KINGDOM BIBLE STUDIES
"Teaching the things concerning
the kingdom of God..."
FROM THE CANDLESTICK TO THE THRONE
Part
80
THE
UNIVERSAL SONG
And when He had taken the book, the four living creatures and four
and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb (Rev. 5:8).
Gods kings and priests fall down in adoration and worship of the Lamb, but
beyond this they bow on behalf of all creation! Break
the seals, open the book, release the Christ within us, bring forth the manifestation of
the Son, loose that sonship ministry unto which we have been called and destined is
the unutterable cry of their hearts. This
longing of Gods elect is graphically expressed in the words of the chorus given by
the Spirit:
Thou mighty Christ,
come forth in me;
My will, my way, I
yield to Thee
The barren sings a
travailing song,
O praise His name,
it wont be long!
THE
HARPS
And when He had taken the book, the four living creatures and four and twenty
elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps (Rev.
5:8).
The Greek word translated harps is kitharan, a word which is
etymologically related to our English word guitar. It refers to an instrument which was triangular in
shape, having from seven to twelve strings. At
midnight I will rise to give thanks unto Thee (Ps. 119:62). I will also praise Thee with the psaltery,
even Thy truth, O Lord my God: unto Thee will I sing with the harp, O Thou Holy
One of Israel (Ps. 71:22). Arising at
midnight while the earth was silent and still, king David would place his small wooden
harp over his heart and gently put his ear to the wood.
As he began to pluck the strings with his fingers, the vibrations echoed through
the harp and into his heart, shaking loose the perception of distance between himself and
God. Closing his eyes, he would begin to play
whatever music came to him, thoughts and words moving through his mind in harmony with the
melodies. This music came in waves from
within his spirit and overflowed onto the strings of the harp, and from there out into the
universe. He became one with the music, and
one with God.
As a shepherd long before he became Israels king, David had been known as
the sweet singer of Israel. His
psalms were personal songs of faith and love in the darkest times of his life as well as
the grandest. They were composed from the
depths of his heart, and fortunately their words were written into the Bible, where we can
read them every day. But what about the
music? Can you imagine what it would be like
to hear a recording of king David himself playing his harp and singing the psalms? The music, too, survived for a while. King Davids special melodies and words went
on to be taught to the Levites who played in the orchestra of the temple in Jerusalem. They were played and sung faithfully, at least
twice every day, for hundreds of years until the temple was destroyed and Jerusalem razed
to the ground.
As sometimes happens after long periods of time, the instruments changed form. The kinnor (lyre) gradually changed into a violin,
and the harp evolved into the large orchestra harp we have today, complete with gold leaf
overlay and pedals. These are both very
beautiful instruments with amazing sounds, but they are connected no longer to the
intention and purpose of the original harps of Israel, which were tools for prayer,
prophecy, and transformation.
We must remember, of course, that the vision John saw was given in symbols. This means that just as the seven horns on the
Lamb declare that Jesus Christ has all power, and not that He has suddenly turned into a
four-legged monstrosity with seven horns, so, here, there is a message in the fact that
the four living creatures (kings) and the twenty-four elders (priests) have every one of
them harps. First of all this melodious
instrument reveals the great truth that we, as Gods elect, are called and chosen to
be instruments of praise in which there will be found only perfect tuning. There will be no more of the carnal discord of
egocentricity, professional form, and fleshly zeal which has marred our praise. Our spirits, perfectly tuned to the will and way
of our Father, will sound a perfect unison with all of creation. As we ascend into the throne zone in our high
calling in Christ, there is no dissonance in that glorious rendition, for every fiber of
our being vibrates with the praise of the Lamb who has redeemed us and made us kings and
priests unto God!
Secondly, the idea is not that every one will one day go to heaven and learn to
play a harp, but that there is a realm in God where our entire nature and being throbs
with heavenly harmonies, for the strings of our inner son are perfectly in tune with the
mind and heart of our Father, because of the mighty transformation wrought by the life of
the indwelling Lamb. As this is accomplished in us we all begin to fulfill the injunction of
the psalm which says, Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for
the upright. Praise the Lord with harp: sing
unto Him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings. Sing unto Him a new song; play skillfully with a
loud noise. For the word of the Lord is
right; and all His works are done in truth (Psalm 33:1-4). You say, But I cant sing and I dont
know how to play the harp or any of those other instruments. Thats not the message! The harp is a symbol of perfect praise
pouring forth from all of Gods elect. And
not merely the act of praising, but the very becoming a praise
and the being of praise, as it is written, Ye that make mention of the
Lord, keep not silence, and give Him no rest, till He establish, and till He make
Jerusalem a praise in the earth (Isa. 62:6-7).
Again, So have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and the
whole house of Judah (praise), saith the Lord; that they might be unto me for a people,
and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory
(Jer. 13:11). Yet again, Having predestinated us unto
placement as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself
to the praise of the glory of
His grace
in whom also we have obtained an inheritance
that we should be to
the praise of His glory (Eph. 1:5,6,11,12).
Harps were used in Israel with singing and dancing to express joy in the presence
of the Lord. One example of this is in the
second book of Samuel where we read, And David and all the house of Israel played
before the Lord on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps
and
David danced before the Lord with all his might
so David and all the house of Israel
brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet (II
Sam. 6:5,14,15).
The harp in scripture is also symbolic of the prophetic ministry. As the incense connects with the priests
ministry, so the harp connects with the prophets!
We read that the prophet Samuel informed king Saul, Thou shalt meet a company
of prophets coming down from the high place, with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a harp
before them, and they shall prophesy (I Sam. 10:5). We read that king David set apart the sons of
Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, who prophesied with a harp (I Chron.
25:1-3). And in Psalms 49:4 we read, I
will open my dark sayings upon the harp. The
harp, therefore, is symbolic of the prophetic ministry in the highest sense of the word! Thus, the holding up of these incense prayers and
the prophetic harps together before the Lamb as He takes the book out of the right hand of
Him who sits upon the throne is both the prayer and the prophecy contained in the new
song which they sing, declaring their kingship and priesthood and the great truth
that they shall reign over the earth (Rev. 5:10). It
is also the prayer and the prophecy pointing to the universal song of all creation
proclaiming blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the
throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever! (Rev. 5:13).
It is the prayer and the prophecy proclaiming the great truth that Gods
company of king-priests shall bring the triumph of Gods kingdom to pass in all
realms of the heavens, the earth, and the underworld!
It is truly wonderful!
It is interesting to note that when Israel was in the Babylonian captivity, their
harps were silent (Ps. 137:2). That the four
living creatures and the twenty-four elders, Gods king-priests, are seen bowing
before the Lamb while playing the harps of God indicates the fullness of the joy of the
Lord in their hearts, as well as their prophetic and creative word unto creation. By the victory of the Lamb they have joyfully and
authoritatively entered into their ministry from the throne of God to deliver and restore all
things. These victorious overcomers are
seen celebrating the true joy and power of the kingdom of God! They are experiencing within themselves the
reality of the kingdom which is righteousness, peace, and joy in the holy Ghost! With kingdom joy, vision, and power they are ready
to reign!
The harp is mentioned several times in the book of Revelation and in chapter 14:1-2
we read, And I looked, and lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Zion, and with Him an
hundred forty and four thousand, having His Fathers name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of
many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers
harping with their harps. In this
passage we find this great company standing with their Redeemer upon mount Zion. Zion, of course, represents the very highest
position attainable in the kingdom of God! Such
are the ruling class in the capital city, the New Jerusalem, prefigured by king David who
dwelt on the natural mount Zion of old. And
this company standing with their Lord can represent nothing other than they who have
followed the Lamb experientially all the way from the death of mount Calvary to the power
and glory of mount Zion, and will now reign with Him upon His throne for evermore (II Tim.
2:12; Rom. 8:17).
The hundred and forty-four thousand on mount Zion are said to have His Fathers
name written in their foreheads in distinction to those who, in Revelation 13:16,
take the mark of the beast in their foreheads. The
mark of the beast denotes that those who bear it have subscribed to the mind the
doctrines, ways, methods, spirit, blasphemy, idolatry, and nature of the bestial system of
this world, including the carnal, man-made, religious systems. Therefore the mark which these hundred and
forty-four thousand bear denotes that they are not defiled with the antichrist doctrines,
philosophies, methods, and shame, but are in every respect perfected in the divine nature
and the will of their heavenly Father.
Accompanying this company of the manifest sons of God is heard the voice of
harpers harping with their harps. Just
as in chapter five of the Revelation, these sons of God are filled to overflowing with the
fullness of the joy of the Lord and the song of praise unto God and the Lamb! In all these symbols we see that joy, rejoicing,
prayer, praise, and worship are all a vital part of reigning! We will understand the deep significance of this
more and more as we look 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 (Heb. 12:2).
Some time ago the following prophecy came forth, declaring, For surely men
fill balloons with helium, and the balloons rise, and bear men up into the air to great
heights. And as they ascend, and cast out
their ballast, they ascend even higher. What
they have done, and the heights to which they ascend, is not because men have lost the
pull of gravity, but because they have hitched themselves to a heaven-bound substance, and
have cast aside the weights that hold them to the earth.
So, my people, I would say unto thee, cast aside every weight, and the sin which
doth so easily beset, and hitch thyself to the heaven-bound substance that will bring thee
into my presence. For I would say unto thee
that praise is heaven-bound! It is
directed toward the throne! It has a power
and a force that will carry it to the throne! And
in the midst of thy praise, thou shalt find thyself being lifted into the heavenlies,
casting aside every weight, every condemnation and guilt.
In the midst of thy praise thou art lifted into the heavenlies. I would bring thee up, and have brought
thee into heavenly places where thou hast known in thy spirit newness of life, where thou
hast found a new dimension of the Spirit. The
hour is at hand when I have a people that through their praises shall rise into the
heavenlies. And as they cast aside every
weight, they shall rise even higher into the throne! And as their praises become heated up, ascending
up into the heavenlies, SO SHALL THEY ASCEND HIGHER INTO THEIR GOD!
Before we speak further about reigning with Christ, let us open our hearts that God
may speak to us and show us the ways of His throneship.
Many years ago the Lord spoke suddenly and powerfully to me, saying, I have
N-O-T COMMANDED YOU TO PRAISE ME! I was astonished, incredulous, speechless at His
word! In my understanding I was absolutely
certain that God had repeatedly commanded us to praise Him! I rushed home, got my Strongs Concordance,
and began a search of all the scriptures on praise. How
clearly then the truth dawned on me! Yes
we are commanded to praise but, with the exception of the first commandment
(and we are not under the law of the ministration of death written and engraven in stones)
the command was not issued by GOD! Instead, men
of God, caught up in the Spirit of God, beholding in spirit the splendor, beauty,
glory, and majesty of God, cried out in spirit, Praise ye the Lord! I quickly discerned the pattern. It is never God speaking in the first person,
declaring, I command you worship
Me!
There is no such command anywhere
in the word of God! God speaks of worship and praise, but not in terms of an imperative. It is always the man of God, with the veil drawn
back from his vision, getting a glimpse of the Lord of Glory, as the prophet Isaiah said,
In the year that king Uzziah died, I saw the Lord
high and lifted up. He saw the Lord, high and lifted up! We can only ascend into the heights of God by
first seeing our great and mighty God high and lifted up! As we see Him high and lifted up in the heavens of
Gods Spirit, worship and praise are the natural response from every obedient heart. That, my beloved, is the beginning of all
true worship and praise!
This is what is happening in the lives of Gods called and chosen elect in
this significant hour! Have not the heavens
been opened to us? Have we not beheld the
beauty of the Lord , and have we not inquired of Him in His temple? Oh, yes! We
have seen the Lord in and by the Spirit, high and lifted up, with His train
filling the temple. We have beheld the beauty
of the Christ within, and now we worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness! Notice especially the three ingredients in the new
song sung by the hundred and forty-four thousand. And
I heard a voice from heaven as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great
thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps
(Rev. 14:2). Many waters, great thunder, and
the harping of harps! The many waters speak
of volume, a great company of sons; great thunder speaks of mighty power, and harps speak
of the prophetic flow in worship and praise. The message is clear there is power in
the prophetic praise of Gods elect!
In fact, the passage where those beautiful words are found, Worship
the Lord in the beauty of holiness, is taken from the Psalm which describes a
great thunderstorm that sweeps off of the Mediterranean and crashes over the
hills of Lebanon and down into Judea, wrecking havoc on every side. David, the psalmist, tells us that here the
majesty and the power and might of God was revealed in the crashing lightning and the clap
of thunder. Here we see the power of Gods
arm which in stretched forth through the prophetic worship and praise of His people! The many waters, the clapping thunder, and the
harping of harps are all symbols of the power of prophetic praise! And it is this mighty power of prophetic praise
that devastates the carnality of the earth realm in preparation for the revelation of the
glory of God.
Let us consider again for a moment the fact that God does not generally command us
to worship or praise Him. We could easily
understand how God who made us could order us to do what He wants us to do. After all, He is our Creator! We could even understand how He could command us
to say what we should say or even to think what He would have us to think. And He does, indeed, do that. The spirit of inspiration has taught us that every
thought should be brought into captivity to the obedience of Jesus Christ. But, to go into that innermost closet, that
deepest recess of the human heart of our love and affection and to say that we must
love, and to say that we must praise, to command us to worship,
seems to be a contradiction in terms.
Yea, it is more than that! Were God to
force us to worship and praise Him He would thereby display the most proud, egotistical,
conceited, self-centered, and vainglorious personality in the universe! Have you never met an egoistic, self-seeking
person reeking with the odor of their own self-importance?
I have known men who were obsessed with their importance and power who manipulated
others to constantly fawn before them and heap flattery upon them. There is something in me that has always detested
such and found them among the most despicable specimens of manhood. Shall we now attribute such contemptible
characteristics to the great and glorious God? Can
you imagine a man saying to his wife, Thou shalt bow before me, thou must pay homage
to me, thou shalt love me, thou must adore me, thou
must obey me, and thou must rehearse in my ears continually how great and handsome and
wonderful I am! What kind of love and
affection would a woman give to a man like that? Yet,
we have heard the notion taught that God is good and He knows He is good; that God is holy
and knows He is holy; that God is great and knows He is great; that God is omnipotent and
knows He is omnipotent; therefore He is justified in commanding our respect, love, and
praise. But what is worship? It is simply mans response to the REVELATION OF GOD! When we truly see God as He is we will
worship Him and our worship will be in direct proportion to the clarity of our vision of
Him. God has no need to command us to worship
He reveals Himself for what He is! That
is why the law covenant has been done away, it is weak through the flesh, and man cannot
perform in obedience to an outward commandment.
It doesnt work! But the response
of all who behold the King in His beauty is ever the same the revelation redounds
in blessing and honor and glory unto God because He is the all-glorious and altogether lovely One! He is worthy!
Worship is mans response, not Gods command. And the response of the man to whom the Lord has
truly unveiled Himself is as natural and spontaneous as breathing!
Contrary to what the great masses of Christians believe, praise is not an
instrument by which we can get things from God it is our response to
His reality within ourselves. The Psalms are
inspired songs of praise. Praise, not pity. That is the repeated message found in the Psalms! Praise for the goodness and greatness of God and
for the constant care He gives His creation runs deep throughout the book. It carries, also, the spirit of a deep devotion to
God, and a willingness to trust Him in any circumstance.
It overflows with testimony of Gods love, His faithfulness, His
righteousness. The truths found in the Psalms
reveal Gods undying love and unfailing care for man.
But they do it in a special way through praise! As it says in Psalm 107, O that men
would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of
men!
Praise, of course, is not something we plug into so that things will work out for
us. The very thought, Praise God!
recognizes the presence and power of God right where we are. As someone has written, God is not moved by
the breath of praise to do more than He has already done, nor can the Infinite do less
than bestow all good, since He is unchanging wisdom and love. Praising God, then, isnt meant to persuade
Him to help us. That is how little
children think, and conspiring, manipulative women who through flirtations and flattery
obtain favors from men. We do not approach
God in that false, fleshly, devious manner! Praise,
rather, lifts our burdens by opening our eyes to Gods presence within us, and we
gain a fresh perspective by discerning the true character of our heavenly Father.
Can praise actually help us in practical ways?
Not if were trying to use praise
as a technique. But if our
praise is the spontaneous outpouring of joy and gladness as we become more and more
conscious of Gods Life, Light, and Love, then praise does have a practical impact on
our life, for God inhabits the praise of His people and there is the revelation of
HIMSELF! Praise does its work in us,
not in God! As we ascend into the heights of
God on the wings of prayer and praise we begin to Praise the Lord from the
heavens and praise Him from the heights (Ps. 148:1). It is in our ascension to the throne zone, where we join in the voice as the voice of many
waters, and as the voice of a great thunder, and as the voice of harpers harping with
their harps, that we begin to rule and reign as heavenly kings upon mount Zion, declaring
that creative word of the Lord through prophetic worship and praise which has the power to
break every yoke, delivering and transforming all creation.
Oh, the wonder of it!
The inspired Evelyn Isaacs wrote, The land of the miraculous is our native
land. If people would continue praising Him
they would enter into the unceasing praise of the spirit. It is then, all the powers of gravity would lose
their hold and men would ascend from plane to plane.
There is no space in heaven, on earth, or underneath the earth where spirit is not! It has no dimension, and goes beyond the extremest
point of the imagination. There can be no
greater fullness than that of spirit, nor can there be any greater height or depth. No mortal mind or eye can scan immortal heights,
neither can depths be plumbed. No substance
can bring greater expression than that of spirit for its immensity and density are
unscanned. No space is devoid of that which
is substance, so we may cease reasoning with the finite mind and rise to the infinite. Those who are flooded with the spirit, are not
ordinary men, and unless Gods people are moved into the place to which they are
called, they too will die
end quote.
In another place in the Revelation (8:3-4) the voice of many waters, the voice of
great thunder, and the harpers harping with their harps is presented under another figure,
that of incense offered upon the golden altar, and the smoke of the incense ascending up
before God. All the sacrifices of the
heavenly realm into which Gods elect are now translated are spiritual
sacrifices. The altar upon which the
spiritual sacrifices are offered is Christ Himself, as it is written, BY HIM
therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise continually, that is, the fruit of
our lips giving thanks to His name. But to do
good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased
(Heb. 13:15-16). The sacrifice of
praise in no way infers that we must consistently and persistently mouth words of
praise and thanksgiving unto God when we in no way feel like doing so. That is the idea many people have! They feel they must wring some praises
out of their soulish senses in order to offer a sacrifice of praise to God. To the contrary, the sacrifice of praise must be
the very BEST of our powers, like the lamb without blemish, painstakingly selected and
carefully and reverently brought to the Tabernacle door.
In the awesomeness of His presence and glory we launch joyfully down our little
rivulet, until we are borne out into the great ocean of praise, which is ever breaking in
music around the person of Jesus.
Praise is one of the greatest acts of which we are capable; and it is the
transcendent service of heaven and the throne. In
that blessed realm of spirit Gods kings and priests ask for naught, for they have
all and abound; but throughout the cycles of glory the inhabitants of those bright worlds
fill them with praise. We are the priests of
creation; it becomes us to gather up and express the sentiments of the Fathers will
for all men and to speak them by the creative power of prophetic worship and praise. Mighty things begin to happen on earth when we
speak out of the heavens of Gods Spirit! And
the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it
into the earth: and there were voices (the prophetic word of the
Lord), and thunderings (the power of the word), and lightnings
(the illumination of the word), and an earthquake (mighty shaking and
change in the earth realm) (Rev. 8:5). The
worship and praise of the order of sons is not essentially that which is offered in the
assembling of the saints, in which much is often soulish instead of spiritual, but it is
the constant outraying of the nature, love, grace, mercy, and power of God in all and unto
all. This is the greatest of all spiritual
sacrifices! And by the power of these
spiritual sacrifices everything in our earth, and in that earth outside of us, shall be
wondrously changed and restored back into God again!
THE
SYMPHONY OF LIFE
A brother related the following experience. When
I first went to Nashville, Tennessee, some friends, thinking they were doing me a favor,
called me and said, We have tickets for the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra thats
coming to town, and we want to take you as our guest.
Well, I love music, but I know nothing about it, and I cant sing it I
always help congregational singing by keeping quiet.
Frankly, I couldnt think of anything more boring than a whole evening of
symphony! But I had to go because they were
so kind and I wanted to be polite, so I accepted graciously and went along.
I had never been to a thing like that before, and I was impressed by what I
saw. We went in, took our seats, and in a few
minutes there began to drift out from the sides the musicians. They were in shirt sleeves for the most part, and
each man went up to his instrument and started tuning it.
The fellows with the fiddles too big to put under their chins sawed back and forth
oh, it sounded terrible. The fellows
with the little ones they put under their chins squeaked up and down with those. The ones with the horns oh my, nothing was
in harmony. It was a medley of discordant,
confused noise. Then after they got through
with that kind of a disturbance, they all disappeared again, went out through the wings.
Another five minutes went by when all of a sudden the lights in the
auditorium went off, the lights on the platform came on, and the musicians walked out. This time they had on their coats. My, they looked so nice. Each one came out and stood or sat at his
instrument. Then there was a hush in the
auditorium, a spotlight was focused on the wings, and the conductor stepped out. When he did there was thunderous applause for him. He bowed. Then
he came to the podium and picked up a thin little stick.
He turned around again to the audience and bowed, then turned his back to the
audience, lifted that little stick total silence came over the auditorium, you
could have heard a pin drop then he brought that little stick down. And, my friend, there were goose pimples all over
me. I never heard such music in all my life. Oh, what harmony, what wonderful harmony there
was! end quote.
I tell you today God is preparing His sons for the greatest symphony the world has
ever heard, a symphony of divine wisdom, omnipotent power, and unconditional, unbounded
love. The sons themselves will be the
symphony! All the chords of Gods
nature, wisdom, and power will be struck in them. At
this present time, as God is fine-tuning our lives, it seems as if every man is tooting
his own horn, everyone is playing his own little fiddle; it sounds like everything is out
of tune, a medley of discord. But as God
deals in our lives, teaching us His ways, writing His laws in our hearts, bringing every
thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, establishing His will and transforming
our beings, He is creating within each of us a chord of the spirit of life in Christ
Jesus. Our minds and our souls are now being
renewed, through repentance, by the Spirit of God. Through
the crucible of daily experience by the dealings of our Father we are learning to perceive
and fully understand by the wisdom of the mind of Christ instead of thinking with old Adams
carnal mind. As God by His refining fire
purges out of us the trusting in our own strength, our confidence in the flesh, the inbred
mentality of Babylonish religion, and the spirit of the world, what a raucous screeching
is emitted from our lives!
We all seem so different, and Fathers purposes in us appear disparate. What a motley crew the sons of God appear to be
today! But you, precious friend of mine, are
an instrument designed to be a channel of Life, Light, and Love. And Jesus Christ is the Master Conductor, and
wants to play the strings of emotions and thoughts and desires and nature within you until
you become a son indeed, the Song of the Lord in the midst of the earth. Your life, when it is hid with Christ in God,
becomes a beautiful thing; your thoughts and actions all in unison with God are running
along the lines that lead to God, for they diverge not.
When the hour strikes for the unveiling of Gods sons, Jesus Christ the Lord
is going to lift His Scepter oh, the harmony that will sound forth from all His
many brethren! Then the world shall see the
fullness of Christ, which includes Christ the Head, and Christ the body, in all the life
and glorious harmony of the kingdom of God!
Every knee on this globe, and in the heavens above, and in the underworld, shall
bow before the majesty of the glory of the Lord as they awaken to hear the pure melodies
of the harmony of God in His sons. Never
again will they be satisfied with the discordant notes of this worlds pleasures and
programs, nor the off-beat of the religious systems of man.
As they hear the pure song that flows from the heart of God in His sons, all men
shall hunger and thirst to be filled with the same, the harmonious chord of the
righteousness, peace, and joy of the kingdom of God.
We have not yet witnessed the glory of Gods manifestation in the way it is
going to be expressed! We have not seen the
hand of God move in the way it is going to move! The
Lord spoke through prophecy years ago, at the time of a mighty move of His Spirit, and
said that He was moving by His little finger, and I tell you when He moved that
little finger there were tremendous things that happened, glorious things took place. But now just think of the glory that shall
come when He moves by His hand and makes bare His holy arm!
I read the story of a young man who happened to visit a church one Sunday. He listened to the church service and heard an
organ offertory played a Bach toccata. When
the service was finished, the young man inquired as to whether he could play the organ. Oh no!
Only our church organist is permitted to play that instrument. But the young man persisted. Finally, they agreed to let him play one piece of
music. He looked over the stops, carefully
set them, and then he played the same number that was played for the offertory, a Bach
toccata. There were still people lingering
around. They listened enthralled, and
when he finished, everybody applauded. The
organist asked the young visitor, What is your name? He said, My name is Johann Sebastian Bach. I wrote that music! And the organist exclaimed, Oh, to think
that we almost would not let the master himself play the instrument! Only now have we heard the real music come out. YOU, dear one, are the very harp of God
to be played from the theater of the throne of God! The
Master Musician is now arising within all of Gods sons. He offers us the harmonies that He alone can
create. He, the firstborn Son, is leading us
to mount Zion where the divine symphony appears to fill the earth with the strains of the
celestial song, and to fill all creation with the universal song. As we allow Christ His place within, every drop of
blood is singing the praise of God; every pulsation of heart is a joyful harmony keeping
steady time. The Conductor of this Symphony
knows every part and every player and is able to execute all phases to its grand
conclusion. Discord only enters when we take
our eyes off the Conductor or mistake another players notes for our own.
GOLDEN
VIALS FULL OF ODORS
And when He had taken the book, the four living creatures and four and twenty
elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials
full of odors,which are the prayers of the saints (Rev. 5:8).
The word translated vial is better rendered bowl. The present day use of the word vial usually
relates to a small, slender bottle. The word
in the Greek text is phialas and refers to a flatish, and rather broad vessel,
used for both drinking and priestly services. In
the Septuagint the Greek word phialas is used to translate the Hebrew word for
the flat bowls used in the tabernacle of Moses and the temple in Jerusalem. The throne room where this vision takes place is
none other than the most holy place of the heavenly, spiritual temple of God by the
Spirit! Therefore we may understand that
these golden bowls which are described as being full of odors are the antitype
of the utensils used by the priesthood to contain incense for worship. This is in keeping with the definition of the
odors spoken of in our text, for it is stated plainly that they are symbolic
of the prayers of the saints. The odors,
therefore, are the pleasant scents of the incense rising from the golden receptacle in the
hand of the priest. Since the elect,
represented figuratively in this vision as the four living creatures and the twenty-four
elders, are a royal priesthood or a company of king-priests, this
is in keeping with their possessing golden bowls that exude sweet incense. It is significant to note that in Luke 1:9-10 the
incense was burned at the time of prayer, for incense is a type of the prayers of the
saints!
In this connection the words of brother Paul Mueller are so filled with depth and
inspiration: We are told that our prayers are kept and preserved as odors, or as
incense, in golden vials in the realm of the Spirit. Every prayer we have ever prayed by the Spirit and
in the will of God, is preserved as incense in golden vials in the heavenlies. Some of us have come to the place, spiritually,
where we have no words of our own to pray. We
do not know what to pray for as we ought, so we allow the holy Spirit to pray for us. And when the Spirit makes intercession for us, we
can only lament with groanings which cannot be uttered (Rom. 8:26). The Spirit is then making intercession
for the saints according to the will of God (Rom. 8:27). And this Spirit-begotten intercession is being
kept as incense in those golden vials in the heavenly realm of the Spirit, to
be answered in Fathers time.
Perhaps the most urgent, spiritual prayer expressed by the intercession of
the saints is this prayer from the words of Jesus: Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven
(Mat. 6:10). In this brief and simple prayer,
every need of mankind and of the whole creation is presented before the Father. When the kingdom fully comes to earth, and Gods
will is done everywhere and in every situation, there will be no need, no lack, anywhere. But all mankind and the whole creation shall then
know the salvation of the Lord, and the peace, joy, righteousness, and love of God. Every need we have is met in the kingdom of God! This truth will be borne out and fully manifested
when the will of God is done in all the earth. When
we fully comprehend this great truth, we will cease our vain, religious babblings, and
will then seek His kingdom, and for His will to be done in our earth, as well as in the
earth all around us end
quote.
When by the grace of God the truth of this holy vision bursts upon you, you will
know assuredly that every prayer you have ever prayed by the Spirit and in the will of
God, is preserved as incense in those golden bowls in the heavenly realm of
the Spirit. They are not merely preserved,
but are reserved unto the day when THEY WILL BE ANSWERED!
Every one will be answered! God has a
time for everything under the sun, and I can assure you, my beloved, matters not what
thing, small or great, that you have interceded for in and by the Spirit it shall
be done! No matter whether it is done today,
tomorrow, a year from now, twenty years from now, or in some distant time and age, every
prayer is reserved in the golden bowl in the heavenlies, the incense arises continuously
as a sweet savor in the nostrils of the Lord, and that word shall accomplish all that has
been spoken. Some have prayed for the
salvation of loved ones, for the move of God in some life or people or nation, or any one
of a thousand other things, and the loved ones have died, and other situations look
hopeless, yet our Father has every one of those prayers reserved unto His time
for their fulfillment, and not one of them shall fail.
Arent you glad!
THE
NEW SONG
And they sung a new song
(Rev. 5:9).
There is a very real relationship between the golden bowls of incense which
represent the prayers and praise of the saints, and the new song. In the temple worship at Jerusalem, in the days of
Christ, there was a distinct relationship between the offering up of incense within the
holy place and the worshipper outside. A word
of command was given when the time of incense arrived and the worshippers fell in absolute
silence before the Lord, spreading their hands in supplication and adoration. Then, as the priest offered the holy incense upon
the golden altar, the priests and people in the outer court chanted the traditional
prayer, It is true that Thou art Yahweh, our God and the God of our fathers: our
King and the King of our fathers; our Saviour and the Rock of our salvation; our Help and
our Deliverer. Thy name is from everlasting,
and beside Thee there is no God. A NEW SONG
did those who were delivered sing unto Thy name by the shore of the sea. Together did all praise and confess Thee as King,
and say, Yahweh who saveth Israel shall reign.
They sung in the text should be rendered they sing, present
tense, denoting continuous adoration and praise on the part of the redeemed. Every inner desire and outward act and expression
rise like sweet incense in the presence of God and the Lamb. A new song designates a special song
composed for some great occasion. The Spirit
spoke through the prophet Isaiah, saying, Behold, the former things are come to
pass, and new things do I declare: before they
spring forth I tell you of them. Sing unto
the Lord a new song, and His praise from the
end of the earth (Isa. 42:9-10). In
this beautiful passage it was the passing of the former things and the declaring of new things that evoked the new song of praise unto the Lord! It bespeaks of a new order to begin with the
unfolding of a new purpose in God.
Every time the Spirit of God unfolds new dimensions of truth to our hearts,
effecting further transformations into His image, bringing us into a new place in God and
a further appropriating of our inheritance in Christ, a new song is born! The old song was good and true for its time, but
we can sing the old song no more, for a new day has dawned, a new word has gone forth, a
new glory has arisen, a new reality has been birthed within, praise His name! While this is not all it means, yet it is true
that many songs we sang in church when I was a boy growing up I cannot sing today because
they no longer express what God is speaking and doing in my life. Some of them are so far from the truth as I now
know it, that I cannot bear even to listen to them, much less sing them!
A song in scripture represents both praise and a message. It is praise that bears a message, or beyond that,
praise which is birthed out of revelation and experience with God. You can tell the spiritual level of a person by
the songs he sings! A persons song
will always express his depth of understanding and relationship with God. When we receive new revelation from the Lord,
experientially inworked into our lives, a new song is created. I look back over old
sermons, and sometimes I have to say to myself, I could not preach that again. Thank God, He has been teaching me through the
years of my walk in Him, leading into a fuller knowledge of truth and a deeper walk in the
Spirit. Oh, yes! There is continuously a new song a new revelation, a new
message, a fresh word, a higher experience in God for this day, and for all the days to come! Those who sing the new song have outgrown the old
ones. They no longer express our experience
or satisfy our needs.
God is even now preparing a people, a royal priesthood, sons of the most High; and
while the church world continues on with its time-honored traditions and childish
delusions, singing about flying away to cabins in the corner of gloryland, or to mansions
over the hill-top, a people is arising in the earth with a new and wonderful vision
to become kings and priests unto God their hearts vibrating with the melodious
strains of a new song, the song of a
people with a purpose, a company gathered out of the generations, grown up into the
fullness of Christ, conquering every enemy within and without, which in due time shall be
led forth to be the manifest expression of His image, character, and nature, the
revelation of His glory, power, and dominion, with an outflow of life and light and love
sent to change the course of history, transform the nations, and restore all men and all
things back into God. What a song!
Ah, those who receive this call, those who hold this vision,
those who cherish this hope, indeed sing a new song which can be learned by none
but those apprehended, the firstfruits of His redemption.
This is the ineffable, preeminent Song; ineffable because it strikes a chord, the
vibration of which cannot be discerned by the carnal man;
preeminent because it is the Song of the Lamb who stands in the midst of the
throne, the King of kings and the High Priest of our profession, who in all
things has preeminence!
This new song is undoubtedly the truth of the divine purpose of the
ages, or present truth, as we often call it.
David, the sweet singer of Israel, wrote, O sing unto the Lord a new song
(Ps. 96). It is the song that God gave David
at the time of the dedication of the ark of God on mount Zion
and it concerned the
new thing that God was doing then. But
it was really prophetic of the new thing that God is doing now! In that day David had brought the ark to its place
on the natural mount Zion, but today the Lord is bringing His vast company of sons to the
heavenly mount Zion in the Spirit! Our new
song is the song of His glory, of His authority, of His dominion, of His throne, the song
of His righteous judgments in the earth that bring His kingdom to pass in every tongue and
tribe and people and nation.
Many of those who now read these lines sense the establishment of a new order by
the glorious appearing of Christ within. Within
my innermost being there is an understanding and a hope that refuses to be quieted or
stilled. It is the hope of overcoming all
things, awaking in His likeness, with a greater glory and power than anything we have
known in the past. My spirit sings the glad
Hosannas of a new morning of joy, because of the vision of the greater glory and life of
Christ now being raised up in His body on earth. And
that song within persists until it purges out
all the negative influences of the past, and cleanses me throughout. Ah, my beloved, does your spirit within you sing
the glad Hosannas of this new day? Does this
new song, this new word, this new working of life and resurrection power purge out all the
error, carnality, sin, and death, making you pure even as He is pure?
This indeed is the glory of this new day to which we have come! The glory of Christ is now arising upon His elect
sons. He is among us now in a new and greater
degree of His presence, and His greater presence within is imparting a new song of joy and
victory. Our long battle for the land of our
inheritance is coming to an end. We are
approaching the heights of mount Zion where reigns the King! There is a new song within. There is a new hope within. There is the dawn of a new day within. It is Christ, the Captain of our salvation, who
abides within. He is the voice within, the
thunder within, the lightning within, the melody of the harp within! He is the High Priest of our profession within us,
the firstborn among many brethren within us, the Forerunner within us, giving a fresh word
of promise and fulfillment!
If we have learned this song, there is surely much cause for abounding
with thanksgiving, for it means that our great and heavenly Father has taken us into
His confidence and revealed to us the hidden things of His eternal purpose. Thereby He has dispelled the darkness with which
we were surrounded, and brought us out of our Babylon of confusion. The many unanswered questions which raised only
doubts and fears within, have been clarified by the clear revelation of the Spirit. Now we see His glory as it is made up of His
infinite wisdom, almighty power, divine righteousness, and unconditional and abounding
love. Truly the Lord has put a new song in
our mouths! It is a song which grows more
melodious as we continue to sing it unto the Lord and to one another, and ultimately to
all creation! And what joy and peace that
song will bring!
To be
continued…
J. PRESTON EBY
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