(For a healthy and strong Body)
Let’s discuss the significance of knowing what time/season it is according to God’s agenda, and understanding what His people should be doing. In the natural realm, we dress appropriately according to the season we are in. It’s time to guard our hearts by faith and get dressed (in holy garments; consecration unto God) in preparation for our crossing over and entering into the wedding supper of the Lamb!
Matthew 24:42-47 – In His discussion with the disciples regarding the signs of His return, Jesus spoke of those who have been put in charge of His servants. He said that the wise and faithful servant would be the one who is giving other servants “food at the proper time.” The KJV and the NKJV say, “meat in due season.” (See Psalms 104:27) So in leadership, it’s important to know the times and seasons of the Lord so as to know what to share with others. The two should be interconnected. Too many preachers/teachers speak of that which has nothing to do with the time/season we are in.
42 "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.
43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.
44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.
45 "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food [5160- “nourishment, food”] at the proper time [2540]?
46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.
47 I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
NIV
Matthew 24:45
45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season [2540]?
KJV
NT:2540 kairos (kahee-ros')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
of uncertain affinity; an occasion, i.e. set or proper time:
KJV - always, opportunity, (convenient, due) season, (due, short, while) time, a while. Compare NT:5550.
(Thayer’s Greek Lexicon)
1. due measure
2. a measure of time
a. universally, a fixed and definite time (Romans 13:11)
b. opportune or seasonable time (Acts 24:25)
c. the right time (Matthew 24:45)
d. a (limited) period of time (1 Corinthians 7:29)
e. is equivalent to what time brings, the state of the times, the things and events of time (Luke 12:56)
Ecclesiastes 3:1 – Solomon tells us that God is always on time, according to His set/appointed times. Also notice that it says “under heaven” in every version. Personally, I believe this is because in heaven there isn’t time as we know and experience on earth, under God’s domain.
3 There is an appointed time [2165- “a set time, an appointed time/occasion”] for everything. And there is a time [6256- “period of time, appointed time, proper time, season”] for every event under heaven
NASU
Ecclesiastes 3:1
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
NIV
Ecclesiastes 3:1
To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven:
NKJV
1 Chronicles 12:32 – The sons of Issachar were among those who had come to the aid of David while he was still in exile because of King Saul who wanted to kill him. They were men who “understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do.” They recognized/understood by God what time it was and how they should act during it. See Matthew 24:39 about those in Noah’s time who did not understand their time, and what they should do, and were swept away in the flood of God’s judgment on earth.
32 Of the sons of Issachar [“he will bring a reward” or “there is recompense”], men who understood the times [6256], with knowledge of what Israel should do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their kinsmen were at their command.
NASU
Daniel 12:1-10 – In this passage Daniel is told by “a man dressed in linen” that what he heard was to be “sealed up until the end time.” According to Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, the Hebrew for “end” has the connotation “farthest extremity of,” such as the “end of a given period of time.”
4 "But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end [7093] of time [6256]; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase."
8 As for me, I heard but could not understand; so I said, "My lord, what will be the outcome of these events?"
9 He said, "Go your way, Daniel, for these words are concealed and sealed up until the end time.
10 "Many will be purged, purified and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand.
NASU
The Appointed Time To Cross Over (Joshua 3)
Through Israel crossing the Jordan we see, in type, the crossing of the Body of Christ into our promised eternal inheritance in Christ. It had to be a measurement of 2,000 (cubits) for us to know the way by which we shall cross over.
The last group has not passed over this way before. Every other Christian crossed over through death (Joshua 3:4). The last groups will cross over alive. It is a “new and living way” through Christ (Hebrews 10:20).
Joshua, not Moses who represented the law, led the children of Israel through the Jordan, not around it (see Deuteronomy 2:26-31 in the Bible study The Dominion Mandate), into the Promised Land of their inheritance. His name transliterated from Hebrew to Greek in the New Testament is Jesus.
It was at the appointed/set time at the end of their journey that Joshua/Jesus led them in. They are a picture of the Body of Christ’ journey to the promised land of our eternal, spiritual inheritance in Him.
Israel’s instructions through Joshua (Jesus) were to prepare them for what was about to occur. The appointed time/season and what Israel should do was revealed to Joshua. Jesus is now revealing to us what we should do in preparation to pass over.
Those in the church who listen and do what the Spirit is saying, which is to consecrate ourselves (Joshua 3:5; see below), will be the ones who, like the children of Israel, will cross over.
The priests who carry the ark of His presence on their shoulders (his government/authority/dominion in them) were commanded to stand still” in the Jordan River (Joshua 3:8; see below).
“By this you will know…” (Joshua 3:10)
Joshua 3:12-16 – The waters that led to death (i.e. the Dead Sea) were cut off. As the priests obeyed and dipped their feet into the Jordan, standing firm in it, the waters flowing from Adam to the Dead Sea were cut off (Joshua 3:16), providing a place of sure footing (non-slippery so as not to fall down/away) for others in the Body of Christ to cross over as well, alive. This will occur at the “appointed time” of the final harvest of souls at the end of this age (i.e. the Feast of Tabernacles) pictured for us in Joshua 3:15.
The priests standing firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan created a way for everyone else to cross over (Joshua 3:17).
Joshua 3:5 – “consecrate/sanctify” and “wonders”
OT:6942 qadash (kaw-dash') – “to consecrate, to sanctify, to prepare, to dedicate, to be hallowed, to be holy, to be sanctified, to be separate”
OT:6381 pala' (paw-law') – “to be marvelous, be extraordinary, be beyond one’s power to do, do wonderful acts” Pala’ is used primarily with God as its subject, expressing actions that are beyond the bounds of human powers or expectations. (See Genesis 18:14 below)
Genesis 18:14 – Abraham and Sarah’s promised son. See Genesis 17:21; Sarah would definitely know the “season” by the birth pains that would come with it! For more on birth pains see Matthew 24:8 and Revelation 12:1-2.
14 "Is anything too difficult [6381] for the Lord? At the appointed time [4150- “fixed time or season”] I will return to you, at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son."
NASU
Joshua 3:6 – “Take up” [OT:5375] nasa' (naw-saw') – “to lift, to bear up, to carry, to exalt”
Joshua 3:8 – “stand still” [OT:5975] `amad (aw-mad') – “to stand firm, to remain, to endure, take one’s stand”
Isaiah 9:6 – In this prophecy of the coming Messiah, Isaiah declares that His government will rest/be on His shoulders (Joshua 3:6; Taking up the ark).
6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government [4951- “rule, dominion, government”] will rest [1961- “to become, occur, come to pass, be”] on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
NASU
To rest in the waters (Joshua 3:13) is to enter the rest of God (Hebrews 3 and 4), to enter the ark of deliverance like Noah (whose name means “rest”). As we obey and do what the Spirit is saying, the Lord will dispossess our enemies before us. It is as we stand firm in the Lord that our enemies will flee, or should I say be tossed out/dispossessed from the land, allowing us to possess that for which we were possessed by Christ. Jesus already gained the authority over the devil at Calvary when He was obedient, even unto death.
Dominion Over Sin And Death; Crossing the Jordan
1 Corinthians 15:26 – Paul said the last enemy to be destroyed is death.
Romans 7:1 – The law has dominion/rules over over a person as long as they live. In Christ, the power of the covenant is available to release us from the power of the law.
Romans 7:5 – The law arouses the sinful passions in our fallen/sinful natures, causing us to sin even more. It is our tutor to lead us to Christ (Galatians 3:32). So then, apart from Christ we are held in bondage to sin. Sin, then, leads to death. Only in Christ, at the appointed time, are we set free from sin which leads to death, and enter into eternal life.
How Does This Happen?
By faith. Hearing that it’s time (Romans 10:17), and then doing what the Spirit is saying to the church, He will then bring it into existence. Hearing and believing, which involves our cooperation, is the key to unlock heaven’s will on earth. As we walk in belief, doing what we are led to do, or not to do (i.e. works) by the Spirit, faith is brought to completion (James 2:22).
Matthew 25:7 – The “midnight shout” to “Come out to meet Him [i.e. Christ]”. All the virgins then trimmed their lamps. To trim your lamp is defined in the Greek as, “to put in order, to arrange, make ready, prepare, to adorn.” We are to get our lives in order (i.e. consecration) in preparation of what is coming.
Psalm 50:23
23 "He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me; And to him who orders his way aright I shall show the salvation of God."
NASU
Psalm 50:23
23 He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God."
NIV
I hear the Holy Spirit saying to me that it’s time to prepare our hearts by faith because the appointed time has come. We, the Body of Christ, are nearing the end of our journey (i.e. the end of this age), and will soon enter into the Presence of the Lord. Obedience to His revealed truth will open the way for us to cross over, alive, and enter into His glorious presence; our eternal inheritance in Him (Hosea 6:1-3).
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