The Voice Crying in the Wilderness

 

Our last article discussed the significance of the First Day of the First Month and how it marked the day of Jesus’ baptism and served as a precursor to what Christ would later fulfill throughout the Passovers of His Ministry. This First Day of the First Month also served as the birth date of John the Baptist, who was the precursor to Christ, whom John recognized and proclaimed as the Passover Lamb of God.

Luke 1 introduces John’s parents, his father Zechariah, a priest of the division of Abijah, and his wife Elizabeth, who was also a descendant of Aaron. They are “righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.”

When Zechariah’s division was on duty, he was chosen by lot to burn incense in the Temple, where he was confronted by the archangel Gabriel, who informed him that his wife Elizabeth would bear a son and that they were required to name him John, whose role would be “to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (ref. Luke 1:17).

Priests didn’t serve continuously in the Temple but ministered for two separate week-long periods in a rotating system, in addition to being present for the three feasts (Passover, Feast of Weeks, and Feast of Tabernacles) that all males were required to attend in Jerusalem. Since it was Zechariah’s division serving, rather than all the priests, we know that this event didn’t occur during one of the three feasts. This rotating system is kept consistent, since there were twenty-four priestly divisions which served two separate weeks, totaling forty-eight weeks, plus three mandatory festivals, equaling the fifty-one week Hebrew calendar. Since this system would have started on the first day of the first month and readjusted itself systematically, we can track when Zechariah first met Archangel Gabriel.

Zechariah’s priestly division of Abijah was the eighth in the series, so his service most likely occurred during the ninth week of the year, since Passover was mandatory of all the priests to attend and pushed the date a week ahead. After ministering, Zechariah would not have been able to have gone home yet, since right after his service on the ninth week, he would have to participate in the Feast of Weeks during the tenth week. During the 11th week of the year, Zechariah would have returned home to impregnate Elizabeth who would have given birth 40 weeks later on the First Day of the First Month.

Zechariah’s interaction with Archangel Gabriel could have happened during his series’ second rotation in the Fall, but Luke’s narrative leaves two distinct clues that inform us of the Spring dating. Gabriel explains that John will “be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb”. Because of his and his wife’s advanced ages, Zechariah was doubtful and questioned how they can have a child, requesting a sign from Gabriel, who makes him mute for his unbelief.

The Feast of Weeks, also known as Pentecost, occurring the following week, would be the next major holiday after Zechariah’s encounter. Pentecost would later be celebrated as the day Christ’s Followers”were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (ref. Acts 2:4) after His Ascension. It’s not coincidental that John’s father Zechariah lost his ability to speak due to his unbelief and that John the Baptist would be “filled with the Holy Ghost while still in his mother’s womb”.

The first day of the first month set a precedent for what Christ would accomplish during his Ministry Passovers, starting with righteous King Hezekiah cleansing the Temple, foreshadowing Jesus clearing the Temple of the money changers; Ezra beginning to teach in the Temple which was fulfilled by Jesus teaching them directly from God; and the rebuilding of the Temple starting the countdown to the death of the Messiah. In like manner, John the Baptist, born on the first day of the first month, laid the groundwork for what Jesus would accomplish later.

“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way”-
“a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.'”

It was believed that Elijah would return to announce the coming Messiah and the Archangel Gabriel confirmed this, explaining that John would “turn the Children of Israel back to the Lord their God” going “before Him in the Spirit and power of Elijah”. John fulfills this when he declared:

“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit, before being born on the First Day of the First Month, which was the date the Holy Spirit filled the Tabernacle and the same day Jesus was Baptized and the Spirit came upon Christ like a dove. John baptized Jesus with water, on the First Day of the First Month, to prepare the hearts of Israel for “He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit”.

The First Day of the First Month marked the counting of days towards the events of the Spring Feasts and forecasted the prophecies that Christ would fulfill. John was born on this day to announce the Passover Lamb and baptized Jesus with water on this day in preparation for us to be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

John was filled with the Holy Spirit and was ready to fulfill his role in God’s Kingdom.

Are you?

 

Prepared by, Kent Simpson, Apostolic Prophet & Eric Sepulveda, PMT Administrator

 

Divine Days & Prophetic Celebrations

 

Our last article explored the Tabernacle’s metal construction materials and layout, and how they symbolically explained God’s relationship with His People and the standards of purity that He required of them. He knew that they were imperfect humans and would ultimately fail to be able to keep all of His Statutes, so He set aside special times of the year to recognize their failings, make atonement for their sins, and rejoice in the God of Mercy they worshiped. More importantly, these seven celebrations were prophetic signs meant to point Israel to the coming of Christ and His Sacrifice.

While the Israelites were still in slavery, God gave the people their first mitzvah (roughly translated as precept, decree, or commandment). God informed Moses and Aaron that the upcoming new moon was distinct and that “this month [was] the beginning of months for [Israel]; it [was] the first month of [their] year” (ref. Exodus 12:1-2). Keeping this lunar based religious calendar was significant, because it required the population to deliberately watch for God’s appointed times, rather than relying on any dating systems men devised.

The first of God’s Holy Feasts was the upcoming Passover. On the tenth day of Aviv, the first Hebraic month, each family was required to bring a flawless yearling from their herd into their homes. The animal would remain with them till the fourteenth day of the month, when it was killed and prepared on Passover. Jesus entered Jerusalem riding a donkey on the tenth day of the first month, mirroring His role as the perfect Passover Lamb being brought into the sinner’s home (John 12:12-19; Mark 11:1-12; Matthew 21:1-11; Luke 19:28-44) and would also be crucified and buried on the fourteenth day of the first month.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread started on the fifteenth day of the same month, the day after Passover, and was meant to be a day of rest. Observers were not to eat bread that contained leavening for seven days (Exodus 12:15), with the final day being another day of rest. The pierced and scorched flatbread that was eaten that week symbolized the flawless Christ who suffered and died.

The Feast of First Fruits was the first day after the Passover Sabbath, and occurred during the previously mentioned week-long Feast of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:4-8, 9-22) Paul tells us that Christ was the first fruits of those who would be raised from the dead (Acts 26:23; 1 Corinthians 15:20, 23; Romans 8:23). Christ rose from the grave on the Feast of First Fruits, which also marked the beginning of counting towards the day of Pentecost.

Pentecost (Shavuot), from the Greek pentēkostē which meant fiftieth day, occurred fifty days after the Passover Sabbath, starting from the Feast of First Fruits (ref. Leviticus 23:15-22) . Ancient Hebrews celebrated this Feast of Weeks as the beginning of a joyous harvest of fall grains, while Acts 2:1-31 describes Pentecost as the first great harvest of souls and the descending of the Holy Spirit on Christ’s followers after His Ascension.

Rosh Hashanah, the first day of the seventh month, is sometimes thought of as the Jewish Civil New Year due to the fact that it is translated as “Head of the Year“, but it was originally referred to as the Feast of Trumpets (Leviticus 23:23-27; Numbers 29:1). Many significant people are traditionally believed to have been born on Rosh Hashanah including Abraham (the first Patriarch), Isaac (the first allusion to the sacrificial lamb), Jacob (the first of the tribes of Israel), Joseph (the first great provider of food to the world), and Samuel (the first Prophet). It was also celebrated as the inauguration date of Joseph (Genesis 41:40) and Solomon (1 Chronicles 29:21-23). It is also speculated that the Festival of Trumpets was the day that Solomon’s Temple was dedicated (1 Kings 8:1-2, 8:65-66; 2 Chronicles 5:3, 7:8-10). The allusions to the coming King arriving to the sound of trumpets was a deeply rooted theme in the Old Testament.

Yom Kippur (the tenth day of the seventh month) was the Day of Atonement and the only day that the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies to offer a sin sacrifice to fully cover the trespasses of the nation of Israel for the year (Leviticus 16). It was traditionally understood that when the high priest was within the Holy of Hollies, offering the sacrifice for the sins of Israel, the high priest would receive a prophecy regarding the events of the upcoming year. Caiaphas, who was the high priest the year Christ was crucified, prophesied Jesus’ role as the sin sacrifice not only for the nation of Israel, but the entire world (ref. John 18:13-14, Matthew 26:3-5, John 11:49-53).

The Festival of Tabernacles (Sukkot) took place on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after Yom Kippur, and required that the Israelites live in tabernacles/booths/tents for seven days as a remembrance of when God had brought them out of Egypt and they lived in temporary structures in the wilderness (ref. Leviticus 23:42-43). It was also a prophetic sign declaring that God would come down in a temporary human body and live amongst His People (ref. John 1:14). Jesus, despite being pursued by the Jewish leaders, celebrated the Festival of Tabernacles in Jerusalem, where He revealed Himself as the Light of the World and the Living Water, which were two important symbols in the festivities. Christ left the city and was transfigured on the Mount of Olives on the final day of the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7:2-John 8:1; Matthew 17:1-13; Mark 9:2-8; Luke 9:28-36; 2 Peter 1:16-18).

Over the next few articles, we will be delving deeper into the signs and symbols that God placed in the spring celebrations for the ancient Israelites to recognize His Son’s Arrival and how He fulfilled these feasts. Christ served as the Passover Lamb that was brought into Jerusalem and killed and passed through the fire for our sins (ref. 1 Peter 3:18-20). The Feast of Unleavened Bread was a week-long reminder of the sinless life that Christ lived. Christ’s resurrection during the Feast of First Fruits marked the beginning of an extraordinary spiritual harvest. Pentecost punctuated the spring feasts with the in-gathering of souls and the arrival of the Holy Spirit as our Helper.

Starting thousands of years ago, it is clear to see that God’s Holy Festivals were not arbitrary agricultural celebrations, but were instead sacred prophetic references to Christ’s Crucifixion for our sins. By exploring the deeper details of these Holy Days we will gain a greater understanding of how God made preparations for Christ’s role in fulfilling the Feasts and what the Holy Spirit is doing in today’s Prophetic Age.

 

Prepared by, Kent Simpson, Apostolic Prophet & Eric Sepulveda, PMT Administrator

 

Messianic Metals: Copper, Silver, & Gold

 

In our last article, we discussed the fact that though God required a significant offering to construct the Tabernacle, He had already planned hundreds of years previously to provide more than enough resources to be able to supply all the building materials. Three of the required resources, the Messianic Metals: Copper, Silver, and Gold, not only gave the Tabernacle an air of beauty and prestige, but held profoundly prophetic signs of Christ’s relationship with and future dwelling amongst humanity.

These metals are very special because they all share specific elemental properties due to being part of group 11 on the chemical periodic table.

One of the most interesting and important aspects of these metals is their antimicrobial properties, which helps inhibit the growth of infectious agents. This oligodynamic effect allows them to essentially self-sanitize themselves. Nano-particles of these metals are implemented in many health related applications such as doorknobs in hospitals, tooth fillings in dentistry, and coatings of implanted medical devices. The fact that these disease fighting metals were used extensively within the Holy of Holies, the Tabernacle, and its outer court heavily implies that there was a multi-tier system set up to ensure that disease and defilement was kept out of these sacred regions, starting at an atomic level.

Copper, Silver, and Gold are also the three most electrically conductive metals, and are used in applications such as electrical wiring, due to their ductility (ability to be drawn into a wire). This ability to allow energy to flow unhindered mirrors the ability of those closest to God to be able to experience His Spirit’s Presence and Energy.

Each metal’s significance is amplified by what items it covered, how it is used, and where it is located in the layout of the Tabernacle.

Copper was a symbol of judgement and was only found in the outer courts of the Tabernacle. The laver/basin of water, where the priests washed their hands and feet, before making sacrifices on the altar for burnt sin offerings, were both covered in copper (ref. Exodus 27:1-8; 30:17-21). Likewise, American judge’s gavels are typically fashioned with a copper or brass (an alloy of copper) band alluding to copper’s ancient connection with judgement.

Copper’s relationship with judgement is poignantly seen in its previously mentioned antimicrobial properties. The distinct “metallic” smell we associate with pennies and other copper items is not due to the metals being unclean, but is caused by the metals breaking down our skin oils and sweat creating strong “metallic” smelling chemicals. Similarly, human sin causes a lingering stench when confronted by God’s Judgement.

Copper for the water basin and sacrificial altar was specifically provided by donations of highly reflective copper mirrors from women who ministered outside the Tent of Meeting (ref. Exodus 38:8). God purifying and transforming mirrors, items for human based self-assessment and self-judgement, to create symbols of His Divine Judgement is both fitting and deeply ironic.

Copper’s association with judgement is later seen in Jeremiah 52:10-11, 17-23 where Copper is mentioned nine times, the Hebrew number for completeness, during the account of the Israelites’ exile and captivity by the Babylonians.

Many Bible translations incorrectly replace copper in the Tabernacle’s outer court furnishings with its alloys brass or bronze. This is due to the fact that pure copper was rarely used in manufacturing items, as mixing other more common elements, was typical throughout most of the ancient world. This intermixing of other impure elements to form a different metal alloy, is a powerful example of sin being melded within people’s lives and making them into something God did not set apart as pure and sacred.

Silver was seen as the transactional metal. It was linked with atonement and redemption and was the required form of paying off blood debts (ref. Exodus 21:32). Silver’s connotation to fulfilling obligations was so significant that it was the typical word for currency in the Bible and is also the Modern Hebrew word for money “keceph” (כֶּסֶף). When God asks Moses to take a census, every man over the age of twenty was required to provide a ransom of half a shekel of silver as a redemption price. Though silver was used extensively as a coinage metal, God required a specially issued pure silver shekel as a restoration unit (ref. Exodus 30:11-16), foreshadowing Christ’s role as the pure sacrifice which would redeem Humanity.

Silver’s parallels to Christ extend to its very elemental properties. Silver’s symbolism as the best method of transferring charges is seen perfectly in it being the most electroconductive metal. Silver is so electrically conductive that even the tarnish that forms on silver efficiently carries charges. Not only is silver best at transferring electricity, it is also the most thermally conductive element, transferring heat with ease and is also the most light reflecting element. Consequently, Christ was the only being who could carry all of our sins, suffer the heat of God’s Just Wrath, and still shine as the Light of the World. It was only fitting that silver was given during Christ’s betrayal.

Within the Tabernacle’s construction, silver served as the bases between the ground and the gold plated boards and pillars of the Tabernacle’s frame. Christ, similarly, would later serve as the intermediary between God’s Golden Purity and the Earth and its human inhabitants.

Gold’s association with purity is based on its high corrosion resistance, which makes it incredibly difficult to defile. Gold is the only metal mentioned before the Fall of Man and was heavily associated with the location of the Garden of Eden and the surrounding provinces, “where there is gold. And the gold of that land is pure” (Exodus 2:11-12). Gold coated every piece of sacred furniture, holy utensil, and the Tabernacle’s structural beams. It was the only metal found in the Holy of Holies and not only symbolized the purity of God and the coming Christ, but His Kingship.

Gold is also one of the softest metals, with pure gold being able to be easily etched. The golden chain-mail breastplate of the Levitical priest performing sacrifices in the Holy of Holies had the names of the associated Israelite tribe etched onto its accompanying precious stone as a sign of “continuing memorial before the Lord”. A golden plate with the words “Holy to the Lord” was also to be worn over the priest’s forehead when making offerings. These golden reminders to have a soft heart and moldable mind, willing to be shaped by God, stood in strong contrast to the hard-hearted and stiff necked Israelite people God is often frustrated by (ref. Exodus 28:15-29).

The metals God used in His Tabernacle were not chosen by accident but had deep symbolic value based on properties that scientists would not be able to understand till thousands of years later. These Messianic Metals are self-sanitizing and antimicrobial preventing the transmission of illnesses matching God’s insistence that His Dwelling Place be free from defilement, desecration, and disease. These metals have the greatest ability to conduct electricity signifying how the Tabernacle was the place of highest connectivity with God and His Spirit. But most importantly, they served as reminders of God’s Judgement, Christ’s Redemption, and the Golden Glory now available to us as believers. The PMT Campus will also be a place where spiritual and physical sicknesses will be removed, intensified connection is available for those who want to draw closer to His Spirit, and where malleable hearts and minds will be fashioned after His Plans.

 

Prepared by, Kent Simpson, Apostolic Prophet & Eric Sepulveda, PMT Administrator