The Treasures of the Temple

The Temple of God

Today’s Focus: Local Church vs. City Church: The Treasures of the Temple

Scripture: Throughout the Message

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

2 Kings 24:13: And he (Nebuchadnezzar) carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king’s house , and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon, king of Israel had made in the temple of the Lord, as the Lord had said.

The obvious question here is what are the treasures of the temple? They are:

1. The Candlestick (Exodus 25:31-40)

2. The Table of Shewbread (Exodus 25:23-30)

3. Golden Altar of Incense (Exodus 30:1-10)

Now the reason the destruction of these treasures are so devastating then and even now is because these three treasures represent the elements of the culture of the Kingdom.

1. Candlestick = Apostles’ Doctrine

2. The Table of Shewbread = Fellowship and Breaking of Bread

3. Golden Altar of Incense = Prayers

These four elements are known as the four elements of Kingdom culture (Acts 2:42-47). So when there is a Babylonian invasion then there is a destruction of the Temple of God as well as the culture that comes with the rulership of God. God gave the children of Israel types and shadows to maintain them until Christ comes and now that He has come these objects now give way to eternal realities.

The next thing that Babylonian systems do is banish you from your location in the temple so you cannot come together and celebrate the feasts. These systems will provide everything for you except the temple. Once again the spirit of locality and convenience. And you worship God on their terms in and in their ways and customs.

The next thing that happens is the castration of believers. When Israel came in captivity in Babylon, King Nebuchadnezzar had Ashpenaz the master of the eunuchs to take certain children of Israel and children of the king of Israel at the time who was Jehoiakim, and castrate them (Daniel 1:1-4) to serve the king of Babylon. When the believers are castrated the language, which is the Word of God is changed. Then they will control your diet. They will control what you know and how much you are supposed to know. Next, they will change the spoken Word of God into musical worship. They will use music to entice and draw worship (Daniel 3:1-15). The next thing that will happen is the rise of false doctrine and ultimately they will change your name.

So when the temple was destroyed and the treasures within the temple were destroyed then the very identity and culture of the people of the temple is now changed and subject to who ever puts themselves before the people. When there is no temple, there are consequences.

In the next message we will look at scriptures to show you the consequences of not building or the absence of the Temple.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,

Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Invasion of Egyptian and Babylonian Systems

The Temple of God

Today’s Focus: Local Church vs. City Church: Invasion of Egyptian and Babylonian Systems

Scripture: Genesis 16:15; 2 Kings 24:13; Ezra 5:12

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

Now in the last message we left off talking about people who disconnect themselves from the temple and their character. In the last couple of messages we look at how local households of faith and local churches that exalt themselves above the city church or the building of the Temple of God produce a spirit of locality and reap the sins of Jeroboam. Today we want to look at two particular nations that are types and shadows of systems within the Earth that prevent the building of the Temple of God.

Egypt

There was no temple in Egypt. Egypt represented a system that will kill the seed. Remember when the children of Israel were outnumbering the children of Egypt, Pharaoh sent a decree to kill the male seed or children? This system is one of intimidation and the only that that it will produce is a child of Hagar (Genesis 16:15). This child was born of a bondwoman or slave and had no freedom. The person who rules over these people are taskmasters just like the taskmasters over the children of Israel. Instead of whipping them with physical whips, they are beaten by the doctrines and traditions of men. They are made to conform to that doctrine that produces followers and members instead of the doctrine of Christ that produces sons. In this system there is strife and prevention from the migration of God’s people from one location to another. Remember in Egypt, Moses asked Pharaoh to let the people go and serve the Lord of the Hebrews and Pharaoh would not let them go and serve the Lord. The problem Pharaoh had was he proclaimed himself to be a god and supreme ruler in Egypt. There are men who have made themselves leaders in the House of God and they have made themselves to be man-gods where the people look and worship them. Now people will not admit to it openly but when the leader shows all the signs of being under a antichrist spirit and the people still stay under his leadership then what does the actions of the people say?

Babylon

Now this nation is in full affect right now and so is Egypt. This nation, to me is very obvious and let me show you. Babylon has no temple. This system represents the captivity of the people of God. This system has come to destroy the Temple of God. Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the temple and God allowed it because of the sins of the fathers who provoked God (Ezra 5:12). Nebuchadnezzar also took all of the treasures of the temple and and cut them all into pieces (2 Kings 24:13). This is the most devastating thing done to the temple.

In the next message we will examine why the destroying of the treasures of the temple was so devastating and how it relays to today and how we are being invaded by this Babylonian System.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,

Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

The Spirit of Locality

The Temple of God

Today’s Focus: Local Church vs. City Church: The Spirit of Locality

Scripture: Judges 17:4-6; 2 Kings 16:17,18; 2 Chronicles 26:18-20

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

This concept of locality is not a new phenomena but rather a old one. Now in this set of scripture in Judges we see a young man named Micah. Micah goes and does some things that is not pleasing to the Lord but what I want to do is show you the reason for this sin and then show you the sin because the spirit of locality will always seek to separate us from unifying the Body of Christ and build the Temple, just as it separated Israel from coming together for the holy feasts.

Judges 17:6: In those days, there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

Now just this scripture alone we can do an entire message. First, we know that the king is the head or leader of the nation. When you do not operate under authority there is bound to be chaos and confusion. This is clearly evident in this scripture because man’s imagination began to become out of control. So instead of keeping with God’s commandments the people began to do “WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS RIGHT IN THEIR EYES”. This can also be applied to leadership that is present but absent, let me explain. You can have a pastor, who allows the people to dictate everything. So whatever the people imagine in their hearts, the pastor will do to please the people. Hence in this example we have a leader, sitting in a place of a leader but not acting like a leader. Could this be no wonder why there is so much division and confusion to what Christianity really is? Because of a lack of sound leadership and doctrine, man’s doctrine and interpretation has become the dominating rule of many of our lives and when we are subject to their doctrine, then you cannot effectively follow the doctrine of Christ. Now let’s see what Micah does:

Judges 17:4,5: Yet he restored the money unto his mother, and his mother took two hundered shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image; and they were in the house of Micah. And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.

This is loaded. Now you may wonder what was Micah doing. He was trying to duplicate the Ark of the Covenant:

1. Molten Image represented the Mercy Seat

2. Carved Image represented the Ark itself

3. Teraphim represented the Cherubim

4. Ephod represented the priestly garments

5. Micah consecrated one of his sons to be a priest.

Micah was building from his imagination trying to access the blessings of God by copying. This type of locality is a picture of a household of faith that has disconnected itself from building the Temple. Let me show you some other examples;

King Ahaz (2 Kings 16:17,18)

King Ahaz removed the king’s outer entrance which was a passage way from the king’s house to the temple. He isolated his house from the temple. This is a picture of the head disconnecting itself from the temple or body.

King Uzziah (2 Chronicles 26:18-20)

Uzziah crossed boundaries within the temple by offering incense in the temple which was only ordained by God for the priest to do. Uzziah would be smitten with leprosy by God for his disobedience. The sin would isolate Uzziah from the temple.

Now in the next message we will look at two nations that are the types and shadows of nations that prevented the people of God from building the Temple and migrating in the things of God.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,

Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Prophecy Against the Local Church Exaltation

The Temple of God

Today’s Focus: Local Church vs. City Church: Prophecy Against the Local Church Exaltation

Scripture: 1 Kings 14

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

The reason we are really stick with this is because we must migrate in the seasons of God and begin to really focus on building his Temple and not our local synagogues and households of faith. Let’s get right to it because this is a lot. After Jeroboam did not turn from his evil ways after the young prophet came to him, his son, Abijah fell sick (1 Kings 14:1). Jeroboam instructs his wife to disguise herself and go to the prophet Ahijah who is located in Shiloh who told him that he would be king and return with an answer of what will happen to the child. So his wife goes and does this exact thing. The Lord prepares the prophet for the coming of Jeroboam’s wife who is in disguise and when she arrived, he called out to her by her name because he, Ahijah could not see. Now for the sake of time God explains to Jeroboam because you have not kept my commandments as David did and committed evil in my sight (1 Kings 14:7-9). This is the punishment:

1 Kings 14:10-11: Therefore behold I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam and will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone. Him that dieth of Jeroboam in the city shall the dogs eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat: For the Lord has spoken it. Arise thou therefore, get thee to thine own house: and when thy feet enter into the city, the child shall die.

Do not take this condemnation lightly, this goes for every leader of a local church that exalts their church or household of faith over the Temple of God. The first thing that will happen is the death of the house or family of Jeroboam. Sons are meant to build the Temple. Let me explain. There is a difference between Solomon’s quarry and the temple. Solomon’s quarry represents the place where the rocks are hewn out and shaped so that they may fit in the temple. Hence the local church is the reality of the quarry. It is in the local church or household of faith where the lively stones that are to build the Temple of God are shaped and molded. 1 Peter 2:5: Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. But what has happened is that we have made the temple the quarry. Now in past times that would have been acceptable but now, in this season, it is not. The focus must be on building the temple or the male seed will die, just like in the case of Jeroboam. This death is not necessary a physical but a spiritual death. When the primary is the local church then we see the exaltation of the man and not God. The local church then points to you. However it will be the Temple will bear the name of the Lord. So the first thing that will happen is the death of the male seed.

The second thing that will happen according to the prophecy is your house or local church will be invaded by dogs. We know that dogs were the lowest of the low animals and they represent the religious spirits. Dogs carry rabies. With the disease of rabies come animosity and hatred for water and we know what water represents in the Spirit. Water is a picture of the Word of God. These people scorn the Word of God. Dogs like bones. This is representative of a people who have an affinity for the past, need pampering and love regurgitating food. Are these not all things that dogs do?

Finally, the house or local church will be over ran by birds. Birds are representative of demons. In other words, you have a local church full of demons and there is always a casting out of demons in the church. Do not get me wrong should there be casting out of demons? Yes! However, your church should not be overran with them.

In closing, the three consequences of exalting the local church or household of faith is death, invasion of religious spirits who scorn the word of God and infestation of demons within the church. It is time to examine our local churches and be honest with ourselves. Are we suffering the consequences of exalting the local church, just as Jeroboam did?

In the next message we will continue to look at the spirit of locality and how it prevents us from moving in the purposes of God in building the Temple.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,

Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Consequences of Exalting the Local Church

The Temple of God

Today’s Focus: Local Church vs. City Church: Consequences of Exalting the Local Church

Scripture: 1 Kings 13

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

When the local church or household of faith is exalted above the temple there are deep consequences. The major consequence is the delay in the building of the temple. Then we have distractions that come such as those from the major Christian networks such as TBN, The Word Network and Daystar that are pushing for the building of the physical temple in Israel. The Apostolic gifting is the gifting that brings order and foundational structure to the Body of Christ. As a part of that structure, the building of the temple in the city becomes the place where all the tribes can come together to drink of the graces of God within that city. When this happens there is empowerment within the city. Is it no wonder when issues arise in our city, state and federal governments it is hard to see the Body of Christ stand up as a complete unit and speak against the issues that our Lord tells us to speak out against? Now let me show you in scripture what happens when the local church comes the focal point. Let’s continue to look at Jeroboam.

1 Kings 13:1,2: And behold there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the Lord unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense. And he cried against the altar in the word of the Lord, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the Lord; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men’s bones shall be burnt upon thee.

Now before this scripture in 1 Kings 12 we see the story of how Jeroboam created a local synagogue and false idols and feasts to keep the people from going to Jerusalem and celebrating the God-ordained feasts. Now of course God is very unhappy and angry and so God sends His word through a young prophet from Judah to come against the sin of Jeroboam. The altar at Bethel was torn into two pieces and ashes poured out from the altar as a sign from the prophecy of the young prophet (1 Kings 13:1-5). Now Jeroboam asks to be restored and was and then he invited the young prophet to come to his house and he will give him a reward (1 Kings 13:7). The young prophet responds with the charge that the Lord gave Him:

1 Kings 13:9: For so was it charged me by the word of the Lord, saying Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest.

So the young prophet departed from Bethel another way so he would not return. Now there was an old prophet in Bethel that had sons and he had his sons prepare an ass for him to go get the young prophet and bring him back to Bethel (1 Kings 13:11-13). Now he finds the young prophet under the tree and invites him back to Bethel to his house. The young prophet declines and RESTATES the word of the Lord to not return (1 Kings 13:16,17). The old man makes a statement and please pay attention to this:

1 Kings 13:18: he said unto him, I AM A PROPHET ALSO AS THOU ART: AND AN ANGEL SPAKE UNTO ME BY THE WORD OF THE LORD, SAYING, BRING HIM BACK WITH THEE INTO THINE HOUSE, THAT HE MAY EAT BREAD AND DRINK WATER. BUT HE LIED UNTO HIM

Do we see this! When the Word of the Lord comes to pass judgment and gives clear directions to the messenger, as the messenger, do not deviate from anything that the Lord said. Now this to the young prophet presented a quandary of thoughts. Here I have God telling me not to go back but then a man comes to me and says he is a prophet also and the angel told him to go back. Who should he listen to? Well the young man goes back to Bethel and does the exact thing the Lord tells him not to do. Now watch this, the word of the Lord comes to the man that brought the prophet back to Bethel, weird isn’t it, to pass judgment on the young prophet (1 Kings 13:20-22). Unfortunately the young prophet as he left the old prophet’s house was killed by a lion. Now word of this gets back to Jeroboam that the young prophet was killed by a lion. What do you think Jeroboam was thinking to why the young man was killed by a lion. I believe that Jeroboam perceived that the young prophet was killed for coming against him and God. Now in Jeroboam’s world everything looked right even though it was all wrong. 1 Kings 13:33,34 states that Jeroboam did not turn away from his sin and because of this his family would now suffer. 1 Kings 14 speaks of his son dying as well as Jeroboam himself being killed.

Now I said all of this to show that when the local church is exalted (Jeroboam) when the Lord brings correction to that local mentality to bring order and structure back to the Body of Christ, when you do not yield to that correction, the end result is death. We are watching local ministries die and are currently dying because the leaders are walking in the ways of Jeroboam and prevent the Body of Christ from coming together within the city. The ways of Jeroboam represent false doctrines and a lack of sound doctrine and exaltation of idolatry. It does not have to be golden calves but the thing that people are exalting is men themselves.

In the next message we will look at the specific prophecy that the prophet Ahijah brings against Jeroboam because this is the prophecy against the exaltation of the local church.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,

Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Convenience and Locality

The Temple of God

Today’s Focus: Local Church vs. City Church: Convenience and Locality

Scripture: Acts 7:48;

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

What Jeroboam did by producing these high places and priests and feasts was establishing a local ministry apart from the central nation. Please listen because this can be taken out of context easily but I do not want you to miss the concept.

In Jeroboam committing those sins he succeeded in separating the people from the Temple. He created a local mentality where the local church or household of faith is exalted as a local idol. If we look at some of these mega ministries they are the current day situation of Jeroboam where they exalt their ministry and the thing that they are doing and in turn it separates the Body of Christ within a city. Another local church mentality that separates is denominations. When leaders exalt their denomination or say things like “we are the true church or our way is the correct way” then there is a local mentality that is created and also a separatist mentality that prevents all the tribes from coming together as the temple. When Jeroboam committed these sins the nation of Israel could not celebrate the feasts as ordained by the Lord the way that He ordained it.

The local church or household of faith is simply what it is, a group of believers under a spiritual father. The city church is the entire Body of Christ within the city. The local church is the picture of the synagogue and the city church is a picture of the Temple. Now please keep in mind that the Body of Christ is one corporate entity.

Now notice when Paul address His letters to the various churches, He does not address it to separate households or churches, but to the entire Body of Christ within the city. Let’s see:

1 Corinthians 1:2: UNTO THE CHURCH OF GOD WHICH IS AT CORINTH, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.

Galatians 1:1,2: Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead) and all the brethren which are with me, UNTO THE CHURCHES OF GALATIA.

Ephesians 1:1: Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus and to the faithful in Christ Jesus

Philippians 1:1: Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons

So when Paul is writing a letter, he addresses the entire Body of Christ within the city, not just a local church. The Body of Christ is a global body built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets in which Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone (Ephesians 2:19,20). So when we talk about building the Temple of God was are speaking of building the Temple from city to city and within that city all five governmental gifts are in operation to bring the body to maturity. The problem we run into is when our denominational or man’s doctrine prevents us from following God’s order or from acknowledging the authority within the earth that the Lord has left to mature us. Carnal people want to build a physical temple in Israel but the Temple is the Global Body of Christ because God does not dwell in places made by the hands of man.

Acts 7:48,49: Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? Saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?

Since the Body of Christ within a city is the temple of God then it should be visible and the leaders that come together should represent all the saints of their congregations. This gathering must be a culture, not a church-based event. The Culture is the Culture of the Kingdom (Acts 2:42). We must shift from event-based church to culture-based church lead by the Kingdom of God.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,

Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

The Sin of Jeroboam

The Temple of God

Today’s Focus: Local Church vs. City Church: The Sin of Jeroboam

Scripture: 1 Kings 12:26-33

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

Knowing that the children of Israel were to come to the temple and celebrate the appointed feasts of God, this would require the 10 tribes located in the Northern Kingdom of Israel to travel to the Southern Kingdom who is ruled by Rehoboam. This concerned Jeroboam:

1 Kings 12:27: If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of the people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.

So obviously this bothered Jeroboam and notice the scripture says in 1 Kings 12:26 that “He said in HIS HEART. The Lord ordained the seven feasts to be celebrated and ordained a holy convocation for each one of them and this was not optional but required by the Lord. But let’s see what Jeroboam does:

1 Kings 12:28-30: Whereupon the king took counsel, and MADE TWO CALVES OF GOLD AND SAID UNTO THEM, IT IS TOO MUCH FOR YOU TO GO UP TO JERUSALEM: BEHOLD THY GODS, O ISRAEL, WHICH BROUGHT THEE UP OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT. And he set the one in Bethel and the other put he in Dan. And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.

So the first abomination that Jeroboam does is create two golden calves and call them the “gods” that delivered you from the hands of the Egyptians. Now he did this with the crooked intention of keeping the people under his control for fear of them turning on him when they go celebrate the feasts in Jerusalem. This was not the only abominable thing he did. Let’s keep reading:

1 Kings 12:31: And he made an house of high places and made priests of the lowest of the people , WHICH WERE NOT OF THE SONS OF LEVI. And Jeroboam ORDAINED A FEAST IN THE EIGTH MONTH, ON THE FIFTEENTH DAY OF THE MONTH, LIKE UNTO THE FEAST THAT IS IN JUDAH, AND HE OFFERED UPON THE ALTAR. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made.

So not only does he create golden calves to be worshipped, he created high places and priest to care for these “places”. Now God strictly set the sons of Levi as the priesthood of Israel. However Jeroboam created priests of the lowest people of society who were not the sons of Levi. Jeroboam changed the God-appointed set time for the feast from the seventh month to the eight month. He also created an altar to sacrifice on. All of this was devices of Jeroboam’s heart to keep the people under his rule so by doing this he introduced the Spirit of Convenience and the Mental State of Locality.

In the next message we will start to get an understanding of what this spirit is and what the mental state of locality is.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,

Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Jeroboam and Rehoboam

The Temple of God

Today’s Focus: Local Church vs. City Church: Jeroboam and Rehoboam

Scripture: 1 Kings 12

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

Let us continue. Jeroboam comes back to Israel and they are all gathered before Rehoboam who is the king of Israel. Jeroboam comes to Rehoboam and asks him if he will be lenient with them because his father Solomon put heavy burdens on the people (1 Kings 12:4). Rehoboam tells him and the people to leave and in three days come back and he will give his answer. Now Rehoboam consults two types of people about this issue of the burdens placed upon the people. Let me show you the two responses and who gave it.

1 Kings 12:6-11: And king Rehoboam consulted WITH THE OLD MEN, THAT STOOD BEFORE SOLOMON HIS FATHER while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people? And they spake unto him saying, if thou wilt be a servant unto his people this day, and will serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever. But HE FORSOOK THE COUNSEL OF THE OLD MEN, which they had given him, and consulted with the YOUNG MEN THAT HAD GROWN UP WITH HIM, and which stood before him: And he said unto them , What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me , saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter? And the young men that were grown up with him spkae unto him saying THUS SHALT THOU SPEAK UNTO THIS PEOPLE THAT SPAKE UNTO THEE, SAYING, THY FATHER MADE OUR YOKE HEAVY, BUT MAKE THOU IT LIGHTER UNTO US; THUS SHALT THOU SAY UNTO THEM, MY LITTLE FINGER SHALL BE THICKER THAN MY FATHER’S LOINS. And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.

Now as you read this we see that Rehoboam consults the old men and the young men that grew up with him. One of the things the Lord showed me here was we need to be careful of who we listen to and yield ourselves to. The old men had the privilege to serve under Solomon and see the results of obedience to the Lord but when that answer did not satisfy him, he consulted people who did not understand how to rule and hence their vision of rule was by force and oppression. They did not see rule as being a servant first unto all. So Rehoboam dealt harshly with the people according to the instructions from the young men he grew up with. The children of Israel were not happy with this and when they hear that Jeroboam has come back, they called him and made him king over all Israel. There was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah only (1 Kings 12:20). So here we have the prophecy come to past that Jeroboam would rule over 10 tribes and Rehoboam would rule over one tribe. This division formed a Northern Kingdom of Israel ruled by Jeroboam and the Southern Kingdom of Israel formed ruled by Rehoboam. Now the temple was located in the Southern Kingdom of Israel. This would present a dilemma at the time of the feasts.

In the next message we will look specifically at the sin of Jeroboam and how it began to reveal the conflict between the local church versus the city church.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,

Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Prophecy to Jeroboam

The Temple of God

Today’s Focus: Local Church vs. City Church: Prophecy to Jeroboam

Scripture: 1 Kings 11:26-39

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

Who is this Jeroboam and what is it that he did that caused a successive generational line of kings to sin against God? Let’s get to looking at Jeroboam because the answer is in the story.

1 Kings 11:26-28: And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon’s servant, whose mother’s name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up his hand against the king. And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breaches of the city of David his father. And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph.

Here we see that Jeroboam was a servant of Solomon, comes from a house of a widow (no father), rebelled against the king, mighty man of valor and industrious. Now we see some good things but also we see some spiritually devastating things such as the fatherlessness and the rebellion against the king. Funny, because of one (fatherlessness) the other is almost a natural consequence (rebellion). Now Jeroboam runs into the prophet of God and has a unique experience with him. Now this is a long set of scripture but vital in understanding the picture of who Jeroboam is and what he will come to do against God.

1 Kings 11:30-39: And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him and rent it in twelve pieces: And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus said the Lord, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon and will give ten tribes to thee: (But he shall have one tribe for my servant David’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel) Because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statues and my judgments, as did David his father. Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant’s sake, whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes: But I will take the kingdom out of his son’s hand, and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes. And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light always before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there. And I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according to all thy soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel and it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways and do that is right in my sight to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with thee and build thee a sure house, as I built for David and will give Israel unto thee. And I will for this afflict the seed of David, but not for ever.

So what we have here is God prophesying through the prophet Ahijah saying that the kingdom of Israel will be split and ten tribes will be given to Jeroboam and the son of Solomon will have one tribe. Why split Israel? Because of the idolatry of Solomon. Even though Solomon was a wise king, he did have a woman and idolatry problem that God did not like and many time warned Solomon not to do. God gives his reason in 1 Kings 11:33. Now Solomon gets word of this and sought to kill Jeroboam and Jeroboam flees to Egypt (1 Kings 11:40) until the death of Solomon. The son of Solomon, Rehoboam, came into power and when Jeroboam had heard of this, the children of Israel called for him, he left Egypt and him and all the children of Israel met Rehoboam in Shechem.

We will continue this story in the subsequent message for the sake of time and information but please keep these particular set of messages together because we are still drawing a large picture and the picture will soon come into view but you must understand the story to see the picture.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,

Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

The Local Church vs. the City Church: The Sin and Way of Jeroboam

The Temple of God

Today’s Focus: The Local Church vs. City Church: The Sin and Way of Jeroboam

Scripture: Throughout the Message

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

Now in this message I am drawing a picture for us to understand this local vs. city church concept. A great picture of this is the story of this man named Jeroboam but I will start at the end of the story and back up so you can understand how devastating it is to exalt the local church over the city church or the synagogue over the Temple.

King Baasha

1 Kings 15:34: And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin

King Zimri

1 Kings 16:19: For in his sins which he sinned in doing evil in the sight of the Lord, in walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, to make Israel to sin

King Ahab

1 Kings 16:30: And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.

King Ahaziah

1 Kings 22:52: And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin:

King Jehoram

2 Kings 3:3: Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom

King Jehu

2 Kings 10:31: But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart : for he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin.

King Jehoahaz

2 Kings 13:2: And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and followed in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom

King Jehoash

2 Kings 13:11: And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord; he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin: but he walked therein.

With all of this said, why would I show you all of this? Well we see this succession of kings of Israel who walked in the way and sin of this particular king of Israel named Jeroboam. It is obvious that God was not pleased with this lineage of kings because of their stubbornness to not abide by His law but follow in the mistakes and ways of a previous king. Now this is really a devastating picture once we draw out the full picture. So in the next message we will look at Jeroboam and get some information on who he is and what is it that he did that caused this pathological disease of sin to perpetuate through this lineage of kings. The big picture here is understand that the king sinned but it also caused the nation to sin as well.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,

Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

The Concept of Holy Convocations

The Temple of God

Today’s Focus: Gathering of the Tribes: The Concept of Holy Convocations

Scripture: Leviticus 23

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

This message is going to frame everything else for the rest of the series.

Leviticus 23:2: Speak to the children of Israel and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.

Leviticus 23 is the chapter in which the Lord is describing and instructing Israel on what to celebrate and how to celebrate all of the seven appointed feasts (Passover, Unleavened bread, Firstfruits, Pentecost, Trumpets, Atonement (Yom Kippur), Tabernacles). Now notice in Leviticus 23:2 the Lord tells Israel that also all of these feasts are proclaimed to be Holy Convocations.

In the last message we discussed that the holy convocations are a gathering of all the tribes of Israel to celebrate to appointed feasts. Now in the Old Testament post-Exodus of Israel there was a holy convocation of Israel at Mt. Sinai when the Lord came down on the mountain on the third day. As a feast the holy convocation is held in the Temple at Jerusalem and in the New Testament we have a holy convocation of the Body of Christ at Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. This holy convocation is very unique and I am drawing a picture right here.

God never celebrated the feasts in a synagogue. He instructed Israel to celebrate at the Temple in Jerusalem. All of the feasts were celebrated at the Temple at Jerusalem because this is where all the tribes could come together as one nation. Now here is a thought:

If this is a type and shadow and we are to move from type and shadow to reality, then the reality cannot be less than the shadow.

Celebrations of the feasts did not happen in a tent or Solomon’s quarry or a synangouge. It only happened in the temple. The purpose of this is to promote unity. Look at this scripture:

1 Corinthians 12:13: For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

Now we know that we, the Body of Christ, are the Temple of the Living God. This is the reality, not the type and shadow. The type and shadow is a physical building. Now since God designed Israel to come together, all tribes to celebrate these feasts, how is the Body of Christ to come together as one Body. Now if you are talking about in one central location in time, the only time that will happen is in the return of the Lord. However the Body of Christ can come together as a whole in cities. When we talk about not meeting in a synagogue, a tent or Solomon’s quarry, all of these represent the Local Church. The Temple, where all the tribes meet is a picture of the city church. Now you may wonder where am I going with this.

Over the next couple of messages we will look at how the Local church is being exalted above the City Church. This is crucial to understand because the City Church represents the Temple of God and the place where all of the tribes meet. If we examine the state of the church now, can we even say that the Body of Christ has come together in a city as one corporate Body? I would be safe to guess the answer is 99%, no, because I cannot be absolute on this but. The Glory of God fills the Temple, not the synagogue. I pray you continue to study with us on this most important issue.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,

Calvin Calhoun, Jr.

Kingdom Message: The Spirit of Validation and Hazing: 2 Corinthians 10:1-6

Understanding Pentecost

The Temple of God

Today’s Focus: Understanding Pentecost

Scripture: Leviticus 23:15-21

Greetings Kingdom Citizens

Now for many people if you mention Pentecost you will be referred to Acts 2 and the concept of speaking in tongues. This is about the depth that you will get from most believers on Pentecost but there is so much more and I want to start showing you the importance of this day and feast.

1. “The Number 50”

We already know that Pentecost is associated with the number “50”. We stated in a previous message that also Jubilee is associated with 50 because it happened in the 50^th sabbatical year.

2. Liberty

Pentecost is mostly associated with liberty. What are we supposed to be free from? Here are a few things: Spirit of Jezebel, Religious Spirits, False Brothers and Sisters, Babylonian Operating Systems, External Emphasis, Needs-Driven Church, Preoccupation with the Past and Past Moves of God, Membership, Inflexibility, Titlearity and Legalism. Now these are just a tip of the iceberg of the various things that God desires for us to be free from.

3. Six Offerings (Leviticus 23:16-20)

There was six particular offerings associated with Pentecost. These six are meat offering, wave offering, burnt offering, drink offering, sin offering, peace offering. Understand that six the number symbolic of the flesh. Jesus was on the cross for 6 hours. The purpose of these offerings was to point to the principal of self denial or death to self. Keep in mind you can never move to seven without killing six. Seven is the number of completion and rest.

4. Rain

Rain is symbolic of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. With the outpouring of the Holy Spirit righteousness can be restored to man. When righteousness is restored to man we have the manifestation of blessings. Now, there are three things that come to test the House of God.

a. Rain which is synonymous with the Favor of God

b. Flood which is synonymous with the Will of God

c. Wind which is synonymous with the Holy Spirit

5. Sabbatical Experience

Leviticus 23:21: And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a statue for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.

So in this celebration of Pentecost there is a sabbatical experience of rest that comes with the understanding of Pentecost.

Now looking back at this, we can see that we have really missed the concept of Pentecost and to think that it is only synonymous with tongues is very elementary. There is an entire lifestyle associated with Pentecost and that brings me to this very important concept to lay the groundwork for this series. God calls a holy convocation for this feast. What is a holy convocation? It is a gathering off all the tribes together in one place.

In the next message we will look at this important concept of the gathering of the tribes.

Peace, Love and Grace from the Father,

Calvin Calhoun, Jr.