Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Lesson 29.1: Listen To Jesus - Part 2 of 2

Brief 4-to-5 Minute Teaching Lesson

Why? and What is the Purpose? in My Life SERIES

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The continuation of lesson 29 of the Discipleship Making process, where in part one of this lesson we learned that God does not want His followers to be in darkness when it comes to the future.

In summary of the last lesson, we found Jesus and three of His disciples, Peter, James and John on top of a high mountain (Mt. Hermon) praying. It is on top of this mountain that we are now coming to understand the meaning of this vision of Jesus, Moses and Elijah, known as the “Mount of Transfiguration”, where the Kingdom of God had appeared with power and glory, ultimately giving us many clues about the future.

Read: Matthew 17:4-13, Mark 9:5-13, Luke 9:33-36

The vision doesn’t tell us exactly when Jesus’ millennial reign will take place but it does give the time of year for its occurrence . . . early in the seventh month (September/October) of God’s calendar. This was derived from Peter’s statement about the construction of tabernacles (sukkahs) for Jesus, Moses and Elijah.

There are two significant feasts of the Lord that occur early in the seventh month of Tishri.
  1. On the first day of the month is Yom Teruah, the Day of Blowing the Trumpet (The day is also called Rosh Ha Shannah/Head of the Year, Yom Hazikaron/Day of Remembrance, and Yom Haddin/Day of Judgment – representing the call to repentance). (ref. Exodus 23:14, Deuteronomy 16:16; Leviticus 23:24, Numbers 29:1 - ex. Ezekiel 18:21-23,30-32, Zephaniah 2:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, John 11:11, Romans 13:11, Daniel 12:1-2)
  2. On the tenth day of the month is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement (The day is also known as the day of covering, canceling, pardon, reconciling – representing forgiveness). (ref. Leviticus 16, 23:26-32 – ex. Hebrews 7, 9:23-10:18)
Following these two feasts of the Lord is Tabernacles, which begins on the fifteenth day of the month. From the evidence of Scripture the “transfiguration” would have occurred on Yom Teruah, the Day of Blowing the Trumpet. Hence the beginning of Jesus reign on earth would begin at the same time.

The book of Revelation says that His reign begins just prior to the sounding of the seventh and last trumpet blast (Revelation 10:7, Revelation 11:15Daniel 7). On Yom Teruah trumpets are blown throughout the day and as the day draws to a close the last trump is sounded with the note Tekiah Godola . . . an extended blast. In theory this note does not end until it is blown again ten days later at the end of the Day of Atonement.

The Hebrew teaching is that on Yom Teruah, God opens three books (Malachi 3:16-18, Revelation 20:12, and Talmud Mas. Rosh HaShana 16b:23-17a:5):
  • The Book of Life - those who are found therein are sealed for life.
  • The Book of the Dead - those who are found therein are wicked and sealed for judgment.
  • The Book of Repentance - this book includes most people whose works are neither good nor bad and they have until Yom Kippur to repent. This is called the sealing.
As the cloud (called the Shekinah in Hebrew, the cloud of glory that surrounds God Himself - ex. Exodus 13:21-22, Exodus 19:16-20:3-21, 1 Kings 6:11-14) began to descend upon the whole party God spoke a commandment to the disciples, This is My Son, My chosen one, Listen to (Hear & Obey) Him.” This is the Ancient of Days bestowing dominion, glory and a kingdom upon His Son, the Son of Man. The disciples fell on their faces and were terrified but they got the point; they needed to do the things that Jesus commanded them to do. Immediately, in the twinkling of an eye, Moses, Elijah and the cloud disappeared. This reminds us of the resurrection of the two witnesses in Revelation 11:12. When the vision ended Jesus touched His disciples and told them to get up and not be afraid.

The point of the lesson is to hear and obey Jesus now . . . before He returns!

With that, allow me to leave you with this question to consider, along with a little homework assignment until my next posting:

What qualities do children have that adults tend to lack?

. . . and the homework assignment . . .

Read Malachi 3:16 - 4:6
Read Daniel 7
Read Revelation 11

Until next time . . . Godspeed!

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