The Daily Word of Righteousness

The Tail of the Dragon, #16

And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation [grain offering] to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate [on the wing of abominations—or a pinnacle of the Temple—will come one who causes desolation], even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate [upon the desolator]. (Daniel 9:27)

"He shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation [grain offering] to cease." We believe "the sacrifice" refers to our ability to claim the atonement made on the cross of Calvary, and "the oblation" (grain offering) refers to Pentecost—to the giving of the Holy Spirit to the believers.

The handing of the keys of the Kingdom to the saints during the dark hours of the tribulation period signals the beginning of the Kingdom of God on the earth. Throughout the thousand-year Kingdom Age, and forever after, people will be able to approach God only through the royal priesthood, just as today we can approach God only through the Lord Jesus Christ. In that day, Jerusalem will be the throne of the Lord. Jerusalem will be the heaven, the throne of God toward which the saved of the earth will pray.

At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart. (Jeremiah 3:17)

The answer to the problem of the maturing of the tares is the maturing of the wheat. The maturing of the wheat has to do with the forming of Christ in us. Christ is God's "Wheat."

My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, (Galatians 4:19)

Two Supremely Important Considerations

There are two factors, two supremely important considerations, that govern the essential nature of the Christian salvation.

The first factor is that the Wife of the Lamb is in travail to bring forth the Male Son, Christ, in the members of His Body.

And there appeared a great wonder in heaven [in the heaven]; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. (Revelation 12:1,2)

The second factor is that the great red dragon, Satan, is standing before the woman with the intention of devouring the Child as soon as He is brought forth.

And his tail drew the third part of the stars of [the] heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. (Revelation 12:4)

The above verse portrays the forming of Christ in the saints, and also the unceasing hostility and watchfulness of Satan. All of the other religious activities of our day are scaffolding when compared with the supreme importance of these two major considerations.

To be continued.