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REVELATION
A Sign of God's Church in the End-Time
The Glory of the Latter House
The prophet Haggai, whom most Christian have probably never heard of because he is not one of the "better know" biblical seers (and is therefore, as well as because he did not write much, tragically called a "minor" prophet), made a startling prophecy about the end-time Church which seems to have been overlooked by the great majority of scriptorians.
"...thus saith the Lord of hosts (Yahweh-Sebaoth); Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; and I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts...the glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts" (Hagg.2:6-7,9, AV).
The p'shat or literal "house" in this scripture is, of course, the temple at Jerusalem which has been destroyed by Israel's enemies. The former house, which was filled with the glory of the Lord, was the Temple of Solomon. Here the Lord tells His people through Haggai that an even more glorious temple would be built that would be "greater than...the former" temple. Which temple could the Lord have been referring to? None of the subsequent temples enjoyed anything like the Spirit which Solomon's did, and, even though Herod's was larger and more physically magnificent, it was not one that caused "the heavens, and the earth, and the sea" to shake, nor, indeed, did it become the "desire of all nations". Rather, it was flattened by the Romans after they had profaned it. If we are speaking of a literal temple, then this can only refer to a temple yet to be built in Jerusalem which Ezekiel saw and described in such detail.
If we look at this passage with a prophetic eye, that is, in the light which Christ shed on the esoteric or spiritual meaning of the temple, then we are led to conclude that this temple must refer to a human body, namely Christ the Lord. Jesus Christ is greater than Solomon's temple, and indeed He testified that one "greater than Solomon is here" (Mt.12:42, AV). Though Solomon's temple certainly brought great peace, it was Christ who brought everlasting peace (Jn.14:27) -- Solomon's temple is long gone, but the temple of Christ abides forever amongst us through the Holy Spirit.
The Saviour indicated to His disciples that they would do greater works and miracles than He did after His resurrection (Jn.14:12). He also taught through the apostle Paul that His people, the Church, were individually living temples (1 Cor.6:19) and that collectively they were a single temple or BODY (1 Cor.12:12).
Jesus' full glory is yet to be revealed to the world when He returns in power to end the present dispensation of wickedness, but in the meantime He has called His saints to be His living body upon the earth. Just as the latter-day Jerusalem temple shall be filled with glory, and just as Christ's own glory will be revealed when He returns, so also is the glory of the CHURCH or BODY to be revealed in the last times. And I believe that God is telling us through Haggai that the power of the Church of God in the end-time will be ever greater than that displayed in New Testament times. And by the same token, so also will be the persecution in the last days known as the Great Tribulation (Jn.15:20; 1 Pet.4:14; Rev.12:13).
The End-Time Church Yet to Be Manifested
This end-time Church does not exist yet though it is being secretly formed within the existing churches. God's true followers or disciples are scattered like seed throughout the denominations of Christendom awaiting their call to manifest themselves and the glory of God. As the churches in which they are secreted begin to fall away and are absorbed into the Mother of Harlots, so they will gather out -- the wheat being separated from the tares -- to form a mighty temple or Body. They will be opposed in the churches and fiercely persecuted, cast out, excommunicated, slandered and ostracised. And why will they be thus treated? Because they are boldly preaching the truth and are filled with the Holy Spirit.
But they will have something else too which the false Christians won't like, either because of false tradition or because of jealosy -- they will be possessed of REVELATION.
The Kingdom of God is Built by Revelation
The Kingdom of God has always been, and will always be, built by revelation. Jesus told Peter as much (Mt.16:14-19) and the apostles reaffirmed this truth. The true Kingdom of God can only expand with it because it brings with it POWER and VISION (Prov.29:18). And when Satan sees the Church of God being led by true revelation, He violently opposes. Why was Paul persecuted so much? Because of the abundance of revelations he had! (2 Cor.12:7) And Paul was one of the most persecuted preachers of all time!
The moment a believer receives revelation from God, the demons of hell will pour out and oppose him. Why do you think that this New Covenant Church of God has been opposed so violently? It is because it has brought forth fresh revelation from God that ministers to the soul and calls for valiant witnessing of Christ! And our greatest enemies have always been those who opposed such things as modern revelation, or those who have received false revelation (like the Mormons) who wish to be seen and accepted as God's exclusive prophetic voice.
I'm afraid to say that our most vociferous opponents will be conservative, fundamentalist Christians who refuse to accept the presence of the gifts in the modern Church, but who claim the gifts were just "for then" to establish the Church. They are terribly, terribly wrong. And when the glory of the "latter house" comes they will oppose it
The Extraction of the Body of Christ from Christendom
Friends, though the "latter days" began with the first apostles, the "last hour" is nearly upon us now. The Body of Christ is being slowly and painfully extracted out of Christendom. Most of God's people don't want to leave their parent churches because they regard them as being "home" -- it was where they likely came to faith and were nurchured in the Gospel. But Christ does not allow us to be sentimental. He didn't allow Abraham such when He called him out of Mesopotamia and He won't allow us either. The churches of men are going to be blown flat or simply die when God's leaven, the true saints, come out of them.
It is impossible for me to say where God's people are going to come from -- likely every Church denomination imaginable, and many probably from no church background at all. And I have to confess that probably the greatest number will come from that part of Christendom where the idea of revelation is something that is generally accepted.
I say these things now that the New Covenant's greatest collection of modern revelations, The Olive Branch, has finally been published and is available to the world. It is the fruit of much opposition and persecution but will, because of the foundation of suffering in which it was nurchured, live to bless countless thousands. It was not mere theory but was received in the midst of opposition. As such it is a blueprint for the times to come and on a far greater scale than the infant New Covenant Church experienced.
May the blessings of the Lord God of Israel be upon His faithful remnant, and may He give you courage to proclaim boldly the truth of His Word. Amen
This page was created on 12 April 1998
Last updated on 12 April 1998
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