Questions and Answers no. 13

Alpha and Omega Comparisons no. 10

God raises up a teaching ministry to place  the people

August 12th, 2007

Brian Kocourek, Pastor

 

For the past couple months we have been studying the alpha and Omega Comparisons of the Three Exoduses where God came down manifesting Himself in the form of the Pillar of Fire and leading the people. 

 

Last week as you know I was in Colombia speaking at their international convention. There were somewhere between 4,500 and 5,000 people in attendance at our meetings. I had a chance to speak on the Spirit of Adoption showing the importance of understanding the relationship between the Father and Son because in understanding that relationship we can see the role that Jesus played out and how necessary it is to perform our role as sons in making ready for the adoption which Paul called the redemption of the body.

 

Now, we know that the son is placed under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. That time is when the son has the mind of the Father and the Father has enough confidence in the son that the son will not do his own will but will do the will of the father that the father can now trust his son with his name on the check book, so to speak.

 

Most people think we teach the Godhead because we got some kind of hang up on it. But they just don’t understand that unless we have the same mind that was in Christ we will never make an adoption though we may be sons. The son in order to be adopted had to know his place and have the will of the father a supreme in his mind. In fact when he came to the place that he so thought like and acted like, and spoke like his father, then the father would then have the son adopted before all to let the world know that his son was now heir to what the father owned.

 

We could go into that again but we covered that toward the end of our Masterpiece series and I have spoke on that subject at Br. Jack bell’s church in Beaumont Texas, and again in Bolivia, and now in Colombia. Br. Mario will be translating that sermon in Spanish because we received many, many requests for it. Br. Billy is now in the process of translating it into French for our meetings in Congo Democratic Republic and the other Congo, the Republic of Congo which I call Congo Brazzaville just to keep them straight.

 

At the convention there was 150 pastors of which about 38 were from 8 additional countries other than the host country Colombia. I believe they came from Panama, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Mexico, Canada and Myself and Br. George Smith from the United States.

 

After speaking I was asked to come to Venezuela in December to speak at a ministers meeting  of the Venezuelan churches. They are expecting 150 ministers to attend. I was also asked to speak at the annual convention in Mexico city during the Easter Break next March. They are expecting 1,000 people to attend those meetings.

The host pastor is Br. Juan Francisco Algian who preached the finest sermon I have heard on Fellowship. I liked it because he spoke from 1 John 1:7 but also showed the other side from Genesis chapter 11 where God said the people are now one, but God was not pleased because their oneness was not based on His word but on their own thinking, so God came down to separate them. That was a very fine sermon. And he also believe the doctrine and Godhead like we do.  

 

Also, there are pastors in southern Peru that would like for us to come and teach the doctrine along with church order and conduct next year to the other ministers in that region. They are near the Chile border so perhaps we will be able to visit Br. Roberto while we are there.

 

Now, last week since I was away in Colombia, we have been away from this study on the Alpha and Omega comparisons for a couple weeks, so I thought this week we would summarize again what we have learned so far. Now, the Exodus is all about God and His Presence vindicating the Message He came down with.

 

And so far in our Alpha and Omega comparisons, we have looked at the following characteristics which took place in all three Exoduses under the Pillar of Fire.

 

I)                  There was a system or organizational spirit that held the people in Bondage. It showed it’s ugly head as either a civil or ecclesiastical organizational system.

 

II)               The people needed to be delivered from that system of organization but were incapable of doing so themselves, and so they cried out to God for help.

 

III)     God therefore came down Himself to deliver His people in each of these three

           Exodus’s. Here we find the Presence of God is the sole essence of each exodus.

 

IV)            At each exodus God then chose a man to deliver His Message of deliverance to the people. The Message was the avenue of deliverance. If the people followed that Message they would be delivered. If they did not, they would not be delivered, and furthermore, they would receive a temporary judgment for failing to obey the Voice of God.

 

V)               The Message that God came with He delivered first to a Prophet and then from that prophet to men who would be faithfully taught. Then out from those faithfully taught men, the Message would go out to the world and deliver the world from that organization system that held them in bondage. This second part of the Exodus was the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit. This is the part that bring the people in. First we saw how that in each Exodus the Pillar of Fire anointed a prophet to lead the people out, using the supernatural Presence of God performing supernatural feats that attracted the peoples attention to the message of deliverance. Once the people came out of that system of bondage we then found in each Exodus God removed the prophet Messenger but did not go off the scene Himself. Then came a period of testing, where we find the Pillar of Fire remained on the scene in a teaching or placing ministry. The First exodus with Joshua, the second with Paul a teacher to the gentiles, and the Third Exodus we once again see the Holy Spirit Who is the Teacher using a five fold ministry to place the people. Which we see in Ephesians chapter 4:8-16 which we shall read later.

 

VI)            We found that God gave the Prophet of each Exodus a Message of deliverance and then God vindicated that Message with His very own presence.

 

VII)         Once that Message was delivered by the Prophet the prophet was taken from the scene and God tested the people’s faithfulness to that Message. He did not leave the people without a witness, for the Holy Spirit in the form of the Pillar of Fire remained on the scene and anointed men who were faithfully taught by the prophet Messenger to teach others. It is at this time we see the full rejection and drifting away from the original Message that was Given by the Mouth of God to the people. Because the Supernatural was pulled back in its fullness the people were now open to testing to see I it is the Word that caused them to follow the Messenger or the Supernatural itself. It is at this time that those who faithfully teach the Message are rejected by the people because the people, most of them came out following the supernatural, but paid no attention to the Words that had been delivered by that Prophet messenger.

 

The Pillar of Fire remains on the scene after the prophet messenger is taken off the scene but God leaves His word in the hands of men who have been faithfully taught to continue to present that word before the people. During this time false brethren come in and sit down among the believers and bring in alongside of true doctrine destructive heresies, evening denying the One that bought them.

 

This evening I would like to examine this scene of how the false brethren come in, and what they do to take over the Message populace and bring rejection to the true understanding of the Message for the hour.

 

VIII)      God takes His prophet off the scene to test the people to see whether they will stay 

           true to His Message, or were they just following a man.

 

IX)            We found that False brethren came into the assembly of people following the

           prophet and His message. In each age we found that these men brought into the

           Message their own teaching which was contrary to what God’s prophet for that

           age had taught.

 

X)               Although God takes His prophet from the scene God remains on the scene in the

          form of the Pillar of Fire to continue to lead the people into the promise.

 

XI)            God then uses men who have been faithfully taught to continue teaching His  Message and holding fast to what the prophet messenger taught. It is during this time that the false brethren come in and try to take over the movement of God to control it via that same organizational spirit that God took the people out from.

 

1st  Exodus: God raises up a ministry behind the prophet to positionally place the people.

 

Position in Christ 60-0522M P:15 The purpose of this study in this Book of Ephesians is to positionally place the church where it absolutely stands in Christ. It is a type of the Old Testament and the Book of Joshua, where Joshua lotted the land to each man. And he done it by inspiration. How Moses brought the people out of Egypt, the garlic, leek, out, and gave them a place to where God had promised four hundred years before, that He would bring them into a place, a goodly land flow with milk and honey. And Moses led the children of Israel right up to the land, but did not take them over. And Jesus, to the spiritual, to the people that will... We been promised a Holy Spirit since the beginning; Jesus led us up to the promise. But the Holy Spirit came as Joshua to take over and lead, and direct, and to possess the land, or possess the church. We find out, basically, then that in our...

 

Ephesians parallels Joshua 60-0515E P:35 Joshua, that great warrior, anointed of God, positionally placed into the land, like Ephesians to the new church, possessing the land, taking it over.

 

Ephesians parallels Joshua 60-0515E P:19 Now, the Book of Ephesians, as I was just saying, to my opinion, is one of the greatest Books of the New Testament. It leaves us on where Calvinism runs out on one limb, and Arminianism runs out on the other limb, but the Book of Ephesian draws it together and positionally places the church. Now, I've typed it with Joshua. If you notice, Israel was brought up out of Egypt, and there's three stages of their journey. One stage was leaving Egypt. The next stage was the wilderness. And the next stage was Canaan.

 

Manifested sons of God 60-0518 P:10 Then did you notice Moses, that great miracle performer that brought down Israel down through the land, and brought them up to the promised land, but did not place their inheritance to them? He did not give them their inheritance; he led them up to the land, but Joshua divided the land to the people. Is that right? And Christ brought the church up to the place to where their possession was made to them, was given to them, just the Jordan to cross, but the Holy Spirit is the One Who sets the church in order, the Joshua of today puts the church in its order, giving to each one, gifts, places, position. And He is the Voice of God speaking to the inner man that Christ has saved: the Holy Spirit. Now, do you get that much of it? Now, we're getting over into the Book of Ephesians. Now, the same way, He's positionally placing the church where they belong. Now, Joshua placed them in the natural land. Now, the Holy Spirit is placing the church positionally, in the position that they belong in, their inheritance.

 

Adoption or placing 60-0522E P:57 ... after you heard the truth, the Gospel of your salvation...What was the salvation he was trying to tell them? Predestinated before the foundation of the earth (Is that right?) to adoption of sons, predestinated to Eternal Life. Now, after you come into Eternal Life, after you been saved, sanctified, filled with the Holy Spirit, you're sons. Now, God wanting to place you positionally, oh, so that you can work for His Kingdom and His glory. That's the Gospel. Being first, hear the Word, "Repent, be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins." Taking away all your sins, calling on the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, for the promise is unto every sojourner that's on your road. If you left your home tonight, a sinner, saying, "I'll walk over to the Branham Tabernacle," God gives you the opportunity tonight. There's one thing lays between you and the promised Land. What is the promised Land? The Holy Ghost. What laid between Joshua and the promised land was the Jordan. Exactly right.

Ephesians parallels Joshua 60-0515E P:15 I'd like to say this, that this Book of Ephesians perfectly parallels the Old Testament Joshua: Ephesians, the Book of Ephesians...

 

2nd Exodus: After God takes Jesus the God prophet off the scene he remains behind as the Pillar of Fire and then sends a Paul to positionally place the people.

 

2 Timothy 1: 11 Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

 

1 Timothy 2: 7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.

 

Acts 26: 12  Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, 13  At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. 14  And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 15  And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. 16  But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; 17  Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, 18  To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. 19  Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: 20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. 21 For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me. 22 Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: 23  That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.

 

3rd Exodus: After God takes His prophet off the scene he then sends a five fold ministry to teach and positionally place the people.

 

A couple months ago when I talked to brother Vayle about this I said, I said, you know brother Vayle after every Messenger there was a teacher who held to the Message despite all the fanaticism that followed. Wesley had Fletcher, Luther had Melanchthon, Jesus had Paul, and Moses had Joshua. Then I said, can I say that You are that teaching ministry under the Pillar of Fire that was to follow Br. Branham’s ministry/ And he said, Just place it in the five fold ministry. So that is what I will do.

 

 

 

 

Ephesians 4:7  But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 8  Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.  9  (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? 10  He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)  11  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:  14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:  16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

 

Why are we not a denomination? 58-0927 P:43 Why, here's a far greater gift right here. Which would be the best, the gift of the Holy Ghost of wisdom to put the Word of God together and to show the church where we're standing, than just to get somebody healed? We all want to be well; but I'd rather have my soul well, than my body well anytime. Oh, my.

 

Israel in Egypt 53-0325 P:73 Well, they say, "I don't need anybody to teach me. Glory to God, I got the Holy Ghost." Well then, the Holy Ghost was wrong when It said It set some in the church, teachers. God put them in the church as teachers. That settles it. Why'd He put teachers in there, if the Holy Ghost is going to do all the teaching? See? What people needs is their brains baptized, besides their water. That's right. All right. Excuse that sharp expression, but I like to really let her soak in. We want a revival, and, brother, you got to stir the thing up.

 

Greater than Solomon is here 62-0725 P:6 Prophets have the Word of God, and are born a prophet. A gift of prophecy is different. That's a gift. Now, there's five ordained gifts in the church: apostles, prophets, teachers, pastors, evangelists. Now, that is the five gifts that God places in the church by His foreknowledge. Then there's nine gifts that's locally in the church: speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues, and gifts of wisdom, and knowledge, and--and prophecy, and so forth. Them's nine spiritual gifts that operates through the church. But then there's five office gifts that God puts in the church. And, oh, how we love to see them all operating in the...One of them is the pastor, teacher, and those things. Then the others comes along in confirmation. Gifts are to magnify. And God's just got it so even a fool will not be excused, will he? He will... It's so simple the way God has made them. And I like that. The more simpler you become, the greater you'll become before God. That's right. Don't never try to lift yourself up. When you do, you're bringing yourself down. See? He that exalts himself shall be abased.

 

 

Tested faith produces goods 58-0518 P:51 The Bible said there's five gifts in the church. God has set in the church Apostles, or missionaries, apostles, prophets, teachers, evangelists, pastors. Truly. If there's apostle, there's a prophet. If there's a prophet, there's a teacher. If there's a teacher, there's a pastor or a evangelist. See. You can't just say there's a pastor and evangelist, no prophet or apostle. God still sets... As long as He's got His church, He's still got His church setting. Certainly.

 

God keeps His Word 57-0115 P:90 Now, there's five gifts that's set into the church: apostles, prophets, teachers, evangelists, pastors. That's the branches. And God pours His energy into that, some of them to preach, some of them to be evangelists, some to be pastors, teachers, seer. And apostles are missionaries, either one, it's both the same, same word.

 

Perseverance 62-0608 P:95 Did you know that the Bible speaks of the appearing of the Lord, and also the coming of the Lord, and it's two different works? Search it and find out if that's right. The appearing and the coming is two different things. The appearing of the Lord is now. He's appearing amongst His people. We see Him in His same works, the appearing, His Holy Spirit. But His coming will be in a physical being. It'll be to catch the church up. But see, we've been down through the Word, justification, sanctification, baptism of the Holy Ghost. And now the church is getting in such a condition, ready, waiting. And the offices of the church is coming into its place. The teachers are placing the places. The gifts are manifesting themselves. Oh, there's a lot of impersonations. That's right. We expect that. But there's real too. Before there can be a bogus dollar there has to be a real one for it to be made off of. That's right. We have all those carnal comparisons, but that don't take away from the real. It only makes the real shine out.

 

As I was with Moses 60-0911M P:35 I want you to notice what taken place. Joshua, when he come to his first campaign, his first time to prove that he was the real Joshua... Israel ought to have knowed that. No doubt, the clergy had a different idea. They said, "Now, we'll just camp here until springtime, or till summertime, the Jordan will go down.” And look like God throws some of the most foolish things in front of the spiritual Joshua. Brought him there in the month of April, when the Jordan was three or four times its size. He was trying him to see if he really was the Joshua. Let everything go wrong. Let everybody else prosper. Let the others prosper. Let the men who have a form of godliness, deny the power thereof, prosper, and shove you back. But if you know where you'll stand, you'll stand. Regardless, if the whole world turns you down, you'll stand just the same. You won't vary from that Word.

 

Escape hither come quickly 58-0202 P:29 Notice. Each time that the messenger come, the messenger was always rejected by the church. Now, you go back through history and find out. There never was a time that God ever sent a message in any age, but what the church rejected it. It's true. Look at Martin Luther, John Wesley. What about you Mennonite brethren, you Amish? When the message come forth, the church rejects it. Certainly it does. And we grow and grow and grow and grow, and that little remnant that's coming up into the seed form again. Oh, bless His Name. We're at the end.

That's right. Judgment is... You can look out and see the handwriting on the wall. And every time the messengers that went forth, brought a message of love, grace, and deliverance. God's message has always been a message of deliverance before judgment. Noah had deliverance. Lot had deliverance. And though it was a message of deliverance, the people turns it down. It's mercy and deliverance, and the people turn it down.

 

XIII) Next week we will bring out how it is the Teaching ministry that God has placed to follow up with the prophets message that is confronted by false brethren

1st  Exodus: That teaching ministry is confronted by false brethren from within.

2nd Exodus: That teaching ministry is confronted by false brethren from within.

3rd Exodus: That teaching ministry is confronted by false brethren from within.

 

XIV) And then we will see how that the majority of people reject the teaching ministry.

1st  Exodus: The majority of people reject the teaching ministry under the pillar of Fire.

 

Will church go before tribulation 58-0309E P:14 Although each time, angels appeared, prophets arose, and their message has always been grace, mercy, and deliverance. God's message has always been deliverance, just before the end time. Check it through the Scriptures, how Noah preached deliverance, and they laughed at them, and made fun of them, and were scoffed at. And as it was in them days, so is it today. And when you go forth with a message that Christ has raised from the dead, as He promised He would show Hisself forth, and they do today to that message, just like they did to the message in the other day...Lot went out into Sodom and tried his best to get his kindred to listen to the Angel's message, but they mocked at him, and said that he was making fun. Oh, what a picture of this day. When you bring to them the message of God's deliverance, they say, "You're making fun of religion. You're trying to impersonate something." Same type of a group. What a hour we're living in. Why, they think that they're the only ones that's going to be saved. They think they're the only ones that's preaching the Gospel. Jesus said, "These signs shall follow them that believe." It isn't my word; it's His Word.

 

Spoken word original seed 62-0318E P:158 Listen, let's bypass some of it. God's messengers always has been rejected. You believe that? Moses was rejected. Is that right? Jesus was rejected. And Luke said in 10:16 (if you want to write that down, all right)--rejected; I Samuel 8:7, God's message was rejected. God had a messenger, a prophet called Samuel. You believe it? Rejected him and his message, they took the world.This is the law of--of God. This is going... I don't know whether to say this or not. This is a law of God. God's law is to receive a vindicated servant. Let's just--let's just prove that a minute. I want to take one of the Scriptures here: John 13:20. Let's just see; I got something wrote down here, I just--kind of--I get in my mind just then. Oh yeah, here you are.Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receives whosoever I send receives me; and he that receives me receives him that sent me.A vindicated servant... Oh, brother, there's a thousand sermons laying right here now. See? That's right. Oh, my, it's a law of God; receive it.

 

Escape hither come quickly 58-0202 P:29 Notice. Each time that the messenger come, the messenger was always rejected by the church. Now, you go back through history and find out. There never was a time that God ever sent a message in any age, but what the church rejected it. It's true. Look at Martin Luther, John Wesley. What about you Mennonite brethren, you Amish? When the message come forth, the church rejects it. Certainly it does. And we grow and grow and grow and grow, and--and that little remnant that's coming up into the seed form again. Oh, bless His Name. We're at the end. That's right. Judgment is... You can look out and see the handwriting on the wall. And every time the messengers that went forth, brought a message of love, grace, and deliverance. God's message has always been a message of deliverance before judgment. Noah had deliverance. Lot had deliverance. And though it was a message of deliverance, the people turns it down. It's mercy and deliverance, and the people turn it down.

 

Queen of Sheba 61-0119E P:37 Notice this generation, wicked and adulterous generation, will seek after a sign, and they will get it. What kind of a sign? The sign of the resurrection. He is not dead, but He's alive. Our religion is not a history; it's a living fact. It's a living God. It's a living experience. As it was in the days of Jonas...Now, as He went along, He give another expression. He said, "And as it was in the days of Solomon..." Back in the days of Solomon... When God sends a gift to the earth, if the people receive it, it becomes a golden age to them. If they reject it, it becomes a chaos to them. Look what happened when Jesus was God's message to the people, and they rejected it. Look what happened to the people that rejected it.

 

2nd Exodus: The majority of people reject the teaching ministry under the pillar of Fire.

3rd Exodus: The majority of people reject the teaching ministry under the pillar of Fire.

 

XV) The Believers enter into the promise.

1st  Exodus: Those that believe the teaching ministry enter into the promise for the hour.

2nd Exodus: Those that believe the teaching ministry enter into the promise for the hour.

3rd Exodus: Those that believe the teaching ministry enter into the promise for the hour.

 

XVI) God sends judgment to those who reject His teaching.

1st  Exodus: Those that do not accept it, God sends judgment on those people.

2nd Exodus: Those that do not accept it, God sends judgment on those people.

3rd Exodus: Those that do not accept it, God sends judgment on those people.