Jehovah – The Pillar and Ground of Truth

Apostolic Life Cathedral | April 14, 2024 | 6:30 PM

Genesis 49:22-26

(22) Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:

(23) The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:

(24) But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)

(25) Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb:

(26) The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.

Truly, we are living in the last days.

No doubt, the attack of Iran – biblical Persia – against Israel these last 2 days signals to us that the while the end of the world is not yet…it is edging closer.

Gog & Magog are on a prophetic collision course to that final showdown known as Armageddon when all the nations of the earth come to a little hill in Israel and to fight Israel, that’s when Jesus comes with His saints and fights for Israel delivering a final victory for His people.

The Church need not worry about that event because we will be the ones arriving with Jesus when He collects us in what many call The Rapture, and what a mysterious day that is for:

“…We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52).

Paul wrote about it to the Thessalonians:

“…The Lord himself [that’s Jesus] shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).

That moment is nearer now than ever before.

After the church goes up to be with the Lord: seven years of tribulation begin, the Temple is rebuilt, the sacrificial system begins again, the antichrist comes to power, the Jews see that they were tricked by this antichrist, the last half of those seven years become a time of Great Tribulation, and the culminating event is Armageddon.

The Lord is coming for His Bride. A fruitful Bride. Daughters that are bearing fruit and spreading out across the world.

A glorious church, a holy bride:

“Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones” (Ephesians 5:24-30).

Colossians 2:16-17, “(16) Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: (17) Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.”

Jesus Christ is in the Old Testament concealed and in the New Testament Revealed.

Joseph is an Old Testament type and shadow of Jesus Christ. In fact, there are at least 75 instances where Joseph’s life parallels that of Jesus Christ:[1]

Miraculous birth: Jacob was 90 years old, Rachel was barren – Mary was a virgin
Both spoke truth in exposing sinful behavior of others knowing he would be hated and ostracized
Both were shepherds
Both were beloved sons of their fathers
Both were hated by their brothers without a cause
Both prophesied and foretold the future
Both were betrayed for silver and stripped of their clothes
Both became servants
Both were tempted but did not sin – no sin of Joseph is recorded, and Jesus was truly sinless
Both were falsely accused
They both suffered for others’ sins and false accusations
Both sentenced with 2 criminals: 1 saved and 1 lost
Both wept for the wicked
Both forgave those who wronged them
Both became saviors: Joseph to his family, and Jesus to the whole world
Substitutionary atonement: Innocent Joseph/Christ suffered for guilty brethren
Evil turned into blessing
Comforted those who betrayed him. Disciples were comforted after abandoning Jesus at the cross
Both married a Gentile bride
…and the lost goes one…[2]

Back to our text: Genesis 49:22-26

(22) Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall:

Bough (bau) = “a son (as a builder of the family name)”[3]
- “…I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named…” (Eph. 3:14-15).
Branches = “a daughter”[4]
- The branches are the Jewish and Gentile bride that make up the Church.
- Ephesians 2:11-17, “Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; (12) That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: (13) But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. (14) For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; (15) Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; (16) And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: (17) And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
Branches run over the wall:
- The wall is the world
- The Church will cover the whole world

(23) The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him:

(24) But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)

Jesus Christ was persecuted, hated, and killed, but the Hand of God raised Him from the dead and He is our:
- Shepherd
  - 1 Peter 2:25, “For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.”
- Stone
  - Ephesians 2:19-22, “(19) Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; (20) And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; (21) In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: (22) In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Our God is an all sufficient God
- JEHOVAH ROHI – THE LORD MY SHEPHERD
- JEHOVAH JIREH – THE LORD MY PROVIDER (He sees and provides)
- JEHOVAH RAPHA – THE LORD MY HEALER
- JEHOVAH SHALOM – THE LORD MY PEACE
- JEHOVAH NISSI – THE LORD MY BANNER
- JEHOVAH TSIDKENU – THE LORD MY RIGHTEOUSNESS
- JEHOVAH SHAMMAH – THE LORD IS THERE FOR ME (He is present)[5]

The Blessing of God, the promise of God is on you, your children, your children’s children…
The kingdom of God is an ever growing and enlarging body that will one day fill the whole earth
40 million apostolics world-wide, according to Dr. Talmadge French.

You have no need to fear.

You are part of The Fruitful Bough

Jesus Christ is The Fruitful Bough

He is the root and the offspring of David

He is the bright and morning star

The Fruitful Bough is by a well…a water source

Psalm 1 – “Blessed is the man…like a tree planted by the rivers of water…”

You can draw joy out of the well salvation – the Lord Jesus Christ

[1] SOURCE: https://www.bible.ca/d-bible-archeology-maps-timeline-chronology-Joseph-types-Christ-Shadows-Antitypes-similarities-comparisons-2166-1876BC.htm#full

[2] Ibid.

[3] Strong’s. H1121.

[4] Strong’s. H1323.

[5] SOIURCE: https://glennarekion.org/article/7-redemptive-names-god

In the middle of the last century (1900s) Anthony F. C. Wallace, the historian and anthropologist, developed the concept of “Revitalization Movements.” Here are a few of his ideas:

A revitalization movement is defined as a deliberate, organized, conscious effort by members of a society to construct a more satisfying culture. Revitalization is thus, from a cultural standpoint, a special kind of culture change phenomenon: the persons involved in the process of revitalization must perceive their culture, or some major areas of it, as a system (whether accurately or not); they must feel that this cultural system is unsatisfactory; and they must innovate not merely discrete items, but a new cultural system, specifying new relationships as well as, in some cases, new traits.
…Cultures can change within one generation; and the process…is the revitalization process.
The term “revitalization” implies an organismic analogy.
“Stress is defined as a condition in which some part, or the whole, of the social organism is threatened with more or less serious damage.”
“Messianic Movements” emphasize the participation of a divine savior in human flesh in the mazeway transformation.

The presence of these movements are seen throughout history, and it can even be argued that the Scriptures make reference to language and events that are Revitalistic in nature. For example, Isaiah 30:19-23 (vs. 21, “…the is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left”).

Wallace coined the term “revitalization movements” to explain some particular historical phenomena that have taken place in the past, and according to Wallace, revitalization movements have specific identifiers:

When a culture has reached its lowest point a prophet/statesman will arise to help the people gain what has been lost.
This leader makes a plea and call to return to the conservative and fundamentalist ideas of the past.
The result is the formation of a religious method that renews the culture and continues to grow even after the prophet dies.

Some examples would be:

Handsome Lake, the Seneca Prophet (1799), called for an end on reliance of European goods, and a return to traditional ways.
Jonathan Edwards preached “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” at a normal tone of voice at a wicked and perverse time in New England and universal repentance erupted in the audience.
John Wesley and his methodism was a call to renewed holiness.
Jesus Christ formed a new method that hearkened back to some of the principles and spirit of the Old Testament (i.e. Golden Rule) and boldly declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life…” (John 14:6) while establishing Himself as the only “divine savior in human flesh.”

Moses reminded the Hebrews of Jehovah’s directive to them concerning their responsibility to Him and their reward for obedience and faithfulness: “Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. Ye shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess” (Deut. 5:32-33).

Unfortunately, Jewish history is rife with stories of their backsliding and falling headlong into idolatry and depravity. They did not cherish their faith, not wholly, which is why the Lord said, “All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people” (Ro. 10:21).

The Old Testament prophets even took pains to draw the backslidden people of the Divided Kingdom back to Jehovah through language that echoes the idea of what Wallace called “a religious revival.” Jeremiah does so with this portion of text: “…stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein” (Jer. 6:16). the problem here was that the call was made for revitalization but the people did not want it. The result for their rebellion was captivity and dispersion.

Thankfully, God had another plan and through His prophets prepared a way out of captivity and a return to Jerusalem for a remnant, who would help to usher in the arrival of the only true Savior of Mankind — Jesus Christ. This God-man divested Himself of His Heavenly glory to manifest Himself in flesh and become the Savior, but even He spoke out when he addressed Jerusalem and said (Matt. 23:37), “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!”

In today’s society it is vital that we continue to move forward without letting loose of core faith values. This can only take place when each generation of Oneness Pentecostals has a first generation experience, which, I think, will continue the march of revitalization and revival in our movement and the world.

The modern Apostolic Movement is more than a subculture. It is a counter-culture – – a new culture based on the teachings of our Messiah – the Lord Jesus Christ.

SOURCE: http://www.garfield.library.upenn.edu/classics1990/A1990EL74700001.pdf

[Originally posted on 21 July 2007 at http://thepillarandgroundoftruth.blogspot.com/2007/07/fyi-revitalization-movements.html]