21/06/13

The Bridal Dress of the Church of God

Exodus 39: 19 - And they made two rings of gold, and put them on the two ends of the breastplate, upon the border of it, which was on the side of the ephod inward.


When I first read the books of Moses it was very difficult and I could only graze the surface of its understanding but later as I studied the letters of Paul and other books of the NT I started getting a better understanding of the book of Moses and then it was just unbelievable as to what the Lord revealed through Moses.

For example the priestly garments as in today's message, on the breast plate were the 12 stones which represented the 12 tribes of Israel and in the book of Revelation Heaven is made of the same 12 stones (in some places the stones are called by its other name). I found that very intruding and when I studied a little of gemmology and realized Paul wrote of these 12 stones in his letters and they symbolized the 12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit (9 in Galatians 5:22-23 and 3 in Ephesians 5:9). The Kingdom of God is a Spirit world made of things more precious than earthly gems or gold or pearls.

Even the design of the dress gives insight of the Callings and how each Calling inter-coordinates with each other. These Callings are connected to the 7 Spirit of the Holy Spirit and its order is given in Isaiah 11:2.

In today's message we read of the gold rings that hold the breastplate to the ephod. The ephod is the priest garment and the breastplate the callings.

After the Spirit of God was given to the Church at Pentecost and the Truth revealed (started to be revealed) through Jesus Christ the Church started functioning in the Callings and that is why we see the glory of God was in the Church. The book of Acts and letters show the interactions between the people of various Callings. But sadly we see near the end of the period of the Apostle (disciples of Jesus Christ) the Church was infected with heretic teachings and practices fused with Jewish traditions known as Nicolaitan teachings and this Nicolatian's hierarchy is what the Church started following (John called it the spirit of the Anti-Christ).

After 300AD we hardly read about Callings and even in the Believer Churches we see the practice of the Nicolatians is still followed even though Callings have started to show up. People with Callings are now working under the so called priests / Pastors. It is like the ephod being worn on top of the breastplate, the breastplate not holding the ephod but the ephod holding the breastplate, thinking in the point of view of man and not God. Do we think the Groom would like to see His bride dressed like that?

The Lord is telling the leaders of the Church to get the dress of the bride right, according to the design He has given. Note the Groom will not come till the bride is not in the attire that He has asked of her and those who are not in the attire as we read yesterday will be thrown in the pit of untold suffering.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, when You gave instructions to Moses to make the Tabernacle and its things, they did not know they were the shadow of greater things which You revealed through your Son. Lord You paid the price so that we receive your Spirit and have the ability to understand your Word like Jesus did and by it overcome like He did. Lord we pray for your bride, that she be dressed in the attire You has designed for her. That there be a renewed thinking and this thinking be not according to traditions but according to your Word...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference ]
Acts 17:10-12
10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
12 Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few.

Exodus 28:17-21
17 And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, even four rows of stones: the first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this shall be the first row.
18 And the second row shall be an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.
19 And the third row a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst.
20 And the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper: they shall be set in gold in their inclosings.
21 And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet; every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes.

Revelation 21:19-20
19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;
20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.

Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Ephesians 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)

1 Corinthians 12:27-28
27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

Isaiah 11: 2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;

2 Timothy 4:5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

1 Timothy 3:1-13
1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
8 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
11 Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

1 John 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)