Sermon by William P Goff
6/16/2021
The Feast of Pentecost is the “Last Day” of the count to Fifty, and it is a very important day for the Church of God. Pentecost, Day Fifty is our day; it’s the day that our Lord says He will “Raise Us Up”.
The day of Pentecost is referred to in the Scriptures as: “The Feast of Weeks” and “The Feast of First Fruits.” But Scripture also refers to the Feast of Pentecost as “The Last Day.”
It is rarely referred to any more as “The Last Day.” But in earlier times, including pre N.T. Church times, God’s people were well acquainted with this term. Let’s take a look at that in the Book of John, where the term “Last Day” was referred to in a discussion between Martha and our lord after Lazarus had died.
Lazarus had been in the tomb four days when our Lord arrived in Bethany. Martha went out to meet Him, and she said “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” Jesus replied “your brother shall rise again.”
Now notice Martha’s reply to Him: (John 11:24.) “I know he shall rise again in the resurrection at the “Last Day.” Now Martha is not talking about “The Last Great Day” here. The “last day” spoken of here, is the last day of our count to Pentecost, day 50, the Day all of God’s “First Fruits” will be resurrected, or raised up.
(We will see this better as we move on.)
Now the timing of this “Resurrection” is quite clear in the Scriptures. We need only to look at the “waving” of the “wave loaves.” God Always gives us the physical (which we humans understand quite well) so we can better understand the spiritual (which we humans do not understand all that well.)
The wave loaves (which represent the church) were “baked” and “waved” on day 50, the day of Pentecost. Now that “baking” represents a finished product, just like when baking bread.
When making bread, the baker adds all the ingredients (including leavening in the recipe of the wave loaves) then the baker begins to knead the dough, and the dough begins to rise due to the leavening agent. What the leavening agent is actually doing, is “it’s changing the nature of the dough” it’s called fermentation.
As the dough continues to be worked; it rises up, and it’s beaten back down. This process is repeated until the baker gets the dough just the way he wants it, then He bakes it. Once the dough is baked, it’s a finished product; its nature is permanent, and cannot be changed.
This is what the Master Potter is doing with His church, He works with us as we go through various trials and tribulations, He continues to form us and shape us. Then once He gets us just the way He wants us, He bakes us, turns us into Spirit beings at the resurrection. And once changed in Spirit (or baked) we are a finished product that cannot be changed back.
And don’t let anyone tell you that the leavening agent in those loaves is “sin” because that is a totally false teaching that is still being taught from many pulpits in the cog today. The leavening agent used in the wave loaves represents God’s Powerful Holy Spirit. God’s Spirit is the only thing powerful enough to change our sinful nature.
Leaven doesn’t always represent sin in the Bible. There is a good leaven;
it is spoken of in Matthew 13:33.
The link is: https://khofh.com/Documents/TheGoodLeaven.pdf
Now if you had been there on the day of Pentecost in times past, you would have seen the Priest wave those baked loaves high over his head. Why? Because the waving of those baked wave loaves represented something that is going to happen or transpire up in heaven, not down here on this earth. And take note here: It’s going to transpire soon, (Much sooner than Most realize.)
The waving of the wave loaves represents the church being changed from flesh and blood human beings, into “Spirit Beings” (Better put, changed into “God Beings”) Yes, “God Beings” those who are changed will no longer be flesh and blood “human beings” (Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.)
And they will not (or never) be changed into “Angelic Beings” (David made that clear in Psalm 8:5.)
So what kind of being will His resurrected Saints be? (Well the proof is always in the pudding) He tells us in Genesis that seeds can only reproduce after their own kind. Tomato will not produce Potatoes, and God seed (which His church received at baptism and hands) can only produce one kind of Being. Yes, a “God Being” (Or better put, another Member of the “Family of God”.)
On a sobering note, let us digress for a moment, let us remember that our Creator hasn’t placed His seed in everyone, the tares were planted by the enemy, and they do not have the Spirit of God dwelling within them. And many don’t seem to realize, but those tares are not only right here amongst us, but in many cases (and too many places) they are right there in front, leading from the pulpit.
Brethren, the biggest obstacle to our success of becoming Saints (and remember we are not necessary “Saints” at baptism & Hands.) One has to “Tower Up” like Paul says in (Romans 16:2) and (Ephesians 5:3.) To “becometh” a Saint, one has to walk upright. Saints are Pure, Holy, Blameless, Saints walk in Truth. But our biggest obstacle to walking in Truth is “man.” Men are good at leading us astray, and they are also very good at quenching the Spirit of God that is within us.
How long are we going to ignore the repeated warnings by our Lord, Peter, Paul, John, and Jude concerning the danger we face with men, how they lead many astray with their deception of false beliefs, and false doctrines, before we take action?
If there was ever a time for us (The COG) to “Wake Up” And put our High Calling on the front burner of our lives, it is now. Why? Because the final “wake up call” The “Midnight Cry” of Matthew 25 (announcing that our Lord is headed back) and the “Lions Roar” of Revelation 10, announcing the same thing, are at the door.
The “Midnight Cry” of Matthew 25 comes out of the “Lions Roar” of Revelation 10. (They are the same event.)
And we might not know what the seven Thunders are, But we do know when they will utter their voices. As soon as the “Cry” is made, they will sound. That time is rapidly approaching Brethren. This is no time for sleeping.
Brethren, if any of us are looking to, or following any man, prepare for the upcoming fall in the ditch, because that’s where the blind leaders and their blind followers are destined. Men cannot lead us into all Truth. Guiding us into all Truth is the Spirit’s job, not mans. (John 16:13.)
(Back to our message 🙂 The timing of this resurrection” represented by the wave loaves, can be verified by looking at the account of the “two witnesses” who will be killed after they finish their testimony. (Remember they are going to be resurrected.)
After their testimony to the world is completed, They will be killed by the “beast” and their dead bodies will lie in the street in Jerusalem. But after 3 ½ days (as we know) they will stand up, and they will ascend up into heaven, where they will be meeting Christ in the clouds, and standing, yes standing, on the “Sea of Glass”.
And they will not be standing their alone! This is the “First Resurrection” All God’s Saints will be resurrected at this time, and will ascend up into the clouds to meet Christ in the air. Yes, all of God’s First Fruits will be resurrected at that time, and will be standing with their fellow Saints, standing before our Lord and Savior Himself, up on the Sea of Glass!
The cog pulpits have correctly taught that our Lord will be returning to this earth on Trumpets. But that is when He will be returning and touching down on the Mount of Olives, with His saints, His called, and chosen, and faithful.
But before His saints can return with Him on Trumpets, they have to get up there to meet Him in the clouds first, and that will happen on Pentecost. As the wedding ceremony is conducted up on that Sea of Glass, and as the Kingdom of God is established.
You see the kingdom that we are all waiting for, has not even been established yet. But soon will be up on the Sea of Glass. It cannot be established until after the First Resurrection. How could it be when many who will be given positions to rule in that coming kingdom are still asleep in the grave?
God’s coming kingdom will be established (or set up) soon, during the reign of the Beast power. That is quite clear in (Daniel 2:44.) “And in the days of these kings (the 10 Kings represented by the 10 toes of King Nebuchadnezzar dream) shall the God of heaven set up (or establish) a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed: and the Kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these Kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.”
Now this would be a good time to understand something that is vitally important to all of us. Whether we will be part of those who will be standing up there on that Sea of Glass or not, hinges on our level of conversion, because one has to qualify to be there.
That’s what the counting to Pentecost is all about, qualifying, becoming Holy and Perfect. That’s why the count starts the day after the High Holy Day, and not after the weekly Sabbath, during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. You can read more about this counting in a message titled “Time To Count” at: TheGoodLeaven
Now (Revelation 15: 1-2) Will not only verify thequalification standard needed to be up there, but will also focus in on the timing of the Resurrection.
Revelation 15:1 “And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.”
So the timing here is at the end of the Great Tribulation, just before God pours out His wrath on the earth, as the angels are preparing the seven last plagues. Yes, just after the two witnesses are killed, and the beast power is still controlling the earth.
Now notice verse 2: “And I saw as it were a Sea of Glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the Sea of Glass, having the harps of God.”
Now our Lord saved us by His precious blood. But that gives us no free pass to the Sea of Glass. One has to qualify to be standing there. That’s quite clear. All standing there had “Gotten The Victory” Strong’s # 3528 = conquer, overcomer.
The same word used by our lord in His letters to all seven churches in the Book of Revelation: “To him that “overcometh” (Strong’s # 3528) will I grant this, and Give That!
Let us note here that just “trying” to overcome doesn’t cut it with or Creator, we have to succeed. He has called us to Perfection (Full Spiritual Growth.) He has instructed us (each and every one of us) to Become Holy, just as our Father in heaven is Holy. And Most Importantly, He has given us the Power to succeed at being Perfect & Holy! Yes, we have the Power of His Holy Spirit to “Overcome” sin.
Don’t believe the majority of the pulpits in the cog today, that continue to falsely preach and teach that “Overcoming was possible for our Lord and Savior, that He could walk this earth without sin, but that it is impossible for us to do so. That belief is the spirit of Antichrist. The spirit of antichrist is that our lord did not come in the flesh, that He was not flesh like we are flesh. Sad to say, that spirit of antichrist is prevalent in the cog today.
That’s why it is so important for us to “Test” the Spirits.
(1 John 4:1-3.)
Many seem to think that we cannot walk this earth as our Lord walked, that we cannot develop His Holy Righteous Character now, while in the flesh. Many think there is a “magic wand” at the end of the day that will instantaneously create God’s “Holy Righteous Characters” in us. Brethren, wake up, there is no “Magic Wand” in the tool shed of the cog, but there is an Axe. Holy Righteous Character takes time to develop, it’s not instantaneous to accomplish. And it has to be, and can be, achieved while we are in the flesh. How? By the Power of His Holy Spirit that dwells within us.
The count to Pentecost is very clear on this issue. One has to be “Complete” “Unblemished” “Spotless” by the end of the seven weeks of the count. That deadline is on day 49 of the count. (Check it out in Leviticus 23:15.) Check out that word “Complete.” It’s talking about us, the church being unblemished, unspotted, just like our Chief Corner Stone, our Lord and Savior, the one we are to conform to.
(1 Kings 6:7) also shows how the “Temple” (the church) is completed before being brought “thither” or over to the other side, where it will be erected. Yes, “Complete” on day 49, before being baked on day Fifty. (Also notice there is no magic wand in the tool shed, but there is an axe.)
There is much more that can be said here. But time is short, and there is much to do. So let’s go to the Book of John and understand something very important that the pulpits of the cog have led many astray on.
(John 6:54) “Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the “Last Day.”
Our Lord has commanded us to eat His flesh and drink His blood more often that once a year at Passover. He tells us to do it “often” (as often as we have opportunity) It’s called the “Feast of Charity” by Jude. And that Feast is also spoken of by Peter.
It’s the “Agape Love Feast” introduced by our Lord Himself, and He instructed us to partake of it to benefit us Spiritually. The Love Feast was attacked by false leaders that crept into the church, as noted in (Jude 1:12.) And then the “Love Feast” was totally done away at The Council of Laodicea when that regional synod (an Ecclesiastical council of approximately thirty clerics from Asia Minor, around 363–364 AD in Laodicea) totally banned the keeping of the “Love Feast”.
Many in God’s church are familiar with Cannon # 29 which states: “CHRISTIANS must not Judaize by resting on the Sabbath, but must work on that day, rather honoring the Lord’s Day; But if any shall be found to be judaizers, let them be anathema (an ath a ma) from Christ = Meaning: excommunicated. Many in God’s church are familiar with that cannon or law, But not many are aware of Cannon # 28, the Cannon that caused the important Agape Love Feast that was introduced by our Lord Himself to end.
The very church tradition that increased the flow of God’s Spirit amongst the brethren, which in turn brought about the working of miracles, signs & wonders, was removed, and forbidden to be practiced in the church.
Here is CANON # 28. (Word for Word) “It is not permitted to hold love feasts, as they are called, in the Lord’s Houses, or Churches, nor to eat and to spread couches in the house of God.” Brethren, that was a sad day for the church of God. It’s no wonder why the cog today is weak, sickly, and lacking Spiritual Power.
Google “Council of Laodicea” read it for yourself. You can also read about the benefits from keeping the Agape Love Feast (The benefits that are lacking in the cog today) at: Feastofcharity
Brethren, IF we want to fulfill our High Calling, If we want to be there, standing on the Sea of Glass with our Lord and Savior, we have to follow His instructions, we have to follow Him and no one else. We have to Hear His Voice, by “proving all things”, and we have to Believe what He says.
And make no mistake about it, He tells us (The ones the Father has placed into His hands) if we do what He says; He will “raise us up” at the last day.
(John 6:40.) “This is the will of Him who sent me, that everyone that seeth the Son, and Believeth on Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the Last day.”
(John 6:44.) “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the Last day.”
That “Last Day” Brethren, the final and fulfilling day of Pentecost, is rapidly approaching. Will we be there, will we be amongst those who will be “Raised Up” and Standing before Him with our fellow Saints up on the Sea of Glass? The choice is ours, but make no mistake about it, sinners will not be there, but those who use His Powerful Spirit and overcome, will be there!