BRANCHES RECONNECTED TO THE VINE

August 27, 2008
Mike Blume




  Scripture Text:

 
Num 17:2-5 KJV  Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man's name upon his rod.  (3)  And thou shalt write Aaron's name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers.  (4)  And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you.  (5)  And it shall come to pass, that the man's rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you.

Num 17:8 KJV  And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.


  Message:

 
KINGDOM is mentioned at onset of NT.

Matthew 5 begins the Sermon on the Mount.
  • Like Moses' Exodus, a multitude followed Jesus and He took them to a mountain.
  • And instead of 10 commandments, He began to preach 9 beattitudes.
  • And they begin with the KINGDOM, as the poor in Spirit are said to have the Kingdom.

Jesus did not say THOU SHALT NOT, but rather BLESSED ARE...

Thou shalt not puts the burden on our shoulders.
  • It focuses on YOU DOING.
  • But BLESSED ARE focuses on us BEING.
  • We ARE a certain type of person or not.
  • So if we are not focused upon DOING but BEING, what does this say?
  • GOD MAKES US a certain way, and we BE that way.

He concentrates upon states of your heart.
  • States of being.
  • There is no way you can do something physically to obey these commandments.

This is on a mountain.
  • Mountains speak of KINGDOMS.
  • Jesus began preaching about the KINGDOM OF GOD.

The Exodus referred to Old Israel, but this NEW Exodus and Kingdom of God deals with the NEW ISRAEL, the church.

Isaiah 49:3 KJV And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.

Isaiah 49:6 KJV And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.


Acts 13:47 KJV For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.

Old Testament passages that speak to Israel were interpreted by the church as referring to the church!

In both instances above, Levi's tribe, the Levites, were indicated as considered blessed and holy.

Holy means that one is consecrated to God.
  • One is separated from the rest.
  • And in this case, with the surrounding people being involved in sin, that separation to God is one that is APART FROM SIN.

When Israel worshiped a golden calf, Levi came out from amongst them and stood with Moses.


The Levites separated themselves from the rest of Israel who worshiped a golden calf.

And the Levites' STAFF blossomed in indication that God chose that people to be his priests among all Israel after everyone railed on Moses saying God told them all would be priests.

What led to the rod was Korah's rebellion saying all could lead.

Numbers 16:3 KJV  And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?


Evidently, they resorted to God's word in Exodus 19 where he said they would be an entire kingdom of priests -- every one of them.

Exo 19:4-6 KJV  Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.  (5)  Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:  (6)  And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

But God put a stipulation on that.
  • If they would obey his voice and keep his covenant and be a peculiar treasure - special entity - to God.


So it is today.

Rev 1:5-6 KJV  And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,  (6)  And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

1 Peter 2:9 KJV  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:


1 Peter 2:10 KJV  Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

CHURCH IS THE PEOPLE OF GOD, not Israel.

Ephesians 2:12-18 KJV  That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:  (13)  But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.  (14)  For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;  (15)  Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;  (16)  And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:  (17)  And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.  (18)  For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

Ephesians 3:3-6 KJV  How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,  (4)  Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)  (5)  Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;  (6)  That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:


And just as there are TRUE ISRAELITES today, there are TRUE SPIRITUAL LEVITES.


We are all priests and kings to God.

But we must advance to a certain degree of separation to him - or holiness - in order for him to be able to use us.
  • This is because man was created to be an extension of God's Spirit.
  • Connected to God like a BRANCH TO A TREE
  • Everyone has the capacity in them to be spiritual and supernaturally experienced.
In one instance of our text, the Levites separated from Israel's idolatry and in the other the ROD of Levi budded and blossomed while the others did not.

John 15:2-8 KJV  Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.  (3)  Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.  (4)  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.  (5)  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.  (6)  If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.  (7)  If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.  (8)  Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

The rod of LEVI as it were, represents the dedicated child of God who so attaches himself to Christ that he or she brings forth blossoms and fruit!

After Joseph remedied the famine and fed the then known world in Egypt, and died, his people multiplied greatly.

Exo 1:7 KJV  And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.

God's people can fit into the world quite nicely and multiply in it.

But God wanted them to multiply alright, but in the promised land, and from a state of holiness and dedication to God.

They were supposed to be in the promised land.
But they became disconnected, just like mankind was disconnected from the Garden.
And branches abounded everywhere, but were not connected to God any more.

Do not multiply in Egypt, multiply in the promised land.

We need to be a branch that gets connected to Christ!


So many were weeded out form the nation, and only the children could enter.
  • The pruning must occur.
  • Branches need to return to a most holy place of dedication to the Lord.
  • ABIDING in Christ -- not visiting.
  • See the fruit beginning to grow from their lives.

Death always occurred at these major water bodies.

Red Sea -- death of armies.

Jordan - death of carnal Israel.

Israel was divided at the Jordan at border of KINGDOM.

KINGDOM is land over which you are king.

Many KINGS removed from their land -- when Israel was removed from their land, they were in BABYLON.
  • Many today are not in THE KINGDOM, BUT BABYLON.

Galatians 5:19-21 KJV  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,  (20)  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,  (21)  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Rom 7:4 KJV  Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

Bring forth fruit to God.

That rod of Aaron/Levi was taken through the outer court of the tabernacle -- the outermost section, the third section from the center.

(Out of Egypt, out of wilderness, beyond veil!)

But when it got past that inner veil and inside the most holy place, something miraculously happened.
  • It began bringing forth fruit.
Num 17:8 KJV  And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.

Rev 1:10-13 KJV  I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,  (11)  Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.  (12)  And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;  (13)  And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.

Notice something about the seven candlesticks.

Exo 25:31-33 KJV  And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same.  (32)  And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side:  (33)  Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick.

Num 17:8 KJV  And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.

THE CANDLESTICK showed branches exactly as the rod of Levi miraculously manifested.

Buds, blossoms and FRUIT ALL AT THE SAME TIME!

A branch that resurrected is associated with the seven branched candlesticks in Revelation1
  • Same tree -- almond.
  • Jesus called Himself a seed that would multiply if it would fall into the ground and die.

And Jesus is in the midst in Rev 1!

He is the vine and we are the branches.

Rev 1:20 KJV  The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.


And although the last issue of the tree in Genesis is associated with man's expulsion from the Garden, watch the ultimate last mention...

Rev 22:1-3 KJV  And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.  (2)  In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.  (3)  And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:

The last chapter in the bible -- of God's word to mankind -- also includes the tree of life!

But this tree is now blossoming!
  • This tree is mentioned in a good connotation between God and man.
  • It is not there with man's fall.
  • But it is there with MAN -- or at least that part of humanity -- that is RESTORED TO GOD.
No more curse, which is another reference to the Garden where curses issued forth from God to the people and the serpent.

Many trees in Ezekiel

Ezekiel 47:12 KJV  And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.


MANY PEOPLE.

It is MULTIPLIED and planted by waters.

Psa 1:1-3 KJV  Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  (2)  But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.  (3)  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Trees without FRUIT are cut down:

Deuteronomy 20:19-20  When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by forcing an axe against them: for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down (for the tree of the field is man's life) to employ them in the siege: Only the trees which thou knowest that they be not trees for meat, thou shalt destroy and cut them down; and thou shalt build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee, until it be subdued.

Revelation 21:23 KJV  And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

Jesus is the LIGHT.
  • And after showing us that we change into His image by beholding His face in 2 Co3 and after 2 Cor 4:6 says the LIGHT OF KNOWLEDGE in the face of Jesus shines in our hearts, it is no coincidence that MANY TREES OF LIFE stand in the City.
2 Corinthians 3:18 KJV  But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

2 Corinthians 4:6 KJV  For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Just like Him.
  • Reproductions.

NOT JUST LEAVES;

1 Corinthians 13:1-2 KJV  (1)  Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.  (2)  And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

John 12:20-26 KJV  And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast:  (21)  The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.  (22)  Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.  (23)  And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.  (24)  Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.  (25)  He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.  (26)  If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

YOU MUST DIE AS WELL.
  • "Want to see me?" Jesus asked?
  • SEE A LIGHT THAT SHINES and changes you.

SEED TURNS INTO A TREE.
  • Only way a seed and not be alone after it dies, is to grow and become a tree and PRODUCE MANY!

He spoke of changing into His image:

John 12:31-33 KJV  Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.  (32)  And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.  (33)  This he said, signifying what death he should die.

He then spoke of drawing people to Himself.
  • Tree with branches.
MANY PEOPLE.

One branch that resurrected, became a TREE.

HOLIEST into which Aaron's rod was placed and budded was cubed.

1 Kings 6:20 KJV  And the oracle in the forepart was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the height thereof: and he overlaid it with pure gold; and so covered the altar which was of cedar.

City is cubed:

SAME COORDINATES!  JUST LIKE HOLIEST.

Revelation 21:16 KJV  And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.

And as the ROD resurrected in a HOLIEST OF HOLIES, we now see MANY in the holiest.

Hebrews 6:19-20 KJV  Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;  (20)  Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

WE ENTERED HOLIEST.  - CITY OF REFUGE!
  • ALL POINTS TO NEW JERUSALEM.

Hebrews 12:22 KJV  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,


Galatians 4:26 KJV  But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

CITY OF REFUGE:

FRUIT ARE FRUIT OF SPIRIT -- LEAVES ARE GIFTS.

The bible always frowned upon l;eaves and no fruit.

Luke 13:6-9 KJV  He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.  (7)  Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?  (8)  And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:  (9)  And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.

Matthew 21:19-20 KJV  And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.  (20)  And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!

In Jerusalem, the city to be cursed -- He finds a tree with leaves and no fruit.
  • The NEW JERUSALEM HAS LEAVES AND FRUIT!
All gifts and no fruit.

1 Corinthians 1:7 KJV  So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:

1 Corinthians 3:1-3 KJV  (1)  And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.  (2)  I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.  (3)  For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

Jesus was the tree of life in the Garden.
  • Man went to another tree.
  • We know false prophets by their fruit.
  • False tree.

John 15:1 KJV  I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

TRUE vine means a FALSE ONE exists, too.