Contents

Introduction

1    Mysteries of the Ages Past

2    God Lives in a Three-Room House

3    The Breath of the Holies

4    Piercing the Veils

5    The Progression of the Modern Church

6    Seven Things Occur in God's Presence

7    Closing Thoughts

Introduction

If Jesus made a personal visit to your church, He would find three groups of people: the spiritually alive, the spiritually dead and those caught in the middle.

These three groups reveal the situation in ancient Israel involving King Saul, his son Jonathan and David. Saul was the anointed king who became spiritually dead. David was the unknown shepherd who was suddenly anointed the next king, while Jonathan, the son of Saul, was caught between his father and David. He loved David, but was still faithful to the old ways of his father. When the time came to choose between his father and David, Jonathan chose his father and shortly thereafter died in battle (II Sam. 1:15). Saul represents the move of God that once was but has become empty. David represents the coming move, and Jonathan represents the undecided who must choose to remain or move with God.

Bigger battles are coming. With most Christians, their level of anointing is not keeping up with the battle. The four groups in ancient Israel reveal the same four groups which are active in the church today:

1    The Ex-anointed (King Saul)

2    The Un-anointed (Israel's Army)

3    The Anti-anointed (Goliath)

4 The Fresh anointed (David)

Saul had the anointing and lost it through pride (I Sam. 16:14). The army of Israel had neither the unction nor the desire to fight. As a result, they were stuck in battle for forty days (I Sam. 17:16). Then there was Goliath, the giant from Gath, who had no respect for the God of Israel and used his mouth to express his unbelief.

While Israel was hoping for a giant Israelite to appear and stand head to head against Goliath, God was grooming a king, in a shepherd boy's body, on the isolated mountains of Bethlehem. David was warring against bears and lions in private. There was no applause and certainly no headlines in the Bethlehem Gazette. Between singing songs and writing poems, he grasped a leather strap and experimented slinging different size stones. How far could he sling the rock? He practiced hitting rock piles and desert bushes.

Without knowing it, David was practicing in private for the greatest public battle of his life; a battle that changed the course of history and changed the kingship of a nation from the tribe of Benjamin to the tribe of Judah!

God's sovereign plan was unfolding privately in the dry wasteland of the Judean wilderness. God always grooms His soldiers in the wilderness.

Moses was in God's boot camp for forty years. This ex-murderer was having his temper subdued in a desert on the backside of nowhere (Exo. 3:1). Moses would pastor three million Jews for forty years in this same desert. The last thing God needed was a hot-headed leader who wanted to kill the Hebrews when they became disobedient.

David escaped assassination from his father-in-law, King Saul, twenty-one times. David eventually organized a "church" in a cave. This 3-D army consisted of ex-members from King Saul's congregation who were in debt, discontented and in distress (I Sam. 22:2). In fact, the Bible lists 600 men who were dissatisfied with the carnal leadership of Saul and followed David to the cave (I Sam. 23:13). Their faithfulness paid off when David took Mount Zion. These same men were exalted to leadership positions.

Before Christ's public ministry, He endured a remote wilderness experience. He experienced blistering heat, serpents, scorpions, lack of fresh water, and Satan's personal opposition for forty days. It was after this experience that Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit (Luke 4:14).

It was in the wilderness that God built the holy nation of Israel. It was also in the wilderness that God built His first house of worship called the Tabernacle.

God revealed His Glory to His people in the midst of empty and desolate surroundings. There were no padded pews, so they stood before the tent. Their air conditioning was a cloud by day. There was no carpet to lie on when they were slain in the Spirit. In the midst of the burning sun, the dust, the groans of animals and the chattering voices of millions of stubborn Hebrews, God revealed His glory!

The Tabernacle in the wilderness is the beginning of a revelation of God that continued to the Tabernacle of David, which stood on Mount Zion. This Tabernacle was followed by Solomon's Temple which was on Mount Moriah. As you will learn, even the three mountains forming Jerusalem, Ophel, Zion and Moriah, reveal a story. But first, we must understand the patterns of the heavenly to comprehend the earthly.

We are about to embark upon a revelation of the Glory of God. You will discover how God moved His Presence from the heavens, to the wilderness, to Jerusalem, and then into the human body.

May you experience the "Breath of the Holies" during your time of studying God's Word.

Mysteries of the Ages Past

Before time began, there was eternity. Time is, in essence, an interruption of eternity. We are caught somewhere between the beginning and the end. The period before time began is called the "ages past." When time ceases, it will begin the "ages to come." We are living in a time frame designed by God, called in scripture, a "dispensation" (Eph. 1:10).

Preachers of Bible prophecy carry us into the future by revealing truth which is to come. Pastors often deal with practical insights for everyday living, yet few ministers deal with what occurred before Genesis 1:2, the age before time began.

Moses wrote, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). The next verse says, "And the earth was without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep..." The Hebrew word for created is bara, meaning to bring into being. In verse two, the earth was without form and void. In Hebrew, the phrase is tohu va vohu, meaning waste and empty. The Hebrew word for was is hayah, meaning to become without form and void. Thus, the earth became void and empty.

Something happened between the original creation of the heavens and the watery, void earth of Genesis 1:2. I believe that between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2, the fall of Lucifer and his angels occurred as revealed in Isaiah 14:12-15, Ezekiel 28:13-15, Luke 10:18 and Revelation 12:4. Remember, the angelic world was created before man was formed in the Garden of Eden. Angels were present when God first formed the heavens and the earth in Genesis 1:1. God asked Job:

"Where was thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare if thou hast understanding... When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shoutedfor joy?"

—Job 38:4, 7

The term "sons of God" is found in five passages in the Old Testament. The term in Hebrew is Bene Elohim, and in the following verses the term refers to angels: Genesis 6:2,4, Job 1:6, 2:1 and 38:7. Countless angels were created by God (Heb. 12:22).

The Creation of the Spirit World

All things were created by and for God's pleasure (Col. 1:16). Angels are called "ministering spirits" in the scripture (Heb. 1:13, 14). We know that spirits are invisible to the natural eye (II Kings 6:17). Angels have spirit bodies and are able to travel at incredible speed.

In Ezekiel's vision (Eze. 1) he sees Cherubim traveling through the heavens at the speed of light. The speed of light is over 186,000 miles per second. For example, lightning can travel around the earth seven and a half times per second. As you can see, an angel of the Lord has no difficulty reaching you when you call on the name of the Lord!

Some Jewish Rabbis believe that when God created angels, He formed them from three important substances that existed in the universe before the creation of man.

First, angels were formed by the Breath of God. The Hebrew word for breath is ruach, which is translated as wind, spirit and breath. Then, when God formed Adam, He used dust (a common substance on earth) and breathed into man's nostrils the breath of life. God breathed out life particles, and man breathed in an eternal spirit! Man became a living being only after God exhaled life from within Himself (Gen. 1:26)! Job understood this when he wrote:

"The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life."

—Job 33:4

Our spirit, our inner man, is the very Breath of God! I have often said that when God breaths OUT (exhales), it forms the spirit in a human being. When God breaths IN (inhales), the spirit of a man is removed from his body, and death occurs. Job recognized this when he wrote:

"If he [God] set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath; All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust."

—Job 34:14, 15

"... thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust."

—Psalm 104:29

Our inner spirit man is the Breath of the Almighty. We each consist of a body (made of dust), a soul and a spirit (formed from the Breath of God). Job said that the Spirit of God was in his nostrils (Job 27:3). Our inner spirit, which is eternal, is invisible to the human eye, and comes from within God Himself.

Angels are spirit beings (Job 4:15, Psa. 104:4, Heb. 1:7). They are spirits without a body, and were created by the very breath of God. "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth" (Psalm 33:6).

The Hebrew word host refers to the heavenly host of angels. The same word is found in Genesis 2:1.

Why God Did Not Destroy Satan

Satan is a created angel. God did not create a devil. He formed the anointed Cherub named Lucifer (Eze. 28:14, Isa. 14:12). The name Lucifer means "a bright star." When Satan rebelled against God, he was cast out of Heaven (Luke 10:17, Rev. 12:4).

Why didn't God destroy him immediately after this heavenly conflict? Why did God permit Satan to enter the garden through the serpent, testing mankind's first parents?

God is absolute life. IN HIM IS LIFE. What comes forth from God cannot be destroyed! The Word of God is called the "Seed of the Word" (Mark 4:14, Matt. 13).

For example, each man has seed in his loins. This seed can produce a living human being. Each seed contains certain DNA and chromosomes detailing the physical features of a possible human being. The seed is the source of the life. The male seed is called the sperm. In the New Testament, the seed of the Word is the Greek word sperma, which is a seed that produces fruit. Figuratively, the word is used of living beings as the seed of man (Matt. 13:24, 27, 32, 37, Mark 4:31).

God's written Word is a seed that was given by God to mankind. The Bible contains the very thoughts from the inside of God. The Word of God cannot be destroyed...EVER!

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away."

—Matthew 24:35 "But the word of the Lord endureth for ever... "

—1 Peter 1:25

God formed man's body from the dust, and it will return to the dust. Man's spirit came from inside of God. The spirit cannot be destroyed. The human spirit can be separated from God for eternity (in hell), but never destroyed. It is eternal. This is why the scripture speaks of eternal damnation, everlasting punishment and eternal life (Mark 3:29, Matt. 25:46).

Angels are spirits. They are also part of the Breath of God. Angels cannot be destroyed. God would not destroy Lucifer after he fell. I believe

it is because this angel came from inside of God, and that which comes from within God is eternal.

"...depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:"

—Matthew 25:41

Satan and the fallen angels will be punished forever in the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:10). The spirit can be eternally separated but not eternally destroyed or annihilated.

The Fire and Light of Eternity

Angels also appear in forms of both fire and light. In the beginning, light was the first element of creation. In Genesis 1:3, God said, "Let there be light." There is no life without sunlight! Creation would cease without sunlight.

When angels appeared to men in the Bible, they often manifested in the elements of fire and light:

1    Moses: The angel of the Lord appeared in a burning bush (Exo. 3:2).

2    Israel: The angel of the Lord appeared in a pillar of fire and in the cloud (Exo. 14:19).

3    Menoah: The angel of the Lord appeared to him and departed from the altar in a flame of fire (Judges 13:20).

4    Elijah: Ascended to Heaven in horses and chariots of fire (II Kings 2:11).

5    Elisha: Saw a heavenly army of horses and chariots of fire surrounding him on the mountain at Dothan (II Kings 6:17).

The elements of original creation in the ages past were the Breath of the Almighty God, the Light of Creation, the Fire of God and the Word of God!

The Bible reveals that our God is a consuming fire (Heb. 12:29). It also teaches that He dwells in the light which no man can approach (I Tim. 6:16). By God's Breath, Light, Fire and Word, the angelic world came into existence.

The Purpose of an Angelic Host

God established worship in Heaven before it was revealed on earth. There are special angelic worshippers who continually cry, "Holy, Holy, Holy, the Lord of hosts... " (Isa. 6:3, Rev. 4:8). Angels were created for the worship of God in the heavenly Throne Room.

"Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his host."

—Psalms 148:2

The special meaning of the earthly tabernacle—the building, the furniture, and the worship procedure—can only be truly comprehended when we understand the Holy Temple of God in the heavens.

The Heaven of Heavens

The Scripture teaches that there are three levels of Heaven. Paul mentioned being caught up into the third heaven (II Cor. 12:2). Isaiah reveals statements made by Satan before his expulsion from heaven:

"For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High."

—Isaiah 14:13,14

The Bible speaks of God dwelling in the heaven of heavens (I Kings 8:27, II Chron. 2:6).

It is easy to understand the three levels of Heaven when we break down the universe according to Isaiah's revelation:

1    The First Heaven is the clouds (Isaiah 14:14)

2    The Second Heaven is the stars (Isaiah 14:13a)

3    The Third Heaven is above the stars (Isaiah 14:13b)

Paradise is in the third Heaven far above the stars. This is the region of the heavenly Throne Room and the Temple of God in Heaven.

Interesting Scientific Fact

Satan desired to ascend into the northern part of the heavens (Isa. 14:13 ). Several references in the scripture speak of the north in relation to Heaven. Ezekiel described a "whirlwind coming from the north, a great cloud and a fire enfolding itself". This was an opening in the heavens where the Cherubim were carrying the Throne of God on their shoulders (Eze. 1:26-28). David sings of Mount Zion being on the sides of the north (Psalm 48:2).

Over 3,400 years ago Job, under divine inspiration, revealed two strange scientific facts concerning the earth and the heavens.

"He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing."

A spiral structure of our galaxy showing the empty place over the north.

—Job 26:7

Science has proven the earth is hanging upon nothing, but 500 years ago men were unsure of this fact. Job also reported an astonishing revelation concerning the northern part of Heaven that reveals there was an empty place in the north.

Science has also proven that there is a vast empty place in the northern part of the Heavens. There are no constellations or galaxies in the northern part of Heaven. The only star in the north is the North Star, known as the Directional Star. If a person or a ship becomes lost, by spotting the North Star, one is able to determine the location of the four major points of the compass—north, south, east and west.

Scriptures reveal that the Throne Room of God is located in the northern direction of the third heaven, far above all the stars, galaxies and constellations!

Heaven: A Planet

In visions of Heaven, prophets describe mountains of brass (Zech. 6:1), rivers and streams (Rev. 22:1), trees bearing fruit (Rev. 22:2) and streets and gates (Rev. 21:12-22). There are harps (Rev. 5:8) and horses (Rev. 19:14), books (Rev. 20:12) and dwelling places (John 14:1-3).

The earth is considered a planet, as are other orbiting bodies in Heaven. Every planet is circular in shape. Heaven is not a huge square platform that you fall off of if you get near the edge! Heaven, the dwelling place of God, appears to be a large planet. In fact, it appears that the earth was actually patterned after the planet Heaven.

The Temple In Heaven

All spiritual activity, in the past, present and future, centers around the heavenly Temple. Revelation 11 speaks about the heavenly Temple:

"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

Two other times in John's vision he saw the temple of Heaven:

"And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven... "

—Revelation 14:17

"And after that I looked, and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened."

—Revelation 15:5

By comparing scripture with scripture, an incredible picture unfolds concerning the Throne Room of God and the Temple in Heaven. To understand the meaning of the earthly, we must tour the design, purpose and meaning of the heavenly (I Cor. 15:46).

The Heavenly Mount Sion

According to scriptures, the heavenly Throne Room is located upon a mountain. Satan said he would "ascend to the mount of the congregation". This is a term used for the mountain where angels gather to worship God. In Hebrews, Paul speaks of the Heavenly Mount Sion:

"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 12:22

John also speaks of this heavenly mountain (Rev. 14:1) where he visualizes 144,000 gathered with the Lamb upon Mount Sion. It was necessary that the earthly city Jerusalem be situated upon a high mountain, because the earthly is a pattern of the heavenly. Since God's Throne is high and lifted up (Isaiah 6:1), and He dwells on Mount Zion in Heaven, then the earthly city must sit high. Jerusalem, the Capitol of Israel, is situated 2,500 feet in elevation! (More on this later!)

In the future, when we arrive in Heaven, we will be on the holy mountain of the Lord our God! The Apostle John paints a clear picture of the Throne Room of God throughout his writing in the book of Revelation.

The Heavenly Throne Room

First, John saw a throne in heaven (Rev. 4:2). Ezekiel said the throne appeared as a sapphire stone (Eze. 1:26). A sapphire is a deep blue stone that forms a starburst when light hits its surface. Ezekiel then saw the color of amber, like fire, burning within the throne itself (Eze. 1:27).

John described that the one sitting on the throne appeared like a jasper and a sardius stone. According to Pliny, a Greek historian, the jasper is a semi-transparent stone. The sardius stone is sardis in the Greek, and it is red in color. The appearance of God's Glory is like a semi-transparent, red glow of bright light.

Both John and Ezekiel describe a rainbow around about the throne (Eze. 1:28, Rev. 4:3). It appears that God's Throne sits under this multicolored rainbow.

When a rainbow appears on earth, we only see half the bow. That is because the other half is around God's Throne. It is a sign of the covenant God made with Noah after the flood (Gen. 9:13).

The Sapphire Stone

The sapphire stone is used in relation to the Glory of God. The sapphire stone is found nine times in the scripture and is used three times in relation to God's glory appearing to men:

1    In Exodus 24:10, God held a banquet with Moses, the priest and the seventy elders of Israel. They "saw God" and "...under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness."

2    In Ezekiel 1:26, when the four Cherubim were carrying the throne of God, Ezekiel saw the appearance of sapphire stone in the vision.

3    In Ezekiel 10:1, the throne of God appears again as the Cherubim move with the Glory of God. Ezekiel once again sees the appearance of a sapphire stone.

Why is this important? Ancient Jewish tradition states that the original Ten Commandments, written by the hand of God, were carved on a stone of pure sapphire.

Before you think of this as a far out tradition, consider this first. A sapphire is formed when the aluminum in the earth's rock is heated under extreme pressure. Rock located on the earth's surface can contain a percentage of aluminum.

The first commandments were written by the fiery finger of God.

"And the Lord delivered unto me two tables of stone written with the finger of God... "

—Deuteronomy 9:10

A member of my ministry board of directors is involved in using lasers in his business. In a discussion one evening he said, "The Ten Commandments were made of tablets of stone. Yet, when God's fiery finger wrote on the rock, the fire could have caused the aluminum in the rock to form a sapphire stone!" In the visions of the prophets, when God was moving with His throne of fire, the rock beneath Him became a sapphire stone!

The Floor of the Heavenly Temple

The Apostle John tells the reader of Revelation that the throne of God is sitting upon a sea of glass (Rev. 4:6). This is not symbolism, but literal. The floor of the Temple is clear like crystal (Rev. 4:6). John could actually see under this floor to another level when he saw under the altar, souls that were martyred (Rev. 6:9).

In Revelation 15:2, John discusses this glassy floor being mingled with fire as he sees a large number of tribulation martyrs worshipping and singing before the throne of God. Since John saw lightning flashing from behind the throne throughout his vision, it appears the lightning was creating the effect of a prism of colors on the floor of the heavenly Throne Room.

I picture this scene similar to the famous Northern Lights (aurora borealis) which creates a lovely red glow against the dark sky at night. I have also seen the red sun rise on the Sea of Galilee, creating a shimmering red glow mixing in with the waves of the water.

In the future, as God's wrath is poured out on the earth from His heavenly temple, the floor of glass becomes like a crystal rainbow, illuminating the entire Throne Room with the brightness of God's Glory!

The Twenty-Four Smaller Thrones

In the heavenly Temple there are twenty-four seats (Rev. 4:4). The Greek word for seats is the word thronos. These are twenty-four smaller thrones situated in a circle, around the throne. The prophets of scripture speak of Thrones of Judgment and Rulership.

"For there are set thrones ofjudgment..."

—Psalm 122:5

"I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit... "

—Daniel 7:9

Who will sit upon these twenty-four thrones?

"And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye shall also sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel."

—Matthew 19:28

No doubt the twelve Apostles of Christ will sit upon twelve of the heavenly thrones, and will judge the twelve tribes of Israel. The clue to who will sit on the other twelve thrones may be found in Revelation 21:12. On the walls of the New Jerusalem are carved the names of the twelve Apostles of Christ. On the twelve gates of the city are carved the names of the twelve sons of Jacob, or the twelve tribes of Israel.

The twelve sons of Jacob formed the foundation of the Hebrew nation through the Abrahamic Covenant. The twelve Apostles of the Lamb were the foundation for the new covenant, ratified by The Lamb, Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:20).

I believe there are twelve thrones to the left side, and twelve thrones to the right side of God's Throne. Thus, forming a complete circle. Twelve men are from the old covenant and twelve from the new, with the Lamb of God between them bridging the two covenants together! Even Jewish Sanhedrians sat in seventy seats in a semi-circle around the president of the group.

These men are called elders. The Greek word is presbuteros, and refers to a person of spiritual maturity. These men are given white robe's to wear, which is the same apparel given to the overcoming saints (Rev. 6:11), and they worshiped God playing golden harps (Rev. 5:8).

The Voices Coming From the Throne

As I focus again on the throne itself, I have learned that a rainbow and lightning surround the throne. We are also told by John in four passages that thunder and voices are proceeding forth out of the throne (Rev. 4:5, 8:5, 11:19, 16:18).

"And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God."

—Revelation 4:5

Often in scripture, God's voice sounds like the noise of thunder (Exo. 19:16-19, 20:18), and at times, can sound like a trumpet blast.

John saw an innumerable multitude worshipping God before the throne and wrote that their voices sounded like many waters. A huge waterfall produces a roaring sound, and if you are close to it, it is almost deafening to the ears.

We know from Revelation 5:8 that the prayers of the saints are stored in golden vials. Prayers are words coming before God. Not one word falls to the ground, but each prayer is preserved before God's Throne.

What happens to our words when we praise God in worship? What are the voices coming out of the throne? John never reveals to whom these voices belong, or what they are saying. Could these voices be the words of praise and worship that come before the throne of God? If God stores our prayers in vials, then certainly He receives and holds up our words of praise.

Psalm 22:3 says, "...thou that inhabitest the praise of Israel." Someone once told me that an oriental version of the Bible translated the passage as

"God rides on the praise of His people." God is high and lifted up when we praise Him. David speaks of the high praise of God being in our mouth (Psa. 149:6). Our praise can bring God's Presence to our situation!

The Heavenly Holy Furniture

Most Christians have heard some teaching on the Ark of the Covenant, the Menorah, the Golden Altar, the Table of Shewbread and the Laver. Most associate these items with the sacred furniture, built by a man named Bezalel, for the Wilderness Tabernacle (Exo. 31:2). Yet, the scriptures reveal that Moses built the sacred furniture according to a pattern revealed to him by God.

"Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount."

—Hebrews 8:5

God revealed to Moses, on Mount Sinai, a vision of the original heavenly furniture. Moses then produced a miniature duplicate for the earthly tabernacle! Tradition says that Moses ascended into heaven when he went up into Sinai. It could be that God's Throne Room descended on to Sinai, and Moses saw the actual furnishings of the heavenly temple. In Heaven, we will see the original holy furniture. The earthly was a pattern of the heavenly.

The Heavenly Tabernacle

•    Ark of The Covenant (Rev. 11:19)

•    The Golden Altar (Rev. 9:13)

•    The Candlestick (Rev. 1:12)

•    The Altar(Rev. 6:9)

The Earthly Tabernacle

•    The Ark (Exo. 25:10)

•    The Gold Altar (Exo. 39:38)

•    The Candlestick (Exo. 25:31)

•    The Altar (Exo. 27:6)

A Revelation of Ages Past

Worship on earth is an echo of worship in the heavens. Angels were created in the ages past to worship God in His Holy Temple. Before Adam ever rose from the dirt, lifted his hands and blessed God, angels ascended to the mountain of God singing a chorus of praise to their Creator.

Since the earthly is patterned after the heavenly, then every temple needs a priesthood. Before the creation of man, this heavenly temple must have had a priest ministering to the Lord. Christ became a Priest after His death on the cross. Who led the worship of the angels before the creation of man?

Evidence from Ezekiel 28 seems to indicate that the anointed Cherub, Lucifer, was created with a special function in Heaven—to lead the angels in the worship of God. When examining the words used by Ezekiel, the image becomes clearer.

1    Satan was in Eden, the Garden of God (Eze. 28:13).

2    Satan was upon the Holy Mountain (Eze. 28:14).

3    Satan was the anointed Cherub (Eze. 28:14).

4    Satan walked up and down on stones of fire (Eze. 28:14).

5    Satan had a breastplate with nine stones (Eze. 28:13).

6    Satan had pipes and tablets in his voice (Eze. 28:13).

7    Satan was created perfect in every way (Eze. 28:15).

8    Satan fell because of pride (Isa. 14:13-15).

I believe Lucifer (Satan) was once in a position similar to a High Priest and led the worship on the mountain of God. Then a day came when, through pride, he led rebellion into the temple of God in Heaven. He, along with one-third of the angels, were removed from their positions in the temple (Isa. 14:15, Luke 10:18, Rev. 12:4).

While meditating on this terrible, heavenly conflict, I was reading Paul's letter to the Hebrews. Paul was comparing the earthly tabernacle to the heavenly, and he made a strange statement concerning the temple in Heaven.

"It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these."

—Hebrews 9:23

Why should the sacred furniture in Heaven be purified with Christ's blood? In the earthly tabernacle, the High Priest, on Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), entered the Holy of Holies with the blood of goats, bulls and rams in order to atone for his sins and the sins of the Levites and the Israelites.

It became clear to me that the first sin did not originate in the Garden of Eden. The first sin of the universe occurred in Heaven, in the very presence of God. Satan fell into iniquity before the throne of God. The purity of Heaven, and the holiness of the highest, experienced the presence of a rebellious heart at the center of Heaven's most important region—the heavenly Throne Room and Temple! Jesus said He saw Satan, like lightning, fall from heaven (Luke 10:18), and John said that Satan was cast out (Rev. 12:9).

Heaven's Temple had to experience a special purification before human man could ever enter it! I believe this is why the departed souls of the righteous went into the lower parts of the earth, into Abraham's bosom, before the cross of Christ (Luke 16:22). Blood was needed to give man access to the heavenly temple!

The priesthood had fallen. The temple in Heaven had witnessed the presence of iniquity. There was a massive division of the angels as one-third followed Satan and were removed from their positions (Rev. 12:4).

In Hebrews, Paul's revelation reveals that the temple in heaven, along with its furnishings, would need to be purified with blood. The blood of human sacrifices such as bulls, rams and lambs, was insufficient to make an eternal, once-and-for-all atonement.

There would also be an eternal replacement made for the fallen angel Lucifer.

Satan’s Replacement

The fall of Satan Occurred between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2. Sin had entered the universe. However; God still had a plan for the human family. God created a magnificent world, and on the sixth day turned His face to the dust of the earth. God knelt into the clay and began molding an image with legs, arms, a chest and a head. As the clay took form, God breathed into the nostrils of this new being, and suddenly dust began to live!

Somewhere in the second Heaven, Satan realized that God had just created his replacement. Satan would never worship God again, but Adam would! Satan would never sing a song on Mount Sion again, but Adam's children would! Satan would never enter the temple to lead worship again, but Adam and his descendants would!

God Lives in a Three-Room House

God knew the future failure of Adam. This is clear because the Bible says that Christ was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8). Christ pre-existed with the Father. Jesus said, "...Before Abraham was, I am" John 8:58).

After Adam's failure, the loving Father slew two animals, removed their skins and covered the nakedness and shame of Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:21). As a result of this act, three future patterns began:

1    In order to cover the sins of mankind, an offering of certain animals would be necessary.

2    The skins would be used to form a covering for the dwelling place of God.

3    The shedding of blood would be necessary in order to atone for mankind.

The Garden of Eden was God's meeting ground with Adam. Because of sin, the bridge of fellowship was broken. The plan of redemption was vast and involved more than what is commonly taught. Sin was a result of Satan's rebellion in Heaven. Satan then influenced man to disobey God. Heaven and Earth would need blood to restore the bridge between God and man. God's eternal purpose would be fourfold:

1    The holy furniture in Heaven must be purified with blood. Since heaven consists of spirit beings, heaven cannot provide its own blood. The Word of God (Jesus) must become a man (flesh) and allow His sacred blood to be shed.

2    Man must be redeemed back to God and his sins must be dealt with. Since man is a sinner by nature, something must occur to change his nature to one of righteousness.

3    God must find a way to dwell among men so He can teach men His statutes, His ways and His truth.

4    God must raise up a Holy Nation, a separate people, to hear His voice, receive His Word and reveal His Redemption to those on earth.

The New Nation

A special seed would come through Adam's son Seth. From Adam to Noah are ten generations. By Noah's day, the moral and spiritual corruption was so bad that the people's imaginations were evil continually. God found one man named Noah who would obey Him. Noah built a house for the saving of his family (Heb. 11:7). The Ark was the first picture of things to come.

The Ark was a large rectangle that consisted of three stories. It housed eight souls along with a host of animals. In the upper section was a window called zohar in Hebrew. The word zohar means "illumination". Through this window a dove came bearing an olive branch...a symbol that the flood had ended (Gen. 8:6-11).

When building the Ark, a certain type of unknown wood called gopher wood was used (Gen. 6:14). Various historians suggest that this wood is a form of cedar. Cedar wood, in Moses' time, was used in the burning of the Red Heifer (Num. 19:6). The Red Heifer offering was an exact type of Christ's crucifixion. Christ would be crucified on a wooden cross, which some believe was made of strong cedar wood.

Then Noah pitched the Ark within and without using a substance similar to tar, called pitch (Gen. 6:14). Pitch was used to seal the wood so water would not leak into the Ark. Strangely enough, the word pitch, as in the phrase "pitch it within and without", is the Hebrew word kapher, which means "to cover". It is the only word for atonement and is used sixty-nine times in the Old Testament.

When the flood had ended, the Ark rested on Mount Ararat (Gen. 8:4). The date is given as the seventh month and the seventeenth day of the month (Gen. 8:4).

This date is important because, beginning at Tishri, the seventh month would be Nisan, also known as Aviv. The seventeenth day would be the same day Messiah would be resurrected. He was crucified on the day of preparation (fourteenth of Aviv) and arose three days later!

The Ark served several purposes. It preserved eight souls who would re-populate the earth, preserved animals for future sacrifices, had a covering of "pitch" acting as an "atonement" and was an earthly symbol of the future three-room Tabernacle of Moses.

The Revelation of God to Abraham

Through the Blood Covenant, God would raise up a nation using a man whose name would be called Abraham. Abraham was from Ur, a city filled with pagan idolatry. Abraham's father, Terah, was a creator and worshipper of idols (Josh. 24:2).

God appeared in a vision to Abraham (Gen. 12:7 and instructed him to get out of Ur (Gen. 11:31), and take his wife and possessions with him. Abraham obeyed. I have often said, "He got goin' without knowin'!" God then revealed His special name to Abraham in Genesis 17:1, when He said, "...I am the Almighty God..." The words "Almighty God" are "El Shaddai" in Hebrew. El Shaddai means the "All Sufficient One".

God established a covenant, a binding agreement, with Abraham and his sons after him. The sign of the covenant is called circumcision. It involves the removing of the male foreskin (Gen. 17:4-12). Blood flows when this occurs. God entered a literal blood covenant with Abraham. Every descendant of Abraham was marked with the scar of circumcision, even as Christ would one day be marked with the scars of the crucifixion. Covenant men must carry the mark, or sign of the covenant, in them first.

From Abraham to Isaac then to Jacob, the covenant relationship with God continued. Through Jacob's twelve sons, God continued to reveal Himself, but it was to a shepherd in the wilderness that God's greatest revelation would be told!

The Sacred Name of God

God revealed Himself progressively through visions, dreams, visible manifestations and through His many names. When God appeared to an ex-convict, from Egypt named Moses, He did so through strange signs and wonders. In Exodus 3:13, when Moses saw the burning bush and heard the voice of God, he asked two questions; "Who are you, and what is your name?" Forty years before, Moses had murdered an Egyptian and was listed on Egypt's most wanted list. After forty years, those who sought his life were dead.

While Moses was in Egypt, God revealed his sacred name to him, the name Yehovah! This name consists of four Hebrew letters, yod, hei, vav and hei.

"This was the first time that man had ever heard this name. God said,

"...this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations."

—Exodus 3:15

In English, this sacred name, "Yehovah" or "Yahweh", is found almost 7,000 times in the Hebrew scriptures. The name is considered so sacred that when the scribes would record YHVH (Yahweh) in the scriptures, they would wash, write the name, then wash themselves again! The name was considered so sacred that in the synagogues in Christ's time, when the speaker was to read the sacred name of God, he replaced it with the name Adonai. This would become the covenant name of God to the Hebrew

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Breathing His Name Into Abraham

Originally, Abraham's name was Abram (Gen. 17:1). After God confirmed His covenant to him, God inserted the fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, a letter in His own sacred name, into Abram's name making the name Abraham. When you pronounce ABRAHAM you can hear the breathing sound of the letter hei (pronounced "hey") inserted into Abraham's name.

Abraham's wife, Sarah, was formerly known as Sarai (Gen. 16:1), until God confirmed a covenant to Abraham in Genesis 17. God inserted the letter hei (H) into Sarai's name making it Sarah! Once again, we hear the breathing sound inserted into the names of Sarah and Abraham. Symbolically, God was breathing His name into this couple so a child could be born to them in their old age. God's Breath brought new life.

A person cannot say the letter hei without breathing. You cannot pronounce the sacred name Yahweh (or Yehovah) without breathing.

Remember, when God breathed into Adam, Adam became a living soul. When God breathed a letter of His name into the name of Abraham and Sarah, they conceived the son who was Promised twenty-four years earlier!

Breathing His Name Into the Prophets

After the Torah was written (the first five books of the Bible), many of the Hebrews inserted a portion of God's name into their own name, especially when naming their children. One of the names of God is "EL". An abbreviation of the sacred name, "YHVH", is the two letters yod and hei pronounced in English, "JaH." There is no J letter in Hebrew, therefore the J reads as a Y, and it becomes "YaH." Notice the names of the prophets:

1 SamuEL

2 NehemiYAH

3 EzekiEL

4 JeremiYAH

5 DaniEL

6 ObediYAH

7 JoEL

8 ZephaniYAH

Throughout the Bible, God often changed a person's name, thus assigning them to a particular destiny. Joshua's name was "Oshea" (Num. 13:8), but Moses changed it to Jehoshua (Num. 13:16). The letter yod was inserted in front of Joshua's name. This is the first letter of the sacred name of God.

By inserting the letters of His name into the names of the Hebrew people, their destiny was altered, and their future was revealed. Joshua is the Hebrew name Yehoshuah, meaning "God shall save". It is also the Hebrew name for Jesus. Joshua would save the nation of Israel, even as Jesus would save the wicked from their sins (Matt. 1:21).

The Revelation of the Heavenly

Moses received the sacred name of God, and through God's power an entire nation was delivered from bondage! While praying on Mount Sinai, God opened the heavens to Moses to see the heavenly temple. God instructed Moses to build a place where He could dwell among His people and reveal His law and statutes to them. Thus began the revelation of the earthly tabernacle, patterned after the heavenly Temple.

"Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount."

—Hebrews 8:5

The building of the Tabernacle reveals not only the patterns of Heaven, but the pattern of what God would do in the future through Jesus Christ. It is a revelation that was completed through the New Testament Church.

The Tabernacle was a tent. The entire structure, from the curtains to the ropes, the furniture to the wooden posts, was provided for by the offerings and talents of God's people in the wilderness.

The First Revelation

The first revelation was that God would live in a three-room house. The tent consisted of three main chambers—the Outer Court, the Inner Court and the Holy of Holies.

Each human being is a tri-part being consisting of a body, a soul and a spirit (I Thess. 5:23). The Outer Court of the Tabernacle represents the body of a man. The Inner Court represents the soul of a man, and the Holy of Holies represents the spirit within a man.

The Outer Court—Body

The Outer Court is where all the priests were permitted. It was the place of the brazen altar and the laver. The brazen altar contained three fires for the sacrifices. The laver was the basin holding water for the priests to wash themselves before entering the presence of God.

The physical body (or outer court) must be presented to God as a living sacrifice (Rom. 12:1). The flesh must be laid down on the altar before you can effectively experience God's Glory.

Just as the priest took the offering, cut the flesh of the animals and offered them before God, so we must offer our bodies before God and crucify the flesh on the altar!

After the altar experience is the laver. The laver in the wilderness was made of the brass mirrors from the women of Israel. The altar and laver were both made of brass. Brass represents humanity in the Bible. The laver was where the priest washed before entering the Inner Court.

Following your salvation experience, you are commanded to be baptized in water (Acts 2:38). The water at the laver of baptism symbolizes the inner cleansing that follows your salvation experience.

The Inner Court—Soul

After passing a veil (curtain), you enter into the Inner Court which represents the soul. The soul produces the ability to reason and to absorb information. It is a gate into the spirit. As you can see in the picture on page 31 there are three pieces of holy furniture found in the Inner Court.

1    The Table of Shewbread (Exo. 25:30)

2    The Golden Altar of Incense (Exo. 39:38)

3    The Seven-Branched Golden Candlestick (Exo. 25:31-35)

The Table of Shewbread consisted of two tall wooden containers which were overlaid with gold and contained twelve loaves of bread baked by the priest. The bread always represents the Word of God. Jesus said, "...I am the bread which come down from heaven" (John 6:41). In the New Testament, we find twelve major doctrines:

1 Salvation (Acts 4:12)

2 Justification (Rom. 5:1)

3 Water baptism (Matt. 28:19)

4 Sanctification (I Thess. 4:3)

5 Baptism of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 3:11)

6 Laying on of hands (Heb. 6:2)

7 Second coming of Christ (Acts 1:11, 12)

8 The resurrection of the dead (Heb. 6:2)

9 Judgement of the righteous (I Pet. 4:5)

10 Judgement of the unrighteous (Rev. 20:11)

11 Eternal life for the righteous (John 3:15)

12 Eternal punishment for evil (Rev. 20:14)

The Table of Shewbread is in the Inner Court of the Holy Place. All doctrine and information comes through the soul or the mind.

In the south chamber of the Tabernacle, is the seven-branched, golden candlestick called the Menorah. Oil is necessary to bring light from the seven branches. This represents the illumination of the Holy Spirit. The scripture speaks of the "seven spirits of God" (Rev. 3:1, 4:5, 5:6). Yet, in Ephesians 4:4, we are told there is one spirit. Is this a contradiction?

I believe the Holy Spirit has seven divine attributes He imparts to the believer. When prophesying about the coming Messiah, Isaiah said:

"And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. "

—Isaiah 11:2

Notice the seven spirits listed in the verse:

1    The Spirit of the Lord

2    The Spirit of Wisdom

3    The Spirit of Understanding

4    The Spirit of Counsel

5    The Spirit of Might

6    The Spirit of Knowledge

7    The Spirit of the Fear of the Lord

After we 1) accept Christ at the Brazen Altar, 2) receive baptism at the Laver, and 3) enter into the Inner Court, we begin to receive knowledge of the doctrine of God at the Table of Shewbread. This knowledge comes alive as the illumination, or light of the Holy Spirit, shines through these seven attributes. As we consume God's Word, we receive wisdom, knowledge and understanding.

In Ephesians 1:18, Paul prayed that the eyes of your understanding would be opened. Light expels the darkness, and truth from the Word creates light in the human mind. This light is called understanding. True understanding comes only in the presence of God as the Bread of the Word is continually received.

The third piece of furniture in the Inner Court is the Golden Altar of Incense. Each morning the priest offered incense on the Golden Altar. Scholars reveal how this procedure unfolded:

"He whose lot it was to burn incense took a vessel containing the quality of three caps, in the midst of which there was a censer full and heaped up with incense; over which there was a cover."

Commentary on the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica, Volume 3, page 16

Researchers at the Temple Institute in Jerusalem have constructed a silver chalice similar to the one used by the ancient priest to carry the incense into the Holy Place. It is made up of pure silver, can hold a large fistful of incense and has a silver lid connected to it. On the top is a small, silver ring about the size of a silver dollar. The priest would make a noise with this ring to inform God he had entered into His house!

Researchers also tell us there were eleven different spices used in the components of the incense burnt on the Golden Altar. Burning incense represented the prayers and intercession of God's people going up before God's Throne in Heaven. David cried out:

"Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting of my hands as the evening sacrifice."

—Psalms 141:2

When Solomon dedicated the temple in Jerusalem, he instructed the Jews to always pray facing the temple when they were taken captive by a foreign nation (II Chron. 6:39). It was believed by the Jews that their prayers would go to the temple mountain and ascend each morning from the area of the holy place. In synagogues today, Jews still pray facing Jerusalem. In temple times, the words would resound in the smoke from the altar. This was the purpose of burning incense.

As previously mentioned, the incense contained eleven different spices. This represented prayers of the saints. When searching the New Testament, we discover eleven different types of prayer that the believer can pray:

1    Prayer confessing our sins (I John 1:9)

2    Prayer confessing our faults (James 5:16)

3    Prayer of agreement (Matt. 18:19)

4    Prayer of faith for the sick (James 5:15)

5    Prayer of binding (Matt. 16:19)

6    Prayer of loosing (Matt. 16:19)

7    Praying in the Spirit (Eph. 6:18)

8    Praying in the Spirit with understanding (I Cor. 14:15)

9    Prayer of thanksgiving (Phil. 4:6)

10    Prayer of intercession (I Tim. 2:1)

11    Prayer for general supplications (Phil. 4:6)

In the Inner Court areas (of the soul or mind) we form our prayers. We learn doctrine from the scripture, and receive inspiration and enlightenment from the Holy Spirit!

The Secrets of the Holy Place

Separating the Inner Court from the Holy of Holies was a large curtain. In the time of Christ, this veil was as thick as a man's hand and was sown together with seventy-two pieces of material. Before it was hung, a team of oxen attempted to rip it apart and failed. Only the High Priest, once a year, could cross beyond this veil.

In this small chamber sat the Tabernacle's most sacred piece of furniture, the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark was made of shittim wood, a tree that grows in the desert and strengthens with age. The Ark was covered with gold, and was actually three different boxes combined into one. One was shittim wood covered with gold (the outer box). The middle box was wood, and the third was a thin box of gold.

Years ago, a professional electrician stood with me in an institute in Jerusalem as a Jewish woman showed us a replica of the Ark. My friend yelled out, "This Ark is a natural capacitor to hold electricity!" He explained, "Gold is the best conduit for electricity. The way the Ark was made enabled it to collect electricity from the atmosphere and build up an electrical charge on its surface."

He continued, "If you touched it with one hand, it would shock you. If you grabbed the Ark with both hands, it could electrocute you. The staves actually created a ground that kept a person from being killed by the electric shock."

The Jewish woman was fascinated. She mentioned that in the oral tradition, when the priests carried the Ark, it was not heavy to them. They simply put the Ark on their shoulders, and the Ark led them in the direction God desired!

The presence of God is not a burden to bear! Jesus said, "For my yoke is easy, and. my burden is light" (Matt. 11:30).

Secrets Inside the Ark

Paul, in Hebrews 9:4, reveals the three important holy items stored inside the Ark of the Covenant.

"...and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein [was] the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant."

—Hebrews 9:4

The Golden Pot of Manna, the Tables of the Law and the Rod of Aaron that budded, reveal the three blessings that come to the human spirit once we enter God's presence...for the Holy of Holies represents the human spirit.

All spiritual blessings begin FIRST in the spirit of a man. Remember, the spirit of man was formed by the BREATH of God! It is in the Holy of Holies that God comes down and rests between the wings of the Cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant:

"And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord, and said, O Lord God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubim..."

—II Kings 19:15

When Moses created the holy furniture, the Ark was the first piece God instructed him to make. God began in the Holy of Holies and worked His way out. All spiritual blessings begin in the human spirit! God begins working in us, and soon His blessings can be seen outwardly!

When we approach God, we begin at the Brazen Altar, then work our way into His Presence. God begins within our spirit and works His way out. This can also be seen by examining the meaning of the three holy items inside the Ark.

Three Items Inside the Ark

According to Hebrews 9:4, Moses placed three important items inside the Ark:

1    The Golden Pot of Manna

2    The Tablets of the Law

3    The Rod of Aaron that budded

These three items represent the three blessings believers can receive into their inner spirit! The first blessing is the Golden Pot of Manna. Manna was the food of angels that God sent from Heaven six times a week to the Hebrews in the wilderness (Exo. 16:15).

The Manna was similar to a small seed. It was round, white, sweet and tasted like a wafer made with honey (Exo. 16:16-31). This bread was from Heaven (Exo. 16:14, 15), and it kept Israel alive for forty years in the wilderness.

The Manna represents our salvation. The Greek verb meaning "save" is sozo, and it means more than to save from sin. It means "to save, to deliver and to preserve". The Manna not only saved the nation from starvation, it preserved them and gave them strength!

Jesus said, "I am the bread which came down from heaven" (John 6:41). He also said, "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger..." (John 6:35). Manna is in the Ark, and the Ark is in the Holy of Holies! In my spirit man I have accepted the Bread of Heaven (Christ), and have been saved!

Many denominations preach the salvation message, but there is more in the Ark than just Manna. Jesus said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that procedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matt. 4:4). Salvation will get you to Heaven, but you must also have the Word of God!

The second item in the Ark is the Tablets of the Law. The Ten Commandments were written on tablets of stone and were given to Israel in order to separate them from the heathen nations. God's Word always creates a separation between right and wrong!

The Tablets of the Law represent the blessing of sanctification! This is a word you seldom hear. It means "to separate for a holy purpose". Jesus prayed, "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth" John 17:17). Once you have eaten the manna and received salvation, you must grow in the knowledge and understanding of the Lord, through the Word of God.

Many denominations still mention sanctification as an act of God's grace upon His people. Yet, many stop there. They tell their members, "There is nothing else for you. You are saved and sanctified...just enjoy what God has done for you..." But the Bible says, "...for the letter killeth, but the spiritgiveth life" (II Cor. 3:6).

The Law alone can be dry without the power of God! There is another blessing in the Ark, and that is the Rod of Aaron. The story of the rod is found in Numbers 17. God was selecting a high priest and commanded Moses to have one man from each tribe bring his rod and lay it before the door of the Tabernacle. God said the rod that blossomed would be a sign of His choice for the priest.

Among these 12 rods was the Rod of Aaron, Moses' brother. Suddenly this dead tree limb began to move. The dried bark began to quiver, and instantly green sprouts appeared on the rod. Moments later, almonds appeared (Num. 17:8)!

In the exodus, the rod was used to perform miracles! The rod was used to open the Red Sea (Exo. 14:16), and to win the war with Amalek (Exo. 17:9). The rod was also used as a point of contact to demonstrate the ten plagues in Egypt!

The Rod represents the third great blessing to the believer, the Baptism of the Holy Ghost! The Holy Spirit brings the power that enables the believer to pray and experience miracles (Acts 1:8).

When discussing the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, it seems there are as many different theories as there were rods in front of the Tabernacle. Some ministers teach that one receives all of the Holy Spirit upon salvation, while some believe it occurs when you feel the joy of the Lord. Still others teach the Spirit comes after water baptism.

Jesus said, "Ye shall know them by their fruits..." (Matt. 7:16). God's choice of a high priest was known by the fruit on the rod. Likewise, the Fruit of the Spirit is evidence of a spirit-filled life (Gal. 5:22, 23).

In the Holy of Holies (the human spirit) is the Ark of the Covenant (Christ Himself). We can receive the Manna (salvation), the Law (sanctification), and the Rod of Aaron (the Holy Spirit) by abiding in the Lord.

Solomon Removed Two Items

In the time of Solomon, the Bible tells that two of the three items had been removed from the Ark.

"There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt."

—1 Kings 8:9

The Manna (salvation) and the Rod (Holy Ghost power) had been removed and only the Law remained. The Rod was the power of God. Notice the prophetic significance of this. The Bible warns in the last days men would have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof (II Tim. 3:5). When the Rod (Holy Ghost power) is removed from the human spirit, then a form of godliness sets in. Spiritual knowledge without anointing is religion!

The Manna was also removed from the Ark. Salvation altar calls have been replaced by counselling sessions in many churches. Men have removed the Manna (salvation) from the human spirit. Unsaved men attend church each week and leave untouched and un-convicted of sin!

Solomon, in his later years, departed from the Lord. Perhaps this is a lesson for us. When we quit ministering salvation, and we omit the move of the Holy Spirit, we are left with the Law. Many in Christ's day were masters of the Law, but were void of the Spirit. As my grandfather once said:

"The Word without the Spirit makes you dry up.

The Spirit without the Word makes you blow up.

The Spirit and the Word will make you grow up."

There were three items in the Ark that portrayed three spiritual blessings revealed in the New Testament!

The Three Mountains Forming Jerusalem

Even the three mountains, that form the mountain upon which Jerusalem is built, speak about our spiritual progression in God! The three mountains are:

1    Mount Ophel (Neh. 3:26, 27, 11:21)

2    Mount Zion (Psalms 48:2, 11, 74:2, 78:68, 125:1)

3    Mount Moriah (Gen. 22:2; II Chron. 3:1)

Mount Ophel is the lower slope; Mount Zion is the upper hill and Mount Moriah is the highest part to the north, presently the Temple Mountain in Jerusalem. Each mountain reveals an aspect of our progression in spiritual growth.

At Mount Ophel is the Pool of Siloam. In John 9, we read about the healing of a blind man at the pool. He washed his eyes by Christ's command and was instantly healed.

Ophel represents the Hill of Salvation. It is there your eyes are opened. Yet, you must come up higher than Ophel—you must ascend to Mount Zion. The Bible says:

"And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance..."

—Joel 2:32

Mount Zion is where David pitched a tabernacle called the Tabernacle of David (I Chron. 15:1). After your salvation experience at Ophel, you must receive deliverance at Zion. Christians can be saved and still have personal bondages in their life. Some Christians go to the altar every service asking God for another washing. They come to the Waters of

Salvation at Ophel and say, "Lord, make me clean again...and again...and again."

Deliverance on Zion

They need sanctification on Mount Zion! Zion is a place of joy and deliverance (Psalm 48:2).

The Bible asks the question, "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord... " (Psalm 24:3). Then David asked the question, "...who shall abide in thy tabernacle..." (Psalm 15:1). There are those who ascend and those who abide. Some visit in God's Presence, and some stay in God's Presence.

Communities are filled with Christians who ascend to the House God each Sunday morning for a two-hour ritual called a church service. A few weeks later they ascend again, only to return to their same spiritual condition; up one month and down the next, in one week and out the next, hot one day and cold the next. God wants you to ABIDE in His Tabernacle (Psalm 15:1). He wants your spiritual life to move forward and progress!

Zion was the center of worship in David's time. The Ark was the only piece of sacred furniture in the Tabernacle of David. The gate was open continually, and singers ministered twenty-four hours a day. Scribes sat near the entrance and recorded the prophetic singing from such men as Haman, Jeduthan and Asap. In fact, many of the Psalms in our Bible were written in the Tabernacle of David.

After salvation, you must experience deliverance from the desires of the flesh and learn to enter the Presence of God on Mount Zion. Zion was a place of singing, joy and worship. After being saved at the water of salvation, you should move up and experience the joy of salvation (Psalm 51:12).

David danced before the Lord when he brought the Ark to Mount Zion (II Sam. 6:14). Once in Zion, David danced a dance he had never danced, sang a song he had never sung (Psalm 33:3), gave a prophecy he had never given and learned how to progress into the presence of God through worship.

Remember, the Tabernacle of Moses had no pattern for worship—only sacrifices. God revealed to Moses the pattern of the temple furniture in Heaven, but He revealed to David the pattern of the worship in Heaven! David wrote that God didn't desire a sacrifice and a blood offering, but a broken heart, a contrite spirit and praise from His people (Psalm 51:1617).

Moses was the first to see the shape and design of the heavenly temple. David was the first to see and hear the continuous worship of the angels in the heavenly temple. It was David who gave Solomon the building plans for the temple in Jerusalem. David wrote:

"All this, said David, the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern."

—I Chronicles 28:19

Worship began on Mount Zion in David's time with singers, musicians and psalmists. This worship was carried over into the temple that Solomon built. Once you begin to worship, you will rise to the third level on the mountain—Mount Moriah.

Moriah: The Mountain of Glory

Abraham offered Isaac upon Mount Moriah (Gen. 22:2). Moriah was a large threshing floor that David purchased from a Jebusite (II Sam. 24:18). David built an altar on the mountain to stop a plague from destroying the city (II Chron. 21:15). Solomon built the sacred temple upon Mount Moriah (II Chron. 3:1). The stones were pre-cut; therefore, no noises of iron scraping stone were heard in the building process:

"And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building."

—1 Kings 6:7

I believe there were three reasons for no iron tools being used on the temple mountain while building Solomon's Temple:

1    Iron as a metal always represents war and fighting. The temple was a house of praise-not war.

2    The house was a place of sacrifice and offerings. Since blood carries a voice (Gen. 4:10), God wanted the voice of sacrifice and not the sound of iron coming from the mountain.

3    Solomon appointed a praise team to continually worship God while the temple was being constructed. God would not be pleased with the sound of iron mixing with praise and worship. War and worship do not mix.

At the dedication of the temple, Solomon gathered the twelve priests with silver trumpets on the top of Moriah. As they ministered to the Lord, the glory of God suddenly settled over the holy place. The priests could not stand on their feet (II Chron. 5:14)! Silver always represents redemption. Over 1,000 years later, 120 redeemed believers gathered on the day of Pentecost at the temple on Mount Moriah, when the glory of God fell! Their voices, like the 120 trumpets, brought a revival of glory to the entire world (Acts 1:15, 2:1-4)!

Here is a Jewish prayer, from a Jewish prayer book, which is offered on the ninth day of Av. It reminds the Jews of the destruction and the restoration of Jerusalem:

"Have mercy, O God, upon the city that mourneth, that is trodden down and is desolate; because thou didst lay it waste by fire, and by fire wilt build it up again."

The "fiery tongues", which came on the holy mountain on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, built a new Zion, a House, a Holy Nation and a Royal Priesthood! After your salvation at Ophel, deliverance comes on Zion. From the worship of Zion you encounter the glory of God on Mount Moriah.

In ancient times, God dwelt in a three-room house. Today, God again dwells in a three room house—in the body, soul and spirit of His children!

The Breath of the Holies

In Job 36, Job reveals 34 great works of God. He then makes this statement:

"Also can any understand the spreading of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?"

—Job 36:29

Most commentators state that the "noise in his tabernacle" refers to the thunder and lightning in the heavenly temple. I wish to show you another application to Job's question.

As previously stated, Moses' Tabernacle centered on the sacrifices and blood offerings. Worship was not a revelation given to Israel in the wilderness. Yet, according to the oral tradition of the Jews, something unusual occurred when God came down into the Holy of Holies. Often, the glory of the Lord would appear in the form of a cloud above the tent of the congregation or above the Holy of Holies (Exo. 16:10, 24:16, 29:43, 40:34,35).

The Jewish sages state that two unusual manifestations occurred when the glory of God appeared in the tabernacle. First, the curtains of the tent would expand, similar to a man's lungs when he is inhaling and exhaling.

Secondly, a noise could be heard similar to a man breathing. This was considered the Breath of the Almighty! It was known as the BREATH OF THE HOLIES! Remember, the word for breath is ruach, and can mean "wind, breath or spirit". Because God dwelt in the Holy of Holies, the movement of God in the holy place was known as the Breath of the Holies.

We call the Spirit of God the Holy Spirit because He is Holy and because He is a Spirit. Since the word spirit is ruach, the Holy Spirit could be referred to as "God's Holy Breath". Remember, God BREATHED into man's nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul! Man's inner spirit was formed by God's breath, and both the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle and in the temple represent the spirit of a man. This revelation of the Breath of God is important to understand as we will soon develop the ways in which the Holy Spirit moves in the physical body.

"The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life."

—Job 33:4

Reviving Dead Things By the Breath

The Breath of God brings life to dead things. In the wilderness, Manna would spoil if an Israelite tried to store it for several days. Yet, the Manna stored in the Ark never spoiled. Why? Because the Glory of God on the Ark brought life to the contents within the Ark. The rod of Aaron was a dry, dead tree limb. Yet, when the Lord breathed upon the rod, it produced almonds and blossomed again. Why? Because the Breath of God produces life!

Ezekiel the prophet had an amazing vision. He saw the "first church of the dry bones". There was a division in the church, and they were without a shepherd. They were very dry (Eze. 37:2).

As the prophet looked across this valley of dry bones, God asked a question, "Can these bones live?" Ezekiel answered, "Only you know

God" (Eze. 37:3). These bones didn't need a revival, they needed a resurrection!

God then instructed Ezekiel to prophesy to the WIND...to BREATHE upon the bones so they may live. This was not just natural wind, but the Spirit of God—the Breath of the Holies! As the Spirit began to blow, there was a noise (Eze. 37:7)! Noise always follows the blowing of the Breath of God.

In the upper room there was a sound from Heaven as a mighty rushing wind (Acts 2:2). Following the noise there was a shaking (Eze. 37:7). When God's Spirit moves mightily, there will be shouting, rejoicing and holy noise. A shaking follows the noise. People are moved from complacency and deadness. When the Spirit moved upon Samson, his body would shake and vibrate with God's power (Judges 16:20).

After the shaking, there was a coming together bone to bone (Eze. 37:7). A true move of the Spirit brings people together. Denominational walls are removed and traditions are broken. Soon, the backbones find the collar bones. The hip bones find the leg bones. The collar bones call out for the shoulder bones. Before long, a spiritual army has come alive by the very Breath of God!

The final phase is found in Ezekiel, when it says,

"So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceeding great army."

—Ezekiel 37:10

The word revive is the root word for REVIVAL. The word revive means to "breathe upon again". A revival is God breathing fresh life upon dry bones!

The reviving process is twofold. The initial breath comes upon the person to quicken and shake them from their spiritually dead condition. The second breath comes when God puts His Breath (Spirit) within you! "...breath came into them, and they lived... " (Eze. 37:10).

In the Old Testament, the Spirit came upon men. In the New

Testament, He comes within men. God always moves upon a Person before He moves within a person.

The Purpose of the Seventh Day

God created for six days, then rested on the seventh (Gen. 2:1). This seventh day would be called the Sabbath day, or Shabbat by the Hebrews. Since God is never weary, nor does He ever sleep, why would God rest on the seventh day?

The Sabbath was made for man—not for God. Yet, notice something special occurs on this day of rest.

When Moses built the tabernacle, take note of the terms used to describe the measurements of the boards, curtains and furniture. A handbreadth (Exo. 37:12), a span (Exo. 39:9), a cubit (Exo. 36:21), a foot (Exo. 35:16) and pillars (columns). The term "hips and joints" is used to describe the side of certain pieces of furniture. The word "ark" in Hebrew is ahron, which means "a chest." The Ark was the life of the tabernacle, similar to the heart being the life force in a human body.

In ancient times, the span was the tip of the thumb to the tip of the small finger. A cubit was about eighteen inches long, and was the distance from the tip of the elbow to the middle finger. A handsbreadth was the width of the hand from the side of the thumb to the other side of the hand. The stones on the wall of Jerusalem from Herod's day have a framed border around the edges that is exactly a handsbreadth.

The photo above shows the Herodian stones with the handsbreath border around the edges.

What These Measurements Reveal

Since God's patterns, types and shadows are so precise, why does He use certain parts of the human body in describing the measurements of the tabernacle? The tabernacle was where the Divine Presence met with humanity! As explained in the book The Mishkan and the Holy Garments:

"'The Sanctuary' is referred to in several different ways in scripture. 'Tent of Communion' (Ohel Moed), 'Sanctuary of God' (Mishkan Hashem), 'Sanctuary of Testimony' (Mishkan HaEdut) and 'Holy Temple of God' (Mikdash Hashem) are all used interchangeably when referring to the tabernacle. It is named the Sanctuary of God, for it was designed as the abode of the Divine Presence..."

The tent was the meeting place between God and the priest. In fact, it appears to be a place where God actually came and rested among the people.

Before man's fall, God entered the garden at the cool of the day and fellowshipped at the Tree of Life (Genesis 3:8). God desired a place to dwell among His people. This tent became God's place of "rest" among His people.

"...where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?"

—Isaiah 66:1

The Dwelling for the Shekhinah

There is a Hebrew word used to describe the feeling and the visible presence of God. That word is "shekhinah". According to Jewish commentaries, this word refers to the "indwelling", or the "resting of the Divine Presence".

When conditions were met and the atmosphere was prepared for God to enter His House (tabernacle or the temple), then the Glory of God would come in the form of a cloud. Jewish sources teach that the cloud was given to hide the form of God from the eyes of the people. When this "glory cloud" would become visible, the power of the glory was so strong that priests could not stand upon their feet to minister (II Chron. 5:14).

The spiritual principle is clear. God desires to "rest" among His people. As we honor the Sabbath Day and ascend to our local congregations, we must create an atmosphere conducive for The Divine Presence to dwell. If the individual hearts are filled with anger, jealousy, frustration, lust or other inner unclean thoughts, then God cannot be at rest among His people. A lack of God's peace in a congregation is a sign of division among His people.

God Resting In the Tabernacle

The furniture of the tabernacle speaks to us of our progressive approach to God. Our salvation begins at the Brazen Altar where we offer our bodies as a living sacrifice. The Laver is our water baptism and the washing of the water of the Word. The Menorah is our illumination of the Spirit, and the Shewbread is the doctrine of the Bible we must digest in our mind (soul). The Golden Altar is the place of prayer and intercession. The Ark is the fullness of our growth and enables us to walk in the Spirit.

When viewing the tabernacle from above, the furniture is situated in the form of a cross!

Christ's death on the cross provided for us the pathway of progression into the Presence of God! At Christ's death, the veil was torn from top to bottom, allowing man direct access to God.

Christ is NOW sitting down at the right hand of God! One day I observed that if Christ were sitting, as though He were resting, in the tabernacle, the pieces of furniture would fit in the area of His wounds.

The Brazen Altar would fit in the area of His nail-pierced feet. The Laver would fit at His knees (where the blood and water from His body dripped to the ground); the Menorah would fit at the right hand and the Shewbread on His left hand. The Altar of Incense would fit the area of His heart (which was pierced after His death). Christ's head was crowned with a crown of thorns. The Golden Ark sat in the Holy of Holies. The Ark also had a gold crown on the border of it. Christ's head would be located in the Holy of Holies! His feet would be situated at the Brazen (brass) Altar. The feet of Jesus are described as fine brass, as if they were burned in a furnace (Rev. 1:15). The brass altar contained three fires. The brass feet reveal Christ's humanity. Brass burning in the furnace represents the fiery testings that Christ endured while in a physical body. Christ triumphed over every one of Satan's testings while walking in a human body! In fact,

the brass altar had three fires that continually were burning.

In this illustration you can see how Christ rests in the Tabernacle.

The Laver would go just below the waist. Christ was baptized in water to fulfill all righteousness.

In Christ's right hand sits the seven branched candlesticks. John described Christ with seven stars in His right hand, representing the pastors of the seven churches (Rev. 1:20). The seven churches are represented by the seven candlesticks.

The Altar of Incense would be placed in the area of Christ's heart. Remember, incense represents prayers, as our heavenly High Priest Jesus receives our prayers and presents our petitions to God. The Table of Shewbread would be on His left side. Christ is the Bread from Heaven!

(John 6:51)

The head of Christ would rest in the Holy of Holies. He would breathe in the Holy of Holies! When the priest would enter, once a year, into this sacred chamber, he would commune with God and sprinkle the blood seven times on the mercy seat, which is located on the east side of the Ark of the Covenant (Lev. 16:14). Jesus shed His blood seven times during His sufferings.

1    In the Garden of Gethsemane

2    At the whipping post

3    When they placed a crown of thorns on His head

4    When they beat His face

5    When they pierced His hands

6    When they pierced His feet

7    When they pierced His side

When the priest slew the Red Heifer, he dipped his finger in blood and sprinkled it seven times toward the door of the tabernacle (Num. 19:1-10). I was told by a Rabbi that the priest caught the blood in his right hand, dipped his left hand in the blood and pointed seven times toward the tabernacle door.

When I examined various Jewish commentaries, it seemed no one had a reason for this. In the New Testament, Jesus reveals the sheep are on His right hand, and the goats are on His left. We can also say that Israel had the first Covenant. They are on the right hand, and the gentile nations represent the left hand. The blood came first to the right hand (Israel). Yet, God predicted the blessings to come to the Gentiles.

Gentiles had no direct access to God as ancient Israel. Through Christ's sufferings, the blessing came upon the Gentiles! The blood came to the left hand and gave us access to the door of the tabernacle!

God Wants To Rest Among His People

The Bible teaches that we,who have believed, enter into rest and that there remains a rest for God's people (Heb. 4:3, 9). There is a physical rest from physical labor we enjoy on the Sabbath Day, but there is a spiritual rest that we labor to enter into. Entering God's Presence is a part of this spiritual rest.

In the Tabernacle of David, people entered through the gate, then the court and were suddenly in the presence of the Ark of the Covenant (Psalm 100:4). The scripture said, "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise..."

When we assemble together, we must first begin our approach by thanking the Lord. Soon we begin to praise Him through worship and song. Continual worship eventually leads us into the atmosphere of God's presence.

There is no shortcut to the Glory of God. People come to church tired, disgusted and hurt. They look at the minister and think, "Get me into God's Presence and get me there now!" They wish to be pulled from the Outer Court into the Holy Place. There is no quick formula, or microwave solution, to get people more quickly into God's Presence. They want to bypass all the praise and worship and get that "feel-good feeling" within seconds of the opening prayer.

When we understand God resting among His people, we have a new concept of the purpose of the Sabbath. The Sabbath is giving us a break from physical labor, as well as giving God the opportunity to come among us and rest His Shekhinah.

As God is at rest, He BREATHES among us out of the Holy of Holies. "...out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water " (J ohn 7:38).

Jesus Breathed Upon Them

In an interesting passage, recorded in John 20:22, we are told that Jesus "... breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost." This word breathed is the word emphusao, and is only used here. In the Septuagint version (the Old Testament translated into Greek), this word is used when God breathed the breath of life into man, and man became a living soul! I believe this act of breathing was more than just symbolism. A new organism was forming, a living breathing body of Christ on earth, called the church! Christ was breathing on His body (the church) in the same manner as God breathed into Adam—the first man!

Remember, the Presence of God moves upon a person before He moves within a person. I believe the disciples understood the significance of this act, since they would have been familiar with the oral tradition of the Breath of God coming into the Holy Place.

Jesus had brought a revelation to them that His body was a Temple of God. He said, "... destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up" (John 2:19). The Jews thought He spoke of Harod's Temple. The idea of destroying the temple was considered blasphemy to the Jews.

Christ was revealing the future dwelling place of God. The human body was the Temple of God. Paul recorded similar words in I Corinthians when he compared the human body to the Temple of God:

"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?"

—1 Corinthians 6:19

Christ predicted that the Jerusalem Temple would be destroyed. Therefore, God would take His Presence to the nations through His human vessels and His chosen servants.

We are a body, soul and spirit (I Thess. 5:23). The temple was an Outer Court, an Inner Court and the Holy of Holies. God prepared a body that He could dwell in! We are the walking temples of the Living God!

Piercing the Veils

We have not expounded upon the two veils in the tabernacle. The first veil separated the Outer Court from the Inner Court, while the second veil separated the Inner Court from the Holy of Holies. The purpose of the veils were to limit access by the common people.

For example, any priest was permitted in the Outer Court. Only Levites were permitted in the Inner Court, and only the high priest was permitted in the Holy of Holies. The two veils served as a partition between the three sections of the tabernacle, and a separation between the levels of the priesthood.

According to Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews, the veil represents the flesh (Heb. 10:20). How does this Pattern fit the human being—the new Temple of God?

There is a veil between the Outer and Inner Court, representing the body and the soul (mind). The second veil separates the Inner Court from the Holy of Holies, representing the division between the soul and spirit.

The natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God as stated in I Corinthians 2:14. As a person moves from salvation into the spiritual understanding of the deeper truths of God, often their mind feels cluttered and cannot understand the patterns and concepts of spiritual truth. This is the veil between the natural world and the spiritual world.

Too many Christians hang out in the Outer Court all the time and never pass the first veil where the prayer, the illumination and the bread are located. They go to church, but never worship. They attend church, but never receive revelation from the Spirit. There is a mental block because of a veil in their mind.

Other Christians are afraid of the anointing and the Glory of God found in the Holy of Holies. Remember, the priest fell out under the power in Solomon's Temple, because of the glory in the Holy of Holies. Many Christians enjoy the teaching and illumination at the Menorah and the Shewbread. Even the nominal churches have prayer meetings at the Golden Altar of prayer. But, unfortunately, they stop short of crossing the veil into the Holy of Holies.

They want a God without a manifestation—a doctrine without a demonstration. They fear they may act like a "Pentecostal" or a "Charismatic" if they cross the veil into the Holy of Holies!

Moving in God can be compared to experiencing the good, the better and the best. Many are satisfied with their salvation and say, "Praise God, I'm saved and going to Heaven!" But there is so much more! Studying the Word, accompanied with a disciplined prayer life, makes you a better, more informed believer. In the Holy of Holies is the BEST of God's presence! We must cut through the veils and enter worship in spirit and truth.

"God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."

—John 4:24

Often the mind doesn't agree with the spirit, and a conflict develops. That is because the natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God. I Corinthians 2:14 says, "...they are foolishness unto him..." To the natural mind, saying "Amen!" out loud in church is foolish. Lifting your hands in worship is foolish. Shouting and rejoicing is unnecessary.

The veils in the tabernacle also blocked out the previous light from the other chambers. The level of light changes as you progress in God. You go from walking by sight, to walking by faith.

The Three Levels of Light

In the Outer Court there was natural sunlight. There is nothing supernatural about sunlight. We have it everyday. It doesn't take faith to enjoy sunlight or to walk in the sunlight. It simply takes a good set of eyes to enable you to walk by sight in the natural light.

Once you cross the first veil into the Inner Court, the light changes, and you see by the light of the candlestick. The light came through oil pouring through the shaft. Many people, when they first come into the power and glory of the Holy Spirit, feel a strange moving from the natural toward the supernatural.

They come to the veil, peep inside, and it looks dark compared to the sunlight they are in. They are more comfortable in the natural light, obviously, because faith is not necessary in the natural light. It is easy to see others you know in the natural light. So they remain in the Outer Court with a basic understanding of salvation (the altar) and water baptism (the laver). They make good carnal Christians!

Others remove the veil between their body and their mind and soon are moving toward the revelation of prayer, and the word, in the Inner Court. Yet, there is another veil to face. This is the larger veil hanging between the Inner Court and the Holy of Holies. This veil separates the mind from the spirit, and the light of the menorah from the light of God's Glory!

In the Holy of Holies there are no windows for sunlight, nor is there a burning candlestick. Once a year, when the priest entered in, he walked by the light of the Glory of God. Entering the fullness of God requires total faith, "For we walk by faith, and not by sight" (II Cor. 5:7).

The Brightness of the Glory

Actually, the light of God's Glory is brighter than the candlestick and the sunlight. Paul told Timothy about this light:

"Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see..."

—I Timothy 6:16

God directed Israel in a pillar of a cloud by day and a fire by night (Exo. 13:21). Light, fire and brightness are all associated with the glory of God! Moses experienced the Glory of God and had to veil his face from the people to cover the brightness of God's Presence (Exo. 34:29)!

Once you bring your soul (mind) under subjection to the Word of God, the Will of God and the Holy Spirit, you will find it easier to move into His Presence through praise, worship and exaltation.

I have heard some people express, "I was listening to you preach, when all of a sudden, for the first time, I understood it in perfect detail. The scripture came alive to me!"

The Secret Place of the Most High

Psalm 91 begins by saying:

"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, he is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust."

—Psalm 91:1, 2

These two verses contain four Hebrew names of God. The words "Most High" are Elyone, meaning "lofty and supreme." The next name in the first verse is "Almighty." This word, Shaddai, means "the strong and mighty one". The name "Lord" in the second verse is the memorial name of God Yehovah (YHVH). The fourth name, "God", is the common Hebrew word Elohim, meaning the "Supreme God of Israel". God makes His power and strength known through His names.

This Psalm speaks of the secret place of the most high. The entire Psalm reveals the divine protection found when a person enters into this secret place. Throughout the Book of Psalms, this place is called the "shadow of the Almighty".

Psalm 91:1 speaks of hiding under the shadow of His wings. Psalm 36:7 reveals that men trust in the shadow of His wings. Psalm 57:1 shows how men seek refuge in the shadow of God's wings.

The "shadow of death", and the "shadow of His wings", are two opposite places. We do not fear destruction, pestilence, war or trouble because we abide under the Shadow of the Almighty (Psalm 91:1-8). What is the Shadow of God?

The Shadow of His Wings

God's Glory is revealed through His brightness. Bright light is associated with God's heavenly dwelling:

"Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen."

—1 Timothy 6:16

If God dwells in pure brightness, how can He have a shadow? Where there is pure light, it removes all shadows. Even James speaks about God as, "...the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning" (James 1:17).

While visiting the city of Jerusalem in 1988, I met with a Rabbi and questioned him about the Shadow of God. It appears that this statement could refer to an interesting event that often occurred at the Tabernacle of David.

After David captured Mount Zion, he carried the Ark (God's Presence) into the city with singing, dancing and rejoicing (II Sam. 6:14). David had prepared a special tent for the Ark of the Covenant.

"And David made him houses in the city of David, and prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent."

—I Chronicles 15:1

According to various sources, this Tabernacle of David housed only the Ark of the Covenant. It did not contain a veil, and men were permitted to worship in the presence of the Ark. In fact, many of the psalms that were sung were first recorded by scribes in the area of the tabernacle. Fresh understanding is given to certain psalms when we understand that David brings the divine presence (the Ark) to Mount Zion. Mount Zion was a huge white stone where David pitched his tent on the rock. Now read what David said:

"Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion."

—Psalm 2:6

"...when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I."

—Psalm 61:2

"Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?"

—Psalm 15:1

"Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?"

—Psalm 24:3

The Mountain of Zion became the hill of the Lord. The tabernacle containing the Ark became God's dwelling place in Zion. The hill became holy because the Ark was the sacred chest upon which the Lord would come down and sit. In Heaven, God's Throne sits between the four living creatures (Eze. 1:1-13, Rev. 4:8).

God revealed to Moses that He would dwell between the wings of the Cherub on the lid (mercy seat) of the Ark of the Covenant. The two

Cherubim, facing one another on the lid of the Ark, were made of solid gold. They also had four faces—man, lion, bull and eagle. Their wings touched and actually formed a seat.

At the time of David's Tabernacle, the skin covering could be removed over the area where the Ark stood on the rock. As the sun arose in the east, the light from the sun would reflect on the golden wings of the Cherubim, therefore casting a shadow on the rock itself where the Ark was sitting.

No one, except a priest, was permitted to touch the Ark. Yet, David knew he could stand in the Shadow of the Almighty by kneeling and praying in the shadow of the Cherubim. This is one explanation for the Shadow of God!

The Application to the Believer

Jesus said, "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you" (John 15:7). The spiritual benefits and blessings abide in us through Christ!

Since the Manifest Ark (Jesus Christ) dwells within our spirit, we have the potential for the Glory of God to move within us. Noah opened a window to free the dove that was dwelling within the Ark. Noah and David had to remove a covering in order for the natural light to enter. As mentioned, the two veils are a covering between the body and soul, and the soul and spirit.

The light from God's Word, once received, will begin to pierce the veil of our mind. Suddenly, knowledge turns into understanding, and through understanding we gain the wisdom of God. As the Spirit of God dwells in us, we must also allow Him to move through us.

Setting the Dove Free

The dove is a symbol of the Holy Spirit:

"And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him."

—Matthew 3:16

St. Luke mentions that the Holy Spirit descended in a body shaped like a dove. A dove's wings are unique from any other common bird. When a dove hovers in the air, its wings point outward. In fact, the form of the wing is similar to the form of the Hebrew letter kaf.

In Old Testament times, when oil was poured upon the head of the priest, it was poured in the same shape of the Hebrew letter kaf. When the Spirit descended in the shape of a dove, it was a symbol of Christ's priestly, kingly anointing that would rest upon Him. Every Hebrew letter in the alphabet has a symbol (or symbols) it represents. The Hebrew letter kaf represents a palm of the hand or a crown. The Spirit descended upon Christ, and the hand of the Lord came upon him. The Holy Spirit was placing a "crown" of anointing upon Christ in preparation for ministry.

In Christ's time, the sacred temple had become a place of merchandise. Even the priesthood was appointed by Rome, and priests were taking bribes and selling blemished offerings.

Christ came into the temple and began cleaning house! He turned over the moneychanger's tables. Three gospel writers mention the doves in the story.

"And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves."

—Mark 11:15

The scriptures imply that Jesus set the doves free. Matthew records that the blind, the halt and the sick then entered the temple and were healed by Christ. The miracles occurred after the cleansing of the temple and the setting free of the doves! The Holy Spirit dwells within our temple. Yet, He is bound in a spiritual cage within our spirit. We need to set the Holy Spirit free within us!

The Progression of the Modern Church

The Tabernacle of Moses, the Tabernacle of David and the Temple of Solomon reveal a vital message to the believer today. These three dwelling places for God reveal the progressive revelation—the movement of the Holy Spirit in the church today.

Moses' emphasis was on that of burnt offerings and sacrifices. The law dealt with sin and disobedience. This is an Outer Court message. In the Outer Court was the altar of sacrifice (for sin offerings) and the Laver (for the washings). In the Outer Court we experience our salvation and accept the message of holiness.

The message of Moses was of holiness by the law. This was the message of the early founders of the most fundamental churches in America. I am a fourth generation Full Gospel minister, and I grew up around the message of the "Outer Court". I recall strong preaching in revivals and campmeetings about holiness. I can also recall messages about outward adornment and appearance. Some ministers became very legalistic in their emphasis, but the preaching of holiness remained the emphasis that of the early pioneers.

Holiness is a part of the message, but not all of the message. It is a piece of the spiritual puzzle, but not all of the puzzle. When the next progression of God was being taught, many older denominations refused to accept it.

Moses received the revelation of the law, but never received the revelation of worship. Israel was taught to "do this and not to do that" under the ministry of Moses. Consequently, they were not taught praise and worship. Moses and Aaron alone were assigned to approach God's Presence, not the people. The people would say, "Moses, go talk to God for us!" Outer Court people depend upon the minister to do all of the spiritual work in the church. They require the pastor to preach, teach, prophesy, pray for them, visit them, clean the church, be a good singer, fellowship after service and be some sort of "Spiritual Superman."

We must understand the next move of God. It is toward the Inner Court.

The Inner Court Message of David

When David pitched a tent on Mount Zion and placed the Ark of the Covenant within the curtains, David proclaimed that God did not desire a blood offering, but a broken heart and contrite spirit. David spoke of the sacrifices of praise, and not the sacrifices of blood. This was a new revelation for many Hebrews in David's time. I am not certain what Moses would have thought!

Perhaps there were Hebrews in David's time saying, "That is not the way Moses taught it...that's not what I heard growing up ...I just don't know if I believe this new thing!"

David's Inner Court message involved an understanding of praise and worship. In fact, David assigned teams of singers and praisers to worship on Mount Zion continually while he was king of Jerusalem.

David never did away with the Outer Court ministry. He still offered sacrifices to God on the altar. The message of the Outer Court (holiness and sanctification) are still a vital part of God's message, but it is just a part—not the whole message.

In the Inner Court is the Candlestick, the Altar of Incense, and the Table of Shewbread. As previously mentioned, this represents our doctrine, our prayer life and the seven manifestations of the Holy Spirit. It involves our spiritual growth and illumination.

Some Christians have rejected the ministry of the Word and the teaching on intercession. They are still saying, "Bless God, Moses did it this way, and I am doing it this way too!" If we are to truly have the fullness of God, we must follow the progressive growth in the Spirit in which He reveals it!

The Holy of Holies Ministry

The Holy of Holies speaks of the Solomon Generation. Solomon combined the ministry of sacrifices and the ministry of praise and worship (a message of David), and as a result, God honored him by sending the glory cloud to the Temple.

When Solomon dedicated the temple, he offered a countless number of sacrifices. He then allowed a praise team to sing and minister on the steps. This combination brought forth the Glory of God.

The Glory of God is revealed as we combine the progression of the Outer Court and the Inner Court. We must approach God through holiness and by offering ourselves a living sacrifice. We must be sanctified through the washing of the water of the Word. Then we proceed into the Inner Court where we discover the doctrine of the scriptures, the power of praise and intercession and the insight of the Spirit of God. We become illuminated by His Spirit.

When we combine a pure heart with worship and prayer, we soon enter the most holy place where we encounter the Presence of God through His Anointing and His Glory.

Stopping Short of the Fullness

If we linger in the Outer or Inner Court, without ever moving into the Holy Place, we stop short of the fullness of God's blessing.

Moses and Aaron experienced the Glory of God. Yet, Moses was unable to enter the Promised Land because he took glory to himself. He said to Israel, in Numbers 20:10, "...must we fetch you water out of this rock?" He then smote the rock twice in disobedience. He hit it once for himself and once for Aaron. God told him to hit the rock. Yet, Moses was placing the ability to perform the miracle upon Aaron and himself.

In the early move of God, there were wonderful men and women of God who experienced many miracles when they prayed. My father and grandfather relate stories of blinded eyes opening, cancers dropping to the floor and goiters disappearing at the touch of a man or woman of God.

When I asked my father what happened to stop the miracles, he said it was often pride. Men became exalted. They began to believe they must produce the miracles. People began to look to the MAN for the miracle instead of looking to God. By God's power, Moses produced miracles. Yet, Moses said, "Must we?" It is not we, but it is GOD alone who gives miracles!

Early Pentecost saw the miracles of Moses, but many fell short of possessing God's complete blessing due to pride and ego. The great miracles from the healing revival began to cease in the mid 1950's because men became exalted and full of pride.

David Couldn’t Experience the Glory

David experienced glorious praise and worship. However, David, too, fell short of the Glory of God. David wanted to build a house (temple) for God, and Nathan the prophet said,

"Thou shalt not build me an house..."

—I Chron. 17:4

"But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name because thou hast been a man of war and hast shed blood."

—1 Chron. 28:3

David was a man of war. He fought many enemies and shed the blood of Uriah, husband of Bathsheba (II Sam. 11:14-21).

Even with all the emphasis in the full gospel churches concerning praise and worship, music and singing, there is still something missing. Many still have not tapped into the fullness of God's blessing...because they have shed innocent blood.

No, they are not murdering innocent people in cold blood, but they are using their words, like swords and arrows, to wound and cut other ministers, churches and fellow believers. Many full gospel people have bloodstained hands. They have used gossip to destroy the integrity and reputation of another pastor or evangelist.

In Psalm 64, David describes bitter words as swords that cut through a person:

"Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words... "

—Psalm 64:3

God will not allow a "bloody" person to experience the total presence of God. David loved the Lord but fell short of fulfilling an inner dream— to build a temple in Jerusalem for God.

The Abishag Connection

When David was dying, the Bible records that he got no heat (I Kings 1:2, 3). The fire was gone in David's life. Someone had an idea to bring a young virgin named Abishag into the bedchamber and let her lie down beside David to bring heat to his body .

Two people lying together produce heat (Eccl. 4:11), but this event didn't help David live any longer. David's problem was being dealt with through a surface solution. The lack of heat was a problem of circulation from the heart. A lack of blood to the body causes skin to feel cold.

Abishag's name means "the elders have erred". The elders wanted David to live longer. God wanted to bring in the Solomon generation and carry the people to another level—the level of the Glory of God in Solomon's Temple. The elders didn't know what God was doing. Some may have said, "David is the King...he must live! What will we do if David dies? He needs to get the fire going!"

Throwing Abishag in David's bed to produce heat reminds me of the carnal things people do to get God to move! Years ago, we sang from the old red-back Hymnal. When we sang certain songs, people would shout, dance and rejoice. After singing the songs for fifty years, they began to lose their effectiveness. Singing became a habit. Then someone had an idea to project the songs on the wall. We went from one upright piano and a guitar, to keyboards, bass guitars, drums and an orchestra. Some were saying, "We don't like this music...give us the old songs!"

So, people began to sing their favorite songs. They would sing...and sing...and sing...and not much happened. People have a tendency to follow tradition more than truth. They are trying to get heat from something that served its purpose at one time. David spoke of singing a new song to the Lord (Psalm 40:3, 96:1, 98:1, 144:9, 149:1). This NEW song is a song from within your spirit that is birthed in the presence of God.

We know God does not change, but God uses different methods to reach different generations. For example, Moses built the brazen serpent and hung it on a pole (Num. 21:9). When the sick Israelites saw the serpent, they were healed. Israel took the serpent and placed it in the temple. After 900 years, they were burning incense to this brass snake. The blessing became an idol.

King Hezekiah took the brass snake and destroyed it. In the next chapter, King Hezekiah became sick unto death (II Kings 20:1). I am sure some well-meaning Hebrew said, "It is God's judgment...He destroyed the brass snake, and God is judging him!" Hezekiah didn't use the 900-year-old brass snake that healed a nation. He used a new method. Hezekiah faced the wall and began interceding, and God added fifteen more years to his life (Isa. 38:2, 5)!

God was still healing, but He used a different method. Jesus healed many blind people. He touched some, yet others He anointed with mud (John 9:6). On one occasion, He spit directly upon the eyes of the blind, and they were cured (Mark 8:23).

Which method was correct? Did Jesus organize a "Power in the Mud Ministry" after the experience in John 9:6? Did He bottle His saliva and sell it for three easy payments of $29.95 as a cure for bad eyes?

God can use any method to accomplish His purpose. It is possible that God uses different methods to keep men from getting stuck on a method. Soon they preach, "THIS is the way God moves...I know! THIS is how He did it for ME...!"

Some churches are still throwing Abishag on David. As God prepares us for the next move, some are trying to keep the previous moves alive by carnal means. The problem is found in the heart. David's heart was weak. Abishag gave David temporary relief, but she couldn't keep him alive. David was not to experience the fullness of the glory, just like the unbelieving Israelites could not experience the blessings of the promised land. Moses had to pass away before Israel could cross the Jordan to their inheritance. Likewise, David had to pass away before Solomon could build the House of God on Mount Moriah. Sometimes, people and certain traditions must pass away before the church can move forward. Their unbelief and/or carnality can hinder the move of God.

The Solomon Generation

Prior to Solomon being anointed king, there was a warfare that broke loose in the palace. One of David's sons proclaimed himself the next king of Israel. He was not God's choice, but a selection made by a group of Hebrews who were trying (in the flesh) to discover God's best for the nation.

Prior to any major spiritual breakthrough, certain leaders will rise up in the church attempting to seek the best for the people. Often through manipulation or intimidation, they will appoint to a certain position their choice for leaders.

Denominations often recycle leadership every two to four years keeping the same men in control for generations. This can have a negative affect if the decisions are not led by the Holy Spirit.

Solomon was God's choice for king. Solomon was anointed by the priest and took his father's throne. Solomon immediately set out to build the House of the Lord—the temple.

Solomon Combined the Past With the Future

During the time of the building, Solomon appointed a praise team to continually worship God while the building was being constructed. This was a lesson he learned from his father. At the temple dedication, Solomon put blood on the Altar of Sacrifice. This was a truth he learned from Moses.

The combination of sacrifice and praise eventually brought forth the visible Glory of God in the form of a cloud, The divine presence was so strong that the priests could not stand on their feet to minister (II Chron. 5:13, 14). God would take over the service!

The Solomon generation will learn from the past—both the good and the bad. Moses fell short because he took the glory for himself. David fell short because he was a bloody man. Being a fourth generation Pentecostal,

I have learned lessons from the past. Men have taken the glory from God. Others were proud and fell. Many used gossip and grieved the Holy Spirit from their lives. The Solomon generation used the experiences of the past as a learning experience for the future.

A Warning to the Solomon Generation

The Solomon generation of today must also be warned. We are extremely blessed to fulfill God's end-time work.

It was Solomon's blessing and prosperity that brought him down. This generation is the most blessed of any generation. We are blessed with knowledge and finances. Solomon accumulated great wealth, but he also had a weakness for foreign women. Solomon allowed strange women to turn his heart from God (I Kings 11:1).

We must not allow our strength to be used against us. David and Solomon were men of great passion. David danced before the Lord with all of his might (II Sam. 6:14). They pursued God's Presence with an inward fire. Yet, their passions became misdirected and brought sin into their lives. David's passion was turned toward Bathsheba, which resulted in an affair.

Solomon's passion was to build God a great house. He had 300 wives and 700 concubines in his harem (I Kings 11:3). His passion to build a majestic house for God took a sour turn when he built his own personal house with many strange women. Solomon fell after God spoke twice to him in an audible voice, and after he saw the Glory of God fill the temple.

We have the opportunity to experience the greatest harvest of souls in world history. Only when we understand our approach to God, and the spiritual application of such, can we be prepared for the final end-time manifestation of God's Glory!

The Weight of the Glory

Moses spent forty years feeding a flock of sheep in the desert. God was molding the man before he was birthing a ministry. The man is always more important than the ministry. Character is more significant than charisma.

The wilderness creates unusual pressures and challenges. The glory of God is revealed through earthen vessels. Those vessels must be prepared to withstand the pressure and fire of testings. The word glory in Hebrew is kavod, meaning "weighty" or "heavy". Carrying the Glory of God is a heavy responsibility. If a man attempts to carry the ministry without character, the weight of the glory will eventually destroy him.

Seven Things Occur in God's Presence

Moses died when we was 120 years old. His eyes were not dim, nor was his natural force weakened (Deut. 34:7). On two occasions Moses was with God for forty days.

"And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights."

—Exodus 24:18

During these secluded encounters with the Almighty, it was said that Moses did not eat bread, nor drink water, and the Lord came down and stood in a cloud (Exo. 34:5). These supernatural meetings with God reveal seven things that will occur when we encounter the Glory of God! After twenty years of full-time ministry, I have experienced these seven unique aspects of encountering the Glory of God.

1    time and eternity meet

Eternity is by definition, "an immeasurable extent of time". Time, on the other hand, is a system of measuring a duration.

Time consists of the past, present and the future. When we draw near to God, then God draws near to us (James 4:8). When God's presence moves toward man and they both meet, time and eternity collide! The natural and the spiritual are "kissing", and we are caught in the middle of a glorious encounter. God dwells in the realm of timelessness. He lives in the realm of eternity. Our lives revolve around days, minutes and seconds. As we move toward the supernatural power of God, earthly things diminish, and eternal things become brighter. Surrounding circumstances come to a sudden halt. When time and eternity meet, then the second aspect of entering God's Presence occurs.

2    time becomes insignificant

One day with the Lord is as 1,000 years and, 1,000 years is as one day (II Peter 3:8). Moses was with God for forty days. In God's Presence time has no importance. I once preached a message that lasted for two and a half hours. The anointing was flowing like an electrical current. The words poured out like a flowing river! When we concluded the service I said, "Did I actually preach that long? It seemed like it was only forty-five minutes!" I broke every rule of "Preaching 101"! College preaching classes teach, "Stand up, speak up, then shut up." They teach that a person's attention span is only twenty to thirty minutes. That is the attention span for a "normal" church service! When preaching is anointed, time is not a factor! The minutes fly by, because you are caught up in the Spirit of God. Preaching without the unction is quite dry and empty.

"...the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life."

—II Corinthians 3:6

Anointed preaching carries the person from the Outer Court into the Holy of Holies! During great revivals, services often last beyond normal. Outsiders will say, "How can you go to church every night for weeks on end? How can you stay in church that long...aren't you bored?!?!"

Years ago, one revival in Tennessee continued for eleven weeks. Many never missed one service of the revival. Does the body become tired? Yes! But when God's Presence comes, the third aspect of encountering the anointing occurs.

3    the physical body is renewed

When Moses died he was 120 years old. The Bible said that his eyes were not dim, neither were his natural forces abated. His eye sight must have been incredible. He stood upon Mount Nebo and could see the Mediterranean Sea. Moses fasted twice for forty days. He spent eighty days alone with God on Mount Sinai. The Presence of God brought renewed life to the man of God. I am often weary from preaching week after week. I have stood at the pulpit absolutely exhausted. Suddenly, I would feel a jolt of God's Anointing and feel as though I could run through a troop and leap over a wall ten times! This may be what Paul meant when he said, "When I am weak, then I am strong." The scripture speaks of our youth being renewed like an eagle when we wait upon the Lord (Isa. 40:31). The Hebrew word for wait is quavah, meaning "to bind together by twisting". In this instance, the wait does not mean sitting in a corner and saying, "I'm over here waiting until God moves me!" To wait means to linger in God's Presence, in an anointed atmosphere, where our thoughts and attention are woven into His Presence and Power. Renewal only comes in the atmosphere of the anointing!

My father was converted during a revival which continued for forty-two months. Often the services continued well into the night. Men would rise early to work in the coal mines, return to the revival, and repeat the cycle night after night. How could they do it? Because in God's Presence is fullness of joy, and the joy of the Lord is your strength (Neh. 8:10)! Entering an anointed atmosphere not only strengthens the outward man, but the inner man is affected by God's power.

4    the spirit man is energized

The Bible reveals that even though our outward man will perish, our inward man is renewed day by day. The inward man is the human spirit.

Once when preaching, I felt the anointing so strong that I yelled out, "Friends, I feel so much of the Power of God that I could tear the walls of this building down like Sampson did the gates of Gaza!" The pastor yelled back, "Somebody grab him quick, I believe he could!"

The Word of God is quick and powerful (Heb. 4:12). The word powerful means "energized". There is a spiritual energy that is released through the preaching of the Word. This spiritual energy is released through the atmosphere, and the congregation can actually feel the anointing from the ministry of the Word.

When a spirit appeared before Job's friend Eliphaz he said, "Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up" (Job 4:15). This same "feeling" often occurs when the Holy Spirit moves through a congregation. The preached word is "quick" (meaning alive) and "powerful" (meaning energized).

The renewal of our inward man (spirit) comes through receiving the preached word into our spirit.

5 the mind receives revelation

There were seven mysteries that the Apostle Paul alone received. After Paul's conversion, he spent three years in an Arabian desert, where he "conferred with no man" (Gal. 1:16, 17). During this three year sabbatical, he received supernatural revelation from the Holy Spirit, concerning many mysteries he later recorded in the scripture. Receiving a revelation involves the unveiling of a truth that brings understanding to your mind. The Bible speaks of the "renewing of your mind". By renewing your mind you are becoming aware of God's Presence; therefore, your mind (heart) becomes open to the thoughts of the Almighty.

The Book of Revelation is a vision received by the Apostle John while in exile on the Isle of Patmos. In chapter one, John said, "I was in the Spirit..."As John moved toward God and became lost in His presence, the Spirit opened his mind to a spiritual mystery concerning the time of the end.

Hundreds of pages could be written, giving the Biblical accounts of how the prophets and apostles wrote by the inspiration and revelation of

God. Ezekiel the prophet writes how the Spirit "liftedhim up" (Eze. 11:1), "fell upon him" (Eze. 11:5), and "took him up" (Eze. 11:24). During these "God encounters", Ezekiel received revelation concerning Israel, Jerusalem and the Hebrew people. As we move into the Presence of the Lord, our eyes are opened to spiritual truth and divine revelation.

In Joppa, Peter was having his afternoon prayers on a rooftop. Suddenly he fell into a trance (Acts 10:10).

During the trance, he saw Heaven open. A trance is an unusual manifestation of the Spirit. The body becomes unaware of its surroundings and the spirit is caught into another dimension, namely the heavenly realm of the Spirit of God.

Anna, the prophetess, served God in the temple day and night with prayers and fastings (Luke 2:37). God allowed her to be the first woman (outside of Mary) to see Jesus and permitted her to hear a prophecy given by Rabbi Simeon concerning Christ! (Luke 2:38).

For the past twenty years, I have received hundreds of messages to preach through the inspiration of the Spirit. As I spend much time in prayer, the Holy Spirit will quicken to my mind a thought, or point me to a verse. As this occurs, the word, phrase, or verse seems to leap from the pages. When I minister the Word God gives, the freedom and liberty in the services seems to increase.

"For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God."

—1 Corinthians 2:11

The Holy Spirit is the person who searches all things, even the deep things of God (I Cor. 2:10). The Spirit of God will show you things to come!

6 the countenance is transformed

When Moses came off Mount Sinai, his facial features had been affected by the Glory of the Lord. His face did shine until he placed a veil over his face to hide the glory (Exo. 34:33, 35).

When Jesus stood on the Mount of the Transfiguration, a cloud descended upon Him, and His face did shine. The people who have been in God's Presence get a face lift. "...his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light" (Matt. 17:2).

When a sinner is converted to Christ, people immediately notice a change in their countenance. The defeated, sad face is replaced with a face revealing peace and joy.

7 people know you have been with god

When Jesus passed by, His Presence tormented the Devil. Evil spirits cried out, "Leave us alone; do not torment us!" Now Christians are tormented by the devil! Spending quality time in prayer and basking in the pure presence of the Lord will bring a change in your life. Those closest to you will realize something has occurred!

"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus."

—Acts 4:13

Closing Thoughts

When a human being breaths air into their lungs it is called "to inspire". When they exhale air it is called "to expire". When a person dies doctors say they have "expired".

The scriptures were written by the "inspiration of God". The Greek word for inspiration means "breathed by God". God spoke the Word out of His mouth and the eternal Word was given to man. This is why the Word of God has Life! Jesus said, "...the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life" (John 6:63).

When an anointed vessel proclaims the Word of God through preaching, an atmosphere of life is created. The hearers can feel the Presence of the Lord as He quickens the spirits of those receiving the message (Heb. 4:12).

The Holy Bible contains the Life and Breath of God on its very pages!

Revival only comes through your prayers and preaching of the Word of God under the anointing of the Spirit. God confirms His Word by breathing life into those who believe the message of the gospel. People become inspired after they have been in God's Presence!

The Breath of the Almighty is connected to the Holy Spirit. In fact, the Holy Spirit is the earthly agent that brings spiritual manifestations as a result of the preaching of the gospel. Men cannot be saved unless the Spirit draws them to Christ!

As we allow the Holy Spirit to manifest the Life of God in our spirit, then the Breath of the Holies from Heaven will reside within us. That is when we will experience a little "heaven on earth"! Revival is a "recovery of breath". To accomplish any task that lies before us, we must have fresh inspiration from God. We must experience the Breath of the Holies.

Seek the face of God and expect Him to minister to your life. We are continually renewed as we allow the fresh Wind of God to blow upon us. It is the moving of the Holy Spirit that will carry us from faith to faith and from glory to glory!

Mysteries that were hidden in God since the foundation of the world are now being made manifest to the church! Join Perry Stone as he takes you on an incredible journey into ages past. Explore the tabernacle in heaven, the sacred furniture, the creation of angels, secrets of the Holy Place in the heavens, and how God revealed the heavenly patterns of the tabernacle to Moses.

You will learn about the deep mysteries of the Holy Place, the Ark of the Covenant and, above all, the importance of the Breath of the Holies! See how Jerusalem’s three mountains reveal God’s prophetic plan to dwell within man. This is an exciting revelation from God’s word that will bring a fresh desire for more of the Holy Spirit in your personal life!

Evangelist Perry Stone Jr. is founder and president of the Voice of Evangelism ministry in Cleveland, TN. He has produced an extensive library of books, audio and video tapes, and hosts CManna-fest, a weekly television program airing on hundreds of Christian stations nationwide. The Voice of Evangelism has a monthly tape club, Partner Strike Force, and a bi-monthly magazine, which is mailed out across the nation.

Voice of Evangelism • P.O. BOX 3595 • Cleveland, TN 37320 Phone (423) 478.3456 • Fax (423) 478.1392 WWW.PERRYSTONE.ORG • VOE@VOE.ORG

Table of Contents

Introduction

Mysteries of the Ages Past

God Lives in a Three-Room House

The Breath of the Holies

Piercing the Veils

The Progression of the Modern Church

Seven Things Occur in God's Presence

Closing Thoughts