The third reaping concerns the death of our self-will. It is accompanied by the judgment of God on us as a person. The third reaping will be climaxed by the resurrection of our mortal body to glory at the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ in the clouds with the saints and holy angels.

Having pressed into the third area we are walking more in the image of Christ. We are fighters against the enemies of the Lord. We are part of God's "Servant" who is described in the Book of Isaiah. We are becoming one of God's kings, ruling over our allotted portion of God's creation. We are becoming one of God's priests, interceding before Him and bringing the knowledge and Presence of the Lord to those in need.

The third reaping occurs over a period of time as we are brought into the death and resurrection of Christ. This is the suffering of the righteous person being made perfect. The suffering creates in us obedience to the Father.

For example: the good we do is said to be evil; our justice is taken away; we are humiliated without reason; we suffer wrong at the hands of our brothers; God deals with us endlessly, night and day, testing every thought, every word, every motive. We behold wrong and are forbidden by the Lord to criticize. We become blind and deaf in the Lord. All our "springs" arise in Him. He becomes the source of our life. We no longer are permitted to indulge in the self-seeking that other believers practice.

The ability to obey the Father in every situation grows in us over a period of time. The fullness of the reward that results from the third reaping is instantaneous. Glory will be given us in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.

If we are willing to allow the Father to conduct this final reaping of our personality according to His own satisfaction, our reward that will come from Heaven will be beyond our ability to conceive in the present hour. The sufferings may be prolonged and, at times, intense. Compared with the glory that will be revealed in us the sufferings are not worthy of mention. Let us press forward to the fullness of Christ.

The idea of the three major reapings is important. The concept appears many times in the Scriptures, such as in the three areas of the Tabernacle of the Congregation; the three convocations of Israel; the thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and hundredfold of the parable of the sower in Mark, Chapter Four; the fruit, more fruit, and much fruit of John, Chapter Fifteen; the three levels of Noah's ark; the three anointings of David; and in several other biblical illustrations and incidents.

Paul was caught up to the third heaven. Hosea declares: "After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight" (Hosea 6:2).

The three reapings are seen most clearly in the design of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, where we have the Courtyard, the Holy Place, and the Most Holy Place. Notice that the three areas are levels of holiness. We are to be growing in holiness every day of our Christian discipleship.

To be continued.