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Chapter 4 The prison, the judgment, and the pains of death Work by S.Y. Kharchenko |
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The Scripture in this verse and many others does not speak of the suffering and death of Jesus on the cross, but of the future giving of Christ into the hands of the devil and his angels. There is an important period of time, which, despite its significance in our justification, remains unnoticed in the community of Christians. In this regard, the future giving of Christ for our sins and His “resurrection” for our justification remains unnoticed (Rom.4:25). In the book of Daniel, this time is marked by the last 70th week (Dan. 9:27). This is the time when ALL AUTHORITY will be given to the devil and his angels for seven years. The seventieth week of Daniel marks the time when the devil will oppose Christ and throw off the yoke. The Scripture tells us about this time in the first book of Moses. Isaac, responding to Esau’s request to bless him, said:
Scripture in the words of Isaac explains to us the ministry of the devil. He has by the sword served and he still serves to his brother. And so, it will be until he opposes Him. This is described in detail in the work: “The Butler and the Baker.” All significant events of the seventieth week are reflected in the Gospels. In the four books of the Gospel, the Scripture shows us the FUTURE WAY of Jesus Christ, starting from the meal in the Tabernacle of heaven and ending with His last breath “out of the belly of hell” (Jon.2:2). Because death with her bars should be to forever block Him ...
“by his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie many: for hee shall beare their iniquities”
Christ will mourn “because of the transgression of them that had bene caried away” (Ezra.10:6) before God in the most Holy place of the Tabernacle of heaven he will ask God the Father to forgive the sin of those who remain on earth who believe in Him:
And if not, then the transgression “of them that had bene caried away” would become His crimes too.
To justify “many”, “the trauell of his soule” is necessary. He must put His soul to death.
The death of His body on the cross of Calvary is not an offering for sin. Only His soul can be an offering for sin. In order for God's justice to be satisfied, the decision of God the Father for trespass against Him must be fair. And Christ will be ready to accept the worst punishment, although His soul resists: “take away this cup from me.” In other words: “Do not leave, do not reject Me.” It is not in vain that the Scripture figuratively calls Christ and the Church of the firstborn the king’s prisoners, and the heavenly Tabernacle -- the prison (Gen.39:20). He was not afraid of the idea of giving his life that he might “take it againe”, but to feel condemned to death, and then to be given into the hands of the devil and his angels, actually to perdition, to see how “gates of death” are opening before thou (Job.38:17) and the pit shuts “her mouth vpon” thou (Ps. 69:15), this is really “the trauell of his soule” (Is.53:11). When “their hour” comes, “the whole multitude of them” will rise upon Christ (Luke 23:1), these are the devil and his angels, prophetically: “a great multitude with swords, and staues” (Mark.14:43). Christ will say: “Leave the firstborns, do not destroy the believers who have remained on the earth, take Me.”
Moses, after the call: “Who is on the Lords side? let him come vnto mee” (Ex.32:26), offered his life as a sacrifice, interceding for his people. This call and coming up to the Lord, prophetically, signifies the rapture of the Church of the firstborn. And when he stood at the gate of the camp, and all the sons of Levi gathered to him, the Scripture in this prototype shows us the Church of the firstborn, who, like warriors, should stand “in the gap” that the enemy destroys. And so, the Scripture in the words of Moses, as if on behalf of Christ, says to God:
The same request, but now in the words of Paul:
For the sake of the salvation of the people, Paul was ready to sacrifice himself by accepting the wrath of God. Jonah, saving people on the ship, doomed himself to death. He said:
Jonathan, taking on himself the curse that all the people feared (1Sam.14:28), said:
Scripture in the words of Moses, Paul, Jonathan and Jonah conveys to us the words of Christ’s death sentence upon Himself, assuring that His sacrifice will be a sacrifice of the propitiation of God the Father. Christ, for the sake of the salvation of all those who believe in Him, will offer His soul as a sacrifice. Christ WILL GIVE himselfe for vs, an offering and a sacrifice to God (Eph.5:2). Isaac, going to the sacrifice, is a type of Christ giving “his life for his friends” (John 15:13).
The destroy will walk past Christ by the will of the Father. It is the will of God the Father to test the faith of Christ, to teach him obedience, but not to allow him to perish. He must learn to obey “by the things which he" will suffer (Heb.5:8). Therefore, the Scripture, as it were, addressed to God the Father, says: “Lay not thine hand vpon the lad, neither do thou any thing vnto him” (Gen. 22:12). Christ will prove to God the Father His obedience to Him, and will be heard in that he feared (Heb.5:7). Scripture, as if from the Name of God the Father, tells to Christ:
The perfection obtained by Christ after the tests will be so important and necessary for Him and all obedient to Him that in its significance this event can be compared with His birth. Scripture in the words of God the Father says:
Christ is at present, as an Heir in childhood (Gal.4:1), who “is vnder tutors and gouernours vntill the time appointed of the father” (Gal.4:2), and to Whom the Father makes His demands.
The high Priest Christ will become King, and tantamount to the LORD. On His vesture and on His thigh His Name will be written: “King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords” (Rev.19:16). The Scripture as well compares the future perfection of Christ (Heb.5:9) with a child who has grown up:
Scripture, speaking of the two sons of Abraham: Ishmael and Isaac, prophetically, tells us about Lucifer (Is. 14:12) and the Only Begotten Son of God, and their ministry, as servants of the most High. This is described in detail in the work: “The Butler and the Baker” What prophetic significance does the great feast made by Abraham have, and the expulsion of the son of Hagar into the desert, associated with this event? I think it’s not even necessary to explain here. And in the future, when “the heir grows up”, “his name shalbe called, Wonderfull, Counseller, The mightie God, The euerlasting Father, The Prince of peace.” (Is.9:6). A person who is ready to give his life for the sake of his neighbor always receives the highest appreciation of the LORD God.
“Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized”
We have yet “to know the loue of Christ, which passeth knowledge” (Eph.3:19). Israel and the Church of God will pass a similar test, at the end of the Millennium. Israel will pass the test on earth, the Church does in heaven. Scripture, addressing at the end of the Millennium to people who trust in Christ, speaks of the impending test sent to them.
This is a test through baptism with fire. Scripture, in the words of John the Baptist, says to Israel: “hee shall baptize you with the holy Ghost, and with fire” (Mat.3:11). At the beginning of the Millennium, Israel will be baptized with the holy Ghost, and at the end of it - with fire. Jesus asked His disciples:
In fact, the question and answer of Jesus sounds like this: “Are you ready for the sake of truth to lay down your soul? You will be tested!” And in general, this test will concern everyone who enters the Church of God. Job said: “But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job 23:10).
And no one has yet been baptized by this baptism. Jesus confirmed that Israel will pass His earthly way. They will drink His cup, and be baptized with His baptism, when at the end of the Millennium they will be delivered into the hands of the devil. The LORD will tell Satan:
This means that they will endure all temptations, will see themselves completely abandoned by God and experience the horror of death. In all this will not Israel sin with his lips (Job). Imagining the end of this world and the state of people who, having passed the tests, at the last moment of time will be plucked like a brand out of the fire, we can imagine the state of Christ when He enters “into deepe waters” (Ps.69:2) of the sea of the dead and the death sentence will begin to be executed out. Scripture through the prayers of David conveys to us all the tribulation of Christ:
With the last gasp, completely exhausted, “with strong crying and teares” He will ask God the Father:
And he will be heard in that he feared.
People, perplexed, ask: “If He was heard in that he feared, then it is not clear why He died? He had to stay alive!” That’s right. The fact is that this verse speaks of future events. For our time, now 2017, this verse must be understood as follows: He in the days of his flesh, when he WILL OFFER UP prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that is able to save him from death, and WILL BE HEARD in that he feared. The verse (Heb.5:7) says to the second death. This verse does not say about the Lord’s prayers in the garden of Gethsemane, but about prayers “out of the belly of hell” (Jonah.2:2). The generally accepted interpretation of the verse (Heb.5:7), as well as the whole book to Hebrews, is incorrect. Recognize that the sacrifice of Christ is in the future. The sins of us all WILL BE ENTRASTED on Christ. The chastisement of our world WILL BE upon Him.
The week of the days
The seven-day time period that began with Jesus’ solemn entry into Jerusalem and includes all subsequent significant events is a prototype of future events of the seventieth week of Daniel. That is, the events of seven days reflect the events that will happen to the people of Israel in the past seven years. This is described in detail in the work “The Week of the Days”. But here it must be taken into account that one event in the Scriptures may indicate different events in the future. For example, the giving down of Jesus in the hands of sinners in the middle of the seventh days shows us the betrayal of the Lord by Israel, and also, this is a type of the giving of Christ in the hands of the devil and his angels at the beginning of the seventieth week. Therefore, the giving down of Jesus to sinners indicates two different events. One event will happen in heaven, and the other on earth. One event marks the beginning of the seventieth week, the other one is in its middle. The seventieth week will begin when Christ is delivered to the devil, because from now on the devil will receive all power. Jesus said:
In the book of Revelation, their hour begins with the removal of the first seal. Further, all events are stated in a strictly chronological order.
The people of Israel will return to the LORD on the eve of the seventieth week and make a Covenant with Him. The new ruler of Israel will confirm this covenant, give it legal force, which means that the execution of Moses' Law will resume. This new ruler will be king of Israel.
And in the middle of the week, he, along with the people, as Judas Iscariot with many people with swords and stakes, will betray the Lord. The verdict of the crowd: “Away with him, away with him, crucifie him”, and their statement: “Wee haue no king but Cesar” (John.19:15), have prophetic significance. At this time, at half-week, "Pilate" will pronounce the death sentence on Christ and it will be carried out. Jesus told Pilate: “therfore he that deliuered me vnto thee, hath the greater sinne” (John19:11). In other words, therefore, “Cesar” and the people of Israel have “the greater sinne”. In chapter 13 of the book of Revelation, this “Cesar” is called a beast. At half of week he will receive power from the devil “to continue fortie and two moneths” (Rev.13:5), which is three and a half years. Since that time, every person on earth will fully experience the power of darkness. The time spent by Christ in the hell will begin the countdown from the middle of the seventieth week of Daniel, until the end of the week there will be three years and six months. In the book of Revelation, this countdown begins after the fourth seal is removed.
The removal of each seal means the beginning of the next year, one seal is one year. Therefore, the middle of the week in the book of Revelation occurs six months after the removal of the fourth seal. The last seventh year is divided into six parts, two months each. Therefore, the first Angel will sound at the beginning of the year, and the seventh Angel does at the end one. The judgments of the seven chalices of the wrath of God are performed within a month, after the end of the seventieth week.
Temptation in the wilderness
What is the prophetic significance of the temptation of Jesus of the devil in the wilderness? Why did it begin immediately after His baptism? And why does Scripture link one event with another inextricably.
The fact is that the Scriptures in the Gospels show us the whole way of Israel in the future Millennium, from the beginning to its completion. The history will repeat, and now Israel will drink the cup, that Christ drank. These things are described in detail in the work “Baptism with Fire.” But Israel cannot begin its ministry, become the light of the world, salt of the earth until the first sheaf of the harvest is lifted up, and then the whole ripe harvest is gathered and victory is won. And so, briefly showing the whole background, the Scripture explains how “a sheaf of the first fruits” will be accepted from you (Lev.23:11). Scripture shows the future way of Christ maximum compressed, but for the residents of the Millennium, it will be the events that happened on the eve: the rapture of the Church of the firstborn, the service in the heavenly Tabernacle, the battle with the devil and victory over him. Scripture says that Jesus came out of the water and the heavens were opened unto Him (Matt.3:16). And indeed, when He comes to take away His firstborns the heavens will be opened unto Him, He will pass the waters of the great deep and will be led up of the Spirit into “the wilderness”. The “wilderness” is the figurative name of the Tabernacle of heaven.
Scripture shows us the opposition of the devil to the ministry of Christ in the Tabernacle of heaven. After forty-two years of the temptation of Christ there will be given special powers to the devil. All power over the kingdoms and their glory will be given to him. This explains the arrogant behavior of the devil after the forty days of the temptation of Jesus:
Or in other words:
Imagine, it takes place giving of Christ in the hands of the devil and ensuing of dialogue. Scripture, as it were, on behalf of the devil, by the words of Pilate, says: “Speakest thou not vnto me? Knowest thou not, that I haue power to crucifie thee, and haue power to release thee?” Jesus answered: “Thou couldest haue no power at all against me, except it were giuen thee from aboue” (John.19:10,11) Evil spirits are waiting of judgment in the lowest hell; therefore, Scripture have ably described devil’s servants with one phrase:
Another expression: “and he was numbred with the transgressours” (Is.53:12). The Scripture shows us only two beasts in the 13th chapter of the book of Revelation. After all the temptations: “the deuill leaueth him” (Matt.4:11). And again, one short phrase tells us that there was no “place found any more in heaven” for the rider on the white horse after the battle (Rev.12:8). Scripture says: “Angels came and ministred vnto him” (Matt.4:11) This type shows the completion of service in the Tabernacle of heaven. When the barrier between God and man is destroyed, Christ will receive power, authority and glory, will sit on the Throne, and the faithful, the chosen and called, “Angels” will serve Him. Another verse says about the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ:
Prophetically, this means the onset of the Millennium. And from now on, Israel will begin to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom: “Repent, for the kingdome of heauen is at hand” (Matt.4:17) Notice that giving of Jesus Christ into the hands of the wicked, His sufferings and punishment, as it described at the end of the Gospels, is not only a prototype of the future way of Jesus Christ, but also it is prototype of the events of the Millennium’s end. Israel will go all His earthly way. The devil, before throwing of Christ into the sea of the dead, will offer Him to ask for protection from the Father. The devil said to Jesus in the wilderness:
Jesus said to the disciple who took the sword:
These verses have the answer of Jesus to the devil: “I can now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of Angels. But how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? It is written: “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” (Matt.4:7) He will pray to God not as a Son to the Father, but as a Servant. And He will be “heard” (Heb.5:7) Being made perfect, Christ will become “the authour of eternall saluation vnto all them that obey him” (Heb.5:9). I foresee questions from the readers: “Why is this a test for Christ, if He is born of God? What perfection can Christ receive? Wasn’t Christ perfect before?” Tell me, is more perfect a Husband or Husband together with His Wife, as one flesh, according to God’s plan? Is more perfect the Head, if you imagine its existence separately, or the whole Human? The answer is obvious. Therefore, He, “in the dayes of his flesh” (Heb.5:7), has not proper perfection. The Scripture says that when God will “make his soule an offring for sinne, he shall see his seede, hee shall prolong his daies” (Is.53:10). The future Church is His bone and flesh. Having passed the test, it will also prove that any “gates of hell shall not preuaile against it.” (Matt.16:18). And together they will form a coherent whole “in the Image of God” (Gen.1:27), it exactly is perfection. You can get it only after passing the test. The Universe was created for this purpose, humanity has been given seven thousand years, and each person makes his choice. And if the body of a man was created by God, as a short-lived house, then his new dwell will already be like “eternall” (2Cor.5:1) Temple “made without hand” (Mar.14:58). Scripture shows this temple in the first chapter of the book of Ezekiel.
“once to die, but after this the Iudgement”
Scripture in advance, as if on behalf of all who obey Him, says:
Here the phrase “the Lord hath layd on him” sounds like a judgment of the court. And Scripture, giving an example, confirms this (Heb. 9:27).
And indeed, “after this the Iudgement.” He will be delivered into the hands of the devil and his angels for trial. Please note that the phrase “in the end of the world” as well as the phrase “in the latter dayes” (Dan.10:14), “in the latter times” (1Tim.4:1), “in these last times” (1Pet.1:20) actually means our time, not the beginning of the first century. People, trusting legends rather than Scripture, misunderstand many verses, do not distinguish between past, present and future time in Scripture. A long time ago, when I was just beginning to delve into the prophetic meaning of the Word of God, and because of the joy that overfull filled me, I was sharing my discoveries with the “believers”. It was always their first question to me: “And who told you that?” As if by agreement, this question I was asked completely different people. It turns out that people lack critical thinking, they have only faith in official education and authority. Without reasoning, they agree with the lie that Christ’s exploit is complete, so all the verses relating to Christ’s suffering and offering Him for us as a sacrifice to God are addressed as the suffering and death of Jesus on Calvary. Realize that many important events are still in the future: God the Father will give “his only begotten Sonne: that whosoeuer beleeueth in him, should not perish, but haue euerlasting life” (John 3:16) in the hands of the devil. God loved the world so much that He WOURLD NOT HOLD His “onely sonne” (Gen.22:12), (John.3:16)
God WILL RAIS UP, “hauing loosed the paines of death: because it was not possible that hee should be holden of it” (Acts.2:24).
Through the eyes of all of Israel.
Seventy weeks are determined upon Israel (Dan.9:24), so if you look through the eyes of all of Israel, then the 70-th week should begin immediately after “Passover", and this means that the “resurrection” of Jesus Christ after 2000 years of “sleep” and His ministry in the heavenly Tabernacle will be hidden for them. After completing of 70 weeks, only these things will be obvious to them: His death on Calvary, His soul’s stay in hell and the “resurrection”, and they will have need that one can teach them again “the first principles of the Oracles of God” (Heb.5:12). Scripture, by the words of Peter, on the eve of the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, “in these last days” (Heb.1:2), say to Israel:
Therefore, the resurrection of Jesus Christ, depending on the context, points to different events in Scripture. About the resurrection of Jesus after His death at Calvary, the Scripture speaks plainly, in the open text. But the following two events are no longer so obvious, because they are hidden in the prophetic meaning of the verses.
1. The resurrection of Jesus in three days after His death. 1. “Resurrection” of Jesus Christ after 2000 years of “sleep” (Gen.2:21). 1. “Resurrection” of the Lord Jesus Christ after a three-year stay in the lowest hell.
Scripture say by the words of Jonah, as if on behalf of Christ:
Scripture by the words of David are saying to Israel, after Christ will be brought out of lowest hell:
Pointing to the flesh and soul of Christ, Scripture thus points to His first death and the very close second one, from which He will be saved.
“an offering and a sacrifice to God”
The type of Abraham’s offering for Isaac’s burnt offering shows us the whole sequence of stages of an offering for sin to God. Christ is shown us through the prototype of Isaac. This type is explained and strengthened by the words: “¶ For God so loued þe world, that he gaue his only begotten Sonne: that whosoeuer beleeueth in him, should not perish, but haue euerlasting life.” (John.3:16)
Here the wood laid on Isaac and the knife which is in the hand of Abraham prophetically point to the first death of Jesus. The fire symbolizes the second death.
Isaac’s willingness to sacrifice himself to God shows us Christ’s willingness to offer up his soul as of an offering for sin to justify the “many” (Is.53:11-12). Christ WILL GIVE himselfe for vs, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling sauour (Eph.5:2). This verse deals with “a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet sauour vnto the Lord” (Lev.1:9). Before the offering for a “burnt offering,” the Lamb will be bound. Abraham bound Isaac before laying him on the altar. The “band and the captaine, and officers of the Iewes, tooke Iesus, and bound him” (John.18:12), when He was delivered into their hands. Observing the sacrifice of Abraham, as if from the outside, we now see that the Lamb was killed; “the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel” (Ex.12:6) made this in the year 34, but He was not yet laid upon the altar of burnt offering. For the completion of these last actions, the last seventieth week is determined for Israel. As it was already shown, the events in the sky and on the earth will be bound together. Jesus said to Peter: “Uerily I say vnto thee, that this might before the cocke crow, thou shalt denie me thrise.” (Mat.26:34) The first renunciation of Israel took place in the year 34. The 69-th week was ended this event. The next two renunciation of Christ are for Israel in the future. The second renunciation will occur at the beginning of the seventieth week, when the people choose a king for themselves. At this time, Christ will be given to the devil and his angels. Scripture in the book of Revelation calls this king, as a beast rise up out of the sea. The third renunciation will take place in half a week. At this time, Christ will be laid “the Altar” of burnt offering.
Christ will be taken out of the lowest hell before God’s justice is satisfied. According to the ceremonial law, on the day of purification two goats were electing. One there was offered for a sin offering (Lev. 16: 9), after which the other was sent “away by the hand of a fit man into the wildernesse” (Lev.16:21). The justice of God will be satisfied, when “the great dragon”, “old serpent, called the deuill and Satan, which deceiueth the whole world” (Rev.12:9) is cast out into earth. And when the Lord Jesus Christ comes down from heaven, the great dragon will be cast down into the bottomless pit (Rev.20:3). Therefore, this fit man (Lev.16:21) is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit. (Rev.20:1)
The seventh Angel shall begin to sound
From the moment of casting out of the devil into the earth, to the rapture of those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb, it will take three and a half days (Rev.11: 11). And two days later, on the third one, the propitiation sacrifice will be accepted, which means the barrier between God and human will be destroyed. At that time, when the seventh angel will begin to sound, and there will great voices in heaven, saying: “The kingdomes of this world are become the kingdomes of our Lord, and of his Christ, and he shall reigne for euer and euer” (Rev.11:15). Jesus, responding to the Pharisees, who wanted to see a sign from Him, said that only one sign would be given to this generation. Using the sign of Jonah, the prophet, He told them that when he was put to death, he would “be three daies and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matt.12:39,40).
The words of Jesus to all who heard Him were prophetic. Indeed, His soul, after His death, was in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights, this is described in detail in the work: “The Week of the Days”. But Scripture would not be the Word of God if there was no hidden prophetic meaning in these verses. Jesus did not answer the Pharisees directly, but he used the types, and the Scripture informs us of future significant events through them. Just as Jonah, according to the word of the Lord, came to Nineveh and preached condemnation to its inhabitants for their wickedness, so the Son of Man will be a sign for this generation. At the moment of the enthronement of the Lord Jesus Christ, an “evil and adulterous generation” will see “the signe of the Sonne of man in heauen”, “coming in the clouds of heauen, with power and great glory.” (Matt.24:30). In this regard, what is the prophetic significance of the “three dayes and three nights” spent by Jonah in the belly of the whale? They mean that Christ will be in the sea of the dead for three years and three months. After this time, He will be delivered from the lowest hell and called by God in the Holiest of all. From now on, another three months will pass and God the Father will accept an offering for sin. Christ, taking “wine,” will “deliuer Pharaohs cup into his hand” (Gen.40:13). About these events Scripture speaks in the story about two noblemen who were guilty before their lord. God’s acceptance of an offering for sin will take place at the moment of time when God the Father takes the cup with Christ’s Blood out of the outstretched hands of Christ. Scripture, in the story of the chief butler, shows us this event “according to the interpretation of his dreame” (Gen.40:5). The chief butler in the last days of his stay in the prison had a dream of special significance:
He told his dream to Joseph and he interpreted it:
“This is the interpretation of it”: In three months, God the Father will lead Jesus Christ “out of prison”, change “his prison garments”, set “his throne aboue the throne of the kings”, and he will “eate bread continually before him”, and have “his allowance” “all the dayes of his life” (2Kings 25:27-30). The “chief Butler” will not only be restored to his former dignity, but also elevated. It is said to Him: Pharaoh will “lift vp thine head”. But the “chief baker” will be punished.
“wee wrestle not against flesh and blood”
The trial and sacrifice, as a result of which the believer in Jesus will be acquitted, have not yet taken place. We, who trust in the Word of God and trust in Christ, only “we were reconciled to God, by the death of his sonne” (Rom.5:10). But reconciliation and justification are not the same thing. To justify a believer in Jesus is to declare him righteous. This will happen when the barrier between God and man is destroyed. If for our justification Christ must give His soul to death, then what is the significance of His Blood? When Jesus surrendered into the hands of sinners and one of those, who were with Him, “smote the seruant of the high Priest, and cut off his right eare” (Luk.22:50), “Iesus answered, and said, Suffer ye thus farre” (Luke.22:51), making it clear that “wee wrestle not against flesh and blood”.
This war is spoken of in the book of Revelation:
Here “Michael and his Angels” prophetically, are Christ and His Church of the firstborn. But they that are called, and chosen will also be among the winners.
I want especially, by points, to list all the “weapons” with which the devil and his angels will be defeated:
1. by the blood of the Lamb. 1. by the word of their testimony 1. they loved not their lives unto the death.
“by the blood of the Lambe”
Scripture says prophetically that the ministry of Jesus Christ in the heavenly chamber will be associated with the shedding of His Blood.
Blood can not only be in the vessel; it must be shed. Only thus can the Tabernacle of heaven be cleansed, its servants and their clothes, and further conclude the New Testament with Israel. The blood must be shed that the servants of the heavenly Tabernacle were not exterminated in it together with “all the firstborn in the land of Egypt” (Ex.12:29). We read (Heb. 11:28).
Scripture prophetically points out two important events one verse. Passover shows us the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ in the year 34, this is the first event. The second event is the sprinkling of Blood. What is meant in this verse by the sprinkling of the Blood? What firstborns are the Scriptures talking about? Scripture speaks of the heavenly Tabernacle and the firstborns in it. With faith, Christ gave Himself to death. With faith He will sprinkle the Tabernacle and the firstborns in it with His Blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them. What will happen outside the Tabernacle can be compared with the great storm at sea (Jonah.1:4). Therefore, service cannot begin without the shedding of the Blood in the Tabernacle of heaven:
“The ship”, the two side posts and on the upper door post will be struck with the Blood of Jesus, will endure any storm (Jonah.1:4), but where there is no such protection, a shipwreck will occur. During the service in the Tabernacle of heaven, there will be killed “all the first borne in the land of Egypt” (Ex.12:29). The fire of the brass altar in the court of the Tabernacle is “the fierce wrath of our God” (Ezr.10:14) for the crime before Him. The brass in the court of the Tabernacle and the gold in the Tabernacle itself point us to the different nature of these things. The “Altar” and “a laver of brass” are on the earth, and the heavenly Tabernacle is near the very throne. Scripture says that the garments of Christ in the Tabernacle of heaven will be filthy.
Indeed, His “his prison garments” will be stained with His Blood, as will the garments of the Priests. Chapter 8 of the book of Leviticus describes the consecration of Aaron and the sons of Aaron, prophetically, the High Priest and the Priests. The clothes of Aaron and his sons were sprinkled with blood and oil.
In the book to Hebrews, the same event is described like this:
The “vessels of the ministry”, prophetically, these are Priests, “the sons of Aaron”.
“by the word of their Testimony”
When the devil gives his power to the beast (Rev. 13: 3), the beast, in the person of the Babylonian whore, will start a war with the saints. John “saw the woman drunken with the blood of the Saints, and with the blood of the Martyrs of Iesus” (Rev.17:6). The souls of the Martyrs of Jesus who were slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held, John saw under the altar (Rev.6: 9). They are those who will fight the beast by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Jesus said:
Scripture speaks of three groups of people who will be with Him at the end of the harvest time. These are faithful, and chosen, and called (Rev. 17:14). The Church of the firstborn is called faithful; chosen are the “yongest brother.” Those who are called, their 144,000 people, will also be among that who overcame beast. They will not worship the image of the beast on pain of death (Dan. 3) and will be miraculously saved through the rapture. At the marriage feast, John saw chosen and that who overcame beast:
And he heard as it were the voice of a great multitude: “And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mightie thundrings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let vs bee glad and reioyce, and giue honour to him: for the mariage of the Lambe is come, and his wife hath made herselfe readie” (Rev.19:6,7).
“they loued not their liues vnto the death”
At the end of the feast of unleavened bread in the Tabernacle of heaven, Christ will declare that from now on He does not eat bread and “not drinke of the fruit of the Uine” (Lk.22:16-18), until God accepts “an offring for sinne”. Another type confirms this:
The Church of the firstborn will also begin fasting. Jesus told the disciples in Gethsemane: “Watch and pray, that yee enter not into temptation: The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weake.” (Matt.26:41). These words are intended for the church of the firstborn in the Tabernacle of heaven. But why they fell asleep in Gethsemane? Scripture prophetically says this:
The answer to this question is in the Epistle of Corinthians. In the 16th chapter of the first Epistle to Corinthians Scripture speaks prophetically of the rapture of the Church of the firstborn. In the next chapter, and this is the second epistle (2 Cor. 1), Scripture speaks of serving in the heavenly Tabernacle. In this chapter, the Scripture explains to us the prophetic meaning of verses (Mark.14:41) and (Luke.22:45).
The phrase: “sleeping for sorrow” prophetically means that the Priests in the heavenly Tabernacle will be over-burdened to such an extent that they will be on the verge of death — they “slept”. The word “rest” means to lie dead. Soul stress of forces and suffering will not be compatible with life. To survive, by human standards, it will be impossible. The Priests, exposed to the strongest temptation in the battle for the remaining believers in Him on Earth, will in fact condemn themselves to death. It is said: “we had the sentence of death IN OUR SELUES”, and “so much that we dispaired euen of life”. All hope will be placed “in God which raiseth the dead”, unto him that is able to save from death (Heb.5:7). That is why Scripture prophetically says that no one will come out of the heavenly chamber until our “yongest brother” comes (Gen.42:15). Therefore, the phrase: “hee found them sleeping for sorrow” (Lk.22:45), means that the Priests in the Tabernacle of heaven will love not their lives unto the death. Scripture says prophetically: “ye shall be proued” (Gen. 42:15). This means that not only Christ will be proved, but also His firstborns. The tests will go on until the last moment, to the utter exhaustion of the soul, to the point beyond which is the second death. I appeal to the reader: “Are you still willing to participate in the rapture of the Church of the firstborn? Maybe someone changed his mind?” In chapter 22 of the book of Genesis, the Scriptures show us the readiness of Christ to offer His soul as a sacrifice of propitiation. And in the next chapter, as one would expect, the Scriptures show the sacrificial service of the Church of the firstborn. After all, these events will occur simultaneously. A “mightie Prince” (Gen.23:6), as a stranger and a sojourner, will acquire from the angels, “the sons of Heth” the heavenly Tabernacle, “for a possession of a burying place”. He will acquire it “in the end” (Gen.23:9) of the field, it means prophetically, unto the uttermost part of the heaven (Neh.1: 9), to the third heaven, in other words, to “the third loft” (Acts.20:9). Here is shown another type of the Tabernacle of heaven, it is like a cave for the burial of the dead. “Dead” is the Church of the Firstborn, fighting in the war “against the dragon” (Rev.12:7) in the front ranks of the host of Christ.
“the dayes of Noah”
Scripture, having instructed the people of the future Millennium, tells them about our time, as about long past events, using for this, even more long-standing, but well-known events, for example, “the dayes of Noah.”
Here the spirits in prison are His firstborns, the Church of the firstborn. For about forty years Christ will be appearing “vnto the spirits in prison” and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God (Acts.1:3).
Reading further (1Pet.3:18-20), we see that the Scripture likens our time to the days of Noah and figuratively calls the heavenly Tabernacle the Ark. His “brethren, and all his fathers house” (1Sam.22:1) will come to Him, “into the Ark”. David is the clearest type of Jesus Christ in Scripture. When David escaped from Saul, “he went into the house of God, and did take and eate the Shew bread, and gaue also to them that were with him, which it is not lawful to eate but for the Priests alone” (Luk.6:4), (1Sam.21). The first verse of the next chapter shows this “house of God” to us:
The Tabernacle of heaven will be a secret place (1Sam.19 2), strong holds (1Sam.23:14), in a word - a citadel. The word “Adullam” and means a “refuge”; “his brethren” are the Church of the firstborn. Scripture says that the main function of the Tabernacle of heaven is to be a refuge for Christ, for His firstborns, and all his father’s house, for it will be surrounded by the enemies. In our time, as it was before the flood, the ark is building, that is heavenly Tabernacle. Soon the Church of the firstborn will enter into “the Ark,” and the Lord, like a Flood of waters, will bring disaster upon all flesh. His faithful will be saved from “the Flood of waters” at “the Ark”. These are the Church of the firstborn. The slain for the word of God, whose souls will be under the altar (Rev.6: 9), will come “thither to him” (1Sam.22:1) as well.
“the dayes of Noah” (1 Pet.3:18-20), prophetically, point to our time, this is time on the eve of the harvest, as well as the time of all the harvest. Therefore, our days will serve as a good example for the edification of people living at the end of the Millennium in the future, before as heaven “and earth shall passe away” (Matt.24:35). Jesus said:
“Ye are they which haue continued with me in my temptations”
Bread for the tabernacle of the congregation was baked in the stove. The Lord spoke to Moses: “¶ And thou shalt take fine flowre, and BAKE twelue cakes thereof: two tenth deales shall be in one cake”(Lev.24:5). And a lamb had to be roasted with fire (Ex.12:8), that indicates “the fierce wrath of our God” because of transgressions “those that had beene caried away”.
The words “bake” (Lev.24:5) and “roast” (Ex. 12:9) have related words. These words have the second meaning - to care, to mediate.
As the food after cooking on the fire becomes usable, so the Church of the firstborn after their ministry will obtain “fauour in the sight of all them that looked vpon her” (Ester.2:15). We will be with Him in all His temptations, and He will appoint unto us the Kingdom.
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