And greetings, brethren, this is day 49, the Sabbath before Pentecost. And you know we are to count seven weeks then plus one day. And I think it’s very interesting, as we have it here in Deuteronomy 16, that it’s listed a little differently than Leviticus 23. Now, we sent you also the video on How to Count Pentecost; how to count 50.

Now, in Deuteronomy 16, it expresses it just a little bit differently—seven weeks. Now, as we saw on the video, Counting to Pentecost, these are complete weeks, each one ending in a Sabbath. “Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee: begin to number the seven weeks from such time as thou beginnest to put the sickle to the corn” (Deut. 16:9, KJV). And that was the first premier sheaf that was harvest. And that first premier sheaf of the harvest represented Jesus Christ and His resurrection.

So he says: “And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks” (v 10). Now, that’s seven weeks plus one day—then it says you shall bring and offering and so forth.

• Now let’s see the parallel of this.

• Let’s see the harvest of this.

• Let’s see how Jesus likens everything to do with the, with the events leading up to the resurrection as a harvest.

So, let’s come to John, the fourth chapter. Let’s go to John, the fourth chapter, and let’s see what Jesus said about the harvest—and we’re going to see that those in the first resurrection are likened unto a harvest. Now let’s pick it up here in John, the fourth chapter, John 4:32, FV: After His disciples came and offered Him something to eat: “And He said to them, ‘I have meat to eat that you are not aware of.’ Then the disciples said to one another, ‘Did anyone bring Him something to eat?’ Jesus said to them, ‘My meat is to do the will of him Who sent Me, and to finish His work” (vs 32-34).

So we need to understand this, brethren, and it is very, very important: God the Father is the One Who is going finish the Work. We are His workmanship, as we saw during the days of Unleavened Bread. Now as we are going through these things, I want to ask you a question: Are you going to let God finish the Work in you, or not? Because there are many forces; there are many people; there are many schemes; there are many false doctrines out there; false teachers, as we will see a little later, who are trying to get people to follow them with their false doctrines.

So, let’s ask the question: Are you going to let God finish the work in you? Put it in a personal way: Am I going to let God finish the work in me? Or do I still have in mind the kind of religiosity that’s in Protestantism or Catholicism and religion is just to make us better people. No! We have the greatest calling to the greatest thing that is going to be in the history of the world. So, we need to get our eyes up. We need to get our sights on God the Father, Jesus Christ and the whole plan of God. That’s why we have the new book out: God’s Plan for Mankind Revealed by His Sabbath and Holy Days.

Now, let’s continue: “Do not say that there are yet four months, and then the harvest comes…. [In other words, don’t look to the fall harvest—look to the spring harvest.] …I say to you, look around. Lift up your eyes and see the fields, for they are already white to harvest. And the one who reaps receives a reward, and gathers fruit unto eternal life; so that the one who is sowing and the one who is reaping may both rejoice together. For in this the saying is true, that one sows and another reaps. I sent you to reap that in which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labor” (vs 35-38).

And that’s so true.

• We have the Word of God.

• We have the things that we have now: the understanding of truth.

• The understanding of doctrine.

• The understanding of things that Christ promised would be revealed in the end-time. Not revealed to other people before the end-time.

And let’s see how we react to these things. Now, let’s also understand—let’s come back here to Matthew 9—and we will see that, that the New Testament talks about those who are going to be in the first resurrection—and as those who are of a harvest.

Now, let’s ask the question: If Jesus was the “premiere sheaf” and He was the firstborn to be resurrected—which He was—and He is represented by that premiere sheaf, do you not think that those who are in the first resurrection are also going to be represented by a harvest? Of course! And the reason that we have counting to Pentecost is because there is a, a connection between the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the first resurrection at His return. So, it’s a continuous process that takes place.

Now let’s come to Matthew 9, and let’s pick it up here in verse 35—Matthew 9:35, FV: “Then Jesus went around to all the cities and the villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every bodily weakness among the people. And seeing the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were wearied and scattered abroad, as sheep who did not have a shepherd” (vs 35-36).

Now, we need to be shepherded and Jesus is the Chief Shepherd. Now, for those who are elders and ministers we are to assist in that shepherding—as Peter admonished the elders in 1 Peter, the fifth chapter. That we are to shepherd the sheep, as Peter was told by Jesus when Jesus said, “Do you love Me?” He said, “Feed My sheep.” He asked a second time, “Peter, do you love me?” And he said, “Yes, Lord.” And He said, “Shepherd My lambs.” Then He asked him the third time, “Peter, do you love Me?” He said, “Lord, you know that I love You”—and he was a little bit exasperated. And Jesus said, “Feed My sheep.”

So, all the elders and teachers in the Church—and we’re going to see that there are even “wanna-be’s” that lead people astray—you better feed the flock of God; you better teach the Word of God because that’s the way that Jesus has chosen to do it. That’s why we have a greater responsibility upon us.

Now, let’s continue here: “Then He said to his disciples… [who were then to be what? The 12 apostles, correct? Yes. He said:] …’The harvest is truly great, but the workmen are few; Therefore, beseech the Lord of the harvest, that He may send out workmen into His harvest” (vs 37-38). And what are they to do? They are to perfect the saints. They are to bring them to the point that they can be harvested. Now, the harvest happens in two ways:

1. When we are faithful unto death and are put into the ground, you then have been harvested to the grave. Sort of put in storage to wait the resurrection.

2. The other part of the harvest is the resurrection when the whole crop is brought in before God.

Now, we are “called.” Let’s come here to James, the first chapter, and let’s understand something about our calling; and about what God is doing with us. And as we saw, it is the Father Who is doing it through Christ.

Now, let’s pick it up here in verse 17—James 1:17. And this is why as we will see when we go through these things, that the only day that could be the resurrection day is Pentecost. And the reason that the Church was not correct in understanding about Pentecost is very simple, very simple—they kept it on the wrong day for forty-years. And whenever you keep something on the wrong day, you have partial understanding. Just like the Protestants who keep Sunday. They have the wrong day, so they have some understanding, but it’s mixed with error. So we need to understand that.

Now, let’s come to James 1:17, FV: “Every good act of giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with Whom there is no variation, nor shadow of turning.” That’s why we need to always be consistent and true and faithful in our individual lives to God, because God doesn’t change. There’s no variableness or “shadow of turning.” Now, verse 18: “According to His own will, He begat us by the Word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all His created beings.” Now it says “creation” in the King James, but it is “created beings.”

Just like we learned during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, God is molding us; God is shaping us; He is the Potter, we are the clay. Now, the analogy turns to a harvest, and what God has planted:

• Then it needs to grow.

• Then it needs to develop.

• Then it needs to prosper.

• Then it needs to be harvested.

• There’s a time to plant.

• There’s a time to cultivate.

• And there’s a time harvest.

Now, many who are listening to my voice and hearing, watching this video, your day of harvest is going to come before the next Pentecost because there are going to brethren who are going to die. And let’s understand this: to die in the faith is the whole purpose and reason why we live and breathe.

Now, let’s come back here to Matthew 13. Now, it’s very interesting that in Matthew 13 we have seven parables concerning the Kingdom of God. And let’s look at them from the point-of-view as Jesus brought it. Now let’s come here to Matthew 13 and let’s see how He began speaking to them in parables. Now let’s pick it up right here in verse one—now we’re going to go through this is quite some detail. Let’s begin right in Matthew 13:1, FV: “Now in that same day, Jesus departed from the house and sat down by the sea. And so great a multitude gathered around Him that He went into a ship and sat down, and all the multitude stood on the shore” (vs 1-2).

Now, there’s an acoustic that happens when you are speaking out over the water. The sound comes in very clearly to everyone—it’s almost like having a great microphone, indeed. Now, verse 3: “And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, ‘Behold, the sower went out to sow… [that is to plant. And didn’t we read what Jesus said: ‘One sows and another reaps?’ Yes indeed!] …And as he was sowing, some of the seed fell by the way; and the birds came and devoured them. And some fell upon the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up because the soil was not deep enough; But after the sun rose, they were scorched; and because they did not have roots, they dried up. And some of the seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. And some fell upon the good ground, and yielded fruit—some a hundredfold, and some sixtyfold, and some thirtyfold. The one who has ears to hear, let him hear’” (vs 3-9).

Now, we’re going to see that expression many times over in the sermon today. Do you have ears to hear? Now, let me just ask you a question: What emotion, what thought, what false doctrine, what bitterness, what thing do you have in your mind that closes off your ears so you won’t hear—or you don’t want to hear?

And think about this, too: Have you been so offended by people and in your, (how shall I put it) in your hatred toward them, or in your anger toward them, or in your, your bitterness toward them, that you, yourself get choked off?

Because what I just read here is like looking right at The Journal, which comes out every couple of months, correct? And the state of the Church of God today is absolutely horrendous! And there are as many false doctrines within the Churches of God as there are in Protestantism. Now, we need to understand that, and why is this happening? Because God has given us choice. And in that choice, even after receiving the Holy Spirit of God, we have to always choose the things that are right and true. And always be consistent.

Now, there are going to be things that will come in against us, and we will see what those are. So, we are the ones that have to watch our lives. We are the ones that are responsible before God—every single one of us, individually. And that as Christ looks at the Church collectively, all of us together. And the ones that He holds the most responsible are the teachers, elders, ministers, because God has chosen to use human beings to speak on His behalf. And woe to the one who speaks on the behalf of God who puts lies in God’s mouth!

Think about it for a minute. If you make God a liar, what do you suppose your reward is going to be? I mean you need to think about it. The God that cannot lie, Who will not lie, Who is honest and true, Who is willing to forgive sin—even gross sin—and promises to give eternal life to those who are faithful and obey.

• What do you think God is going to do for those who deny Jesus Christ was God before He became a human being in the flesh?

• What do you think God is going to do for those who reject the Sabbath and reject the Holy Days?

• What do you think God is going to do to those people who so arrogantly set out to set up their own calendar system and lead people astray to keep the wrong days?

• What do you think the judgment is going to be upon those who resist the Truth of God?

• What do you think the judgment is going to be upon those ministers and members—ministers who have a hierarchy and rule over the brethren, and members who love to have a hierarchy so they can work up in position and become great in their own eyes?

• What do you think is going to happen at the harvest?

Now you see, these are very serious questions we need to ask.

Now, let’s see how Jesus explains these parables. So we just read the first one. Now let’s read the explanation of it:Verse 18: “Therefore, hear the parable of the sower: “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the wicked one comes and snatches away that which was sown in his heart. This is the one who was sown by the way” (vs 18-19). That’s why there are many called, but few are chosen, because either they get distracted by Satan the devil, or they’re so involved in their own ways and sins, that they don’t want to move from their position to change.

Another thing this also shows us: Can Satan, at any time—if we let him—extract the truth of the understanding of God’s Word out of our minds? Yes! If we give it up! So, what I want you to do is, as we’re going through, I want you to think about yourself, but I want you to think about the history of what has happened in the Churches of God—in our day.

Now verse 20: “Now the one who was sown upon the rocky places is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy.” Oh they’re happy, happy, happy: “Oh, this is good. I’ve never heard this before; Oh, it’s wonderful; I’ve never met people like this; I’m so glad to come to church.” And that’s as far as it goes.

“But because he has no root in himself, he does not endure; for when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word… [And all who live Godly in Jesus Christ will be persecuted. And we will all have trials to overcome to try our faith, correct?] …he is quickly offended” (v 21).

So, which category do you fit in?

Verse 22: “And the one who was sown among the thorns is the one who hears the word, but the cares of this life and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.” And how many people are out there? Now, think about it, think about the judgment of God. Very important that you understand this—concerning riches and wealth in relationship to tithing. Do you think that those today, who preach “there is no tithing in the New Testament” and they’re greatly mistaken because it’s not there exactly the same way that it’s preached in the Old Testament—so don’t use that as an excuse because you don’t understand your Bible or the Word of God. Please remember this: Everything we have comes out of the ground—period! Now, think on that. Think of the great riches that we have.

• Do you suppose that God is going to look upon you lightly if you say there’s no tithing?

• Let’s ask it, another question: Do you suppose that if you don’t tithe and give offerings from your heart that you are going to be blessed in the 100 percent of income that you have?

• Or would you not rather tithe and give offerings and be blessed in what you have left?

Because you see: one category is cursed, another category is blessed. Now the cursings don’t come all at once. But nevertheless, you allow “the deceitfulness of riches”—which are thorns and thistles and barbs to get you—and “chokes the word.” You become so busy that you do not have any time for God. Amazing isn’t it?

Now, verse 23: “But the one who was sown on good ground, this is the one who hears the word and understands, who indeed brings forth fruit and produces—one a hundredfold, another sixtyfold and another thirtyfold.” So that’s the explanation of the first parable. Now, he gives several other parables because we’re going to see there are many different things that take place: concerning attitude; concerning people; concerning true followers of Christ and true teachers and false teachers and false followers.

Verse 24: “And He put another parable before them, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is compared to a man who was sowing good seed in his field; But while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away.’ (vs 24-25). This is likened to the infiltration of the Churches of God by the enemies of God, correct? Yes! Isn’t that amazing? Has that happened? Have we seen it? Yes! We’ll even look at some of it here a little later.

“‘Now when the blades sprouted and produced fruit, then the tares also appeared… [So they grow together and look exactly alike until the tare does not begin sprouting any seeds.] …And the servants came to the master of the house and said to him, “Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? Then where did these tares come from?” And he said to them, “A man who is an enemy has done this.” Then the servants said to him, “Do you want us to go out and gather them?” But he said, “No, lest while you are gathering the tares, you also uproot the wheat with them”’” (vs 26-28).

So which is this: The true believers in Christ and God the Father will be able to see and tell the difference because we what? We know them by their fruits! And it even says in Revelation 13: that it looks like a lamb, but speaks like a dragon. And what did Paul say? “If they speak not according to this Word there’s no truth in them.”

So that means that God expects us to understand.

God expects us to be alert.

God expects us to realize that these things will happen.

And so, that’s the second parable. Let’s finish it here. “But he said, ‘No, lest while you are gathering the tares, you also uproot the wheat with them. Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and at the time of the harvest, I will say to the reapers, “Gather the tares first, and bind them into bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my granary”’” (vs 29-30). See, we are likened to a harvest, correct? All right, here’s another one, third parable:

Verse 31: “Another parable He presented to them, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is compared to a tiny mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field; Which indeed is very small among all the seeds; but after it is grown, it is greater than all the herbs, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of heaven come and roost in its branches’” (vs 31-32). It reaches out and gives much to a lot of people, you see. God is interested in the small, the least. He is not interested in great things. And look what happens to a church when they set themselves up to do great things for God. No, let God do the great things for us. And we teach and preach and serve and grow and overcome the way God wants us to.

So here’s the fourth one: “Another parable He spoke to them: ‘The kingdom of heaven is compared to leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour until all was leavened’” (v 33).

Now, we’ll talk about that a little bit more tomorrow: why is leaven here good, but during the days of Unleavened Bread it’s counted as evil? All right, now let’s go on. Let’s see some more of these explanations because Matthew 13 is the key to understanding the harvest, Pentecost and the condition of the Church and the identification of all the problems and enemies we will face. Now, they are brought out a little more in detail later on as we will see.

“So Jesus spoke all these things to the multitudes in parables, and without a parable He did not speak to them; So that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, ‘I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world’” (vs 35).

Now, think about it, brethren, God has given you knowledge of things that have been hidden since the very foundation of the world. And in doing so, He holds us all responsible for it, doesn’t He? So, as we’re going through and looking at these things, I want you to do examination of yourself—as we are told to before Passover—but let’s look at our ongoing condition as well. And to examine the teachings that you believe and to see how you measure up to God; because you have to stand or fall before God. I stand or fall before God. Collectively together we can do what God wants us to do.

So let’s go on. So then, “And after dismissing the multitude, [verse 36] Jesus went into the house. Then His disciples came to Him, saying, ‘Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.’ [so then He gave the explanation:] And He answered and said to them, ‘The one Who sows the good seed is the Son of man…’”

So, Jesus Christ is active all the time, doing His work as the Head of the Church. In dealing with people that He is calling. That’s why we’ve said, how many times that God wants us to preach to the remnant in the Church and the remnant in the world. Because the Church is scattered and they have to be fed and they have to be brought out of the apostasy and brought out of the false doctrine, and brought out of the clutches of Satan the devil. So we preach to them. Then we preach to the remnant in the world who represent those who have not bowed the knee to Baal; but who are seeking the true God; who are seeking the truth; who are seeking the things that are right.

And so, this is what God gives us responsibility to do. So he said, verse 38: “‘…And the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one.’”

Now, we need to understand that Satan has his disciples;

• he has his children dedicated to destroying the Church of God.

• dedicated to exalting Satan the devil as god on this earth.

• dedicated to bring about—as we know in prophecy—the one-world system that is coming, and is being shaped right now.

“Now the enemy who sowed them is the devil…” (v 39). So you have Jesus sowing the good seed. You have the devil sowing the evil seed. And if you’ve read the book, The Marketing of Evil, you will know how Satan does it today and how he has so many helpers in technological things to advance his cause. So likewise, we use all the technological things we can to advance the preaching of the Gospel as Jesus opens the door for us and for any of the Churches of God anywhere that truly love and serve God.

“Therefore…” verse 40—yes, “…the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels” (v 39). Now, we’ll see this tomorrow about the resurrection. “…as the tares are gathered and consumed in the fire, so shall it be in the end of this age.” See, He’s going to gather all of the wicked together, and finally, it’s going to be personified where? The battle of Armageddon, correct? Yes, indeed!

Verse 41: “The Son of man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all the offenders and those who are practicing lawlessness; And they shall cast them into the furnace of fire; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous [_{transcriber’s correction—speaker’s misquote ‘wicked’}] shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. The one who has ears to hear, let him hear” (vs 41-43).

Now, let’s look at the fifth parable here, follows right along. That’s why Matthew 13 is so very, very important. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is compared to treasure hidden in a field; which when a man finds, he conceals, and for the joy of finding it, goes and sells everything that he has, and buys that field” (v 44).

Now, remember what Jesus told the “rich man” in Matthew 19, paraphrased: The “rich man” came and said, “What am I going to do to inherit eternal life?”

And Jesus said, “Well, don’t call Me good, there’s only One that’s good and that is God. But, if you will enter into life, keep the commandments.”

And he said, “Oowhooo, I’ve got it make, which ones, Lord?”

And then He listed off the commandments. And some people say, “Well, He never said the Sabbath, so there’s no need in keeping the Sabbath.” Well, you have to understand, they were living in a Sabbath-keeping society. So that was not the question.

So, he answered and said, “Well, I’ve done all of these things from my youth.”

And Jesus said, “You lack one thing. Go sell everything that you have and give to the poor and come and follow Me.”

And he went away sad because he had riches as his god and his idol.

Now think about these—we’re coming down to the point in the history of mankind and in the history of the Church that we need to understand these things are coming. So then, he gives up everything that he has to obtain eternal life.

·        What have you given up?

·        What are you giving up?

·        What are you willing to give up?

Now, let’s go to parable number six: “Again, the kingdom of heaven is compared to a merchant seeking beautiful pearls; Who, after finding one very precious pearl, went and sold everything that he had, and bought it” (vs 45-46). Now, what do all of these things show? These things show a total dedication to God. Correct? Yes.

Now, let’s look at parable number seven—verse 47: “Again, the kingdom of heaven is compared to a dragnet cast into the sea, gathering in every kind of fish; Which after it was filled was drawn up on shore; and they sat down and collected the good into vessels, and the unfit they threw away” (vs 47-48). Going through, getting the good ones, throwing away the other ones.

Well, you know, too many people today like to go out and get the unclean fish and crabs and shrimp and lobsters and oysters and eat all of those things that God said, “Don’t eat!” The good fish—“This is the way it will be in the end of the age: the angels shall go out, and shall separate the wicked from among the righteous, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth” (vs 49-50).

Now, let’s see how these things follow along in Revelation 2 and Revelation 3. Now, I got ahead of myself a little bit. Let’s not go the Revelation 2 or 3 yet. Let’s come to 2 Timothy 3:1, because we need to mix in there what’s happening at the end-time. How the conditions are, because this will, will help us understand what we need to be doing. And seeing all the things and all the forces that are out there in the world; in society; in people’s lives; in the way that things are done; and the whole setting of everything. And this is important to realize because when we look at the world, we can become very complacent and say, “Oooo, I’m glad I’m not like they are. My, look at how evil they are.” We have a lot of things to fight and overcome, don’t we? Yes, indeed.

Let’s come to 2 Timothy 3:1—and here are also some of the things that tie in with the parables that we read:

·        as to why some of the seed did not proper;

·        why they became unprofitable;

·        why they were drawn back into the world.

Verse 1: “Know this also, that in the last days perilous times shall come…” And we’re living in them. And here’s the reason: “For men will be lovers of self…” (v 2). Narcissistic and egotistical and self-serving. All they are concerned about are themselves, their wealth, their money, their power, their ambitions—“lovers of self.”

“…lovers of money, braggarts, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy…” (v 2). It’s like watching television. Do some channel-surfing and you will see all these things just leap out before your very eyes.

“Without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, without self-control… [and that’s certainly the highlight of the day—‘Oh, well, I’m not responsible. I’m not mentally competent—heee, heee, heee, I know I really am.’] …savage, despisers of those who are good, Betrayers, reckless, egotistical, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (vs 3-4). Is that not true?

·        Look at all of the sports.

·        Look at all of the things that people can do.

·        The games they can play.

·        The things that they have.

·        And the movies that they go to.

·        The television that they watch.

·        The music and concerts that they go to.

“Lovers of pleasure.” Everything has to be cast into the thing of having fun!

And so do yourself an educational favor. Next time that these commercials come on, listen to them, and then the next time they come around, watch them without the sound. The first time you hear, “Well, take this medicine and everybody’s happy, happy, happy; fine, fine, fine; good, good, good; healthy, healthy, healthy; wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. Trust the drug company. Trust the doctor. How wonderful and great this is. And if you take this or if you take that you’re just going to be perfect. And if you can’t sleep we’ll take care of you. And if you don’t have enough energy when you get up we’ll take care of you and you’ll be happy, happy, happy every minute of every day if you follow us. But watch out! Because you could have liver disease, heart failure, kidney failure, lung collapse, indigestion, kidney destruction. Oh, but you’re going to die happy!”

And you would think by watching all of the, all of the commercials on television, there’s nothing wrong in the world. And then you watch the news and you see everything’s wrong in the world! Amazing, isn’t it?

“…lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.” And nothing can prove that anymore than all the activities that take place on the Sabbath, because you have love God to keep the Sabbath. And that starts at sundown Friday. And you just look at your newspaper: all the activities that start Friday night. And that’s the favorite day that Satan likes to use to corrupt youth. Get them out there and bring them into drugs, and into sex, and into all of the perversions that is highlighted on MTV, and in the schools, and in the movies. A generation of young people that barely have mush for brains. Amazing, isn’t it?

Now notice: “Having an outward appearance of godliness… [‘Oh yes, we believe the Bible. We believe God. We know.’ No, they don’t!] …but denying the power of true godliness. But as for you,[Paul tells Timothy] turn away from all these [things]” (v 5). Do not let them capture you in the grips of Satan the devil!

“For from men such as these come those who are worming their way into houses, and are gaining control over empty-headed women… [just watch ABC and the panel that is on there with, who’s this woman? Rosie O’Donnell, that’s it. And watch all of the others—air-heads—men and women, it’s amazing!] …given over to various sins, being driven by all kinds of lust. They are always learning… [Oh, they’re educated, they have degrees] …but are never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (vs 6-7).

“Now just as Jannes and Hanbres stood against Moses, in the same manner also these are brazenly standing against the truth; they are men of depraved minds, reprobate in respect to the faith. But they will proceed no further [because Christ is coming], because their folly will become clearly evident to everyone, just as theirs also was” (vs 8-9). Quite an amazing, so that’s, that’s the way that we are living today, isn’t it? Yes! Now, let’s come to Revelation. Let’s come to Revelation, the first chapter, and let’s understand something as we saw earlier. Jesus is the One Who is the “sower.” Jesus is also the Head of the Church. And as we’re going see, with the seven churches here in Revelation two and three, as Jesus brings out in Revelation, the first chapter, that He is in the midst of His Church. And He’s got a lot of things to say to a lot of brethren in His Church who need to get their lives squared around. He hasn’t given up on them He offers repentance and mercy and forgiveness.

Now let’s begin right here in verse 10: “I was in the Spirit on the day of the Lord; and I heard a loud voice like a trumpet behind me, Saying, ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last’; and, ‘What you see, write in a book… [and that’s why we have the Bible written, because God wants it written, you see.] …and send it to the churches that are in Asia…” (Rev. 1:10-11, FV).

Now, these churches represent a prophetic view of the Churches of God from the time that it began to the time that Jesus returns. And it represents not only the history, it represents the attitude, it shows the main key problems that will come upon the Church.

Now notice—we’ll get to the names of the churches in just a bit—let’s come to verse 12 _{[transcriber’s correction]}: “And I turned to see the voice that spoke with me; and when I turned, I saw seven golden lampstands… [now, these have to be in a circle because of verse 13:] And in the midst [or the middle] of the seven lampstands… [so, they’re lined out like a circle, right?] …one like the Son of man, clothed in a garment reaching to the feet, and girded about the chest with a golden breastplate. And His head and hair were like white wool, white as snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire…” (vs 12-14).

This is Jesus in His glory. Now, I want you to understand. If you’re going to be arguing with God, you’re going to confront Christ one day directly and in His glory He is going to, to make it very clear that He is the Head of the Church, and no man!