False Teachings: Dr. John Killinger

A friend sent me an email regarding an article titled, “CBF presenter questions Christ’s deity “. When I read through the article, I was floored! I wish that I could copy the entire article here, but that would be wrong… So, I will take some excerpts from the article for our discussion. I would highly recommend that you click the link and read the article in its entirety for yourself so that you get a complete and contextual idea of what was written. The picture to the left is of Dr. John Killinger, the speaker of which the article is written about.

Many of you are aware of the Ecumenical movement and the Emerging church movement and how they believe that we must “reinvent” the Christian faith (life), which means changing the true Word of God (Bible) to fit into their self-seeking, self-pleasing, humanistic point of view. If you are unaware of this movement, you can read about it at these links: Understand The Times, Slice Of Laodicea, A Little Leaven, Lighthouse Trails, Discernment Ministries also, if you would like more links, please visit my “Links” page.

These movements have caused quite the shake in the Church and are gaining momentum in some outrageous ways as of late. This article is just one more example of the heretical teachings that are creaping into the Church just as the Bible predicted would happen in the last days.

2 Peter 2:1 “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.”

2 Timothy 4:1-4 “I charge [thee] therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”

 Dr. Killinger seems to look down on fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith, however, to be a true Christian… you must believe what it says in the Word of God on how to become a Christian… This is fundamental, correct? Otherwise you are just playing a game that has no true outcome of which you strive for, so that being said, what would be the use? Your effort would be in vain. The Word of God is an all or nothing sort of thing. Jesus Himself said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15) and also, “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love” (John 15:10). It is logical, don’t you agree, that in order to do what the Word says, you must believe what the Word says and then you get what the Word says… eternal life in the Lord’s love.

Now, lets take a look at some excerpts from the article…

Excerpt 1

“Doctrine isn’t the driving force to many people today” except “to the fundamentalists who insist on it,” Killinger said. “But doctrine is a thing of the past now religiously.”

Pastors can follow this cultural shift by preaching about Jesus’ human side rather than insisting that He was God and that He always existed, Killinger said.

This excerpt goes along with what I have stated in the previous paragraph as you can clearly see.

Excerpt 2

“I find from pastors a greater and greater reluctance to preach from the Gospel of John, which used to be the greatest pleasure for most preachers because John was so assertive about the incarnation and the role of Christ” versus “the tendency to go back to Mark and Matthew and Luke to see the more human side of Jesus, who was anointed at the time of His baptism to be the savior of Israel, but not necessarily to be the preexistent one that we find in John.”

The part of this excerpt that stands out the most is the very last phrase, which is underlined by me. I would like to share the following verse with you, which was written before Jesus, the man, came to earth.

Psalm 110:1 “The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.”

Also, Jesus clarified Himself to the scribes in the following statement:

Luke 20:41-44 “And he said unto them, How say they that Christ is David’s son? And David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Till I make thine enemies thy footstool. David therefore calleth him Lord, how is he then his son?”

Now, how do we know for sure that it was Jesus, the Lord (as Jesus Himself claimed to be)? Well, lets take a look at the following:

Hebrews 1:13-14 “But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?”

This proves that it was not an angel which was spoken of. Lets continue…

Acts 2:34-36 “For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

Ah-ha! I think we have a winner! Jesus is the One! Is Dr. Killinger going to through out the book of Acts along with the book of John? If so, then how do we explain the Church being filled with the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit which they so love to claim? You can learn more about the exploited gifts of the Spirit by researching the Toronto Blessing, etc. from the links which were provided above.

Excerpt 3

“Jesus Himself has had a lot of things said in His behalf that He never intended. This is one of the things that’s going on today in biblical studies — and I think is much more promising than some of the fundamentalists will allow — is that we are questioning whether Jesus Himself said this or whether an institutional church that grew up in Jesus’ wake said this. This was the purpose of the so-called Jesus Seminar,” Killinger said.

Lets just take a look back at what Jesus said about Himself, shall we?

John 14:6-7 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.”

Then Jesus is questioned by Philip regarding what Jesus just told them and Jesus responds with:

John 14:9-10 “Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou [then], Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.”

This is why Dr. Killinger doesn’t want to hold to the doctrine in the book of John.  The book of John is to the point, direct, in your face or as Dr. Killinger stated, “assertive”.

Excerpt 4

“I’m just suggesting that I think we need to be a little less certain about what Jesus meant, what He was about, what His life and work were about. I think we’re reevaluating all that.”

For example, Jesus did not conceive of Himself as the Savior of the world and may not have viewed Himself a sacrifice at all until the crucifixion, Killinger said.

Again, please notate the underlined portion, emphasis mine. Now, lets take a look at some more scripture:

John 3:14-21 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”

 This as we can clearly see, is another reason why Dr. Killinger doesn’t want to pay attention/teach the book of John… it clearly states that Jesus IS the Savior. Jesus clarifies in the following verses:

Matthew 16:15-17 “He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed [it] unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.”

 The word “Christ” in the Greek is Χριστός which means:

 Christ = “anointed”

1) Christ was the Messiah, the Son of God

2) anointed

Dictionary.com determins Christ as a Messiah. It also clarifies a “Messiah” as a savior, deliverer, liberator.

 So, as we can see… whether by the Word of God (English, Greek, Hebrew) it all spells out that Jesus was, is and always will be the Savior of the World. 

Dr. Killinger goes on to state that he can read the book of John to himself and compares it to a “mystical” experience. This is classic Emergent phylosophy.  

Excerpt 5

Many CBF pastors agree with his views of salvation, Killinger said, citing an experience at a gathering of pastors in South Carolina. When he asked them what salvation meant to them, they all talked about self-fulfillment and love rather than doctrine, Killinger said.

The pastors also said they did not disbelieve in an afterlife but were not overly concerned about it, Killinger said. When asked whether they thought people of other world religions are going to hell, the pastors replied that they did not think in terms of heaven and hell, he said.

 I find it interesting that Pastors today are so not concerned about heaven and hell, yet Jesus cared enough to warn us all about it. (Please read the books of Matthew - John and the book of Revelation for specifics, for there are too many to list now).

Dr. Killinger goes on to attempt discrediting the book of Daniel and its prophetically acurate writings, stating that the book of Daniel “fibbed a lot”.

I have given you pretty much the gist of the article, however, I do recommend that you read it in its entirety. I hope that all of you will search out the scriptures and align everything with them, in the proper context, not withholding any books because of personal preference, as Dr. Killinger and others are trying to do. If these heretical teachers do not turn from their destructive ways, the Lord Himself will come unexpectedly with their just reward (condemnation), which they will not escape.

We are all accountable for what we influence others toward, so as watchmen on the wall… you have been warned. Now it is up to you what you will do with that, as you will be accountable for it.

 

Living the Christian Life - Part II

In Living the Christian Life - Part I, we looked at how the Bible defines “love”. We began our study in Galatians 5:22-26 as we will pick up our study today with looking at “joy”. To recap, this is what those verses state:

Galatians 5:22-26 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

Dictionary.com has one definition of joy as follows:

Joy

Joy\, n. [OE. joye, OF. joye, joie, goie, F. joie, L. gaudia, pl. of gaudium joy, fr. gaudere to rejoice, to be glad; cf. Gr. ? to rejoice, ? proud. Cf. Gaud, Jewel.]

1. The passion or emotion excited by the acquisition or expectation of good; pleasurable feelings or emotions caused by success, good fortune, and the like, or by a rational prospect of possessing what we love or desire; gladness; exhilaration of spirits; delight.

If we look at Philippians 1:25 and 2 Corinthians 1:24, we can see that joy is based in faith and if we look further in Romans 15:13 and 1 Thessalonians 1:6, we can see that our joy (or faith) is given through the power of the Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit) and Acts 13:52.

In 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20, we see that our joy is correlated with hope and a crown of rejoicing. The hope of our joy is what helped Jesus to endure the cross as in Hebrews 12:2. Then if we look at Luke 15:10, we can see that joy is in the salvation of those who are included in the Bride of Christ (Christians) and the fullness of the Bride is the Lord’s joy fulfilled (John 3:29).

In John 15:11, we can see that the Word of the Lord is joy to us, as well as John 17:13. In John 16:22 we see that the Lord gives us joy that no man can take away. We can see that it is through the Holy Spirit in Christ that we attain our joy in Romans 5:11 and Romans 14:17.

We can see that in Hebrews 11:11 faith is strength and we have already concluded that joy is through faith, therefore, our joy in the Lord through the Word inspired by the Holy Spirit is what gives us the faith to strengthen us through our lives and the hope of our salvation to the conclusion of the fullness of the Bride of Christ.

We have this joy, hope, faith and strength because of our love toward the Lord our God because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). Now, this takes us to our next topic, peace, which will be covered in Part III.

 

Living the Christian Life - Part I

A friend of mine is doing a study on the Fruit of the Spirit, so today, I am focusing on how we are to live as Christians. The best examples given are the scriptures that I have copied into this article. Now, because this is going to be an in depth study, I will post it in parts (this being Part I). The first scripture we will take a look at today is Galatians 5 verses 22-26 and it reads as follows:

 

Galatians 5:22-26 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

 

Now, lets break that down a bit… The first one listed is Love. What else does the Bible say about Love? It says:

 

Leviticus 19:18 and Leviticus 19:34 tell us that love is to love our neighbors and to consider strangers among us as ourselves.

 

Deuteronomy 6:5 and Deuteronomy 10:12-13 describes love as fearing the Lord, walking in all His ways and serving Him with all of our hearts and souls while keeping His commandments and statutes. For those of you who do not believe that we are to strive to follow the commandments of the Lord our God, that Jesus did away with the law in His first coming, please read Matthew 5:18 and Luke 16:17.

 

Deuteronomy 11:22 describes love as cleaving to the Lord. According to Dictionary.com to cleave means:

 

1. to adhere closely; stick; cling (usually followed by to).

2. to remain faithful (usually followed by to): to cleave to one’s principles in spite of persecution.

 

So, we can look at it this way… that we are to stay close to the Lord through His Word and remain faithful in spite of persecution. This is what Deuteronomy is trying to relay.

 

Deuteronomy 30:20 goes a little more in depth by stating that we must obey His voice and that cleaving to Him is because He is our life. So, understanding this and placing the context into the previous sentence, lets see what it might say to us.

 

We are to desperately stay close to the Lord our God for dear life through obedience to His Word and remain faithful in spite of persecution.

 

That says so much of our Christian life, doesn’t it?

 

The Lord showed us what love truly is in two verses:

 

John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

 

1 John 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love [of God], because He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

 

We are to give of ourselves completely and whole-heartedly to the Lord through studying His Word 2 Timothy 2:15 and conforming to His will Romans 12:1-2 through His Word faithfully, even unto death.

 

We will continue our study in Part II

 

 

What is the date of Pentecost (Shavuot) 2008?

I am writing this as an update (edit) to my original post: the Feast of Pentecost and the Rapture of the Church concerning the date of Pentecost (Shavuot) 2008.

In my original post, I began counting the 50 days, from the Sabbath between the Passover (April 20th) and First Fruits (April 27) as opposed to the Sabbath (Saturday) which follows the Feast of First Fruits. Therefore, I came up with the date of June 8, 2008 for Pentecost. The actual date is Sunday, June 15, 2008.

According to Leviticus 23:15-16, we are to count from the morrow after the first Sabbath which follows the Passover, which is the feast of First Fruits. There are to be 7 Sabbaths completed, even unto the morrow (the day after the Sabbath). [Seven Sabbaths after First Fruits]

Leviticus 23:15-16

And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days [*Omer]; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.

Passover was on April 20, 2008
Feast of First Fruits was on April 27, 2008

The seven Sabbaths (Saturdays) are:

1. May 3, 2008 (begin counting the *Omer)
2. May 10, 2008
3. May 17, 2008
4. May 24, 2008
5. May 31, 2008
6. June 7, 2008
7. June 14, 2008

The morrow (day after) the 7th Sabbath (Saturday) June 14, 2008 is (Sunday) June 15, 2008. That means that June 15, 2008 is Pentecost (Shavuot).

If you would like to read my full study on this subject “The Feast of Pentecost and the Rapture of the Church”, you can click these links below:
Part I
Part II

 

Witchcraft and the Church

I just read an article through an email that I thought was interesting. This article warned the Church against introducing witchcraft to their young ones. I wanted to write a post on this and so I decided to try and look up the original source. Well, I could not find the original source article, but I did find other articles written by the supposed author in which he contradicts the original article that I did read.

The author’s name is Mark Early and he writes for Crosswalk… some of you may know who he is. Well, I will quote an excerpt or two from the email article that I read first.

 

 

“According to a study conducted by the Barna Group called ‘Teens and the Supernatural,’ three out of every 10 teenagers have played the Ouija board, had their palms read, and eight out of 10 have read horoscopes.

Maybe these numbers do not shock you. But while these activities may seem innocuous, below the surface there lurks an extremely dangerous and powerful world – something Scripture refers to as ‘the powers of darkness…’”

The article goes on to say how, though it may seem harmless, it is quite dangerous, quoting the verses: Isaiah 8:19 and Deuteronomy 18. It also states how horoscope readings can lead to yoga (opens the door to Eastern Mysticism), which can lead to demonic themed games and contacting spirit guides.

All of what this author states in this article, I believe, however, the other article I found written by this person is disturbing to me. This other article is located HERE.

In this second article, he goes on to praise the movie Prince Caspian from the Narnia collection. I know that many Christians seem to think that C.S. Lewis’ writings are the child’s version of the Biblical gospel account, however, they fail to acknowledge the paganistic themes also present in these stories.

HERE is another article that I found which goes into more detail of the specifics of Greek Mythology, etc. presented in the Narnia collection of both the books and the movies.

“…The best example in this context (of Lewis’ faith) is Lewis’ atypical view of paganism, which is certainly at odds with many of his fundamentalist Christian supporters. He regarded paganism and Christianity as having much in common, and seemed to consider pagan religions as being a kind of nascent (emerging) form of Christianity…

…This blurring of the boundaries between these traditionally opposed faith traditions can be seen in the chronicles of Narnia, where Lewis not only uses creatures from Classical, Norse and Teutonic mythology such as centaurs, dryads, fauns and dwarves, and the gods Bacchus and Silenus, but also a number of the themes in the books are arguably derived from pagan religions as well. For example, Peter is knighted ‘wolfsbane,’ because he defeats the wolf Morgrim, which echoes stories from Norse and Teutonic sagas, notably the story of the chief god, Odin fighting Fenris-Wolf at Ragnarok, the last battle. The figure of the white witch arguably corresponds to the Norse crone-goddess, Hel, who ruled over the icy afterworld Niflheim…”

It reminds me of the flood of churches who begged, pleaded and shoved their congregations to go and see the Harry Potter movies… again, consciously blinding themselves to the witchcraft throughout the movie. It is the blind leading the blind.

So, in the days of apostasy and false unity for the ‘greater good’, we must hold ever tighter to the time-tested, accurate and fundamental Word of our Lord… The Bible. In the Bible, we see that this was all predicted to happen just before the return of our Lord to call His Bride, the Church (true believers who are watching and ready) to Himself and there we will be, with Him for eternity.

If you do not know the Lord, please read: The Gift of Salvation

 

Stand Firm In Times Of Trouble

In the days of violence and persecution, it is difficult to find peace and joy.  It is because of this, that I have chosen to write on this topic today. There are a few scriptures that came to mind, which deal directly with this topic. The life of a Christian believer is not one of ease and comfort, though many would like you to believe that it is. Once you become a believer in Christ Jesus, you become a target. We are meek in the fact that we put our trust in our Lord and Savior Jesus and not on our own abilities and influences. We are strong in the fact that our faith is an example, which cannot be disputed during the judgment of the unbelievers. That is right, we are an example.

 

Hebrews 12:1-4 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

 

2 Corinthians 4:8-10 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

 

2 Corinthians 4:13-15 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; Knowing that He which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.

 

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

 

Philippians 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made know unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

 

Philippians 4:8-9 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

 

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

 

So, what are we to think on??? We are to think on the things which are eternal, the things which we are taught by the Word of God, the things which we hope and long for by the redemption of our bodies at the rapture/resurrection of the Church, for this is our blessed hope – to be with the Lord God forever. When all around you seems to fail, when all around you seems hopeless, just remember, you have a hope… you have a Savior.

 

Psalm 34:17,19 The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles…Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.

 

Psalm 97:10 Ye that love the Lord, hate evil: He preserveth the souls of His saints; He delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.

 

The time to press on, is coming to an end, the work is almost done… 

 

Matthew 9:37 Then saith He unto His disciples, the harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few…

 

Will you work while you can? Will you store up treasures, where moth, rust and thieves cannot corrupt? Will you be counted worthy to escape the things, which are about to come?

 

Luke 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

 

Now is not the time to loose heart. Be encouraged, the day is almost done and your rewards await you in Christ Jesus.

 

 

The Feast of Pentecost and The Rapture of the Church Part II

Click here for Part I

I have found an article that goes into a little more detail in some areas of my previous study, which can be found here.

Instead of going over the entire article that I just found, I am going to refer to the parts pertaining to my previous study.

Hebrews 10:30-31,35-39 “For we know Him that said, vengeance belongeth unto Me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, the Lord shall judge His people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God…Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, My soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.”

Below is an excerpt from the above article:

…For the enlightenment and benefit of our readers, a literal word for word rendering of Habakkuk 2:2-3 follows exactly as it is worded in the Hebrew text of the Bible,

2: And answered me Jehovah and said, Write the vision, and engrave it on the tablets, so that he may run who is reading it.

3: For still the vision is for the appointed festival, but it pants to the end, and does not lie. Though it hesitates, wait for it; for surely it will come; it will not tarry.

Please compare this literal rendering with the wording recorded in the King James Bible. Notice the words “appointed time” in the KJV. These words are translated from the Hebrew word, “mowadah.” This Hebrew word literally means “appointed festival.” See Gesenius Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon, page 457, Strong’s No. 4150.

For any reader willing to deal honestly with God’s Word, this should settle the question of whether or not the Lord is coming on a Jewish Holy Day. This verse explicitly states that the vision of the Lord’s coming is to be fulfilled on “the appointed festival.” In view of this explicit statement, we need not expect the Lord to come at any other time than on a Jewish Festival, for the Lord never violates His own Word…

The Festival of Unleavened Bread

The instructions for observing this festival are given in Exodus 12:14-20 and Leviticus 23:6-14, with specific instructions being given in Leviticus 23:9-14 for the “firstfruits” offering. This observance is also mentioned in several other related passages. What I especially want our readers to notice in the course of this festival is the observance of the “firstfruits” offering.

The “firstfruits” offering was a “sheaf” [omer] of barley, the first grain ripe in Israel in the Spring of the year. There was always some of this grain ripe by Passover. This first ripe barley was gathered in from the field, and the grain was beaten out of the husks until there was an “omer” of barley. The “omer” full of the first ripe barley was then brought to the priest officiating in the Tabernacle [later in the Temple].

The Scriptures tell us that “on the morrow after the sabbath” following Passover, the priest would take this “omer” of barley into the Tabernacle, and standing before the veil which separated the holy place from the “holiest of all,” would lift up the “omer” of barley towards Heaven as high as he could reach, and would “wave the sheaf” [omer] vigorously back and forth before the veil “to be accepted for you, 23:11. The Lord Himself called it a “wave offering” in Leviticus 23:15. Glory to God!

Please dear readers, in this study I am only presenting those facts about the “wave offering” of the “firstfruits” which are necessary to give our readers an understanding of what the offering foreshadowed. You can study all the details for yourself.

The Fulfillment of Firstfruits

If you are a true Bible believer then you know that just as the Israelites sacrificed a lamb on that first Passover [and each Passover thereafter], so 1,517 years later the Lord Jesus Christ, “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world,” John 1:29, was sacrificed on Passover in 30 A.D.

Three days and three nights after Christ was crucified, just as the 17th day of Abib ended and the 18th day began, “on the morrow after the sabbath” following the Passover, the Lord Jesus Christ came forth from the tomb, triumphant over death, hell, and the grave, Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:1-6; Luke 24:1-7; John 20. Glory to God! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!

Now here is where the events really get interesting. For on that same first day of the week, “the morrow after the sabbath,” the Scriptures state, “many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after His resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many,” Matthew 28:52-53. Folks, these were the “firstfruits” [plural] of the resurrection, which included Christ Himself, 1 Corinthians 15:20, all of which were foreshadowed by the “omer” of barley. Glory to God! Praise the Lord! Hallelujah! But let’s put it all together.

According to John 20:1-18, on that glorious “first day of the week” when Christ arose, Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, “when it was yet dark,” and found the tomb empty. She ran and told Peter and John and they came to the tomb and also found it empty. Peter and John then left the tomb, but Mary remained at the tomb weeping. The Lord then appeared to her, identifying Himself, and saying to her, “Touch Me not; for I am not yet ascended to My Father: but go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God.” It is then obvious that at that specific time on that resurrection morning, the Lord had not yet ascended to the Father.

However, according to Matthew 28:1-10, just a few hours [or a few minutes…??] later the Lord met “Mary Magdalene and the other Mary” as they were going to tell the other disciples what the angel had told them, “And they came and held Him by the feet, and worshiped Him.” Folks, in that interval of time the Lord had ascended into Heaven itself [Hebrews 9:24], where He presented His blood to the Father, and also presented to the Father “the firstfruits of them that slept,” all of which were received and accepted by the Father, and then the Lord returned to earth to meet the two Mary’s. Glory to God!

Folks, it certainly appears that Christ and the “firstfruit” saints were standing before the Father’s throne in Heaven that morning at the very same time that the Jewish priest was standing in the Temple waving the “firstfruits” barley offering before a veil that was standing wide open [Mark 15:38], clearly signifying that the way into Heaven itself was now open for all who will believe, Hebrews 10:19-20. Remember that the Scriptures explicitly state that this offering was “to be accepted for you.” Folks, it is the blood of our risen Christ that makes the truly repentant believer “accepted” by the Heavenly Father, Ephesians 1:3-7. Glory! Praise the Lord! Hallelujah! Glory to God! “Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord.” Psalm 150:6.

Folks, there are two things here I want you to notice. First, it is obvious that the “wave offering” of the “firstfruits” of the “omer” of barley on “the morrow after