The first three feasts, Passover, Unleavened Bread, and Firstfruits, portray basic salvation. We have the Passover blood, repentance, water baptism, and the born-again experience. He who believes and is baptized shall be saved from wrath when the Lord comes in His Kingdom. The Lord Jesus is made real to us when we take the steps of basic salvation. These three celebrations are celebrated in one week, the week of Unleavened Bread.

The fourth feast, Pentecost, represents the Holy Spirit. The Church has been enjoying the works of the Holy Spirit throughout the twentieth century. The fourth feast stands by itself, coming fifty days after the week of Unleavened Bread. Perhaps this is because the work of the Holy Spirit is so important in bringing the Bride to the Lamb.

The last three feasts also take place in one week. They are the Blowing of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the feast of Tabernacles.

We just now are coming to the spiritual experiences represented by the last three feasts. Obedience to the Father, perfect rest in His Person and will, are beginning to be emphasized by the Spirit of God.

To those familiar with the seven furnishings of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, the feast of Pentecost is equivalent to the Lampstand; the Blowing of Trumpets is equivalent to the Altar of Incense; the Day of Atonement is equivalent to the Ark of the Covenant; and the feast of Tabernacles is equivalent to the Mercy Seat.

The feast of Pentecost is equivalent to the Lampstand of the Tabernacle of the Congregation. Pentecost and the Lampstand are each number four in a series of seven symbols. Four is midway between one and seven.

When we are at Pentecost, at the Lampstand so to speak, we are at a place of decision. The significance of the decision cannot be overstated. It is the decision whether to permit Jesus Christ to administrate the Kingdom of God or whether to attempt to use our own wisdom and strength ("with the Lord's help" of course) to administrate the Kingdom.

The issue is the personal cross of the believer. If we are willing to lay down our life, our religious ambition, take up our cross, and follow Jesus, we can pass from Pentecost to the Blowing of Trumpets (announcing the Kingdom of God). We can pass from the Lampstand to the Altar of Incense.

The Altar of Incense is the place where we bow in death to self-will and cry out, "Not my will but Yours be done." Have you been there?

If we are not willing to lay down our life, our religious ambition, but insist on trying to get the Holy Spirit to follow our will, we cannot pass from Pentecost to the Blowing of Trumpets, from the Lampstand to the Altar of Incense.

Instead we follow the path to the False Prophet. The False Prophet comes from the earth, that is from the soul of man. The False Prophet has "two horns like a lamb." This means he desires to use the power of Christ. But he speaks like a dragon. So it is today as the ministers seek power! more power! yet more power! But they speak like a dragon, that is, they exalt themselves just as Satan does.

To be continued.