And if God wants to bring peace and righteousness to this troubled, sin-burdened world He is well able to do so in spite of man's corrupt and evil reign.

You may remember the story of king Nebuchadnezzar, that he dreamed a dream that puzzled him. When the so-called wise men of Babylon could not interpret the king's dream, he called for Daniel to come forth and give the interpretation. When he finished telling the dream to Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar said, "This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men" (Dan. 4:17). When the interpretation of the dream was made known to Nebuchadnezzar, the Lord sentenced him to be lowered to the level of the animals. He was brought down from the human kingdom to the animal kingdom and was made to eat grass like an ox until he came to the understanding that "the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will."

When God's time of judgment was fulfilled in Nebuchadnezzar's life, the Lord began to restore him. Then he said, "And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honored him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation: and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and He doeth according to His will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay His hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? At the same time my reason returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me. Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase" (Dan. 4:34-37).

Christ reigns in the earth with absolute sovereignty and omnipotence! His perfect will is being done everywhere and in every situation! And if our proud, arrogant, Adamic mind prevents us from "seeing" these truths, Father is well able to abase us! When, like Nebuchadnezzar, we will lift up our spiritual eyes to the heavens and seek the Lord for His wisdom and knowledge, our spiritual understanding will also return to us. Then we will understand that the dominion of the most High is an everlasting dominion and that His kingdom, which began in Eden, has continued ever since from generation to generation. The absolute sovereignty of God is one of the great truths that has been restored to us, by the Spirit. The Lord our God is sovereign now, and has been throughout the history of the world. He is just as sovereign and omnipotent now as He was with Adam and Eve in Eden!

The scriptures describe the Lord as He that shall endure forever (Ps. 102:26-27). The heavens and the earth may perish, but God and His Son remain the same (He. 1:10-12, 13:8). He was the same in Eden as He shall be also in the full glory of the kingdom of God. And He was the same sovereign Lord of all for the first Adam as He shall be also for the last Adam. The Lord was just as sovereign and omnipotent in Eden as He is today, and as He shall be also in all the tomorrows. Nebuchadnezzar was brought down to the realm of the animals and compelled to eat grass like an ox until he realized the great truth of the Lord's absolute and total sovereignty. When his reason returned to him, Nebuchadnezzar was given to understand that the kingdom of God rules over all, and that His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom that has ruled "from generation to generation."

When David became the king of all Israel, and had brought back the ark of the Lord to Jerusalem, he rejoiced in the Lord and danced and sang praises unto Him. The song or psalm that David sang unto the Lord at that time is recorded in 1 Chronicles 16:7-36. The beginning of that psalm encourages the people to "Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people. Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually." Or as Paul put it, "pray without ceasing." David also sang, "He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the earth." A few verses later, David sang unto the Lord, saying, "Fear before him, all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it not be moved." What a word that is! The world is so stable, that it will not be moved, either by storms, by war, by human disturbances, or by any other power. Let all the doomsayers take note: The world is stable and shall not be moved because Christ reigns. It may shake a little (He. 12:26), but He is keeping it all!

Then David continued his psalm of praise and rejoicing by saying, "Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The Lord reigneth." Indeed, even in David's era, which was almost three thousand years ago, the Word of the Lord went forth loud and clear, saying, "THE LORD REIGNETH." The Lord's "judgments are in all the earth." His judgments will not only be in the earth in the future, but they were in the earth while David was king of Israel. Current events show us that His judgments are in the earth now. The Lord reigned in David's day and also in the lives of Adam and Eve. He reigned during Moses' administration just as He also reigned during the New Testament era of the early church. Christ continues to reign in the earth today, but in a greater way than ever before, for His kingdom has increased from Adam's day to this more glorious new Day (Is. 9:7). So also has He reigned over all the earth in the past, but not as completely and as powerfully as He does today. In the Psalms, we read, "God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness" (Ps. 47:8). And, "The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the Lord is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved. Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting" (Ps. 93:1-2). And also, "Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously. He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth" (Ps. 96:10, 13).

And again we read, "The Lord reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof. Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne. A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about. His lightnings enlightened the world (in past visitations of His Spirit): (and some of His saints on) the earth saw, and trembled. The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth" (Ps. 97:1-5). And, "The Lord reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims; let the earth be moved. The Lord is great in Zion; and he is high above all the people" (Ps. 99:1-2). Isaiah also prophesied, saying, "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, THY GOD REIGNETH!" (Is. 52:7)

The feet members of the body of Christ are those saints who dwell on earth at this time. They become beautiful feet upon the mountains of Zion when they bring good tidings of good things to those who dwell in Zion. They declare in Zion the wonderful truth, "THY GOD REIGNETH!" Let all the saints of the Lord know, with full understanding of the truth as it is in Christ and with complete assurance, that the Lord God omnipotent reigns in all the earth. Be fully assured that the Lord is not going to reign some day, but that He is reigning now. When once we fully see and understand that Christ is reigning now, we will then also know that everything everywhere is in His loving, merciful and capable hands; and therefore that all is well!

The beginning of the Davidic phase of the kingdom of God on earth now was clearly set forth by John while he was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, which day corresponds to this present time. This new Day began with the coming forth of the overcomers, who are overcoming all things of this world by the tests and trials they are enduring. Thus, we read, "And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. And I will give him the morning star (which is a revelation of Christ as the Light within us). He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches," or to the Lord's elect and chosen sons (Rev. 2:26-29).

When we truly understand this passage of scripture by a revelation from the mind of Christ, we will then see and understand that the rule and reign of the overcomers begins with the power given them by God to bring down the power and authority of the nations. The Lord's chosen elect are given "power over the nations" to "rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers." What does this mean? This scripture clearly shows that the Lord's elect and chosen ones are given power over the nations. They shall bring the governments of man down, to be broken to shivers and become as dust, just as the vessels of a potter may be broken to bits and pieces.

In other words, the Lord's true elect, those who have been purged and cleansed by the Spirit to become new wine vessels in the kingdom of their Father, and who are to receive that new kingdom wine by the Spirit, are now reigning with Christ. They are the called, chosen and faithful elect who are reigning with Christ now (Eph. 2:6), for the divine, sovereign purpose of their Father, which is to bring down the power of the nations and make them all subject to the reign of Christ in all the earth. The greater increased presence of the Lord within us will bring this holy purpose to pass. By our righteous, holy and separated walk with our Father, we are fulfilling all the word of the Lord. And also by our commitment to doing only and always the perfect will of our Father on earth, along with our increasing union with Christ, we are bringing down the powers of man.

Our reign with Christ on His royal throne of kingdom power and glory begins in this realm of sin and death. It is necessary and must take place before our transformation and manifestation as sons of God to bring down the powers of man. It is a negative reign or rule clearly described by John with the divine, sovereign purpose of bringing down the powers of man's kingdoms and governments. The feet company of the body of Christ are those sons of God who are living on the earth at this time when every enemy is to be made subject to Christ. They are being used of their Father to put down all other power and authority, including death and the devil (Gen. 3:14-15, Ps. 8:6, 1 Co. 15:25-26, Eph. 1:22 & He. 2:8). They are called of their Father, by His sovereign and omnipotent power, to put all other principalities and powers under the feet of Christ, which they are!

According to the word of the Lord, received by John while on the Isle of Patmos, the elect are qualified to rule with Christ if they are overcoming the distractions of the flesh in this world. The overcomers are now ruling and reigning with Christ! The Psalmist David prophesied of this present era of the kingdom of God, when he said, "The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies" (Ps. 110:2). "The rod of thy strength" are the overcomers; they are the chosen and elect sons of God, who dwell in Zion. The Lord sends the united, spiritual strength of this chosen firstfruits company out of Zion, with the expressed will and purpose of God, which is, "rule thou in the midst of thine enemies." And since this is the expressed will of our sovereign Father, we may be absolutely certain that all the enemies of Christ and His kingdom shall indeed be put under the dominion of the feet of Christ!

The prophet Isaiah prophesied of this time, when he declared by the Spirit, "Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes (that's us) shall rule in judgment" (Is. 32:1). And, "Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm (here we are again) shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him" (Is. 40:10). While in the Spirit on the Lord's day, which corresponds to this present Day, John saw our birth in the Spirit and described what he saw: "And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne" (Rev. 12:5, see also Rev. 19:11-16). These scriptures indicate that the rule of the sons of God with a rod of iron is associated with the Davidic reign of Christ and His sons; it has the divine purpose of bringing down the powers, the systems and the governments of man, putting them all under His feet or under the dominion of Christ. We are the "princes," "his arm," and the "man child," who are now ruling "all nations with a rod of iron." With our coming forth as overcomers, we were "caught up unto God, and to his throne," where we shall remain (Rev. 3:12), to reign with Him!

As we faithfully and obediently do all the will of our Father in heaven, by the leading of the Spirit and while we are here on earth in these bodies of sin and death, we are also bringing down the powers of man and making them all subject to the reign of Christ. As we remain in our spiritual cocoons or tabernacles, ministering to the Lord in the Spirit, and obediently and faithfully doing only and always the perfect will of our Father in the earth, we are setting a spiritual example that will reverberate throughout the heavens, bringing spiritual, kingdom powers "down" to the earth that will defeat every enemy. Jesus set the example for us, when he said, "...as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him" (Jo. 8:28-29). Likewise, HE that hath sent us IS WITH US! He has not left us alone, for we do only and always those things that please Him! We are ruling with Christ from His spiritual throne of all-power, not as individuals but as the united and anointed Christ-body. The kingdom of God is a spiritual kingdom! Therefore, changes will take place first in the Spirit and by the Spirit! Then, we will see literal changes taking place in the world all around us!

In this regard and to answer the question, "What is man," Preston Eby wrote the following confirming truth: "God in His great purpose of redemption and restoration is raising up A MAN, the MANY-MEMBERED CHRIST OF GOD. He is preparing an instrument, a channel through which to rule, deliver and bless. God has a MAN to fix creation's problems! You see, beloved, when God injected Himself into the history of the world to save, lift, redeem and restore it, He could not do it as God. He had to do it as man. That is why God was manifest in the flesh, because anything that is done in a governmental way on this earth must be done through man. "Let them have dominion..." is God's own sovereign edict and delegation of governmental authority. Man's rulership of the earth and the heavens is built into the constitution which He framed for creation. For God, as God, to do the job would be unconstitutional! Man is God's constitutional agent. To man has been given the stewardship of the earth and the heavens! That is why there is now a perfected MAN reigning in the heavens! God remains the owner, but man is the manager and overseer - the judge, ruler, priest and king! Jesus Christ had to take upon Himself the form of man, the likeness of flesh, being made in all things like unto His brethren, because nothing happens on this earth except through man. The Captain of our salvation, the High Priest of our profession, the Head of the Christ-body, the firstborn Son of God, the King of kings and Lord of lords IS THE MAN CHRIST JESUS, not the God Christ Jesus; He is the SON OF MAN, not God the Son.

"Man in the image of God is God's government in the Kingdom of God. Creation was originally established with a degree of splendor suitable to the dignity of Adam as its appointed ruler. Man was the final and crowning work of God's hands! I would draw your attention, beloved saint of God, to the fact that man was not created on the first day, nor on the second or third, but in the end of the sixth day when all the rest of God's creation had been completed. It was only after the vastness of the heavens and the earth and all the hosts of them had been made that the Creator proclaimed the awesome fiat, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have DOMINION" (Gen. 1:26). You see, the dominion of the whole kingdom was given unto man! David explains this universal dominion in the eighth Psalm. "When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained; what IS man, that Thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that Thou visiteth him?" And then he answers the question! `Thou hast made him a little lower than Elohim, and hast crowned him with glory and honor. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet.'

"Now that phrase, `under his feet,' is a Hebrew term which means that man was to have authority over all the works of God's hands, over all creation, over the earth, the moon, and the stars, over absolutely everything! He was to rule it all, govern it all, be head of it all. God made man for that intent and purpose. That is the answer to the question, `What is man?' That is what man is! The writer to the Hebrews makes this truth so plain that only a fool could question it. `But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that Thou visiteth him? Thou madest him a little lower than God; Thou crownest him with glory and honor, and didst set him over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put ALL THINGS in subjection under his feet. For in that He put ALL in subjection under him, He left NOTHING that is NOT put under him' (Heb. 2:6-8). The whole cosmos really belongs to mankind, it is his dominion, his sphere of authority, and everything is to be put under his control." (End of quotation.)

The New Kingdom Wine must be put into New Wine Bottles

Jesus said, "And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved" (Lu. 5:37-38). To understand this spiritual parable, we must know the spiritual interpretation of the new wine and the bottles. Wine is generally understood to represent the holy Spirit. But oil and water also represent the Spirit of God. Just as there is a difference between water, oil and wine, so also is there a spiritual difference between each of these elements in our spiritual understanding. Of those three elements, wine in the natural causes intoxication. Therefore, the wine of the Spirit is that which produces spiritual intoxication in the lives of those who receive that particular anointing of the Spirit. The new wine of the kingdom of God is the fullness of the Spirit (Eph. 5:18). It is that fullness of the Spirit that will intoxicate us when we receive it, lifting us to a higher realm of the Spirit in the kingdom of God. Then, having drunk of that new wine to the full, we will never again want to partake of yesterday's old and tasteless wine (see Lu. 5:39).

In the above parable of Jesus, the new wine represents the wine of the kingdom of God. It is a distinct variety of spiritual wine that has never before been offered to those of this earthly realm in a universal sense. It is the spiritual wine of the kingdom of God that has been specially prepared, set aside and reserved for this new kingdom Day. It is spiritual wine to be made by the Lord of glory Himself, particularly and especially for those saints who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. It is the wine prepared for those sons of God who are being joined to Christ their Head, to become manifest sons of God by the sufferings of Christ, which they are enduring by the leading of the Spirit. As Jesus turned water into wine at the wedding in Cana of Galilee, even so shall the Lord of glory turn the water of His spiritual Life into spiritual wine that will intoxicate us with the fullness of His Spirit. It is spiritual wine that will transform us from this body of death into a new body that will manifest the glorious Life of Christ.

The wine that Jesus made at that wedding was declared to be "good wine" (Jo. 2:1-11), or the best wine; it was better than the wine served in the beginning of that wedding feast. Even though the wine Jesus made for that wedding feast was newly made wine, or wine that was not aged, it tasted better than the wine that was served at the beginning of the feast, which undoubtedly had been aged for many years. In like manner, the spiritual wine of the kingdom of God, made by the Lord Himself and served by Him in this new Day, will be THE BEST WINE EVER! Those who are spiritually minded, who love His appearings and who are hearing his pure word of truth, are at the head of the line to receive that special, new wine from Him!

We all must know that the "bottles" mentioned by Jesus in the parable quoted on the previous page are not literal bottles; they are the bottles or the vessels of the Spirit, which we are. We are those "bottles!" They are the "bottles" of this flesh, purposed of our Father to contain the fullness of His Spirit. We have never yet received the fullness of the Spirit of God! If we think we might have received of His fullness, be assured we would no longer be in these carnal, Adamic bodies of sin and death if we had received of His fullness! It is our Father's plan to "make man in (His) our image, after (His) our likeness" (Ge. 1:26). To do that, God must fill us with the fullness of His Spirit. And to receive the fullness of the Spirit, or to drink of our Father's best wine in His kingdom, these old "bottles" of this flesh must be renewed. We must be changed unto our complete and total transformation. We must be renewed in our minds to become new wineskins, fit to receive and contain the new wine of the kingdom of God, by the Spirit.

New wine cannot be put into old bottles. The new wine of the Spirit would surely destroy these old, worn out wineskins, which these bodies are. Jesus said, "And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish" (Lu. 5:37). It is impossible for us to be filled with the new spiritual wine of the kingdom of God without being changed. These old vessels of clay cannot contain the new wine of the Spirit without being changed. New wine would only destroy us, and then the wine would be lost. We must be changed to receive the new wine of the Spirit! We must be changed to go on with God! We must also be changed and renewed in our minds, by the Spirit, before we shall be fully transformed (Ro. 12:2)! And our transformation is the manifestation of the power and glory of the kingdom of God!

No Patchwork Allowed in the Kingdom of God

"He told them a proverb also: No one puts a patch from a new garment on an old garment; if he does, he will both tear the new one, and the patch from the new [one] will not match the old [garment]" (Lu. 5:36, Amplified). As the old wine bottles represent our bodies of this flesh, so also does the "old garment" in this proverb represent these old bodies of flesh and blood. Our present bodies cannot be changed sufficiently and adequately by being patched or repaired with pieces from a new garment. The Lord may heal and restore us in some area of our body, or He may deliver us of some affliction, but that is only a "patch" on a body that is old, obsolete and outdated. In fact, any physical body of this life, whether aged or young, is considered old and worn out when compared with the new and greater Life of Christ. Bodies full of patches cannot enter into the kingdom of God! We must be completely made new in our bodies and minds! Only as we become a totally new creation in Christ can we receive that magnificent new wine of the kingdom of our Father!

Paul tells us that the real person that we are is covered over with these earthly, physical bodies of this flesh, which are as temporary tents or tabernacles. "For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle (tent or temporary dwelling) were dissolved, we have a (permanent) building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For (while we are) in this (temporary home) we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our (other, spiritual) house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this (temporary) tabernacle do GROAN (see Ro. 8:22-23), being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that (this) mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now he that hath wrought us (or who is working in us to perfect us) for the selfsame thing (or purpose) is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the (this) body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be ABSENT FROM THE (THIS) BODY, AND TO BE PRESENT WITH THE LORD" (2 Co. 5:1-8).

The "garment" to which Jesus referred in Luke 5:36 is the same clothing, house, tent, tabernacle, or temporary dwelling place referred to by Paul in the above passage. This physical body is only a temporary habitation, purposed of God to take us through this present earthly experience of probation and correction. And while we are at home in this present body, Paul tells us that we are absent from the Lord. We know that Christ is within us, but that is only second best. Paul declared the truth for all of us when he wrote,"We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the (this) body and TO BE PRESENT WITH THE LORD." How much better it would be for us to be absent from this body of sin and death and to be present with the Lord in the joyous realm of true Life in the kingdom of our Father. And we are getting there one step at a time!

But our real, true hope of glory - the best fulfillment of all the promises of God - would be for us to be transformed in our bodies without dying. That will be the coming of the power and the glory of the kingdom of God (Christ) to change us! That would be followed with the fullness of God and His kingdom coming down to the earth, to dwell with all mankind in the full glory and power of the redeeming, restoring and transforming presence of the Lord. The more perfect will, plan and purpose of God is that our Father might establish His tabernacle, His dwelling place, which is the fullness His presence, here among all mankind, making this earth into the new earth of His eternal glory and purpose. That will be the fulfillment of the Feast of Tabernacles! And this too, shall surely take place as we continue climbing this last mountain! Our spiritual growth unto the manifestation of the sons of God is the key that will unlock all the resources of the kingdom of God, setting the whole creation free. Let us keep walking and climbing up the mountain of the full glory, authority and power of the kingdom of our Father! This is the Day, and the first rays of the rising of the Sun/Son are beginning to appear over the horizon!

Becoming New Wineskins by the Appearing of Christ

The subject of old garments and old wineskins began when the disciples of John asked Jesus why His disciples did not fast when the Pharisees and John's disciples were fasting regularly and often. Jesus answered their question, by saying, "Can the children of the bridechamber MOURN, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom (Christ) shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast" (Mt. 9:14-15). Immediately following this statement by Jesus, He spoke the parable of the old garment (vs. 16), followed by the parable of the old bottles and the new wine (vs. 17). This tells us there is a spiritual connection between verses 14 and 15, and verses 16 and 17. Therefore, the question of fasting and mourning has to do with the coming of the presence of the Lord, or with the appearing of Christ, by which these old garments, or the old wineskins of this flesh, shall be changed into new spiritual bodies that are fully prepared to receive the new wine of the kingdom of God.

Sons who love His appearing are mourning! They are mourning deep within themselves, as they groan and travail for the glorious appearing of Christ, which shall change them into manifest sons of God. We are not mourning outwardly; nor are we fasting superficially in the flesh, thus giving evidence of our travails. But we are mourning in the Spirit! We earnestly long for the appearing of Christ, the bridegroom, by whose omnipotent and sovereign power we shall be changed into the full image and likeness of the risen Christ of God. Maturing sons of God who mourn and travail for their beloved elder Brother are given this promise: "Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted" (Mt. 5:4, see also Job 5:11, Is. 61:2-3 & Zech. 12:10).

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