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The Daily Word of Righteousness
Passing Through the Waters, #2
And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles. (Ezekiel 47:3)
The "line in his hand" speaks of judgment. There are four platforms of redemption, of judgment, that each member of the royal priesthood must experience. There is no way by which one of God's priests can bypass one of the platforms or avoid the accompanying judgments.
The first resurrection is not a resurrection to judgment as is true of the second resurrection. The participants in the second resurrection are judged at the time of the resurrection (at the end of the thousand-year period). But each member of the first resurrection of necessity is judged before the first resurrection.
In the first resurrection the members of the royal priesthood return from Heaven with the Lord Jesus. They descend to the earth and take up their earthly bodies. Then they ascend in a state of glory to be forever with the Lord.
This is the first resurrection from the dead. It is the bringing back to life of the witnesses, judges, kings, and priests of the Lord so through them Jesus may fill the whole earth with the knowledge of the Lord (Isaiah 11:9).
And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. (Revelation 5:10)
Obviously the persons speaking in Revelation 5:10 (above) already have been judged and their destiny decided.
The same is true of the Apostle Paul.
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also love his appearing. (II Timothy 4:8)
The purpose of the first resurrection is not to bring saved people to Heaven to enjoy Paradise but to give back their bodies to the victorious saints so they may serve as rulers and judges over the earth—not to go to Paradise but to govern!
And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: . . . and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4)
It is necessary, therefore, that the judgment of each member of the governing priesthood be accomplished perfectly and completely before the first resurrection or else he cannot participate in it. No person can be robed in immortality, be glorified and go to be forever with the Lord, or govern the nations of the saved of the earth, until he or she has been judged.
The first judgment brings us to the waters to the ankles. Waters to the ankles represents the beginning stage of the program of salvation. When we receive the Lord Jesus we are to "come out of Egypt." We are to repent of the manner in which we have behaved ourselves in the world, having practiced, lust, malice, covetousness, hatred, and the other aspects of the world spirit.
The first judgment is a judgment on the world, as was true of the Passover. The authority of the blood of Christ makes it possible for us to come out of the world and to enter the Kingdom of God. We receive a portion of the Spirit of God when we leave the world by faith, call on the name of the Lord, and are baptized in water.
To be continued.