When Eight Days were Accomplished
“When Eight Days were Accomplished”
(Luke 10:21-40)
Preached by: Carolyn Sissom
Sermon Notes, Sunday, December 28, 2008
Lev. 12:2-3”: “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, “If a woman has conceived seed, and born a man child, then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean. In the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying 33 days.’”
As we come to the close of 2008, I believe this verse is a prophetic word for the end-time Church. In the year 2000, there was a choosing and alignment of ministries revealing the Sons of God, i.e. Bride of Christ, Glorious Church, The Remnant, The Elect, The Joshua Company, Sons of the Right Hand Company, Esther Company, Mt. Zion, Kingdom of God on earth as it is in Heaven, etc. etc.
We came under a tremendous outpouring of Glory from `1999-2000. I thought we were going to see the Church Triumphant finally broken through, the church without spot of blemish, The Glorious Church.
However, the warfare became intense in the battle to guard the purity of the anointing. Many ministers and ministries came under another level of trials and testing of their Faith. Many began to fall away, or worse embrace the Babylonian Church System as the way to survive in the ministry. I saw many compromise or “sell their birthright for a bowl of pottage.” I am not speaking here of big name ministries who have fallen, but of the rank and file ministries who have experienced the power of the Kingdom of God. While being in Houston, Texas, I have heard numerous ministers make the declaration that they were the “one” chosen to bring revival to Houston, Texas. Humility and meekness gave way to arrogance. If you hear any one person make this boast, pray for them. I do.
Many are suffering, but not for righteousness; sake. Immature sons will continue to whine and boast until they understand the revelation of Jesus Christ and His Body.
Last Sunday while preaching, a prophetic revelation came to me, “Yes we gave birth in the year 2000, but, “When the eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, His name was called Jesus.” The period of gestation for the Tabernacle of Jesus was 9 months. The length of time it took Moses to build the Tabernacle in the wilderness was 9 months. Nine is the number of finality and the number of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. “She shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.” For the past eight years the Church (elect), has been going through a purification process. If this scripture is prophetic and I believe it is, then we will see the Glorious Church come forth and begin to reveal Jesus Christ. Also, we can apply the 33 days to Jesus being 33-years of age when "His time had come.".
Gal. 4:19: “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you.”
Jn. 1:12: “but as man as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God…”
Rom 8:14: “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”
1 Jn. 3: 1-2: “Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knows us not, because it knew Him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it does not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.”
“Messiah cannot be contaminated! God protected the Word made flesh by the purity of Mary’s womb and the faithful obedience of simple shepherds.
Next is told the story of Simeon and Anna, who like Zacharias and Elizabeth, had lingered on the shores of time to bring tribute to the Messiah. The Father sealed and confirmed His Son with a pure, prophetic flow before God allowed this new and holy thing to be soiled by the grimy hands of a lesser priesthood, an old order that was passing away. He intercepted the divine Seed with a prophet and a prophetess!
Jesus, the pattern Son, had to experience circumcision, the badge of membership in the Jewish Church. The corporate Messiah, the Joshua generation, must be circumcised before we enter the land. The reproach of Egypt must be rolled away (Rom 8:1), the manna cease (Heb. 6: 1-2), and a divine strategy received (2 Cor. 10: 3-6). The end-time church will not be defiled with worldly ways, outdated traditions, or human genius.
The “name” or nature of the Son of Promise is “Jesus” – “Jehovah is salvation” (Mt. 1:21) Christ is being formed in His church. He will be revealed in His Body.
Mary experienced the days of “purification” or “cleansing,” according to the Law of Moses. Jesus was brought to Jerusalem to be presented. Colossians 1:28: “Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.”
Every firstborn son was thus redeemed by sacrifice; he would be called “holy” unto the Lord. The sacrifice of “a pair of turtledoves” or “two young pigeons” (the offering of the poor, costing about 16 cents) reveals the Messiah—Head and Body—Jesus and a Spirit-filled Church in His image. Mary gave the best she had to God---Him of whom the lamb she would have offered had she been rich enough was but the type. The spiritually-blinded priest who held the infant Jesus was presenting the One who would make the Jewish altar and priesthood obsolete and no longer necessary.
Luke 2: 25-26: And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
There is a man, a mature prophetic ministry, within the Church. His name is “Simeon,” which means “he who hears and obeys.” He is righteous and genuinely pious---“just” toward man and “devout” toward God (a first fruit of Peter’s audience in Acts 2:5), awaiting with confidence and patience for”the consolation of Israel,” a term denoting the Messiah. Simeon lived and walked in the Spirit. He would not see death until He had seen the Lord’s Christ.
Rev. 11:15: “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The Kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His
Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever.”
Luke 2: 27-31: “And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for Him after the custom of the law. They took Him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, ‘Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word. For mine eyes have seen Your salvation, which you have prepared before the face of all people.”
Luke 2: 29-32 has been called the Nune Dimitti, which is Latin for “Now lettest,” the first words of Simeon’s prayer. Only those who have had a vision of Jesus can die in peace. Simeon came “by the Spirit” into the temple. He saw Jesus and “took” or “received” Him up into his aged arms. He stood in one age, and embraced another.
Luke 2: 32-35: “A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel. And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary, His mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
Simeon prophesied three distinct things over the baby Jesus: Messiah would be a light, a sign, and a sword.
First, messiah would be the “light” of the world. This Light would bring revelation and glory to both Jew and Greek, to all “peoples”.
Second, Messiah would be a “sign” continually “spoken against,” or “disputed, refused, contradicted”. Yet this One destined to suffer such persecution would be “set” or “Lie outstretched” for the “crash, downfall” and the “resurrection” of many. Messiah would be a stumbling block to many yet would raise up many to life and glory. Judas despaired, Peter repented; one robber blasphemed Him on the cross, the other confessed; the Jewish nation fell, the primitive church arose. Jesus is the magnet of the ages---He draws some. He repels others.
Third, Messiah, the living Word, would be a “sword” that can pierce the soul. Mary would taste the anguish of a nation that would reject and crucify her Son.
Luke 2: 36-38: “And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher: she was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spoke of Him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem”
The Jewish law required the testimonies of at least two witnesses to establish truth.
Anna, like Hannah means “grace”. In acrostic form, G-R-A-C-E can mean God’s riches at Christ’s expense, or God’s righteousness and corresponding enablement. Grace, God’s ability, is a progression, revealed in three dimensions.
- Grace and truth (Jn. 1:17)
- Great grace (Acts 4:33)
- Grace, Grace (Zech. 4:7)
The message and method of the end-time church is certified by divine grace.
Simeon’s devotion to the promised Word and Anna’s steadfastness in prayer reveal the kind of prophetic witness that will operate in Messiah’s season. The blending of the Word and the Spirit, like the fine flour and oil of the Old Testament meal offering, will keep this present move of God pure.
Jas. 3: 13-17: “Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him show out of good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descends not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
The time of the Messiah is a time of warfare---He cannot be contaminated.
Jesus the Wisdom from above stands in stark contrast to the wisdom of this world.
Luke 2: 39-40: “And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth. And the child grew and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom and the grace of God was upon Him.
The time of the Messiah began with wonder and has increased in witness. The consequent warfare has been intense. The time of the revelation of the Sons of God, the Church Triumphant the Glorious Church, the Overcomers began in wonder, and has increased in witness. The consequent warfare has been intense, but we rest in Christ, assured that the victory has been secured by His finished work. The promise of restoration is sure. The Seed is safe, kept pure by the power of God.
The Church is coming out of the first eight days into the ninth day.
Tonight I will finish this series and preach on “A Time of Worship”. This is the story of the wise men “…we…are come to worship Him.”
Preached by: Pastor Carolyn Sissom
The prophetic revelation of the year 2008 and 2009 was revealed to me “by the Spirit.” The text is gleaned from The Time of the Messiah by Kelly Varner, Copyright 1996, published by Destiny Image, Publishers, Inc. Scripture is from KJV. Conclusions are my own.
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