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The rise of the house of Elisha, part 10

The prayer campaign from August 17 to September 3, 1984 was called Ye Shall Go Forth, broadly defining the purpose of what was called the Open Door Ministry. It prophesied of a time when the overcomers would be sent out into the earth in a greater way and under an anointing greater than the Pentecostal anointing.

At the time, we assumed that this would be the Elijah ministry, though perhaps with a double anointing. We did not yet connect it with Elisha as such. The 1984 campaign ended on September 3 and resumed 24 years later on September 4, 2008—as if no time had passed in the interim—when I flew to Capetown, South Africa.

There is no doubt that I carried a certain anointing with me to South Africa, but it was not the double portion of Elisha. In fact, the Elisha ministry was not to be born for another six months (April 12, 2009). Hence, the trip to South Africa under Operation Elijah should be viewed as a continuation of the revelation of 1984, which prophesied of greater things yet future.

From Elijah to Elisha

God used this six-month delay to clarify the difference between Elijah and Elisha and also between Moses and Joshua. The first coming of Christ saw John as Elijah (Matthew 11:14) and Christ as Moses (Deuteronomy 18:18; Acts 7:37). For this reason, Malachi 4:4-6 told the people to remember Moses when He sent Elijah.

The second coming, however, sets forth Elisha as His forerunner and Joshua as Christ’s manifestation. Elisha and Joshua are greater manifestations of Elijah and Moses. There was to be an interim of time between the two works of Christ. The interim was suggested in the 24-year period from 1984-2008, and we were to view this interim as if time had ceased to exist. The two comings of Christ have to be viewed back to back, as if Elisha had picked up the mantle as soon as Elijah was taken to heaven 2 Kings 2:13). Likewise, the second coming of Christ was to be viewed as if Joshua was commissioned as soon as Moses concluded his ministry. Deuteronomy 31:23, 24, 25, 26, 27 says,

²³ Then He commissioned Joshua the son of Nun, and said, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall bring the sons of Israel into the land which I swore to them, and I will be with you.” ²⁴ It came about, when Moses finished writing the words of this law in a book until they were complete, ²⁵ that Moses commanded the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord saying, ²⁶ “Take this book of the law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may remain there as a witness against you. ²⁷ For I know your rebellion and your stubbornness; behold, while I am still alive with you today, you have been rebellious against the Lord; how much more, then, after my death?”

The church in the wilderness (Acts 7:38 KJV) was characterized by its rebellious nature, that is, its refusal (and inability through blindness) to accept and keep the law. Therefore, by putting the law beside the ark of the covenant, Moses prophesied that the law would not be written on the hearts of the people—even after his death. This established a pattern that was fulfilled later in the Pentecostal church in the reign of “Saul,” for this second church too failed to hear the word of the Lord and to experience the law being written in their hearts.

In other words, the law was to remain as an external word on tablets of stone, being imposed upon the people through the Old Covenant, even after the death of “Moses,” and again, even after the death of Christ. This is why the church became corrupted, as church history shows. They cast aside the law quite early in their zeal to repudiate Judaism, but by putting away the law, they exposed their heart of rebellion and thus fulfilled the prophecy of Moses.

Moses led Israel out of Egypt at Passover and to Sinai for Pentecost. Christ led us out of the house of bondage at Passover when He died on the cross. He then led the disciples to the upper room for Pentecost. All of this was His first work.

Moses to Joshua

Christ’s second coming has a different purpose—as different as the ministries of Moses and Joshua. Jesus was born in Bethlehem from the tribe of Judah to fulfill the prophecy of Jacob, which spoke of a dead lion being roused up (Genesis 49:9-12). But He comes the second time with His robe dipped in blood (Revelation 19:13).

So Joshua was an Ephraimite of the house of Joseph—the man whose robe was dipped in blood (Genesis 37:31). Hence, Christ’s second coming is a manifestation of Joseph, and of Joshua who was of that tribe. Whereas Christ in His first coming fulfilled the prophecies given to Judah in order to claim His throne rights, He comes the second time to claim the birthright of Joseph, for we read in 2 Chronicles 5:2,

² Though Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came the leader, yet the birthright belonged to Joseph.

In His first coming, Christ’s right of dominion—His throne rights—were disputed in the Divine Court, according to Jesus’ parable in Luke 19:14,

¹⁴ But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him [to the King, God, who alone decides who will rule the earth], saying, “We do not want this man to reign over us.”

This dispute delayed the actual reign of Christ, for the case was tied up in court until it should be resolved just before Christ’s second coming. The resolution of this court case coincides roughly with Christ’s claim on the birthright of Joseph as well, although the two callings are distinct. The birthright has to do with the manifestation of the sons of God, for Jacob said, “Joseph is a fruitful bough,” that is, a fruitful son (ben).

Being Led by the Spirit

Christ’s first work laid all the foundations for sonship (John 1:12. 13), but the manifestation of the sons of God was yet future (Romans 8:18, 19). In the interim, Christ’s rights were never in doubt, nor was there ever a time when He was not the true Son of God. Likewise, we who are of His body function according to those same rights, for Paul says in Romans 8:14,

¹⁴ For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

Again, 1 John 3:2 says,

² Beloved, NOW we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet WHAT WE WILL BE. We know that when he appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.

John goes on to tell us the characteristics of those children of God—that is, how one might tell who is a true son and who is not. 1 John 3:3, 4 says,

³ And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. ⁴ Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.

In other words, when Christians are lawless, despising the law and casting it out, they give themselves the right to define sin for themselves. The law is not yet written on their hearts. The law remains external, and the flesh resents its presence, for it runs contrary to the desires of the flesh. The law is still beside the ark of the covenant, where Moses placed it.

Paul spoke of this problem as well in Romans 7:22, 25,

²² For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man… ²⁵ … On the one hand I myself with my [spiritual] mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

Paul acknowledged that sin (or lawlessness) was something that his flesh did. His “old man” served or followed the dictates of this personification of King Sin. It is the flesh that repudiates the law of God and desires to break certain laws that run contrary to the desires of the flesh. But Paul’s conscious identity had been transferred to the “new man,” begotten by God, which concurs with and serves the law of God.

John and Paul, then, agree that the true sons of God are not lawless. No doubt they received this revelation from Jesus’ own words in Matthew 7:20-23,

²⁰ So then, you will know them by their fruits. ²¹ Not everyone who says to Me: “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. ²² Many will say to Me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?” ²³ And then I will declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.”

It is clear, then, that the vast majority of the Israelites in the wilderness will hear this word from Christ’s mouth: “Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.” Moses testified against them that they were rebellious and stubborn. He was told to put the law beside the ark of the covenant, because the law had not been written on their hearts.

The same is true with the second church during the interim between Christ’s comings. Only the overcomers will experience the first resurrection at the second coming of Christ. Only the overcomers will receive the birthright and become the manifested sons of God at this time. The rest will have to await the second (general) resurrection at the end of the thousand years.

Characteristics of the Elisha Company

To be a forerunner of Christ in His second appearance, one must not be lawless, for how can one prepare the way for the King if he yet disagrees with the revelation of His laws. One must at least accept the law as the standard of measure. One must understand that the law of God is an expression of Christ’s nature, so that one’s desire to be like Christ is not divorced from the standard set forth in the law.

We must "remember" Moses while we look for Elijah.

Such is also the character of those who are called into the Elisha company which is being raised up to prepare the way for Christ’s second coming as Joshua. It does not mean that these have been perfected. It means that they have received the law of God into their hearts by hearing the word of God. They do not know all things yet, but when they hear the word of truth, they respond without fighting the law of God.

Indeed, they may even fight the law at first, but in the end, their love for truth prevails, allowing them to overcome the desires of the flesh.

It is for this reason that I received the revelation of the law. I began to study it in 1973 from a fleshly standpoint, for I wanted to know how to establish a Christian nation. Ten years later, I began to hear His voice, and He began to write His law upon my heart.

This has been a lengthy process which is not yet complete, for I continue to learn daily as I am led by the Spirit. Salvation is free, but when I asked for revelation, and He said, “I will trade you for a pound of flesh.” When we offer God a sacrifice of flesh upon the altar of our heart, He responds by matching our gift pound for pound with revelation.