Come and See – Part 2 ,

Come and See

The Third Day

Chapter 2 of the Gospel of John

Come and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men. (Psalm 66:5)

For I [know] their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory. (Isaiah 66:18)

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He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about tenth hour. (John 1:39)

And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. (John 1:46)

And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. (John 11:34)

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Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; (Philippians 1:27)

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And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. (Revelation 6:1)

And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. (Revelation 6:3)

And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. (Revelation 6:5)

And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. (Revelation 6:7)

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The Gospel of John Chapter 2

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The Third Day

The Miracle of the Wedding and the Joy set before us.

   It was the third day when the earth brought forth fruit in Genesis 1:12 and 13. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:12) And the evening and the morning were the third day. (Genesis 1:13) If we begin in Genesis, we will see the marriage feast unfold. It was the third day in Genesis when God brought forth the fruit of the ground with the ‘seed’ within itself.

   On the third day,  in the gospel of John Chapter 2, the Lord Jesus brought forth a new fruit. And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: (John 2:1) It was a wine from heaven, not tasting like the old wine, but it a new taste of things above. It was brought into existence by His power of creation. This wine was created by Him, and there is, and never has been another wine like this one. It brought forth the eternal joys of heaven to mankind.

And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: (John 2:1) And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. (John 2:2)

And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. (John 2:6) Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. (John 2:7)

This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him. (John 2:11)

   This act specifically marked the beginning of miracles which the Lord Jesus performed. No one can give life but God, and no one can gather the waters into one place and separate them from the earth but God. The wine had come to give joy to the marriage, and the Lord Jesus being present revealed a future time when He would be united with His Bride, and the joy of heaven and earth would be fulfilled. Then, the Living water that comes/came forth from the Lord Jesus Christ in turn is a Living water of joy to the souls who have been born of His Spirit.

   As Christians, we have the wine from heaven; the wine from heaven is a spiritual joy from the Lord. It does not disrupt our faculties, but enhances our knowledge of the holy. Water in Scripture speaks of direct communication with the Lord Jesus Christ as a spring of living water springing up within us with the knowledge of Christ. We burst forth with JOY that the old wine cannot give.

Marriage — The Shadow and The Substance

— The First Marriage and The Last Marriage —

   In this section of Scripture in John Chapter 2, we have the first monumental ordinance that God gave to mankind in the union of marriage. Remember that the first marriage was overseen and performed by the Almighty when the woman was taken from the side of the man (Adam) to be his possession; not a possession to tread upon, but a possession to love, and to share his dominion.

   In Genesis Chapter 2, verses 21 thru 25 we have a sequel as man receives his helpmate out of his own side to be his bride of promise and praise.

And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; (Genesis 2:21)

And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. (Genesis 2:22)

And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. (Genesis 2:23)

Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. (Genesis 2:24)

And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. (Genesis 2:25)

   The future is brought before us (as prophecy) for man who will leave his father and mother for his bride. I will tie this to the present standing of the Bride of Christ: from the love of the Father, the Father of lights and perfection, and from the royal city of glory which is the heavenly Jerusalem (the mother of us all). But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. (Galatians 4:26)

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)

To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, (Hebrews 12: 23)

And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. (Hebrews 12: 24)

   The Lord Jesus would descend out of heaven to seek and to save a Bride for Himself. He would leave His Father in all obedience, and remove Himself from the glorious heavenly city of the true Jerusalem, and descend into the earth below to purchase a Bride with His own precious blood. He would give the pledge of His life for her. To this we say, Come and see.

And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. (Revelation 19:6)

Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. (Revelation 19:7)

And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. (Revelation 19:8)

And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. (Revelation 19:9)

   In Chapter 2 of John, verse 2 we have a very important message from the Spirit of God. And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. It is the call of the Lord Jesus and His disciples to the marriage. The Son of God (called of God) the Bridegroom, and His disciples called the Bride of Christ are called out of the world to the marriage feast. How can we justify this statement in the marriage at Cana of Galilee? We have to consider the eternal purpose from Genesis to Revelation as Adam in Genesis was given a bride, so in Revelation, the Lord Jesus is given a Bride who has been called out of the earth (dust – Adam).

The Divine Call

— In Eternity and In the Fullness of Time —

And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. (John 2:2)

    Let us turn to the book of Hebrews, Chapter 5, verse 5 and verse 10, concerning the call of the Lord Jesus Christ, So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. (Hebrews 5:5) Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. (Hebrews 5:10) The first thing that we see is the Sonship of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the fact that it is the Father who has begotten Him, and then the call of His Son as a high priest forever after the order of Melchisedec. In this relationship, God the Father calls His Son to be sent into the earth to redeem a people for Himself.

   We also have the prophetic side in the Old Testament in the book of Isaiah Chapter 6, verse 8. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. (Isaiah 6:8) As we look into this small fragment of prophecy we cannot see the overall dimension at first, but as the Spirit of God opens our eyes, we see the word ‘us.’ Just as in Genesis when God said in Genesis 1:26, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:26) So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. (Genesis 1:27) 

    As God said, Let us in Genesis Chapter 1 relating the fullness of the Godhead bodily, so in Isaiah, the Godhead: Father, Son and Holy Ghost put forth the question, who will go for us? It will be the One of the Godhead who is the full manifestation of God, who is the image of the invisible God, and He will respond with all humility, Here am I; send me. Remember that Isaiah refers to himself as ‘the son of man,’ just as Ezekiel in his prophecy both pointing to the true Son of man, the Lord Jesus Christ. When the Lord Jesus came into the world it was the fulfillment of this prophecy in Isaiah. From Hebrews Chapter 10 we find that He delighted to do the will of God. This is where we need some understanding: it could only be one of perfection who could fulfill the perfect will of God. The obedience of the Son to the Father is in ALL perfection, and they are inseparable in the divine will.

   In Isaiah Chapters 6 and 7, we have a far reaching prophecy taking us back out of a time frame into the universe of timeliness called eternity. This takes us back to a conversation in the Godhead concerning the determinate counsels of God. This is in relationship of sending the Son of God to be the manifested image of the invisible God. We also see the immediate (in the time frame) in the day of Isaiah: for Isaiah was burdened for his own people, and he related himself to be sent to his people in his own age so that they may receive the glory of the Lord. In Chapter 7 (and we all know that the number seven speaks of the day of rest) however, in this Chapter in Isaiah we see the fullness of time in verse 14. Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14) In the fullness of time, God sent forth His Son made of a woman, made under the law. In Isaiah we have the miracle of the Son of God being born amongst mankind to bring the fullness of time and to bring the completeness of God’s rest to those who trust in Him.

Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. (Hebrews 4:1)

For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. (Hebrews 4:2)

For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. (Hebrews 4:3)

In the prophecy of Isaiah, we have the fullness of time again in Chapter 9 verse 6: For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

   In Isaiah 7:14 we have Immanuel  (God with us). In Isaiah 9:6 we have the fullness of this God described which was the image and the manifestation of God in Jesus Christ. Hebrews 1:3 reassures us that the Lord Jesus is the brightness of God’s glory, and the express image of His Person. Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; (Hebrews 1:3)

   In Isaiah 7:14, the birth of the Lord Jesus was a sign, and yet, when He came into the world the world knew Him not. When He went out among His own, the Jews, they received Him not. Yet, Immanuel (God with us) was walking amongst them. The originating sphere of God’s will over mankind is found in His Son. It was a deliberate act of the Godhead to send the Son of God to be the propitiation, the atonement, the payment for the sin of the world and all of mankind.

Whom God hath set forth [to be] a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; (Romans 3:25)

And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for [the sins of] the whole world. (1 John 2:2)

Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son [to be] the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:10)

   God had justified Himself in the birth, in the life, and in the death of His beloved Son so that He (in His righteousness) would be free to call out a people for Himself. Both the prophecies of Isaiah and many other recorded Scriptures in the New Testament prove that Christ was sent from heaven to His destination: earth. In John Chapter 4 verse 34, the Father’s will is before Christ at all times. Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. (John 4:34) For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. (John 6:38)

The Purpose of the Divine Call

— The Need of the Souls of Mankind to be Restored —

   And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. (John 2:6) Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. (John 2:7)

   As the wedding feast progressed they ran out of wine. Come and see the beginning of miracles. We have six water pots made of stone. Six is the number of man. This number comes to its fullness in the number of the man of sin in Revelation Chapter 13. His number is 6 – 6 – 6 showing the trinity of evil that is in the heart of mankind. Man has not only brought sin into the world, but he has been the proponent of evil since that day. God had to shut man off from the divine presence because of sin.

   The water pots were also made of stone, not clay. Stone speaks of the heart of man as the heart of Nabal in 1^st Samuel Chapter 25, verses 37. But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died within him, and he became as a stone. Sin not only brings forth death, but in the process of sin, and its development in man, it hardens the heart as in the provocation in Hebrews Chapter 3 verse 8. Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: They provoked God, in the wilderness, and through their journey of thirty-eight (38) years, they continually provoked God so that the entire journey would be called ‘the provocation.’ Their hearts were hardened as a stone, and they ALL perished in the wilderness, all who had come out of Egypt were blown by the sands of time in the wilderness wandering, only Joshua and Caleb (of the original exiled out of Egypt) were allowed to enter into the promised land. They took with them a new nation that God had raised up out of the desert wandering, they passed over the waters of the Jordan, and God gave them the newness of life in the new land. However, at the marriage feast we find that these water pots were empty, as is everyone without Christ is empty. Mankind desires to be full, but sin has overshadowed his mind, his heart, and his soul so that mankind desires to be full of wealth, full of power, full of prestige and honor, full of possessions, full of himself; yet, he is found empty and wanting.

And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. (Daniel 5:25) This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. (Daniel 5:26) TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. (Daniel 5:27)

   The emptiness of the water pots speaks loudly of what took place at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam surrendered everything in exchange for sin. He became an empty vessel before God, and subsequently, he had to be driven out from the presence of God. His soul had died within, and needed to be restored. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. (Psalm 23:3)

   Every child of God finds comfort in the twenty third Psalm, In fact the 23^rd Psalm becomes their way of life, and the walk of faith as they walk with the Lord. It becomes, as the world proclaims, their comfort food (which is their manna from heaven). As they walk with the Lord every day, they hear these words in their hearts, Come and see.

   After the trial, tribulation, and the emotion of every day in this path of life, the Lord reassures us that we will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. As the world wants the fullness of the things of man, the child of God wants the fullness of Christ gleaning the visions of eternity through the Word of God, and the ever present guidance of the Spirit of Christ. We hear the echo, as the sun is setting, from the Spirit of God crying out in our hearts. Come and see.

   The Lord employed man to fill the water pots just as we (Christians) are directed concerning the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our part, as the children of God, is to prepare a path for the souls of mankind, to direct them to the Lord of glory, and He, and He alone will give the increase. Although man fills the water pots, it is the Lord who gives life to the water.

And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man’s heart. (Psalm 104:15)

And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? (Judges 9:13)

   In the 104^th Psalm it is the Almighty who prepares a world for the habitation of mankind, the beasts of the fields, and the birds of the air. It is God who provides their sustenance for all. And He is the One who sends forth the fruit of the fields including the wine. The wine is not given to dull the senses of man’s heart, but to provide a symbol of joy as it relates to what is the joy of our salvation in Jesus Christ.  

    We should understand that the drunkenness of man is because of sin, and believe me, there is NO joy in the drunkenness. It leads to many tragedies, and in the extreme, brings forth death. The supernatural in changing the water into wine gave a different joy then the old wine that they had taken. It was truly the best wine, in a supernatural way, because the Lord put His own joy in the hearts of those at the wedding feast just as He fills the hearts of all the redeemed with the joy of heaven. The Lord Jesus, in dealing with this sinful world, sends forth the waters of life. He sends the rain on the just and on the unjust; therefore, we see the work of the Spirit of God in each individual who loves the Lord filling us with the waters of Christ, springing up within us, bringing forth the joy of our salvation which will be brought to its FULLNESS in Revelation 19:7, Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

The Result of the Divine Call

— The Bride Made Ready —

   This is one of the visions that was given to John in this most remarkable book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. It so overwhelmed John that in verse 10 he fell at the feet of the messenger to worship him. And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. (Revelation 19:10) Think of this: Moses did not have this vision, David did not have this vision, all the prophets of the Old Testament did not have this particular vision, but it is at the end of this age, through the word of God, and the presence of the Holy Spirit, that we are blessed to be able to look into the future, with the eyes of faith, and be filled with the joy of the Lord. In Revelation 19:7, the words of ALL will be joyful, the hearts of ALL will rejoice in giving praise and glory to our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. The fact that our garments are mentioned in Chapter 19, verse 8, should overwhelm us, for we are arrayed in fine linen, And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. We first should notice that the Bride is arrayed in fine linen, and her garments are clean and white, and described as the righteousness of saints — clean, for they have been washed in the blood of God.

— The Bride Made Ready by the Blood of God —

   Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. (Acts 20:28) This is the BLOOD of GOD! As God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, it is the blood of the eternal Son, and the eternal Lamb reconciling the world. But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (1 Peter 1:9) Notice that as all garments in Revelation 19:8, He, Himself, was without blemish and without spot, and as we partake of these garments we have been made pure in Him.

   He is the One who holds the complete span of eternity in His hand. We are waiting, to be called to the great marriage supper of the Lamb. As in the Song of Solomon, we wait to hear the voice of the Lord Jesus as our beloved will speak, and He will say unto me, and to all the redeemed, Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away.

My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. (Song of Songs 2:10) The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. (Song of Songs 2:13)

   Why are we in this position in Song of Songs in verses 10 and 13? We have to return to verse 4 of Song of Songs, Chapter 2, He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love. Here we see the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of man, the Son of God has brought us to His banqueting house, and this house is His own house, But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. (Hebrews 3:6) Let us not forget the crimson banner over us: this is His love, yesterday, today, and forever. The Old Testament proves to us that our God, the Lord Jesus Christ, NEVER changes. He is the same through all eternity. His mercies are new every morning to those who love Him. Yes, He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.

The Third Day

— The Seed Within Itself – New Fruit – Resurrection —

    It was the third day when the earth brought forth fruit in Genesis 1:12 and 13. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:12) And the evening and the morning were the third day. (Genesis 1:13)

   Let us return to the third day in the 2^nd Chapter of the gospel of John. On the third day, in the gospel of John Chapter 2, the Lord Jesus brought forth a new fruit. This is the new day. This is the day of the first fruits of resurrection. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Romans 8:29) The Lord Jesus not only has the power of an endless life, but in this life He has the power of resurrection for His own. To comfort His own, He displayed this power in His own resurrection. The words from the messenger from on high, He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see . . . (Matthew 28:6) This was the shot heard round the world that shattered the span of time. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see . . .

   On the third day, Christ arose from the dead. He arose as the first born of many brethren. From the very beginning of time, God provided a picture, in His word, of resurrection, and of new fruit tied and linked to the third day. It was on the third day in Genesis that the earth brought forth fruit, and we have a very important phrase: whose seed was in itself.

And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. (Genesis 1:9)

And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:10)

And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. (Genesis 1:11)

And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:12)

And the evening and the morning were the third day. (Genesis 1:13)

   The Lord Jesus referred to Himself as the eternal Seed of righteousness concerning the salvation of man. As the seed that fell into the ground, He gave His life so that in the power of resurrection He would bring forth much fruit from the dust of the earth. In John Chapter 12, verse 24, we read this statement from the Lord Jesus: Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. This verse has a tremendous weight in that it describes the very supernatural work that the Lord Jesus is about to accomplish. We also see in verse 23 of Chapter 12, And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified, that He was referring to the hour of His crucifixion, and in that hour He would be glorified. This will also give us great insight into the knowledge of the Lamb, for it will be the glorified Bridegroom who will be glorified, and we, as the Bride, will be partakers of His image and glory.

    So the earth puts forth its fruit on the third day in Genesis, and on the third day in the gospel of John, the earth put forth its fruit: the resurrection of the Lord. The third day, in John, gives us the joy of the Lord in the day of resurrection, for truly, His seed remaineth in Himself.

Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. (1 John 3:9)

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. (1 Peter 1:23)

Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. (James 1:18)

   We are reminded, once again, that all things (seen and unseen) come from above from the Creator of all things: the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Wedding Scene in Time and in Eternity

— He is Revealed —

   After such a wonderful wedding scene in John Chapter 2, the Holy Spirit reminds us that at this wedding the Lord Jesus manifested His glory, and so we travel to the marriage of the Lamb where He will manifest His glory, and we will be partakers of that glory. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him. (John 2:11) After the marriage and the wedding ceremony, we have this statement, the beginning of miracles. He manifested His glory through this miracle.

   In Revelation Chapter 19, after the wedding feast, we have the heavens opened and behold He, who is faithful and true, the Spirit of prophecy, the Lord Jesus comes forth on a white horse to judge and make war. It is in this further section in Chapter 19, verse 16 that He is revealed as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. He is revealing to the earth His intrinsic glory as the Son of God, and as the Son of man; the armies, with Him, rejoice in His glory and follow Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. Oh, what a wedding that will be, and the center of all will be the wine from heaven, the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

   After the wedding in John Chapter 2, the Lord retreats to Capernaum, a place that was known to His ministry. He said of Capernaum, And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. (Matthew 11:23) This is a sad testimony for Capernaum. The Lord brooded over the people of Capernaum, and yet, they would not come to the Person of heaven’s glory, the Lord Jesus Christ.

   He left the joy of the wedding to go and minister to a nest of vipers. In His own words He condemned Capernaum, and this should be a message to every ungodly city, ungodly town, and ungodly hamlets in this world. The Lord of righteousness has come with salvation in His wings, but He will also come as the Judge with fire in His eyes. The Spirit of God speaks to our hearts once more, and He says, Come and see.

The LORD’S Passover — The Jews Passover

— The Sweet Savour contrasted with the Stink of Corruption —

   The Spirit of God opens another picture in Chapter 2, verse 13, And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Three times in the writings of Moses and in the entire Old Testament the Passover was called the LORD’S passover: twice in Exodus as a witness before them, and once in Leviticus, as an everlasting reminder that it is the LORD’S passover. Why is this so important?

And thus shall ye eat it; [with] your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it [is] the LORD’S passover. (Exodus 12:11)

That ye shall say, It [is] the sacrifice of the LORD’S passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped. (Exodus 12:27)

In the fourteenth [day] of the first month at even [is] the LORD’S passover. (Leviticus 23:5)

   The Old Testament sacrifices that were instituted and given of God were shadows of His Son to come. These sacrifices would be a sweet incense unto God Almighty. The same as the sweet incense that flows from the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. (Ephesians 5:2) But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD. (Leviticus 1:9)

    God the Holy Spirit exposes, in the New Testament, the religious corruption that had taken control of the LORD’S passover by referring to it as the Jews’ passover.

And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, (John 2:13)

   And the Jews’ passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves. (John 11:55) These commercialized sacrifices were no longer a sweet savor unto the Lord.

    In Chapter 2, verse 18 of John, we have the usurpers. They not only reigned over the vineyard, but had taken it for their own possession (speaking of the nation of Israel as the vineyard). Everything that belonged to God the Creator, was seized and claimed by the religionists, the scholars, teachers, and priests to be their rightful domain; thus, the LORD’S passover now became defined by the Spirit of God as the Jews passover. In the word of God, He specifically titled the passover as His: the LORD’S Passover. Why is this important? Because ALL of Israel was supposed to remember on THAT day, it was the LORD who delivered them out of Egypt by the blood of the lamb.

    Not only did the Lord Jesus go to Jerusalem, but He was there as the true Lamb of God. He was there as BOTH the Passover and the temple. Not only had the Jews perverted the Passover, but they had also perverted the temple as well. They had usurped their falsely assumed authority over both the Passover and the temple. It belonged to them, and not to the LORD.

   In like manner, the Church has perverted the truth and the doctrines of truth. The corrupt and sanctimonious professing Church has usurped the rightful place of Christ as both the passover and the temple of the Lord. He is the way (not the Church); He is the truth (not the Church); He is Life (not the Church); and He alone is the way to eternal life (not the Church). They (the empty vessels of stone, the religionists, scholars, teachers, priests) have claimed Easter as their domain. They are not troubled by mocking God; they have no problem training children to hunt eggs (as a game) in the sight of God which is an abomination to the Almighty. These religious usurpers have redefined the Passover, the sacrifice of Christ, the blood of Christ, His resurrection in power, majesty, and glory with meaningless twisted symbols of rabbits, games, candy, and through misrepresentation intermingled it to become an accepted form of worship in the traditions of men. (It’s for the children, what can be wrong when it is always for the children.)  They speak of resurrection, yet, know not the One who holds the power of an endless life. Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. (Hebrews 7:16) They bow to the sun-god in the early hours of Easter in their twisted theology, and know not the true Son of creation and eternity. And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD’S house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, [were] about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east. (Ezekiel 8:16) But the Lord shall suddenly come to His temple. What did He find in John Chapter 2 when He went to the temple in Jerusalem?

    His eyes of fire searched the temple, and He found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting. (John 2:14) It hasn’t changed today for the bulk of Christianity has become a commercial enterprise. They wander through the darkness as vessels of stone without the Spirit of God, and they have made merchandise out of the saints of God.

And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise. (John 2:16)

But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. (2 Peter 2:1)

And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. (2 Peter 2:2)

And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. (2 Peter 2:3)

   These verses from 2^nd Peter would dovetail into the life of the religious leaders of the Jews in the day of Christ. One of the biggest perversions in the day of the Jews was the pharisaical perversion of the Sabbath. They used this with their own corrupt interpretation and misrepresentation, and not the stringent guide lines given to Moses by the Lord. Therefore, the perversion of the passover was right in line with their perversion of the Sabbath.

   In 2^nd Peter we have the same heart of mankind reaching into the Church and usurping the things of God for their humanistic beliefs, and their insatiable greed for money and power, thus, making merchandise of the children of God. Read the entire 2^nd Chapter of 2^nd Peter. Spend some Spirit filled time in this Chapter. Digest it. Make it part of your heart, soul, and spirit. And your eyes will be opened to the religious world of man that we live in today.

   The Lord suddenly came to His temple, and exposed that they had no conscience concerning the law of Moses that was given by the Lord. They were selling oxen, sheep and doves. Now where did these sacrifices come from? They came from the commercial pens in Jerusalem. The Pharisees and the Levites were heavily invested in these pens of shame. How do I know that the passover was commercialized? (Read John 10:1-4) And what did the Lord do first? He went right to the money changers. He wasted no time in overturning their tables and driving them out. By doing this, He was condemning the commercialization of the law of Moses, and the wickedness that the religious leaders had brought into His house.

And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: (John 2:14)

And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables; (John 2:15)

And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.(John 2:16)

And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. (John 2:17)

    As He was driving out the commercial entities of the money changers, Christ  claimed the house for Himself and for God the Father. His presence makes Him the Lord of His house. He, Himself, is the LORD of His temple, and the embodiment of the temple of God. And it is HE, the Lord Jesus, who is over His own house. But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. (Hebrews 3:6)

   He appeared as the Refiner with fire in His eyes. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; (Revelation 1:14)

But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he [is] like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: (Malachi 3:2)

And he shall sit [as] a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. (Malachi 3:3)

   In Malachi 3:3, we have a specific offering, the offering is unto the LORD, this offering is one of righteousness. This contradicts the offerings of the Jews, when the Lord appeared in His temple. They had commercialized ALL the offerings. No wonder that His eyes were as a flame of fire, as He saw them trampling unto foot the laws and ordinances that had been given through Moses. The money changers weren’t there for convenience. They were there for gain. Their presence in the temple defiled the temple. They sat in commercial garments trying to be something that they were not. These money changers had no right to be present in the temple. They were the added commercial abomination of that day. They are still with us today. The commercialization of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ has no boundaries because their formula for success is based on a lie. The lie is that it is for God and His work. These money changers set up their tables, sell merchandise, products, programs, entertainment events, and yes, even their so-called gospel outreach comes with a price. The Church should hang its head in shame. What they have brought into the house that they claim is God’s house? They have outdone the money changers, even Church web sites have click baits and commercial ads upon ads.

   Religious corruption goes all the way back to the 1^st century of Church history. In Revelation Chapter 3, Laodicea was a Church within the 1^st century, and even in its infancy they received a rebuke from the Lord Himself.

And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; (Revelation 3:14)

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. (Revelation 3:15)

So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. (Revelation 3:16)

Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: (Revelation 3:17)

I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. (Revelation 3:18)

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.(Revelation 3:19)

   What have these eyes of fire seen today? Babylon the Great, full of all the abominations of the earth is still with us today using the mask of Christianity to pervert the souls of man. And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. (Revelation 17:5) And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. (Revelation 17:6)

   Why do we bring in Babylon the Great into our present age? It is because the merchandise of Babylon is Great in comparison with the commercialization of the Church today. The empty stone vessels of Churchaholics have lost all reasoning because of the greed of mammon. They have given themselves over to the products and the production of the world. They no longer acknowledge the suffering of Christ and His people for the righteousness of God.

   In verse 15 of Chapter 2 of the gospel of John, the Lord Jesus made a scourge of small cords. (John 2:15) And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables.

   This scourge was like the 17^th century seaman’s scourge. It was not merely a whip, but 12 cords woven from one handle. This would give a disobedient seaman a beating that he would never forget.

   The apostle Paul speaks of himself as being beaten with a comparative scourge. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. (2^nd Corinthians 11:24) As well as being beaten with rods, and even stones, Paul was left for dead. 　Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; (2^nd Corinthians 11:25) Is this the servant of God today? We have to look far into the darkness of this world to find a glimmer of life as the apostle Paul. Few and far are the true servants of God upon this earth.

   The Lord of vengeance had come to His temple. He had come to judge the seat of iniquity. He was mad! He would show His wrath to these men who thought it was nothing to defile the house of God. This is the insight of the Lord’s anger: He drove them OUT of the temple because of their wickedness. Can I tell you where the word ‘drove’ first was mentioned in the holy Book of God? It was in Genesis Chapter 3, verse 24. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. The Lord God drove Adam out of the garden, set up a flaming sword, and Cherubims of judgment to make it impossible for Adam or any of his descendants to return to the garden. The sword of fire was the sword of judgment and it would not allow Adam (adorned with sin) to return. It would be impossible for man to return to the tree of life. Adam left the garden as a condemned man with the judgment of God upon him. For the wages of sin is death. Now without going too far beyond John Chapter 2, let us state this: the only way back to God was/is through faith in God’s sacrificial work. Abel, in Hebrews Chapter 11, was the first embodiment of faith giving his life for his faith. How’s that Laodicea?

   Showing the far reaching arm of judgment against Jerusalem, and the temple of Herod, the Lord prophesied that not one stone would be left upon another. History confirms this that in 70 A.D. Titus destroyed the lavish temple of Herod, and destroyed Jerusalem. The Lord’s prophecy was so accurate that there was not one stone left upon another. It was razed to the ground, and to this day there has not been another temple for the Jews since every stone was cast down.

And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. (Matthew 24:2)

And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. (Mark 13:2)

And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. (Luke 19:44)

[As for] these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. (Luke 21:6)

   The Lord of glory drove them out of the temple. This included the commercial property: the sheep and the oxen. Here we have two great truths: the lamb was for the individual, it had to be a male, it had to be a first born, and it had to be pure without and within. Most likely the sacrifices that He drove out would not be according to the law of Moses. The Jews had bent the law in so many ways, what would be a few more twists from the truth. (Purity of the sheep and oxen was not in their profit margin.) In the law of Moses, the lamb was mainly for the individual, as this individual would bring his first born lamb to the tabernacle, lay his hand on its head, and confess his sin looking forward toward John Chapter 1, Behold the Lamb of God.

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. (John 1:29)

And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! (John 1:36)

Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: (Exodus 12:3)

And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. (Exodus 12:4)

(Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: (Exodus 12:5)

   In the gospel of John the True Sacrifice and the True Offering stood before John the Baptist as God’s love, God’s passion, and God’s sacrifice in Himself as all the Old Testament offerings, ordinances and sacrifices foretold and pictured. It would be the highest Himself who would shed His blood on the great day of world atonement on the cross of Calvary. The symbol of the oxen speaks of the Sonship of Christ; it also had to be the first born without blemish showing the life of Christ that He was without blemish and without sin. There was no guile nor enmity in the Son of God. The ox also represents the burden bearer. Christ, as the Son of man and the Son of God, carried the greatest burden for us — our sin. He was a Man of sorrows, and acquainted with ALL grief, He was tempted in all parts as we are, yet, without sin. In the two great spiritual returns of Israel under Hezekiah  and Josiah, the bullock or the ox was the predominant sacrifice because the sin of Israel was so great in their day. These two kings (Hezekiah and Josiah) knew the depth of the sins of the people, and they included themselves in the need of forgiveness and redemption. Notice the horrific number of sheep, goats, and oxen that were offered to the Lord on the Passover.

For Hezekiah king of Judah did give to the congregation a thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to the congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep: and a great number of priests sanctified themselves. (2 Chronicles 30:24)

And Josiah gave to the people, of the flock, lambs and kids, all for the passover offerings, for all that were present, to the number of thirty thousand, and three thousand bullocks: these were of the king’s substance. (2 Chronicles 35:7)

And his princes gave willingly unto the people, to the priests, and to the Levites: Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, rulers of the house of God, gave unto the priests for the passover offerings two thousand and six hundred small cattle, and three hundred oxen. (2 Chronicles 35:8)

Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethaneel, his brethren, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, chief of the Levites, gave unto the Levites for passover offerings five thousand small cattle, and five hundred oxen. (2 Chronicles 35:9)

the service was prepared, and the priests stood in their place, and the Levites in their courses, according to the king’s commandment. (2 Chronicles 35:10)

And they killed the passover, and the priests sprinkled the blood from their hands, and the Levites flayed them. (2 Chronicles 35:11)

And they removed the burnt offerings, that they might give according to the divisions of the families of the people, to offer unto the LORD, as it is written in the book of Moses. And so did they with the oxen. (2 Chronicles 35:12)

And they roasted the passover with fire according to the ordinance: but the other holy offerings sod they in pots, and in caldrons, and in pans, and divided them speedily among all the people. (2 Chronicles 35:13)

And afterward they made ready for themselves, and for the priests: because the priests the sons of Aaron were busied in offering of burnt offerings and the fat until night; therefore the Levites prepared for themselves, and for the priests the sons of Aaron. (2 Chronicles 35:14)

    In the days of both Hezekiah and Josiah the number of sacrifices on their Passovers was according to the great sin of the people. (In both these great Passovers there were no commercialization or moneychangers.) We should remember that in the case of both of these kings the Passover had been put aside and had not been celebrated for many years. Even Hezekiah had to keep it other than it was written in the law of Moses for he kept it in the 2^nd month and not in the 1^st month because the Levites had not prepared themselves to be sanctified before God. Josiah’s Passover was so remarkable that God recorded this in 2^nd Chronicles 35:18. And there was no passover like to that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet; neither did all the kings of Israel keep such a passover as Josiah kept, and the priests, and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel that were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

   In Chronicles we have a greater Passover than even in the days of Samuel. This last Passover, that was recorded, was before the children of Israel went into captivity. In 2^nd Kings, the Holy Spirit goes back further to the days of the judges. And the king commanded all the people, saying, Keep the passover unto the LORD your God, as it is written in the book of this covenant. (2 Kings 23:21) Surely there was not holden such a passover from the days of the judges that judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, nor of the kings of Judah; (2 Kings 23:22)

   God witnessed that this Passover, which Josiah gave the people of Israel, was greater than all the previous Passovers of all the kings including Solomon. When we think of this point in history let us consider how great was the sin of the people; so therefore, the Passover had to be above their sin. The Passover had to be greater than the iniquity of the people of Israel. The tremendous number of animals that were sacrificed was in direct relationship to the sin in the hearts of the people of Israel. This makes us look at Calvary with our eyes wide open. For at Calvary, the sin of the world was laid on the divine Sacrifice. God Himself shed His blood on the cross. He became the sacrifice for sin. He was and is the divine pascal Lamb. No other sacrifice could be given among man to take away the sin of the world, and to nullify Adam as the son of man.

   We have been given a man in heaven, the true Son of man, who possesses all the divine attributes of God for He is the Son of God with all glory and power. He is the Creator of all things, and from the very beginning, He has been the manifestation of the determinate counsels of God so that He, Himself, would fulfill the fullness of time.

    In the temple the Lord (as documented in the gospel of John) Christ was in a rage. He expressed His wrath on the commercialization of His house. He overthrew the tables of the money changers, and drove them out. He overthrew what was against God — mammon. Mammon had taken hold of their hearts. The religion of the Jews had become sellers of merchandise just as today the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is used again and again to get into the pockets of the people of God. From pocket to pocket the religious man lines his pockets with mammon.

   The proud religious man builds his own religious kingdom which he resides over. And all put a price on the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

   The tables in the temple should have been adorned with shewbread. And Solomon made all the vessels that were for the house of God, the golden altar also, and the tables whereon the shewbread was set; (2 Chronicles 4:19) Why should this be important to us? Think of the Lord Jesus as the manna sent down from heaven for us so that we might have fellowship with God. Although the tables were symbolic, their dimensions and design were given by God. The tables were in the sanctuary for this was a place where God could meet with man, as both Moses and Aaron are presented to us as intercessors between God and man prefiguring the Lord Jesus Christ. The table in the tabernacle and in Solomon’s temple was a symbol of fellowship between God and man. We have a picture of this in the breaking of bread in Emmaus, for the Lord was known unto them specifically in the breaking of bread. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. (Luke 24:30) And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. (Luke 24:31) And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread. (Luke 24:35) Remember that they were meeting with the resurrected Man, the Lord Jesus Christ, and soon He would ascend up to heaven, and take His place at the right hand of God. Here at Emmaus He had fellowship with them in the breaking of bread.

   Do you see the importance of the table of shewbread in both the tabernacle and in Solomon’s temple? Do you see the importance of these tables being replaced by the sellers of merchandise and the money changers? Do you see the state of the heart of man? The religious person of that day was out of fellowship with God, in fact, there was NO fellowship with God. Man and the religious leaders did not want to have fellowship with God. The tables of the bread of fellowship had been replaced with tables of moneychangers. Does this not speak loudly of their sinful condition before God? I remind you also of the last breaking of bread recorded in the New Testament, and it was not in the upper room, but in Revelation 3:20 when the Church pushed aside their fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Only the Overcomer has fellowship with Him. The Lord Jesus this very day, as the Lord of hope and glory, stands at the door of your heart and knocks. If any man opens the door, the Lord gives a divine promise that He will come in and sup with him, and the soul that hungers and thirsts after righteousness will sup with Him, and will feast upon the writings of Moses, Law of God, the prophets, the Psalms, and the fullness of the New Testament. After this fellowship with the Lord Jesus, we say within ourselves, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? (Luke 24:32)

   And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise. In John 2:16, they even sold the doves and young pigeons. And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. (Luke 2:24) This is how greed takes over everything. The doves and  young pigeons were given for the poor in Israel. The Lord had made a provision that if anyone was financially unable to present a lamb or a bullock they then could offer a dove or a young pigeon. And if the burnt sacrifice for his offering to the LORD [be] of fowls, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves, or of young pigeons. (Leviticus 1:14) And if he be not able to bring a lamb, then he shall bring for his trespass, which he hath committed, two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, unto the LORD; one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering. (Leviticus 5:7) Always think of Leviticus as a trail that leads to Calvary. In every sacrifice and offering in Leviticus always see the fullness of the sacrifice of the Man of Calvary, the Lord Jesus Christ. All these sacrifices in Leviticus points to the fullness of time.

   In verse 16 of John 2, the proclamation of the Lord is with a loud voice, and reverberating voice that echoes throughout history, it is like the voice of many waters as in Revelation Chapter 1. And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise. (John 2:16) And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. (Revelation 1:15) At the sound of His voice John fell at the feet of the Lord as dead. It was the Lord who touched him with His right hand, and declared unto him that He, the Lord, was the first and the last. In verse 18 of Revelation Chapter 1, the Lord proclaimed loudly I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

   The image, which John beheld in Revelation Chapter 1, was extremely terrifying to the apostle, and to think that the Lord’s voice was timid at this point in Herod’s temple is not seeing the tremendous abomination that the Jews had allowed. The Lord also claimed Herod’s temple for His Father in heaven. These were bold and forceful words, this is NOW my Father’s house, it is no longer the temple of Herod, nor the temple of the Jews, but it is my Father’s house. I am sure that what His flaming eyes beheld turned His heart within Him as in Hosea 11:8 How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together. In Hosea we see divine compassion full of love for Ephraim, and yet, Ephraim did not appreciate God’s divine compassion. God’s heart was turned within Him, and now let us fast forward to the Lord’s day, and His presence in the temple. He was jealous for His Father’s house. He could not bear to see the wickedness within the temple. And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise. (John 2:16) And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. (John 2:17)

   After this confrontation with the money changers in the temple, Scripture further discloses the spiritual condition of emptiness of the vessels of stone. They did not repent, but instead they required a sign. He had just openly rebuked and had exposed their wickedness by His actions and His words. Centuries have past; yet, the religious heart exposes the empty vessels of stone that never changes as they walk around crying, Moses, Moses; and yet, not believing the writings of Moses is the very same heart that rules within the religionists of today as they cry, Jesus, Jesus; and yet, not believing in saving faith, or being supernaturally born again, and even casting doubt on the words of Christ.

   The words, Moses said, were so familiar to them that they dismissed the actual words and the power behind the words: the Almighty God. Moses said, this was the hypocritical lie of the Jews. In our present day, it is ‘Jesus said,’ however, they selectively pick their Scriptures and portray the Lord as descending down to their own level of sin, and approving that sin because of its universal humanistic appeal, not considering that they are in complete opposition to God’s righteousness. Attending Church (being faithful to a set time, place, and even a seat) has become the message of the age. The place has replaced the Person. Obedience to man has replaced obedience to God’s righteousness, and subjection to the authority of the pulpit and organization has replaced the Sovereignty of God. The Spirit of God has been replaced by committee opinion. Usurpers select Scriptures out of context and time frame twisting them for their own means. However, when anyone takes them into the Bible, and begins to expound the Scriptures to them, their eyes glaze over, they stop their ears, and run down the road.

The Third Day

—The Sign —

   The Jews, not listening to the words of the Lord required a sign. Consequently, the Lord verbally gave them a sign. Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? (John 2:18) Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. (John 2:19)The Jews could not conceive of such a thing. You would think that the Pharisees, who believed in resurrection, would have understood, instead they could only see the man-made temple before them. They stated that it had taken 46 years to build Herod’s temple (it must have been a marvelous sight). Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? (John 2:20) This monument of man held all their affections, and their loyalty. This also can be stated today regarding the most basic Church building, that the building draws the affections and loyalties and not the Person of Christ.

   The true Temple of God, in the body of the Lord Jesus Christ, was before them, and yet, He had come to His own, and His own received Him not. The Jews were blind to this manifestation of Christ; even His disciples could not receive this truth till AFTER His resurrection from the dead. When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said. (John 2:2) The Lord fulfilled His own prophecy concerning His death and resurrection that in three days He came forth from the tomb. And for our age, we have a reminder, we should not have to be reminded, but the Savior, Himself, reminds us in Revelation 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. These are the words from a Living Savior, and they are cast over the history of the seven Churches. Verily, verily. Truely, truely, He has taken away the finality of death for the riches of an endless life. We are part of His life. We are members of His Body. And we ARE part of the temple of God. For He is within us forever more. Amen.

   Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16) If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. (1 Corinthians 3:17) As we are part of His death on the cross, He took our identity, a sinner in Adam, and nailed it to His cross so that Adam would be no more.

That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: (Ephesians 2:12)

But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:13)

For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; (Ephesians 2:14)

Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; (Ephesians 2:15)

And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: (Ephesians 2:16)

   The obedience of One came to overthrow the disobedience of another. The Son of God obeyed the Father in bringing God down to mankind in this same obedience, as the Son of man, He has lifted us up to heaven. It becomes the Father’s joy to translate His children into the kingdom of His dear Son. As we have been redeemed from the children of disobedience to the sons of obedience, we have been united in the kingdom of the Son of His love. The Son of His love is the perfect Body. The Son of His love is the perfect Temple of God.

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: (Colossians 1:13) In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: (Colossians 1:14)

   The depth, the height, and the width of our salvation are beyond the mind of Adam. This is why the children of Adam grope in the darkness, never understanding the love of God through faith and grace. God proclaimed, Let this mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus. It is the anointing of the Spirit of God in the new born babe in Christ to quicken the mind, heart, soul and spirit simultaneously so that this new born child desires the sincere milk of the word of God. The Spirit of God, as the divine Tutor, explains in the heart the truth of every word written in God’s Book. Let this mind be in you because only the mind of Christ can share the glories of His kingdom and the glories of God the Father.

   Paul in all his hardship always kept before him Galatians 2:20 — not just the words of this verse, but the spirit of this verse. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Paul had understood that the Spirit of God had mysteriously united his own death with the death of the Lord Jesus Christ at the cross of Calvary. The very words that Paul used remains a mystery to the world, but these words are a wonder of our salvation because of the Spirit of God. To be crucified with Christ we have to recognize the death of Adam, and then in THIS life we live in the power of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I possess this new life. It is not I who lives, but Christ lives in me, and this new life was given as a gift. It was the gift of faith from the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.

   The Spirit of God now breaks from the temple, and directs us to those who believe on His name. Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. (John 2:23) All the miracles that the Lord Jesus performed were not all written in the word of God. The ones that were written were to draw our attention that we may understand that He was/is the Son of God. These miracles that were recorded were written for us to marvel. Each recorded miracle has a message for the hearts of man. In each miracle it applies to someone out there who is grieving, suffering, and has endured loss and even sickness both physically and mentally. In every miracle there is a message for someone out there. It is a message of divine importance giving us an object lesson in the divine mercy, and love of the Lord Jesus Christ. From a broken hearted father who has lost his little girl to death, now sees her alive at the hand of the Master of life: the Lord Jesus Christ. To the sister who cried out to Him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. As emotion swelled within the Savior, God cried, Jesus wept. Then, with a voice of authority that still echoes today, He proclaimed life to the dead, Lazarus, come forth. Not only death was removed, but even the decay of death, and Lazarus responded to the newness of life.

   And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. (John 11:43) And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. (John 11:44) The chains of death were removed, and Lazarus had been freed and loosed from death by the power of the Lord of life, Come and see.

— HE KNOWS —

   John Chapter 2 ends with a message from heaven. This is to every man, this is to the one hiding in the dark corner, it is to the one who is running after sin, it is to the one who ignores the very Being of God, it is to all of mankind born of a woman. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, (John 2:24) And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man. (John 2:24

   The obedience of Christ comes out in these verses. He KNEW ALL men. Nothing is hidden or done in a closet that He does not know, whether in prayer or in conspiracy and guile, the secret places of mankind cannot hide anyone from the Judge of the whole earth.

   As the Son of God He is the fullness of the Godhead bodily. He is the manifestation of the invisible God with all of God’s attributes. He needs not the witness of mankind for He has watched mankind for thousands, and thousands of years, and mankind has NOT changed. He knows what is in the man Adam, and all his descendants. Sin reigns in the life of ALL men without Christ. Someone once said to me, I believe in Christ. I replied, If you can’t fool me, how can you fool God? What then spewed out from his heart only reassured me that if I follow God’s Spirit with the mind of Christ, I will see all men for what they really are, and I will know what all men need: the saving grace of my Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

© Copyright 2020, Michael Haigh

This article may be used, but not for gain. Freely ye have received, freely give.

All Scripture references are from the Authorized King James Bible. (KJV)