Appointed Times

Johnny Harrell

March 31, 2018

Brethren, it is a holy day, and we understand what God commands for you and me on this day, this high day. God has specific appointed times for you and me to appear before Him, and we are commanded to give an offering on this day. I understand that there is a basket on this side for your offering, and whatever area you’re in just do as they are doing in that area or mail it in.

But God had it written down in Deuteronomy, so let’s everyone turn over there. Deuteronomy 16:16; we know it by heart, but let’s go back and refresh what God tells you and me. Three times a year all your males... It says “males” but we understand that that was at their time, but it’s men and women today shall appear before the Eternal your God in the place which He chooses, at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and that’s where we are at today, at the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacles. And they shall not appear before the Eternal empty-handed. So we are to give an offering on this high day, this appointed time. Everyone should give as he is able, according to the blessings of the Eternal your God which He has given you. So everyone gives an offering as they are able.

The title today will be Appointed Times.

Mankind at this time does not understand God’s plan for man, but that is about to change. It is just on the horizon for this change to take place. Mankind will be taught about these appointed times that you and me are keeping. We understand that this age is coming to an end, and the system that has been created through Satan and the demons, which is his world at this time, but it is on its way out.

God will offer His way of life to mankind for a 1,100 years in just a short while, and then man can begin to live in a world where peace will begin. God will stop all wars and His way of life will be taught. We understand that the only way for real peace to exist with man is if God’s way of life is chosen. It has to be chosen and it’s about the mind that has to choose this way of life. Those of us that God has called and given His holy spirit, we experience a certain amount of peace in the mind. That’s where it takes place. We understand that only God’s ways, only God’s laws can produce a way of life that will bring about peace to man. Only God’s ways can produce real peace for man.

The way to peace for man begins with this season, the Passover season and Unleavened Bread season, and to have a certain way of life for man to take place this is where it starts, with the Passover. God shows us through the Passover and Unleavened Bread season that something has to take place.

So God gives understanding to those that He has called about how to live their lives. God gives us instructions and God teaches us through this season about sin. Sin has to be dealt with. That is why Jesus Christ died, because of sin. That’s why he died upon that pole a horrible, horrible death; he died because of our sins.

Then the days of Unleavened Bread teaches us that sin has to be put out of our lives. That is what this season is about – sin. God tells us in this book about our human nature and that our nature does not want to listen to God, that our human nature is naturally hostile toward God without God’s help. The nature in man is to do absolutely something different than the way God says we are to live our lives. God’s servant wrote in God’s book many, many years ago that “There is a way that seems right to man, but the end thereof is death.”

So we can look around at this world and we can see that man’s ways will end in the destruction of all life if they were allowed to continue. It is only God’s way that is right for man. To learn what is right for man is why you are here, to learn about God’s plan that begins with the Passover and the season of Unleavened Bread that teaches about a way of life, God’s way of life. He gives us instructions about how we are to live our lives before Him, those that He has called. We are prescribed to always keep sin out of our lives.

God established appointed times and we are here today keeping an appointed time before our God, that the Great God of this universe established for all men, eventually all men and women. But the world is oblivious at this time, but that is about to change. But today, that is why you and me are here today, to obey our God and to keep the appointed times that He has set apart at this time of the year for you and me.

So we set aside these holy days, which we understand is holy time, to come before our God to be taught and to learn more about our God and His ways and the ways that man should live before the Great God of this universe and His Son. So we come before our God and we keep these appointed times, the appointed times that will be taught to the whole world in just a short while.

God gave His holy days that we are to observe, His appointed times. Only God’s true Church observes God’s holy days in truth, real truth. We know the truth about Jesus Christ, who is our Passover. He will be here in a short while to teach truth to mankind. Then everyone will be taught about these holy days, these appointed times that we are here observing. We know that Satan will be put in his prison for a thousand years, which we know is the Millennium. Then we will have a hundred-year period of time for man after that. We know that Satan has deceived mankind for 6,000 years about these holy days that you and I are here keeping.

Most people have no idea that such beings exist. They have no idea that there is a real spirit realm and that they exist in that spirit realm. They constantly fight against God’s people, those that God has called, those that are striving to keep these appointed times. We understand that it is not man’s time at this time. It’s not their time for understanding. But it is for you, brethren, but their time is just on the horizon.

We know what it says in the book of Corinthians. You don’t need to turn there. We know this by heart. God tells us in His book and He tells us about this being, Satan, and how he has blinded all of mankind. It tells us who he is and it says, “... whose minds the god of this age has blinded.” So that tells us who Satan is. He is the god of that age that has blinded man and he is the god of this age. Just for a short while; not much longer the god of this world, his world at this time. It’s not God’s world yet. We understand that this whole world is blinded except for those God has called and opened their minds and given understanding about these appointed times. The rest of mankind is blinded to the truths of God, but understanding will come in just a short while when God will pour out His spirit upon mankind.

So God had it written in His book about the world that Satan has created, the world that has been blinded, and He gives those, those that He has called, He gives us instructions about how we are to live our lives at this time. I’ll just quote what Isaiah said. Isaiah said that “God’s ear isn’t hidden that it cannot hear, but it’s your sins,” it’s because of our sins, “that He will not hear.” So the Passover and Unleavened Bread season is about sin. God gives a way of life through this season for you and me. We are to put leavening out of our homes at this time. We understand the lessons that are learned during this time. There are lessons that you learn, how hard it is, and it’s almost impossible to put all leavening out.

I’ve said it this way many times, “All of us have our bag of rocks that we drag around behind us.” If we can get just a few of those pebbles out, it’s an accomplishment. So it’s lessons about keeping sin out of our lives, but I always find things that are overlooked, every season. But this teaches us, those in God’s Church, about sin, and it shows us that we have to always strive to keep that sin out of our lives. Isaiah understood that God cannot dwell with sin, and unrepeated sin will keep you cut off from the Great God of this universe and His Son, if sin is not repented of. That’s what this season teaches us about, but that’s what will happen if one does not repent of sin; you will become cut off from the Great God of this universe and His Son.

In this age that we find our self in, those of us that find our self at the end of this age, we do not want to be cut off from God at this time. We do not want to be cut off from God’s flow, His flow of holy spirit at this time. If we become cut off there is a spirit world that is just waiting for you at this time. Paul wrote in the book of Romans, “Do not be conformed to this world,” and he was talking about Satan’s world, the world that he has created, the world that you and I are to come out of, the world that has been influenced mightily by this being. Paul tells us to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. That is what it is about, the mind.

We understand in order for the mind to be transformed and the renewing of the mind that is spoken about, something has to take place. Jesus Christ said that no one could come to him unless the Father, God the Father draw them, and when God calls someone there is a process that begins. We understand that process because we have lived it. When someone is called that person must be humbled. Only when a person is of a humble spirit will they be willing to listen to their God. We are witness of this very thing. Many have been called, but few are chosen. We are witness of this very thing, those of us at the end of this age because we have witnessed so many that have come and gone. There is more that has left than have stayed just in our time.

Let’s turn over to 1 Corinthians 2. We understand that it is God’s holy spirit that makes His word come alive so that understanding can then take place, and then one can see the truths of God. And it is just as the apostle, Paul, said takes place in the mind, God is creating His spiritual family, Elohim. 1 Corinthians 2:11, and it was written, What man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? It’s questions that is being asked, but we know that it’s talking about the spirit that is in man. Even so no one knows the things of God except the spirit of God. We know this is talking about the holy spirit that God gives to those that He calls. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is from God, the holy spirit. Let’s notice this tells us why: that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the holy spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. It is foolishness to those in Satan’s world. ...nor can he know them—let’s notice—because they are spiritually discerned. God has revealed understanding to you and me, His Church, through that spirit, through the holy spirit.

It says, For the spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things that are of God. So what Paul is saying is that the truths cannot be known unless God gives His holy spirit so that one can see the truths of God. We just kept Passover. We understand that Jesus Christ fulfilled the role of the Passover by dying for all mankind upon that stake a horrible, horrible death. He died because of sin. He was put into the grave, a tomb, right on sundown on a Wednesday. They took him down from the pole and placed him in that tomb, and at sundown it became the holy day, the appointed time, the first day of Unleavened Bread. This is why they had to hurry, because it was a holy day. It was an appointed time, the first day of Unleavened Bread, the day that you and I are here celebrating, the first day of Unleavened Bread.

Jesus Christ was to remain in that tomb, in that grave for exactly three days and three nights, 72 hours, a full 72 hours, a full three days and three nights. We’ve had sermons about that count, 3 days and 3 nights. You cannot get 3 days and 3 nights from Friday to Sunday as the Catholics and Protestants teach. We know that Jesus Christ was resurrected just before sundown on the seventh day of the week, which was the weekly Sabbath. Then on the morning after the weekly Sabbath something took place.

So let’s turn over to John 20, and let’s look at verse 17 and let’s look at what took place. John 20:17. This is when Jesus said, Touch me not, I have not yet ascended to my Father—and let’s notice what he told her. He told her to go to his brethren and tell them something. So this is about what Jesus Christ was about to do to fulfill a prophecy about a wave offering that took place in Ancient Israel. We will look at this a little later, how this ritual took place, but it paints you and me a picture of this part of God’s plan and what it represents. He told her (let’s notice what he said), I ascend unto my Father, your Father, and to my God and your God. So we can see by this scripture an event was about to take place. God’s Son was about to go to the very throne of his Father to be accepted by Him.

This offering that was given, which was a picture of what was to come in the future, was always waved before God on the morning of the first day of the week that was always during the Days of Unleavened Bread. So every year that wave offering falls on the first day of the week, Sunday, somewhere between the seven days of Unleavened Bread.

We will look at these scriptures a little later in the sermon, but let’s look at what took place: verse 18—Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things to her. So Mary Magdalene did what Jesus Christ told her to do.

Let’s notice verse 19, that it is on the first day of the week also, Then, the same day, we see that it is at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews... Now, the reason they were in that room with all the doors and windows closed is because they were afraid. They had seen what they had done to Jesus Christ and they were in fear of their lives, and they thought they would come do the same to them, so that’s why they were huddled up in that room, for fear of their lives.

Let’s notice how this took place: when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, an awesome thing happened to them while those doors were shut, Jesus Christ just appeared before their eyes and he came and stood in the midst of them and said to them, Peace be unto you. So you and I can only imagine how this affected them. We can only understand in part how inspiring that must have been for them once they got over that shock of him just appearing before their eyes and seeing him appear and disappear. It had to have strengthened their minds for what they had to go through in the future.

And when he had said so (verse 20), he showed them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. So Jesus had gone to his Father and returned and appeared to them. He had become the first of the firstfruits. He was now a spirit being. He could appear before them and they could see him. They could see his hands and his feet, where they drove those nails and where they had nailed him to that stake.

Let’s flip over to John 21:25 and let’s notice something else that was written because we only see what God lets us see through His book, but this tells us, There were so many other things that Jesus Christ did, if they could be written about, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. That’s what John wrote. So we only see a little part of what he did, but we will learn about some of those things in just a short while, and we will learn what he did, what he taught. But Jesus Christ spent 40 days before ascending back to God, his Father. Jesus Christ told them to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the holy spirit that would be given to them, and we know that that was on Pentecost in A.D. 31 when it took place.

God’s Sabbaths are what reveal the plan of God for mankind from beginning to the end. So these days are the beginning of that plan. God tells us that that being has blinded this whole world, and this is in itself an awesome thing to understand, just that one thing. That is why Satan wants to keep any teachings of God’s holy days away from man, God’s appointed times and those Sabbaths that teach God’s plan for man, but that will come to an end at this next Passover season. That is so exciting for me! I am ready to get to the end. I think most of you are too.

This is the most important holy day season that we are keeping because of what it teaches, especially the next Passover season that will take place. You have a front-row seat to see the most awesome events that will ever take place upon the face of this earth that only happens once. So I hope you are excited about what you will see, about where you find yourself in time, especially with the understanding that has been given to us through God’s apostle about where we are in time.

When the next Passover takes place and the next holy day season comes it’ll be an exciting time to see that fulfillment during that next season.

Let me quote what was written by Ron about what will take place on the next Passover and Unleavened Bread season. You will see some awesome events, brethren! “On the day that Jesus Christ begins his return to this earth, he will become manifest above the atmosphere of this earth...This event of Christ appearing in the atmosphere above the earth begins in the midst of God’s holy days during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.” The very season that you and I are here keeping.  “It is on the same day when the offering of the Wave Sheaf was performed” in Ancient Israel. “This has incredibly awesome significance and meaning that has now been added to this timing for Christ’s coming, because it now ties together in an awesome manner both the Wave Sheaf Offering during Unleavened Bread and the offering of the Wave Loaves on the day of Pentecost.”

“The offering of the Wave Sheaf in the Old Testament represented Jesus Christ as the first of the firstfruits, and the offering of the Wave Loaves on Pentecost represents the rest of the firstfruits,” the 144,000. “Jesus Christ was the first of the firstfruits of God, and the 144,000 are the rest of the firstfruits... Although these are resurrected on that day of the Wave Sheaf, they will not stand on the earth until 50 days later on the day of Pentecost, along with Jesus Christ. That Pentecost reveals that they have been fully received of the Father and are now established to reign in the Kingdom of God on earth from that day forward… This all has very profound meaning in the greater fulfillment of God’s great plan of salvation.” [Prophesy Against The Nations, Pg. 217]

So we are here today on this holy day, God’s appointed time, picturing a time just before a Wave Offering was to be made. The first Wave Sheaf ritual was about a prophesy given through Moses, which came to pass, and it was about Jesus Christ. That first Wave Offering has taken place.

So let’s go back and let’s look at Leviticus 23. So let’s turn over to Leviticus 23 and let’s see what was given a long time ago. God paints us a picture through time about these rituals. It was given by God about Jesus Christ to whom that ritual pointed. God has given His Church understanding of these rituals, of the Wave Offerings that were performed way back in the day of Moses.

Leviticus 23:9—And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: When you come into the land which I give to you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits (the beginning, better said), of your harvest unto the priest.  He shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you—let’s notice—on the morrow after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it. The Wave Sheaf was to be lifted up and waved toward heaven as a symbol of something actually being presented and accepted by God. The sheaf had to be of the first, the beginning of the harvest to be reaped.

Verse 14, let’s notice what is said: And you shall eat neither bread nor parched corn, nor green ears until the selfsame day that you have brought an offering unto your God; and it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. So we can see that they were not to eat of the harvest and each year as the harvest season arrived it was closely tied in with the holy days, that cycle that takes place which pictures God’s plan about His spiritual harvest. God used the harvest, the crops, gardening principles that you and I understand—anybody that’s had a garden—and He uses that as an example to teach. It paints us a picture about something that was about to take place in time.

Verse 15—And you shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be complete; even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall you number fifty days. That is, until Pentecost, which actually means fiftieth day.  Then you shall bring out of your habitation two wave loaves of two-tenths deal. They shall be of fine flour and they shall be baked with leaven. They are the firstfruits unto the LORD. So it paints us a picture of those offerings that were offered by Moses.

In Jesus’ time, when he walked upon the face of this earth, the Wave Sheaf was offered on Sunday inside the days of Unleavened Bread. That’s when it took place. We know that that sheaf was chosen in advance. We know that Jesus Christ was chosen by God. So we understand that God had a plan from the beginning. That Wave Sheaf was cut just at sunset. This paints you and me a picture of what took place in time and what it pictures in time. God gives us, His Church, understanding and the truths about Jesus Christ.

We have the truth of when he was raised from the dead. We have that understanding. We know that this took place just before sundown on the Sabbath and after being dead for 3 days and 3 nights. We know that Jesus Christ was dead. He was dead and that it was God the Father, his Father that raised him from the dead. The cutting of that sheaf paints you and me a picture. The priests waved that sheaf toward heaven and toward God the Father. It’s just like that sheaf that was raised and let down, Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, to God his Father and returned on that same day – just as we read earlier.

So let’s turn over to 1 Corinthians 15. 1 Corinthians 15:1—Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel (the good news) which I preached to you, which also you received, in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if... if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. We have seen so many that walked side by side with you and me that are no longer here. So holding fast to that word that was written about in 1 Corinthians is very important to those of us that are left. We know that God’s Church will be clean. We know that cleaning will continue until it’s all over.

Verse 3—For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. So we can see that it was written why Jesus Christ had to die, and it was for our sins. ...and that he was seen by Cephas, and then by the twelve. After that—let’s notice—he was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain, it’s talking about that time, to the present, but some had died. After that he was seen by James, then all the apostles.  Then last of all he was seen by me also...one born out of due time.

[Verse 20]—But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the first, the beginning, of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. So it’s painting us a picture of how it takes place. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the first, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. So we are told a timeframe and how it will take place. It does paint us a little more of that picture.

The day of the Wave Sheaf Offering has much meaning for you and me, but the world is oblivious to any of this at this time. But truth is coming to man. Man’s time for truth is just on the horizon where they will begin to learn what you already know. That is being established in your mind because this is about to go to the whole world, brethren. I hope you understand where you are in time.

We understand that Jesus Christ became the Passover, the Passover that that lamb down through time pictured, that was sacrificed. It paints us a picture through time. We know that he died upon that pole a horrible death, a painful death, but you and I understand why. Now the payment for our sins has been made. Passover made it possible for you and me to have our sins forgiven, by what Jesus Christ did, and eventually we know it’s for the whole world, for all that will become in the God family, become Elohim. All have to go through and learn what you know.

The holy day season tells us about God’s plan and it tells us how we are to live. God gives you and me instructions. He tells us how we are to live. That’s what this Unleavened Bread season is about. It’s about a picture, painting a picture of our battling, of coming out of sin. It is a battle. We have to put on the new man as Paul said in his book, God’s book, in sincerity and truth. Unleavened Bread teaches about putting and keeping sin out of our lives. It is the battle of our minds that takes place, because it is a spiritual battle, brethren. It’s not about the physical; it’s about what is taking place in your mind, that spiritual battle. We have to understand that we are in a spiritual war.

Just as in Ancient Israel, Pharaoh came after the children of Israel, we use that example. We use the example of Pharaoh chasing the children of Israel and it paints us a picture of Satan coming after those that God has called.

During this period of Unleavened Bread God teaches about a way of life and if we live it the way that God says to live it, if we choose, because it’s about choosing, brethren. You have to want to live this way of life and you can’t fool God, brethren; you have to really want it. If you do so then one can be harvested from God’s garden, so to speak, to be resurrected, to have eternal life in the God family. One can become Elohim.

Paul tells you and me about redeeming the time. He was talking to them at that time, but it applies to you and me just as well, “because the days are evil.” We live in evil times. He told the Romans: “Do this, knowing the time, that it is high time to awake out of sleep.” That’s our same message today. Don’t go to sleep. Our salvation is nearer now than it has ever been. What Paul said to them applies to you and me, just as these days of Unleavened Bread apply to you and me, to keep sin out of our lives during an evil time that you and me live in. This is Satan’s world, brethren, and he’s after you. We all better understand that time is short and he will not go out without kicking and screaming. We are at the end, brethren, and it is as Paul said to them, not a time to become sleepy. It’s a time to become fully awake.

Let’s turn over to the Psalms. We can learn a lot through what David wrote. Psalms 39 and we’ll see what David wrote about and what was on David’s mind because David was good at putting words in God’s book that explained a lot about his mind and what was taking place. He said, Psalms 39:4—Lord, make me to know my end... God is giving you and me that understanding, what David was asking of God. He asked, what is the measure of my days? So David wrote about the days that man has allotted. ...that I may know how frail I am. I hope everyone understands just how frail we are. Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths. And when a day is gone you can’t get it back, brethren. It is gone. He said, and my age is as nothing before You; certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. It’s a good way of putting it. Poof, you are gone. I can stand here and tell you life is short, brethren, because I’ve lived most of it. And it says, “Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor, Selah.” It means to think about it. Think about why you are here for a short time.

David tells us what he observed about man and what their focus in life was about. David said, verse 6—Surely every man walks about like a shadow; Surely they busy themselves in vain. We know that. We know that’s what man is doing. He heaps up riches. That’s the focus of man, to heap up riches to himself, and does not know who will gather them, because they are just like vapor and they can be, poof, gone tomorrow. David said, “Who will get those riches?” How important are those riches? What you have is more precious than anything you could ever gain upon the face of this earth, and it’s in your mind.

And now, LORD—let’s notice—what do I wait for? This is the question that David was asking of God. What David waited for is about to take place. David will be resurrected in just a short while. David said that his hope was in God and he asked God, Deliver me from all my transgressions. David was talking about sin. That’s what David was asking God, to deliver him from sin. And do not make me the reproach of the foolish. David said he did not open his mouth; he was mute because he had understanding and the understanding that it was God. David understood it was the Great God of this universe that would ultimately deliver him.

Verse 11, David said everyone is just vapor, like a puff of smoke and life is over. Selah. Think about it. So I hope we understand just how short our time upon this earth is and how short a time it is before the return of our Savior to this earth. I hope you do the count and measure your days just like David said, and understand how short it really is.

Let’s turn over to Psalms 90—you’re already in Psalms—and let’s see what else David wrote. Psalms 90:10 David wrote—The days of our lives are seventy years. We know that God shortened man’s lifespan. Here David is telling us about man’s lifespan and that it is seventy years. Then he wrote: if by reason of strength they are eighty years. I know of some that are here that are eighty and beyond. But for me, I’m in the middle. That’s where I’m at, at the end. I really understand what David is saying. He said, yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and he wrote it and the way they translated it “we fly away.” We know that “it is no more.” We are no more. Better said, we die.

Verse 12. Let’s notice what David’s admonition was. That’s why we’re here during these Days of Unleavened Bread, to learn, for God to teach us. David said; Teach us to number our days. David asked God to teach us to number our days and to look at how we are living our lives every day. I hope everyone is striving to keep sin out of their lives every day. Not just during these Days of Unleavened Bread, not just like God teaches us through these days, but to continue it on in our lives every day. Let’s notice what else David wrote of why we do this: that we may gain a heart, our inner being, our mind, better said, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. We gain wisdom through God in His Church and what God teaches us through these appointed times. On the Sabbaths of God, the holy days of God, and then we gain wisdom through what God teaches us. This season teaches about sin, to keep it out of our lives. That’s what we should learn during this season.

Verse 13, let’s notice what else David asked—Return, O Lord! How long? That’s the question, “How long?” Just like some of us ask. We’re ready to get through it all. We have a date. We have more understanding than David did in his day. We have a time. And he wrote, have compassion on Your servants. God has had compassion on every one of us because of what He has revealed to you and me, that understanding that He has given you about His plan for salvation for man.

Back up in verse 12 David said “to teach us to number our days,” and to understand how short this life really is, and to keep sin out of our lives for the rest of the life we have left. So we are to look at our lives, how we are living; we are to evaluate our lives and see where we can improve our lives and become more obedient to God. That’s what this season is about, to learn.

Let’s turn to 1 Corinthians 3. This is where the apostles were describing God’s Church as a temple and we are described as individual living stones that are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. That’s what was written - that God is building His temple.

In 1 Corinthians 3:9 it says, we are laborers together with God: and you are God’s husbandry, you are God’s building. So God uses gardening principles again that we can understand. God is building His family, Elohim. God is building His spiritual creation.

Verse 10—According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another builds thereon. But let every man—let’s notice—take heed how he builds there upon, another admonition to look at our lives, to keep sin out of our lives. We are to build upon this foundation and look at how we are building upon that foundation, because sin cuts us off, brethren. That’s what it does. When you are cut off the building process stops.

Verse 11—For no other foundation… There is no other way; this is the only way. There is no other foundation can no man lay than that is what is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation... and the admonition here is to use precious stones, gold, silver. Wood, hay, and stubble, so we see the different materials that are described and the last three are consumed very quickly if you are careless about how you’re building upon that foundation. It can just go quickly and what you have will be taken away. So we see the different materials described here and we are told to be aware of how we live our lives.

It says in verse 16—Know you not that you are the temple of God and that the spirit of God dwells in you? If any man—let’s notice—defile the temple of God, him God will destroy (remove). For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this world, let him become a fool that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He takes the wise in their own craftiness; and again, The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. Therefore, let no man glory in men. For all things are yours: whether Paul, Apollos, Cephas or the world, or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours. And let’s notice—you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s. It tells us the order of things.

Let’s turn over to Ephesians 2:19. And it says, You are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God, and are being built (better said) upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets. That is still ongoing to this day. We have an apostle at this end-time that is teaching us about God’s ways of life. It says, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone. So this building is ongoing, brethren, in whom all the building, fitly framed together  grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you are  also builded together for—let’s notice—a habitation of God through the spirit.

So we know this is a spiritual creation that is taking place, this building that God is speaking about in His book that you are a part of. It’s a spiritual creation through God’s holy spirit. It takes place in the mind. God is building His spiritual creation, Elohim, and He describes it as a building, and it’s as a process. You are in that process if...if...there is always that word “if” in God’s book, if you continue.

God tells us especially during this season of Unleavened Bread to look at ourselves and how we are living our lives before our God so that we can be harvested into God’s garden, so to speak. We are to keep sin out of our lives so that we can become harvested from God’s garden and become Elohim.

Let’s look at 1 Thessalonians 5:4, because this is so true today. We’ll start in verse 4, because we have an apostle at this end-time to teach us, and that’s why you’re not in darkness, as these verses tell us. God has an apostle at this time so that we can understand the words in this book, to tell us about that plan that God had from the beginning. God tells us in this book that we are not in darkness because He has sent someone at this end-time to enlighten our minds so that we can see through this darkness that Satan’s world has created. God tells us we are all sons and daughters of light, and sons of the day, that we are not part of that darkness, we are in the light if we continue. Therefore, let us not sleep, that’s the admonition, don’t go back to sleep, don’t go to sleep; stay awake, it says. This is why you have a front row seat, because we are to watch and we are to be sobered by what we see taking place in Satan’s world. God tells us that we are to always be sober, so that we can understand what is about to take place.

There is going to be much horror as Satan’s world comes crashing down, so God tell us in verse 8—let us of the day, it’s talking about you and me, those that have had their minds enlightened. Let’s notice what we are to do. God gives you and me instructions, put on the breastplate of faith and love. We just had Passover. There is no one in the Church of God that we should have anything against. We have no right to be offended by what anyone in this world says, in the Church of God or out. We don’t have that right because of what God has placed in your mind. God says we are to be of the day, to realize where we are at. We are in Satan’s world and we are to put on that breastplate of faith and love; as a helmet—let’s notice—the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation. That’s why you’re here and it’s... through our Lord Jesus Christ, by what he did, who died for us—let’s notice—that whether we wake or sleep, doesn’t make any difference, we should live together with him. Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, and I hope everyone is doing that. It says, just as you also are doing.

In verse 19, we know that God’s Church will be clean, so God tells you and me, He gives us more instructions. He tells us not to quench His spirit. That’s an admonition that is very necessary in the times we live in and this is something that you definitely don’t want to do at this time. You do not want to quench that spirit at this time. We have seen so many do that very thing, and then the mind turns and they rebel. They quench God’s spirit. That’s actually what they do at the beginning. We have experienced this over and over in God’s Church. We saw how they failed to count the cost of doing this very thing and they rebelled against the Great God and His Son. Now, they don’t think they have rebelled, they think they are still worshipping God. That’s how dangerous it is, but they forgot where they learned the truths of God. There’s only one place, brethren, and that is in God’s Church. There is only one Church upon the face of this earth, but they forgot whom they learned these truths from. There are 57 of them out there, brethren, and they forgot where they learned those 57.

Verse 22—Abstain from every form of evil. In other words, keep sin out.

Now let’s notice what is said and how it’s said, Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify, set you aside, completely; and may your whole spirit, soul and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. For you and me, that’s just on the horizon. God is not playing games at the end of this age. God’s Church will be clean. We’re entering the most serious times and the most dangerous time in all of man’s history. We’ve never lived in a time like this. No one has.

Let’s turn over to Psalms 27. We know that we are to fight the fight that is set before us. We know that it is a fight. We know that we are in a spiritual war, but I still don’t think we can fully comprehend that fight that is before us. But in the Psalms David tells us a little more about his God, and in Psalm 27:4 let’s notice what David’s desire was. He expressed it very well. He said, One thing I desire of the Eternal, that will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Eternal all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Eternal—let’s notice—to inquire in His temple. That says a lot because it is about a people who will dwell in the house of their God. That’s what David’s desire was, to dwell in that house. That’s what he sought after all his life. God said he was a man after His own heart and he said, “That I may dwell in the house of the Eternal all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Eternal, to inquire in that temple.”

Verse 5 let’s notice what David wrote—For in the times of trouble He will hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle He will hide me. You definitely want God to hide you in His tabernacle, in His pavilion, in that secret place that David is talking about – this next year, especially. You definitely want to stay close to your God as we move through this final part of God’s plan. Satan’s world will come to an end. It’s written about in God’s book. We know the timeframe.

Verse 7—Hear, O Eternal, when I cry with my voice! Have mercy also upon me, and answer me. When You said, Seek My face, My heart (his inner being) said to You, Your face, Eternal, I will seek. Do not hide Your face from me. That’s what David’s desire was. That’s what his fear was; fear to not obey his God, fear for God to turn away from him. It should be your fear too. I hope everyone has that godly fear – not of God, but fear to disobey, fear to keep sin in your life. He said, “My heart,” his inner being, he said, “Your face, O Eternal, I will seek. Do not hide your face from me.” Do not turn away Your servant in anger. So you do not want God to hide His face from you at this end-time, but we also understand that God’s Church has to be clean. We know that time is running out. David said that God had been His help and he asked God to never leave him or forsake him.

Let’s notice verse 13; David also wrote I would have lost heart, unless I believed that I would see the goodness of the Eternal in the land of the living. Wait on the Eternal; Be of good courage, and He will strengthen your heart, your mind, your inner beings; Wait, I say, on the Eternal! That’s where we’re at. We’re waiting for the return of God’s Son back to this earth. We are waiting for God to make a move to deliver His people, and it’s just on the horizon.

Let’s turn to Hebrews 12 and let’s notice what was written. Hebrews 12:22. God gives us so much information and describes it in so many different ways, what He is building; His garden, His building, many ways that it is said. God says in verse 22 in His book—But you have come to Mount Zion—and let’s notice the rest—to the city of the living God, the city that God is building. Do we really understand that we are coming before the Great God of this universe at this time when we come at His appointed times? That’s who we are coming before on this day. He is the one that appointed that time for you and me. We are coming before the Great God of this universe and His Son as preparation is being made for Jesus’s return to this earth.

God says that you and me have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem. That’s what He calls it, the city of peace, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and Church—let’s notice—of the firstborn. We know God’s plan. We know it will be the firstfruits that will come back with Jesus Christ that Ron described about in that atmosphere. We know they will stand on the Mount of Olives fifty days later with Jesus Christ.

So do we really comprehend what we have become a part of? Whether you are in that first harvest or another harvest it doesn’t really matter, but just to be a part of this and to see this unfold before your very eyes. Not everyone will have the privilege to see that. It may be shown to them, but only certain ones will see that take place in that atmosphere. Can you imagine the blessing just to see that event take place, to see Jesus Christ return to this earth, to see him return with that first harvest from God’s garden? What a privilege you have been offered.

The Church of the firstborns, what He says, that are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of... This is speaking about just men and women that will be made perfect when they are changed into spirit beings, it’s better said. Because let’s notice the rest, “they will reign as kings and priests with Jesus Christ,” to set up the government of God upon this earth. They will now begin their rule upon this earth, a just government.

Verse 25, an admonition again, See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if, there is that word “if,” if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, (verse 26), whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven. Now this, “yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made—and let’s notice, talking about the Kingdom of God will now be established upon this earth—that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. The Exodus, the Passover, Unleavened Bread, those wave offerings, the offering of Jesus Christ that that wave offering pictured, and the wave offering of those two loaves, all of this that took place in time, those rituals that they performed, it paints us a picture. It gives you and me understanding of God’s plan – that’s what that picture does.

Let’s turn over to Acts 1, and it’s where it explains more about the plan of our God. Jesus Christ, our Savior, died and was resurrected, and he appeared to the disciples and he taught them for forty days, as we know, after he was resurrected from the dead. He was a spirit being during that time, and yet he could appear and disappear before their eyes and they could see those wounds in his hands and his feet, but he was there for forty days before he was taken up in those clouds.

So let’s look at Acts 1:1 and see what the account was about. It says, The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that—let’s notice—of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, so it was both, until the day in which he was taken up, after he through the holy spirit had given commandments to the apostles, so that’s what he was doing, to those that he chose, to whom he also presented himself alive after his suffering by many infallible proofs—and let’s notice—being seen by them during forty days. Let’s notice what he was telling them. This is what he was speaking about to them. He was teaching them, speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God. It’s what he was doing. The Kingdom that will be here when Jesus Christ returns to this earth to set up the Kingdom that he taught them about. He taught them about spirit beings that they would become, and he appeared and disappeared before them many times. During that time he was teaching them about a job that they would have to do in the future as a being that would now have eternal life.

Verse 9—Now when he had spoken these things, while they watched, he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight. He did not disappear this time as he had done in the past because he was now teaching them something else. He was teaching them about the way that he would return to this earth, that God’s apostle has taught you and me about, how he will return in that atmosphere. This is what he was teaching them, and that they would join him when he returned; they would also be a spirit being.

Verse 10—And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel. So we know who this is; it’s two angels because of the way it’s described. Let’s notice what they were told: Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven—let’s notice—will so come in like manner as you saw him go into heaven. So he will return in that atmosphere.

So let’s go back to Leviticus 23. This is where you find all of God’s appointed times, in that chapter, and it’s also where God paints us a picture about His plan. We know that Jesus Christ fulfilled the symbolism contained in the Passover observance. We know that he fulfilled the symbolism of the Wave Sheaf Offering that was presented during Unleavened Bread.

And in Leviticus 23:1 we find about how we are to live before our God, instructions from the Great God of this universe. God gave appointed times for you and me to come before Him and learn about His plan. And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them concerning—let’s notice—the appointed times of the Eternal, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My appointed times. Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest, a holy convocation. Holy time. You shall do no work therein; it is the Sabbath of the Eternal in all your dwellings. So here God tells us about the Sabbath and the instructions of how we are to keep His Sabbaths and that it is holy time. It is an appointed time, brethren, for you and me, and it will be for the whole world in just a short while.

Verse 4—These are the appointed times of the Eternal, holy convocations which you shall proclaim in their seasons. Here we are told about another time. In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD’s Passover. It tells us when we are to keep it, the fourteenth. Some have so perverted that very thing, some that were once a part of us. On the fifteenth day of the same month—let’s notice what we are here celebrating—the Feast of Unleavened Bread unto the Eternal; seven days you must eat unleavened bread. Instructions. So we eat unleavened bread as God instructs us for seven days, bread without yeast for seven days.

I have to tell you about a gentleman, when I first came into God’s Church, and he told me about the time when he was new and he’d eaten nothing but unleavened bread for seven days. But we learn, we learn as we go.

Verse 7—In the first day you shall have a holy convocation. Today we are keeping the first holy day of this season. ...and you shall do no servile work therein. So we’re not to work on this day. And the last part of verse 8 tells us about the last holy day, the last appointed time of this season of Unleavened Bread. In the seventh day is a holy convocation; you will do no servile work therein. We understand that Jesus Christ was pictured in the wave offering as being unleavened. We understand that he was without sin. But we notice in verse 17 that those two loaves are with sin. It speaks about what we use as leaven, the examples we use which we picture as sin. We use leavening as an example and we put leavening out of our homes during Unleavened Bread. That’s how God uses leavening and unleavened. It’s about yeast, and it’s about bread, and it paints you and me a picture of what we are to be doing for seven days – putting and keeping sin out of our lives. Not during just this season; we are to keep it ongoing, to keep that sin out of our lives.

Let’s turn over to Hebrews 10. It’s where God explains more. It’s Hebrews 10 and we’ll begin in verse 4, all those things that were done in Ancient Israel and God says, It’s not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. It was not possible.

Verse 11—And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sin. But there was a reason they did all these things and we’re reflecting on some of those reasons today because it does paint you and me a picture of God’s plan. But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time—let’s notice—waiting till his enemies are made his footstool. For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are being sanctified, set aside, those of us in God’s Church that have been called to live this way of life, a certain way of life, and God has laid out His plan for you and me. I hope you understand what you have been offered. I hope you understand the magnitude of what you have been offered. To turn your back on what you have been offered would be a horrible thing.

We as the Church of God should understand what God has offered us. We should understand the value, that it is like that treasure in a field; it’s like that pearl of great price. You can’t put a price on it. It’s nothing you can gain in this world, brethren, that is worth what you have been offered. It is offered. You have to choose once God offers.

Verse 20—by a new and living way which he consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, his flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God. It tells us what took place, tells us he is our High Priest. We know what he did when he went through that veil – opened up a pathway for you and me to the Great God of this universe.

It says, verse 22—let us draw near with a true heart... You can’t fool God, brethren. You can either be striving to put sin out of your life or not, but God knows. You can’t fool God. You may fool us, but you can’t fool God. You can fool one another. That’s the reason it’s written. Draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having your minds (better said) sprinkled from an evil conscience, because that’s where the conscience is, in the mind, and having our bodies washed with pure water.

Verse 23—Let us hold fast the confession of our hope—let’s notice—without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

God tells us in verse 32 to recall the former days, after you were illuminated, you endured great struggles with suffering. We look back when we were called. This is very true. When you started understanding the truths of your God, and after you were illuminated the trials began and you endured a great struggle with sufferings. We all did. We know the process because we lived it and we all went through this process, every one of us that have been called. We understand that we all had to be humbled, especially me, and it is a process. God understands man. God made man. He’s been dealing with mankind for a long, long time. God knows you and me inside and out. That’s why He has a plan, because He knows us. God says to recall the former days in which you were illuminated; you endured great struggles with sufferings. Sometimes trials are hard, but that’s how we learn. We learn these things; we learn about sin, we learn to keep sin out of our lives as we go through God’s plan.

Verse 33—partly while you were made a spectacle, and we were. All of us became spectacles. Made fun of, both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated. So all of us heard these words, “You send all of your money up there to this guy?” We’ve all heard it. “And you believe what?!” “You keep Saturday?” “You’re going where? There’s a church right down on the corner.” So we’ve heard all those excuses. We endured persecutions, and they were trials because of your calling (that’s why you had them), and of who you were associated with, God’s Church.

Verse 35, another admonition—Do not cast away your confidence, which has—let’s notice— great reward. We cannot imagine what that reward is like. We cannot comprehend a life without pain, a life without struggles, peace for eternity. We cannot comprehend those things; we can think about it. When you look at that universe, which I do, and just see what’s there it just staggers my mind as to what’s just out there physically. So what about what God is creating spiritually? How much do we really comprehend? We know what God has let us see. That’s what we know about that creation, just that much. So God says in His book, Do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, and we do, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: For yet a little while, and he who is coming will come and not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith, and that’s what we’re doing. We’re living by that faith. God says, if anyone draws back My soul has no pleasure in him. It is the Church of God that understands the magnitude of what is about to take place. I hope you have that understanding. It is time to prepare. That’s our name. It’s about preparing. It’s about preparing the mind. It’s about preparing our lives for what is coming. Man is about to be taught a different way of life, brethren, in just a short while, and we are to make final preparations for that Kingdom that is coming to this earth.

Let’s go back to Hebrews, Hebrews 2:1. You should already be there close by. Let’s notice what is said. Hebrews 2:1, another admonition about the way we should live. God’s book is much about teaching you and me about the way to live our lives and how to think with the mind that He has given us. We must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard... And how do we hear them? Through God’s apostle, it’s how you and me hear today. Let’s notice the rest because so many have done this ...lest we drift away. We have seen many do that very thing because they did not heed the things that were given through God’s apostle.

For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape—let’s notice—if we neglect so great a salvation, the salvation that you have been offered, to be a part of God’s creation, to become Elohim, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard him? So they were eye witnesses. They saw what had taken place. They saw that beating that he had taken. They saw him appear and disappear before their eyes. They understood about spirit beings, a spiritual creation, because they could see it. I think that’s why they had the confidence to go through what they went through because every one of them died a horrible death, except John. But that’s how, because of what they had seen. They were eyewitnesses, and because of what was given them through that holy spirit. God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, and they saw them, with various miracles; they saw those miracles that Jesus did. ...and gifts of the holy spirit, according to His own will?

Let’s notice—For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. But one testified in a certain place, saying... We know what David asked: What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You take care of him? It’s the question that David asked a long time ago. “Why are You concerned with man?” We understand today what God is doing with man. We know that God had a plan from the beginning for man, and this plan includes mankind.

And it says, You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor and set him over the works of Your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet. There is no way we can comprehend that, brethren, no way with this mind at this time. For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. But we see Jesus… That is what we see at this time. We see Jesus Christ. We focused on what he did at this Passover service, and we’re focusing on what we’re to do on this Unleavened Bread. So we see Jesus Christ for who he really is. We understand what he did. We know the truths. We know that he is our Passover. We know that he is King that is about to return to this earth and set up the Kingdom of God upon this earth, that Kingdom that he taught those disciples about. That is the Jesus that you and me see, the one that is about to appear in that sky. That’s what we see. It says, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that he, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.

For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things—let’s notice, let’s notice what was written—in bringing many sons to glory. That’s the Jesus that we see. We will see that first event in just a little while. That’s the Jesus that we see, to the beginning of bringing many sons to glory. At the end we know that he turns everything over to God the Father. That’s the Jesus that we see, that gave his life upon that stake. He died a horrible, horrible death so that you can become in the God family, become Elohim.

It says, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies (set’s aside) and those who are being set aside are all of one, for which reason he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying: I will declare your name to my brethren, to us, in the midst of the assembly (of us) I will sing praise to You. And again: I will put my trust in him. And again: and let’s notice the rest of this verse, Here I am and the children whom God has given me.

That is the Jesus Christ that we see and why he did what he did. That is the Jesus Christ that you and me are waiting for. So it is an awesome plan, brethren, that God has for you.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1