August of 97
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THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND THE WORK OF THE SPIRIT

Part Two August 1997

We now find ourselves at a major confluence or junction of ages. The six ages of man have ended and we are now in the beginning of the seventh age, which is the age of the kingdom of God on earth. The sixth age was generally called the age of grace or the church age. But the grace of God did not end with the conclusion of that age. Rather, the grace of God shall only increase and become more effective from one age to the next. Although we may have called the last age, the church age, we know the church is much more than an age. This seventh age is called the kingdom age, yet the kingdom of God is much more than an age. While the previous ages or periods have ended by the will of God, the unfulfilled purposes of God for each of those ages are carried over into the new age of the kingdom of God, to be raised to a higher level and fulfilled by the Spirit.

This new Day did not come to the earth with great fanfare, with the blowing of trumpets or the beating of drums. But this new Day came unannounced, as a thief in the night. Jesus said, "The kingdom of God cometh not with observation." The kingdom of God came to the earth in the former age, as a seed in the hearts of believers, without observation. So also has the kingdom of God come to the earth in a greater way at this time, just as it did then: without observation. Jesus also said, "the kingdom of God is within you." (Lu. 17:20-21) If indeed the kingdom of God is within us, we shall then bear witness to any outward manifestation of His kingdom in the earth. Only the elect of the Lord will know that a new Day has begun. People of the world and many in Christendom are caught up in the pursuit of worldly things. They are more occupied with satisfying the appetites of the five senses than they are with spiritual realities. All but the elect are spiritually asleep, for many others do not know where we are in time and in the fulfillment of the purposes of God for this world.

God is dealing now with His elect, not with other Christians. Paul quoted the prophet Isaiah concerning Israel: "Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth." (Ro. 9:27-28) Israel in the earth does indeed number many millions. According to the scriptures, they are as numerous as the sands of the sea. But God's concern has been with His remnant. And He now has that remnant. They are called "my jewels" by the Lord. They are His true servants, and are set apart unto His kingdom purposes. (Mal. 3:17-18) This holy remnant has but one purpose for their lives, and that is to do the will of their Father in all the earth. While Christians were spiritually asleep, some within the religious systems of man and others outside the church system, God was moving by His Spirit among His elect.

The Lord is now fulfilling His righteousness within the lives of His elect, bringing them to greater maturity, by His Spirit. We are being brought to greater maturity, by the presence of the Christ within, to be seated in Christ in heavenly places where we minister to our Father, by the Spirit. The Lord concluded the work of the previous ages by cutting it all short in righteousness. Our Father also has been doing a short, quick work in the last ten years. He has been getting us ready for our transition from the church age to the kingdom age, and leading us onto this new, kingdom path.

The Red Heifer: Another Significant Sign for this Time

A sign-miracle has taken place in the State of Israel: a pure red heifer was born in that country. This miraculous birth is causing many religious Jews to speculate as to the meaning of this heavenly sign. Our good friend, Donna Rode of Pennsylvania, informed us of this miracle after she read about it in the paper and then searched the internet for more information. We will quote from that internet article throughout this writing. According to scripture, a red heifer was to be sacrificed without the camp by Eleazar, the priest. (See Nu. 19:) As a son of Aaron, Eleazar was a high priest (Lev. 8:, 21:10-12), who had charge of the tabernacle of the Lord. The red heifer was to be sacrificed for the cleansing of the priest. After the priest was cleansed and purified by the sacrifice of the red heifer, the animal was burned. Its ashes were then to be gathered and laid up without the camp in a clean place, to be kept "for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of separation: it is a purification for sin." (Nu. 19:1-10) That mixture was also used to purify someone who had come in contact with a dead body. It is interesting that the purifying process of the people began on the third day, but on the seventh day they were all declared to be fully clean! (Nu. 19:11-13)

The birth of a red heifer is a rare and unusual event; it is, in fact, a miracle. To meet the Lord's requirement, the red heifer must be all red, with no other color seen. The article taken from the internet says this about the new red heifer: "When the cow was born, rabbis from Jerusalem came here with members of the press and immediately declared it a kosher red heifer. After cleaning it we found a few white hairs in its tail." But the few white hairs in its tail were not enough to disqualify this red heifer from being a miracle cow. The birth and appearance of red heifers in Israel have been rare, so rare that this present red heifer is only "the 10th since the time of Moses." The article on the internet continues with this: "Although it is explained in the Talmud that the purpose of offering the red heifer as a sacrifice was to use its ashes mixed with water to purify those who had come into contact with the dead, neither the Torah nor any of the many commentaries explain why it is necessary that the cow be of a reddish hue. The lack of a clear explanation, combined with the scarcity of such cows since the destruction of the Second Temple, has added to the aura of mystery this commandment gained in Jewish lore."

One rabbi said, "Red is a very difficult color to come by when dealing with cows." And since the present red heifer is only the tenth since the time of Moses, we can appreciate the miraculous nature of this animal. In requiring that the heifer used for the purification of Israel from sin be red, the Lord was making it almost impossible for anyone to produce anything like it. From the internet article, we read the following: "The new `holy cow' was born to a black and white mother and brown father on a northern Israeli farm run by a religious high school for troubled and orphaned students." What an outstanding and inspirational miracle that animal is! Only the Lord can cause a red heifer to be born of a black and white cow sired by a brown bull.

The birth of this red heifer becomes more miraculous and meaningful when we realize that the last time such an animal was born was two thousand years ago, near the time of the birth of Jesus. A journalist reported that such "red cows" are extremely rare. And then that journalist wrote: "This is the first red cow that has been born to Jewish farmers since the time of the temple, 2000 years ago." The temple referred to here is called the "second temple," throughout this internet article. It is the temple that was destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D. But what is the significance of this red heifer? What does the birth of a red heifer mean to the Jews? And, more importantly, what does it all mean to us today?

Religious Jews regard the birth of this red heifer as a very significant event. Rabbi Menachem Makeover, deputy director of The Temple Institute of Old Jerusalem, said, "For us, the heifer is a milestone. During the diaspora (the dispersion or scattering of Israel), everything was missing. Now we see that everything that was gone is slowly coming back. We used to say, `We don't have this,' or `we don't have that,' but that is no longer an excuse. We still have problems with the Arabs. But FROM ABOVE someone is leading us to these tools. We didn't ask for the red heifer. Suddenly it came." Obviously, God is restoring to the Jews and to all His people the signs that foretell the times in which we are now living. And this red heifer may be the first of many signs to the Jews, indicating that the hour of their deliverance is also at hand.

So sacred and special is this red heifer, that she is guarded continually. Thus, we read: "Watched over by an armed guard in a skullcap and visited by rabbis and other seekers of meaning, this rust-colored six-month-old (on or near April 6, 1997) heifer is hailed as a sign of the coming of the Messiah and decried as a walking atom bomb." This red heifer is considered "a walking atom bomb" because it also may signify that the time has come to erect a new temple on Mt. Moriah in Jerusalem. We read further, "Some devout Jews see the birth of Melody (the red heifer) as a sign that the temple can now be rebuilt - and that the coming of a promised Messiah is nigh." If some fanatic Jews are convinced that a new temple should be built, they may forcibly tear down two of Islam's holy places on Mt. Moriah, the Dome of the Rock and al-Aksa Mosque, causing a terrible religious war of vast proportions.

The Jews may wish to build a new temple on Mt. Moriah in Jerusalem, but the only true Temple worthy of being our Lord's dwelling place has been under construction for two thousand years. This temple, as you know, is not a literal building of wood and stone, but it is the living temple of the body of Christ. It is this holy Temple of God that the Lord shall fill with His glory. And the birth of this red heifer may also be a sign to us that Christ shall soon appear in His greatest glory ever, to fill this house with all the fullness of the glory that He is. (Hag. 2:6-9) Get ready, saints of God, the Lord is about to do great things in His elect and in all the earth.

To many Jews, "the arrival of the heifer is an inspiration." Many of them are convinced "that something truly miraculous seems to have occurred." "It is written that it is the 10th heifer that the Messiah will discover and here we have the 10th heifer. This is a clear sign that the Messiah is near, said Rabbi Ido Weber Erlich of Jerusalem in an interview on Israel Radio." Also, "many in Israel believe that the birth of a red cow is a sure sign that the Messiah is soon to arrive. Other signs that are currently also believed to be significant are the Hale-Bopp comet and the unusual amount of rain which has fallen, promising a good harvest in Israel." Another Jewish leader said, "The red heifer is one of the most important signs that we are living in a special time."

The red heifer that was born, probably around the Feast of Tabernacles time in 1996, is the 10th red heifer born since the time of Moses. And this tenth heifer is declared to be the one that Christ "will discover" when He appears to His saints. Thus, this red heifer signals a special time of restoration and deliverance for God's people. Some of us have known, by the Spirit, that we were living in a special time. I have known for sometime that we were living in the new kingdom Day, and I thank God for every sign and wonder that confirms that truth. Some preachers and writers will see nothing in the present signs all around us, for they are spiritually asleep and drunken with the cares of this life, as Jesus said they would be. But the elect are awake and alert, by the Spirit, to see that God is blessing His people with signs and wonders. Before the Lord delivers His people, He usually gives them signs and wonders of His intention. (See He. 2:1-4) God gave Israel and Egypt signs and wonders of His intention to deliver Israel out of Egyptian bondage. (De. 4:32-36, Jer. 32:20-21) And He is blessing us now with signs of His present appearing to deliver us from this sinful, carnal, Adamic nature, raise us to new Life, and continue to establish His throne and the authority of His kingdom in all the earth.

We are living in the beginning of the times of the restitution of all things. Signs and wonders from the Lord generally precede the manifestation of His purpose to restore all things. Before the Lord does anything of a supernatural nature, He usually gives His people signs and wonders that foretell that wonderful event. This red heifer is one of the signs that both reveals and confirms that this is the beginning of that time of restoration. As the red heifer was used to purify the Israelite from sin and from touching a dead body, so it may be a sign to us that Christ shall soon appear to deliver us from this sinful nature and raise us to the fullness of His Life, by the Spirit.

Our Ministry to our Father in the Heavenlies, or in the Spirit

The Psalmist said, "I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations. For thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth to the clouds. Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth; That thy beloved may be delivered: save with thy right hand, and answer me." (Ps. 108:3-6) What tremendous truths are packed in these few verses of scripture! We are to praise the Lord among the people, and sing praises to Him among the nations. But how is this possible? How can we possibly sing praises to the Lord among all the people of all the nations of the world?

All mankind are represented before our Father in the heavenlies. Before the throne of our Father in the heavenlies, or in the realm of the Spirit, there is a "sea of glass like unto crystal." (Rev. 4:6) This sea of glass, in spiritual type, represents all mankind. The prophet Isaiah declared, "But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked." (Is. 57:20-21) The sea, in general, represents all mankind. The troubled sea represents the wicked, while the sea of glass in the heavenlies represents all mankind redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus. All mankind are seen before the altar in the heavenlies as a sea of glass. This illustrates the wonderful truth that they are all seen in the Spirit as being fully redeemed and changed by the power of God. They are at peace with God, with one another, and with the whole creation. And when we sing praises to the Lord from His spiritual throne in the heavenlies, or from the realm of the Spirit, we are also singing praises to the Lord among all the people of all the nations of the world, who are represented by that sea of glass that is like unto crystal. They are hearing or receiving our praises in the Spirit, and are being changed by that same Spirit.

Our ministry to the Father in the heavenlies will bring about positive changes in the hearts of mankind and in all the earth. How much better it is for us to sing praises to the Lord in the heavenlies, by His Spirit, than it is for us to foolishly rant and rave about all the darkness in the world and in the hearts of men! As we worship the Lord in the heavenlies, we are doing so in the presence of all the people of all the nations of the earth. Cursing the darkness will do no good. But to sing the high praises of the Lord from the heavenly, spiritual realm of God's light and glory, or from our spiritual home, will affect men and nations, changing them even as we have been changed.

But how do we sing praises to the Lord among the peoples and the nations? The Psalmist said, by praising Him "even with my glory." And what is "my glory?" The Psalmist said our glory is, according to the Amplified translators, "all the faculties and powers of one created in Your image!" Therefore, let everything within us sing praises to the Lord! All the accumulated spiritual life and power that is within us as a result of walking faithfully with God all these years is thus transformed into dynamic Spirit-power, establishing a necessary link between earth and heaven. And His power changes people and things everywhere in the earth and in all the universe.

David understood this great truth. By the Spirit, he must have known something of the power and the glory that was within him. So he exhorted himself to, "Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name." (Ps. 103:1) The Christ-life within us is identified with the heavenly realm of Spirit, by the precious blood of Jesus. The blood of Jesus is applied to our spirits and souls, thus identifying us with the blood of Jesus that is also applied to the altar of God in the heavens, or in the realm of the Spirit. (He. 9:11-12, 10:19-22) This gives us free and unlimited access to God, by the Spirit. And now we may approach Him in the holiest of all, there to sing His praises among the people of all the nations and minister to the Lord with all the faculties and powers of the Christ within.

There are wonderful, kingdom benefits to be realized when we bless the Lord, as David exhorted us to do. The Psalmist went on to say, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's. The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed." (Ps. 103:2-6) We may not receive all these benefits immediately, as soon as we ask God for them. But they are reserved for us in the Spirit. As a loving, tender, merciful Father, God knows just what is needed to deliver us from evil and bring us to maturity. He wisely uses a combination or mix of positive and negative circumstances to fulfill His purposes in our lives. When we have reached the goal and are fully perfected and matured in Christ, we will then know and understand why God dealt with us the way He did. Such mysteries are hidden from us until the time when Father reveals it to us by the Spirit. Now we see through a glass darkly, but then we shall see Him face to face. Now we know in part, then we shall know even as we are known! (1 Co. 13:12)

When we ascend spiritually to the high places in the Spirit and sing praises to our reigning Lord and King, we can only sing of His good-ness and mercy, and of the many benefits of His kingdom. Contrary, negative, and discouraging words are never heard in the Spirit-blessed realms of Zion and the New Jerusalem. There is nothing that can hurt or destroy in all His holy mountain. Everything in that Spirit-realm must be of the high quality of His kingdom. Every expression of our spirits and souls must edify and comfort those who shall spiritually hear and receive. Our thoughts must be good thoughts of God and His redemptive, restorative nature. Only the mind of Christ can be expressed in that pure and undefiled realm of His Spirit.

All our praises to the Lord must be of the high quality of His Spirit-Light. Our praises must be high praises that flow from enlightened spirits that magnify His great Name. When we are tested and tried beyond our natural ability to endure it all, let us hear the voice of our Beloved, saying to us, "Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away," to the high and holy realm of His presence, where we shall praise our God for choosing us to be so thoroughly tried of Him. When we "rise up" to be with Him, we will then see that "The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land." (See Song 2:10-14) Also, our high praises from His mind within will send God's fire to the earth, filling the earth with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. (Is. 11:9) All is peace, rest, love, life, and righteousness in the realm of His presence. The atmosphere or the aura of His mighty presence dictates that this is true. If we attempt to ascend those heights in God with anything other than kind, peaceful, thankful, forgiving and loving thoughts of praise and honor to our Lord and to His vast creation; we will be cleansed of all such negativity, which we might express in that high and holy realm of His presence, by the power of Him Who reigns now in great glory.

The Psalmist said, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits." Among His many benefits freely given us by His grace are the forgiveness of our many iniquities, the healing of our diseases, our lives redeemed from destruction, being crowned with lovingkindness and tender mercies, and satisfied with good things so that our youth is renewed like the eagles'. May we never forget these wonderful king-dom blessings! Let us then, with renewed faith in Him and in His abundant promises, never cease to praise, glorify and honor Him for His wondrous works to the children of men! David said he would sing praises to the Lord. (Ps. 108:3) Like us, David may have had many reasons why he could complain of his lot in life. But instead of murmuring and complaining, David ascended the holy, spiritual hill of the Lord to praise Him for His goodness and mercy. While praising the Lord, he said, "For thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth to the clouds. Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above all the earth; That thy beloved may be delivered: save with thy right hand, and answer me." (See Ps. 108:4-6) Let this be our example of true ministry to the Lord!

The kingdom of God shall continue to grow and increase with the increase of God. There shall be no end of that increase (Is. 9:7), for His kingdom must grow and increase until He fills all things. Therefore, we have much to praise the Lord about. Furthermore, the work of the Spirit in this new Day shall be greater than was His work in ages past. The Lord is now beginning to open the spiritual eyes of our understanding, allowing us to see both His ways and His works for this great Day. In the past, the Lord was concerned with His holy remnant, who are the firstfruits of all mankind. His intention previously has been to visit the nations "to take out of them a people for his name." (Acts 15:14) And I believe this company of firstfruits are now complete. Now, the Lord is returning or appearing, to "build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: That the residue of men might seek after the Lord." (Acts 15:16-17)

As with all the wonderful purposes and functions of the holy Spirit, the work of the Spirit now to rebuild the fallen tabernacle of David is a hidden, secret work, unseen by the carnal-minded. While we were living our daily lives, the Lord was secretly and quietly gathering us together in the Spirit, putting each of us in our places in His holy, spiritual temple. Now, He is in the process of setting up this spiritual temple, according to His sovereign plan and purpose, cleansing it, and making it complete and perfect, so "the residue of men might seek after the Lord." There never has been a temple like this Temple, nor shall there ever be another like it, for this Temple is built by God. And when God builds a Temple, He makes it a fit and proper spiritual habitation for Himself and His people. This anointed Temple is a realm where He dwells in glory; it is a spiritual realm where all the residue of men shall come to find comfort and kingdom blessings in abundance. In this new Day, the firstfruit saints shall be used of God to bring the glorious Light of Christ to all men. But our ministry or service to the Lord in this Day will be an entirely new ministry, nothing like that of the old, in-part order of the past.

The New Kingdom Order: Multitudes and Whole Nations at a Time Shall COME to the Lord

In the previous age of the church, it was God's purpose for His servants to "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel." That plan was good for its day and time. But now, our Father has a better plan! In fact, His plan and purpose for this new Day is exactly the opposite to what it was during the church age. Instead of the servants of the Lord going to the nations to preach the gospel, as they did under the old church order, the billions of the people of all the nations of the earth shall COME TO THE LORD during this new Day. And when the billions of earth's needy come to the Lord, we shall witness a harvest of souls, the likes of which we have never seen before! All God needs to do is invite them to come, by His Spirit (Jo. 6:44), and the billions of the world's darkened, dejected and oppressed souls shall come streaming into the kingdom of God. In coming to Him, they shall find all the blessings and benefits of this glorious Christ. And we are the "gates" through whom the billions of earth's needy shall enter the New Jerusalem city of God. (See Rev. 21:12, 21-27)

Let us now hear and understand what the prophetic word of the Lord has to say about this great truth! "But in the last days (or in future days) it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow into it. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." (Mic. 4:1-2) What a tremendous revival that shall be! Yet, the word "revival" scarcely describes that most glorious and remarkable event!

A revival implies the reviving of something from the past. But God will not revive anything from the dead past, for He is now doing a new thing! That glorious event shall so overshadow and dwarf all previous visitations and outpourings of the Spirit, that we will have to find new terminology to describe it. This that God shall do in this new Day shall be much more than a revival, much more than a visitation of the Spirit, and much more than an outpouring of the Spirit, according to our former thinking. It is much like comparing a river that is ankle deep or knee deep to one that is overflowing its banks and flooding everything everywhere. (See Ez. 47:1-5)

In this new Day, all our former ideas and opinions about evangelism will have to be discarded. In the past age, we worked and labored just to get enough support to do the work we thought the Lord wanted us to do. It was all just plain, hard "sweat" work! And according to the prophetic word of the Lord for the priests, the sons of Zadok who minister to the Lord, anything that produced sweat, such as woolen garments, was forbidden by the Lord. (See Ez. 44:17-18) According to some preachers, the reason the world is in the bad shape they think it is, is because they did not get enough money to do the work they thought they should do. How I rejoice in the understanding I now have of my Father's much better and more effective plan for this glorious new Day! All our former ideas, opinions and experiences regarding God's method of saving the world will have to be discarded, for He is doing an entirely new thing in the earth!

In the past age, we were told that we should go, go, and then go some more. If it wasn't in you to GO and to DO constantly, you were made to feel like a rebel. But, thank God, things are changing! God is doing a new thing! He is establishing a new order in the earth! And we will have to change with God! All the old religious works of the past age are done with! The time of going into all the world to preach the gospel is ending. That was a good plan for its day and time. But this is a new Day! Former things have passed away, and, behold, the Lord is now doing a new thing.

Instead of sending His messengers to GO into all the world, the Lord will soon move by His Spirit, in and among all the nations of the world, to cause billions of people to RUN into the kingdom of God. The billions of earth's needy shall then flow like a mighty river at flood stage, coming into the kingdom of God at Father's invitation to find REST for their weary souls. There will be no need for someone to go to them to preach the gospel, for the Spirit of God will draw each and every one of them to the Lord. Perhaps the most wonderful thing about this divine plan is that there will be no need to give of our money or other resources; nor will any of our former "sweat" work be necessary to bring it to pass. God will do that wonderful work by His Spirit, without the aid of our fleshly, carnal works, or any of the other paltry things of this world.

We may think we have witnessed the moving of the Spirit in the past, but we haven't seen anything yet! When God begins to call the multitudes into His kingdom, He will simply speak to their spirits and minds, calling them to Himself by His Spirit. He will then release them and set them free of all their former bondages and inhibitions. Then, with freed spirits, open minds, and heavenly zeal, they shall run into the waiting arms of their beloved Savior, Lord, and King. And having been begotten of God and translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God's dear Son, they shall partake of the spiritual treasures of His kingdom in glorious abundance.

To provide for that great event, the Lord of hosts has been preparing a sumptuous feast in the mountain of His kingdom. It is a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. And we are partaking of that feast, leading the way for the world's multitudes! Also, God will destroy in this mountain of His kingdom the covering of darkness cast over the minds of all people, and the vail of darkness that is spread over all nations. The Lord also shall swallow up death in victory, thus defeating man's last, great enemy. He also shall remove the tears from all faces, and will take away the rebuke of His people from off all the earth. (See Is. 25:6-8) This is truly the function and purpose of the reign of Christ the King, and His co-kings, in all the earth!

What a deliverance shall take place when the mask, covering, or the vail of darkness and evil is removed from the lower heavens and from the minds of all people. Then, without hearing a sermon preached, or the "sinner's prayer" being prayed, or an invitation song being sung, multitudes will come to the Lord. God will put it in their hearts to come, and they will come running to the Lord. They shall come to Him with tears of Godly sorrow, and with contrite, remorseful, and repentant hearts. And when they come to the Lord, they will not need to go or come to some geographical location, such as a church or other building. But their spirits will ascend spiritually to the house of the Lord, which is the spiritual habitation of the Lord. Without any visible, outward action, the multitudes will come to the Lord, by His Spirit, to love and worship Him, and to serve Him and His kingdom will and purposes in all the earth.

Some believe that the multitudes, who shall gloriously and miraculously be saved during this age, will go to the literal city of Jerusalem to seek the Lord. But the kingdom of God has little to do with such natural, geographical locations. By the mind of Christ, we can see that as God is everywhere present, so the dominion and reign of His kingdom fills the whole universe. Micah's prophecy says nothing about the multitudes going to the literal mount Zion or to the literal city of Jerusalem. What the prophetic word does say is that God shall put it in the hearts of the masses to "go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob." The mountain of the Lord represents the high places of God in the Spirit, while the house of the God of Jacob represents the spiritual habitation of the redeemed. In this new age of the kingdom of God on earth, all the DOING and the GOING of the former, in-part age is over and done with. And the Lord shall not revive anything from the dead past, for He is doing a new thing! From now on, the work of God in His kingdom shall be done in the Spirit and by the Spirit. The kingdom age is the age of REST! The Lord is teaching us to REST by delivering us of the former, religious, church works of the past age.

Instead of people going TO Zion or TO Jerusalem, those two spiritual realms are mentioned in Micah's prophecy to show that the law shall go forth OUT of Zion, and the word of the Lord FROM Jerusalem. This tells us that the saints who dwell in those two spiritual realms shall send the holy law and the pure word of the Lord out to the peoples of all the nations of the earth by the Spirit. That company of the elect shall not send words and creeds to the people, but they shall manifest the spirit and the life of both the law and the word of the Lord, by the Spirit of God. And that manifestation of Christ shall then change others even as we have been changed.

During the past age, it was God's plan to seek and to save individuals here and there. In the former age, the Gospel was preached and only a few people turned to the Lord. But during this age of the kingdom of God on earth, the Lord will pour upon the people the spirit of grace and supplication, and then the billions of earth's needy will come to Him. (Zech. 12:10)

I grew up on a farm; before the Lord called me to serve Him, I was a farmer. About fifty years ago, the Lord gave me a vision of a great harvest field. In that vision, I saw a field of ripened grain being harvested by old, outmoded means. The farmers were using a hand scythe, cutting the grain and then bundling it all by hand, as farmers once did before the invention of binders and combines. But then, the Lord let me see that He had a large combine being prepared on the side of that field, waiting for the right time for it to be used. I was encouraged when the Lord revealed to me that that massive combine represented the new thing He would do in the earth. By the Spirit, I saw that the Lord was preparing a people who would represent Him and His kingdom purposes in the earth. They would be used of the Lord to gather in the ripened harvest of the world's billions. In due time, the multitudes of the world will be as ripened grain to be gathered into the kingdom by His massive, spiritual "combine." They will all be fully prepared and ready to come to the Lord. And Father is now preparing many people to turn to Him through the strange and severe "acts of God" now taking place, especially here in this country.

With heavenly eloquence and vision the prophets prophesied of this time. We are now living in the hour when much of the prophetic word of the Lord shall come to pass. And we are the people God has chosen to fulfill His purposes. The Lord impressed upon us the wonderful truth that this was the time for the elect to "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee." (Is. 60:1) What follows this verse is a clear description of the salvation of the multitudes of the world. The word of the Lord continues, by saying, "And the Gentiles (other nations) shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side. Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea (a crowd, multitudes, many) shall be converted unto thee, the forces (a large company) of the Gentiles (nations) shall come unto thee." (Is. 60:2-5)

Here, the prophet clearly declares that the multitudes shall come to the Light and to the Brightness of the Christ within us. Seeing His Light within us, those multitudes shall COME TO US to walk with us in the glory of the kingdom of God. Since many people shall be converted unto us, to share our relationship with God and walk with us in the kingdom and glory of Christ, we can see why all the cleansing and the processing in our lives has been so necessary. As we have been cleansed and purified in the fires of His presence, so the multitudes who join themselves to us shall also be purified. The highway leading to the kingdom is called, "the way of holiness." Only the redeemed of the Lord shall walk here. Nothing unclean shall ever enter that realm of the Light and Glory of Christ! (Is. 35:8, Rev. 21:27) "And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." (Is. 35:10)

Again, the prophet Isaiah prophesied, saying, "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear." (Is. 45:22-23) The prophet Zechariah also gave this inspired, prophetic word: "Thus saith the Lord of hosts; it shall yet come to pass, that there shall COME people, and the inhabitants of many cities: And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us GO speedily to pray before the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts: I will go also. Yea, many people and strong nations shall COME to seek the Lord of hosts in (the new) Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord. Thus saith the Lord of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew (inwardly, Ro. 2:28-29), saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you." (Zech. 8:20-23)

Notice the language used in these anointed prophecies! In none of these prophecies is the Lord telling His messengers to GO into all the world and preach the gospel. But God is clearly and distinctly declaring that many people shall COME to the Light of Christ that is shining out of our lives. Every knee shall bow before the Lord and every tongue shall confess to Him. (Ro. 14:11, Phil. 2:10-11) They shall COME to the Lord, not because of some preacher's eloquent message, but because the Spirit of the Lord drew them to Himself. Entire cities and whole nations at a time shall COME to the Lord. They shall rise spiritually from their state of lethargy, unbelief, yes even from the despair of atheism, heathenism, creature-worship, and from many other religious and worldly bondages; and they shall rise spiritually to GO to seek the Lord in the greater glory of the new Jerusalem city of God.

Many people of many nations shall COME to the Light that shines out from within us. Many kings also shall COME to the brightness of our rising when the morning of this new Day dawns. Then, we shall shine like the Son in His brilliance, for we shall be just like Christ, our Head, Lord, and King. The manifestation of the sons of God will be the one, great event that shall signal the dawning of the new morning of this great Day! Then, billions of the world's needy and oppressed shall COME to the brightness of this glorious Christ-Light that shines out of us, just as Jesus shined in His radiant, transformed glory on the mount of transfiguration. When Jesus appeared in His glory, with Moses and Elijah, He told His disciples "Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead." (Mt. 17:9) Obviously, that time of Jesus' earthly ministry was not the time for Him to be manifest to the world. The time is now approaching, and we are the people who shall reveal Him to the world. Being tried as we are, let us remember: each trial brings greater glory to our lives.

Not only will many individuals come to the Lord when Father calls them, but according to Micah's prophecy, whole nations at a time shall come to Him. And that will be something to see! Imagine what it will be like! One minute a nation is a Muslim nation. The people regularly bowed to the East toward Mecca to worship their god. The lives of the people were tightly controlled and bound by that religion, with all its rules and restrictions. But then, God moves by His Spirit, and the whole nation is set free by the Spirit of God. All the people of that nation will then turn to the Lord to love, worship and serve Him, without the use of any human vessel, such as a preacher, teacher or missionary. Then, in a moment of time, the old, former religion is removed from their minds. And when God takes a religion out of the minds of people, that religion then becomes extinct. With one mighty sweep of His Spirit, God has changed a Muslim nation into a nation of people who love and serve the One, true God. The kingdom of God has then come to the people of that nation.

Micah's prophecy also declares that God will "teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths." When the Lord teaches the multitudes His ways, they will then walk in His paths. They shall do all the will of God, for He will have imparted His ways to every one of them. What a thorough and complete transformation that shall be! It has been my observation that some who name the Name of Christ today find it very difficult to walk in the ways or the paths of the Lord. Many are being counseled for that very reason. This lack in Christians today can only be because they are not really being taught of the Lord, but are taught of man. When God moves by His Spirit to bring the masses into the kingdom of God in this great Day, they shall all be taught of the Lord, to learn His ways and walk in His paths. And when every person has been delivered and set free to walk in the paths of the Lord, there shall be perfect order and harmony in all the earth. True peace, harmony and order shall then prevail, replacing the chaos and confusion of man's carnal and corrupt worldly systems.

Once the Lord removes the veil or the covering of darkness that clouds the minds of the people of the world, they will then be able to see clearly the glorious Light of Christ that radiantly shines forth from the Lord's elect. Then, their blinded eyes will be opened and they shall see as they have never seen before. They will not see us, for we shall be hidden in Christ, covered and overshadowed by the Light and the glory of the awesome and radiant presence of Christ. Adam in his pristine state was covered with the Light and the Glory of Christ when he communed with God in Eden's heavenly Garden. So shall we be covered with God's glory, to commune with Him in the Garden of the Spirit, bringing the love, peace, justice, and righteousness of Christ to all mankind. How we groan and travail for this wonderful transformation to take place in our lives! And not only ourselves, but the whole creation also is groaning and travailing for this wonderful and glorious manifestation of the sons of God. Then shall come to pass the prophetic word of the Lord, which says: "Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the Lord thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for HE HATH GLORIFIED THEE." (Is. 55:5)

What wonders shall take place when our Father has glorified His sons with the glory of Christ! Then whole nations at a time shall come as nations to bow before the feet of this glorious Christ, confessing Him as their Savior, Lord, and King, to worship Him in Spirit and in truth. And since whole nations at a time shall come to the Lord, it is obvious that they shall not come to a geographical location, such as a building or even a literal city. But they shall COME to the mountain of the Lord's presence - to the beautiful, restored, spiritual New Jerusalem city of God's light, glory and presence. It is an absurd impossibility, created by the carnal mind, to think of whole nations coming or going somewhere to be crowded into a literal temple or a literal city. Such carnal thinking is part of the old church order of the past, and is contrary to the truth of God for this new Day. God shall never again repeat anything He has done in the past.

The Lord is doing a new thing in the earth. And the new thing that God is doing in all the earth shall bring multitudes, even whole nations at a time, into the greater glory of the fullness of the kingdom of God. What a marvelous plan, revealed and confirmed now by signs and wonders! And we are a vital part of our Father's plan of the redemption and restoration of all, by the Spirit of God! "Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged: because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee. A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time." (Is. 60:5, 22)

Paul and Emily Mueller

P O BOX 25055, PORTLAND, OR 97298-0055 

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