God the Father and His Son

Ron Weinland

October 20, 2005

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon

It is apparent at the Feast of Tabernacles that God is blessing us with a deeper insight and understanding into His Kingdom, His Family. That's why I marvelled at this particular subject when God began to give it. Every year, for the last several years, you know, there was a time there I thought, after year after year after year, that we were going to be repeating ourselves in talking about things for the Feast.

But the Bible is so filled with things concerning this period of time that there may be certain scriptures that are repeated, but in a different context, a different flow, and different titles, and a different direction and focus that we have, and God continually building upon that in our lives as we learn and grow. And certainly, God's giving us a deeper understanding into His Kingdom, His family, and it's so important brethren that we understand where it begins. It's made possible by our Father, by His Son.

The Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day picture the time when all humanity will have the opportunity and blessing of seeing and knowing the Kingdom of God. And the focal point of that Kingdom has always been and will always be Almighty God and His will for His family. Always has been. Always will be.

The focus that follows that, of course, is His Son, Jesus Christ. He is the Chief Cornerstone, the Rock that God will build everything upon. He is the true Rock upon whom the Kingdom of God is built.

Even in the time of the exodus from Egypt, God revealed that Jesus Christ was that Rock that was to follow in time. That's what it's all about, that which we read on the first day in 1st Corinthians there, upon which all would be built. All that God revealed then, that pictured something in the future in a greater way, it was more than just the children of Israel having the lamb that they killed that night of the 14th and then leaving Egypt and being taken out of Egypt. And all the symbolism, all the things that were there physically to teach us spiritually, of the things that would be fulfilled and continually take place in a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Today we're going to continue to focus upon that which God is giving us at this very specific time in man's history, a greater revelation and understanding of the focal point of all His Kingdom, again, beginning in Him and through His Son. Learning far more fully how such a relationship exists. And that's what's exciting!

So, we're entering into a point now where in the first couple of sermons, and the one yesterday, it was more for the benefit of those who are older and those who must consider and think about certain things that are clear (that haven't been clear), when God raises that veil from off our face and that cloud that existed in a certain subject, a certain subject matter, because He had a specific time in which He would give that.

And people aren't going to understand, in totality, in a greater way.  There might be a teeny bit here or there in wondering about certain things, but to put it all together God has to give it to us. And it's exciting!

And so today in going on more and more, all the rest of us will be joining in even in a greater way of appreciation of how God does it and a greater depth of being in awe of the entire process. It is exciting! It is inspiring!

Today's sermon is entitled God the Father and His Son.

We're going to continue where we left off yesterday.  Let's go back to Acts 2. This is the beginning point, a refresher. This is rather new in some respects. Well not rather new, it is new. But we've touched upon these verses in two sermons now, two days. This will be the third for this one here. And I don't believe we're coming back to that.

Acts 2:32—This Jesus, whom God raised up, whereof we are all witnesses. Therefore, being on the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the holy spirit. It was the Father's promise, as we read yesterday in the book of Joel, Yahweh's promise.

He has shed forth this, which you now see and hear. For David is not ascended to the heavens; but he says himself, David says himself, the LORD (Yahweh), as it's quoted out of Psalm 110 exactly, Psalms 110:1, said unto my, unto David's Lord, sit you at MY right hand, until I make your foes your footstool. We're going to look at some other scriptures that go along with this as well.

Let's turn over to 1 Corinthians 15:20. It says, But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. It's important that we acknowledge he lived a human life, and when he died, he was dead, just like every human being when they die, they're dead. There's no immortal soul. There's no immortal life there. He was dead, fully dead three days and three nights, unlike other human beings whose bodies begin to go back to the dust of the earth with time, because God has a different timing.

For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. And so, from the very beginning of time, God knew what man would do. He knew that man had to have a Savior, a means whereby their sins could be forgiven.

No human being, created the way God created them from the very beginning of Adam and Eve, would have the ability of refraining from sin, of living a perfect life, because they were made incomplete. They were made incomplete, as far as what we understand according to God's purpose and plan eventually for all mankind.

They didn't have God's spirit. Not in the way we have God's spirit in the Church. They were drawn by it. There were things that they were given, but again, not in the way that we are, brethren, once we are forgiven of sin and have the opportunity then of being impregnated with the holy spirit.

So again, “For since by man came death, by man also came the resurrection of the dead." There was a need in God's plan and God's purpose that there be one who would live a perfect life. That's why when it talks about "the spirit was given to him," and it was given to him from birth, "and without measure." As time went on, without measure, more and more and more of the power of God, the life of God living within him as he matured and grew. The very mind, the very being of His Father in him.

For as in Adam, all die. Why? Because we have all done the same thing. Death is hanging over us, unless there is a means (which there is, through Jesus Christ), of being able to be forgiven of the sin that requires death.

For as in Adam all die, so in… in Christ. We must be in him and he must be in us! And we cannot be cut off, for the day we are cut off he is not in us anymore, in the sense of that flow of His spirit continuing to dwell within us! It's an ongoing process!

That's why I love the word in 1st John, and other places, where it speaks of the spirit of that life that is coming – Jesus Christ is coming (present progressive) – right now and continuing. But when we sin we cut off that flow, that continuing, that abiding, that dwelling in us. And that's why we must repent quickly of sin and ask God to forgive us so that we can continue to have that life dwell within us. We can't afford to be cut off from it, because then we become stagnant, we begin to fall asleep, and then we can die for good.

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. God's plan – eternal life. But every man in his own order. "Every man in his own order." Christ the firstfruits, the first of the firstfruits (we understand that). "Every man in his own order." He was fully a human being. That was the beginning of His existence. It wasn't before; it started then.

But every man in his own order, Christ the firstfruits, afterwards they that are Christ's at his coming. Those that are resurrected to come to this earth, to return to this earth, the 144,000, the firstfruits, the rest of the firstfruits. It's an awesome thing to understand about Jesus Christ being the first of the firstfruits. Our elder brother, the suffering he went through in human body, the battle that was before him that he fought.

Verse 24—Then comes the end, when he shall have delivered up the Kingdom (Jesus Christ) to God. When he will have delivered the Kingdom up to God, even the Father. Should be no confusion in there at all. One God and Father. It talks about Jesus Christ delivering that Kingdom up to Him.

When he shall have put down all rule and all authority and all power. All that resists God, all that has refused God, all... And that has to do with human nature and the process then as human beings that we can go through in order to be yielded to God and choose God's way of life and finally come into unity and oneness with God and the family of God.

For he must reign, till he has put all enemies under his feet. There's a long process here. Thousand years and a hundred years to follow.

The last enemy that should be destroyed is death. It's an enemy. Sin, those things that must be destroyed so that we can be given something different, where there's no death ever again, just eternal life in the Family of God as spirit beings.

Verse 27—For He (God) has put all things under his feet. It was God's purpose and God's plan before the foundation of the earth that this is the way it would be, that He would have a Son and that that Son of His would have this accomplished in and through him. The one who would be Messiah. The one who would become King! Awesome to understand the focus that God has had from the very beginning of time concerning His Son. It all begins there, brethren, for human beings.

For He has put all things under his feet.  But when He (when God) said all things are put under him, under Jesus Christ, it is manifest that He (God) is excepted. In other words, "all except God is put under him." That should be obvious, but it says it here specifically so there's no misunderstanding. God is always first, brethren, over all. Always has been; always will be.

As it goes on to say, Who, speaking of God, did put all things under him, under Christ.

The true thought and intent of this is more accurately translated. I marvel, because of the process that they went through in The Netherlands and Belgium, the process they went through in translating the book out of English into Dutch. And in talking to them and the process they went through it just helped to accentuate a very great truth. You can't translate something word by word. You cannot translate the mind of God, the will of God, the purpose of God, the plan of God word by word.

Just as they were talking about the other day when Mr. Wrozak was mentioning about rejoicing at the Feast, they don't have a word exactly like that in Dutch. So, you have to use more to explain that. And so, when you translate, you don't just go to a word that's closest to it (like a lot of our Bible is), out of Greek into English, out of Hebrew, out of Aramaic into English.

And those people did not know the purpose and the plan of God. They didn't understand Passover to the Last Great Day. So, sometimes there is just the thought and the conveyance of the purpose and the mind of God that isn't there. But God show's it to us through time, what it is. We understand it; it becomes very clear to us because we see it from the beginning, from Passover and all that plan, to the Last Great Day. And it comes alive to us because it's of God's spirit. He makes His word come alive and that's what it is.

And like manner here. This doesn't convey everything as well in English, and so going to give this; a true thought and intent of this verse is more accurately translated this way: For He (speaking of God), again, has put all things under his (Christ's) feet. But when He (speaking of God) said all things are put under him, it is manifest... And the Greek word there means "it is clear," "it is evident!" It should be clear! "It should be evident that all except God is put under him," under Jesus Christ, "for it is God who put all things under him."

So, obviously, God is over all! And that's the purpose of what God gave to Paul to write to us, to help us to understand something that should be self-evident, but a little clouded. It's been a little clouded through time.

Verse 28—And when all things shall be subdued unto him, unto Jesus Christ, then shall the Son himself be subject unto Him that put all things under him! God the Father! That's the plan! That's the purpose! A faithful Son! A powerful Son! A Son that has the same mind as His Father, in ways that we have a hard time to grasp and will have a hard time to grasp. The exact same mind but a different being! A different being!

One who began when he was born of the virgin, Mary, as a physical human being, but with the mind and the knowing of God in ways that we can't have. There are things we know, that we believe, because of the God spirit given to us, but he was awesomely unique!

Differences in personality, just like we have differences amongst ourselves. He experienced different things that made him what he was; different from the Father when it comes to those things. But of the mind it's the same mind! He was the Word made flesh! That's powerful, brethren!

And that's powerful when we're able to imbibe of that same thing in our being once we have grown to a point of maturity where we can come to a point where we say, "I've made a decision for myself I want to be baptised. I want my sins forgiven. And I want to be able to live this way of life and I want God to dwell in me." And so, we begin to be able to partake of that mind in us and we grow.

And we have a lot of things to overcome. Not so with Jesus Christ. He started out very young. By the age twelve he knew so much more. He had so much more in his being, in his mind. He was learning! He was learning! And more and more of God's mind was coming into him. He didn't have to overcome things. He had to fight battles, because being a human being. Awesome to understand what God did! Awesome to understand what our Savior did.

Verse 28 again—And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto Him (God) that put all things under him. That God, the one God and Father of us all, that God may be all in all. Absolute atonement. Total atonement, finally. Total at being at-one, of the exact same mind and will of our Father. Differences in personalities, differences in experiences that have made us what we are, just like we have as a family here, things we're conquering to overcome.

But the more and more we come into unity of the same mind it's a beautiful thing. Because we're all different. God never intended we all be alike, but there is one that is so like his Father, so, so like his Father in ways that we really will never comprehend in this physical body. But God's giving us a taste of it to begin to understand it more.

Let's go over to Matthew 22.

Someone before services here was asking me about Melchizedek. Most times when people come up and ask me things, "It's coming." It'll be here at the Feast. It wasn't going to be originally, until the trip to New Zealand was cancelled, and then there was another spot there and it became obvious that there needed to be another sermon there because there was so much material needed to be covered and this was a subject that needed to be covered.

So, exactly what day that's going to be on, whether it's the 7th day or the Last Great Day, I don't know yet. But it's an exciting story! Once we go through everything we're going through (that's why it maybe the last one), once we go through everything we go through, it's awesome to understand some things about Melchizedek. It becomes so very clear, so very obvious.

Jesus Christ was not Melchizedek. Think about that. And yet it describes who he was. And so, how is that possible? Well, that's exciting to understand how it was possible. And then why Hebrews was written to explain some things... Well, I won't even get in there. But, you know, it's just exciting! It's inspiring to understand how it was all possible, how it existed, how it was that way. It is awesome! It's inspiring! And it gives us a greater depth of appreciation; first of all, of what should be first in our minds toward our Great God, the Great God of the universe of all time!

He's so awesome; so far above and beyond our ability to conceive and understand in our minds – even with His help – in this puny, weak, physical body. It really is! Our minds are so limited! But we have enough to make choices and to be judged, but to come into greater unity and oneness with God.

Matthew 22:23, speaking of Christ here and the things he was going through at this point in time, and it says, In the same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him. So, they asked him a question. Because they didn't believe in a resurrection in the first place.

So, you know, they were always trying to trip him up, trying to find something where they could find fault; that old, nasty, sick, perverted, disgusting human nature of what people do. Where people can't wait to get back at finding fault so they can have a clearer conscience in what they are doing.

Just like that last interview in Pittsburgh. "Oh no! You say, 'No one's going to heaven? Jesus Christ is the only one that's ever been there?'" And so, when I'm off the air, they can't wait. "Yeah, but, you know, he was wrong in this one area, because those two beside him when he was dying, what did he tell them? 'Today you'll be with me in paradise.' So we know that he was wrong on that issue because we know they're up in heaven." Isn't that amazing?

And this is the way the Sadducees were, this is the way the Pharisees were, always wanting, trying to find fault with God, what God says, and with the truth.

Saying master, Moses said, if a man die having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up seed unto his brother. Now, there were with us seven brothers: and the first, when he had married a wife, died, and having no issue left his wife unto his brother. Likewise, the second also, and the third, unto the seventh. All married and all died.

And at last, also the woman died. Therefore, in the resurrection... You talk about hypocrisy, smugness, disgusting attitudes and spirits that exist in human minds, this is a great one. They didn't believe it in the first place. Therefore, in the resurrection...You can just see the attitude; smugness, talking down to Jesus Christ.

Therefore, in the resurrection whose wife shall she be? They thought they had a great one here! "Yeah! This is just great, isn't it? We got him!" Whose wife shall she be of the seven, for they all had her? Jesus answered and said unto them, You do err. I like that, you know, you're..."It's just wrong. You don't understand." It's kind of enjoyable being able to tell someone what the truth is because you know their attitude of pride is battling. But if... But if they'll repent, then God can work with them.

You do err, not knowing the scriptures... Oooo! Sadducees not knowing the scriptures? They were happy. You do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. "You just don't get it."

Verse 30—For in the resurrection, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. You know, there is productivity in a physical life, but not in a spiritual one. It stops once we're spirit beings. There's no need. There's no purpose of it anymore.

But as touching the resurrection of the dead... Isn't that amazing? I love this, the spirit of God, how it works sometimes with people. "Have you not read?" You know, "You're teachers. You have your strong beliefs. Haven't you read this?"

Have you not read that which was spoken unto you by God? "It was spoken to you by God. Haven't you read this?" Saying, I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at His doctrine.

Strong words anyway coming back at the Sadducees like that and telling them, "Haven't you read?" "You don't understand the power of God." "You're in error." And the point of all this is that there is a principle that God has always used when speaking of His family, of His Kingdom. And this principle will come out later as well but we're going to touch upon it a bit here.

Jesus is making the point that this is after the time of the resurrection when these faithful men of old are alive, resurrected. The principle is one of God focussing on the fulfilment of His Kingdom, that it is a reality. God speaks of it being as a reality. Why? Because His will will be. It will come to pass. It is absolute. There is no question, no doubt about it. So, God is not the God of the dead but of the living. Because we look beyond.

That's why what we're going to go through here, our minds must change even toward physical life and understanding more with the mind of God because He gives us more of His mind, to understand when we see the suffering around us, it's for a time. Someone will die, but they're going to be resurrected, living. And then they have the opportunity of learning God's way of life, to live on for eternity.

We must see God, the mind of God and why He does what He does. We must see beyond those things that hold us down physically so often, whereby we judge things and it tears us apart, whereby we become too weepy and too mournful and too sorrowful. Because everything we're holding on to is now.

It isn't about now. It's about later. It's about what God is doing. And God wants us to see that, that that be so strong in our minds that what is present doesn't distort our thinking, like it does in the world, like it does in the Protestant world. Because they don't really believe God. They don't have the spirit of God working with them to help them to have the right mind that they need to have to go through what we're getting ready to go through.

So again, the principle is one of God focussing on the fulfilment of His Kingdom, that it's a reality as though it is, for it will be.

Some of us were in a conversation yesterday after services and we were discussing some of these principles. And Willem Henderson there was mentioning a particular verse in a recent sermon, or some verses back in Ecclesiastes. And that's what we need to remember. There's a reason why we went back through that, back then even. These things must be deeply embedded in our mind, of the way God is, of God's will.

Brethren, this will help you to understand other things starting right in the very beginning in Genesis. God has always told man, the Bible is filled with the message, and what is that message? Mr Armstrong stated it so often. Magazine named after it. Good News – the gospel. The Good News. So, before it's ever come about, it's spoken of as it is, as it will be. The excitement God has for His Kingdom, for His family. And that good news, throughout all the prophets and the life of Jesus Christ and the apostles, that was taught to mankind. Exciting and inspiring as we get closer and closer and closer.

Ecclesiastes 3. I love these verses. And even in these it's amazing when you look at certain Hebrew words, you look at certain meaning here. And I looked at different translations and I got a bit of a charge out of it because they don't know what God is talking about! You know, there's so many places where you read the scriptures and things that are translated in the Old Testament and... I think of certain ones in the Psalms and in the Proverbs, and because they don't understand the mind of God, they don't have the mind of God dwelling within them, they don't have the life of God dwelling within them, they don't understand the purpose and plan of God, "So how are we going to translate this one?"

And a lot of things are translated by what they believed. That's why there are some things that aren't translated well, especially in the New Testament. You know, a lot of times the world, the Protestant world has translated the Old Testament a lot more accurately. Might as well, you know, because they're the New Testament! And they see things in a different way. So, things in the New Testament so often, especially in different translations, are really muddled up. That's why the King James is still probably the most accurate translation of all because a lot of that bent is not in there as readily, as far as Protestantism is concerned.

But Ecclesiastes 3:14. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Absolute confidence and faith and knowing, that whatever God sets out to do it will be, and it will be forever! Nothing can be added to it. Nothing can be added to it. That's why the book of Revelation, "Don't add to it; don't take from it. It's going to be this way." "This is the way it's going to be. This is what's going to take place. This is how it is." It won't be added to and it won't be taken from because God will see to it.

Nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. And God does it. God brings about His will. God is doing His will on the earth. Now, He's let man for 6,000 years have his way, because it's God's will.

God could have kept the demons away from man, Satan away from man, but they're allowed to be on this earth for 6,000 years because it's God's will. It must be that way for us to learn the things that we must learn. And everything else, brethren... Doesn't mean man is doing the right thing, but God's doing His will and He's bringing His Kingdom to this earth, very powerfully so. His will is being accomplished in His Church exactly the way He intends it to be.

See, I think of some who had great pain and hurt, and there is mourning because of choices people have made, but it's almost like what happened to the Church, like, "How could this happen to God's Church if it's God's Church?" Satan... It's like, "Satan got the upper hand on God! What are we going to do?" Satan's greater than God?

And I heard comments in the beginning about things like that! It's like, you know, "Satan's so powerful – look what he did!" No!! Look what we did as God's people!! We allowed him to deceive us! We allowed because we let down because of a spirit of Laodicea that worked its way into the Church! "Rich and increased with goods," and we took the honor to ourselves rather than giving God the thanks for all that we had!

That's what's so awesome to understand about God's plan! He's blessed us to share in His plan, to be a part with Him. And it's in the sharing that makes life rich and full, to be in unity and harmony with Him. It's in the sharing! God's way is one of sharing, brethren, and we get to do that. But when we lose sight of that and we start taking some of that to ourselves and begin lifted up with pride and haughtiness and begin to go off on different tangents?

I love what Mr. Armstrong said in one of the tapes we've played at different times. We've played it more than once. I've mentioned it several times. I love it. When in bible study in the auditorium at Pasadena he looked out and he said, "Where are all the ministers?" Because they weren't sitting on the front row where they should have been—at God's apostle's feet!!

And why weren't they there? Already back then, "rich and increased with goods." They did not see the need, as the angelic realm does, of being there with what God reveals and teaches and gives to the Church, because they were "rich and increased with goods." Evangelists! Teachers! And that attitude went through the Church, brethren! That's why Mr Armstrong couldn't trust anyone! That's why he gave a lot of trust to an unconverted individual! Because for a time he was able to work with him, until he snowed Mr. Armstrong as well, until he got caught up in the politics and the garbage of it all. Amazing, brethren, what's happened to us! Shame on us!

So, it's not that Satan and the demonic world have greater power than God, by any measure. It's just that there are things that God allows. Why? It was His will to do so. God told us what would happen to the Church because He wanted us to learn a great lesson. He wanted mankind to learn a great lesson from our example. What's happened to us as a Church, we've lived it and we don't think it's that big maybe. When you put it in here someday it's one of the biggest things that ever happened in 6,000 years.

Just as Mr. Armstrong, when he talked about government, where did he always begin? Always begin? That great archangel who was given so much to share in, to share until he became rich and increased with goods and was lifted up with pride. That's exactly what happened to that being. And he was cast down and became the adversary – Satan, the Devil, who opposed God.

Awesome, to understand that this happened in the angelic realm! And it wasn't a mystery to God that would happen. Whenever you give free moral agency to someone, a spirit being, and the angelic realm – we were talking about that a little bit the other day, someone, and it just helped bring everything back into focus again. Sometimes you don't think about it all the time and so...

And why were the angels created? Did God have a plan when He created them? Absolutely! Absolutely! But He started there, and then something happened.

And then the lessons carried on into Adam and Eve. And what did they do? Well, because they were made physical (and God made us physical for a purpose) — so we could experience what it's like to have free moral agency and to oppose God. And it didn't take too long and they were walking around the garden and, you know, thinking they were... God couldn't see them.

And human beings have lived that way ever since. You know, "We'll put God away. I don't think He even exists. You know, maybe evolution is real." You know, whatever... "There's no God."  That way you don't have to worry about your conscience, you know. You can lie to yourself or believe something that's false because it's a little easier that way. "This is the way I think God is." You know, God said you'd make man... You'd make Him after your own image, your own likeness, whatever it is you like.

And we think of the Protestant world today. Not just the Protestant world. Look at all the religions today because that's how they wanted God to be. You know, it's just it's easier that way. Sick, sick, sick, sick, sick!

But one of the greatest lessons of all that Mr. Armstrong couldn't use yet. He would go on in and talk about Moses and Israel and what happened there. And God's own people that were brought out of Egypt, he would go there then. And the great lesson of all that? That without God's spirit, you can't live this way; you can't understand the law. Everything will be physical on a physical plane unless God has a purpose in drawing you and giving you His spirit so you can see the spirit of it. Otherwise, it's just a physical thing.

So, we see the Jews today, the Jewish people, Judah, it's a physical thing. There's no spirit in it! And that's a great lesson: That we need God's spirit. We were made incomplete. That's what makes us complete.

And then again, the one that Mr. Armstrong could not know because it wasn't in his time, a far greater lesson than all those that went before. God bringing mankind to the point, the Church for 2,000 years having the blessing of growing, of being called out by God, and coming to a point in time then… This is an awesome lesson, brethren, that will be used throughout the Millennium and The Great White Throne. It'll be taught throughout the Millennium! Because the battle in the Millennium will be Laodicea, that same spirit.

So, God brought the Church to an era of time. It won't be Laodicea. It's the Laodicean attitude that they have to fight. It's the same spirit they have to fight because this is a pinnacle of lessons of all seven eras for God's people and for all who are to come. That not only as a human being now impregnated with the spirit of God, now you have the mind of God living and abiding and dwelling within you, you don't have it made. You're not there. And you can still make choices to turn against your God.

And that's what we have lived. You can fall asleep. You can become as the one that we're to learn from in it all. You can become "rich and increased with goods," lifted up with pride, and forget the great lesson that everything we have is not owed to us. Everything we have is because God wants to share it with us.

I think of individuals, of ministers. I think of Mr. Armstrong's own son who forgot that great lesson, that everything he had he had because of what God was doing through his father! Every opportunity he had (and he had great ability), as long as, especially if he would yield himself to God. But he resisted that to the end, to where he couldn't share in it anymore. And that, to me, is a great lesson.

And I think of all the brethren, all the ministers in time! I think of those who have been with us over the last eight years and have left at different times. They had the opportunity to share in something that none of the others had opportunity to share in! This is where God is, brethren! This is what God is doing! It is awesome!

Amazing though, brethren! Do we see that they can no longer share? They have taken themselves away from the ability to share in what God gave.

So, whether it be big or small or whatever, it's an awesome lesson to learn, that we must be where God is. We must be able to hear Christ's voice and to follow him, and to understand how blessed we are, how awesomely blessed! And I think of us, because we had a calling and we fell asleep, every one of us. And then God had a purpose, His will.

Because He knew what would happen to the Church, didn't He? It was His will to let it happen in order for others to learn the lessons from, in order for others to be able more readily, more effectively come into His Kingdom, into His family. To make the way easier for those that are to follow. See?

It's harder in the beginning. And the world is made better and better so that the way into His family is made better and better, easier and easier as time goes along. The more that man can see of what man has done with God.

Ah, brethren, it's such an awesome plan. We serve such an incredible God. We truly do. It's beyond words. It's of His spirit. And we can appreciate it and love it and be stronger, not because of our human thinking. Even the appreciation, it has to be because of God's spirit just so fills us with that, that it just fills our life.

I think of things that Christ said, that his meat—he's talking about what fills him with energy and life and strength—was his Father, was to do the will, the work of his Father. That's what it's all about. Incredible.

So, sometimes we don't grasp, brethren, the significance, the magnitude of what we've experienced as a people, and now as a remnant, to have an added opportunity to escape, an added opportunity, an awesome blessing. It was an awesome blessing in the beginning because very few on the earth have ever had the ability to be drawn by God and be worked with. And now a small group left, a remnant that God is working with to bring everything to fruition, to fulfil His will, as an example to others so people can learn.

Ecclesiastes 3:14—I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it nor anything taken from it and God does it, that mankind should fear before Him. The more we learn, the more we see, the more we understand we don't want to resist God. Because you know what? Whatever God does, you better want to be a part of it. Because that's the only thing that's going to be. That's the only thing that's going to exist. That's the only thing that's going to continue on. So, if we can share in that, there's life and excitement of life if we so choose. And some will not choose that and not want to be a part of that, in time, just as in the angelic realm. There are some who will not want what God gives because we're free moral agents.

Verse 15—That which has been, is now, speaking of that which is a matter of God's will. "That which has been." There are things that God has predetermined, brethren, before time. There are things...everything... Any time you could say “now” on the earth, whenever that was – the time of Christ, the time of Moses, the time of others – it was all a part of what God was doing and planning all through time. The flood, whatever it was, there were things that God was doing. "That which has been, is now," as far as God's concerned, speaking of those things as though they are. And they will be.

And that which is to be, has already been. God has already determined what will be because God's going to... Isn't that what it just said? And God does it! God does it! He does what He wills.

And God requires that which is past. The word means, "God requires that which is 'to follow.'"  For what He has determined to follow will follow. What He says is going to happen in the Millennium is going to happen. What He said concerning the return of Jesus Christ is going to happen at the return of Jesus Christ. So, He requires that which is to follow. He's going to accomplish that which is to follow, that which has already been pre-determined. It was pre-determined a long time ago.

Look at the book of Revelation. Seven eras? Pre-determined. God told us what would happen. He told the Church. He warned the Church. He told us the good and the bad, the right responses and the wrong responses. He told us very specifically things that are going to take place as time goes along when Seals begin to be opened up and God begins to give to Jesus Christ a countdown, a timing of events and how they're to be accomplished and when they're to be accomplished.

So, when speaking of faith, the promises given through Abraham, and some of the things we've been talking about here in Matthew even, when it talks about those things that we read earlier here (what Jesus Christ was telling the Sadducees).

So, when speaking of faith and the promises given through Abraham, Paul spoke of this matter by saying (Romans 4:17). Notice. Romans 4:17. So, this is the context here of what's being said and some of the things that Jesus Christ was speaking of and some of the principles that we're to understand, and how we are able to come to a deeper understanding of God. And so, in this particular case, again, in the context here, Paul spoke of this matter by saying, Romans 4:17—As it is written, I have made you a father of many nations, before Him whom he, speaking of Abraham, "before Him," before God whom he (Abraham) believed, even God, who quickens (makes alive, resurrects) the dead (makes alive) and calls those things which be not as though they were.

So, God looks forward. That's why it was said there specifically by Christ, "God is not the God of the dead but of the living." And there are a lot of things, brethren, of things that have to do with God's will that are all forward looking. The gospel, the Kingdom of God, everything is geared toward that and the fulfilment of it all, a great family. And there's an order of events, as we read earlier in Corinthians, of how and when those things are going to take place.

Let's go back to Matthew 22 and continue on with what Christ was saying.  Human nature. Amazing! Amazing

Matthew 22:34, continuing on... But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence... You know, they didn't come back at him. They didn't want to be made fools of anymore. ...they were gathered together. Then one of them, which was a lawyer... You know, it reminds me of some old joke sometimes, you know, different ones and trying to trip somebody up and...

…then one of them which was a lawyer asked him a question, tempting him. You know, no different than the Sadducees, that smugness, that attitude, you know. And they looked down at the Sadducees because, "Sadducees didn't know it anyway! They didn't have the right belief! But we do. We're going to put him in his place. You know, he made a fool of them – great! That's good! Makes our job easier. Now we'll make a fool of him." See, it puffed them up, raised them up – vanity, pride, haughtiness.

And saying, Master, which is the great commandment of the law? And Jesus said unto them, You shall love the LORD your God. It's all directed first and foremost, brethren, to the One True God, the Father. You shall love the LORD your God with all of your heart, with all of your soul, and with all of your mind. That is the first and great commandment. You know, I marvel at this, because no human being can do that. You can't do it as a human being.

I think sometimes people thought they could do that in the Church, that they could love God with all their heart, with all their soul, with all their being, with all their mind. You can't. God has to be there to give you the ability to do it. It requires God's spirit dwelling in you to have God's love. You can't do it with philia; it's incomplete, it's inadequate. It must be because God is in it and then it returns to God, powerfully so. It's an awesome thing, God and the power of God, the spirit of God and how He works in our lives.

Verse 39—And the second is like unto it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Who can do that? No one. We can't even do it, but we strive to do it. We want to learn God's love. It's talking about an unselfish love, a giving love, which is God – agape – because we're inadequate in this, we're unable to do it, but that's what we seek to become and to do and to have live within us.

On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus said unto them saying, What do you think of Christ? "See, you ask me a question, now I'm going to ask you one. What do you think of the Messiah? What do you think of what it says in the scriptures about the Messiah?" Whose Son is he? He got real specific. "Whose Son is he?" And they said unto him, the son of David. The son of David.

Verse 43—He said unto them, How then does David in spirit, this is Jesus Christ speaking, brethren. How then does David in spirit call him Lord? "How can he call his own son, Lord?" Know what we read back in Acts – "the Lord"?

Going on... the LORD said unto my lord, same quote as in Acts, The Eternal said unto my (David's) Lord, that's what David wrote, sit You on My right hand until I make Your enemies Your footstool.  If David then calls him Lord (speaking of the Messiah), how is he his son? Good question isn't it? And something we haven't fully grasped nor understood.

And no man was able to answer him a word. Neither dared any man from that day forth ask him any more questions. You know, shut their mouths. The point, the point being made—it's about Jesus Christ being the son of Yahweh. Who? "Whose Son is he?" "The LORD said unto my Lord." So clear, brethren, so powerful. Yahweh is his Father.

Let's move on to another very direct area of scripture that magnifies these matters even more. They're absolute. They're sure.

Acts 13:28, it says, And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain. So, they're going through and telling the story here now in the book of Acts, of what took place.

And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, of Jesus Christ, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a sepulchre. But God raised him from the dead and he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people. And we declare unto you glad tidings (good news). The gospel, this is it. This is good news. ...how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God has fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that He (God) has raised up Jesus again, as it is written in the second Psalm, You are My Son, this day have I begotten you.  It's from Psalms 2. Let's go back there.

Isn't it amazing when God makes things clear? They're just clear. There is no argument. It's a reality. And the veil (the darkness) is lifted away, and it becomes beautiful. It becomes more inspiring. It becomes more uplifting with greater clarity.

Psalm 2:6—Yet have I set my King (it's talking about the Messiah, Jesus Christ) upon My holy mountain (holy hill) of Zion. I will declare the decree: the Eternal (Yahweh) has said unto me (has said unto Christ), You are my Son. That should... you know… It's awesome! Clear. Powerful. This day have I begotten You. Yahweh is Jesus Christ's Father, El Shaddai, the God who has always been. And Jesus Christ didn't begin until he was born of the virgin, Mary. That's when his life began.

It didn't exist before that. He didn't exist save in his Father, that mind, that being, that Word. But there was only one. There was only one through time, brethren, until the time came for there to be another, another member of the God family, another distinct, separate member of the God family.

Just like we're approaching a time when there are going to be 144,000 distinct members of the God family, but all coming into the family in different ways through different times, over 6,000 years. But Jesus Christ being the first of the firstfruits of all them that slept, of all mankind.

Let's return to Acts 13: 34, continuing on from where we left off. And as concerning that He (God) raise him (Christ) up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, He (God) said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David. Wherefore, He said also in another Psalm: You shall not allow (suffer) your Holy One to see corruption. For David after he had served his own generation, by the will of God, fell on sleep and was laid unto the fathers (his fathers) and saw corruption. His body returned to the dust of the earth. But he (Jesus Christ) whom God raised up saw no corruption. You know, it's just over and over and over again, in quoting things out of the same Psalms again and again and again, speaking of what Yahweh did.

At this point, before we continue into the next area of scripture, it's important that we grasp another matter, and that's in 1 Corinthians 8. And we'll look at these words more closely, but we'll start here.

1 Corinthians 8:6—But to us (the Church) there is but one God. Always has been, always will be, in the sense of what's being spoken of here of the Father. One who is the Father. Always one that was Yahweh for all eternity. No one else has lived in time through eternity, save one.

But to us there is but one God... And we can't even begin to grasp and understand that in any fashion or form. But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things. And it's a word that means "out of; from." ...whom are all things. Everything has come from God. Everything in the angelic realm that was created by God, that's of spirit, everything that's physical in the universe, from God. Everything. His own Son, His own Family – everything, everything, everything, everything comes from that one Great God.

Whom are all things and we (speaking of the Church) in Him. It's a word that means "in to." We are in Him. That's why I love John (the book of John) and the things that God revealed to John, very powerfully so. ...and we in Him, and one Lord Jesus Christ. Just one. No more. One, powerful and mighty, the Son of God.

By Whom... Things like this sometimes confuse us. Things like this. Well, what do you mean, "by"? It means something, brethren, powerful. It's a primary preposition denoting the channel of an act. In other words, "through." Words mean things, brethren. How? It's like... It's talking about how is God doing it? Now we're talking about His overall will and purpose that starts with Passover and goes to the Last Great Day, and how that Jesus Christ fulfils it all, the purpose and the plan of God that's spoken of from the very beginning of scripture in the Bible.

Whom are all things, all things that God is accomplishing and doing and purposed through time! And what is that? The same thing that was sent into the world through God's apostle. The same thing that has gone out into the world at different times, in the very beginning in a smaller way, obviously. The gospel, the good news about God's Kingdom and what we are, human beings, that we can become a part of the God family. That's incredibly good news! We don't have to stay this way.

You know, we get old and we die and we decompose, and it's not a pretty thing. We're just physical until God's on the scene and His life begins to live within us. And for us, our longing, the older we get, of being in that family. And the older you get, so often the more appreciation you have of what's ahead. Because when you wake up in the morning with all of your aches and pains and you carry them through the day, and some here who are carrying a lot of aches and pains with them here at this Feast to be here.

One individual, gentleman I was talking to earlier in the Feast, said, you know, "Next year...." He starts talking about it, need be, to remind him he's not to come next year.  He just can't do it anymore. There are many can't be with us this year because they just can't do it anymore. It takes too much out of them. Our bodies become weaker as we grow older. And, oh, as we see God's plan, how we long for a change. That longing, that understanding is something you mature in. It's something you mature in through time. You don't have it the same when you're twenty or thirty or even forty, as someone when they're up in their fifties and sixties and seventies and just continues to mature. It's a growing thing.

And so again, And we in Him. So, what is it talking about? It's talking about the very purpose of God. It's talking about His family, if we understand it, brethren, because it's talking about the importance of being "in Him," because it's about the Church! It's about what God is doing in the Church. And so, all things are of God the Father— everything that exists— but this about us and what we have. “But to us!” we are able to be in the Father and the Father in us, be in Christ and Christ in us.

Through whom (speaking of Jesus Christ) are all things. What "all things"?  All things that pertain to what we're discussing here. All things to do with God's family and God's overall purpose. Because the angelic realm, the universe, everything that exists is for this purpose, to become a part of the Family of God! To become Gods and to share life eternally in that Family, in oneness, in unity of the exact same mind. We'll do different things. There'll be different things accomplished. We share in things, but of the same mind of the way of agape. That which God is, agape – love, sharing, and giving. Amazing!

And we through Him... "And we through Him." That's—carries it all the way home—that's how it's done.  He does it to accomplish God's will, the things that are being done in and through him, and we through him. That's what John is about. That's what John 14 is all about! That's why I find it so immensely exciting.

To me the greatest revelation that could ever be given to mankind, when Jesus Christ spoke of those things on that last night that he was on this earth before his death, when he's told them about the things that he did, the works that he did. He said, "They're not mine. They're the Father's, because I am in Him and He is in me. And now this same power and life of the holy spirit is going to come to you." Present-progressive, "It will be coming." "I am coming and dwelling in you, and in that day, you will know..." What? "That I am in my Father and you in me, and you in the Father and the Father in you and..." It's the whole package of how we're able to be a part with God.

Let's go on to Hebrews 1:1—God, who at different times and in different manners, spoke in times past unto the fathers, by the prophets… In part we knew, but there was a bit of a conflict in some of our thinking. God? Who is…? God. The one Great God of all the universe that has been doing what He has been doing and bringing about His will, "Who, in different times and in different places and in different ways spoke unto people."

He's used different means, things that happened even after the time of Christ, and then even in the eras and how God has worked, because God's had a different purpose in different times in how He's functioned. It's exciting. I can't wait. Because we are so puny, as the world looks at us and as some scattered look at us. I marvel and I know what God is going to do because He's already told us.

And what God says will be. And we get to share in it. And it's exciting, brethren, if we continue to grow, conquer, and seek to be a part, seek to be at one with Him and with one another in unity of spirit and mind, to love as God has told us to love, to yield our self to His spirit living within us. There are some awesome things right in front of us, and we don't have to worry because God is going to do it.

Ecclesiastes – mark those scriptures down. Remember those verses we've read today. Go back to them on a periodic basis. Because God's going to do it. And we can begin to see a little bit how He is going to do certain things; it's becoming clearer to us.

That's why we're not to push anything right now at all.  We did what we could do for a period of time that God gave us, and that's all that's needed. Just a little bit of salt here and there. And the world doesn't see it, but we see it. And in God's time, brethren, it'll happen, powerfully so. Things will take place.

Exciting things are going to be in front of us brethren. There'll be awesome excitement in the midst of horror on the earth, but we will see beyond that to what it's all about. And that's what's beautiful. That's what carries us through. That's what gives us greater confidence and boldness and strength and power.

God, who at sundry times, different times and in different manners, spoke in times past unto the fathers by the prophets. And when you go back and look at it, it was Yahweh, Yahweh, Yahweh. ...has in these last days spoken unto us by His Son whom He has appointed heir of all things by (through) whom also… through whom also He made, which means "to bring forth," the worlds, "the ages."

Everything that's taking place, everything that God has intended for that which is to come in time, different ones in different times, a different process. I think of the eras of the Church to bring forth certain things of God's will. I think of the millennial period that will be different and unique, and the Great White Throne that becomes so exciting and so unique in itself. And that all has been brought under control. All has been brought into unity under Christ. And at the end of it all, it's all given to the Father. All in all.

Who being the brightness of His glory (Jesus Christ)... The brightness of whose glory? It's there, brethren, a glory that God pre-determined before time that he would have. And he knew it, and he believed it, and he saw it. Who being in the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person... "The express image of His person." And upholding all things by the word of His power – it's God, God's power. And when he (speaking of Jesus Christ), had by himself purged our sins sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high. The one who has always been "the Majesty on High."

Verse 4—Being made... If he was already better than, why go through this? What is the purpose of it all? Isn't that amazing? But we couldn't see that before. Being made so much better than the angels. He was made; he had a beginning. Being made so much better than the angels as he (Jesus Christ) has by inheritance...

Isn't that amazing? If he had it all already before, why wouldn't he have it again? But God says it's "by inheritance." He's receiving it. And if we diminish from that, we don't grasp as much; it doesn't mean as much to us then. It doesn't help us to understand what we're inheriting. God says we're inheriting all things with Christ! That's an awesome promise, an awesome deliverance that God is going to give. But that's what it's all about. All in all. One, brethren. "...His glory and the express image of His person, upholding all things by the word of His power. And when he had by himself purged our sins sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high."

Verse 4—Being made so much better than the angels, as he has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. He obtained it as the Son of God! He didn't have it before. It happened through a process he went through, and he obtained it, from what began from the virgin, Mary, and lived on into life and did what he did – became our Elder Brother, our High Priest, our Savior. Awesome to understand, brethren!

For unto which of the angels said He (Yahweh) at any time... Jesus Christ never existed. This is important to understand in the process and what we're being taken through. For unto which of the angels said He at any time, you are My Son! And to be a father, there's only one thing you can do. You must be the father and he must be the son. There's no in between, not something else. God has given us physical things to understand things that are spiritual, brethren.

You are My Son, this day have I begotten you.  And again, I will be to him a father and he shall be to me a son. The relationship never existed before this. This is what God was looking forward to, an exciting thing to take place in time, in God's time on the earth.

1 Chronicles 22.  It's an incredible story. There are some other places as well, but we're going to look at this one today. It's a little bit like the one we looked at concerning Solomon when he had built the temple and he said certain things. And he never, he didn't grasp. It was a physical "type," but he didn't grasp what David was told by God. David didn't fully grasp what was given by God. There were promises, and he believed them, but he didn't understand the fulfilment of it all.

It's like any time and period; we're not going to understand the whole fulfilment of everything until it happens, certain things that take place. Just like what was going to happen to the Church. Mr. Armstrong knew. You know, we were in bad shape before it was all over with. He said, "I wonder if there are 10%," by the time it was over with. It used to be 50/50, then it got down, "I wonder if there are 10%!" you know, because the Church was falling asleep way back then. And by the time he was gone, big snoozing times came on. It's what we all did. We became prey, unwittingly so.

1 Chronicles 22:5—And David said, Solomon, my son, is young and tender and the house that is to be built for the Eternal must be exceeding magnificent, of fame and of glory throughout all countries. I will, therefore, now make preparation for it. So, David prepared abundantly before his death. Then he called for Solomon, his son, and charged him to build a house for the Eternal God of Israel. And David said to Solomon, My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build a house under the name of the Eternal my God.

You know, in the midst of all this then God let them build a house, and there are things that come out of the story there, as we talked about with Solomon, but it was all on a physical plane.

Verse 8—But the word of the Eternal came to me, saying, You have shed blood abundantly and have made great wars. You shall not build a house unto My name because you have shed much blood upon the earth in My sight. Behold, a son shall be born to you, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about. So, God was going to give a type of a physical fulfilment, but what was far greater was what He goes on to say, but it's nothing to do with what's physical. Amazing.

For his name shall be Solomon. "Peace." Peace. And I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days. It's about God's plan and God's purpose, speaking of those things that are not as though they are, long into the future.

He, speaking of this one who is the Messiah, who is the Christ, shall build My House for My name and he shall be My Son and I will be his Father, and I will establish the throne of his Kingdom over Israel forever.  Isn't that amazing? So, David understood some physical things in part, and it wasn't just about a lineage, it was about the one who was to follow that Yahweh would be the father of, indeed literally.

Let's go on to Acts 7. And there are other places that speak of these things even more specifically, and one we already read in the Psalms.

You know, it's been an amazing thing to me sometimes. I'm in awe of it. I think of the apostles at different times, because it's how God's spirit works, there are things that they would pull out of a context of something in Jeremiah or Isaiah. At times and you look back and think, "That's an awesome thing." Because when you read the story in Isaiah, as the story of things that were happening, or Ezekiel, or whatever it might be, and there's a story flow going, then all of a sudden two verses, one verse pulled out. And it wasn't about the physical things taking place, it was about something in the future, something that was to be fulfilled at a specific time and accomplished later on down the road. You know, "This day has this been fulfilled in your ears."

You know, different things that have happened that God intended for a later fulfilment on a spiritual plane (and physical sometimes as well), but not at that time when it was written, and I marvel at that because it's exciting to me. Because God gives His spirit, He gave His spirit to the apostles and different ones at different times to be able... How did they know? By the spirit of God. They knew what it was, what it was speaking of.

It's not something you figure out on your own. It's not something you figure out because you had a Strong’s Concordance, you know, or Online Bible, or whatever else that you have at your fingertips and you figure it out on your own. No. God just gave it. "This is what this means. This is what this applies to." It's exciting.

We've had a lot of that happen to us in this age, brethren, because of so much of it applying to this age. It's an incredible thing! And sometimes we don't realise just how incredible it is.

Acts 7:44—Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as He had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen. Which also our fathers that came after brought it with Jesus into the possession of the gentiles, whom God drove out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David; Who found favor with God. I hope you know certain words here, words like Joshua.

Who found favor before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob. So, it's going through a chronology of time here, building up to this particular time. Who found favor with God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.  But Solomon built Him a house.

Verse 47—Howbeit the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as says the prophet: Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool, What house will you build Me? Over and over and over again in scripture, brethren, places where things like this are quoted.

What house will you build to Me? says the Lord. Or what is the place of My rest? Has not My hand made all these things? Again, the quote from Isaiah 66 that's speaking. It tells it's Yahweh saying these things. Incredible. Over and over again, that temple, that house. It wasn't Solomon's, it was for later on. It's what Jesus Christ would build, the Temple of God, the spiritual Temple of God where God would dwell, where God chose to dwell long ago, where He has looked forward to dwelling.

God loves dwelling in His temple. He loves dwelling in us, brethren, as we yield ourselves to Him. And the more we yield ourselves to Him, the more He loves it, the more exciting and inspiring and encouraging it is to Him to see His family, His people respond to Him. It's a beautiful thing.

The more harmony, the more love that's able to live in and through us, the more rewarding it is to God, the more enjoyable it is to God. He loves us with a kind of love that we can't even begin to comprehend, brethren, because of what He's putting in us and living in us, what He's giving to live within us. Because He sees something beyond that is so great and so awesome – a family of one mind in spirit.

Hebrews 1. Let's go back there and continue on where we just left off a little bit ago. And again, when He brings in the first begotten into the world, He said... It's an incredible story here in Hebrews, isn't it? You know, when you go through it and you look at it for what it says, it's an awesome story!

And again, when He brings in the first begotten into the world, He said, And let all the angels of God worship him. "Let all the angels of God worship him." You know, He's speaking of, He's telling us about things in the angelic realm. He's talking about things that have to do with a matter of inheritance. He's talking about things that He is creating and doing and building and making and... and it's a process here that as He goes on to say, And of the angels He said (God said, Yahweh said), Who makes His angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of fire.

You know, it's what God chose to do, something, as we talked about earlier, why did He make the angelic realm? Well, it even tells us here in Hebrews, doesn't it, the things that God intended for when He created the angelic realm. God just didn't go along, all of a sudden decide, "Ah! I've made angels. Now, what's next?" I marvel how people sometimes think.

I think about Ambassador College and some of the discussions we used to have sometimes and... so young. But what amazed me, too, is so many of the instructors were in on the conversations as well. Because people didn't know certain things. We didn't know certain things and we'd discuss certain things, and not understanding the greatness of God, the power of God, the word of God and how strong it is and what it has to say, the surety of it all.

And so, you know, there was never a point in time... I remember stories of things that happened in discussions about Adam and Eve. There seemed like there were so many discussions about Adam and Eve. You know, what if? What if? What if? Well, there was no "what if.”  God knew what was going to happen. It was always in the context like "God's got to do something else now because this... Look what they did! Look what they did! They sinned!"

It was like Jesus Christ was an afterthought, a need for a Savior was not in His mind, was not in God's mind. And yet such plain scriptures. He was determined before time, before the earth was ever here. Because God's had a plan, brethren. Do we marvel at that? Going back in time, it's such an awesome thing, just to go back in time and realise that when God began to build it was all set out intricately, beautifully by a God, brethren, that we don't really grasp.

And we see through a glass darkly because our minds are so puny. And even when God gives His spirit inside of us as human beings, some of the fog rises, but we still see through a glass darkly. But at least we can begin to see, where the world can't see at all.

My wife was talking about an analogy. I don't know remember if it was one of the ministers or a class in college or something. She's nodding her head "Yes" to both of those, so I don't know which one it is. But talking about the example that was given back then, you know, if you had something that was of glass, by its construction, and candlelight. You know, they didn't have big lights like we have and light that would shine through and be powerful. Just have a little flicker of light, you know, whether it be from oil or that type of thing.

And it wasn't bright like we have today, where you have 100 watts or whatever it might be, or several 100 watt bulbs and have the brightness we have here. And so, if you're looking through something like, and it's just a little bit of light isn't it? That's the analogy. We just see so little even though we can see light.

And that's the way we are as human beings. We don't see the brightness of it all yet, but it does get brighter and brighter the closer we get. The stronger we become, the clearer it is. But even now we're still seeing so little. But we grow in what we can see. It's exciting to see greater light and what emanates from God, what comes from God as He... Because it clears the way for us. Other things around us begin to be a little bit clearer.

It's like what He's giving at this Feast; it's a little stronger light, we can see a little bit more. But we can only go so far with that until God gives us more. But He can't even give us more until we get to that point where He can give us more, because He has to prepare us and work with us. Just like over the past many months, God has been working with us to prepare us for this Feast, in ways that I can see in this that I haven't been able to see as clearly in other Feasts.

But even in those, or from Sabbath to Sabbath, God is molding and fashioning us all the time, all the way. He knows what we need when we need it. How often do people in even different areas sometimes discuss that this is something that's been on their mind, that this is something they've gone through or whatever it might be, and then God gives it. And yet the same thing is going on in different areas. Why? Because God's working with us all, bringing us to that point so that when He gives it to us it becomes brighter in our minds and it becomes exciting to us, more exciting, more fulfilling. It's a spiritual thing that goes beyond the physical, that makes our lives richer and more exciting to live, that makes God's way richer.

Brethren, I just... The power of God is so mighty. I just...I have...the back, the hairs on the back of my head standing up because of what He's giving us and because of where we are in time. And I think about this fact that we're just brought to this time alone, because God had to give it to see what we see, that's becoming clearer to you. It's becoming clearer to you as we go along here through this Feast. And it'll become stronger and clearer to you, to where His word becomes more powerful in your mind and in your thinking and in your understanding, to where your response to God becomes one of greater glory to God.

It will be in you in a deeper way, and toward His Son, and toward one another. To grow in that toward one another? What is that worth? Words can't describe it. It's a power that works in us if we'll yield ourselves to it, you know.

But I wonder what's behind all this. I truly do. Because I know how God has worked with us, worked with me through time, and nothing is by chance; it's all by design. And why right now, after what we've experienced in the past year? Brethren, you talk about being at the doorstep of time. It sends chills. It truly does. On the doorstep of time. Incredible, what this world is getting ready to go through.

I think I stopped at Hebrews 1:6 here. And again, when He brings in the first begotten into the world, He said, And let all the angels of God worship him. And of all the angels He said, who makes His angels spirits and His ministers of flame of fire. But unto His Son... Here's that which is different. He wants us to grasp how different it is. That's why a little bit later He starts talking about Melchizedek, because there's something that we can see that happened back then that God wants us to see now. Something I never saw three weeks ago. God just gives more and more, where it becomes clearer and clearer. Awesome!

But unto His Son He said, Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. A sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of Your Kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated iniquity, therefore, God, even your God, has anointed you, speaking of Jesus Christ, with the oil of gladness above your fellows. And it even goes a little bit beyond that.

But here, so much of this speaking about Jesus Christ, it says in verse 8—But unto the Son He says, your throne. But you know what? We're inheritors with Jesus Christ. And those things come out in other scriptures even more so, more powerfully so, brethren. He is our elder brother. He is the first of the firstfruits, the first to be resurrected from the dead. And all that's quoted from Psalms 45:6-7.

Let's go on to verse 10—And You, Lord, in the beginning have laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the work of Your hands.

Let's take the time to go over there. Psalm 102. Let's notice Psalm 102. I wasn't sure I'd have time to go over there today, but let's take it since we have it. Psalm 102. Notice who the prayer is directed to: Hear my prayer, O Yahweh, and let my cry come unto You. Hide not Your face from me in the day when I'm in trouble. And so, it goes on discussing some of those things and some things about God.

Verse 12—But You, O Eternal (Yahweh) shall endure forever in Your remembrance unto all generations. You shall arise and have mercy upon Zion. Because God has a plan for His family and what He's creating. And the time to favor her, yes, the set time, is come.

And in verse 16—When the Eternal (Yahweh) shall build up Zion, He shall appear in His glory; that which God does, His glory that will be in His family in a very powerful way.

Let's drop on down to verse 24—I said, O, my God, take me not away from the midst of my days: Your years are throughout all generations. Of old… of old have You laid the foundations of the earth and the heavens are the work of Your hands. It's Yahweh, God Almighty, the Eternal God who has done all things. Whether it be in the angelic realm, in creating them, and then the physical realm, and then man, because He has such a great plan and a great purpose – the good news.

Verse 26—They shall perish, but You shall endure. Yes, all of them shall wax old like a garment; and as a vesture shall You change them, and they shall be changed. But You are the same and Your years shall have no end. The children of Your servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before You. That's why I love Ecclesiastes. God has a plan and purpose; He will do it. It's going to be done. His will is going to be accomplished. Thank God. Thank God He's all powerful, almighty, and has such an awesome plan for us all.

Let's go back to Hebrews and continue on. So, this is what it's quoting here in Hebrews 1:10—And, you, Lord, in speaking to Yahweh, of Yahweh, God Almighty, in the beginning have laid the foundations of the earth; and the heavens are the work of Your hands. They shall perish, but You remain. You know, same verses, same quote. ...and they all shall wax old as does a garment; and as a vesture shall You fold them up, and they shall be changed. But You are the same, and Your years shall not fail. But to which of the angels said He at any time (God Almighty, Yahweh), Sit on My right hand until I make your enemies your footstool? A great plan that God has to bring everything into oneness with Him, into unity and harmony and oneness, at one with Him.

Are they not all ministering spirits (the angelic realm) sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs. “Inherit all things.” We will inherit all things through Jesus Christ, with Jesus Christ, along with Jesus Christ. Again, speaking of the angels, Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them... "Because to which of the angels did He ever say...?" So, this is what He's saying about the angels. Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? Because God has had a plan from the very beginning before He created them. His family.

He has awesome patience, awesome love, a plan that is so great and beyond understanding. 6,000 years to get to this point of time, of so many billions who have lived on the earth who are going to be given time in time, opportunity to become a part of that great family. Do you think God is excited? Do you think that after so long a time...?

Are we beginning to grasp more and more the joy, the excitement, the anticipation of the great God of the universe? Who before everything, anything was done, He had a plan and a purpose! And He started by creating the angelic realm! And how many years? Millions? We don't know!

And then the physical universe – how many years? Millions? We don't know! (In earth's time.) We don't understand eternity, but we can understand that we are on the threshold of time, because the next great thing to happen on this earth, brethren, to bring 6,000 years to a close, is the return of Jesus Christ to establish what we are picturing here at this Feast of Tabernacles – the Kingdom of God reigning on the earth over all human beings for 1,100 years, in essence, a thousand years through the Millennium and then the Great White Throne to follow. It is so awesome!

Do you think that God is excited? Do you think there's a reason why as we get closer that God will be pouring out more of His spirit upon His people? That just to hold back the excitement, because it's of God, is going to emanate from Him because He wants to share it with His family who can share in it now?

They couldn't share in this 200 years ago. Mr. Armstrong and Philadelphia couldn't share in it then. Sardis couldn't share in it, by all means! Thyatira, Pergamos, Smyrna, Ephesus - none of them! Because it wasn't time yet. A lot of things had to happen. But not now.

Now we're there and it's becoming more evident that God Almighty is awesomely excited! Do we see it? Awesomely excited to think we're almost at a point where 144,000 are going to return with His Son after so long a time. And yet not so long. Look how long it's been. We can't know. We just see 6,000 years, as a whole, and wonder what it was before that. But God knows, and God has been waiting, and waiting, and working, and accomplishing and doing for so long because He has such an awesome plan for His family.

Such a great love being poured out more and more because we're so close. And we get to share in that and experience that if we will not resist, if we will not refuse, if we'll seek to be in greater submission and yieldness to God, seeking to fight the carnal things of the world around us more than what we have been. If we'll yield ourselves more to God in submission and yieldedness because we want to share in what He is giving us. You can't even begin to imagine what's going to follow.

One day you'll look back, brethren, and you'll realise last year was a great year. Last year was an awesome year in the plan of God. But because we live it, sometimes we don't recognise it. You will. And what's coming, it just gets greater and greater and greater.

So, all of what we have covered today shows powerfully and clearly that Yahweh, the Almighty God of all time, of all eternity, is the Father of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ did not exist till he was born.

And how this is so, brethren, is even greater, of greater understanding and such a marvel of life. It makes things come alive! I can't describe to you, but you will feel it, and you will experience it more and more, how this book is becoming more alive, how there's a closeness with God that I can't put in words. And I'm very humbled to describe it and very thankful to be a part of what He's doing. And I know that there are awesome things just ahead of us.

It's a mighty marvel of an awesome relationship and means for a family that is now soon to become a part of the Kingdom of God.