From: Francis Harper
wbfrmsup@iowatelecom.net
Francis Harper Message for 6/22/2018
We are quite likely among “those upon whom the end of the world shall come” (1 Corinthians 10:11). This is written: “Now all these things [types and shadows] happened unto them for ensamples; and they are written for our admonition also, and for an admonition for those upon whom the end of the world shall come.”
Enoch, “the seventh from Adam” (Jude 1:14) “continued his preaching unto the people of God. And it came to pass in his days, that he built a city that was called the city of Holiness, even Zion . . .and lo! Zion in process of time was taken up into heaven. And the Lord called his people, Zion, because they were of one heart and of one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there were no poor among them” (Genesis 7:23-27 IV).
Enoch and his city are a beautiful type and shadow of the imminent coming of the Lord which is prophesied in many passages of the Scriptures. Paul in his first letter to the Thessalonians wrote: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first; Then they who are alive, shall be caught up together into the clouds . . . to meet the Lord in the air . . .” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
The Lord will be accompanied by ten thousands of his saints which will include the city of Enoch (Jude 1:14, Revelation 1:7). This will be a reunion none of the Lord’s people will want to miss! This meeting is described: “And the Lord said unto Enoch, Then shalt thou and all thy city meet them there; and we will receive them into our bosom; and they shall see us, and we will fall upon their necks, and they shall fall upon our necks, and we will kiss each other; and there shall be mine abode, and it shall be Zion, which shall come out of all the creations I have made; and for a thousand years shall the earth rest” (Genesis 7:71-72 IV).
If we desire to be a participant in this glorious event we must be like the citizens of Enoch’s city. This city was a demonstration of the righteousness we must attain to be worthy to dwell with the Lord in Zion. John wrote: “ . . . we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him . . . And every man that has this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure” (1 John 3:2-3).
“In this world, we have no continuing city.” In the early morning hours of December 6, 2001, the still, small voice spoke these words to me again and again. I knew these words were being brought to my attention by the power of the Holy Spirit. The words were not familiar to me. I could not recall reading or hearing them before.
Using continuing as the key word, I discovered in Strong’s Concordance that the word continuing is found only four times in the Bible. In the final listing I read, “For here have we no continuing city, but we . . .” I wondered about the missing words, so I quickly turned to the Bible to get “the rest of the story.” The complete text reads: “For here [in this world] have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come” (Hebrews 13:14).
These are the assuring words we need to hear today. I thanked our awesome God for these words of warning and encouragement. We must never forget that all things in this world are temporary. We need to focus on things eternal. The words of this text are encouraging because they renew our hope in the everlasting kingdom of God. “. . . We seek one [a continuing city] to come!”
The coming of “the general assembly of the church of the firstborn” to the earth is the only continuing city there will ever be. All else will crumble and fall. Our anticipation of the coming of the Lord, with Zion, is based upon the never-failing word of God. (See Genesis 9:22-23 IV; Jude 1:14; Revelation 1:7).
We often sing: “We know He is coming to gather His sheep and plant them in Zion in love . . .” Redeemer of Israel, Hymns of the Restoration, #153.
My Love to All,
Francis Harper
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Types and Shadows
Although the phrase “type and shadow” is not utilized in the Bible, it is utilized quite a number of times in The Book of Mormon: Mosiah 1:111, 7:110, 8:8; Alma 10:9, 14:69, 14:75, 16:191, 17:80; Ether 6:6. A type and shadow can be defined as a person, object or event representing or exemplifying someone or something that really exists or will exist. Most of us can remember stepping on the shadow of some person or object that represented a real person or thing.
Paul referred to the feasts of Israel as “a shadow of things to come,” which they are. See Colossians 2:17. King Benjamin in speaking to his people spoke of the “many signs, and wonders, and types and shadows . . . concerning the coming of Jesus” (Mosiah 1:111).
The children of Israel witnessed many types and shadows of Jesus during their journey from Egypt to their promised land. “And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom; and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people . . . and much people of Israel died” (Numbers 21:4-6).
Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, ‘We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.’ And Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent and set it upon a pole; and it shall come to pass, that everyone that is bitten when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole; and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived” (Numbers 21:7-9).
Paul saw the many signs and wonders that happened to the Israelites in the wilderness as types and shadows of the coming of Jesus and his ministry. Paul wrote: “Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And all did eat the same spiritual meat [manna representing the living bread from heaven]; And did all drink the same spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual rock . . . and the rock was Christ [the source of living water]. But with many of them God was not well pleased . . .” (1 Corinthians 10:1-5).
John recognized the brazen serpent mounted on a pole by Moses as a type and shadow of Jesus raised upon the cross. He wrote: “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:14-15).
Paul concluded with these words: “Now all these things [types and shadows] happened unto them for ensamples; and they are written for our admonition also, and for an admonition for those upon whom the end of the world shall come” (1 Corinthians 10:11). These “ensamples,” types and shadows, were given for every generation; even ours. They all point to Jesus; the source of our strength and salvation.
It is written that the brazen serpent was preserved till the time of King Hezekiah, when it was destroyed because it had become an object of worship.
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