The terrain is different in 1999 than in previous years. In the USA, in 1776 a group of men signed the Declaration of Independence and accepted the responsibility, the personal responsibility, of their actions. They knew that by signing their names to such a document, King George of England had the right as their sovereign (until that point) to require their death, the confiscation of their property and the punishment of their families as well. Yet, these men signed the document. They counted their families, their loved ones, their estates, their business, etc. as nothing in their quest for liberty.

What person is there in the USA today who would sacrifice his family for an ethereal quest of something as intangible as "liberty" or the "pursuit of happiness?" Who is going to step up and pay the price for the deliverance of a people? John Hancock wrote his name flamboyantly it is told, so that King George could clearly read his name! Who has the daring, the audacity, to sign his life away so clearly?

The desire for the present and the things it offers is a hindrance, to say the least, to what the future could hold. The future is determined by what we do in the present and what we learned from the past. What was molded in the lives of these men who signed their names so boldly and defiantly? What had their parents taught them and what in society had influenced them so? To know these things gives an indication of the way the minds of these men worked that glorious day creating the blessings (from the Declaration of Independence) that we enjoy today.

These men came out of a Christ-centric world. The principles of the Western society were founded in the Reformation. England, Scotland, Ireland as well as the Germanic countries were the roots that these men came from. Very little influence came from the Renaissance, France and the followers of the godless Voltaire. These men were aware of the sacrifice that Luther, Zwingli, Knox, Calvin and others made. They had patterns to follow.

Most of these men had letters. Did you know that Greek and Latin were taught in grade school then as well as Algebra? Where are we today? These men had to learn the two languages plus what they spoke as well as at least one other to communicate in the Colonies! The Bible was a book taught from in those days. All schools were private. Public schools were a ‘new’ phenomenon in the 1800’s – over a hundred years later. What an exceptionally good system we had! Most ministers were teachers of students. Yale, Harvard, Princeton were all schools to develop spiritual leaders. Yet today they have left their calling, for the most part, although well qualified in the secular fields.

One cannot lead a change unless one knows the Bible and He Who is the Word of God. All wisdom comes from God. But one has to be able to also understand the divine principles laid out in the Bible in order for success. These men knew that truth, freedom, etc. was worth dying for. They knew that they could not exist in a life without those freedoms. To be married and raise a family in a world controlled by bigots, pagans and ungodly governments, was unconscionable to them. For what existence would their families have in such a tyrannical world? Better to die for freedom and hope for change than to allow your family to be in bondage. Such was their thought. What glorious results!

They overcame. One-third of the people of the Colonies wanted to remain subservient to England because their financial well-being was greatly tied to it (aristocrats predominately). But a few good men who had a modicum of success in the business world as well as just ordinary concerned citizens pressed the day forward. They convinced the "neutral" group of about one third to lean their way, as they formulated a plan of action.

A Continental government was formed, which in those times was, illegal, by the way. They placed a man named George Washington as its head of the army – illegal by the way. Then they sought funds from foreign governments (France in particular) – illegal by the way according to King George and England.

Our country was formed by a group of overcomers. People had a vision of the future which was not like the present. These people seized the day. Thousnad's died. Everyone of the signers of the Declaration of Independence lost everything that they had. And some even lost their lives for the sake of freedom and liberty. Yet, these are the things they had to overcome: very little financing, enemies from within and without, weapons that were made to hunt with but not to fight with, ice, snow, storms, floods all sought to sap the strength of these. But they overcame.

Great as our American history is and as replete as it is with an encore of such similar men and women, it is nothing to be compared to what God is doing within a small group of people – the overcomers, the sons of God. God has called a few in this hour and is just about finished preparing them for their near future work. Unlike the founding fathers, it is a spiritual work rather than a natural one. The overcomers have learned the tools of spiritual warfare and have the ability to speak a heavenly language.

The phrase "to him that overcometh" is very clear in the Greek. It is in the active voice in contrast to the passive voice. What that means, and may you English majors allow me some grace here, is that it is participatory. The person is involved with the activity, rather than permitting something to be done ‘to the person.’ Overcoming is an action verb. It implies that one has succeeded and is succeeding and will succeed in the endeavor. Now, the mood is a participle here in the Greek. What that means is that the verb, overcome, has as it were, an i-n-g on it. Overcome is a verb that shows a present tense action. Since we all live in the present, it implies overcoming – now. The only place to be an overcomer is in the situation of that very moment. Our moment in time, whatever the number of years, is the opportunity to overcome the fallen Adamic nature, that sin nature. It is accomplished by developing the life of Christ within, not by beating the already dead Adamic nature.

There are eight levels of overcoming in the book of Revelation. But within each step of the Pilgrim’s path of overcoming there is also a depth of understanding and a plethora of symbols and analogies. One can read these levels and find a superficial reading of truth or one can dig deeper and find the strength of personal identification with the Savior. You can have union with the Lord Jesus in thought, deed and action.

The Brazen Altar, the Passover and the Tree of Life

To start with, we might state that each vessel in the Tabernacle from the Brazen Altar to the Altar of Incense was anointed (Exodus 30:26-29) with oil. This speaks not of just salvation but also of the Holy Spirit’s activity in all the realms of God. There is a holistic unity of the Tabernacle, for one can see the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit active in each vessel’s type and shadow (Romans 15:4, 1 Corinthians 10:11).

The Brazen Altar is an Old Testament type and shadow (Romans 15:4, 1 Corinthians 10:13) to each of us of the cross that Jesus was crucified on. The altar was made of brass (today we would call it copper) and brass speaks of judgment in Scripture, as noted in Isaiah 60:17. For wood I bring brass, and for brass I will bring gold. Note also in the same verse the analogy of stones for iron and iron for silver. Both iron/brass speak of judgment. Silver speaks of redemption and gold, of course, divinity. It is at the brazen altar where the lamb that was slain is offered up. It has been said that the brazen altar is large enough in size to fit all the pieces (laver, showbread table, candlestick, altar of incense, ark of the covenant and mercy seat) of the Tabernacle in it! Praise God! Everything is found in the cross – even the complete work of God! Did you know that when they celebrated the Passover 3 days journey out of Egypt, they were at Succoth, which is translated in the English to be – Tabernacles? Yes, Passover (brazen altar) reveals all the work of God and the summation of all things in Him.

The altar was made of shittim wood. In the present it is called acacia wood. I saw this wood in Kenya and it is very hard (much like our life before Christ comes in). Wood in Scripture speaks of humanity, its frailty and of course its ability to decay, that is, to participate in death due to the sins of Adam which passed on to all (Romans 5:14,17). The wood is overlaid with the brass (in KJV, actually copper). Jesus died for us, our sins. He was the propitiation (1 John 2:2) for our sins. He was judged for us and we are cleansed by His blood offered on the Mercy Seat. Thus, the brass, covers us, protects us, and we are seen by the Father through the protection, the covering of His Son (Romans 4:7). Love covers a multitude of sins, John states.

Do you remember the brazen serpent that was lifted up in the wilderness? It covered the sins of the people and saved them from death. Again brass is used as a symbol of judgment, judging their sin, and at the same time revealing the salvation from their sin. Who was lifted up in the wilderness (John 12:32-35, John 3:14)?

There was no top or bottom on the altar of incense in that it was open to allow the ashes of the sacrifice to fall through and the fire on the grate on the top to have a complete work. For the cross is a complete work. The sacrifice was tied to one of the four wooden horns overlaid with brass. Everyone will be brought to the altar for the judgment of their sins. We are eternally tied to the sacrifice. For the sins of the one are sent off into the wilderness via a lamb (probably a less than year old goat which is pure and undefiled, especially since some places goat is used rather than lamb) and the other lamb is sacrificed. But the key is that the altar is opened ended. Praise God! He is offered up to remit our sins of the past, and the sacrifice covers the future too, as the open bottom indicates. His love, Scripture states, has no boundaries, and nothing can separate us from His love (Ephesians 3:18, Romans 8:35).

These firepans were used to carry the hot coals of the pleasing acceptable sacrifice offered to God into the Holy Place. There the coals were used to light the candlestick (menorah) and the incense in the censer found at the altar of incense. What does this speak to us? The fire (light) of God is the starting point of God’s work (our God is a consuming fire) and every step of our walk with God because our God is a consuming fire. In all the vessels of the Tabernacle which have light are our trials and tribulations (fires, if you will) to bring us unto the glory of God, the eighth step. The Brazen Altar lights the way from the outer court (salvation, Passover) into the Holy Place (Baptism of the Spirit and gifts, Pentecost) and into the Holy of Holies (union with God, Tabernacles). Every step of our walk with God is revealed in Passover. Let us never leave nor forsake the depth of meaning found in Passover!

Remember that to eat of the Tree of Life in the first level of overcoming, one must hate the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, even as God hates it (Revelation 2:6). This damnable heresy is the principle that the ministry – what we would call today ministers in the churches – should be over the people. God never wants the ministry to be over the people but to serve the people as after the order of Melchizedek. Any ministry that seeks to rule over one or control one is not of God. If any ministry says that their way is the only way, they are of the Nicolaitans. Any ministry that hinders the development of the priesthood of the believers (1 Peter 2:9) is of the Nicolaitans. Any system that teaches one cannot go to God directly but must be absolved of sin through the sacraments (wine and bread) or through the priest/minister confessional listening is of the Nicolaitans. You have an advocate, Jesus Christ, and you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.

Exodus 12 perhaps has the best explanation of what occurred at the feast of Passover. The Passover is considered the first month of the Hebrew calendar. Just as a birth of a child is commemorated, so too the spiritual birth of the nation of Israel. Yet, it means even more so for us when we are born again of an incorruptible seed. The Lamb taken was unblemished -–without spot or wrinkle. A true sacrifice for us, Jesus Christ, was born from above without any taint of the fallen nature from Joseph or Mary. That is why He is our Passover and deliverer. The blood was spread on the doorposts and lintel of the house. Thus, the sacrifice protected the Hebrews from the death of the firstborn which was about to occur in Egypt. Everyone within the house was saved by the sacrifice – not the blood. The Hebrew firstborn was saved. So, we are saved by Jesus in a similar manner. He was slain and was the sacrifice that enters and protects our house (the body we live in).

Now the crux of the matter is what comes next. The Hebrew people had to eat ALL of the Lamb, ie. kidneys, liver, as well as the mutton. I remember as a child having to eat liver (as a grown – up never!). Somehow I always got the piece with the rubbery bile duct. I would chew and chew and it just never could be masticated. Mother would holler at me to swallow it. Hated liver! But we must eat all of the Lamb of God. The Hebrews ate it with bitter herbs it states, and they ate the entrails too (12:9). We must, if we are to be overcomers and in the nature of the Lord, eat ALL of Christ, even that which tastes bitter to us. It is a requirement so that we reveal the full nature of Him. Eating liver does something for you…makes you a better person.

Eating of the Tree of Life is power(ful). For when you finally come to the realization that you are alive unto Him and dead to trespasses and sin (Romans 6:2, 22 Ephesians 2:1 Colossians 2:12), the knowledge of this reality, the life of this reality, empowers you to seize the day and manifest who you are. Adam was removed from the Paradise of God (Eden) because Adam didn’t not identify himself with the Lord but with his own soul (Eve) who came out of him. Identifying with the desires of the flesh, Adam forsook the relationship he had with the Father. When one has been freed from the false church doctrine that keeps one a prisoner to who he was before he came to know Christ, one begins to flower into the pleasing fragrance and aroma of Christ, who He is in this world. He walks forth from the old nature, leaving the husk and the swagger of self-confidence, revealing the broken contrite nature Christ since your life is hid in Him.

Let us take Tree of Life as a matter of supply. For He supplies all our needs in the Tree of Life. The tree of KGE consumes unto itself, but the Tree of Life in the Paradise of God (you) produces its own food (Revelation 22:1-3). In typical church teaching we were taught that supply was outside of us. We had nothing and God would have to enter and supply. How often have you and I cried out for God to supply and been found wanting? Then others in the power of the soul, some would say Satanic power, have made others bring things to them. Such is another false sense of supply. Jesus manifested infinite supply within Himself for Himself and others. He was able to create a fish with a coin for taxes, supply food for five thousand twice, etc. It is when we know the Tree of Life within, the Kingdom of God, Christ Jesus, who is all these, that we find the supply which we are. We find supply when we ask "what can I give of myself" for out of the abundance of the heart comes life. We could give out of ourselves from natural things – food, clothing, etc. or we can give from the supply of what we are – forgiveness, life, etc. For our supply is He who reigns within. To really enjoy the Tree of Life, give up all desire for anything and begin giving from Him who you are identified with. True identity is Christ coming forth as the fruit of your being. It is only as we become supply for others that we reap the supply of life that comes from the tree in us. Have you not given and felt good – even better than eating your favorite meal?

The Tree of Life reaches the world. A few years go Kevin Costner starred in a movie entitled Field of Dreams. In it he had a desire to build a ball field in the middle of an Iowa cornfield. He believed if he did that the spirits of famous ballplayers would come and play. If he built it they would come. Evangelism is like that. In order to save the world it is not required that we go to them, but rather that we reveal what they want. For if we are what they want, they will beat a path to our door. Cause Christ to be seen in you and the brethren and we will see the salvation of the world. How? By helping each other to grow in the knowledge of who they are in Him.

The Tree of Life is Grace. As Joel Goldsmith has stated: "The goal of the mystical life is for us to become beholders of God in action, where we ascribe nothing to ourselves – not even good motives (KGE). We no longer have desires. We no longer have needs because every need seems to be met before we are even aware of a need. This is called living by grace." Grace is Christ Jesus, it is not a thing, but the person of our Lord within. It is only when you are aware who you are that the life of God begins to manifest and show. We are not in the fallen nature, but growing in the fullness of the Passover experience, far above the initial understanding.

Now, Revelation 2:7 states that the Tree of Life is in the Paradise of God. It is found in the middle of Paradise. As Paul has written – Paradise may be in the body or out (2 Corinthians 12:4). It is a realm, a place of habitation. Adam knew it but left that place when he listened to his soul (Eve), who declared the desire of the flesh was good for the eyes, food and wisdom. But Paradise is bread of the Spirit, Christ Who is the wisdom of God, and the eyes of the Spirit.

Revelation 22:2 states that in the middle of the street of the New Jerusalem is the Tree of Life. Now we know that if this were a literal city and as described was 12,000 furlongs (1,500 miles) by 12,000 furlongs (Revelation 21:16) it could not have one street as stated in 21:21 and 22:3. It is not literal. Revelation 3:12 states that the overcomer receives the name – the New Jerusalem. So, in the middle of the person is a street, the way, the highway of the Lord upon which no man can stumble (Isaiah 35:8, see our message on the Highway of the Lord). And in the middle of the street was a river coming forth (see also Ezekiel 47:1-9) and on either side of the river was the Tree of Life. What is this trying to tell us? The Tree of Life, Christ Himself, and we as found in Him, straddle all time – past, present and future. Just as the cross of Passover forgave sin up to Jesus' crucifixion, and at the time of His crucifixion and throughout the time that followed His death, so the Tree of Life ties all time together in the Life of Christ. For He came that none should perish and that if He be lifted up all men would be drawn unto Him – past, present and future.

The Tree of Life had fruit, twelve manner of fruit. It does not mean that it had twelve different kinds of fruit say like apples, pears, peaches etc. What it means is that this tree produced twelve crops of fruit during the year! The natural tree produces one crop. So if this tree was in a literal city of New Jerusalem it would not be a normal tree! No, my friends, Revelation is an allegorical and symbolic book and it is not literal as some would suggest. Hal Lindsey has it all wrong! This Tree of Life is a corporate expression of the body of Christ which we are. He has placed His headship on those who overcome and they have been beheaded of their Adamic nature recognizing that their life is hid in God. Then the fruit of the overcomer becomes evident, completely fruitful all the time, in season and out of season because the overcomer is in Christ.