ASCENDING ALIVE

CONT., page 8

FIFTEEN

Before moving on, since the time of the Remnant in heaven is for fifteen days, it would be very beneficial to consider the significance of the number fifteen in the Scriptures. We will not spend a lot of time on this, but will quickly consider those places where the number fifteen appears. We have already seen in the seven and seven testimonies that Yahweh is entirely consistent in His use of specific numbers. The number fifteen is no exception. What we find is that this number is entirely consistent with everything we have been seeing regarding the Remnant, their ascending alive as Yahweh's first fruits, and related fifteen days in heaven.

Various sources on the subject of numerology reveal that the number fifteen has the following similar representations - acts wrought by the energy of divine grace, light and power, and rest. All of these representations speak of what the Remnant will not only experience, but also effect through their fifteen days in heaven. Let us now list these references found in the Scriptures.

We have noted in the writing, The Issue - II, that the latter rain is a fulfillment of Noah's flood in a positive and good way. Even as the rain in the days of Noah lifted eight people (the number associated with Tabernacles and all the cleansings and anointings) off this earth in an ark, so the latter rain will lift the second Remnant off this earth and cause us to ascend alive into heaven for an eight day Tabernacles.

These attesting comparisons are further evidenced by the following statement regarding this flood. From Genesis 7:20 we read - "The water prevailed fifteen cubits higher, and the mountains were covered." Yahweh uses numbers to tell us something prophetic. This was not recorded here just for history sake, but to affirm that this ascension of these eight people per a great rain was speaking specifically of the Remnant who will equally prevail via not fifteen cubits but fifteen days. Thus we see both the eight and the fifteen evidenced in this dynamic and revealing testimony.

We have already seen that King Hezekiah was afflicted and the prophet Isaiah declared by the word of Yahweh that he would die; but Yahweh changed His mind and gave him fifteen more years. What one must realize here is that Hezekiah was the king in the line of Judah that was to bring forth Yahshua. If Hezekiah had died, then Yahshua could not have come forth; for the lineage would have been cut short with him - Hezekiah had no offspring, no son to carry on that line! Do you now see how critical this situation was! In order for the Son of God to come forth, Yahweh had to have mercy on Hezekiah, hear his pleadings, and grant him more time (as well as the ability) to bring forth a son; and this is exactly what He did!

The time Yahweh granted to Hezekiah once again speaks of the great importance of the Remnant's fifteen days in heaven. Even as Hezekiah received a period of fifteen years in order to insure that Messiah would be brought forth, so the Remnant will be given fifteen days in heaven to insure that Messiah will be brought forth! As with Hezekiah, Yahweh must accomplish what we cannot accomplish.

In the next example, once again we find a Bride figure and her work associated with the number fifteen. Esther is a clear picture of the Remnant Bride who, like Esther, is more beautiful than all women (Song of Solomon 1:8, 5:9) and becomes the bride of the King. Also by Esther's two unusually requested dinners with the king, she was able to deliver her people from the vile threat of total annihilation by Haman. Thus we see the establishment of the two Remnant and the destruction of Satan. But once again consistent with this most prophetic account, we find that in testimony to the Remnant's victorious fifteen days in heaven, it was specifically on the fifteenth that deliverance came to Esther's people - Esther 9:18, 21!

Lazarus is an equally clear testimony of the Remnant, in fact specifically the second Remnant who come out of death (out of the dead body of Christ); the stone of wrath is rolled away and the grave clothes that bind and even blind them are removed. And once again this Remnant witness is specifically identified with the number fifteen.

In the account where Lazarus was raised from the dead, Yahweh introduces a number here that is most affirming and consistent with what is taking place - the deliverance of the Remnant from death and the curse of this world. Here again Yahweh places a bit of information that is seemingly incidental to the account, but is once again quite prophetic. We are told that the place where Lazarus lived (Bethany) was "about fifteen stadia" from Jerusalem. The Remnant's stay in Jerusalem above will be fifteen days - the necessary time to take all the grave wrappings off.

In Acts 27 we read about the shipwreck of Paul. Specifically at fifteen fathoms they threw the anchors over and waited for the light to dawn. During that time they also threw the wheat into the sea of death. Wheat always speaks of Christianity (associated with Pentecost, the wheat harvest), while barley speaks of the Remnant (associated with Passover and Unleavened Bread, the barley harvest). After anchoring at fifteen fathoms, when the light arose, everyone on board the ship ascended alive to land, as promised by an angel!

Now let us go back to the Old Testament and pick up another important testimony. You will see why we delayed this until now. Even as the bride, Esther, had two dinners with the king, so Hosea had two brides; but his two brides were not quite the same picture of wholesome beauty we see here with Esther. Of course Esther had a year to make herself beautiful, so maybe Hosea's two brides might have been beautiful with a little much needed care as well. Again we will be brief.

Yahweh told Hosea to go and take a harlot for a bride. This he did, and she bore him offspring who were given specific names as Yahweh instructed. These offspring tell of what happens in the church after the first bride, the first Remnant, is established. Why is she viewed as a harlot? Because this is exactly what we all are in the flesh - we commit harlotry with the world. Esther happens to be the way Yahweh views us in the long run, after our cleansing and glorification. Until then we are actually just a bunch of harlots.

And even as Esther needed two dinners, so Hosea needed two brides, two harlot brides. But we find that this second bride was to be purchased. What was the purchase price of this second bride, even this second Remnant? "So I bought her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a half of barley" (Hosea 3:2). Once again we see the bride, even the second bride, associated with not only fifteen, but also Remnant barley!

And when this second Remnant bride is established and even ascends to be with Yahshua for fifteen days, as you will read later in this writing, Christianity enters into their Day of Atonement. Thus we read that when Hosea purchased his second bride for fifteen shekels of silver and the Remnant barley, the outcome stated in verse 5 is most telling of the response that Christianity will have - "Afterward the sons of Israel will return and seek Yahweh their God and David their king; and they will come trembling to Yahweh and to His goodness in the last days."

In preparation for the next section on the number eight where we address those events that are specifically associated with that number, let us look at a most telling example of the number fifteen that is divided just like the days the Remnant will experience in heaven - seven and eight.

In the latter chapters of Ezekiel, we find a fairly detailed description of the temple of Yahweh. Of course this is a heavenly temple and will never be built of natural stone but of living stones. Man on earth needs no temple made of dust, but that which is made from above. Yahweh has torn down both preceding earthly temples, and He sure does not need another. Rather, He seeks to abide in a temple not made with hands. Let us consider this temple and its expression of the number fifteen in this vital seven and eight pattern.

We find in chapter forty of Ezekiel that there are fifteen steps that lead up to the temple of Yahweh. No one can ascend up to the temple except through these fifteen steps. This of course is relative to entering into the true heavenly temple. In order to enter into Yahweh's temple, we see that the way must be entered through the Remnant's fifteen days in heaven.

We read in Ezekiel that the first steps one is to pass through in his ascent are the steps that bring one into the outer court. Like the seven days of Unleavened Bread, these steps are specifically seven in number - 40:20-22. Once in the outer court, one is still however removed from the temple per se and can only reach that sacred place by entering through the next set of steps that lead to the inner court. Like the eight days of Tabernacles, these next set of steps leading to the temple are eight in number - 40:28-31. Thus we see once again the identical pattern we have been seeing all along for entering into the presence or temple of Yahweh - first the seven days/steps of Unleavened Bread, followed by the eight days/steps of Tabernacles.

Yahweh has provided many clear and affirming testimonies of this important and vital truth regarding the Remnant's fifteen days in heaven. Let us now take a closer look at these specific eight days in heaven associated with Tabernacles. We will consider the list of eight day events provided at the outset of this writing.

Continue to page 9 of Ascending Alive for EIGHT DAYS

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