The Ascension of the Manchild - NCCG.ORG Ning Network Archive 2008-10

Part 1

Posted: 14 Dec 2008 12:48 PM CST

Joseph Herrin (12-14-08)

The Spirit of Christ is testifying that extraordinary and awesome things are about to transpire. What is coming truly causes the mind to stagger as it wrestles to comprehend and embrace these things.

Consider for a moment what it would have been like to live in the day when Christ was born. What would have been your response? That a Messiah was to come, born of a virgin, who would destroy the works of Satan and set man free, was known to the Jews through their Scriptures. Although many did not understand the testimony of Scriptures, for their eyes were veiled to the truth, there were some who did. We read of Anna, the widow who dwelt in the temple, and aged Simeon, who were anticipating the birth of the One who would be king of the Jews.

The testimony of what God would do had also been declared from antiquity by the stars in the heavens. We read in the gospels that wise men from the East saw the sign in the heavens proclaiming the birth of the Messiah, the One who was to rule all nations, and they believed. They gathered together gold, frankincense and myrrh. They loaded a caravan of camels and set forth on a far journey at great expense. Yet they discerned it was a small cost in order to witness this world changing event.

The vast majority of the people of God were unaware of what was about to occur. They had no great anticipation of astounding things which were to occur in their day. History ever repeats itself.

Ecclesiastes 1:9
That which has been is that which will be, and that which has been done is that which will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun.

Yahweh repeats patterns in His creation. Events often begin as shadows. They then repeat as substance. The partial fulfillment then becomes a larger fulfillment until all that God has envisioned is accomplished.

What I will declare in this writing will surely cause many to stagger in unbelief. Yet the Scriptures declare that these things will occur at the end of the age, just before the millennial reign of Christ. We are at the end of day 6 on Yahweh's prophetic timetable. It has been 6,000 years since Adam was created. The Millennial period corresponds to day seven, for it is a thousand years when the world will know rest. Satan will be bound, and the overcomers in Christ will reign with Christ upon the earth with a rod of iron. The enemies of Christ will be shattered. The lamb will lie down with the lion, and the little child will play at the mouth of the cobras den. This is a picture of Sabbath rest, the seventh day.

II Peter 3:8
But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.

Day seven corresponds to the seventh thousand year period since the re-creation of the earth recorded in Genesis chapter one. Yahshua appeared four thousand years from Adam, this being the end of day four. It has been two thousand more years since Christ walked upon this earth. The Scriptures testify that awesome, and world changing events are to occur in our day.

Solomon spoke truly in that what has been, is that which will be. Even as the majority of God's people were unaware of the birth of the Messiah, so today are most in the church blind to that which is about to transpire. They have no expectation, no anticipation of glorious events that will forever alter the church of Christ.

Just as God did 2,000 years ago, He has given signs in the heavens. I have written of these signs, one phenomenal one which occurred on December 1, 2008, less than two weeks ago. He has also been speaking to a remnant by dreams and visions and prophetic words of what is about to occur. Yet the majority of the church have their eyes turned downward. They are caught up in the daily pursuit of this world system. They are concerned about carnal matters; the failing economy, their next expenditure, how they will celebrate Christmas. They are not listening to the voice of the Spirit, and if most of them heard these things spoken to them they would not believe.

What is about to occur?

It is the appearing of Christ IN HIS SAINTS.

II Thessalonians 1:10
When He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed...

The majority of Christians have been fed myths and fables about a world wide rapture occurring where all Christians will simply vanish from the face of the earth. These fables have been perpetuated by such best selling Christian fiction books as the Left Behind series by Jerry Jenkins and Tim LaHaye. Tragically, most who have embraced such fables will be left behind when Christ comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, for they have not believed what God has testified. As a consequence, they have not made themselves ready.

I John 3:2-3
Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

Those who do not hold in their heart the hope that they will be like Christ, manifesting His glory, will surely fail to prepare themselves by submitting to the fiery trials God would lead them through and by taking up a cross daily to follow where Christ would lead them.

There is a further salvation event for the people of God. I have found that most Christians do not even have knowledge that Christ will appear to bring forth a second salvation, a further deliverance from the bondage of sin for His people. Yet the Scriptures clearly testify of this truth.

Hebrews 9:28
So Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.

Note that this appearance will only be "to those who eagerly await Him." Many have no expectation of Christ returning for a further deliverance to be accomplished among His people, to finish the work He began at His first appearing. Those who have known life in Christ and have experienced the battle between flesh and spirit, being grieved at the weakness of the flesh, and the sin which is always with them, are to be delivered of this torn and wearying state.

Hosea 6:1-2
Come, let us return to Yahweh. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us. He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day, that we may live before Him.

The Spirit has been signifying through remarkable ways that it is time for Christ to "raise us up... that we may live before Him." It is time for a mature man to come forth out of the woman, which is the church. Like Rachel, Hanna, and Sarah, the church has long remained barren, but in a time of great travail upon the earth, even in her old age, the son of promise must come forth.

Revelation 12:1-6
A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; and she was with child; and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems. And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child. And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne. Then the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God, so that they* may nourish her for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.

Many Bibles have inserted headings in this passage, or include notes, saying that this passage speaks of the birth of Yahshua, the Son of God, to Mary. This is not so. The book of Revelations is not a book about things that have already occurred. It is a book about things to come.

Revelation 1:1
The Revelation of Yahshua Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place...

Revelation 4:1
After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things."

Because the church does not believe the true gospel of Christ, that Yahshua is to appear in glory IN HIS SAINTS, they interpret events as only pertaining to Christ's first appearing. They have failed to embrace the truth that is revealed throughout Scriptures, that Christ will come in the flesh of those who believe in His name.

I John 4:2-3
By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Yahshua Christ comes* in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Yahshua is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.

Most of the church today only confesses that Christ came in the flesh 2,000 years ago. They do not comprehend that the true gospel of the kingdom is that Christ must be fully formed in each one of His elect, and called out ones.

Galatians 4:19
My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you...

Ephesians 4:13
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ...

Every son or daughter of God is called to become a mature manifestation of Christ. Christ must ve fully formed in them. Only when we have taken on the spirit and image of Christ will we attain to the adoption as sons and be worthy to inherit all that which is reserved for the sons of God.

The Scriptures proclaim that all must come to maturity, even as grain must ripen before it is ready to be harvested. Not all will come to maturity at the same time. Each will come to the image of Christ in their own order.

I Corinthians 15:22-26
For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. But each in his own order: the anointed first fruits (Barley/Passover), after that those who are Christ's at His coming (Wheat/Pentecost), then the remainder (Grapes/Tabernacles), when He delivers up the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.

Before the millennial reign of Christ commences, the first resurrection must take place. What is a resurrection but being raised from a state of death into a condition of life. One need not die physically to be resurrected. One can be resurrected while they are still living, ascending to a greater fulness of life in Christ. Enoch provides a symbol and pattern of such an occurrence. Enoch walked with God, and he was no more, for God took him.

If we will also walk with God, being led of the Spirit in our actions and words, then we will also qualify to ascend to the Father. Though all will ascend in their own order, the first resurrection is the highest, best, and attended with the greatest glory. The apostle Paul continues this thought in the same chapter from the book of I Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 15:39-42
All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fish. There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead.

There is great honor attended with being among the firstfruits group to ascend to the Father. These ones have willingly laid down their lives that they might become expressions of the life of Christ. These ones have embraced the cross that they might enter into resurrection life. They have presented themselves as a freewill offering unto God that they might arise as a fragrant aroma before Him.

Most of the church has avoided the cross, not understanding that by doing so they are forfeiting the reward that comes only to those who have embraced it. Some will realize their error after the manchild ascends to the Father, and will then become willing to drink from the same cup of suffering that those in this firstfruits group have drunk. They will be perfected through suffering, taking on the spirit and image of Christ, allowing Yahshua to be fully formed in them. They then in turn will also ascend.

In Revelation chapter 12 we see a great parable declared in the heavens. The woman, who is the church, gives birth to a manchild who is caught up to the throne of God. This manchild then returns to feed the woman in the wilderness. The woman must receive the truths of the kingdom and come to understand the necessity of suffering in order to be perfected. She will then be prepared to embrace and experience her own trials even as the manchild company experienced theirs.

Revelation 7:9-17
After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb..." Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?" I said to him, "My lord, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them. They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes."

These ones, like the manchild before them, must experience tears and hunger and thirst and heat. They must endure the cross in order to ascend to the Father. The manchild will teach this multitude in the wilderness of these things, preparing them to endure the day of testing which is to come upon the whole earth.

Luke 21:16-19
"But you will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death, and you will be hated by all because of My name. Yet not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives."

By patient endurance all must come to have the image of Christ formed in them. There is no other process by which Christ is formed in the heart of a man or woman. All who would be disciples of Christ must take up their cross daily and follow Him. All who would live godly in Christ will suffer persecution.

The church has largely avoided the cross, failing to surrender their lives to be led of the Spirit in all ways. It is only when we surrender to the Spirit, allowing Christ to choose the course of our live, that we are led to places our soul would not choose to go. All must pass through Gethsemane where our soul is tried unto death and we cry out, "Father if it be Your will, let this cup of suffering pass from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but Your will be done."

The hour is at hand when the church must enter into a wilderness experience. This does not necessarily indicate a physical wilderness, for the book of Revelation speaks through signs and symbols. Yet the people of God must follow the Spirit even as the Israelites followed the pillar of fire and the cloud. They must depart out of Egypt (a symbol of the world). They must become as aliens and strangers in the world in which they live. They must adopt the mind of those who are vagrants, living outside the world system while yet being in the world. They must die to all that the world offers, and seek only Christ, and Him being formed in them.

This will lead the people of God into conflict with the world around them. As a light shines in a dark place, their Christ-like appearance will reveal the darkness all around them. Those who love the darkness will react violently toward the light.

John 3:19-21
"And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God."

Why is it that America, which is one of the most sensual, worldly, materially focused nations that has ever existed has proven to be such a comfortable place for most Christians to live? This greatest consumer nation on earth has tolerated the people of God because the saints have not lived as aliens and strangers in this world. The church has sought after all the same things that unregenerate man seeks. The light of the church has not shone brightly, therefore those who love the darkness have tolerated them. The world's evil desires have not been exposed by a carnal church, therefore the church has been tolerated, enabling the people of God to live lives of ease and pleasure even in the darkest of nations.

As the world grows darker, the church is further compromising, until her light has almost become extinguished. Yet God has reserved for Himself a remnant who have not bowed to the world and its idols. In a time of great darkness, these will find the glory of God arising upon them. They will shine forth as lights in a dark place, and kings will be drawn to the brightness of their shining.

Isaiah 60:1-3
"Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of Yahweh has risen upon you. For behold, darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples; But Yahweh will rise upon you and His glory will appear upon you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising."

Who are these ones upon whom the light of the glory of God will be seen? These are the overcomers, and the first to experience this glory will be the manchild. Who are the nations and kings that are drawn to them? These are the remnant of the church who are destined to rule as kings and priests, and to be a nation of holy people. These are the true descendants of Abraham by faith.

Romans 4:17
As it is written, "A father of many nations have I made you."

It is time for the people of God to be led out into the wilderness. God will have a bride prepared for His Son, and all the filth and impurity of the present church must be cleansed that she might be made ready for the marriage supper of the Lamb. First, however, a manchild must ascend. This event is at the door. Yahshua is coming quickly to appear IN HIS SAINTS. The manchild must be caught up to the throne in order to see clearly through God's own eyes. They must receive power and authority even as Moses did in order to guide the people of God through the wilderness.

In Part 2 of this writing I will share some of the signs that are even now being given that point to the imminent fulfillment of these world changing events. Our redemption draws nigh.

May you be blessed with peace and understanding in these days.

* A study of the Greek words translated here will reveal that this is the correct meaning of the words which many translators have altered due to their lack of understanding what was being proclaimed.

Heart4God Website: http://www.heart4god.ws
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Mailing Address:
Joseph Herrin
P.O. Box 5546
Macon, GA 31208

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