A HANDFUL OF CORN ON TOP OF THE MOUNTAINS
A HANDFUL OF CORN ON TOP OF THE MOUNTAINS
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
Sunday Evening Service
November 24, 2013, the Year of Our Lord
Ps. 72:16: “There shall be a handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon; and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.
Isa. 2l: 10: “Oh my threshing and the corn of my floor; that which I have heard of the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you.”
On Tuesday, November 12, 2013, I taught Isaiah, Chapter 21, an unfulfilled prophecy on the judgment of Babylon through an attack by Elam/Media (Iran). For the church of the 21st Century, Babylon means the spirit of Babylon and everything surrounding the god of mammon. However, in verse 10, the remnant held captive in Babylon is called by the Lord (it is written in red), “Oh my threshing and the corn of my floor”.
The church is God’s floor. True believers are the corn of God’s floor. This is the Lord’s providential care for the “remnant” in the time of judgment. Hypocrites are but as the chaff and straw. The corn of God’s floor must expect to be threshed by afflictions and persecutions. Even then God owns it for his threshing; it is His still. The prophet gives them this assurance. “That which I have heard of the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you”.
Jesus Christ is the “corn” from heaven who fell into the ground and died as an offering of firstfruits. Ps. 78:24: “He (God) rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.” Jesus is the Bread of Life, the Word of God in whom is the germ of life. Like Boaz the kinsman-redeemer, Jesus has personally ministered His Word to every Christian.
Ruth 2:14: “Boaz said unto Ruth, at mealtime come here, and eat of the bread and dip your morsel in the sour wine (mixed with oil). She sat beside the reapers. He passed her some parched corn, and she ate until she was satisfied and she had some left for Naomi.”
Jesus was the bread corn who was bruised for our sin. Is. 28:28: “Bread corn is bruised because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen. This also come forth from the Lord of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.”
Jesus is walking through the corn on the Sabbath, the Sabbath, to which men are called. He is the “manna” in whom are hidden “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge”.
The spiritual staple of the Christian’s diet is corn, the Word of God. Mt. 4:4: “It is written; Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” Ministers of God are like oxen who tread out the corn, rightly dividing the Scriptures. Our local churches should be like storehouses for the increase of the corn. All ministers of the gospel should rejoice to be called “oxen”.
Believers are to grow up from the first principles and eat the mature corn of the land. Joshua 5: 11-12: “They ate of the old corn of the land on the day after the Passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn on the same day. The manna ceased on the day after they had eaten of the old corn of the land. Neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they ate of the land of Canaan that year.
Canaan is figurative of our promised inheritance in heavenly places. Believers have been promised and given all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. We have been raised up together and made to sit together in heavenly places. From that exalted posture, we are to go forth in His name to conquer the enemy, pulling down every stronghold that resists His power and glory. Those who belong to Christ are the seed of Abraham and heirs according to the promise.
The overcoming church (the remnant) has been threshed on the floor of God’s church, like a handful of corn established upon the top of the mountain.
Mic. 4: 1-2: “In the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow to it. Many nations shall come, and say, come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in his paths; for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”
It is my persuasion the handful of corn on the mountain is prophetic of the end-time Church “Behold I will make you a new sharp threshing instrument having teeth; you shall thresh the mountains (kingdoms) and beat them small, and shall make the hills as chaff” (Isa. 41:15). The nations shall become the chaff of the summer threshing floors when God’s Kingdom begins to fill the earth. Those who have yielded to the threshing of the Lord become threshing instruments.
Natural corn is grown in the valley. However, here the “corn on the mountain” is a Holy Remnant who has allowed the Lord to cleanse their lives by removing those things that are not of Him. Heb. 4:12: “The word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Jesus Christ is the Judge, the divine winnower whose fan is in His “hand”. As He did before, Jesus will cleanse the Temple, His church. The blowing of the Wind of His spirit will separate the wicked from the righteous.
Psalm 1: “Blessed is the man that does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. His delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law does he meditate day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he does shall prosper. The ungodly are not so; but are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, or sinners in the congregation of the righteous. The Lord knows the way of the righteous; but the way of the ungodly shall perish.”
Corn comes forth in three dimensions, picturing our growth in grace; (1) the blade (Passover), the ear (Pentecost), and the full corn in the ear (Tabernacles)---we are born again, filled with the Spirit, then matured.
Mark 4:26-28: “So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; and should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knows not how. For the earth brings forth fruit of itself: first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. When the fruit is brought forth, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
Job. 5:26: “You shall come to your grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn comes in his season.”
“There shall be a handful of corn in the earth upon top of the mountains”.
This is the remnant on “top” of Mt. Zion- heavenly places---“of the mountains” = kingdoms (Mic. 4; Dan. 2.)
Ps.72: 15-19: “He (Jesus) shall live, and to Him shall be given of the gold (divine nature) of Sheba; prayer also shall be made for (to) him continually; and daily shall he be praised. There shall be a handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake (wave) like Lebanon; and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth. His name (Jesus) shall endure forever; His name shall be continued as long as the sun; and men shall be blessed in Him; all nations shall call Him blessed. Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only does wondrous things. Blessed be His glorious name for ever; and let the whole earth be filled with His glory; Amen, and Amen.”
Psalm 72 is prophetic and partially fulfilled in King Solomon, but the Psalm ultimately prophesies of Jesus, “the greater than Solomon”.
This remnant (hand full of) seed corn will bring forth a harvest of souls that shall flourish like the grass of the earth and ultimately from this remnant the whole earth will be filled with His glory. This could also represent the ministry of the 12 apostles who shook the whole earth with the gospel message. However, I believe it also means the remnant of every generation who have ascended the hill of the Lord and stood in His holy place. These who have clean hands, and a pure heart; who have not lifted up their soul to vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. They shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of them that seek Him…Lift up your heads, O you gates; and be you lifted up, you everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.”
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries, Inc.
Scripture from K.J.V.
I entered into the labors of Understanding Types and Shadows by: Kelley Varner. Comments and conclusions are my own and not meant to reflect the views of Brother Varner.