The Strait and Narrow

Archive for the ‘Resurrections’ Category

 

Abel’s blood, not Abel himself, cried out to the Lord. Clearly this did not happen in a literal sense. Abel’s shed blood cried out from the ground to the Lord symbolically, for justice to be done, for his blood to be avenged, just like in Revelation 6:10.

Leviticus 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.

It is the Hebrew word nephesh that gives us the key:

Leviticus 17:11

Leviticus 17:11

Leviticus 17:11

Revelation 6:9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the blood of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
Revelation 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

Now verses 9 and 10 are coherent. It is the shed blood of the martyrs that is seen “under the altar”, not immortal bodiless souls. Just as Abel’s blood cries out symbolically for justice to the Lord, so does the blood of the martyrs “under the altar”. So, just what does “under the altar” mean, and where is this altar.

Now again, we have determined that Revelation 6:9 refers to the blood of Christian martyrs as being “under the altar”. This expression “under the altar” is explained by how sacrificial blood was used in the sanctuary. And knowing that there are two altars the altar of burnt offerings in the outer court, and the altar of incense in the first apartment of the sanctuary, or holy place.

Leviticus 4:7 And the priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the LORD, which is in the tabernacle of the congregation; and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

So how then would we interpret Revelation 20:4?

And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

Would it not be correct to translate “souls” as blood and would read as:

“souls of the beheaded”

4And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the blood of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

Would that then change our view of those that were slain for their witness of Jesus that John saw their blood, that in of itself can’t refer to all christains from all generations, can it?

 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it (Leviticus 23:10-11)

Also these that rose after Jesus is from the Barley harvest and would be among the “Sheaf” of firstfruits. Jesus himself spoke of the next harvest of souls. Although he uses this in a spiritual sence it also would refer to the bodily resurrection. These would be refered to as the overcomers [overcomers of persecution]known as the Barley crop. Each of the seven churches is told to be overcomers.(Rev 2)These that Jesus spoke of would be those of the First Full havrest of the Barley which would be considered to the the First Resurrection. This is the first of “three times in the year” when all the males were to appear before God in Jerusalem (Ex. 34:23). [First Century Martyrs]

10 Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand. (Daniel 12:10)

13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (Rev 7:13-14)

And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (Rev 20:4)

Then we come to the second harvest which would be at Pentecost the time of the Wheat harvest the second Resurrection. This time between the Barley harvest and unto the Wheat harvest is known as “Counting the Omer” The counting is intended to remind us of the link between Passover, [Our Lord the Passover Lamb] which commemorates the Exodus, and Shavu’ot, which commemorates the giving of the Torah.[ new covenant] It reminds us that the redemption from slavery was not complete until we received the Torah. [new covenant] This wheat harvest is pictured in these scriptures.[Righteous/Church]

  Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn

them: but gather the wheat into my barn. (Matt.13:30)

But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.(Rev 20:5)

Take note that the reference to the first resurrection is to those that have been martyed of the first century.

And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. (Rev 14:15-16)

The third harvest would be at the Feast of Tabernacles and of the Grape harvest which would be the third Resurrection. [Unrighteous]

And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. (Rev 14:18,19)

The winepress with the treading of the grapes in the winepresses, depicts God’s wrath, judgment, and the lake of fire. The purpose of the grain harvests of spring (barley and wheat) is to provide bread for God’s great communion table. “The purpose of the feast of Tabernacles with its celebration of the winepress is to provide the wine for God’s table. Without this wine, His communion table would have only bread and would be incomplete. God will have His wine, but it must come by means of the winepress, which speaks of the judgments of God.