The Holy Place of the Tabernacle of the Congregation speaks to us of the main body of believers. They will have more of Christ than the members of the saved nations and will serve the saved nations as a royal priesthood, bringing the Presence and blessing of God to the people living on the new earth.

We think it is the Most Holy Place that is at issue today and available to those who care enough to press diligently into it. The fourteenth chapter of the Book of Revelation speaks of a firstfruits to God and the Lamb. While we may not be comfortable with the thought of the one Church of Jesus Christ being composed of a main group and then a smaller firstfruits, there certainly is a scriptural basis for such a position.

There is, of course, the victory won by Gideon's three hundred. The story of Gideon is one of the strongest types of the Day of the Lord.

Perhaps the major expression concerning the two parts of the one Church, apart from the express statements in Revelation, Chapter Fourteen and in the sixth and eighth chapters of the Song of Solomon, is the separation of the Ark of the Covenant from the remainder of the Tabernacle. David brought the Ark to his city, Zion, and pitched a tent for it while the remainder of the Tabernacle with its furnishings was located at the high place of Gibeon.

A student of the Tabernacle will realize the enormous significance of this separation which continued throughout the reign of King David.

Does it inspire you to realize that today the Lord is calling to see who of His Church will leave all and follow Him? Who will be "the only one of her mother"?

I don't think those who respond positively do so because they wish to lord it over their fellow Christians. I think they have such a love for Christ that they rejoice at the thought of following Him wherever He goes, of learning the song that can be sung only by the firstfruits.

There are people who want Christ, Christ, and nothing but Christ. There simply are people like that but they are not your average churchgoer.

We are in for it today! The messengers of the Lord have come to remove the things that offend from God's people, just as the onlookers were charged to remove the graveclothes of Lazarus. "Loose him and let him go."

This is what Jesus is saying about you and me today: "Loose him (or her) and let him go."

Will you be one of those who run to Christ in order to have the graveclothes, the tares, removed? Certainly you have been raised from the dead by the voice of Jesus Christ. But now it is time to take off the graveclothes.

Is this what you truly want? Do you truly want more of Christ? Then tell the Lord about it right now.

"Father, in Jesus' name, search my whole personality. Illumine all that is not of Christ. Guide me as I put to death all that is not of You, not all at once but city by city as the Spirit leads me.

"Father, I want more of Christ.

"Father, I want to dwell in the midst of the Consuming Fire forever.

"Father, I want to live in iron righteousness, fiery holiness, and stern obedience to God.

"Father, I want the very best You have for me, not because I want to be something great in the Kingdom but because I want to be pleasing to You.

"Father, above all in this world I want to hear Your commendation, that I have completely fulfilled the tasks and role assigned to me and now I can rest in the knowledge that I have pleased You.

"Amen and amen." (from Removing the Things That Offend)