Why Did Jesus Curse The Fig tree? Tree Series Part 6 of 7

Mark 11:12-14 12"Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He {Jesus} was hungry. 13 And seeing from afar a fig tree HAVING LEAVES, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for IT WAS NOT THE SEASON FOR FIGS. 14 In response Jesus said to it, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.” And His disciples heard it."

(Jesus curses the fig tree.)

Mark 11:20-21

"Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.”

Like you, I've heard many messages and much speculation about what this story means and why Jesus would do such a thing to a poor tree.  I mean, it clearly says IT WAS NOT THE SEASON FOR FIGS. But as always, the Author, the Holy Spirit, has a message and an important lesson for us to learn.

Well, God says study so let's learn a little about fig trees.

In scripture it is not a symbol of the curse as you may have heard. In fact, figs, vines and pomegranates are the holy trio of fruits in the temple and in worship in the Old Testament. They are blessings.  They are actually a wonderful fruit and contain more seeds within each fig than any other fruit.  Thus, it's a symbol of fruitfulness as well as an excellent source of nutrition. But it was never the fruit that was a problem. It was the leaf and the tree.

The first time figs are mentioned in the garden of Eden after Adam and Eve fell. Their eyes were opened, they knew they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves together.  Guess you could say the fig leaf was the very first branded clothing line!  Contrary to popular opinion, it probably was a fig, not an apple, that they ate. 

After eating from the forbidden tree, their eyes were opened and they knew they had sinned against God. Fig leaves were their attempt to cover their shame. God Himself, however, made them long-sleeved, neck-to ankle coats of skin called "kettoneth."

(For more on this topic, follow this link:  http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-coat-of-many-colors.html?m=1)

 

Fig leaves are a picture of man trying to save himself by own efforts.  In other words, self-righteousness.  Scripture says that without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins.

Cain tried to do the same thing when he brought produce instead of a blood sacrifice, lIke his brother, Abel. He was saying, in effect, that he did not acknowledge he was a sinner; that the works of his hands, i.e. self-righteousness, would suffice. It did not.  It does not. That is why God rejected his offering.

So, obviously, God killed animals, probably rams, in order to make clothing for Adam and Eve.  In this way He provided a bloody covering for them. Yep; God offered the first blood sacrifice for sins and, of course, God's provision for us is always perfect, unlike our own.

So, that's where it all started:  In the garden.....and man has been sowing fig leaves together for himself ever since.

Getting back to our story, why was Jesus looking for figs on this tree if it was not the season for them?  Kinda makes you feel sorry for the fig.  But the fig tree has a very unusual characteristic. Before the leaves come out, it produces something called the "first ripe figs," which, Biblically speaking, is picture of the tithe. {Yes, tithing came long before the law}.  So, when it has leaves on it, one should expect them to find fruit on it.  Not so this tree.  For some reason, it had none.

What does all this mean?  The fig tree in the Bible always depicts Natural Israel.  (See Matthew 24:32)  Jesus had come to His people looking for, NO--expecting--to find fruit, i.e. a testimony of God's goodness, of HIs blessing, of the fruits that should be there as a result of serving God.

What He found instead were religious, outward appearances but no substance. You know, leaves but no fruit.  "See?!  I've got leaves!"  All they had produced was a lot of righteousness by works, not of faith.  A bluff, if you will.  He found hypocrisy.

By cursing the fig tree, He was not cursing the law but the hypocritical "system" of works without fruit that sprang out of the law.

According to Galatians 3 "the law is not of faith." You are either under law and your faith is suspended......or you are under Grace by faith.  Faith and performance are mutually exclusive; and, if you do not see performance as a cursed thing, you will be unable to flow in faith.
The unfortunate consequence of all this is that God cannot give you the "land" {His rest} which He has promised you and all the blessings that can only be had by grace. 

That's what Paul meant when he said that the son of the slave woman, Hagar, cannot be heir with the son of the free woman, Sarah.  Ishmael cannot inherit along with the Isaac, the son of promise; for "if those of the law become heirs, the promise is made of no effect." Galatians 3:12.

Everything God has for us can only be received by faith in Jesus' finished work. You cannot add to it with your striving, with your good works or your good family name.

They come ONLY by grace: UNearned, UNmerited, UNdeserved favor....and that, Church,  is why Jesus cursed the fig tree.

By His "Stripe" We Are Healed

Isaiah 53:5 "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace (shalom) was upon Him, And by His STRIPES we are healed."

(Isaiah writing writing the Scroll of Isaiah 

under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit)

By His "stripe?" Don't you mean "stripes?"  No, it's not a typo.  What you're seeing here is another of the many instances where the original Hebrew reveals something surprising, actually mind boggling, that you would never see in any definition or translation.

Most of you are, no doubt, familiar with this passage.  Examine the original text, however, and your understanding and appreciation of the price Jesus paid for our sins will rise to a whole new level.  I know because that's how I felt when I first understood.

Isaiah, like all of the Prophets of the Old Testament, were really just Jewish secretaries. They wrote down exactly what they were told by the Holy Spirit. In their writings are beautiful pictures of Jesus in both His first and second comings.  Though they faithfully recorded what He said, none of them fully understood that there would be two separate appearances.  They didn't realize that Messiah would suffer in His first coming and would to reign over the whole world in His 2nd coming, and event we are anxiously awaiting.

What they were expecting was a glorious, conquering King Who would restore the visible kingdom to Israel.  The suffering Messiah, though they wrote about it, didn't fit their narrative. They had no idea that between the "child born" and the "Government shall be upon His shoulder" in Isaiah 9:6, there would be a span of 2,000 years...and counting!

(For a more in depth discussion on this subject follow this link:  http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2014/11/part-7-of-16-rightly-dividing-word-of.html)

The Hebrew word for stripes used here is "chabburah." It is translated in as plural, "STRIPES," because it flows better in English.  But it means "A stripe or A blow"--SINGULAR.  Stripes:  PLURAL, would have been written as "chabburim."  "Im" at the end, which functions like our English "s."  It would be more accurate to quote the verse this way:  "By His 'stripe' we are healed."

Why is that significant?  Because the singular of this word can only be used when there actually is only one wound OR THERE ARE SO MANY THEY ALL TOGETHER APPEAR AS ONE LARGE GAPING WOUND; no flesh left at all!

{Box of tissues, please!}.   

That paints quite a different picture, doesn't it?  But that is the visual the Holy Spirit meant to convey by using this word in the singular.  Jesus' back did not appear to have "marks" of a whip; there was ONE raw wound: muscle and even bones and sinew were visible.

Bear in mind two other things. Our precious Jesus was in the hands of the Romans who, unlike the Jews, had no law that told them "40 lashes minus one." We have NO idea how many times He was struck.  As if that weren't bad enough, after He was scourged, they put His robe back on Him, brought Him in front of the ENTIRE GARRISON and ripped His robe back off again!  

Ever rip off a bandaide that stuck to a scab?  Yeah....OUCH!  Well, Jesus' blood had dried after His unimaginably cruel beating and His clothing was stuck all over His body. When the soldiers ripped them back off.....I don't have to describe what happened.  I'm sure you can imagine what that did to Him.

(Crucifix Thorn)

Then the entire Roman garrison spat on Him, jammed a crown of thorns on His head and drove it deeper and deeper into His head with every blow of their sticks.

{Anorher box of tissues, please!!!}

I can't speak for anyone else but I will NEVER EVER again read or think of this passage again without trembling, awe and utter gratitude for what Jesus went through to redeem me.  It's a price I should have had to pay; but He took my place.  I'm reminded of it every time I partake of communion.  It brings tears to my eyes.  

But.....as horrific as all the above torture was, it was as NOTHING compared to the stripes laid upon Jesus by His own Father.  No doubt, with tear-srained face, our Father had to turn His back on His Beloved Son and unleash all the judgment and fiery wrath for every one of our sins, PAST-PRESENT-FUTURE, that we rightfully deserved.  Oh yes;  I am FOREVER GRATEFUL!

The work of redemption is COMPLETE.  Jesus did a perfect work!  IT IS FINISHED!!!

.....and, yes:  By His Stripe We Are Healed.

Speak To Your Rock

Exodus 17:5-6
"And the LORD said to Moses, “Go on before the people, and take with you some of the "ELDERS OF ISRAEL" Also take in your hand "YOUR ROD" with which you struck the river {the Nile}, and go.
6 Behold, I (Jesus) WILL STAND BEFORE YOU THERE ON THE ROCK in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, {strike Jesus} and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.” And Moses did so "IN THE SIGHT OF THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL."

(Moses strikes the rock.)

During their 38 years of wandering in the wilderness, the Children of Israel had two very different "Rock" encounters.  The first is documented here in Exodus 17.

"38 years?  I thought they wandered for 40 years," you say.  Well technically, yes.  They were IN the wilderness for 40 years but, actually, their wandering was only 38 years.  The first two years were not a judgment against them.  The last 38 were.    

In this account of their wilderness wanderings, details of one of Jesus' miracles in the New Testament are hidden.  For more on that topic, follow the link below:  

http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2016/03/the-pool-of-bethesda.html

In 1 Cor.10 the Apostle Paul calls these rocks "types."  They are pictures of Jesus.  The first of these two encounters reveals Him in His suffering and death.  The other unveils Him as our risen, glorified, triumphant, exalted, Great High Priest!

Just prior to the first incident which occurred during their first year in the wilderness, camp had been set up at Rephidim.  There was no water to drink so was what did they do? What they always did:  Murmured and complained.

(The bitter waters of Marah.)

Incredibly, just three days prior, God had sweetened the waters of Marah for them.  "Marah" means "bitter," in Hebrew.  God had instructed Moses to throw a tree into the waters making them "sweet" and fit to drink.  Trees in the Bible are a typology of the cross and to God, the Cross always the answer!

If you don't remember anything else when seeking to understand scripture, remember this:  GOD IS ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT HIS BELOVED SON.  Everything written from Genesis to Revelation tells us something about Him.  EVERYTHING revolves around Jesus.  So let's go and see Him in these two rock encounters.

We'll pick up the story in verse 5 of Exodus 17.
5 "And the LORD said to Moses, “Go on before the people, and take with you some of the "ELDERS OF ISRAEL" Also take in your hand "YOUR ROD" with which you struck the river {Nile}, and go.
6 Behold, I (Jesus) WILL STAND BEFORE YOU THERE ON THE ROCK in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, {strike Jesus} and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.” And Moses did so "IN THE SIGHT OF THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL."
7 So he called the name of the place Massah {temptation} and Meribah {strife} because of the contention of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, “Is the LORD among us or not?”

"Is the LORD among us or not?"  What a terrible thing to say!  Pretty tough crowd, huh?  How'd you like to pastor a church like that, full of nagging, murmuring, angry, whining people?  They actually came close to stoning Moses!  Count your blessings if your Church isn't like that!

Murmuring notwithstanding, Moses does the right thing.  He consulted the Lord, took the rod that he used on the Nile, (a depiction of God’s judgement), then in front of the elders of Israel he struck the rock and it yielded water for the people.  God, {Jesus}, told Moses that He would be standing "in front of the Rock" when it was struck. Jesus, in this typology, is taking the blow from Moses' rod.

The Holy Spirit is painting a picture of Jesus here taking all of God's judgement, the full weight of it, IN OUR PLACE when He died on the cross.  You see, in order to bless us, God must have a righteous foundation.  Jesus' provided that when He fulfilled the law and nailed that handwriting of requirements to the cross.  

This was all done out of sight of the congregation of Israel in general, notice. The elders were the only witnesses to this first occurrence because they are a picture of the religious leaders who, at Jesus "trial" and crucifixion, consented to His death.  

The Holy Spirit uses the Hebrew word "BASSUR," for this first Rock.  It means "a very large bolder," typifying Jesus when He came down to earth. 

The silence of scripture at this point is very telling.  Now, we know that the people must have had some water to drink.  After all, they were thirsty, but the Holy Spirit does not record them drinking. Why?  Because Israel at Jesus' first coming, for the most part, was unreceptive to Him.  Very few partook or of the free gift of righteousness.  Jesus was rejected as their Messiah through their leadership who were the hands-on architects of His crucifixion.  Truthfully, we are all guilty.  It was all our sins that put Him there.  Many have called the Jewish people "Christ killers."  That is not true. Physically He was put on the cross by Romans.  Oh yeah, we are all responsible for His death.  

Remember what He said to the woman at the well?  "Jesus answered and said to her, 'Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the WATER THAT I SHALL GIVE HIM will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.'"John 4:13-14 

JESUS IS THE WATER THAT BRINGS LIFE.

(The Pharisees hated and resented Jesus.)

The second Rock encounter is recorded in Numbers 20, 38 VERY lo-o-o-ong years after the first one.  It occurred in the last year of their wandering. These 3-million or so frustrating, murmering, complaining, whining people were like a drippy faucet.  As you can well imagine, Moses had just about had it with the lot of them.  Let's follow the story in Numbers 20.

7 "Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
8 “Take THE rod {Aaron's} you and your brother Aaron, gather the CONGREGATION together, SPEAK TO THE ROCK before their eyes and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals.”
9 So Moses took the rod from before the LORD as He commanded him."

As in the first encounter, Moses starts out ok.  He consulted the LORD and brought out Aaron's rod.  Why Aaron's?  Because it is a picture of Jesus.  It had been a dead almond stick that sprouted  OVERNIGHT, a picture of life out of death:  RESURRECTION!  

Why an almond branch?  Because the almond tree is a picture of RESURRECTION.  Of all the trees in Israel, it is the first to awake from it’s winter sleep.

You remember why his rod budded I'm sure.  Back in Numbers 16, Korah and his sons were complaining that Moses and Aaron had taken up leadership over the people presumptuously when, actually, God had appointed them.  The LORD was going to destroy the whole lot of them when Moses intervened.  

Per God's command, in Numbers 17, he took the rods from all the elders and set them before the Ark of the covenant.  All 12 rods had the leader's name inscribed on it.  In the morning, only Aaron's rod had put forth bud, blossom and fully mature almond fruit.  He was shown to be God's appointed high priest.

(Aaron's rod that budded.)

At the time of this second encounter the people, for the ump-teenth time, were mumuring and complaining.  Again, they had no water but still had not learned to trust the LORD to provide.

The word that the Holy Spirit uses for "Rock" this time is not "bassur" but the word "sela," which means a very high, exalted cliff.  It's a picture of Jesus as our resurrected, glorious, highly exalted, Great High Priest, seated at the right hand of the Father. Our Savior!

Aaron is present because he is a typology of our risen, glorified Lord.  The congregation is present because they are a depiction of the Church.

So, we have Moses and Aaron standing before this great cliff in front of all the people; and what happens?

"...10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock;
and he said to them,...."

Uh, oh.......NOT what he was told.

(Moses struck the rock twice which angered God.)

“Hear now, you rebels! Must WE BRING water for you out of this rock?”  11 Then Moses lifted his hand and STRUCK THE ROCK.......... TWICE {uh oh!} with HIS ROD {the rod  of judgement}, and water came out abundantly, and THE CONGREGATION and their animals drank.

Wait, what?  Why did he say must "We" bring water out of the rock?  It wasn't Moses who brought out water from the rock;  it was God.  Oh boy...here it comes.  

"...12 Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, 'Because you did not believe Me, TO HALLOW ME (set Him apart) IN THE EYES OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, {a typology of the church} therefore YOU SHALL NOT BRING THIS ASSEMBLY INTO THE LAND which I have given them.'"

God was very angry at Moses!  First of all, he was supposed to hold up AARON'S ROD, not his.  Aaron's represents grace; his represented the law and judgment.  While he was holding up Aaron's rod he was supposed to "SPEAK" to the Rock not strike it. 

Why was that so wrong, besides the fact that he didn't do what God told him to do?  Here's the thing:  Because Moses did not set Him apart as gracious and loving, he misrepresented God to the people.  He portrayed Him as angry and judgmental when, in truth, He was neither. He loved the people!  He had wanted to appear tender, loving, gracious and patient with them. He heard their complaining and saw it as thirst for Jesus.  What Moses did was destroy that by hitting Jesus in the "TYPE" of the Rock.

You bet God was angry but not at the people;  He was angry at their leader just as He is angry with leaders today who portray Him as angry and judgmental toward their people.  They are beating, not feeding, the sheep of His flock. 

Church, I'm here to tell you today:  GOD ISN'T ANGRY AT YOU.  Once you come to faith in Christ THERE IS NO MORE JUDGMENT, no more punishment, NO MORE ANGER. Christ took it ALL upon Himself when He died on that cross.  It would be UNJUST TO JESUS to punish you and I for sins that Jesus already paid for IN FULL.  In fact, HE WAS AN OVERPAYMENT.  

Instead of “speaking" to the ROCK, Moses HIT IT.  Not once, but TWICE!!  What he was really doing was HITTING JESUS in the "type" of the rock.  
 

Notice that even though God was angry with Moses, He was still gracious toward the people.  Water didn't just flow out of the rock, it FLOWED OUT ABUNDANTLY!  He's the God of MORE THAN ENOUGH!  They AND their animals drank.
The second rock encounter typifies Israel today.  This time the Holy Spirit records that THEY AND THEIR ANIMALS DRANK.  In other words, more Jewish people are coming to faith in Christ in our day and age than ever before in history!  As I said earlier, very few were open to Jesus as their Messiah when He came the first time.  That is why the Holy Spirit chose not to record that they drank of the water in their first encounter even though they obviously did.  The silence of scripture speaks volumes.  

Church, even if there are signs, wonders and people getting saved in a particular church or ministry, it doesn't necessarily mean that the pastor is preaching the real gospel.  If he or she could actually be beating the sheep by telling them God is angry at them when, in fact, HE IS NOT.  Because of His goodness, God blesses the people anyway because He loves them.  Eventually, the sheep of that pasture will relocate to a better one and the ministry will shut down.  God will remove their candlestick.  He will not allow this beating of His sheep forever.

Getting back to Moses, his mistake cost him dearly.  Because of it, God did not allow him to enter His Rest: the Promised Land.  You see, Jesus suffered enough when He died on the cross.  He was beaten and brutalized beyond all comprehension for our sakes!  HE IS NEVER TO BE STRUCK AGAIN......EVER!!!!!   Moses misrepresented God to the people.  Now you understand why God was so angry.  This was no small thing to Him.

We do much the same thing when we beg and plead with God over and over and over again for blessings already ours by promise, like health and provision.  In effect, we are "hitting" Jesus.
The Bible tells us point blank, "How will He not, with His Beloved Son, freely give us all things?"  We are God's beloved, too, you know.  We are THE REASON He sent His Son to die on the cross in the first place.  The Holy Spirit says "make your REQUESTS be made known." No need to beg. Simply ask and keep on asking, thanking Him in advance.  Ask, and keep on asking, resting in the sure knowledge of His provision.  By this action you're demonstrating that you really do trust Him.

(Moses is allowed to see the Promised Land but cannot enter in.)

So, what happened to Moses?  

When he died, the Bible says that God buried him on the plains of Moab, but no one to this day knows where his grave is located.  Do you know why nobody can find it?  

HE ISN'T IN IT.

WHAT??!  

Yep, you read that right; and I can prove it.  

Check out the scriptures and see if you come to the same conclusion.  The Holy Spirit has left us some intriguing nuggets and clues and, after all, the Bible is it's own best commentary.  Read these ordinances in Deuteronomy and Leviticus which will come into play later on.  They speak of practices strictly forbidden by God. 

#1.  "There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer."  Deuteronomy 8:10

#2.  '‘You shall not eat anything with the blood, nor shall you practice DIVINATION or **SOOTHSAYING." Leviticus 19:26

**Webster's dictionary defines "soothsaying" as:

1) the act of foretelling events by supernatural means. (Like contacting the dead.)
2) prediction, prophecy."

It's pretty clear:  Talking to the dead was forbidden to Jewish people...PERIOD!  As 100% Man, Jesus would not have talked to the dead. 

 

(Mount of Transfiguration.)

Come with me now up on the mountain where Jesus was transfigured before the wondering eyes of His inner circle:  Peter, James and John.

Here's the scene:  Jesus was there and talking with two others:  Moses and Elijah.  Why these two in particular?  Because they represent the law (Moses) and the prophets (Elijah).  

Jesus had brought with Him Peter, James and John, the beloved disciple.  

There is a wonderful message in the meaning of their names.  Peter's name means "stone," James means "usurp or supplant" and John means "grace."  Put their names together and God is telling us that the "the stone (the law) has been supplanted (replaced) by Grace!"  This is a very significant detail.  The Holy Spirit is drawing pictures for us again!

Our very impetuous Peter, the disciple who speaks before he thinks, who had heretofore been sleeping, woke up.  He saw the scene and blurted out that he thought they should erect three tabernacles, one for each of them.  The instant those words were out of his mouth, the Father descended in a bright cloud and said, "This is my Beloved Son. HEAR HIM."  

You see, Moses and Elijah had their day.  The law is being replaced.  ALL glory, honor and power belongs to His beloved Son.  All must now bow and listen ONLY to Jesus! AMEN!

Obviously, the Father had Elijah with Him, whom He had swept off to heaven in a chariot of fire BODILY.  But look who also was there:  Moses who, at last report, DIED ON MT. NEBO and was buried somewhere on the plains of Moab, location unknown.  Yet.....It is very clear that JESUS SPOKE TO ALL THREE.  
So it begs the question "How could Jesus be talking to Moses IF HE'S DEAD?  Remember, COMMUNICATING WITH THE DEAD IS NOT LAWFUL for Jewish people.

Now, it would be perfectly legal for Jesus to talk to someone like Elijah who never died, right?  It would also be lawful to talk to someone who was resurrected, like Lazarus for instance.  Jesus most certainly would not do anything which would legally disqualify Him from being our perfect sacrifice.  Therefore....MOSES COULD NOT HAVE BEEN DEAD. 

Why Moses and not Enoch?  Because Moses represents The Law.  Enoch is actually a typology of the rapture generation:  US!  But there is another compelling reason why Moses was present and not Enoch which we'll discover shortly.  

Let's look at a couple more clues to this intriguing mystery and allow scripture to clarify itself.

(Michael argues with the devil over the body of Moses.)

Jude 9
 "9 Yet Michael the Archangel, in contending with the devil, when he DISPUTED ABOUT THE BODY OF MOSES, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation,  but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”

Why was Michael arguing with the devil over the body of Moses?  What were they arguing about?  Hmmm....indeed.
AND.....
Malachi 4:5&6
"5 Behold, I will send you ELIJAH THE PROPHET BEFORE THE COMING OF THE GREAT AND DREADFUL DAY OF THE LORD:  6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children,and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse."

It clearly says that ELIJAH WILL RETURN IN THE FLESH, not in spirit as in the case of John the Baptist.  John, Jesus' cousin, came in "THE SPIRIT of Elijah."  Remember that? 

Go ask any of your Jewish friends what happens at the end of every Pesach (Passover) celebration and they'll tell you a child is sent to the door to see if a certain someone is there.  Who are they expecting?  Elijah!  They are expecting his BODILY RETURN!

What has all this have to do with Moses?  Let's look at the final clue.

(Moses and Elijah, the two witnesses.)

Revelation 11:3-6
"3 And I will give power to my TWO WITNESSES, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days {3 1/2 years} clothed in sackcloth.”
4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth.
5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies.  And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner."

6 THESE HAVE POWER to:
*#1:  Shut heaven so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy {3 1/2 years}.  Sounds like Elijah, doesn't it?
And...............
*#2 They have power over waters to TURN THEM TO BLOOD, and to STRIKE THE EARTH WITH ALL PLAGUES, as often as they desire.,
Sounds like Moses, doesn't it?

After these two prophesy and come against the followers of the Anti-Chirst with everything in their arsenal, the Anti-Christ will kill them.  Notice he is not called "anti-god, but anti-Christ?  The Bible says whole world will see this, no doubt via satellite broadcast by every international news channel--BBC, CNN, all the major networks. They will watch in amazement as these two are resurrected after three days.  Now doesn't that sound like SomeONE else we know?  Afterward, they, like their Master, will ascend bodily into heaven.

For decades skeptics ridiculed Christians who believed this Bible prophecy.  How could the whole world see events happening hundreds and thousands  of miles away in the Middle East?  Impossible, right?!  Well no one is laughing now.  Science has come a long way since the days of those skeptics who, by the way, are long dead.  Today we have TV signals beaming all over the globe via satellite, the world-wide web, telephones, tablets, iPads, computers and smart phones connected to it.  Oh yeah:  Every eye will most definitely see.  

 

Isn't God cool!  Nothing takes Him by surprise. I guess our He knew a "few" things these other so-called "experts" of yester-year did not.  Who's laughing now?

Tell me, Church:  Which two icons are closer to the hearts of Jewish people than Moses and Elijah who represent "all the law and the prophets?"  Suppose, just suppose, that the two witnesses talked about in Revelation are the REAL MOSES AND ELIJAH.....IN THE FLESH....being sent back to modern Israel to turn the hearts of the children to the Father!?  It could very well be.

Look what it says at the very end of the book of Malachi:

"Behold, I WILL SEND YOU ELIJAH THE PROPHET Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord . And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”

Malachi 4:5-6 

It says that God would send Elijah, NOT THE SPIRIT OF ELIJAH.  What if the other was the real Moses?  He clearly had to have been bodily resurrected to be talking with Jesus on the mount.  Now, if he were in a new incorruptible body, like Jesus, he would not be able to die again, of course.  Also, THAT resurrection--where we get our new bodies--will happen when Jesus calls for us at the "harpadzó:  the Rapture!"  But, if he were PHYSICALLY resurrected like Lazarus, he could die PHYSICALLY again......and Jesus could have legally spoken to a resurrected Moses.

Much of the Church today doesn't understand that Revelation doesn't have anything much to do with the Church.  It is all about JESUS CHRIST BEING REVEALED TO THE JEWISH PEOPLE.  It wouldn't surprise me one bit if God actually does send these two back to turn the hearts of the Jewish people to Him and reveal to them their Messiah: JESUS!

Isn't it also wonderful to know that Moses made it to the Promised Land!!?  But he didn’t have to go in with those murmuring, whining and complaining people. He got in with Jesus!  

Church, God is head-over-heels in love with you.  He isn't angry at you.  He's not even mildly disappointed.  You are hid with Christ in God.  You stand in the perfection of His Son.  That's all He sees when He looks at you: Jesus.  You are always, AT ALL TIMES,  THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN CHRIST:   ALWAYS.  You are His BELOVED! 

Let's stop misrepresenting our loving Daddy as hard a harsh, angry, vengeful God, full of judgment.  His heart is perfectly at peace because His Beloved Son completely exhausted all of His wrath and punishment on the cross.  There is no judgement left for those who are in Christ Jesus!!!

...and you don't need to beg and plead with Daddy for things He has already given you through Christ.

It's ok.  Trust His word.  Trust His love.  Trust His goodness.  Rest in Him.  All you need to do is "SPEAK" TO YOU ROCK:  JESUS!

God Remembered His Promise

Luke 1:5-12

“There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years. 

So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, STANDING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ALTAR OF INCENSE.  And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.”

Zachariah, a priest of ancient Israel, was chosen to minister before the LORD in the temple by sacred lot. This particular day during the course of his duties as he stood by the altar of incense, suddenly the Angel of the LORD appeared to him. He told Zachariah that he and his wife, Elizabeth, would soon have a son.

This was astounding news because not only were they well advanced in years, Elizabeth  had never before been able to have children.  She was barren.  

This would be a very special child whom they were not to name him after one of their relatives.  He was to be called, "John."

The Angel went on to say, "For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him IN THE SPIRIT AND POWER OF ELIJAH, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”  Luke 1:5-12 

Being an old man having not been able to have children, Zechariah was incredulous and, unfortunately, doubted the angel's message.  Doubted the Angel?  How do you doubt an angel?  They can't lie!  So, because of his unbelief, Gabriel said he would be struck dumb--unable to speak--until the boy's birth.  This was undoubtedly to prevent any more unbelieving words from coming out of his mouth.

 

Some time later, Elizabeth did indeed become pregnant.  Now the time was here for her to deliver her son.     

Luke 1:57-60
57"Now Elizabeth’s full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son. 58 When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her.
59 So it was, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias. 60 His mother answered and said,“No; he shall be called John.”

The instant he wrote John's name on a tablet, "Iohannan" in Greek, which means "grace," His tongue was loosed.  That's right; Grace opened his mouth!

Gabriel told Zarcharias that John would not only be filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb and turn the hearts of many back to the Lord but that he would come "in the spirit and power of Elijah."  Why Elijah?  

The prophet, Elijah, was a type of John the Baptist in the Old Testament.  His name is a conjunction of two abrieviiated names of God:  "Elohim" and Yahweh."  Literally his name means,"Yahweh is God."   Elishah, on the other hand, was a type of Christ.  His name means, "God (El) is Savior (Y'Shuah)!

Elijah wore corse clothing made of camel hair.  Sound familiar?  It should, because John, years in the future, would wear the same type of clothing.  Both were non-nonsense guys who told it like it was, preaching the unvarnished truth to Israel.  John's job was to prepare the way of the Lord!

(John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness.)

There is a very interesting, though perhaps little known, Jewish tradition which ascerts that the Jewish priests kept the mantle of Elijah preserved down through the years.  It is the same camel hair coat that Elishah took from him when he was raptured and which he used to strike the river Jordan.  They maintain that this is the actual coat worn by John the Baptist.  The Jewish rabbis assert it was kept in a compartment inside the altar of incense.  When Gabriel appeared to Zachariah, he was most likely holding the coat in his hands to give it to Zachariah for John to wear when he came of age.  Isn't that cool!  

But that isn't all we find in this wonderful story.  Our heavenly Father has hidden some other little goodies for us in this story in the meanings of the names of the main characters.  

"Zacharias" is derived from two Hebrew words: "Zachar," which means "remember" and "Ya:" the short form of God.  His name literally means "God remembers."  

Elizabeth's name is from these two words:  "Eli," which means "my God" and "Shevah," which is the number seven.  It also means "oath or promise".  Beersheba (be-er shevah), for instance, means "well of promse."  Her name means "God's promise." "Iohannan-John," means "GRACE."

What a beautiful, loving message from our Abba, telling us that, "God remembered His promise and brought forth GRACE: JESUS!"

Two trees: Tree Series Part 1 of 7

Genesis 2:16
"16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may FREELY EAT;17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Way back in that garden long ago there were countless numbers of wonderful trees, all of them pleasant to the eye and good for food.  But the Holy Spirit specifically singled out these two: The tree of the knowledge of good and evil and The Tree of Life. Notice it doesn't say, "The tree of good and evil" but the tree if the "KNOWLEDGE" of good and evil. 

Every one of you, no doubt, has heard the story of our first parents eating "the apple"  (well, it was probably a fig; a story for another time) and of the infamous fall.  We can also can understand why God wouldn't want us to know all about evil but why would the knowledge of good be so bad?  What are these trees?  What do they represent?  I'm glad you asked. 

The Bible is, first and foremost, all about One Person:  Our Lord Jesus Christ.  His finished work, His story, His glory and His beauty are reiterated over and over and over throughout the entire Bible in stories, in types, names of people, places and things, even numbers, hidden in the text by the Holy Spirit.  Secondly, there is a running undercurrent that the Holy Spirit repeats again and again as well.  It is this:  GRACE TRUMPS LAW.

(For the Law was given by Moses; but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. )

These two trees depict LAW and GRACE, grace being the Person of our Lord Jesus.

Back in the garden, there was no such thing as the Ten Commandments because, of course, the law wouldn't show up for a couple thousand years.  There was only one law: "Don't eat from the tree:  The Tree of the KNOWLEDGE of good and evil."  But what did they do?  They ate from that tree.

Why God does not want us to have the "KNOWLEDGE" of good and evil?  Wouldn't it be good for us to know the difference?  Wouldn't we be better off knowing?  Then we choose good and shun evil, right?

Well, apparently not.  That is why He told them NOT to eat of that tree.  The sad fact of the matter is that when man gets the "knowledge" of good and evil, more often than not, he chooses evil, hence the verse that says, "The strength of sin is the law," (1 Corinthians 15:56.)

All you need to to do to be FOREVER condemned to hell is to have one wrong THOUGHT and you're toast!  Who can go through his or her entire life and be perfect?  NOBODY!!!  One fearful thought, one little hint of worry, one deceitful or lustful thought and it's over.  You see, in God's economy, the thought is the deed.  NO WONDER HE WANTED TO REPLACE THIS COVENANT!!!  {See Hebrews 8}

God does not want us to have the "KNOWLEDGE" of good and evil and look to ourselves to know what is right or wrong. He wants us to depend on Jesus in every situation and ask for the "DISCERNMENT" of good and evil, which comes from Him.  He wants our focus on Him, not on us and our "knowing" and our doing.

You hear a lot today about what's right and what's wrong from many different voices both inside and outside the church:  "This is wrong behavior (or thinking) or "that is wrong behavior (or thinking.)"  "You should do "this," or "you shouldn't do that....." or the ever popular condemnatory remark/observation that "this (or that) is the acceptable standard that you have (or have not) lived up to."
Folks who say these things are actually godly, well-meaning people:  Pastors, theologians and teachers.  They trying to produce holiness and holy living in their people by imparting to them the knowledge of good and evil. But that is not what God wants them to do.  They are, in effect, telling their people to eat of the wrong tree, sabotaging their own people and their own purpose, unwittingly of course.

God told Adam and Eve not to eat from "that tree." So why are we trying to tell our people to eat from "that tree?"  We still get the same WRONG results.  All throughout the scriptures, God is continually pointing us to the other tree, THE TREE OF LIFE:  JESUS.

Trees in the Bible are a typology of the cross.  For example:
1) The burning bush before which Moses was told to remove his shoes.
This "tree," or burning bush, is a picture of the the menorah of Moses' tabernacle.  The menorah is a typology of the Church, meaning those have been redeemed by the cross! That's how we know his burning bush was an almond tree-->It's a picture of the Church on fire for Jesus!

2) At the bitter waters of Mara, what was Moses told to do?  The Lord showed him a TREE.  When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet," in Exodus 15:25.  The bitterness was taken away.  The cross of Christ takes away our bitterness and turns it into sweetness.  He turns our sorrow into joy!

3) The bronze serpent on a wooden pole.
Over and over in the Bible, the Holy Spirit is pointing, pointing, pointing.  He wants us to keep our eyes on the cross of Christ.  Of ourselves, we can do nothing; but we can do all things "THROUGH CHRIST."  Look to Jesus to be healed!

In 1 Corinthians, Paul talks about the GIFT of "DISCERNING of spirits." In Philippians 1, Paul says, "And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge {of Jesus} and all DISCERNMENT."  
"DISCERNMENT" of good and evil is not the same as the "KNOWLEDGE" of good and evil."  They are 180° opposite of one another.   One comes out of dependence on God; the other our of on self:  "SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS."

It's plain to see that only Jesus can fully know good and evil and ALWAYS choose good.  He is the only One Who can handle the law.  You and I cannot, yet we still to this day don't know that we can't!  We are still trying to look to our performance, not for salvation necessarily; but we are looking AT US instead of TO HIM. 

There is only one way to become conformed to His image:
WE ARE TRANSFORMED BY BEHOLDING JESUS.....PERIOD! 

I don't see any mention of "US" in there.  Do you?  NO.
By the law is the knowledge of sin, and the strength of sin is THE LAW.  Grace--JESUS--is the only ANTIDOTE for sin.

So you see, it is quite possible to eat from the wrong tree, though the first garden was ages ago.  We still face the same choice that Adam and Eve faced except that today, when we choose the wrong one, if you are saved, Jesus has already paid your debt because of THE TREE.  You'll at least end up in heaven!  

Thank God we no longer have to suffer eternal consequences.....HALLELUJAH!.....though we can find ourselves under the curses in Deuteronomy 28 because we are trying to work the law which causes us to fall from grace.  (See Galatians 5:4)

Surprising but true:  We can still have the choice of eating from one of Two Trees.