Sermon by Bill Goff
June 8, 2013
Scriptures from the KJV
Around 50 days ago or so, I started kind of a series of messages pertaining to the Spring Holy Days., trying to put the Spring Holy Days into some perspective.
We noted back then, how the Spring Holy Days begin with the Passover, but don’t end until the day of Pentecost.
As we know, the Spring Holy Days pertains to God’s church, His firstfruits.
Firstfruits are planted first, they grow first, and they are harvested first.
That harvest of first fruits (represented by the Wheat Harvest) began during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, on the day after a “sheaf” of Barley (known as the wave sheaf) was waved as an offering by the Priest. Then that wheat harvest continued for seven weeks.
During that seven week wheat harvest, the children of Israel were instructed to “count fifty days” and on the “last Day” of that count, there was another offering to be made by the Priest, an offering of two “wave loaves.”
Unlike the “wave sheaf” offering, the “wave loaves” were offered after they were baked, and, kind of puzzling to some, they were baked with “leaven.”
If you had been there on that day, you would have seen the priest raising those loaves up high over his head as he waved them, signifying something that was going to be fulfilled up in heaven, and not down here on this earth.
Today, I want to conclude my short series on the spring holy days by addressing that ‘Last Day” of the count, which, by the way, we are rapidly approaching.
And I want to address why these “loaves” were not only “baked”, but why were they baked with “leaven?”
(Now I hope I’m not going to be to redundant here today, but I feel the repeating of some of the key points from those previous messages, will help drive the point home, that I will be trying to make in my concluding message today, concerning the spring Holy Days.)
(The 1st message was titled: “Touch Me Not.”)
We spoke about the “Wave Sheaf Offering” in that message, trying to elaborate some on the ingredients that the wave sheaf offering was composed of. We spoke about how the sheaf (which was a bundle of Barley) was first reaped by cutting down some particular Barley that had previously been marked off.
And then those Barley stalks began to be put through a lengthily & thorough process of grinding & sifting, as those grains were being prepared for the offering.
We noted in that message, that not all the Barley that began the process, reached the state of completion. Although one ephah, or ten omers of barley was originally cut down and began the process of purification, only ONE omer actually reached completion, and was offered as the wave sheaf offering.
We also noted that the one omer that reached the state of completion, and was offered, or waved, actually consisted of literally multiple thousands of grains.
Yes, that one omer that was waved consisted of many individual grains of barley (not one grain, but literally thousands of grains) that had reached a state of “completion” or “perfection” by the end of the purification process.
Now the common teaching & belief in the church, has been that the “wave sheaf” represented Christ. At first, that teaching seemed to fit, with Christ’s supposedly telling Mary Madeline early that morning after His resurrection, not to touch Him.
(and that seem to fit, because we assumed that before He could be touched) He had to ascend up to the Fathers Throne in Heaven to have His tremendous sacrifice of crucifixion and death on the stake, accepted by the Father.
But that common belief & teaching was questioned in that message, because a careful study of Scriptures shows that Mary Madeline (and others) were touching Christ. Fact is, some were literally clinging to Him that morning when He appeared to them.
The Scriptures are also lacking in describing any such ascension up to the Father’s throne in Heaven at that time to have His sacrifice accepted by the Father.
There is no evidence in the entire Bible (or New Testament especially) that says Christ ascended to heaven twice after His resurrection.
The Scriptures reveal that He ascended “Once” to heaven, and that He was “taken up” into the clouds (according to Acts 1:9)
After He had (According to Acts 1:1-3): “Shown Himself alive after His crucifixion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them (the disciples) 40 days, and speaking of things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.”
Even the Apostle Paul, in (1 Corinthians 15:3-7) where he himself elaborates on the events of that day, makes absolutely no mention of Christ ascending up to heaven to the Father, to have His sacrifice accepted.
Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins was accepted the instant He died on the tree, not 3 days later, after some ceremony in heaven. The proof of that was confirmed by the many signs that immediately followed His crucifixion & death.
The Great earthquake that took place at the instant of His death.
The tearing open the Massive Vale in the Temple from top to bottom.
The massive doors of the Holy of Holies swinging open.
The Bodies of the saints rising up out of their graves. Such awesome events indicate that Christ’s tremendous sacrifice for our sins was accepted immediately upon His death
Now being the wave sheaf (or Omer) consisted of literally thousands of Grains, it seems logical that it represented something that also consists of thousands, not just one thing, or one person.
We then noted in that message, what a grain symbolizes according to the Scriptures, we read in Amos 9:9, where it says: “For low, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among the Nations, like a corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth”.
The “grain” represents Israel! That “Omer” waved as the “wave sheaf offering” logically represents the firstfruits of Israel.
(The Israel of God, that is, which according to Galatians 6:16 – is the church.) (The firstfruits)
There were literally thousands of grains in that wave sheaf offering, and there are literally thousands of firstfruits that it represents.
Couldn’t the “wave sheaf” which was waved in the “raw” (if you will) without being baked, and without any leavening in it at that time, represent the ones that The Father was placing into the “hands” of Christ, the called out ones, that were to be shaped & molded into the very character of God the Father Himself?
Christ made a statement in John chapter 6 that He came down from Heaven not to do His own will, but the will of the Father. And He went on to say that the will of the Father was that of all which the Father hath given Him, that He should loose nothing, but that He should raise it up again, at the last day.
(let’s read that John 6:38-39)
John 6:
38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me.
39 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which He hath given me I should loose nothing, but should raise it up again at the Last day.
(In order to repeat something again, you have to have previously done it.)
(In this particular case, the thing that was raised up was the grain.)
After all, after that wave offering was made, the clock began ticking towards the next offering that would be raised up and waved, on the “last day” the offering of the wave Loaves.
Yes, as the count to Pentecost began, and the Wheat harvest got under way. The wheat went through the same process as the Barley, only this time the process would include a powerful “leavening agent” in its ingredients, and the process would end by being “baked” on the Last Day.
Now leavening agents are quite powerful, when added to the ingredients when making bread, the leavening will literally “change the nature of the dough” and that’s exactly what the Master Potter is in the process of doing with us, His firstfruits.
He is in the process of changing our sinful natures, changing our hearts of stone, into hearts of flesh…
Now the next message pertained to the “count” itself, addressing how that counting connects Passover to Pentecost, and it pertains totally to us, the firstfruits, and our coming out of sin, and learning to walk this earth uprightly.
The seven week count to Pentecost is actually a continuation of the seven day physical feast of UB. (There is simplicity in Christ) The seven day feast of UB starts out where God commands us to focus our attention on some physical things, where we literally remove leavening from our homes.
(Leaven here, represents sin, as it usually but not always does.)
God uses the seven day feast of unleavened bread to instruct us, and teach us (as He often does) by using the physical (which we comprehend quite well) to teach us about the more important spiritual (which we do not comprehend quite as well.)
During those seven days of unleavened Bread, God gives us those physical tasks, physical lessons, to teach us about separating ourselves from sin, and putting Christ in.
(Remember, we not only have to separate ourselves from “physical leaven” during that week, but we are also instructed to eat “unleavened bread” each day, representing putting Christ in.)
At the end of that seven day physical feast of UB, we can then go back to eating “physical leaven.” But we can’t go back to sinning (which that physical leaven represented.)
We now have to have our focus directed on spiritual things, which we now understand better, after those physical lessons that God was teaching us with.
Yes, during this seven week “count” to Pentecost, we have to continue striving to put sin completely out of our lives (just like we did with the physical leaven.) and continue striving to put Christ into our lives (like we were instructed to eat “unleavened bread” each day.)
Remember, God wants us (actually commands us, His firstfruits) to becoming “Perfect” and “Holy” (Just like He is Holy.)
(And let’s note something here that is very important for all of us in God’s church to understand.) God doesn’t instruct us to do something that is impossible for a human to achieve.
Many pulpits (including many pulpits in the church of God today) claim that becoming “perfect” while we are still in the flesh, is impossible.
There is something that is very important for us to understand, it’s a subject that needs to be addressed fully in another message, but lets touch on a couple of important points, concerning whether one can become “Perfect” & “Holy” while still in the flesh.
The correct answer to that question is YES, and we know this for a fact. For one thing, it’s already been accomplished by one in the flesh, our Elder Brother & Chief Corner Stone, Christ Jesus, the one we are to conform to.
The Scriptures are quite clear from Genesis to revelation, that the sole that sinneth, it shall die. Yes, it is true that Christ paid the death penalty for us, but if we return to our old ways (after being enlightened) and go back to following the “wide & broad” path, we will surely perish.
That wide path still leads to the same place, destruction. And if we return to following that path brethren, make no doubt about it, we will perish.
Christ is not going back on that tree again brethren, we need to take that tremendous sacrifice that He made for us, and our High Calling very seriously. We are His firstfruits, and our spiritual lives are currently on the line.
We have been called to be “Saints” Saints are Pure, Saints are Holy, Saints walk Upright. If we are not walking Uprightly, then we are not Saints yet. And if we do not take action, and “Tower Up” and becometh Saints (like we are instructed to do in places like Ephesians 5:3) we will not fulfill our calling.
Many pulpits like to preach smooth things (and they do it because many brethren like to hear smooth things) But smooth things will only hinder our growth brethren, and cause us to fail. We need to separate ourselves from such deception.
Those pulpits that teach & preach that we cannot become Perfect & Holy while still in the flesh are “false teachers” “false prophets” and they possess “deceiving spirits.”
And make no doubt about it brethren, those men who possess those “deceiving spirits” are already running rampant in the church of God today, as we approach the end of this evil age, and its only going to get worse.
(1 John 4:1 please) (They possess a spirit of “error” and those who do not take the time to discern who they are (and separate themselves from them) but instead continue to follow them, will only reach destruction.
1 John 4:
1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God.
3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ has not come in the flesh, is not of God, and this is the spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that should come, and even now is already in the world.
(And we know from Apostle Peter, that many of those false prophets (false spirits) are also in the church of God today, and have brought in “damnable” heresies.
(2 Peter 2:1 please)
(This is very serious because “damnable” heresies, are teaching that lead to “destruction.”)
2 Peter 2:
1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be (even as there are in our case) false teachers among you, who privately shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that brought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
Peter goes on to tell us that many in God’s church today, are not “trying” the spirits (not discerning) whether they (speaking of “ministers”) are of God, but instead just continue to follow the many false prophets, the many false teachers, and their “pernicious” ways.
2 Peter 2:
2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
“Pernicious ways” has to do with “destruction” “ruin” “loss” it has to do with “exclusion from salvation.”
(We often hear brethren, as they comment about various issues, say, well that has nothing to do with salvation.)
Please let us note here, that this particular issue does have to do with salvation. (And it pertains to false teachers – false “ministers” within the church of God.
Those who have been given eyes to see and ears to hear need to use them, because blindly following the blind (as many in God’s church seem to be doing) still leads to the pit, and the pit is not the firstfruits destination.
(Brethren, make no doubt about it, we are in a battle down here in our fleshly bodies, a battle that concerns our spiritual lives. we have very High calling, and we also have many enemies in high places, that would love to see us fail at our calling.)
If our hand is not “stead fast” to the plow, if we have lost sight of our “High calling” and are not looking for the City who maker is God, but have become content living in this present evil world of Satan’s, then we are treading on the most dangerous ground on all of planet earth.
We need to wake up brethren, and repent, because the Kingdom of God is at Hand! (The signs are here.)
(Did you happen to see the Capital City of Syria this week in the news?
Day by day now, Damascus is being turned into that “ruinous heap” that the Scriptures have long time prophesied to happen.
(That very significant prophesy, is being fulfilled before our very eyes.)
The significance of Damascus Syria is that it is the oldest inhabited City in the world, and its destruction symbolizes what is going to happen to the entire system that man has built down here on planet earth (under the influence of the arch deceiver himself, the one who was a lire from the very beginning, Satan.)
(If there was ever a time for us, the members of the Body of Christ, the members of the church of God, to have everything that pertains to our calling, on the front burner of our minds brethren, it is now.)
(And if we don’t have our High calling on the front burner, we better get it there, because the day when no man can work, is also rapidly approaching.)
(Many in God’s church today, don’t seem to realize just how fast Christ is going to come to meet His church in the air.)
(Funny thing, I had already started preparing this message before Tom gave his message last week, and the Scriptures that I had planed to start with, were the same ones that Tom used to conclude last week, Rev 22 where Christ says that He is coming Quickly.)
Many don’t seem to realize that our opportunity to be prepared and be ready to meet Christ in the air is running out.
Many seem to be of the mind of the Pharisees & Sadducees, who were Quite good at discerning the signs of the sky, they could forecast the Weather by observing its color & height, but they had no clue,
Concerning the signs of the times in which they were living. Do We?
Do we discern the signs of the times in which we are living? Or have we heard the words: “End Time” & “Last Days” a bit too
Often,,,, to take them seriously anymore?
(Today, the Word of God is evil spoken of (even in God’s church) and those few who stand up for truth, and oppose those false prophets, false ministers, are marked & driven out.)
(But there not driven out of the true church of course, because they are the true church.)
(As I mentioned, the “trying” or “discerning” of who exactly these false teachers & preachers are, is a subject for another message.)
(But for today, let us always remember that by their fruits you shall know them. Fruits never lie.)
Those with the spirit of antichrist do not believe that Christ was flesh as we are flesh. They don’t comprehend how human He really was, when He emptied Himself, and took on the form of man.
They think He was uniquely super human, because He could do things like walk on water, heal the sick, and raise the dead.
They don’t comprehend what He meant when He said that “of and by Himself, He could do nothing.”
(Just like he tells us that “of and by ourselves, we can do nothing.”)
(Matthew 9:2 please)
(yes, Christ was a bit “super human” but not any more “super human” than any other flesh & blood human can be, if there tapped into the same power source that Christ was.)
(Matthew 9:2-8 please – key verse 8.)
1 And He entered into a ship, and passed over, and came unto His own City.
2 And behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsey, lying on a bed, and Jesus seeing their faith, said unto the sick of the palsey, son, be of good cheer, thy sins be forgiven thee.
3 And behold certain of the Scribes said within themselves, this man blasphemeth.
4 and Jesus knowing their thoughts said, wherefor think ye evil in your hearts?
5 For whether is easier, to say your sins be forgiven thee, or arise and walk?
6 But that you may know that the son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then he said to the sick of the palsey, Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thy house.
7 And he arose and departed to his house.
(Now verse 8, the verse I’m trying to make a point with.)
8 But when the multitude saw it, they marveled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men.
Do we marvel at that brethren, that God the Father had given such power to mere men? And do we realize that He wants to give some of that power to mere men again?
Of and by Himself, Jesus who was a mere man, just like you and me, could do nothing. The mighty power that he possessed came from His Father in Heaven.
When He says be ye “perfect” & “Holy” that’s exactly what He is requiring of us. That’s exactly what He requires of those who are going to be Crowned His Priests to teach, and His Kings to rule.
But without that power, and the use thereof, we will never achieve that Crown. Because becoming Perfect & Holy is a feat that (by ourselves) is humanly impossible to achieve.
By ourselves, those false prophets would be correct, that we cannot become perfect & Holy while in the flesh. (No one can)
But brethren, what they don’t seem to comprehend is that we are not by our selves, we have been given His Powerful Holy spirit at baptism & hands.
The question is, are we using it, or are we loosing it? We need to be using it, because with God in us, everything is possible.
(Matthew 13:33 please.)
One starts the count to Pentecost quite “raw” just like the “Wave Sheaf” (still in need of being filled with that powerful leavening agent. Still in need of having our natures change, and our hearts of stone, turned into hearts of flesh.
(Matthew 13:33 please)
Those false teachers, that are teaching those damnable heresies, like to tell us that the leaven in the “wave loaves” represents sin, because the church of God is filled with brethren, who are filled with sin (That’s pretty much their reasoning.)
Brethren, nothing could be further from the truth. The Kingdom of God has no sin. (Sinners will not be there) Sinners will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
(The leaven in the wave loaves does not represent sin.)
Matthew 13:
33 The Kingdom of God is like untoleaven (You cannot say that the Kingdom of God is like unto sin) (Leaven in the Bible does not always represent sin)
(The Bible also speaks of a good leaven, and that good leaven is spoken of right here in this parable.)
The Kingdom of God is like unto leaven (God’s Holy Spirit) which a woman (the church) took (same Greek word used in Acts 2:38 where Peter said to those who were pricked in their hearts for crucifying Christ, when they asked, what shall we do? Peter told them: Repent – be baptized – and you shall “receive” same Greek word translated “took” in Matthew 13:33 the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto leaven (God’s Spirit) which a woman (the church) took (received at baptism) and hid (this word means incorporate) in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
Brethren, this parable is important, because it tells us that once we receive the Holy Spirit of God (which we did at baptism & hands) we have to use it.
We have to incorporate it into our lives, and be filled with it (and not only into our own personal lives, but we have to let it flow amongst us, so the entire church of God will become filled with His Spirit and united, and in accord with one another.
Remember, the Spirit of God is alive, and it has to be kept flowing. It flows out from the Father Himself, into us, and back out to others. It’s not something to be bottled up, or locked down (or Quenched, which is so always the case in those hierarchical groups.)
The wave loaves contained leaven which represented (God’s Holy Spirit) the only thing powerful enough to change our natures, and developed in us the Fathers Holy Righteous Character.
And, as we know from making physical bread, that once the dough’s nature has been changed by the leavening agent, and the loaves are baked, the nature of the dough is permanent, and cannot be changed back.
Same with us, God’s first fruits, one our natures are changed and then baked, our natures cannot be change back into sinful ones. We will be as God is, incapable of sinning.
(I want to conclude now, in book of John chapter 6.)
As we literally approach the “Last Day” let us keep these verses in mind.
John 6:
37 “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and he that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
38 For I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent me.
39 Andthis is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which He hath given me I should loose nothing, but should raise it up again, at the last day.
40 And this is the will of Him that 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.
(Dropping down to verse 44)
44 No man can come to me, except the Father draw him, and I will raise him up at the Last day.
(And concluding in verse 54)
54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise Him up at the Last day.
That Last Day Brethren is rapidly approaching. My prayer is that His church, His little flock (where ever they may be) become filled with His Holy Spirit, converted, upright, perfect, and Holy, ready to meet Him in the air at the Last Day.