The second reaping. The second reaping is to the Holy Spirit. It is typified by the door of the Tabernacle. It is typified also by the second major convocation—Pentecost (the feast of Weeks), and by the giving of the Law on Sinai.

We experience the second reaping as we receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit and set out to walk in obedience to the law of the Spirit of life. We forsake our fleshly lusts and seek to live in the discipline of the Spirit, putting to death the deeds proceeding from the lusts of our physical body, as the Spirit enables us.

The death of the door includes confessing and resisting our sins. It is the judgment of God coming on the sin that is in us. The second reaping results in a second resurrection—the resurrection of the power of the Holy Spirit working in our life. It is life lived in the Spirit.

We come to know the Holy Spirit in two ways: first, as the One who gives us gifts and ministries so we can contribute, and also receive from fellow saints, the grace of Christ. Christ's grace comes through the manifestation of the Holy Spirit, building us up into the unity of the faith, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

Second, we come to know the Holy Spirit as the One who brings forth in us the fruit of Christ-likeness: love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control. The Spirit who dwells in us yearns over us with a godly jealousy. He wars against Satan, against the spirit of the world, and against our fleshly lusts.

The second reaping occurs progressively, taking place over a period of time as the Holy Spirit leads us into various circumstances. We do not obtain release from our sinful tendencies in a moment. In actual experience, our release from the bondages of evil is a daily dying and a daily renewing of life as the Holy Spirit brings us down to the death of the cross and then imparts Divine Life to us so we can overcome evil with good.

The Holy Spirit keeps bringing to us the virtue of the broken body and shed blood of Christ so we can keep overcoming the wickedness that is in us and surrounds us. The second reaping occurs slowly, proceeding from our daily dying to the lusts of our flesh. Death, life! Death, life! Death, life! Will it never end? Yes it will, if we do not cease pressing forward but remain faithful to the dealings of the Lord with us.

The third reaping. The third reaping brings us into a clearer knowledge of the Father. The third reaping is typified by the veil of the Tabernacle, the division between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. It is typified also by the third major convocation (Tabernacles) and by the crossing of the Jordan River.

We experience the third reaping when we press past Pentecost, coming to know the power of Christ's resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings. We determine that we want to become the servant of the Lord. We present ourselves before Him so He may use us as He will in His Kingdom for eternity.

To be continued.