That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. (John 17:21)

Passover speaks of our being covered with the blood of the Lamb.

Unleavened Bread indicates our repentance and water baptism.

Firstfruits portrays the born-again experience.

Pentecost stands for the baptism with the Holy Spirit.

Trumpets refers to the coming of Christ to wage war against His enemies in us and also the disciplining of us as a soldier in His army.

The Day of Atonement symbolizes the forgiveness and removal of all worldliness, lust, and self-seeking from our personality.

Tabernacles typifies the coming of the Father and the Son through the fullness of the Holy Spirit to make Their eternal home in us.

There are two great goals of the plan of redemption. One is that we have formed in us the Character of Christ, the iron righteousness and integrity, the fiery holiness, and the stern obedience to the Father, all the fruit of the Spirit, and the courage, meekness, and happiness that characterize the Son of God.

The second of the great goals of the plan of redemption is our entering untroubled rest in the bosom of the Father through Christ such that we always are at rest in God and He in us. We are becoming the chariot, the temple, the eternal throne of God.

The attainment of these two goals will meet two great needs. The two great needs are God's desire for a living temple from which He can guide His creation, and the need of mankind for righteous government.

We are destined finally to be in the outer image of the Son of God, as portrayed in the first chapter of the Book of Ezekiel, and in the inner image of the Son of God, as portrayed by the symbolism of Ezekiel's temple.

Now, where are we?

We are saying that these are grand purposes accomplished by a grand, Divinely conceived and operated program of redemption.

Can you see now how the repeated emphasis on grace, grace, grace, rapture, rapture, rapture is leading the believer away from God's plan and God's goal?

Do not stagger at the greatness of God's goals for you and you yet will sit on the throne with Jesus Christ.

We are washed in the blood. We are filled with the Spirit. These compose the authority and the wisdom and power to enter the Kingdom, the Kingdom being as we have mentioned above.

What comes next? Not a silly rapture, of that you can be sure.

After Pentecost comes the Blowing of Trumpets. In our day we can look for an emphasis on war and judgment, on becoming a soldier in the army of the Lord.

Following closely is the Day of Atonement. By now you should be entering the work of the Holy Spirit as He brings to the surface the wickedness of your personality and is helping you confess these things and get delivered from them. This is a work of reconciliation to the Father. We have been reconciled legally through the blood of the cross. Now we are being reconciled in actuality as we learn righteousness, holiness, and stern obedience to the Father.

To be continued.