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Threshing Floors, Separation, and Christmas

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Genesis 50:5, 10, 13 My father made me swear, saying, I am about to die; in my tomb which I hewed out for myself in the land of Canaan, there you shall bury me. So now let me go up, I pray you, and bury my father, and I will come again.…And they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond [west of] the Jordan, and there they mourned with a great lamentation and extreme demonstrations of sorrow [according to Egyptian custom]; and [Joseph] made a mourning for his father seven days....For his sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, east of Mamre, which Abraham bought, along with the field, for a possession as a burying place from Ephron the Hittite.

2 Samuel 6:6 And when they came to Nacon’s threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled and shook it.

2 Chronicles 3:1 Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord appeared to David his father, in the place that David had appointed, on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

I am often amazed at the symbolic patterns which are hidden within seemingly, insignificant verses. The reoccurring topic of the threshing floor is one that yields rich treasures of wisdom and truth. Consider again the story of Ruth which on the surface should be the last Scripture a pastor chooses for Christmas – but here we must arrive. Ruth 3:2 And now is not Boaz, with whose maidens you were, our relative? See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor.

Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rachel, Jacob, Leah, Boaz, Ruth, and David – all have one thing in common: the significance of the threshing floor. Why does this topic appear throughout the narrative? Threshing floors were used for one thing: separating. Separating through threshing (crushing), and separating through winnowing (tossing grain and chaff in the air).

In the Gospel of John Jesus refers to Himself as the Temple, and the Old Testament informs us that the Temple was built on a threshing floor. Thus the “rock” on which Jesus stands is the place of threshing and winnowing. It was the foundation of His life, and the path His feet walked. The threshing floor of Jesus is the foundation of the who’s who of the Hall of Faith. It is what Christmas is all about. John 3:19 The [basis of the] judgment (indictment, the test by which men are judged, the ground for the sentence) lies in this: the Light has come into the world, and people have loved the darkness rather than and more than the Light, for their works (deeds) were evil. His Light has entered our darkness. That by itself is separation. Are you cooperating with His process of threshing and winnowing the grains of His Word to rise in your life into Living Bread? Are you becoming living bread?

The Wind Blows Where It Wishes

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John 3:8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Exodus 1:8 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.

Regarding the manifestations of the Spirit, from Genesis to our present age, we are in many ways like the new king over Egypt who did not know Joseph. Often we behave as children scooping up the oceans sand in a pail hoping to bring an ocean home, or as Bobby Conner once stated, “We are too familiar with an unfamiliar God” – (“God in a box” theology void of experiential reality). We become champions of our intelligence missing the glaring fact that it was this very “mountain” that Jesus chose to drive His Cross through.

Jeff Oliver, in Pentecost To The Present, Book One: Early Prophetic and Spiritual Gifts Movements states: So this question begs an answer: If these supernatural gifts never left the Church and if the Holy Spirit has been active throughout Church history, working through each generation to build Christ’s Church since the day of Pentecost, why haven’t we heard more about such activity?

Certainly, nothing in the Gospels or Acts indicated that signs and wonders would cease or that the Spirit of God would become passive or dormant. Indeed, the very notion of an inactive Holy Spirit contradicts everything the Bible teaches about His nature and character. This is like saying the wind hasn’t blown in over two thousand years!….The reasons for the relative historical silence are many, but a few are cited below:

  1. Sometimes historical records can be sketchy at best. Objects close in proximity – whether of space or time – are more easily discerned than objects far off….Today modern archaeology and the Information Age are rewriting history every day. Have you ever heard the term “Dark Ages”? This term was once used to describe a period of alleged intellectual and cultural darkness between the fall of the Roman Empire and the rise of the Renaissance (AD 500 – 1300), but starting in the nineteenth century an increased recognition of the accomplishments of that period led to a more restrictive use of the term. By the twentieth century, the term had been further narrowed until most modern scholars finally stopped using it altogether, finding the term false and misleading. In other words, there never really was a “Dark Ages.”
  2. It is not possible to record every miracle or event as it occurs, especially in times of spiritual fervor. Journalists are familiar with the inverted pyramid. Essentially, all important information is placed at the top of a story to capture readers’ interest while all remaining information, for the sake of time and space, is reported in descending order of importance. Likewise when the Spirit of God moved throughout history, it was not always practical or even possible to record every event as it happened.
  3. Until the twentieth century, many of the firsthand participants in spiritual revivals were largely illiterate….Even most early accounts of the twentieth-century Pentecostal movement were written by non-Pentecostals since many early Pentecostals could neither read nor write. Similarly, most information coming from Early and Middle Ages came from church fathers who were among the relatively few who could read and write….Likewise, many early accounts of the Spirit’s activities in the Church are secondhand and often from hostile witnesses. Consider this expose’ written about an historical Christian sect from a previous century: Devotees of the weird doctrine practice the most fanatical rites, preach the wildest theories and work themselves into a state of mad excitement in their peculiar zeal….Night is made hideous in the neighborhood by the howling of worshippers, who spend hours swaying back and forth in a nerve-racking attitude of prayer and supplication. They claim to have the gift of tongues and to be able to comprehend the babel. – This excerpt was printed in the Los Angeles Times on April 18, 1906, regarding a “tumble-down shack on Azusa Street” – essentially, the foundation of modern Pentecostalism. 
  4. It is simply human nature to take what we hear at face value, relying on conventional wisdom and prevailing thought for correctness. Few follow the Berean practice of searching the Scriptures daily to verify whether what is said is so….Horace Bushnell, a graduate of Yale during America’s Second Great Awakening, in one of the earliest known works on Continuationism (1858), provided an impetus for this series: It is very commonly assumed and has been since the days of Chrysostom, that miracles and all similar externalities of divine power have been discontinued….The Christian world has been gravitating, visibly, more and more, toward this vanishing point of faith, for whole centuries, and especially since the modern era of science began to shape the thoughts of men by only scientific methods. Religion has fallen into the domain of the mere understanding, and so it has become a kind of wisdom not to believe much, therefore to expect little. 

Rut, Rot or Revival?

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A.W. Tozer preached a sermon series titled: Rut, Rot, or Revival ~ The Problem of Change and Breaking Out of the Status Quo. In it he stated: “The treacherous enemy facing the church of Jesus Christ today is the dictatorship of the routine, when the routine becomes “lord” in the life of the church….When we come to the place where everything can be predicted and nobody expects anything unusual from God, we are in a rut. The routine dictates, and we can tell not only what will happen next Sunday, but what will occur next month and, if things do not improve, what will take place next year….That would be perfectly alright and proper for a cemetery….But the Church (and the Follower of Jesus) is not a cemetery and we should expect much from it, because what has been should not be the lord to tell us what is, and what is should not be the ruler to tell us what will be. God’s people are supposed to grow.”

We are supposed to be growing…spiritually. But Tozers’ sub-title says a great deal: “The Problem of Change and Breaking Out of the Status Quo.” What ever you want to call it, change, transition, transformation, or metamorphosis – the truth of the matter is it requires “death.” Within the world of everything vegetation there is an important step for the seed to become a plant, bush or tree: it has to be buried in the dark earth. In essence that seed of life has to be thrown into a “pit.” And not just any pit. A dark pit, made up of dark soil. How does soil become really dark? Many things sacrifice their lives, dying, to make the soil rich, and dark. The darker the soil, the richer the nutrients needed to spark life. The darker the soil – the greater the sacrifice. The greater the sacrifice – the grander the resurrection.

Physical truth often points to greater spiritual truths. For the seed to become a life-giving plant a change has to take place. It has to break out of the status quo. You see this symbolically throughout Scripture. Noah and his family are “buried” alive in a “coffin” floating on a flood of death. Joseph is thrown into a pit by his jealous brothers in order to resurrect into a “savior” for Egypt and its surrounding countries, and Jesus’ body was tossed into a “pit” in order to bring resurrection life to all those who would join themselves to His Body. Brad McClendon states, “The best place to sow seed is in the dark ground – then covered up in darkness. That’s what happens to God’s good seed. What happens to the seed – when we take it out of the pit? It dies and transformation is halted. When you reach a spiritual plateau, or “ceiling” – you are in His pit and He is trusting you to remain in order to birth something new in you.”

Ruts, and routines are accompanied by spiritual callouses, and plateaus. What moved us forward spiritually no longer does. It is during this season of the 10 Days of Awe that God reminds us we need soak in the “reign” of His Spirit, and reach for the new heights of His Son. Our spiritual plateaus become Jesus’ pits for our growing upwards.

What do we need to understand and accept? God’s seed – His Word and Spirit in us – grows better in pits, darkness, and storms. Noah, Joseph, and Jesus all trusted the Father for the resurrection. We must do the same. In the meantime, How can we have a good death? Do like any seed: soak up the rain, and stretch for the SON. And be encouraged, His Word is transfiguring you into the image of Jesus. Death is working in you – that His life might be actively at work in others. AS Isa. 60 states: the Glory of God WILL SHINE…upon His people. Be encouraged that you are conscious of the plateau and the callouses. That awareness comes only from the Spirit. That awareness is His invitation to shift, to change, and move to another level in your relating and relation to the Godhead.

Confession & Declaration 27

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Revelation 5:8 And when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders [of the heavenly Sanhedrin] prostrated themselves before the Lamb. Each was holding a harp (lute or guitar), and they had golden bowls full of incense (fragrant spices and gums for burning), which are the prayers of God’s people (the saints).

This scene occurs in Heaven’s Throne Room. What’s phenomenal to me is the last part of verse 8: golden bowls full of incense (fragrant spices and gums for burning), which are the prayers of God’s people (the saints).

Think on that: Golden bowls of incense which are the prayers of the saints. We have no idea how precious we are to God. Yet here in this passage it is so beautifully illustrated. Your prayers, and my prayers are mingled with the prayers of all the saints, from all the ages. Can you imagine? Your prayers are mingled with Noah’s, Abraham’s, Isaac’s, Jacob’s, Joseph’s, Moses’, and Joshua’s. They are mingled with the prayers of the prophets, Samuel, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Daniel. Crazier still? Our prayers have been mingled with the prayers of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. That should cause you to pause.

Now you might ask, What does this have to do with overcoming the enemy? The answers are varied but ultimately you should be getting a picture of what a treasure you are to God. The enemy wants to remind you of your frailties, and failures. He wants to accuse and condemn you. What you need to see is that there’s a reason why that is. Do you remember the meditation regarding being co-heirs with Christ? Do you remember that all things that belong to Jesus – belong to us? Well guess who Jesus owns? All the angels and demons. And Jesus shares that ownership with you. The devil hates you because Jesus Christ so valued mankind that He chose to share the stewardship of the entire universe with us. In comparison to angels we are frail, puny, weak men, and women. Yet God shares the stewardship of the universe with us – entrusting us – through our prayers. Prayers which move the heart and hand of God. Prayers, which are led by the Spirit of God, lifted before the Father, through Jesus. Your prayers shape world events. Your prayers move through the universe ushering in the Kingdom of God. Thus, you overcome the accuser through the prayers of the Spirit lifted before your Intercessor Jesus. And God the Father? He answers with thunder, power and wonder.

Declaration 27: Holy Father I stand amazed and awed by Your great love and the mystery of choosing man to co-labor along side of You. Thank You for including us in the stewardship of the world. Thank You for choosing me to know You. Thank You for praying through me – intermingling my intercessions with those of the Spirit, Jesus, and the saints. Thank You that I am a co-heir with Jesus, through Jesus’ conquering resurrection. Through Your Resurrection and Ascension Satan is defeated, and death has lost its sting! Thank You Jesus that Your coming back and that I will reign with You! Grant me Grace and the Power of Your Spirit to add more and more prayers to the golden bowls before Your Return. Grant me Grace and the Power of Your Spirit to pray in Your Spirit, from my spirit, as I abide in Your Word – let Your Words abide in me. Hallelujah I thank You Jesus that the Living Word of God dwells in me and that I am seated in heavenly realms with You!

Who’s Your One? Wednesday, February 5, Day 24

Confession & Declaration 13

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Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

The Greek word for “brought near” comes from a root word which implies to “take into the arms and embrace.” But the fullness of the verse and what Christ actually did doesn’t really share the depths of what He actually did. You have to back up and begin in verse 10 and proceed through verse 16. Check this out. It’s really amazing: Ephesians 2:10-16 For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live]. 11 Therefore, remember that at one time you were Gentiles (heathens) in the flesh, called Uncircumcision by those who called themselves Circumcision, [itself a mere mark] in the flesh made by human hands. 12 [Remember] that you were at that time separated (living apart) from Christ [excluded from all part in Him], utterly estranged and outlawed from the rights of Israel as a nation, and strangers with no share in the sacred compacts of the [Messianic] promise [with no knowledge of or right in God’s agreements, His covenants]. And you had no hope (no promise); you were in the world without God. 13 But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were [so] far away, through (by, in) the blood of Christ have been brought near. 14 For He is [Himself] our peace (our bond of unity and harmony). He has made us both [Jew and Gentile] one [body], and has broken down (destroyed, abolished) the hostile dividing wall between us, 15 By abolishing in His [own crucified] flesh the enmity [caused by] the Law with its decrees and ordinances [which He annulled]; that He from the two might create in Himself one new man [one new quality of humanity out of the two], so making peace. 16 And [He designed] to reconcile to God both [Jew and Gentile, united] in a single body by means of His cross, thereby killing the mutual enmity and bringing the feud to an end.

When Jesus brought us near – the moment we trusted in the shed blood of Jesus – several things were activated at once: you were recreated to do the works Jesus does; brought into the rights of Israel’s covenant promises; we came into His Peace – Shalom; the dividing wall between Jew and Gentile was torn down – the separation was ended; He annulled the affects of the consequences of breaking the Law; one new man was created; we were reconciled in relationship with God; He destroyed the enmity between us; and He brought the feud to an end.

This act is powerfully demonstrated in an Old Testament prophecy found in Ezekiel 37:16-24 Son of man, take a stick and write on it, For Judah and the children of Israel his companions; then take another stick and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and all the house of Israel his companions; 17 And join them together into one stick that they may become one in your hand.18 And when your people say to you, Will you not show us what you mean by these? 19 Say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph—which is in the hand of Ephraim—and the tribes of Israel his associates, and will join with it the stick of Judah and make them one stick, and they shall be one in My hand.20 When the sticks on which you write shall be in your hand before their eyes, 21 Then say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the nations to which they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land.22 And I will make them one nation in the land, upon the mountains of Israel, and one King shall be King over them all; and they shall be no longer two nations, neither be divided into two kingdoms any more.23 They shall not defile themselves any more with their idols and their detestable things or with any of their transgressions, but I will save them out of all their dwelling places and from all their backslidings in which they have sinned, and I will cleanse them. So shall they be My people, and I will be their God. 24 And David My Servant shall be King over them, and they all shall have one Shepherd. They shall also walk in My ordinances and heed My statutes and do them.

Remember Joseph is a prophetic symbol of Gentiles or nations, and Ephraim was his son, whereas Judah is a symbol of Israel and the Jewish people. In essence the prophecy is stating that the two sticks will become one stick. This prophecy is even more powerful when you recall that Jesus is referred to as the Branch, or Rod, and then Jesus refers to us as branches. Jesus is the Nazarene (the Branch). In the Ephesians passage Paul states that through the Cross of Jesus the two houses have become one. Now we need to stop and ask, How many trees were in the Garden? You could say there were two sticks in the Garden – could you not? But it get’s better than that. The cross was made up of how many “sticks?” Jesus has taken the horizontal bar and the vertical bar and brought peace between man’s horizontal relationships with man and his vertical relationship with God. Even more profound is that the two sticks were designated with some names: Israel which means “God is Upright!” Jesus was upright on the cross drawing us to Himself. Judah means “Let Him Be Praised!” Joseph means “increase, or may He add.” And lastly there is Ephraim, which means, “two-fold increase, doubly fruitful.” The two sticks have been brought together to make One New Man. From the Jews the Nations or Gentiles have been born, and from the Gentiles, the Jewish people will be provoked to jealousy to embrace Yeshua (Jesus) as their Mashiach or Messiah. How powerful is that? We have been brought near – embraced by the Godhead to be covenant sons and daughters.

Now if that’s not something to marvel in amazement at I don’t know what is. Let’s get our praise on and begin declaring His Truth for the universe to hear.

Declaration 13: My Almighty, Mysterious Savior and Lord, I praise and worship You. Thank You that through Your precious Blood You brought me near. Not until now have I paused long enough to see the wonders of Your Love and the Power of Your Word. Through Your Blood I’ve been recreated to do the works Jesus does. Through Your Blood I’ve been brought into the rights of Israel’s covenant promises. Through Your Blood I have been embraced by Peace, and brought into the Fullness of Your Shalom. Through Your Blood You have torn down the dividing wall between Jew and Gentile and that separation was ended. Through Your Blood You annulled the affects and consequences of my breaking the Law. Through Your Blood I’ve been made into one new man. Through Your Blood I’ve been reconciled in my relationship with Father God. Through Your Blood the enmity, hatred and hostility that existed between us has been abolished. Through Your Blood the feud has been brought to an end. Yet the sweetest thing of all is how on the Cross You stretched out Your Arms in an Eternal Hug revealing the answer to the question the world’s been asking for centuries: God do You love me and if so, How much? And You stretched out Your Arms, took me into Your Embrace, using the two trees from the Garden. Through two sticks You brought that which was horizontal in me to live again vertically. Hallelujah! Lamb of God You are Worthy of My Praise! I exalt and lift You high! I run into Your Embrace. I love You My Precious Savior, Lord and God. You are Matchless and Worthy of all my Praises!