Ark of the Covenant Constellation, Pt. 2: How To Enter The Most Holy Place
“One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; …that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, …to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple. …For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion: in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me…”
Psalm 27:4, 5
THE MOST HOLY PLACE
“LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?” Psalm 15:1
The above passage asks a very odd question: “…who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?” Psalm 15:1.
abide=dwell, thy tabernacle=thy Holy Hill: not mount, but Hill
Now why would God ask such a ridiculous question? After all, for most of the past 2,000 years, the temple lay in ruins. So how can a Christian abide in God’s tabernacle?
THE ARK
The Ark of the Covenant was the centerpiece of the tabernacle sanctuary, during the years of the wilderness wanderings of the children of Israel, prior to their entering into the Promised Land.
The Signs Of Heaven presents a constellation, seen in the summer skies, which represents the Ark of the Covenant. There is also a constellation which represents the Golden Altar in the winter skies, which likewise was in that same tabernacle.
THE HOLY AND MOST HOLY PLACE
“And thou shalt put the Mercy Seat upon the Ark of the Testimony in the Most Holy Place.” Exodus 26:34
Mercy Seat, Ark of the Testimony, Most Holy Place
The Tabernacle in the wilderness was a picture of God. Just listen to Revelation… “And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.” Revelation 21:22.
So, instead of dwelling upon all the fine points of the earthly tabernacle, let it suffice to be said, this earthly tabernacle is merely a metaphor of God Himself. And the Most Holy Place is the heart of that temple, and upon the Ark, represents God’s throne, as is written…
“And David arose…to bring up from thence, the ark of God…the LORD of hosts that dwells between the cherubims.” 2nd Samuel 6:2
Ark, God, Lord of Hosts, Dwells Between the 'Cherubim'
So, if, as it states here, that God dwells “between the cherubims”, then this is speaking of the Mercy Seat over the Ark. But even though it speaks thus, we need to keep in mind that the temple itself, represents God Himself, as is written… “And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.” Rev. 21:22.
Ark = Barque = Arcturus
ARK SEEN IN HEAVEN
“And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.” Revelation 11:19
The above verse from Revelation, speaks of God’s Temple in Heaven being opened. But this great constellation, the Sagittarius Constellation is actually the constellation of the Ark of the Covenant. So these two events go hand in hand simultaneously. The Ark Constellation, as sketched into this Wikipedia star-chart, is a representation of the heavenly Ark, as God begins to open up the spiritual concepts of that true Ark to our minds.
ESTHER
“And the letters were sent by posts into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day…and so will I (Esther) go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.” Esther 1:10-12, 4:16 (condensed)
in the previous passage, the calamity at hand is a celestial one and all humans are considered Jews. the intercession of Esther into the Holy Mount is on behalf of humanity, not just the Hebrews.
The above passage is an extremely abbreviated description of Esther as she went uninvited into the king’s throne-room, to plead for the doomed Jews.
It is also the story of today’s Church as we are called to enter the Most Holy Place with Christ. And just as Esther boldly and fearfully (but not presumptuously) entered the king’s throne-room, so too must God’s Elect enter boldly, but with trembling, God’s Throne-Room by faith, to plead for God’s people, who are now under God’s judgment.
If the Lincoln Memorial is the Sphinx/phallus and the Capitol Building is the Holy Mount, then the ''priests'' of the Holy Mount today are antichrists. January 6th was an Esther-like event.
WHO ARE TODAY’S PRIESTS?
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Listen to that fiery little Book of Joel… “Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?” Joel 2:17.
Now this verse is concerning the Day of the Lord. And yet it speaks of priests and of the sanctuary. Well just listen to Peter’s Epistle… “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light:” 1st Peter 2:9
WE TOO MUST ENTER THE KING’S THRONE ROOM
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Is Scorpio the base of the Henu Barque? The serpents whom pull it equate to Scorpio as the heel biter and to the story of the woman and the serpent. Scorpio is also the earlier Eagle Constellation. Sagittarius is the Ark-Throne.
“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16
Grace = Charis (Socharis) - so close to grave, crave
Both the story of Esther as well as this constellation group in the summer skies ring out the same startling message. Do you see this heavenly woman reaching for that Cross/Scepter? It was placed in Heaven by God, to remind us of the story of Esther. Esther went into king’s throne-room and took hold of the king’s scepter.
Esther is very close phonetically to Easter/Astarte (Isis)
WE MUST ENTER TOO!
God is wanting His people to enter into His Throne Room…the Most Holy Place in Heaven. But though we are encouraged at any time to, “come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16, there is a further calling. Once we are saved, we are not to be content to remain in our wretched and worldly condition.
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We are commanded to be… “leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection” Hebrews 6:1.
The actual passage is "Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God." Notice that the term elementary is contrasted by the term maturity. This can be seen in reference to John 3 in that it equates belief in Christ as infantile and vagueness as in a mirror - that there is much more that the individual must do in order to mature. Note also that the teachings described here are about Christ, not of Christ. This denotes that the concept of Christ was a teaching being taught (albeit at first secretly) even prior to Jesus' physical manifestation. The writer's translation of Hebrews 6:1 regarding "going into perfection" creates false context: one is to be taken forward, not to simply go on their own.
As the Apostle John puts it… “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” 1st John 5:4.
The author of John obviously is the same author as (or a plagiarist of - or vice-versa) Hebrews 6:1, which ends with "repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God.": repentance equals overcoming, and both ending with "faith (in God)". Note that the Author of Hebrews (claimed to be Paul) adds "in God" to "faith": why would we want/need to overcome our faith in God?
Most Christians are not aware that just because they have been called into the Gospel does not mean that they can lay down their armor. Rather, the battle has just begun. Only those who are truly the Chosen and Faithful, will overcome the world. This is what separates the Believers from mere “Make-believers”, so to speak.
“Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary”
Psalm 77:13
And so, as New Testament priests, we are called to live by faith within the Most Holy Place. Just listen… “And (God) hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: ” Ephesians 2:6. While a follower may in time become a leader, for the author to imply that a follower is automatically an Aaronite Kohen Gadol is sacreligious. That pompousness is what has led to so much suffering and conflict and destruction since the inception of Christianity. This is obviously a ploy to usurp the divine order in order to amass a following, lest there be no divine order in Heaven. The author's the logic is precisely what leads to pompous, self-righteous holier than thou mentalities.
This verse declares that we are to be seated together in Christ in the heavenlies. This is an awesome concept, to say the least! Christ is currently in the Most Holy where, as Hebrews 7:25 says, He “ever liveth to make intercession” for His people. And so are we to ever live to make intercession for God’s people. That Mercy Seat in the Most Holy Place is where we are also to be seated together in Christ Jesus!
HEAVENLY ZION
“For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched…But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,” Hebrews 12:18, 22
Mount Cyon - the Mount of the Dog, which seasonally follows Sagittarius-Ophichius in the sky. The physical mount is a reference to The Great Pyramid, where the Lord once dwelled but dwells no more. So, who was the Lord of The Great Pyramid?
Jeru-Shalom/Salome: Salome means "complete, evening, peace" Salome had John "cut off"... his soul set free from mortal pestilence and decay. Jesus said, while on the cross, "it is finished"... it is Shalom: it is even - signified by evening - when the sky went dark, symbolized allegorically by the "darkness" that "took place" at the time of his death. And so Salome was present at both the "beheading" and the "crossing". Of course John was going to be "cut off" at some point: he was, as history proves, the last Aaronite Kohen Gadol.
The complete passage is as follows: Hebrews 12:18 "You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; 19 to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, 20 because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” 21 The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”"
The earthly mountain was burning with fire, was gloomy and stormy, associated with the blast of trumpets and of one speaking whom was stern and scary to the masses... a Mount that Moses trembled with fear at the mere sight of.
The burning bush... Summer Solstice at the Great Pyramid, indicating the Storm Season along the Nile. Trumpets - thunder and lightning. A stern voice scary to the masses: John the Baptist. Moses saw this mountain, errantly assimilating the Lord of the Mountain with death as Egyptians had done for centuries by his time.
This above passage speaks of a heavenly Zion; and it speaks of this in the present tense! Of course, Mount Zion is the place of God’s Temple. When we become True-Worshippers of God, this is when we are come to heavenly Jerusalem, and spiritual Mount Zion.
It is obviously not present-tense to us: just prior to this passage, Hebrews 12:9 states: "Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it...": which does not apply to the current world.
Oh yes it is true, the Old Testament was the Gospel of Christ, veiled in types and shadows. And so, here is a fulfillment of some of these earthly types and shadows.
Veiled in types and shadows? God does not cast shadows. Further, the definition of "Occult" is "Available only to the initiate: that which is hidden" - therefore are we to believe that the Gospel of Christ is synonymous with occultism, as if it did not apply to anyone prior to Christ, even though it predated the Christian Christ by thousands of years?
And so now, with this revelation from Hebrews, concerning spiritual Zion, there begins to be a clarity about such passages as this next one… “For the Lord hath chosen Zion; He hath desired it for His habitation. This is My rest for ever: here will I dwell; for have desired it. I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread. I will also clothe her priests with Salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.” Psalm 132:13-15.
So God is speaking here of Heavenly Jerusalem and spiritual Zion, as His everlasting resting place.
If he were speaking in the metaphoric sense about a spiritual Jerusalem beyond the physical one, then such invalidates the whole concept of a physical Levantine Holy Mount and earthly nation of Israel. The choosing of "Zion" can be traced back to ancient Egypt, as the Egyptian Gods, rulers and high priests were all considered to have come to Earth from Sirius/Sothis (Cyon). and to have arrived here through the Great Pyramid (Mount Cyon) - the womb (omphallos) of God. His resting place? Such implies a mount of death, such as the tomb of Osiris! Of course, the Great Pyramid and Sirius are both assimilated with Isis. No wonder the terms Womb and Tomb are so close - much like Sema (Tomb) and Soma (Body)... the womb of Isis is the tomb of Osiris.
Note that the Holy spiritual mount is feminine in essence... her priests, her provision, her poor, her saints, Salome - whereas the physical mount feared by Moses carries a masculine essence (fire, storm, etc.)
“THOU ART A PRIEST FOREVER”
But it doesn’t stop merely with heavenly Jerusalem, and spiritual Zion! As if that’s not incredible enough, God reveals more to us! That is, just who are these priests, whom God here refers to Spiritual Zion? Who will be ministering before the Lord forever? Because, the Lord here, while speaking of eternal Zion, is also speaking of her priests. But it must be remembered that Christ will be an eternal Priest, as is written… “The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.” Psalm 110:4.
To add correct context to the essay author's previous claim, Psalms 110 actually goes as follows: "110:1 The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. 2 The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. 3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth. 4 The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
The essay author claims that the Lord listed in verse 4 is the Lord of the Lord, when in fact it is the Lord whom his Lord was speaking to.
Note the reference to the womb of the morning. The womb indicates a feminine essence, the morning is an allusion to Zechariah (Sahariah), contrasted by Jeru-Salem (Shalom) - the City of Salome, aka the City of Evening. The womb - omphallos - is the Mount of the Morning Star Sirius, and the City of Jerusalem is the City of the Evening 'Star' Venus. John the Baptist is the Son of the Morning (Sahariah: Zechariah), and as such, the inheritant of the City of Salem/Shalom/Salome. Keeping in mind that the author of Psalms is the scribe of one Lord whom is in turn speaking with his Lord. The passage is in reference to the Lord of the author of Psalms, whom as the author of Psalms explains, is a Priest of the order of Melchizedek, and as such, a member of the lineage of Aaron.
The author of this essay claims that the Lord gave the priesthood to everyone, when in reality, the author of Psalms was the scribe of the Melchizedek priest-ruler whom he terms his Lord, whom in turn was speaking to his Lord.
And finally, this next verse really nails down just what will be the role of all those who are chosen to be priests and kings in the Lord’s service, along with Jesus, the eternal High Priest.
Just listen… “The priests the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel…For the LORD thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand to minister in the name of the LORD, him and his sons for ever.” Deuteronomy 18:1, 5.
So we are those sons of Levi (Jesus). After all, we have been chosen to be priests unto God, just as it is written… “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness… And hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” Revelation 1:5, 6.
How the author of this essay can claim ascent from Jesus as an equal to being lineally of the House of Levi is perposterous. First of all, since Jesus was not a priest, he cannot pass on the priesthood to a non-descendant. If the author really wanted to see prophecy in the Heavens as he claims, he would realize that Levi equates astrologically to Gemini. Nonetheless, Deuteronomy 18 actually goes as follows:
1 The priests the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and his inheritance. 2 Therefore shall they have no inheritance among their brethren: the Lord is their inheritance, as he hath said unto them. 3 And this shall be the priest's due from the people, from them that offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep; and they shall give unto the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw. 4 The firstfruit also of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou give him. 5 For the Lord thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand to minister in the name of the Lord, him and his sons for ever.
The passages that the essay author references are in regards to food offerings. Read passage 5 - the Lord thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes (not nations or ethnicities). It also goes on to state "him and His Sons for ever". If this were simply in reference to followers of Christ, it would immediately reek of misogynistic bias as it excludes all women from the glory of God through the Son. It is obviously a reference to the lineal Levite-Aaronic priesthood, not the Christian faith.
The essay author goes on to mis-quote Revelation by not precluding Revelation 4 for context, and for omitting the bulk of context from Revelation 1:5:
4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; 5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
The author of Revelation (John) speaks of himself and the seven churches as being the inherents of the ministries and kingdoms, not all Christians. Note also that Jesus is spoken of as the first begotten of the dead.
Note the essay author's jump from Deuteronomy to Revelation to somehow jump from the Levite priesthood's ability to receive a tithe of food, to claim that all Christians were entitled to the priesthood and nobility! The Hebrew Levite priesthood was not a unique concept: all leaders of Egypt were consecrated as Priest-Kings. In the case of Moses and Aaron, Moses' offspring were to be kings and Aaron's were the High Priests - a sort of dual monarchial system.
A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD
So if the sons of Levi are God’s chosen priestly line, to minister before Him forever, then it must be speaking of New Testament Believers as well…“Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” 1st Peter 2:5.
Not only will we be the living stones of that temple, but we will be the royal priesthood of that temple as well. And so all this must be speaking of spiritual things, since we obviously will not be literal stones forever. That would be a ridiculous idea!
The actual context of the passage in Peter 2 is as follow: 1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. 4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, 5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
HOW DO WE RELATE TO GOD’S TEMPLE?
“For the Lord hath chosen Zion; He hath desired it for His habitation. This is My rest for ever: here will I dwell; for have desired it. I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread. I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.” Psalm 132:13-15
His resting place - in the autumn of his life
The above passage speaks of Zion as God’s everlasting resting place. And of course, Mount Zion is where the Temple was in Old Jerusalem, and that’s where it will be in the New Jerusalem. So how do we, God’s people relate to that Temple? Well, just listen to the following passage… “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” 1st Peter 2:5
Actually the OT speaks of Zion and the City as being two separate places, not one within the other.
So now it becomes apparent that this true Temple is a spiritual concept, rather than a brick-n-mortar structure in Heaven. We are the “living stones” of that Temple. And yet God Himself is the Temple. Very confusing concepts, wouldn’t you agree?
Well, the following passage just might shed some light for us… “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word; That they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me. And the glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them; that they may be one, even as We are one: I in them, and Thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved Me.” John 17:20-23.
Now, it is impossible for anyone to really fully understand this passage, although some may try. Just how this incredible relationship between the Believer and his or her Lord actually is carried out is truly a mystery! But it is evident that this concept really speaks of the heavenly Temple, which will exist for all time and eternity. And of course, as already stated, God and the Lamb are the true Temple. And if God dwells in us, then that Temple likewise dwells in us.
WE ARE THE TRIBE OF LEVI
“But who may abide the day of His coming? and who shall stand when He appeareth? for He is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.”
a refiner and purifier of silver: a definite allusion to Seker, whom dwells in mount Cyon and whom Moses spoke to atop the Holy Mount... his Zeker unto all generations
The above passage is speaking of the Coming of the Lord. Now whether this is speaking of His first Coming or the second Coming, one thing is for sure: it cannot be speaking of earthly priests. This has to be speaking of Believers; because at His first Coming, the earthly priesthood came to an end…forever! So this must be understood spiritually.
Actually Malachi is speaking of the second coming of Moses and Aaron, not necessarily of Jesus. Did it come to an end? Only according to the Herodians and their followers (inc the Christian churches) it did.
Listen even once more to Peter… “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” 1st Peter 2:5.
We are the royal priesthood. We are the Sons of Levi, spiritually speaking. We are those whom the Lord will purify… “to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” 1st Peter 2:5
All this says is that it is obligatory to tithe and make sacrifices - it does not empower, but rather only require. The sacrifices in question are to the Levites, otherwise they would be made to one's own self and therefore worthless.
A LIVING SACRIFICE
And what spiritual sacrifices are we to offer? Listen… “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:1, 2.
Incredible!! Paul really said a mouthful in that passage, didn’t he? It is amazing, that such passages as this can be ignored by so many, who insist on remaining worldly and common in the world.
Listen to this… “Give unto the LORD the glory due unto His name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness…and in His temple doth every one speak of His glory.” Psalm 29:2.
Here is revealed the speech which is heard in God’s Temple: “and in His temple doth every one speak of His glory.” In the beauty (and joy) of holiness, God’s people continually speak of His glory. And how can I become a part of this glory? The more a Christian closes his or her self in with God; the more he shuts out all unnecessary noise and clamor of the world, he (or she) will become shut-in with God in His holy temple within his hearts.
PETER SAID IT PLAINLY…
Listen… “Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?….Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless.” 2nd Peter 3:11, 12, 14.
Well this passage certainly raises the bar for Christian conduct, doesn’t it? Peter says here that we are to be…“be diligent that ye may be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless.”
And of course, the language which Peter purposely uses here is the very same language used by God when speaking of sacrificial lambs.
Listen… “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things…But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:” 1st Peter 1:18, 19.
And so, just as that sacrificial lamb in the temple service represented Jesus, the great fulfillment of a sacrificial lamb, so are we to be also, as we joyfully lay down our lives on the altar of service to God.
THE SOUL, OUR MOST PRIZED POSSESSION
“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Mark 8:36
Of all the possessions that a human can have, the soul is by far the most important. And it is remarkable how lightly esteemed the soul is. After all, we the people of the world go on our merry way, mostly never even giving a thought for our most valuable possession!
The above verse puts the importance of the human soul in proper perspective… “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”
It is more valuable than all the riches this world can offer, as the above verse alludes.
Listen to the Psalmist… “A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.” Psalm 37:16
If your soul lives eternally, you have everything; more than the richest person on Earth! If not, well then, in respect to eternity, you are little more than a beggar, though you may possess vast earthly riches.
The soul is what makes you, you, and me, me. So if you lose your soul, then there is no more “you”. You simply will no longer exist. Now on the other hand, if you die being a true worshipper, God promises to safely keep your soul.
Listen… “Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O Thou my God, save Thy servant that trusteth in Thee.” Psalm 86:2.
WHAT DID HENRY HAVE TO SAY?
That great theologian of yesteryear, Matthew Henry, had a thing to say, concerning the preciousness of the soul.
Listen… “Observe what the jewel is which he is in care for, “The safety of my soul, my darling; let that be redeemed from the power of the grave, Father, into Thy hands I commit that, to be conveyed safely to paradise.” The psalmist here calls his soul his darling, his only one (so the word is): “My soul is my only one. I have but one soul to take care of, and therefore the greater is my shame if I neglect it and the greater will the loss be if I let it perish. Being my only one, it ought to be my darling, for the eternal welfare of which I ought to be deeply concerned. I do not use my soul as my darling, unless I take care to preserve it from every thing that would hurt it and to provide all necessaries for it, and be entirely tender of its welfare.”
SILENCE ON THIS SUBJECT IS DEAFENING!
But of course, as far as those of the world are concerned, the soul is mostly regarded as worthless!
On TV or Radio, you might hear a commercial about physical or mental health or safety just about every 10 or 15 minutes or so. But do you ever hear an advertisement about the value of a soul? Do the various TV dramas ever deal with the preservation of the soul? No, why would they!?! After all, the “god of this world” wants you to lose your soul! So you’ll never hear the citizens of this world ever obsess or commiserate over the care and nurture of the soul! And if you ever do, it will probably be done in a mocking or negative manner.
REAL BILLIONAIRES!
Those who neglect the care of their soul, are indeed, the poorest of the poor. They will simply wither away and die, and be no more. But on the other hand, those who value, and care, and nurture their soul, are among the richest of the rich, though they may be poor in earthly wealth. After all, who would you rather be: a billionaire, who eventually withers away and dies, or a poor person who will live forever in a joyful and beautiful universe? No, the real billionaires are those who love their own soul, and care for it and nurture it.
Listen… “There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches. The ransom of a man’s life are his riches:” Proverbs 13:7, 8. This passage leaves little room for debate on the subject of true riches. And yet it is perhaps one of the most little regarded of all Bible passages.
“ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS”
John the Baptist, is perhaps one of the most striking of all Bible characters. And the above Bible passage seems to be the mantra of John’s life.
Listen again… “There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.“
John certainly made himself as poor as one could possibly be in the eyes of the world. And yet he was considered as spiritually rich as any other Bible hero.
Listen to the assessment of Jesus, concerning John… “Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist:” Matthew 11:11.
John the Baptist was to be the next High Priest, in his father's footsteps.
JOHN’S SEPARATION
John knew the value of his own soul, and he did not want to contaminate the purity of his soul by the constant contact and intermingling with humanity, with all its debauchery and worldly obsessions. John did what the nation of Israel neglected to do. John took heed to the constant counsel of God, for His people to separate themselves from the contagiousness of evil influences.
And God used John as a role-model, as to what heights a human could attain to, by taking heed to these warnings of God.
Yes, because John took heed to God’s warnings to Israel, and separated himself from the great wickedness in Israel, God blessed John above all men on the face of the Earth, as this verse indicates.
THE BOOK OF HABAKKUK
John knew the Scriptures. John had read the Prophet Habakkuk. He understood the great message from that ominous Book (As well as other Old Testament books). Listen… “Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.” Habakkuk 1:4.
This was the great message of the Old Testament. This was what all those Old Testament wars were about! And yet only a few amongst the children of Israel paid any attention to these warnings.
Listen to God’s warning… “But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell. Moreover it shall come to pass, that I shall do unto you, as I thought to do unto them.” Numbers 33:55, 56.
This strong warning from God went mostly unheeded. And as we know, the Israelites did not drive out all the heathens from their land, and are still suffering the bitter results today.
GOD LIKEWISE WARNS US TODAY!
Now obviously, God is probably not calling us to go out to the desert, like John. But this warning still goes out to Christians today, to separate from evil influences, as far as possible!
And yet, we Christians today allow ourselves to freely mingle with worldly influences, not even caring or realizing just how contagious sin really is! And because of our disregard of God’s warnings, our Christian nation today will suffer the same results which the nation of Israel suffered. For God still warns us today…
Listen… “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?….Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” 2nd Cor. 6:14, 17, 18.
This New Testament warning has a promise attached: if we will separate, God will become our Father, and we will be His sons and daughters! But if we do not separate, will God still be a Father to us? So this passage from 2nd Corinthians has a blessing attached to it, but also an implied curse. If we want God to be a Father to us, then we must separate, as far as possible, from all unnecessary ungodly influences.
TO PREACH, BUT NOT TO YOKE TOGETHER
And while we are commanded to go preach the Gospel to every creature, we are nevertheless warned not to be yoking up together with unbelievers in secular friendships. As already said, sin is very contagious. And our secular friendships won’t convert anyone to Christ, but will almost certainly convert us to the world!
“BE YE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY”
The world has rejected God’s standard of behavior, and has gone about to establish its own standard. But God has chosen each Christian to be a peculiar people and a holy nation. God wants us to be distinctly different from the world. And He has given us His Son to be our role model for God’s standard of acceptable behavior.
The world has replaced holiness and reverence for a counterfeit righteousness: giddiness, joking and jesting, loud and boisterous laughing and back-slapping and common and cheap talk are just some of the ways in which the world has been, “going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God” Rom. 10:3.
Christians, to a great degree have been deceived by the world, and have joined in with such lower standards.
IMITATING THE WORLD
And so it is not uncommon to hear Christians behaving much like the world. But Christians need to keep in mind their high and holy calling. The world sees through our façade. They instinctively know that we’re imitating them. They even have a saying… “Imitation is the highest form of praise”.
Christians need to take courage, and imitate Christ in all that we think do and say. Then will our efforts to evangelize the world will be blessed by God.
JESUS, SEPARATE FROM SINNERS
listen to the following statement about Jesus… “For such an high priest became us, (Jesus) who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;” Hebrews 7:26. Jesus was separate from sinners, even though His priestly duties were to pray for them.
Oh yes, we will be mocked and scorned and derided by the world (and by worldly Christians). But we must not fear being different. And we must not think that holiness requires us to speak King James English, or wear robes or uniforms. But an intelligent reverence and holiness will require much wisdom and Christian maturity and much prayer and Bible study.
GRAFFITI IN MY HEART
“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life” Proverbs 4:23 NLT
Have you ever tried to remove spray-paint from a wall or side of a building? Not too easy. But everyday, we Christians allow Satan to write his own graffiti on the walls of our heart. How? By allowing ourselves to listen to sensual music, or watch unchristian TV, or read exciting novels, buddying around with non-Christian friends, or reading non-Christian magazines, or Internet, or talk-shows, or whatever else the Devil has dreamed up, in hopes of destroying our soul and dominating our thoughts and pre-occupying our life.
And just think about it. If our heart is an extension of the Most Holy Place, then it is akin to taking spray-paint and writing profanities on the walls of the Most Holy Place. And if we are the Priest of our own heart, what will the High Priest, Jesus Christ, think when He comes into our Most Holy Place to minister together with us? Just something to think about.
PRIESTS AND KINGS”
“And (God) hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” Revelation 5:10
God has called us to be priests together with Christ. We are to be co-laborers with Christ, pleading for the people. Scripture commands us to… “Pray without ceasing.” 1st Thessalonians 5:17. As a Christian goes about his or her day, they are constantly praying and thanking the Lord, and interceding for others.
Listen again to this great encouragement… “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light” 1st Peter 2:9.
In Scripture, the priesthood was a very high and holy calling. It wasn’t to be taken lightly. It was a life and death matter. An unconsecrated priest could actually be struck dead, should he enter into the Holy Place with unrepentant sin.
SAME REVERENCE REQUIRED TODAY
And so the thought of today’s Christian should be exactly like the faithful priest of long ago. He must have a trembling heart at God’s holiness. All presumptuousness and flippancy and worldliness must be banished out of the Christian’s heart.
No, the True-Worshipper will not literally be struck dead, like these two in this drawing. But those who enter into the life of a Christian, will never know the deep spiritual and holy things of God, until they enter into this most solemn priestly office, by faith.
“And they (God’s priests) shall teach My people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.” Ezekiel 44:23.
As God’s royal priesthood, we are to be an example to the Church. And by our godly example, we are to, “teach My people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.”
THE BOOK OF JOEL
“Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare Thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?” Joel 2:16, 17
The above passage is speaking of the Day of the Lord. But it speaks of the priests. But God is no longer using priests. That was done away with, forever, after Christ went to the Cross! So what is the answer to this perplexing question being made manifest in the Book of Joel?
Simple! God is now using Christians as priests. “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light” 1st Peter 2:9.
Here is a New Testament verse, declaring that we are a royal priesthood.
VALLEY OF DECISION
Now Joel commands the priests to, “weep between the porch and altar”. This would seem to indicate that we New Testament priests are not to enter into the Holy Place. But as you read on, it will be shown that we are to merely enter the MOST Holy Place, as well.
But the point to Joel is that God is pointing us forward to the great day of God Almighty. And we, the royal priesthood, must cry out and mourn and weep for our fellow brethren, who are caught up in apostasy and spiritual disregard. And this little book speaks of the Valley of Decision.
Just listen… “Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.” Joel 3:14, 15.
VALLEY OF DECISION CONSTELLATION
God is just now revealing a constellation group in the night-sky, called the Valley of Decision Constellation. And it is no accident that God has chosen this time in history to reveal this constellation group.
We are just now standing on the threshold of that great day, spoken of by Joel.
But this constellation group and concepts connected with it, are somewhat complex. So the Reader is highly encouraged to read the two articles about this phenomena in the night heavens… “The ‘Valley of Decision’ Constellation”
HIDING OURSELVES IN THE DAY OF WRATH
“Come, My people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the LORD cometh out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.” Isaiah 26:20, 21
This above verse speaks of the day which is just before us. God is warning us to take refuge in our chambers, till the, “indignation be overpast”.
But let’s look at this next verse… “Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought His judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD’S anger.” Zep 2:3.
He is here speaking to His true children. Well, who else besides His true children can be called “meek’, which “have wrought His Judgment”? But God here tells these meek and just ones that they must do more… “seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD’S anger.” Zep 2:3. So God is exhorting us here to really, really, strive to be more Christ-like.
“THOU ART MY HIDING PLACE!”
But just how are we to become more Christ-like? And just what chambers is the Lord speaking of here, when He says… “Come, My people, enter thou into thy chambers?”
“One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion: in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me;” Psalm 27:4, 5
CANDLESTICK & THE 7 CHURCHES
“The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in My right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.” Revelation 1:20
Just as all the other furnishings in the Temple were pictures of spiritual concepts, so too was the 7-tier Golden Candlestick. The above verse makes plain this spiritual concept… “and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.” Revelation 1:20.
For those who believe that the New Testament Church is not mentioned in the last 19 chapters of Revelation, should consider that much of the Book of Revelation takes place in the heavenly Temple. And so the Church is mentioned, just not directly. And there are other ways the church is also mentioned as well.
APOCALYPSE NOW!
And so this revelation, that the candlestick represents the 7 churches of Revelation, Ch. 2 & 3 brings the entire Book of Revelation very relevant to God’s Church! And having this understanding, it now begins to be understood just why God urges upon His people the importance of studying that book.
Listen… “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. ” Revelation 1:3.
Yes, these words were written back around 100 AD. And even then was this book relevant to God’s people. And we today, as the spiritual priesthood, are spiritual Levites. So in more than one way, God connects us to all 22 chapters of that Book.
Listen again… Revelation 22:6…“And He said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show unto His servants the things which must shortly be done…
Revelation 22:7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book…
Revelation 22:10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand…
Revelation 22:16 I Jesus have sent Mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches.”
Not only do these above five verses reveal that the time is at hand, but also that the Jesus Himself testifies here that the book of Revelation was actually “these things IN the churches”. God could not have been more blunt in telling us that Revelation is not merely for the future, but has been for all the church, for all the past 2,000 years.
But having said all this, it must also be said that it appears that this book will also have a grand climactic fulfillment in these last moments of time on Earth. So those who look at Revelation to be fulfilled in the future are somewhat correct.
“IN HEAVENLY PLACES”
Ephesians 1:3, 2:6, 3:10
“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:1-3
This above passage really lets us in on a big secret! We don’t have to wait for heaven! We can have it now! Oh, well, we may not physically be there yet. Nor will we literally see it now at this point. But we nevertheless can be there in Heaven with God, spiritually speaking. And the above passage tells us just where it is that Jesus dwells… upon His Mercy Seat, between the Cherubim. And we can be there too! Just listen to this…
“For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and Holy Place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” Isaiah 57:15.
This is perhaps, the clearest statement we have, concerning just where the Believer and Christ will be throughout eternity: in the Most Holy Place, as co-laborers together in the Heavenly Temple priesthood.
God calls us to come boldly to the throne of grace. Listen… “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16. We are called to come boldly to the Throne of Grace. And there we should be, with unceasing petitions and thanksgiving.
EVERLASTING JOY
Perhaps the best-kept secret in the world, is that the Christ-like life of holiness is a life filled with joy. So many people shy away from the Christian life, because they erroneously believe that giving up sin and selfishness will only result in an austere and humorless and boring existence. But what they do not understand is that the Christian life is a joy-filled, and peace-filled life.
Yes, God gives the Believer great joy and fulfillment in searching the Bible and meditating on the Bible. The joy that one experiences when searching the bible for hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge is much like the joy that a treasure-seeker experiences when discovering a treasure.
And likewise, prayer throughout one’s day is also a great joy. Yes, and the Christian life only becomes more joy-filled as time passes. In a sense, the Christian life is like any endeavor. That is, the better that one gets at it, the more pleasurable it becomes. Take a fisherman, for example. The more that a fisherman excels in that sport, the greater is the pleasure he receives from that sport. It’s no different with Christianity.
But one big difference with Christianity is, that the ever-increasing joy never stops. It continues to grow for all eternity. God is infinite. And so is the love of God. It too is infinite.
But Paul explains it this way… “As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.” 2nd Corinthians 6:10. This little section of 2nd Corinthians speaks of the paradoxes of the Christian life.
THE CHRISTIAN: A PORTABLE TABERNACLE
“…for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you,” 2nd Cor. 6:16, 17
Just as the Jews moved the Tabernacle from place to place during their wilderness-wanderings, so too, the Christian today is to do the very same thing. We are the Temple of the living God. We are God’s tabernacle in our own wilderness-wanderings. Wherever we go, whatever we do, we are on-duty 24/7/365 as priests for the Most High God. And just as Abraham set up an altar in different places during his travels, we have an altar in our heart. And wherever we go, we take that altar with us. This is the kind of worship that God is desiring from His people.
And so, wherever God’s people travel in the universe, they will be still be priests in the temple of God. It’s like that old song, Rock of Ages…“As I soar to worlds unknown, and behold Thee on Thy throne”.
When the Samaritan woman at the well (see John Ch. 4) asked Jesus if Jerusalem was the correct place to worship, Jesus answered her… “Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe Me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father….But the hour cometh, and now is, when the True-Worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him….God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” John 4:21, 23, 24.
So, to worship God in spirit and truth does not require a building or even a certain denomination. It only requires a heart that is filled with the Spirit and with the truth of God.
Listen… “Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come.” Ezekiel 11:16
This promise was not only for those Old Testament Hebrews, but it is for us today! God will be to us as a little sanctuary: a sanctuary in our heart!
And so we spiritually enter into our “portable” Most Holy Place of the heart; and by faith, silently cry out to our Heavenly Father, fulfilling our priestly duties, even as we carry out the mundane duties of our day: at home, at work, at rest, or even in recreation with our family. In the New Testament, the Believer is a walking, living temple of God. And as such, we need to be very wise in how we conduct our lives.
GOD IS THE TRUE TEMPLE
“And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.” Revelation 21:22
God has created Nature, not only for beauty, and not only for our needs, but also to teach us spiritual lessons. Just look at this water-drop, reminding us of the kingly crown which is promised to those who drink of the “water of life”! And what about the spider and his web? Doesn’t he remind us of how Satan spins his web of deceit throughout the world, in which to take captive and destroy each and every one of us?!
But nature is not the only place where God presents spiritual concepts. The Bible is a metaphorical book to a great extent. Just like the metaphors found in nature, the Bible too, is filled with many stories which are allegorical in nature, each presenting spiritual concepts.
And likewise, God created the Temple service to teach us lessons about the plan of Salvation. The High Priest represented Christ’s eternal position of High Priest of all the universe. But Christ is more than just the High Priest. He is the Temple itself.
The verse above pretty much says it all… “And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.” Revelation 21:22. There most likely is no brick-n-mortar structure in Heaven. This verse makes that abundantly clear. God is that Temple.
Listen again to the very words of Jesus… “Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But He spake of the temple of His body.” 2:19-21
But there’s more to God’s eternal Temple than that, as if that’s not enough! You see, in God’s infinite wisdom and grace, He has included the redeemed in that Temple: we too are that Temple. The Temple walls are a picture of us, God’s people.
Listen… “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” 1st Peter 2:5
The various furnishings of that earthly tabernacle were likewise to give us a clearer picture of Christ. The Altar, the Table of Shewbread, the candlestick, and even the Ark of the Covenant with the two tables of the law, were likewise a picture of Christ. And even the Lamb of sacrifice was a picture of Christ. There will be no brick-n-mortar temple in that eternal city of God… “For the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple thereof.”
“TEMPLE WAS OPENED IN HEAVEN”
So now that God is revealing this sanctuary message in the night-heavens, we begin to see that this is not merely an obsolete message from the dusty old pages of the Old Testament! As already stated, the Old Testament was merely the Gospel of Jesus Christ, presented in types and symbols. And hopefully, Signs Of Heaven has presented these concepts in a way that will help the Reader to strive for holiness in his or her life.
And whether the Christian is healthy and strong, or frail and bed-fast, or even in confinement, this living-sanctuary message can be a reality in each and every one of us. And though it may require a struggle, and take time to achieve this high and holy calling, we must never give up. For giving up is the only way we may fail to achieve these things. And our tender, pity-filled High Priest well knows that “we are but dust”. And He knows when to give us rest. And before we know it, victory will come.