Birds, Goats, & the Two Works of Christ

BIRDS, GOATS, AND THE TWO WORKS OF CHRIST

Judah, the son of Jacob, was the holder of the dominion or scepter promise.  The genealogical linage can be seen in the first chapter of Matthew and the third chapter of Luke.  This was fulfilled with the birth of Jesus, of the tribe of Judah, who is the current and eternal holder of the dominion or the kingship of the entire earth, not just Canaan.

Aaron was of the tribe of Levi, therefore the priests are referred to as Levites or Aaronic priests.  The priests of the temple fulfilled the sacrificial duties and therefore the Levites or Aaronic priests of the 1^st century Jerusalem temple unknowingly offered up Jesus Christ as the perfect sacrifice for sin. 

However, a human being from either the linage of Judah or Levi were never given the work of establishing the Kingdom of God, which will be done at the return of Christ.  The birthright promise was given to Joseph and then to Ephraim and Manasseh.  The current nation of Israel, even if there is an authentic tribal member of Ephraim and Manasseh among them is not qualified to bring forth the birthright or the Kingdom of God.  Only the leaders and the majority of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh can constitute the birthright.  It will also require the entire tribes of Israel and God will search and find them.  The birthright promise does not involve kingship (which is the dominion promise) but a family or kingdom of righteous people in total agreement with Jesus Christ and the laws of God.

Ezekiel 34:11 KJV  For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.

Cleansing Ceremony for a Healed Leper

Leviticus 14 details the ceremonial law for the cleansing of a leper.  The cleansing process was performed during the same day the leper was healed.  There is more to the process than the coped verses below but the primary point is the two live birds.

Leviticus 14:4-7 KJV  Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:  (5)  And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water:  (6)  As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water:  (7)  And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose into the open field.

Leviticus 14:4-7 KJV:  Highlights concerning the two birds

Two birds alive and clean / one of the birds to be killed over running water /  dip the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water / let the living bird loose into the open field.

The live bird is dipped into the blood of the sacrificial bird over water which is the basis of Baptism.  The leper had to be already healed and the ceremony was priestly recognition proclaiming the leper had been healed.  Likewise Baptism is a public testimony the repented sinner is now a Christian justified by faith in Christ.  The two birds are a symbolic type of Passover and Tabernacles.  Jesus was sacrificed or crucified on Passover and thus fulfilled the work of the 1^st advent.  Fifty days after His resurrection He sent the Holy Spirit as a partial fulfillment of Pentecost.  The Pentecost event and the receiving of the Holy Spirit today is not receiving the fullness the Holy Spirit or the complete filling as some claim today.  It is only a partial filling, an earnest, or a down payment.

The complete finished work of Christ is in two stages or junctures with the two birds as a symbolic type.  The first stage involves the death or sacrifice of the first bird and the death sacrifice of Jesus fulfilled the first stage or the first sacrificed bird.

The live bird was dipped into the blood of the sacrificed bird over a bowl of water.  The second appearance of Jesus will represent the live bird with smeared blood or drops of blood on His robe.  Revelation chapter 19 pictures the returned Jesus on a white horse with His robe (or vesture) dipped (the Greek word bapto defined as baptized) in blood.  This is symbolic of the live bird set free in the field (world).

Revelation 19:13 KJV  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

Isaiah 63:3-4 KJV  I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.  (4)  For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.

The death, or first work of Christ imputes or credits eternal life to the believer but at the second work of Christ we will be given eternal life.  The sacrifice of animals only covered sin as did the sacrificial death of Jesus, but the return of Jesus will remove sin completely.

The leper was pronounced clean of the eighth day and was anointed with oil.  Recall the parable of the ten virgins and oil?  The Ten Virgins  The pouring of oil on the healed leper is a type and shadow of the future fulfillment of the eighth day of Tabernacles_, not the partial fulfillment at the Pentecost event.

The Day of Atonement and Two Goats

As stated earlier, the second work of Christ is the removal of all sin.  The atonement ceremony with the appropriate information can be found in Leviticus chapter 16.  There is much more to the sacrifices and ceremony than what is given in the 4 copied verses below, but the current understanding is the two goats.

Leviticus 16:7-10 KJV  And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.  (8)  And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat.  (9)  And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD'S lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering.  (10)  But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.

The ceremony of the Day of Atonement involved two goats.  The first goat was to be sacrificed outside the tent (or temple) and the blood of the sacrifice was to be brought into the Holy of Holies and sprinkled on the mercy seat for the atonement of the sanctuary as a covering for sin.  The second goat was to remain alive.  The priest was to lay his hands of the head of the goat while imputing all the sins of the people onto the goat.  A different man was to take the goat and release it into the wilderness (or an uninhabited area).  In this manner the sacrificed goat covered all sin and the live second goat removed all sin for all people.

The first goat, a shadow and type of Jesus’ death, covered sin or imputed righteousness in the eyes of God.  The second, a type and shadow of the return of Christ, will forever remove sin and make us completely righteous before God. 

When Jesus returns, He will come as the Son of Joseph with His robe dipped in blood as the King of the Judah linage and will fulfill the birthright promise as the son of Adam through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  The second coming will also fulfill the type and shadow symbolism of the second live bird released in the field and the type and shadow symbolism of the second goat carryings the sins of the people into the uninhabited places.

The first bird and the first goat represent the dominion (scepter) work of Judah which was to bring forth the Messiah as the suffering servant and sacrificially dying to cover the sins of the people.  The second bird and the second goat is a work of Joseph (or Ephraim and Manasseh) which would save the world or remove sins as if they never happened although a complete and total removal will not take place until the second coming of Jesus Christ when the birthright promise is fulfilled.

Reversal of Jewish and Christian Eschatology

The nature of the two works of the Messiah in the Bible is that Jesus would first appear as the suffering servant and claim the dominion or scepter promise as initially given to Judah and be a sacrificial sin offering to cover the sins of the believers (or all people if they repent and believe).  This kingship promise was later given to David by God as an everlasting covenant referred to as the Davidic Covenant.  This covenant was fulfilled by Jesus at His first advent when He became King of the Kingdom.  At His second appearance, Jesus will inherit and fulfill the birthright promise by bringing the Kingdom of Heaven to the earthly domain.

It was apparently inconceivable to the Jewish mindset (then and now) that the Messiah could be a conquering eternal ruler of the world and at the same time show evidence of weakness, failure and death.  To resolve this contradiction, the concept of two messiahs was developed by the Jews, with the names of “Messiah ben Joseph” for the first one who would die and afterwards, the second would appear called “Messiah ben David.”

Jesus Christ first appeared as the suffering servant, preaching meekness and the coming of the Kingdom of God.  He was despised by the majority of Jewish leaders, was put to death by crucifixion, rose from the dead after three days, and prophesied to  return, as the ruler of the world.  As stated in, “Jewish Expectations of a Messiah” the Jewish intellectuals do not promote a messiah on an installment plan.  If Jesus had started the Kingdom of God immediately after His resurrection and drove out the Romans, He may have been immediately accepted by the religious leaders.  According to Talmudic writings, after 2000 years, the Jews are attempting to be their own messiah and establish their own dominion with a one-world-system and total control.  Jesus first appearance was to inherit the dominion or kingship of the Kingdom of God as promised through Judah, die as the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of the world, and establish a basis of salvation and righteousness.

It is my understanding that medieval Jewish eschatology has named (or invented) a person called Armilus (or Armilius), with a description that is comparable to the Christian antichrist.  Armilus will, according to legend, apparently kill Messiah ben Joseph who is the first appearance of the Jewish messiah.  Ben Joseph will then be replaced by Messiah ben David, or to explain it another way, ben Joseph will be supposedly resurrected and become ben David.  This, of course, is the opposite understanding of the New Testament scriptures (with the added Jewish feature of an Armilus type of antichrist).

For more information concerning Messianic Jewish eschatology, go to the following link: 

The Life & Times of the Antichrist - Part 3

The Birthright - Part 5: The Covenant

THE BIRTHRIGHT – PART 5: THE COVENANT

Some background information for those who have not read Part 1.  This series deals with the 10 northern tribes called Israel who were deported into northeastern Assyria around 740-733 BC depending on the source.  This Biblical nation named Israel is not the current nation of so-called Jews also referred to as Israel.

The Hebrews were released from their Egyptian captivity, then several years later, entered Canaan, the Promised Land, and became known as Israel.  Because the nation consisted of all twelve tribes, they could legally, by the standards of God, call or name themselves Israel.  The Hebrew people began with Abram, later called Abraham.  God called Abraham to establish a nation of people of His own.  His righteousness and great faith earned him a covenant gift from God.  The covenant between God and Abraham was enacted in a manner similar to the blood covenant concept of the day, but God did the covenantal work while Abraham was put to sleep and viewed the covenant as a dream or vision.

The actual material inheritance of the birthright promise of the covenant that is passed  from one generation to another is only understood by very few individuals.  It conferred the richest, most valuable material inheritance ever passed through a family line.  The implications concerning the magnitude of this Birthright is considered by many to be incredible.  Regardless of the importance of the birthright it appears the churches, evangelicals, Bible teachers, scholars and higher critics of the Bible, seem never to discern or understand the implications. This inheritance unconditionally guaranteed on the authority of God, a vast population, wealth and material resources, national greatness, and world power.

To Abraham

At various times and places God repeated and occasionally expanded the covenant promises to Abraham, then Isaac, and later to Jacob.  The first instance to be analyzed was given to Abraham.

Genesis 17:2, 4-6 NET  Then I will confirm my covenant between me and you, and I will give you a multitude of descendants."  (4) "As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of a multitude of nations.  (5)  No longer will your name be Abram. Instead, your name will be Abraham because I will make you the father of a multitude of nations.  (6)  I will make you extremely fruitful. I will make nations of you, and kings will descend from you.

In this particular account Abraham is promised to eventually be the “father of a multitude of nations”.  He is later again told that God will make nations of you and also that kings (plural) will descend from you.

I would say that Old Testament Israel never consisted of a multitude (many) of nations perhaps several kings but they were all of the same nation.  The kingdom of Solomon was the nation’s largest expanse but it doesn’t qualify.  It can also be said that the current nation of Israel does not consist of many nations and probably never will unless one were to count the nations controlled by the beast/antichrist.  It’s not certain if the Millennium will have nations but they certainly won’t have but one King.  If the reader insists on maintaining a contrary opinion regarding the concept being portrayed in this series, it is certain some lame notion can be contrived.

The next iteration of the covenant promise to be viewed is found in Genesis 22:17 which is also spoken to Abraham.

Genesis 22:17 NET  I will indeed bless you, and I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be as countless as the stars in the sky or the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the strongholds (gates) of their enemies.

According to this verse the descendants of Abraham will be so numerous they are compared to the stars in the sky and the grains of sand on the seashore.  That is a multitude of people.  This promise statement is expanded with the addition of descendants taking possession of their enemies strongholds or gates in some versions.  The gates are generally considered the Suez Canal, the Panama Canal, and a few others, but Brittan has given up control of Suez, Gibraltar, and Hong Kong with the USA releasing control of the Panama Canal.

It should be apparent to everyone reading the above covenant statements that the ancient Israel of twelve tribes and the current modern day state of Israel were never the recipients of these promises.  It could be stated that current Israel has hijacked the governments and military services of the birthright nations to set up a large blood sucking banking system, used various militaries to subjugate various countries they perceive as enemies, and destroyed various governments to set the way for a one world government, but currently they are not but one nation.  The complete prophetic fulfillment of the birthright promise can be found during the Millennium when the government of the entire earth will be under the reign of Jesus Christ.  It appears the Judahite/Edomite residue desires to fulfill that prophecy for themselves through murder and destruction using the resources of land, military, and money of the true Israelites.  Can anyone be astonished the Judahites/Edomites and their mystery, Babylon city of Jerusalem are destroyed according to the Revelation?

The USA is not mystery, Babylon.  Rather, the USA and various European countries are merely duped puppets of the Luceriferian engine of godless destruction of the real mystery, Babylon.  Unfortunately, many of the true Israelites are continuing to worship the false idols of money, power, prestige, and I might add Jewish Israel.  Many evangelicals have also been duped to believe that false Israel is the fulfillment of the covenant promise and will lead the world to salvation and glory when they should be praying to Jesus for understanding and comprehension.

To Isaac

Due to another famine, Isaac was about to leave for Egypt.  God advised him to stay in the land and then restated the covenant to him.

Genesis 26:3-4 NET  Stay in this land. Then I will be with you and will bless you, for I will give all these lands to you and to your descendants, and I will fulfill the solemn promise I made to your father Abraham.  (4)  I will multiply your descendants so they will be as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give them all these lands. All the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another using the name of your descendants.

God promised to give Isaac all the lands in his vicinity and ultimately all the lands would be given to his descendants who would be as numerous as the stars in the sky.

The Blessing of Isaac To Jacob

At the conclusion of the trickery scheme that Jacob and Rebecca performed on Isaac, the blessing of the birthright inheritance promise was given to Jacob.  The people of the birthright promise would be given a rich land with plenty of rain with the ability to produce large and abundant crops.  They would be at the top of the ladder and other nations would be in awe of their bountiful and copious lifestyle.

Genesis 27:28-29 NET  May God give you the dew of the sky and the richness of the earth, and plenty of grain and new wine.  (29)  May peoples serve you and nations bow down to you. You will be lord over your brothers, and the sons of your mother will bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed, and those who bless you be blessed."

“May those who curse you be cursed, and those who bless you be blessed.”  This promise was first given to Abraham and then repeated to Jacob by Isaac.  It does not apply to the current Jews but to the descendants of the birthright promise.  This bit of prophetic information is totally misunderstood by deluded and duped evangelicals, Bible teachers and commentators, and other dubious individuals.  This is one reason, among many, that true Israelites need to understand the dual nature of the covenant promise of the scepter (crown) and the birthright inheritance.  The scepter promise was given to Judah and was fulfilled with Jesus Christ.  The birthright promise was given to Joseph, then Ephraim and Manasseh, the Israelites in their Assyrian deportation, and will be completely fulfilled at the second coming of the Lord.  The current Judeans continue to vilify and curse the USA, and various European countries.  It appears they are cursed by God.

To Jacob

Another iteration of the covenant from God to Jacob enhances the promise to include some new details.  It is debatable if there is more dust of the earth than sand on the seashores, but Jacob and the birthright promise is to have an immense number of descendants.  They will cover the earth in all directions of the compass.  God promises to always be with the recipients of the birthright promise and He will protect them wherever they happen to be.  In Genesis 35:11, God repeats the promise made to Abraham that Jacob’s descendants would be a nation and a company of nations which will produce kings and leaders.

Genesis 28:14-15 NET  Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west, east, north, and south. All the families of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another using your name and that of your descendants.  (15)  I am with you! I will protect you wherever you go and will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I promised you!"

Genesis 35:11 KJV  And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins;

Notice that verse 35:11 states that Jacob’s descendants would become a nation and a company of nations.  Some view this prophecy as referring to the USA as the single nation and the company of nations as referring to the northwestern countries of Europe, possibly including Russia, Ukraine, Australia, Canada, and others.  Others view the company of nations as England and her once numerous colonies.

The ancient Judeans as well as the current state of Israel did not fulfill these promises.  There is only one current state of Israel and it is having issues maintaining itself against the Arab hatred.  Why do the Arabs hate them and desire to drive them into the sea?  Perhaps they understand the prophecies discussed thus far better than the Caucasians who are supposed to fulfill them.

To Joseph

After the reunion in Egypt between Joseph, his eleven brothers, and father Jacob, the Abrahamic promises were given to Judah and Joseph.  Judah received the scepter promise of the linage to the kingship of Israel and Joseph received the birthright promise of the land.  The birthright was almost immediately transferred to the dual sons of Joseph named Ephraim and Manasseh. 

Genesis 48:19-20 KJV  And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.  (20)  And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.

The prophetic blessing indicates the tribes of both sons would remain together for a time and then separate with one becoming a great nation and the other a company of nations.  Manasseh is considered the single nation of the USA and Ephraim as the company of nations or the British Empire (at one time in history).

It might be considered the divided nation of Israel is the fulfillment with Judah as the single nation and Israel as the company of ten tribes.  However, the fulfillment of this promise and prophecy does not apply to the nation of Judah or the nation of Israel prior to their deportation by the Assyrians.  Here are promises and prophecies which have never been fulfilled by the Jews, by the Church, by the American Indians, or any other unlikely imaginary counterparts of modern birthright Israel. 

Below is Jacob’s blessing to Joseph appearing to prophesy that his sons will be a colonizing people.

Genesis 49:22 KJV  Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:

Jeremiah and the Promise

Jeremiah prophesies that God will gather together all descendants of the northern Israelite nation.  Where will they come from?  Northern lands and all other lands to which they migrated after they were banished from their original home land.

Jeremiah 23:8 NET  But at that time they will affirm them with "I swear as surely as the LORD lives who delivered the descendants of the former nation of Israel from the land of the north and from all the other lands where he had banished them." At that time they will live in their own land.' "

In verse 17 below, Jeremiah states a known fact at his time, “the people of Israel are like scattered sheep”.  Jeremiah is prophesying during or after the Babylonian invasion and he includes both northern Israel and southern Judah in this particular prophecy referring to both the king of Assyria and the king of Babylonia.  The Assyrian king was historically punished and the king(s) of Babylon will soon be punished by Alexander the Great.

Jeremiah 50:17-20 NET  "The people of Israel are like scattered sheep which lions have chased away. First the king of Assyria devoured them. Now last of all King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon has gnawed their bones.  (18)  So I, the LORD God of Israel who rules over all, say: 'I will punish the king of Babylon and his land just as I punished the king of Assyria.  (19)  But I will restore the flock of Israel to their own pasture. They will graze on Mount Carmel and the land of Bashan. They will eat until they are full on the hills of Ephraim and the land of Gilead.  (20)  When that time comes, no guilt will be found in Israel. No sin will be found in Judah. For I will forgive those of them I have allowed to survive. I, the LORD, affirm it.' "

Verse 19 states that God will restore the state of northern Israel to their own land.  Places mentioned include Mount Carmel which is in northwestern Israel below Lebanon and the land of Bashan which was the area inhabited by the tribe of Dan in northeastern Israel.  Also mentioned are the hills of Ephraim and the land of Gilead, also in northern Israel.

During the Millennial restoration, Israel will be considered free of guilt and the remnant of Judah will be free of sin.  These individuals will be the survivors (them I have allowed to survive). Perhaps they are the survivors of the wrath of God prior to the Millennium.