The Parables of Christ no. 15

The Throne of Mercy and Judgment

January 4, 2004

Rev. Brian Kocourek

 

Now, this morning we will continue in our study of the parables, and today we will study the Throne of Mercy and Judgment. Now, many who have preached on this parable have entitled it the unmerciful servant, but it goers beyond the servant. The servant was just an example, not the main thought that Jesus is brining out in this parable.

 

MATTHEW 18:23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, (Now, notice, after reading 14 parables so far we finally have one that is speaking about the Kingdom of God and this One has a King as the central figure. Now, remember all these parables so far Jesus has likened the scene to the Kingdom of God. And in this scene we see a King who was owed much by a certain person, but when the person cried out for mercy, the King forgave him all his debt. So we are looking at a setting where this King is not only a King but he also has authority as a Judge as well. And we know that in this hour The Great King Himself has come as the Supreme Judge, and He has given forgiveness to all who would ask, and yet this parable is also meant as a dire warning to all of us that we must do the same. )which would take account of his servants. (Now, when will this be? We are told in MATTHEW 16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

 

Now, we know this is not speaking of the son of God for when he comes forth from his fathers throne there will be no more mercy.  Now, there are some who still teach a false doctrine that was perpetrated back in the 60’s and 70’s that say the Lamb has left the mercy seat, but that is wrong. They take it from a statement brother Branham made concerning the seals and another from Souls in Prison, and they teach error concerning the Mercy Seat. Less than one month before brother Branham died he said the Throne of Mercy is still open. But these brothers take an obscure passage from one of his messages and try to make it a chronological order of events, when it is not that at all.  When the seals were opened was not the same time they were revealed. There is a difference between opening and revealing what has been opened.

 

WORKS IS FAITH EXPRESSED 65-1126  69 We set this night for that purpose, Lord. May those who are not saved, above all things, be ready; get ready now, while the doors of mercy still open. We ask this in Jesus' Name. Amen.

 

Notice that the doors of mercy are still open.  Therefore when the seals were opened Jesus did not step off the mercy seat. He stepped up onto His Father’s Throne of Mercy and is still making intercession for our confession.

 

Again in this next quote we see William Branham say the same thing in 1965.

 

God who is rich in mercy 65-0119 P:10 Dear Jesus, we are approaching NOW the great Throne of Mercy, through this all-sufficient Name. "For there's no other Name given among men whereby we must be saved, but only this Name of the Lord Jesus." And we're coming in His Name.

 

Now, I ask you, what good would it do to approach an empty throne if Christ has already left that Throne of Mercy. Do we believe the Prophet or these brothers who have no vindication?

 

Again let’s review the quotes that Brother Branham said about the Mercy Seat.

 

THE BREACH 63-0317E107-2 {269} He leaves the throne to be an Intercessor as a slain Lamb to be a Lion, King, to bring the world to judgment who has rejected His message. He's not a Mediator. Remember the Old Testament teaching now, as we hurry. When the blood went off the mercy seat, what was it? Judgment seat. And when the Lamb slain walked forward from eternity out of the Father's throne and took His rights, it was a judgment seat. Then He become not a Lamb, but a Lion, King. And He calls for His Queen to come stand by His side. "Know ye not the saints shall judge the earth?"

 

Now in this quote we hear brother Branham tell us the Mercy seat becomes the Judgment seat after Jesus steps off from it and comes to claim his own and become King. We know that the saints shall crown Him King of Kngs and Lord of Lords. And since we have not done that yet, He is still on the Throne of Mercy. Notice what Brother Branham tells us in this next quote.

 

THE FIRST SEAL 63-0318  161-3  {301}  Notice, and when this Holy Spirit that we have, becomes incarnate to us, the One that's in our midst now in the form of the Holy Ghost, becomes incarnate to us in the Person of Jesus Christ, we'll crown Him King of king...?... That's right. See?

 

WEDDING SUPPER 56-1006  E-9  I hope that in that great glorious jubilee day when the saints of God crown Him the King of king and the Lord of lords and the Angels stand around the earth with bowed heads while we sing the redemption songs, …

 

Now, from the 4th Seal brother Branham tells us the Throne is still open…

 

FOURTH SEAL THE 63-0321  332-3  {394}    While I believe, with all my heart, the seat's still open. I believe He's still on the throne of God, but soon He's going to rise now and come forth to claim what He has redeemed. He's doing the work of Kinsman Redeemer while Ruth is waiting. But soon, you know, after Boaz done the kinsman work, then he come and claimed his possessions, and that's exactly what the Bible said He done. He come forth and took the Book; then intercession is over. He's off the throne. There's no more Blood on the mercy seat, and then what is it? Judgment seat.

 

Now, check out this quote with the next one brother Branham preached in November, half a year after the seals were opened.

 

Souls in prison now 63-1110M P:78 But you see, in this Book was what was redeemed; it was the Book of Redemption. And everything that He had redeemed was written in that Book. All that He died for was written in the Book, and He could not leave His mediatorial seat until He had thoroughly redeemed, and He couldn't redeem it at the cross, because they were predestinated in the Lamb's Book of Life, and had to stay on there to make intercession until that last person was finished. Glory.

 

THE  FOURTH SEAL 63-0321   292-4  {96}   Them names were put on the Lamb's Book of Life before the foundation of the world, will come forth just as certain as anything. That's why Jesus sets right there and waits with His mediatorial work until that last seed. He will know exactly when to strikes. As Dr. Lee Vayle... (I guess he's still in the meeting somewhere; I haven't seen him for days. I don't believe I've seen him... He is here.). Well, the other day he sent me this about what Irenaeus said. I picked Irenaeus by a long ways to be the angel of the age. That he was--that he said, "When that last member of the Body has come in this last age, the thing would be revealed at that time"; and here it is, just exactly right. See? We're in the day.

 

Now the fact is that this same Mercy Seat is already a judgment seat to those that would turn down mercy.

 

SIXTH SEAL THE  63-0323  441-1  {360}    Notice, the last verse of the Sixth Seal opened. Those who had laughed at the preaching of the Word, of the vindicated Word of the living God... When them prophets that stood there and performed miracles, closed the sun, and everything else, and all down through the age... See? They cried for the rocks and the mountains to hide them (See?), to hide them from the Word that they'd laughed at, 'cause they seen Him coming. "Hide us from the wrath of the Lamb." He is the Word. See? They'd laughed at the Word, and here the Word was incarnate; and they'd made fun of It, laughed at them, made fun of them, and the incarnate Word had dropped forth. Why didn't they repent? They couldn't: too far then. So they knowed that the punishment... They hear it. They've set in meetings like this and knowed about it, and they know that the things that those prophets had predicted was looking them right in the face.

  441-3  {361}    The thing that they had rejected, they'd spurned mercy for the last time. And when you spurn mercy, there's nothing left but judgment. When you spurn mercy... Just think of it. And there they was. They had no place to go, no retreat. And the Bible said here, "They cried to the rocks and the mountains to fall on us, and hide us from the wrath of the Lamb." They'd tried to repent, but the Lamb had come to claim His own. See? And they cried to the rocks and the mountains, prayed, but their prayers were too late.

    441-5  {364}    My brother, sister, the goodness and mercies of God extended to the people... While Israel was blinded for here just about two thousand years to give us a chance to repent... Have you turned that mercy down? Have you rejected that... Who are you anyhow? Where did you come from, and where are you going? You could not ask the doctor. You could not ask anybody in the world, and there's no book you could read that could tell you who you are, where you come from, and what you're going but this Book.

 

QA ON THE SEALS  63-0324M 468-1  {76}    Now, but see, you can't say those things; best to just leave it alone. And you remember the third pull; it said, "Don't tell nobody." What did I say was that... How many remembers that? Oh, sure. Remember standing there trying to lace that eyelet in that little shoe in the vision? He said, "You can't teach Pentecostal babies supernatural things." And I said this will be the third pull and it will not be known, so help me, by the grace of God. Now, now, we're right down at the end time now. Won't be too long until mercy seat will be judgment seat.

 

HEBREWS 10:11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:   12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. 15  [Whereof] the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, 16 This [is] the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; 17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. 18 Now where remission of these [is, there is] no more offering for sin. 19    Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21 And [having] an high priest over the house of God; 22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the profession of [our] faith without wavering; (for he [is] faithful that promised;) 24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some [is]; but exhorting [one another]: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 26  For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,  27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28    He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance [belonged] unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.  31 [It is] a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

 

Now, in Getting back to our study, 24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. 25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. 28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took [him] by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. 29 And his fellow servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. 31 So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. 32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desires me: 33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee? 34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. 35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

 

Now, we have to ask our selves the question. What was it that the Lord was angry about. It was not that he had forgiven the man of his sins, but rather the man learned nothing from the mercy he had received and notice the words of our Lord toward the man. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: 33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee? 34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, …and so as in some of th4 other parables, we see this man was cast forth into tribulation. 

 

For you see he was expected to have the same mind as His Lord  but he didn’t and so he was given over to the tormentors,

 

MATTHEW 6:14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

 

Now, the Greek word for Forgive is aphiemi  pronounced  af-ee-ay-mee and it means to let go, to let alone, or let be. In other words you don’t pay any attention to it any longer.  You just simply disregard the thing, just leave it alone, don’t discuss it, Just let it go, just give it up, and keep no longer, to give up a thing to a person, to go way from, to depart from one and leave him to himself so that all mutual claims are abandoned, to leave so that what is left may remain.