The Home Church Movement In The United States
(This study is part of Chapter Five, The Underground Church, in my book Walking In The Light~ Small Groups And Discipleship. Also see the Bible study Entering In.)
“Understanding the why of doing something can be a great motivating force.
The opposite is also true.”
(Dutch Sheets, “Intercessory Prayer”)
Deuteronomy 6:22-23- God’s people are brought out in order to be brought in, into the “resting place” of our spiritual inheritance in Christ (Deuteronomy 12:8-9, Numbers 10:33).
22 'Moreover, the LORD showed great and distressing signs and wonders before our eyes against Egypt, Pharaoh and all his household;
23 and He brought us out from there in order to bring us in, to give us the land which He had sworn to our fathers.'
(NAS)
In this passage, Moses reveals why God brought His people out of Egypt, the “house of bondage.” He says it was to bring them into the Promised Land of their inheritance. The church in America is also being brought out from a place of spiritual bondage. We are being called out from the place where religious taskmasters have placed us under heavy burdens for their name’s sake. Unfortunately, like Israel, not all who come out will persevere and enter in. Between the two places lies the difficult wilderness. Further down in this study we will find out its purpose as well. As with Israel, we are coming out of Egypt, but now Egypt must be taken out of us. This is a cleansing process that some will not surrender to, desiring instead to go back into the fleshly comfort of Egypt.
“...He brought us out from there...”- “There” represents Egypt, the house of bondage (slavery), the place where God’s people were building a house for the wrong master.
Exodus 20:2- "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” (NAS)
The houses in Egypt were made with “man-made” bricks.
Acts 7:48- "However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands...” (NAS)
God brought them out with a mighty hand and great judgments.
Exodus 6:1-6- “...God spoke further to Moses and said to him, "I am the LORD; and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty [“El Shaddai”- the most powerful], but by My name, LORD [Jehovah- Yahweh- “the existing One”, the self-Existent or Eternal], I did not make Myself known to them [this was a new revelation of God (i.e. a new thing) to His deliverer] ... “Say, therefore, to the sons of Israel, 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage. I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments.” (NAS)
Exodus 6:3-4- “…and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name, LORD, I did not make Myself known to them. And I also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they sojourned [NIV- “lived as aliens”; KJV/NKJV- “were strangers”].” (NAS)
Israel’s patriarchs, even though living in the Promised Land, were still looked upon by the Lord as aliens. It was only in the establishing of the covenant that citizenship was gained, and the land granted. There are those in the church today who are considered “aliens” in the eyes of God because His covenant has never been established within their hearts. As such, they will never receive the right of ownership from the enemy over this nation. Satan retains his rights over mankind wherever the covenant of the Lord is defiled through disobedience and neglect. (See the Bible study Establishing The Covenant.)
We are being called out of (spiritual) Babylon
Babel or Babylon- The meaning of this word is “confusion (by mixing).”
Babylon represents a confusing mix of truth and falsehood in the church. Humanism, or a man-centered gospel, rules at the center of its doctrines. It is an accursed place we must get out from before the wrath of God is poured out.
Revelation 18:1-8- “And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, "Come out of her, my people, that you may not participate [sugkoinoneo- “to share in company with, co-participate in, have fellowship with”] in her sins and that you may not receive of her plagues; for her sins have piled up as high as heaven [just like the tower of Babel; see the Bible study The End Of All Flesh], and God has remembered her iniquities. Pay her back even as she has paid, and give back to her double according to her deeds; in the cup which she has mixed, mix twice as much for her. To the degree that she glorified herself and lived sensuously, to the same degree give her torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, 'I sit as a queen and I am not a widow, and will never see mourning’” (NAS)
“..to bring us in..”- Into Canaan, the land of our inheritance. It’s the land of our inheritance in Christ, where we finally gain His glory (see Deuteronomy 12:8-9). It’s a land flowing with “milk and honey,” and a place of great fruitfulness, in the Spirit (pictured in type in the Feast of Tabernacles; the feast of ingathering at the end of the sacred year; a gathering in of the fruit of our labors). It’s also a place of ruling authority over our enemies. We are in training for reigning.
In between Egypt and Canaan lies… the wilderness!
Romans 8:17-19- “Now if we are children, then we are heirs-- heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.” (NIV)
Ephesians 1:18- “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints..” (NAS)
The Wilderness;
It’s a place of detox from the “drugs” (falsehood) and “witchcraft” of Babylon.
It’s a place of reduction. Not all who came out of Egypt made it into Canaan (not all presently in home churches will arrive in “Canaan”).
It’s a time of transformation by the renewing of our minds to the truths of God.
It’s a time of preparation before the coming of the Lord (the wise and foolish virgins were all sleeping).
It’s a time of rest and recovery from the draining, burn-out effects of working in Egypt.
It’s a time of separation; truth from falsehood, sheep from goats, wheat from tares, light and darkness, etc.
Why did some of God’s chosen people, the children of Israel, not enter in? It was because of UNBELIEF!!!
Hebrews 3:12-14- “Take care, brethren, lest there should be in any one of you an evil [“of a bad nature or condition; that causes pain and sorrow”], unbelieving [“unfaithfulness, lack of faith, unbelief (Mark 16:14)”] heart, in falling away [“to fall away, to apostatize, departing from, to remove”; see 2 Thessalonians 2 and the Bible study Evildoers In The House Of God] from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," lest any one of you be hardened [“to make hard, callous, to petrify”] by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast [“to hold down, retain, keep secure”] the beginning of our assurance [“a setting or placing under, substructure, foundation”] firm until the end [a big “if”; see Matthew 10:22, 24:13] ... And to whom did He swear that they should not enter His rest, but to those [of His own children (of Israel)] who were disobedient? And so we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief...” (NAS)
Exodus 14:31- Their attitude as they came out of Egypt after they saw the miraculous power of God was one of belief, not only in God but also in His servant Moses.
31 And when Israel saw the great power which the LORD had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in His servant Moses.
(NAS)
Numbers 14:11- The same “believers” of Exodus 14:31 now had a different attitude toward the Lord. Per the definitions of the Greek word interpreted in English in Hebrews 3:12 as “unbelieving,” to “not believe” is to be unfaithful in the covenant, falling away from Him with an apostate heart. It’s not that you do not believe in God, but rather that you have broken covenant with Him through continued unfaithfulness while in covenant with Him. (See the Bible study Unbelieving Believers.)
11 And the LORD said to Moses, "How long will this people spurn [“to reject with disdain (i.e. to think unworthy; to deem worthless)”] Me? And how long will they not believe in Me, despite all the signs which I have performed in their midst?
(NAS)
Because of their heart-attitude, their lack of faith and trust in God to bring them into the Promised Land, all but Joshua and Caleb among the children of Israel would perish in the wilderness. The Lord would then raise up a new generation in their place because they would not fully commit themselves to follow Him with a whole heart to the place of His leading. As Lot’s wife’s heart was toward Sodom, a part of their heart was still in Egypt, the “house of slavery.” Jesus said, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit [“well-placed, useful”] for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62/NASU) (See the Bible study The Sons Of Jephunneh regarding the faithful servants of the Lord.)
Hebrews 3:14-19- Unbelief proven by disobedience (see Psalm 78, Psalm 106:8-15, 24-27, 1 Corinthians 10:1-12, Jude 1:5, and Luke 12:35-48). Again, as defined above in Hebrews 3:12-14, “unbelief” is to be unfaithful.
14 For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end;
15 while it is said, "Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as when they provoked me."
16 For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses?
17 And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?
18 And to whom did He swear that they should not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient?
19 And so we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief [same Greek word as “unbelieving” in Hebrew 3:12 above].
(NAS)
Internal vs. External (See the articles The Underground Church, and Internal/External.)
The Israelites came out of Egypt looking for an external change in the form of who ruled over them. Most, though, failed to recognize and submit to the internal change the Lord desired first from within. It would take another forty years of wandering before the inner issue would be resolved. They would not be allowed to enter Canaan, the Promised Land, until Egypt was driven out of them. Many would rebel against the Lordship of God along the way, forfeiting their right as His own to enter in to the promised place of their inheritance (see the Bible study Freedom In Christ). [As they found out, and also as many in the church today will tragically discover, the promise alone wasn’t enough. It would include their obedience along the way to the Holy Spirit’s leading. Continued rebellion, without repentance, resulted in the forfeiture of their claim.]
External reform alone is not why God is presently calling His people out of the corrupt church system in America (see the article Corrupt Power). After having their eyes enlightened by the Holy Spirit to the questionable practices within the Body of Christ, many are being led to come out to the home church movement. The problem is that some end up looking only for the right external form of “doing church.” That is not God’s first priority for this pilgrimage. His ultimate purpose is to cleanse the hearts of His people from the contamination of the worldly, religious system of spiritual harlotry in preparation of what is to come.
He is bringing us out, preparing His people through consecration to dethrone Satan (see the Bible study Satan’s Fall), and to govern the world after He judges the earth. Along with ensuring that His children are in a place of protection during the time of His righteous judgments that are coming upon the earth, the Lord is also re-establishing His government within His people’s hearts (self-government, empowered by the Holy Spirit) so that they in turn will be ready to govern the world in the soon coming millennial reign of Jesus Christ. We are being prepared to rule with Him. He is looking for those who can be entrusted with His authority. As with Israel in the wilderness, not all who come out can be (see 1 Corinthians 10:1-12).
How could we ever rule with Him in the age to come if His rule is not yet established within our hearts (and therefore our assemblies)? There can be no external rule where this is no internal rule. This is the necessity of transforming our hearts and minds in this hour. Our King is coming to usher in His kingdom. Through the United States of America, imperfect as it has been, God has been showing the world, in preparation of His coming kingdom rule, what His government looks like. Our current falling away is a sign that our dominion among the nations has been temporary and must now be brought down in order to make room for the prophesied Kingdom of God’s rule on earth which has yet to be revealed in its fullest form.
In a book entitled “The Christian History Of The Constitution Of The United States Of America,” a compilation by Verna M. Hall, a profound quotation is given. It says this nation has in its keeping the last word in human political institutions. Our Forefathers understood the biblical principles for personal and civil government. It starts within the hearts of people, and then works its way out into every area of society.
The forming of our government was the beginning of the end. It was a sign to the world of the liberty found only in Jesus Christ. True external liberty is experienced through the internal freedom that the Spirit of God provides. God gave birth to this nation. His providential hand was constantly guiding our Forefathers in the founding and sustaining of this land. He has made sure that mankind has a witness of His desired form, in spite of our failures. [As with Israel, we too have now strayed far from our original calling.]
Since the church began in Acts, the kingdom of God has been growing within man (see Luke 17:21). The external expression of that kingdom is about to be manifested on the face of the earth. God always moves from the internal to the external. Mankind has a tendency to focus merely on the external. We see the need for a change in form without always recognizing the need for our own hearts to change.
“…to give us the land which He had sworn to our (fore)fathers.”- The position of ruling, or governing this nation (and every other nation/people group) will be given to those who believe God and consecrate themselves, preparing their hearts by faith in order to “cross over” to the other side of the Jordan River, so to speak, and take possession of the land. The establishing of the covenant within the hearts of God’s people, as in Joshua 5:2-7, must take place first. As with Israel in Joshua 5, this generation must receive the sign of the covenant, circumcision of the heart by the Spirit (Romans 2:28-29), before having the right and authority to possess our inheritance. (See the Bible study called The Third Day.)
Joshua 3:1-6- “Then Joshua said to the people, "Consecrate [6492] yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you." (NAS)
6942 qadash (kaw-dash')- "to consecrate, to sanctify, to prepare, to dedicate, to be hallowed, to be holy, to be sanctified, to be separate, to be clean (ceremonially or morally)"
Joshua 5:2-9- Circumcising the children of Israel by Joshua, a picture of Jesus (the same Greek name in the New Testament of the Hebrew in the Old Testament interpreted as Joshua) circumcising us. This is the final revival of God’s people that will once and for all make us one in Him.
2 At that time the LORD said to Joshua, "Make for yourself flint knives and circumcise again the sons of Israel the second time."
3 So Joshua made himself flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth [“the hill of the foreskins”].
4 And this is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: all the people who came out of Egypt who were males, all the men of war, died in the wilderness along the way, after they came out of Egypt.
5 For all the people who came out were circumcised, but all the people who were born in the wilderness along the way as they came out of Egypt had not been circumcised.
6 For the sons of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, that is, the men of war who came out of Egypt, perished because they did not listen to the voice of the LORD, to whom the LORD had sworn that He would not let them see the land which the LORD had sworn to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.
7 And their children whom He raised up in their place, Joshua circumcised; for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them along the way.
8 Now it came about when they had finished circumcising all the nation, that they remained in their places in the camp until they were healed [2421- “to live, to remain alive, to be quickened, to be restored to life or health, to revive”].
9 Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you." So the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day. [See the Bible study called Gilgal.]
(NAS)
Joshua circumcised the new generation born in the wilderness. Their parents had not obeyed God’s command to do this as a sign of the covenant between Himself and them (see Genesis 17:1-14). It was another manifestation of their disobedient hearts (verse 6). Genesis 17:14 says, “But an uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.” Many of our spiritual children, born in the church in the last generation, have also not been led into circumcision by the Spirit (Romans 2:28-29). Without it they will be cut off from the Vine, Jesus Christ (John 15:1-6, Romans 11:11-27). The Lord is now going to take care of this major issue amongst His children. He is placing a “flint knife,” a sharp word from God, in the hands of His deliverers (for more on the dire necessity of circumcision by the Spirit see the Bible study Bridegroom Of Blood).
We are going to take possession of the land of our inheritance, but the covenant must be re-entered into first by Christians within this country. We have broken the Lord’s covenant with this land that was first initiated by God with our Forefathers (i.e. the Mayflower Compact; see the Bible study The First Thanksgiving In America). The Holy Spirit is about to wound us in order to then heal/revive us (see Hosea 6:1-2). It will be the final cleansing of His body. He will perform this cutting of the fleshly nature from those who were not taught the eternal significance of this sign by their parents or other spiritual leaders of our day.
Notice verse 8 which says, “they remained in their places in the camp until they were healed.” A couple of meanings for the Hebrew word interpreted “healed” is “to be restored to life or health, to revive.” This is a picture of the end-time revival about to take place. God’s “chosen few” (see the Bible study Many Are Called) will remain in their “places” in their denominational camps until they are revived. Then, we will come out as one man under the Lordship of Jesus Christ (our “Joshua”) to rise up and take the land!
Joshua 5:10-12- Partaking of the new produce in the Promised Land.
10 While the sons of Israel camped at Gilgal, they observed the Passover on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month on the desert plains of Jericho.
11 And on the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate some of the produce [5668- “passed; i.e. kept over; used only of stored grain; yield”] of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain.
12 And the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten some of the produce of the land, so that the sons of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate some of the yield of the land of Canaan during that year.
(NAS)
Once they partook of the “new” produce/fruit in the Promised Land, the “old” provision, or “old order,” ceased. So will it be in these last days. The Lord said in Revelation 21:4-5, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’” (See the Bible study House Church Gathering 9-9-23 which describes the Lord’s “new thing” He is accomplishing in the wilderness.)
It’s interesting that this took place the day after they observed Passover. They ended their journey from Egypt the same way they started it; with Passover (see the Bible study Beginning And Ending With Passover). Without the acknowledgment and internal application of the covenantal blood of the Lamb (circumcision by the Spirit; consecration, sanctification – Luke 22:20, 1 Cor. 11:25), followed by a public proclamation of the Lord’s death (1 Cor. 11:26), there can be no entering in and possessing of the produce of the Promised Land.
Zechariah 3:1-10- Cleansing is first before authority. God’s government is internal then external (see the article called Internal External). God bringing in His servant “the Branch” (see the Bible study called The Branch Of The Lord).
"Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'If you will walk in My ways [see Isaiah 55:8-9], and if you will perform My service [or “keep My requirements”; internal], then you will also govern My house and also have charge of My courts [external], and I will grant you free access among these who are standing here. Now listen, Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who are sitting in front of you-- indeed they are men who are a symbol, for behold, I am going to bring in My servant the Branch.” (NAS)
The Third Day
(See the Bible studies titled The Third Day, and The Gathering Of The Third Day.)
This teaching gets into great depth concerning the revelation that we are “early on the third day,” the day when Christ was resurrected. As His Body, we too will be raised up into a place of ruling authority with Him, filled with His life. It is time for our perfection, our crossing over to the other side. Consecration is a key factor before crossing (also see the Bible studies Consecration, and Glorified).
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