UNTIL SHILOH COMES
CONT., page 2
Quite interestingly, when the sons of Israel crossed the Jordan into the Shelah/Shiloh-representing period of the church, both sons of Joseph were represented in prominent ways and testimonies; and as we will examine here, significantly, these two sons received the birthright through Jacob.
Of course Ephraim was represented by Joshua, who lead the sons of Israel, and the ark of the covenant was placed in Ephraim. Manasseh was uniquely evidenced insomuch that (1) it was one of the tribes that took the place of Judah in leading the people, and (2) it was the only tribe that was split – half east of the Jordan, and half west of the Jordan. We know that when Yahweh splits something, He does so in order to make it clean. It seems quite evident that this is the testimony attested here by Manasseh.
And to bring even more insight to this matter regarding Manasseh, we find that the first land battle in the Civil War in America was what the south called the First Battle of Manassas. The Civil War was the Passover of this kingdom of heaven nation (the Revolutionary War being our Pentecost, and the Spanish American War our Tabernacles). Is it not most revealing that the war that divided this nation in order to make it clean before Yahweh, began at the place bearing the name of the tribe that was divided when the sons of Israel crossed into the promised land west of the Jordan? And of course this Jordan crossing took place at the time of Passover.
What can all of this mean regarding Manasseh? Obviously it speaks of Yahweh performing a work at the time of the beginning of the Shelah/Shiloh period of the church that makes us clean by dividing into two. It could speak of the division of the Remnant by virtue of establishing the second Remnant. It could speak of dividing the church – Remnant and Christianity – even as Ahijah the Shilonite testified. It could even be both. But in any case, without question Yahweh is giving testimony through Manasseh that He performs a work at the beginning of the Millennial reign that divides in order to make clean.
But most importantly, let us consider more fully this matter of the birthright. In Deuteronomy 21:15-17 we read a law that is quite obviously tailor-made for the sons of Jacob.
“If a man has two wives, the one loved (Rachel) and the other unloved (Leah), and both the loved and the unloved have borne him sons, if the first-born son belongs to the unloved, then it shall be in the day he wills what he has to his sons, he cannot make the son of the loved the first-born before the son of the unloved, who is the first-born. But he shall acknowledge the first-born, the son of the unloved, by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the beginning of his strength; to him belongs the right of the first-born.”
The first-born of Leah, the unloved wife, was Reuben. By this law, he had the rights of the first-born. But did he receive those rights? No, we have already stated that Joseph received those rights. And how did he receive them? In 1 Chronicles 5:1-2 we find our answer.
Now the sons of Reuben the first-born of Israel (Jacob) (for he [Reuben] was the first-born, but because he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel; so that he [Reuben] is not enrolled in the genealogy according to the birthright. Though Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came the leader, yet the birthright belonged to Joseph) ….
Thus we see that though the law required the birthright go to Reuben, because he defiled his father’s bed, that birthright went to the sons of the first-born of the loved wife, Rachel.
But even here again we see a most unusual testimony. As has already been noted, when Jacob went to pass that birthright along to Joseph’s sons, once again he did not give it to the first-born. Jacob crossed his arms and placed his right hand on second-born Ephraim and gave him the birth-right (Genesis 48:8-20). So what can all of this mean prophetically regarding the kingdom of God?
To begin with, we first find the testimony of the first Remnant per the matter involving Reuben. As has been addressed before, Leah is a testimony of the first Remnant. (See The Passing Over Principle, page 7.) Even as Leah had weak eyes, so the first Remnant had weak eyes and did not see all things clearly. This sight would be given to the second Remnant. Also, the first Remnant was the unloved wife, while the second Remnant is the loved wife. We see this same contrast in Song of Solomon 8:8-10 where the first sister (Leah) had no breasts, while the second sister’s breasts (Rachel’s) were towering, and she became in the bridegroom’s eyes “as one who finds peace.”
Leah of course gave birth to Reuben, while Rachel gave birth to Joseph. Was then the promise of the first-born rightfully supposed to go to the first-Remnant? Unquestionable so. But did they receive it? No. They went into Christianity and laid with the Father’s concubine, the “Hagar” world, and defiled the Father’s bed, thus losing the rights of the first-born. So to whom did those rights go? They went to the second Remnant, the first-born of the loved wife.
And so what do we see when we come to Ephraim and Manasseh? The same testimony. Why? Because that which has been is that which will be. Who was the first-born of the one to whom the birth-right was given? Of course it was Manasseh. But did he as well get the birthright? No more than Reuben received it. Why is this the case in both of these occasions regarding the birthright? Because Yahweh is providing two witnesses to the same truth, the same fulfillment of these living prophesies. Once again we see that the first-born Manasseh first Remnant does not receive the birthright, but it is given to the Ephraim second Remnant.
It is also most interesting that Hezekiah’s son was named Manasseh. This is the son who was born during the fifteen year extension that was given to Hezekiah’s life. But Manasseh was an evil king who did not follow in the ways of his father. In fact, when good king Josiah came one generation later, despite the fact that he was one of the best kings ever in Judah, because of the sins of Manasseh (2 Kings 23:26) he was killed by Pharaoh in a battle at, of all places, Armageddon. (Josiah’s death affords a most interesting and revealing contradiction insomuch that 2 Kings 23:29-30 says he died at Armageddon, while 2 Chronicles 35:24 says he died at Jerusalem. Furthermore, there is the same contradiction regarding the death of King Ahaziah by Jehu, wherein 2 Kings 9:27-28 tells us that he too died at Armageddon and was buried at Jerusalem, but 2 Chronicles 22:9 tells us that he was brought to Jehu, evidently at Jezreel or Ibleam, and was put to death there.)
So who then does Hezekiah’s Manasseh represent, the one who did evil in the sight of Yahweh, and because of his sins good king Josiah was killed by Pharaoh? Was this Manasseh of the tribe of Joseph, who had the birthright? No, he was of the tribe of Judah. Even as there is a true Remnant, so there was a true Manasseh; and even as there is a false Remnant in Judah Christianity, so there was a false Manasseh in Judah. This is the false Remnant who will lead even good Christians to die at Armageddon (which is not at all the battle Christians so falsely teach).
So the big question is – What does all of this regarding the rights of the first-born mean for today, in this hour when we are seeing these things fulfilled? What is the birth-right?
First, we need to notice that the birthright is a double portion. We have already seen that the double portion speaks of the second Remnant. Ephraim seems to clearly identify the fulfillment of that promise insomuch that his name actually means “double portion.” So what does this mean for the second Remnant? Does it mean, as was the case in Elisha and Elijah, that the second Remnant will do twice the works of the first Remnant? Possibly so. Does it mean that the second Remnant will receive a double portion of Yahweh’s Spirit? Possibly so. Does it mean that we will receive twice the inheritance than the first Remnant, even as was the case for the literal first-born? Possibly so. Does it mean that we will receive twice the fortunes, even as Job received after his own breach period of affliction by Satan? Possibly so.
But that which is MOST important per the first-born second Remnant is the promise of the fulfillment of Passover – for the first-born to escape death!
No one to this day has experienced the Passover promise to the first-born and escaped death. The first Remnant did not escape death. Thus Passover was not fulfilled in them. Christianity has not escaped death. They have been the 2,000 swine, 2,000 years, that have all gone to the sea of death. They clearly did not fulfill Passover. In fact they were the Esau who sold their birthright to the Jacob Remnant for a bowl of red stuff, and no longer were Esau, meaning “hairy,” or possessing glory, but became Edom, meaning “red,” as in Adam, even the body of the last Adam. As it is written –“in Adam all die” (1 Corinthians 15:22).
The promise of the first-born to escape death is to the second Remnant. They are the second bird that are dipped into the blood of the first Remnant bird and are released alive to fly away (Leviticus 14:1-7). The second Remnant receives the promise of the first-born, and that is to bring about and fulfill the first resurrection. Because of the second Remnant, the first resurrection will take place, bringing together in heaven both the first Remnant (those who are dead in Yahshua) and the second Remnant (those who are alive and remain – 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17). The second Remnant is the Elijah, the Enoch, who ascend alive. The two-part Remnant are the first among man to be born from above as promised by Yahshua (John 3:3-8), and receive immortal incorruptible bodies.
Most importantly, the promise of the first-born is the Passover promise of the first resurrection! This is what man needs more than anything else! It is not another Hezekiah Passover that is fourteen days in duration that is needed, it is the Passover that is the double portion fulfillment that that Passover looked to.
At the close of the first section, we noted that these marvelous never-before-seen truths regarding Shiloh that the Remnant have indeed found, are the well that does not run dry, the water from which when we drink we do not thirst again. We are indeed seeing Yahweh’s back, and as we have now entered into the Shelah/Shiloh Millennial reign, these much needed changes in the kingdom of God are beginning to take place.
Someone wrote recently and said that we need the “new manna.” I wrote back and asked (1) what is new manna, and (2) why would anyone want to eat manna? One should not want manna, any more than one would want Judah to lead the way. Both of these are experiences relegated to the wilderness wanderings of the church!
The sons of Israel did all they could to make the manna more palatable. The manna was not satisfying – “now our soul is dried up. There is nothing at all for our eyes except this manna,” they complained – so they ground it between two millstones or beat it in the mortar and boiled it and made cakes from it (Numbers 11:6-8). And if they tried to get more manna, it just got worms in it. Such has been the manna that Christianity has eaten during its wilderness period. Man seeks to modify it to make it more palatable, and if he tries to gain more of it, all that happens is that the worm, Satan, gets into it.
The “manna” of the wilderness bears the literal meaning – “what is it.” That is what Christianity has had before their eyes for 2,000 years – “what is it.” And there are over 22,000 denominations that will give you their opinion of “what is it.” But they do not know, because they are in Hades, which means “to not see.” “What is it” and “to not see” aptly describe Christianity for 2,000 years in regard to the truth. As it is written – “In the wilderness He fed you manna which your fathers did not know (“what is it”), that He might humble you and that He might test you … (Deuteronomy 8:16).
The truth that the Bride is seeing right now, is revealed to us because we are no longer partaking of the old wilderness manna, but the fruit of the Shelah/Shiloh land of promise, the word that has been reserved for the Millennial reign. In Joshua 5:11-12 we read:
And on the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. 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.
This is what we are eating now – “the yield of the land of Canaan”!
Who wants manna, when we are eating from Canaan?
Blessed be Yahweh for the good that He is doing toward His Remnant!
Amen and Amen!
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