Babylon the Great which is fallen, and Jericho (Christ Ahnsahnghong-wms cog)

Babylon the Great which is fallen, and Jericho


2,000 years ago, Apostle John saw a vision of what would take place in the future on the island of Patmos, and prophesied about the destruction of Babylon the Great.

Rev 18:1-10 『After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. With a mighty voice he shouted: "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great! She has become a home for demons and a haunt for every evil spirit, a haunt for every unclean and detestable bird. For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries." Then I heard another voice from heaven say: "Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes. . . . She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her. When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her. Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry: ‘Woe! Woe, O great city, O Babylon, city of power! In one hour your doom has come!

Babylon, which is so great and strong that no one dares look down on, is finally falling since God's judgment has come upon her. The scene where Babylon is falling is just like the scene where Jericho fell down in ancient Israel. The city of Jericho, which stood before the Israelites, fell down helplessly before the power of God.

Everything that occurred in the past is a shadow of what is to come. In the past history of the Old Testament as a shadow, the great city Jericho fell down. This is closely related to the destruction of Babylon the Great. Comparing Jericho with Babylon, let's think about what kind of faith God's people should have in this age.

Jos 6:1-5 『. . . Then the LORD said to Joshua, "See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams' horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in."』

On the way to the entrance to the land of Canaan, the barrier that the Israelites encountered first was a strong fortress, Jericho. Without conquering the fortress, they couldn't attain the land of Canaan flowing with milk and honey. It was a mountain they had to get over and a process they had to pass.

Then God showed them how to conquer Jericho easily, and all the people obeyed what He said.

Jos 6:15-20 『On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the people, "Shout! For the LORD has given you the city! . . ." When the trumpets sounded, the people shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the people gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so every man charged straight in, and they took the city.』

When the people marched around the city seven times, Joshua said it was time to get ready and commanded the people, "Shout!" Then the people shouted with one mind. At that moment, something unbelievable happened before their very eyes. God made the walls of Jericho fall down and gave the people victory as He had promised them.

♡ Christ Ahnsahnghong & Jerusalem Mother ♡

World Mission Society Church of God(WMS COG)

Christ Ahnsahnghong came to Korea, at the ends of the earth in the east, and restored the new covenant.

The truth of the new covenant has been spreading rapidly throughout the country. As a result, over 400 branch Churches have been established nationwide in the past half century.

All the Churches celebrate the feasts of God including the Passover of the new covenant, and speedily carry out the gospel work according to the prophecy of the Bible.

THE FEAST OF FIRSTFRUITS

Resurrection Day, on which Jesus rose from death, is a memorial to commemorate God's great power. In the Old Testament times, this day was known as the Day of Firstfruits. It is a sacred feast of God, which is to be celebrated on the day after the Sabbath, following the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Lev. 23:9-14). The Church of God, which faithfully obeys every teaching of the Bible, celebrates Resurrection Day on the date that was specified in the Bible. The Church of God breaks the bread that God promised would open our spiritual eyes, while the other churches eat boiled eggs-following the pagan customs-on a date which was never written in the Bible.


Let's correctly understand the Day of Resurrection as it was given in the Bible so that we can celebrate the feast holy.


Origin

When the nervous Israelites were being chased by the Egyptian army, God allowed them to cross the Red Sea under His protection, even though they had been so terrified. When God put the Sea-which had been divided-back in its place, the Egyptian army that had pursued them was buried in water. God commanded the Israelites to annually commemorate the day when they had landed on the other side of the Red Sea, so that they might remember God's great power revealed on that day. This is the origin of the Day of Firstfruits (Ex. 14:26-31).


Ceremony

The word "firstfruits" reveals its meaning. On the day after the Sabbath, the Israelites brought a sheaf of the first grain to the priest, and the priest waved the sheaf before God so that it could be accepted on behalf of the people (Lev. 23: 9-11).

On the same day, in the New Testament times, Jesus gave bread to two disciples who were traveling to a village named Emmaus. After the disciples broke the bread that Jesus had given to them, their spiritual eyes were opened, and they recognized Him (Luke 24:13-35).


Prophecy and its fulfillment

As God had commanded, the priests were to wave a sheaf of the first grain before the LORD on the day after the Sabbath (Sunday) so that God would accept their offering.

Lev. 23:10-12 『"When you enter the land I am going to give you and you reap its harvest, bring to the priest a sheaf of the first grain you harvest. He is to wave the sheaf before the LORD so it will be accepted on your behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day after the Sabbath."』

Here, the first grain-the firstfruits-stands for Christ, who was raised from the dead as the firstfruits of those who had fallen asleep.

1 Cor. 15:20 『But Christ had indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.』

The offering to be presented on the Day of Firstfruits, a sheaf of the first grain, was to be brought to God on the day after the Sabbath-that is, Sunday. The firstfruits stand for Christ, so it is only logical that Resurrection Day, when Jesus rose from death, would be on Sunday, the day after the Sabbath.

Mark 16:2-6 『Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?" But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away..."You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here."』

The Day of Firstfruits is the shadow of Resurrection Day. As the Day of Firstfruits was celebrated on the day after the Sabbath, Sunday, so Resurrection Day is to be celebrated on Sunday, in fulfillment of the prophecy. Therefore the Day of Firstfruits, Resurrection Day, is celebrated on Sunday every year. By rising from the dead as the firstfruits of those who had fallen asleep, Jesus became the true offering of the Day of Firstfruits, belonging to the seven feasts of three times.

Matt. 27:52-53 『The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.』

In those days, the holy people who had been saved through the gospel became the ripe grains of the wheat harvest, and today, we have become the ripe grains of the last autumn harvest (Ex. 23:16).

♡ Christ Ahnsahnghong & Jerusalem Mother ♡

world Mission Society Church of God(WMS COG)

THE FEAST OF WEEKS

The Feast of Weeks, referred to in the New Testament as the "Pentecost," was celebrated 49 days after the Day of Firstfruits. On the fiftieth day, the Israelites presented a sheaf of the first grain to the LORD as a wave offering. The reason that this feast was named the "Feast of Weeks" was that there were seven Sabbaths between the Day of Firstfruits and the Pentecost (Lev. 23:15-16). The Church of God, established by the Second Coming Christ Ahnsahnghong, is the only church in the world that remembers the Pentecost, keeping it holy. God's feasts, which had been abolished during the Dark Ages, can be restored by only God. If we do not accept Christ Ahnsahnghong-who came to restore the seven feasts in three times according to the prophecies of the Bible-we will never be able to know God's feasts, much less celebrate them.



Origin

On the fortieth day after crossing the Red Sea, Moses went up to Mount Sinai for the first time. God spoke to Moses, telling him all of His instructions, and when Moses came down from the mountain he revealed God's will to the people. Ten days later-on the fiftieth day after the Israelites had crossed the Red Sea-Moses returned to Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments. God commanded the people to commemorate the day He had given them the Commandments, the origin of the Feast of Weeks (Ex. 24:1-18).


Prophecy and its fulfillment

The Feast of Weeks-that is, the Pentecost-is the day when God poured out His Spirit, the motivating power that spurred the growth of the gospel and the Early Church (Acts 2:1-47).

After the Pentecost, though, the Church became increasingly secularized, and the fire of the Holy Spirit grew cold. Eventually, God completely withdrew His Holy Spirit from the Church, but even this was clearly disclosed through the prophecies of the feasts. When Moses came down from the mountain, after he had received the two tablets of the Ten Commandments, he saw God's people worshiping a golden calf. He was outraged, threw the tablets out of his hands, and they shattered at the foot of the mountain. This event was a prophecy to reveal that the Holy Spirit, which was given to the Apostles on the day of Pentecost, would be withdrawn because of the secularization and the inherent corruption of the Church.

♡ Christ Ahnsahnghong & Jerusalem Mother ♡

world Mission Society Church of God(WMS COG)

THE FEAST OF TRUMPETS

The harvest time, during which the autumn crops are gathered, begins with the Feast of Trumpets. On the first day of the seventh month by sacred year (Lev. 23:24), the Israelites held a sacred assembly, blowing their trumpets in order to prepare for the Day of Atonement.


The Church of God celebrates the Feast of Trumpets in autumn according to the teachings of Christ Ahnsahnghong. The Church boldly preaches about the Second Coming Christ, Ahnsahnghong, and the feasts of God, blowing the trumpet of the gospel.


Origin

God commanded the Israelites to commemorate the Day of Atonement annually?the day when Moses had received the new stone tablets, inscribed with the Ten Commandments, and had come down from Mount Sinai. The Day of Atonement was to be celebrated every year so that the Israelites could remember the day and could deeply repent of their sins. They prepared for the Day of Atonement in spirit and in truth, blowing trumpets for the ten days leading up to the Day of Atonement. By this, the Israelites repented of the sins that they had committed during the year, abstaining from all unholy things.


Ceremony

The Israelites commemorated the Feast of Trumpets with trumpet blasts and presented an offering of fire to God.

Lev. 23:23-25 『The LORD said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites: 'On the first day of the seventh month you are to have a day of rest, a sacred assembly commemorated with trumpet blasts. Do no regular work, but present an offering made to the LORD by fire.'"』


Prophecy and its fulfillment

Everything written in the Old Testament is a shadow of the things which were to come. This feast was also a shadow, testifying about the Advent Movement for Jesus' Second Coming-1834 to 1844-led by William Miller. The ten days between the Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement represented ten years, prophetically (Ezek. 4:6). This ten-year-long movement fulfilled the prophecy of the Feast of Trumpets. It was the preparation for the Day of Atonement-October 22, 1844, the tenth day of the seventh month, by sacred year-on which Jesus entered the Most Holy Place in heaven. As was shown through the fulfillment of the Feast of Trumpets, every prophecy disclosed in the seven feasts of three times will be fulfilled without fail.

Just as the people had loudly blown trumpets during the Feast of Trumpets, so there was a movement for Jesus' second coming, recognized by the loud cries of preaching-the trumpet blasts. Beginning on the first day of the seventh month in 1844 (by sacred year), all of the brothers and sisters prayed together more earnestly to God. Jesus answered them by entering the Most Holy Place in heaven on October 22, 1844, the Day of Atonement-the tenth day of the seventh month by sacred year. God allowed William Miller and the Advent Movement so that His will would be fulfilled. Thus, God unexpectedly fulfills His will even though people do not realize or perform His will. As it is written:

Luke 19:37-40 『"I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."』

The movement was led by people who did not know of God's feasts, but their work resulted in the fulfillment of the prophecy of the Feast of Trumpets. When we keep the Feast of Trumpets, with one mind and purpose, and pray earnestly to God for the ten days leading up to the Day of Atonement, our prayers will be presented before God as the smoke of incense (Rev. 8:3-4). God will answer our prayers and lavish on us great blessings.

♡ Christ Ahnsahnghong & Jerusalem Mother ♡

world Mission Society Church of God(WMS COG)

THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES

The Feast of Tabernacles is the last of the autumn feasts, and it is the final feast of the seven annual feasts. It is celebrated from the 15th to the 22nd of the seventh month, by sacred year (Lev. 23:34-36). The Feast of Tabernacles was not only celebrated in the Old Testament times, but it was also commemorated in the New Testament times by Jesus and His apostles. In this last age, too, the Church of God celebrates this feast, following the teachings of Second Coming Christ Ahnsahnghong. Christ Ahnsahnghong came to this earth according to the prophecies of the Bible, and he rebuilt the once-ruined Zion, restoring all of the feasts of God.



Origin

After Moses had come down from the mountain-with the Ten Commandments, which God had allowed for a second time-he explained the words of the covenant, as well as the work of building the tabernacle, to the Israelites (Ex. 34:27-35). Then those who were willing presented various kinds of materials to the Lord, including gold, silver, linen, and wood. God's people brought all of these building materials for the tabernacle in seven days-beginning on the 15th day of the seventh month (Ex. 35:4-29; 36:5-7). God appointed the Feast of Tabernacles and commanded the Israelites to celebrate it for generations to come, so that they could remember the seven days that they had brought the building materials for constructing the tabernacle. The Feast of Tabernacles is also referred to as the Feast of Booths.

Ceremony

The Israelites kept the Feast of Tabernacles by making tents. They used palm fronds and myrtle trees, or willows, to build booths, which were then spread onto the courts of the house of God and onto their own rooftops. They lived within these booths for seven days with great joy. Helping their neighbors in need, they kept the feast holy (Neh. 8:9-18; Lev. 23:39-43; Deut. 16:11-15; Zech. 14:15-18).

Prophecy and fulfillment

In the Bible, "wood" represents people (Jer. 5:14), and the "materials for the temple" represent the holy saints (Rev. 3:12). In the desert, the Israelites abundantly gathered materials for the holy tabernacle for a week and completed it. Afterwards, during the Feast of Tabernacles, they constructed booths-houses of woven grass and trees-and joyfully dwelt within them for seven days. This history is a prophecy, the fulfillment of which is seen through the gospel work, accomplished by the gathering of the 144,000 saints-represented by the "wood" and by the "materials for the temple." We should work for the movement announcing Jesus' coming, laying its foundation by gathering the saints, the materials for the temple. The saints can be gathered through preaching the gospel, just as the Israelites had gathered the physical materials for making the tabernacle.


The promise of the Feast of Tabernacles

The Feast of Tabernacles is the blessed day when God gives us the power of the Holy Spirit so that we can gather the 144,000 saints, the materials of the heavenly Jerusalem temple. The prophet Zechariah prophesied:

Zech. 14:16-19 『Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. If any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD Almighty, they will have no rain. If the Egyptian people do not go up and take part, they will have no rain. The LORD will bring on them the plague he inflicts on the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. This will be the punishment of all the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.』

The above prophecy reveals that those who do not celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles will have no rain-they will not be given the Holy Spirit-and that plagues will be brought upon them. Nevertheless, today some people boast, saying, "We have received the Holy Spirit," or, "We have received God's blessing," even though they have never kept the Feast of Tabernacles. We have to realize that these false declarations are merely the deception of Satan.
God promised to give the Holy Spirit to only those keeping the Feast of Tabernacles. Jesus specifically addressed this matter:
John 7:37-39 『On the last and greatest day of the Feast (of Tabernacles), Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.』
The prophet Zechariah explained that the people who do not celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles will have no rain, and Jesus declared that God's people could receive the Holy Spirit by celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles. Considering the above words, we can conclude that the Holy Spirit is only given under God's grace and can only come upon those who keep the Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles. Nevertheless, even those who have never celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles say, "We've received the Holy Spirit." Do you think that these boastful words are the work of the Holy Spirit or the work of evil spirits? In cases such as these, different gods must be at work, for the true God of the Bible promised to give the Holy Spirit to only those who commemorate the Feast of Tabernacles. As God has promised, no one can receive the Holy Spirit unless he keeps the Feast of Tabernacles.

Long ago, the Pharisees understood that the Messiah would come to the earth, but when He came, they did not receive Him. Likewise, nowadays many Christians understand that the Holy Spirit of the latter rain must be poured down upon God's people, but they fail to realize how they can receive the Holy Spirit (Jer. 8:7; 3:3).
 
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♡ Christ Ahnsahnghong & Jerusalem Mother ♡

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