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(Claiming The Inheritance – Part 3)

In my previous two articles, I have discussed seemingly unrelated topics. The first of these was: “Is the church of Christ Yahshua Israel?” The second topic was, “Are you a creationist or an evolutionist?” Hopefully, your answer to the first, after reviewing the evidence, was “Yes,” and your answer to the second was, “A creationist, of course.” There is one more topic to discuss before I tie these two matters together. In fact, when I am finished here, with another seemingly unrelated topic, there will be three strands in this rope. The fourth article will weave them together, and the reader will hopefully see how Creation, Israel and this new issue will fit together to enable us to claim the inheritance our Lord has provided for us.

In truth, this topic is actually connected to the first of the three. Are we spiritual Israel? Yes. Now the question becomes, “What does that mean?” Well, first of all, we should immediately see that if we follow the pattern of earthly Israel, we are a people chosen by Yah, and covenanted to Him by the blood of His Son, and the Word of promise He spoke to us on the day He showed us that we were sinners in need of salvation.

Up until now, most of my articles have been about faith, and establishing that connection with the Father through Christ. Now that we have discussed the Victory and overcoming the world, we need now address the question, “What now?” Okay, so you have hearkened to the Gospel, and have seen the passages that Christ points out to you, “Thy sins be forgiven thee. Go and sin no more.” You’ve agreed, and you have stepped forward, letting that word forgiven do the work in you, being justified by faith and “not by works, lest any man should boast.” Now what do you DO?

Well, now you begin to learn who you are. You know you are in the spiritual nation of Yah’s chosen people, for you are no longer “aliens from the commonwealth of Israel,” (Eph 2:12) but where exactly does that put you? Where do you belong?

One of the main messages of the Creation Seventh-Day Adventist Church is that we are currently in the process of a living judgment. The Bible declares that when Christ shall come, “we that are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them [the resurrected dead] in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord;” (1 Th 4:17) and these are they whose “sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment.” (1 Ti 5:24) We also notice that in Revelation, those who are thus cleansed before the return of Christ, and are “sealed” for everlasting life while still alive, are sealed according to their Tribe.

Revelation 7:5-8 gives the description that of each of 12 Tribes of Israel, twelve thousand individuals are sealed. Now, we currently take this to be a symbolic number, especially in the light of how “twelve thousand” has been used in Scripture. In Numbers 31:5, there were 12,000 warriors of Israel under Moses against the Midianites. 12,000 fighting men went up against the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead on behalf of the Benjainites in Judges 21:10. 12,000 of Absalom’s men were sent after King David at the advice of Ahithophel in 2 Samuel 17:1 and King Solomon had 12,000 horsemen for his chariots. (1 Ki 4:26)

Twelve Tribes of 12,000 each. This signifies an equal inheritance for all. It also equals 144,000. Interestingly enough, if one accepts the truth of the Sabbath, we find that there are 6 work days, and one of rest. If there are 24 hours in a day, and 6 days of work, then we find there are 144 hours in the workweek. Those who are members of this last, great army are they who labor in the 144th hour, the last hour before the Day of Rest. Even in this last sealing, the Sabbath truth is displayed.

So where do we fit into this Tribal system? And why are they divided that way? Well, for those who have more knowledge about the Tribes of Israel, you will notice that the twelve mentioned there are not exactly the same as those listed as Jacob’s sons in Genesis. Dan is missing, and one of Joseph’s sons Mannaseh (Mannases) is listed as a Tribe, but his other son, Ephraim, is not. We may look at that in a later article, but for now I’d like to take the reader through what Inspiration has shown us about the CSDA church in particular.

Of the list in Revelation 7, the Tribe of Judah is sealed first. They are the first listed as having attained a state which suits them for translation without seeing death. Now, Judah was not the firstborn of Joseph, but for reasons explained in Genesis, Reuben, Simeon and Levi were passed over for the distinction of being the one whose line would eventually produce the Messiah. Now it may begin to make more sense why Judah is the first sealed, and there is more also.

In the book of 2 Samuel 19, we find that the Tribe of Judah, of which King David was actually a member, was the last to support the return of the Israelite monarch from exile. “And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, ‘Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, “Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house? Seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, even to his house.”’” (2 Sam 19:11)

When the Tribe of Judah DID bring David back from exile, however, they did it completely. “And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man; so that they sent this word unto the king, ‘Return thou, and all thy servants.’” (2 Sam 19:14) So fervently did they support David’s return thereafter – in verse 40 it says the men of Judah “conducted” him – that it aroused the envy of the rest of Israel. “And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said unto the king, ‘Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away, and have brought the king, and his household, and all David’s men with him, over Jordan?’” (2 Sam 19:41) Their reply to this came in verse 42, “Because the king is near of kin to us: wherefore then be ye angry for this matter? have we eaten at all of the king’s cost? or hath he given us any gift?”

“The king is near of kin to us,” Judah said, and for that reason, they who were last to bring back the king of Israel were his primary heralds, and greatest supporters. A certain passage in Scripture sheds some light on this situation, a parable Christ gave. The master of a certain property hired some men to work his land in the morning, and they agreed to do the job for a certain sum of money (a “penny” in KJV). All throughout the day, the householder finds more and more workers to call. The story concludes thus:

“And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, ‘Why stand ye here all the day idle?’ They say unto him, ‘Because no man hath hired us.’ He saith unto them, ‘Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.’ So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, ‘Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.’ And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.

“And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, saying, ‘These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.’ But he answered one of them, and said, ‘Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.’” (Mat 20:1-16)

“The last shall be first.” Judah was the last Tribe to bring back the earthly king of Israel, and we see that later in the story, as in Revelation, it is the first to herald the return of “REX IVDAEORVM,” King of the Jews (Judah).

Of those churches in the world which claim that Christ shall return soon, which are they who say we are to cleanse ourselves fully from sin? In fact, which name is given to those who say, “By the grace of Yah we HAVE done it,” meaning that they have ceased from all known wrongdoing? Who sings the song of Moses (the law) and the Lamb (grace and justification by faith)? You will find that no denomination does this.

“But,” you ask, “Don’t you claim to have those things?” Yes, I do. The church I belong to, the Creation Seventh-Day Adventist Church, claims these things. Yet, we are not a denomination. Remember the charge that the accusers of Christ leveled against Pilate? “If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar’s friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar.” Had Christ “made Himself” a king? No, He gave up rather His crown in Heaven (which was rightfully His) and made Himself a servant instead. He WAS a king, He had not “made Himself” any such thing.

So it is with spiritual Judah. The CSDA church has not “made itself” anything. All denominations come about because of an error in doctrine. There are split ups because of differences in the opinions and traditions of men. Each denomination has a set of “beliefs,” including the way they interpret the Scriptures. You must hold their tenets to be true, at least in theory, in order to be considered a valid member of that faith. In other words, the tenets of themselves determine your membership and fidelity.

When the original SDA church started out, it had this matter in mind, and rightly so. They did not even call themselves a church. They were the Adventist Movement, and their job was to herald the message of the three angels, to call men OUT of all denominations. They followed no traditions of men, they held to no standard but the Word of God. For their faithfulness, Yah provided them with wonderful writers, teachers and leaders, including prophetic authors and speakers. This was well and fitting for the time, and served them well.

When the bridgroom delayed His coming, however, all the virgins (foolish and wise) fell asleep. Now the cry has come at midnight, and we find that even the SDA church has fallen into the trap of denominationalism. They have taken the very works intended for their edification (the inspired and prophetic writings), and used them to form the tenets of a “Creed,” which, while not really in opposition to the Word itself, is still a separate document. Whereas they may keep the letter of the law with some consistency, because of their joining to the traditions of men, and now (lately) to the state/human government, they have become just another system of forms and rituals.

Now the Creation Seventh-Day Adventist Church was called out to do this final work. We are the people of the “final hour,” who may labor but a short time, yet will receive equal inheritance to those who labored before. We are they in Revelation 18 who call the true believers out of Babylon Fallen, out of the system of denominations and traditions that have worshippers in confusion.

An important point to note here is that Satan also has his counterpart to this work. I am sure most Christians have heard of “non-denominational” or “inter-denominational” churches. These are they who have the right idea about some things... denominations won’t save; traditions of men are useless; we need to get back to being a Body, worshipping in Spirit and in Truth. All these things are a hundred percent accurate. Unfortunately, in order to do this, they have gone the opposite way to what Christ has called. They say, then, that just about any interpretation of the Scriptures a man or woman may care to hold is okay; whereas the true church will be of one faith. “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.” (Phl 1:27)

The non-denominational movements are the ditch on the other side of the road. We are to have one standard – the Word of Yah, but at the same time, we are to be in agreement as to what that Word says. Are we all going to have the same thoughts, and preferences? Not at all, but we will have the same convictions – Love Yah above all, and your fellow man next, and the works which follow those decisions will be present. I go into more about this in the next and final article of this series.

Yah’s people have always had a NAME. Before Adam’s fall, that name was “man.” (Gen 2:7) Before the flood, it was “Bene Ha Elohim,” (The “sons of God” in Gen 6:2). After the flood, Yah established His covenant with “Noah and his sons.” (Gen 9:8) After that, and until the time of Christ, they were called the “Sons of Abraham.” Even the Jews considered themselves thus in Gospel times (and today), even though they were eventually known by the name Israel. The true church has always had a Name that Yah has given to them.

Some may say the term “Christian,” fits the bill. Well, maybe. We know the word was first used around the time of Paul’s voyages, and was originally used in a derrogatory sense. The church has done a good job in turning that curse into a blessing, but the Word itself tells you what the name will be in the last days.

As I mentioned before in my article about the BinaryAngel logo, Israel (the man) pronounced this prophecy over his son Judah, “Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee. Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass’s colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes: His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.” (Gen 49:8-12)

“It is evident,” Paul writes, “that our Lord sprang out of Judah.” (Heb 7:14) That is to be expected, considering Jacob’s prophecy. Note, however, it was said that unto him (Judah and Christ who came from him) “shall the gathering of the people be.” Christ has come, yes, but have the people been gathered yet? It has begun, but it will not be finished until the end of the world. “He [Yahshua] answered and said unto them, ‘He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.’” (Mat 13:37-39)

The spiritual scepter has still not departed from Judah (although the earthly scepter departed from earthly Judah in the person of Herod [an Idumean] when Christ was born), and even now, the CSDA church is walking through the midst of Jerusalem, bringing the true Gospel and gathering those brethren who will hear the word of Christ. Judah is a Lion’s whelp, and “The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy?” (Amos 3:8) We have the truth faith, we have the spirit of prophecy, (Rev 19:10) and we have the name Yah has given us – Judah.

Why is Judah first sealed? Consider the vision John saw. “And one of the elders saith unto me, ‘Weep not: behold, the Lion of the Tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.’” (Rev 5:5) But did John see a lion approaching the Throne? No. “And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.” (Rev 5:6)

There appeared a Lamb in Heaven. The Lamb was the Lion, truly, but there is also the Scripture which says, “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” (Mat 6:10) Christ is both Lion and Lamb, but Judah is a “Lion’s whelp,” and therefore while Christ hath prevailed in Heaven to loose the will of Yah, so on earth the Tribe of Judah has prevailed to do the final work so that His “kingdom come,” as the first part of Mat 6:10 reads. This is why he is the first sealed, this is why all the true believers will be gathered to him, and this is why the true and final church will be called by the name Judah.

Now, the difference should become clear. A denomination is held together by a set of beliefs, a man-made creed, and sworn upon by a “baptismal vow,” if you will. A non-denominational gathering is held together by a common location, and a basic-level agreement that the Bible is the inspired word of Yah and should be lived by. A Tribe, however... that is different. A Tribe is held together by bloodline, and in the case of Israel, this Tribe’s bloodline is that of Christ Yahshua, the Redeemer and anointed Messiah. The doctrine must flow from this true connection with Christ and each other, or it is a false teaching, and that beast will surely “go into perdition.” (Rev 17:8)

Now, I haven’t forgotten that there are 11 other Tribes. “What of them?” the watchful reader asks. “Why should I keep the Sabbath, or accept the Victory, if the CSDA church isn’t the only Tribe that will be sealed or saved? Maybe MY church is one of the other Tribes.” Well, for one thing, we know that ALL Christians with understanding of Holiness will have the Law written on their hearts (Rev 12:17, 14:12), so if your church has yet to grow into an understanding of the 7th Day Sabbath, it’s not a Tribe. Concerning the Victory, we know that all these Tribes will have been SEALED before Christ returns, therefore overcoming the world through their faith. (1 John 5:4) If your group or gathering isn’t proclaiming victory over sin, it’s not a Tribe.

“So who are they?” Well, we know they will “sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst [of Jerusalem],” (Ezek 9:4) and therefore (if you’ve already read my articles on the Trademark Apostasy), you should realize that they will either be (or will have been) Seventh Day Adventists. Does that mean there are other SDA offshoots that are different from the CSDA that have the right doctrine? Possibly, but the Spirit has not made this clear yet.

In truth, it may be that the other 11 Tribes are they who would have survived the judgment of the living, had they been living in these last times. That involves having the right spirit only, of course, not being accountable for light that has shone forth more brightly in these darkest of times. Nowhere in Scripture, after all, is it said that none of the 144,000 have ever died, only that they will be alive on that final day. We have records of early resurrections in the case of Moses, and several “saints which slept” rose early after the crucifixion (Mat 27:52,53) To be honest, however, the Spirit has not revealed the names of the other 11 Tribes yet, as I said previously.

The point is, however... if THIS doctrine comes into your ears, and, based upon the evidence, you are convicted that this is the true word of Yah, then you already know the Tribe to which you are called. We cannot choose our Tribe any more than we can choose our families or any other blood-based relationship. The message of salvation comes to you THIS day, and by THESE words. If you have accepted Christ Yahshua into your heart, and have allowed His Holy Spirit to guide your steps this far, then “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches,” (Rev 3:6) “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith Yah, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you” (2 Cr 6:17) “And the LORD said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand.” (Judges 1:2)

Yahshua Messiah is the “King of the Jews,” and we are His children.

David.

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