AN EXTENDED METAPHOR OF OUR ENTIRE CHRISTIAN LIFE

01-26-20 This message may be viewed live streaming video at youtube.com and tabernacleofmoses.org today Sunday at 11:00 am, and repeated 24/7 thereafter. The video, audio, and study notes are archived.

God is Thought. The brightness of our revelations depends upon the correctness of our doctrines,

our building blocks, our Godly thoughts laid one upon another, ascending into the mind of Christ.

THE WATER OF SEPARATION IS A PURIFICATION FOR SIN

(Num 19:9) And a man that is clean [Heb: pure] [undefiled, holy] shall gather up the ashes of the [red] heifer [symbolizing Jesus Christ as a complete burnt offering Holy unto the Lord], and lay them up without the camp in a clean place, and it [the ashes of the red heifer] shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel [and washing with the ashes mixed with water shall be] for a water of separation: it is a purification for sin.

PREFACE

(Mat 14:21)  And they that had eaten [of the five loaves and two fishes] were about five thousand men, beside [thousands of] women and children.

1.     (John 6:15)  When Jesus therefore perceived that they [the unsaved multitude] would come and take him by force, to make him a king [a secular king among other secular kings, not understanding that He already is the secular/spiritual King of Kings], he departed again into a mountain himself alone.

THE OF JOURNEY OF THE DISCIPLES INTO HEAVEN COMMENCES

(Mat 14:22,23)  And straightway [Gk: at once or soon] Jesus constrained [Gk: to necessitate: compelled] his disciples [Gk: learners, pupils] [students] to get into a ship [Gk: a vessel] [a wooden boat; symbolically the church] [1], and to go before him [being supported upon the water of separation (the Holy Spirit), separated from the 5,000, and from the earthly world] unto the other side [i.e., westward from the eastern wilderness unto the Promised Land, a type and shadow of Heaven], while he sent the [unsaved] multitudes away. And when he had sent the multitudes away [2x for emphasis], he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. [2]

1.     Commentary: “a ship” = was a vessel assembled out of wooden boards. Throughout the Bible, men are symbolized as trees as in Psalms 1:1-3, and the example of the 48 priest-boards of the tabernacle from which, (Jesus Christ being the Great Carpenter), the wooden boards (planks) are fabricated. Thus, the wooden boards (planks) become instruments (tools) of God that are employed to build a ship, i.e., the church, composed of wooden priest-boards that will carry us into the glorious future.

a.      (Mat 13:47-50)  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net [i.e., the Word of God, the Bible], that was cast [from the Gospel ship] into the sea [a symbol of humanity], and gathered of every kind [believers and non-believers]: Which, when it was full [complete], they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good [Gk: beautiful, valuable, virtuous] [i.e., the saved] into vessels, but cast the bad [Gk: rotten, worthless: corrupt] [i.e., the unsaved] away. So shall it be at the end of the world [Gk: aion] [“aion” specifies this world, rather than “kosmos” which means the universe]: the angels shall come forth [“the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Rom 8:18)], and sever [with force and power] the wicked [Gk: hurtful, evil] [the unsaved] from among the just [Gk: innocent, holy: righteous] [the saved], And shall cast [Gk throw] them [the unsaved] into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

2.     (John 6:16,17)  And when even [evening] was now come [about 6:00 pm], his disciples went down unto the sea, And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum [in Palestine, the Promised Land, fig. Heaven]. And it was now dark [i.e., “night” (Heb: a twist away of the light), an evil time], and Jesus was not [yet] come to them [the second time (His second coming)].

THE GOSPEL SHIP IS SLOWLY BUT STEADILY MOVING FORWARD

THROUGH THE FIRST (fig.) 3 ½ YEARS OF TRIBULATION

(Mat 14:24)  But the [Gospel] ship was now in the midst [Gk: middle] of the sea, tossed [Gk: tortured: pain, toil, tormented, vexed] with waves: for the wind [Satan, “the god of this world” 2 Cor 4:4] was contrary [Gk: opposite; fig. antagonistic: against].

1.     (Mark 6:47)  And when even [night] was come, the ship was in the midst [Gk: middle] of the sea, and he alone on the land.

THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST UNTO HIS DISCIPLES

(Mat 14:25) And in the fourth watch of the night [about 6:00 am, about sunrise] Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea [an expression of His authority over humanity].

1.     (Mark  6:48)  And he saw them toiling [Gk: tortured: pain, toil, tormented, vexed] in rowing; for the wind [Satan, “the god of this world” 2 Cor 4:4] was contrary [Gk: opposite; fig. antagonistic: against] unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night [about 6:00 am, about sunrise] he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea [as an expression of His authority over humanity], and would have passed by them [Why? Answer: Once saved, always saved].

2.     (John 6:18,19)  And the sea arose [Gk: to wake fully, arouse: stirred up] by reason of a great wind [Satan, “the god of this world” 2 Cor 4:4] that blew [Gk: to breathe hard]. So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs [a], they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh [Gk: to squeeze or throttle; near] unto the ship [some of us are blessed to see/feel “the pressure” of His coming]: and they were afraid [an awesome reverential fear].

a.      Commentary: the northern part of the Sea of Galilee was approximately seven miles wide. One furlong equals 1/8 of a mile. Thus, “about five and twenty or thirty furlongs” equals between 3.125 or 3.75 miles, or “about” 3 ½ miles (a significant number) to “the midst” (Mat 14:24; Mark 6:47) or approximate middle of the sea. The disciples embarked upon their journey about 6:00 pm at sunset, the advent of night (i.e., no light). 12 hours later, Jesus came from the east (all the wise men come from the east) about 6:00 am with (as) the rising sun, walking upon the water of humanity. So the disciples had rowed 3 ½ miles in 12 hours. A normal walking pace is 3 miles per hour. Had their journey been on land and, most relevantly, had the wind not been “contrary,” the disciples could have walked 36 miles during the same time that they suffered rowing 3 ½ miles into the antagnostic face of the wind (Satan).

(Mat 14:26,27)  And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled [Gk: stirred up, agitated], saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

1.     (Mark 6:49,50)  But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out: For they all saw him [i.e., they all were saved], and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.

2.     (John 6:20)  But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid.

HIS SECOND COMING AND THE RAPTURE

(Mat 14:28-33)  And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou [vocalizing some doubt], bid me come unto thee on the water. And he [Jesus] said, Come [present tense]. And when Peter was come down out of the ship [1], he walked on the water [an expression of Peter’s authority as a missionary] to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous [Gk: forcible: mighty, powerful, strong] [2], he was afraid; and beginning to sink [backsliding back toward the earthly world], he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him [a type and shadow of the “rapture”], and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship [His Second Coming into us], the wind ceased [because Satan is cast into “the bottomless pit” Rev 20:1]. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God. [3]

1.     Commentary: “when Peter was come down” = figuratively coming down from the church as a missionary, but also a parallel of the blessings of salvation “coming down” upon the people in the sea of humanity from a type and shadow of Heaven (the church).

2.     Commentary: “But when he saw the wind boisterous” = Peter was being intentionally distracted by Satan (“the god of this world” 2 Cor 4:4) from his focus on Jesus by the overriding “cares of this world (Gk: aion)” Mark 4:19. Peter temporarily backslid. (fortunately, once saved, always saved).

3.     (Mark 6:51,52)  And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they [now in His presence] were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered [Gk: admired, marvelled]. For they [had] considered not the miracle of the loaves: for [previously] their heart was hardened.

THE CLOSING MIRACLE (RAPTURE)

(John 6:21)  Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went [i.e., the Gospel ship was “immediately” transported (“caught up” 1 Thes 4:17) over the remaining 3 ½ miles to the Promised Land (Heaven), thereby escaping at the onset of the Great Tribulation (nuclear war)].