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| - Ray & Doris Prinzing - "Then brought He me out of the way of the gate north ward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side.― A river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over." [Ezekiel 47:2, 5]. "And the temple of God was opened... and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail." [Revelation 11:19]. If ever there was a purpose appointed to a people, it is that we might BECOME the fixed dwelling place of God, His habitation, THE TEMPLE OF HIMSELF. Such a high, holy, heavenly calling is staggering to the mind of man, but the Spirit of God quickens this as a truth to be both believed and experienced. Indeed, it is the challenge of each man to yield to the inworkings of God's grace, so that we might be brought to full stature in Christ, and filled with His fullness. As already seen in previous chapters, the glory of the Lord comes into the temple, and the door is shut, so that never again shall the glory of God depart from man, and "Ichabod" be written over the door, literally meaning, "the glory of God is departed," or, "where is the glory?" But His glory shall abide within, and the blessing thereof shall flow out. Since the door is shut, Ezekiel's vision describes how that the water flows out from "under the threshold of the house eastward." [Ezekiel 47:1]. It will not be dissipated by man, nor lost, but flows out to become a great river, bringing life to many. Jesus also spoke of this DIVINE FLOW, when He said, "He that believeth on Me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." [John 7:38]. Quickening streams of divine life flowing out from the heart of those who have become ONE IN CHRIST filled with His Spirit to the degree that He becomes the OVERFLOW that issues forth. The outflow from God's temple is a river that cannot be passed over, it is an outflow that no man can circumvent or restrain, because the totality thereof is Christ, He is the Circumference, embracing the whole, and He is the Center, the Alpha and the Omega "that filleth all in all." [Ephesians 1:23]. Then Revelation lists five glorious manifestations that proceed out of this temple to establish the FULL ARRANGEMENT of His redemption for creation, and the execution of His will in all the earth. There is no need to speak of a New Testament, which is a complete, a full arrangement, unless it can become a reality in the life of those who hear about it. And the "ministry" which is given to execute the whole counsel of His will, shall be fully equipped for the task. The present inworkings of the Spirit, and the revelation of the truth to our hearts, is for "instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, and for training in righteousness (that is, in holy living, in conformity to God's will in thought, purpose and action), SO THAT the man of God may be complete and proficient, well-fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work." [2 Timothy 3:16-17, Amplified]. "And there were lightnings…" Lightning speaks of that discharge of power accompanied by its brilliant flashes of light piercing the darkness. "Canst thou send lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are? (margin, or say, behold us)." [Job 38:35]. Lightning flashes― behold us! The spiritual reality and fulfillment of this is none other than the manifestation of the sons of God, sent forth to do the bidding of the Lord. "Who maketh His angels (messengers) spirit; His ministers a flaming (flashing) fire." [Psalm 104:4]. The word "flaming" used here is the same word that is used in Genesis 3:24, which speaks of how God placed "a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life." No thief or robber could approach the tree of life without being exposed by this flashing, illuminating sword. He that comes to the light shall be made manifest for what he is, and God's TEMPLE shall not only remain holy, but from it shall proceed lightnings which shall expose every evil work in creation, that it may be judged and corrected. Evil will not come to the light, lest it be reproved, therefore God will send forth His light to the evil, "and this is the condemnation (Greek, JUDGMENT), that light is come into the world." [John 3:19]. Ah illumination is for the purpose of correction― not just to expose and condemn, to make ashamed, but that there might be a restoration unto righteousness. Heretofore betimes there have been little flashes of light that penetrate our darknss, a word of knowledge, a word of wisdom is imparted, and we have been grateful, but it has been so fragmentary, so "in part," "for we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away ." [1 Corinthians 13:9-10]. But there shall be a full word, a complete word, which shall work its beautiful process of correction and restoration. Ezekiel 1:14 tells us that "the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning." Swift to do the Father's will, instant obedience― empowered with His ability for the task. Ministering life, light, and deliverance according to the purpose of God. "He shot out lightnings, and discomfited (troubled) them. Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at Thy rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of Thy nostrils. He sent from above, He took me, and drew me out of many waters." [Psalm 18:14-16]. What a beautiful picture of the ministry to come. Sent forth by God, and the enemy is troubled. The illumination exposes the whole situation, until the very foundations are discovered, and the channels are seen. The patterns and ways will be revealed. Waters often speak of peoples, and in this day the psychologist and the psychiatrist probe and search, and guess and wonder at the ways of man, trying to learn the patterns so as to help them solve their problems. Ah, the blazing light of the SPIRIT OF WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING, THE SPIRIT OF COUNCIL AND MIGHT, THE SPIRIT OF KNOWLEDGE, shall make these God-sent messengers "of quick understanding" and they shall "not judge after the seeing of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: but with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth…" [Isaiah 11:2-4]. And wherefore this glorious ministry, it is to draw mankind out of his bondage and grief, to bring deliverance to groaning creation, "to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised." [Luke 4:18]. "I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, FOR A LIGHT OF THE NATIONS; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, them that sit in darkness out of the prison house." [Isaiah 42:6-7]. "When the Lord shall build up Zion (HIS OVERCOMING FIRST FRUITS, HIS DWELLING PLACE), He shall appear in His glory. He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer. This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord. For He hath looked down from the height of His sanctuary; from heaven did the Lord behold the earth; to hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death." [Psalm 102:16-20]. "He maketh lightnings for the rain..." [Psalm 135:7]. What illumination shall accompany the rain? One of the Hebrew words used for "rain" is "yarah" which is also the Hebrew word for "teach." Thus we have the combining of both the message and its illumination, which shall be most effective and bring forth results to the glory of God. There has been much teaching through the years, but the mind of man has been so darkened, it brought forth little fruitage. But when the temple is opened, and the lightnings issue forth, the message will have inherent in it a quickening, and understanding-giving light, so that people shall grasp the truth and be able to respond and believe. And so also we read, "His lightnings ENLIGHTENED the world." [Psalm 97:4]. "For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." [Habakkuk 2:14]. "Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; ...and all flesh shall see the salvation of the Lord." [Luke 3:5-6]. "And there were…voices…" Greek, "phone," a voice, sound. "There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them without signification." [1 Corinthians 14:10]. We try to listen and make sense out of them all, and only end up more confused. One man will broadcast his message, and the next man follows with another that contradicts the first. But these VOICES are identified as coming from an OPEN TEMPLE, and their message is like unto none other ever heard. "The kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which hath not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider." [Isaiah 52-15]. Then, "they also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine." [Isaiah 29:24]. Nor will there be the confusion of voice and outward manifestation, as when Isaac said, "the voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau." [Genesis 27:22]. Far too often have we had the handiwork of the flesh, and tried to join it to the voice of the Spirit, and confused others. But the message and the messenger become ONE, a life lived that is true to the message proclaimed, and there shall be no confusion as to what is meant. Nor will these VOICES be as unknown and undiscerned as "the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day." [Acts 13:27]. Yes, the voice of the prophet is heard, the scriptures are read, a part of the ceremony and ritual of each sabbath day, and yet how little is truly heard and understood. But when the anointed voice sounds forth from God's open temple, in the hour of His divine appointment, men will stop and listen, compelled by a message that answers the deep cry of their heart. As Jesus said, "The words that I speak unto you, are spirit, and are life." [John 6:63]. Whose voice then shook the earth: but now He hath promised, saying, "Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven." [Hebrews 12:26]. The pure declaration of truth is going to shake heaven and earth-for the message will not be in parables, but illuminated reality. And so great will be the effect of that sounding that we also read, "For the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth..." [John 5:28], some unto the resurrection of more abundant life, and some advancing into the process of judgment's correction. What a voice is this that those who are wrapped in death, caught in the throes of the CARNAL MIND, for "to be carnally minded is death," [Romans 8:6], they suddenly stir and awaken to hear the voice of truth, receive the message, and begin the process of growth and development unto spiritual stature? Ah, this is a VOICE UNTO LIFE, speaking words of life, peace, and victory for creation. No wonder all creation is on tiptoe, waiting to see the wonderful sight of the sons of God coming into their inheritance in Christ. It means that there shall be a sounding forth of a message of life that shall reverse the process of degeneration and begin a glorious regeneration. "And there were... thunderings..." A sound, due to the sudden expansion of the air in the path of the discharge of power. The word is the same in the Greek for "roar." Here are sudden vibration reactions which accompany the releases of His power. Ministeries have seemed to be so "impotent," but when God releases HIS POWER to begin "the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began." [Acts 3:21]. It shall burst forth with a roar, a thundering, striking terror into the camp of the enemy, and awaken a new hope in the heart of the prisoner waiting in the region of the shadow of death. "Lo, these are parts of His ways: but how little a portion is heard of Him? but the thunder of His power who can understand?" [Job 26:14]. "He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increaseth strength." [Isaiah 40:29]. "For the kingdom of God is not in word, BUT IN POWER." [1 Corinthians 4:20]. "Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder..." [Psalm 81:7]. Who can comprehend the power of our God? Who can tell of the workings of His energy-force? But the world shall yet see a demonstration of His might, and the roar of His release of power, turning things upside down, and shaking everything that can be shaken, and gloriously, powerfully establishing His kingdom in the earth. PRAISE GOD! "His radiance is a lightning blaze, on either side flash rays... and there He veils His might." [Habakkuk 3-4, Moffatt Translation]. He has hidden His power within His temple, it is now effectually working in His elect to bring them to spiritual maturity, but when this process is finished and the temple is opened, that power shall go forth to fulfill His word of reconciliation, and with that discharge of power there shall be thunderings. "And earthquake..." It is significant that throughout the scripture earthquakes seem to denote the ending and beginning of dispensations. Climaxing a victory won, and opening new operations. They are another symbol of God's irresistible power, which now shall be personified in a people. It signifies that an age has ended, namely the "church age," i.e. the calling out of a people unto Himself, to be His first fruits of a new creation. And it also signifies that there is anew age beginning, the greater unfolding of His grace to bring new advances of restoration to man. Earths will quake, stones will be rolled away, graves will be opened, bands will be loosed, nothing will remain unmoved in this manifestation of the presence of the Lord coming forth from His temple. "And a great hail..." "Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the HAIL shall sweep away the refuge of the lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place." [Isaiah 28: 17]. Although it is written, "My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass: because I will publish the name of the Lord... [Deuteronomy 32:2-3], it is equally true that the truth shall have a solid impact upon the lies and false doctrines, and shall utterly demolish the refuge of creedal error and the traditions of men. "There shall be an overflowing shower: and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall rend it. ― So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with untempered mortar, and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation thereof shall be discovered, and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the midst thereof: and ye shall know that I AM THE LORD." [Ezekiel 13:11,14]. The kingdoms of man have been built, their works are reared up, and the walls and barriers have been made, but when God send forth HIS HAIL from His temple, it will break down all the works of man, and the very foundations upon which they have built shall be discovered. Man shall come to know that the Lord, He is God and He alone. Who can tell just the ways and methods this shall be fulfilled, for prophecy has amazing ways of fulfillment, beyond the speculation of the mind of man, but this we know, God is preparing a people through whom much of this tremendous work shall be accomplished. His power and glory shall be revealed, and His name shall be glorified in the earth. VICTORY FROM THE TEMPLE Wonderful power that moves to fulfill The age-during purpose of God, Outflow of the vessel become His will, Fruition of discipline's rod. The glorious presence of Him who dwells In this temple He hath prepared, Presence of love that completely excels All powers the earth hath declared. Release Thy flashes of truth to prevail And pierce through the shades of the night, The darkest regions of hell to assail, Illumine the whole with Thy light. And utter Thy voice with its clarity, Pure words that are spirit and life, Revealing the depths of Thy mystery, Becalming all atmospheres rife. Answer the world with Thy thunderings rare, Till selfhood is silent and spent, Unveiling Thy might by Thine arm made bare, Poured out of the flesh Thou hast rent. Shaking the earth till the mountains are moved, And the hills from Thy presence flee, And every knee bowed in worship has proved From sin's galling thralldom they're free. Send forth Thy great hail that shall sweep away The refuge of lies and deceit, Till truth is established and takes the prey, With mercy and justice complete. Long has Thy power in temples been sealed, O Lord, how we yearn for release, When out of our deep Thy life is revealed, And righteousness merges with peace. |
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