 |
Wilderness
— represents unfertile wilds, not cultivated as farmland
nor industrialized as a city. |
The nation of Israel had to travel through the wilderness for forty
years before entering the Promised Land.
The TRUE Church was taken into a "wilderness" condition for protection during
the Dark Ages.
"And to the woman [church class] were given two wings of
a great eagle [the support of the Old and New Testaments], that she might
fly into the wilderness [of separation from the world], into her place
[condition], where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time
[1260 years from CE 539-1799], from the face of the serpent [civil Roman
authority]." Revelation 12:14 
 |
Cities
— represent religious governments. |
The established Kingdom of God, the new Jerusalem, is referred to as a
city wherein dwell those who do God's commandments.
Babylon is called "that great city which rules over the kings of the earth"
BEFORE God's kingdom takes its rightful power. (Revelation 17:18)
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Trees
— represent prominent men.
Grass
— represents masses of mankind. |
"The first angel sounded...and the third part of the trees [prominent
men] was burnt up [were converted], and all green grass [men
sufficiently alive to receive or absorb the water of truth] was burnt up [were
converted]." Revelation 8:7
Trees represent prominent leaders that stand above the grass, the masses
of mankind. The righteous man is likened to a tree: "And he
shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water..." Psalms 1:3 The
wicked are likened to the "green bay tree." Psalms 37:35
Grass represents the common masses of men. "The grass
withers, the flower fades...surely the people is grass." Isaiah 40:7
It will require only a breath from the Lord to scatter all the might and glory and power
of earthly institutions. All who oppose His plan will fade in the great Day of
Wrath.
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Field
— represents the civilized world. |
Jesus said, "The field is the world."
Matthew 1:38 The wheat and the tares both came from the world of mankind.
After the true Church is glorified in heaven, the work must be done to clear, plow, and
prepare the field [the world] for the next age.
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Wheat
— represents the children of the Truth.
|
In the parable of the wheat and the tares [Matthew
13:24], Jesus said the good seed [the wheat] are the children of the Kingdom, the product
of Truth which the sower had sowed.
The wheat are the TRUE church, gathered with the sickle of Truth.
"Gather MY SAINTS together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by
sacrifice." Psalms 50:5
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Tares
— represent children of error.
|
Tares stand tall and proud, while wheat bow humbly. Tares
try to pose as true Christians, but are imitations. Tares are the product of false
teachings.
 |
Barn
— represents the place where the ripe wheat is taken,
away from the field and the tares; ultimately, heaven itself.
|
The wheat is gathered from worldly surroundings to be
with other wheat. True Christians gather together to study God's Word. In the final
sense, the wheat, true Christians, are garnered to the heavenly barn.
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Reapers
— represent God's servants. |
Reapers are spirit begotten Christians who are gathering
the wheat [other faithful Christians] into His barn [separate from worldly interests, and
finally into heaven itself].
"The harvest is plenteous, but the laborers are few; Pray
ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his
harvest." Matthew 9:37,38
Other saints have labored faithfully in the past, sowing the precious
seed which we are now privileged to help in harvesting.
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Rainbow
— represents a promise. |
What is more hopeful than the realization that the sun will come out
after the rain?
"And God said to Noah: I will make a covenant with you. Never again
will all men die because of a flood. This is my token to remind you of my
promise. I will set a rainbow in the sky." Genesis 9:11-17
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Rain
— represents blessings. |
In Palestine, rain is greatly desired.
"If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments...Then I will give
you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase." Leviticus
26:3,4
I Kings 18 tells of a great rain which finally came after 3-1/2 years of drought.
Spiritually, there was a drought of Truth during the Dark Ages, followed by a wonderful
rain of refreshment from God's Word. Bible societies sprang up, education became
accessible to many, and the common man could read the Words of Life.
 |
Hail
— represents hard truths. |
"Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone...a precious corner stone,
a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not stumble. Judgment will I lay to
the line, and righteousness to the plummet; and the HAIL shall sweep away the refuge of
lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place." Isaiah 28:16,17
Matthew 7:26,27
— speaks of a storm which would destroy any house built on sand.
This is a downpour of truth, hard truths, which beat upon a house (NOMINAL Christendom)
until it fell. The crash of man-made theories, traditions, and doctrines, are
frightening, but they free some in the house who would not have left otherwise.
"And there fell upon men [professed Christians] a great
hail [overflowing scourge of hard truths] out of heaven [the
spiritual controlling realm], every stone [each hard truth] about
the weight of a talent [being the equivalent of the whole Gospel on each
subject]: and men [nominal Christians] blasphemed
[denounced] God because of the plague of the hail [affliction caused by
hard truths]; for the plague [affliction] thereof was exceeding
great." Revelation 16:21
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Dark Clouds
— represent trouble. |
Dark clouds mean a storm is coming. If you wanted to draw
a picture of fear of disasters, you might draw dark clouds in the sky.
"When Michael [Jesus Christ] stands up,
there will be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation." Daniel
12:1
"All the tribes of the earth shall mourn, for the Son of
man will come in clouds." Matthew 24:30
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Lightning
— represents
flashes, diffusions, of light and knowledge
|
A flash of lightning from the Lord's throne discloses one error here,
and there another, with remarkable glimpses of the great principles of truth and
righteousness. Principles of the Word of God are brought to the front and discussed
in the news media and at public gatherings.
The increase of knowledge, general diffusion of education, multiplying of inventions,
general interchange of thought, wider range of commercial interests, rapid modes and cheap
rates of travel, multiplicity of books and periodicals, wonderful power of the daily
press, increase the flashes of lightning [truths] enlightening the world.
"His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw and
trembled." Psalm 97:4
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Wind
— Blowing winds represent wars. |
The worst winds of Revelation 7:1 [violence, anarchy]
will not reach their fullest culmination until the true Church is removed from the earth
into heavenly glory.
When the world recognizes its helplessness in this greatest time of
trouble [when God pours upon them His indignation, His fierce anger, for their flagrant
disobedience and dishonor to Him, their Creator], THEN He will bless and restore all the
repentant and reformed world, and bless them abundantly.
 |
Four winds
— represent all parts of the nominal church. |
From whence are God's elect gathered? Not from America
alone, and not from only one denomination. God's elect Church are gathered from every
direction, from every quarter of the "field." There are NOMINAL Christians in
every denomination. In between are scattered TRUE Christians - a remnant here, a remnant
there.
"And he shall send his angels [messengers, the
Reapers] with a great...trumpet [the truth], and they shall
gather together [spiritually to the harvest truth and oneness with Christ]
his elect [saints] from the four winds [from every denomination
or quarter of the wheat field], from one end of heaven [nominal church]
to the other." Matthew 24:31
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Earthquake
— represents revolution. |
Revelation 16:18 speaks of a mighty earthquake, such as
was not since men were on the earth. This great revolution will overthrow everything that
is not of the Lord's establishment and approval. This revolution will affect all the
governments of the world, socially, politically, financially and ecclesiastically.
"...And there was a great earthquake, such as was not since
men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great." Revelation
16:18
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Fire
— represents trouble, anarchy, destruction, or trials. |
In 1 Peter 4:12, Peter writes to the true Church, "Beloved,
think it not strange concerning the FIERY TRIAL which is to try you...
Rejoice, inasmuch as
ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings."
Zephaniah 3:8,9 speaks of the fire of God's jealousy. "...my
determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon
them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth [the entire
present social fabric] shall be devoured [all evil principles of
government and society—not humanity] with the fire of my jealousy [the
Lord's anger will burn against all kinds of injustice and iniquity, devouring the
political, financial, social and religious structure of the world]. For then [after
men have been humbled and made ready to hear and heed God's counsel] will I turn
to the people a pure language [the pure word of truth, uncontaminated by human
tradition; a pure message unmixed with falsity and error], that they may all call
upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent."
We talk about people with hot tempers, or fiery tempers. We do not mean
that they are literal fire-eaters. After this present social order is destroyed, God will
turn to the people to bless them. If they or the earth had been literally burned up, He
could not bless them. Fire represents destruction of the evil systems
— their final end.
Ashes represent memory of what had once been.
 |
Still Small Voice
— represents God's Word of truth, love and
wisdom speaking to His people. |
"In quietness and confidence shall be your strength." Exodus
33:14
— "My presence shall go with thee, and I will give you rest."
Psalms 46:10
— "Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the
heathen, I will be exalted in the earth." Isaiah 30:15
"...And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the
mountains...but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the
LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in
the fire: and after the fire a still small voice...And, behold, there came a voice unto
him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah" I Kings 19:11, 12
The still small voice is the voice of truth, love, wisdom—the "Pure
language" or pure message of God's Word. The voice of God, divine power, will
bring the blessings to the world. Elijah had expected his reformation to go forward
like a windstorm, or an earthquake or lightning. Now he was to understand that it
would be more secret and quiet in the hearts of men, before giving outward manifestation.
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Head
— Christ is the Head of the Church, his body. |
"And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him
[Christ]
to be the head over all things to the church. Which is his body, the fulness of him
that filleth all in all." Ephesians 1:22,23
"For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of
the church; and he is the savior of the body." Ephesians 5:24
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Body
— represents the Church. |
"And he
[Christ] is the head of the body, the church: who
is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the
preeminence." Colossians 1:18
"For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of
that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ...For the body is not one
member, but many...Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular."
I Corinthians 12:12, 14, 27
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Face
— represents favor. |
When God's face is turned toward you, it indicates His
favor. When God's face is turned away from you, it indicates His disfavor.
"For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his
ears are open unto their prayers: but the FACE of the Lord is AGAINST them that do
evil." 1 Peter 3:12
"Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones;
for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the FACE of my
Father." Matthew 18:10
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Eye
— represents wisdom, understanding, comprehension. |
Moses told the children of Israel,
"Stand still and SEE the
salvation of the Lord." (Exodus 14:13 )
Salvation cannot really be SEEN. It is the CONSEQUENCES of salvation that can be
seen. Israel SAW that they were delivered from the Egyptians by the saving grace of
God.
Revelation 1:7 says: "Every eye shall SEE him."
Jesus said (John 14:19) "The world will SEE me no more."
What the world WILL see will be the trouble, the punishments, and the blessings which
the Lord will offer to all so that they will have a full opportunity to live eternally, if
obedient (repentant and reformed from their former disobedience).
God told Satan, "Job is in your hand (power), but save
his life." Job 2:6
"The Egyptians will I give over into the hand
(power) of
a cruel lord." Isaiah 19:4
"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand
(power)
of God, that He may exalt you in due time." I Peter 5:6
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Arm
— represents support, strength. |
"Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm
of the LORD revealed?" (Isaiah 53:1) Christ is the arm of the LORD
Jehovah. Christ is the power of God unto salvation.
"I will redeem you with a stretched out ARM." Exodus
6:6 This was God's message to Israel in Egypt.
 |
Feet
— represent the last members of Christ's Body, or Church. |
The feet are the last members of his Church, the last
members of his Bride, just before they are all united in glory, ready to bless the world
of mankind.
"How beautiful upon the mountains [every nation]
are the FEET of him [the last members of the Body of Christ remaining on earth
before the earthly Kingdom is set up] that brings good tidings [the
ransom for all, and the blessed Kingdom to come]." Isaiah 52:7
"He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in
all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy FOOT against a
stone." Psalm 91:12
Psalms 91:11,12 is a part of a Psalm discussing those who dwell in the
secret place, particularly NOW in the final times of perilous temptations. Because of
today's insidious enticements, we need special help to be protected from stumbling-stones
in our path, false doctrines in our search for Truth.
 |
Virgin
— represents the TRUE Church, the Bride of Christ, which refuses
any illicit union with the rulers of this world. |
There were five wise and five foolish virgins, but they were all
virgins, waiting faithfully for their Bridegroom to return. (Matthew 25)
The Book of Revelation has much to say about a whore, mother of harlots, who did NOT
wait for her Bridegroom, but entered into unfaithful relationships with worldly powers
instead, setting up a false Kingdom as a counterfeit to Christ's true Kingdom. (Revelation
17)
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Harlot
— represents so-called Christians, who would not wait for the
return of their Heavenly Bridegroom to take them to the Marriage Supper, but entered into
alliances with leaders and ambitions of this world. |
A whore (Revelation 17) had daughters who were harlots like their
mother. They united with the governments instead of waiting for the true King of
Kings to whom they were espoused.
The Reformers correctly recognized Jezebel, also known as Babylon the Great, the whore
of the Revelation, to be Papacy. Ecumenists today are desirous of peace at any
price, so are careful not to antagonize the Church of Rome. In time of anarchy, many
will seek refuge in the stability of the Roman Catholic Church, even though they would not
agree with her written doctrines.
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Beasts
— represent governments. |
Daniel 7
describes four world empires as beasts. The first was
Babylon, likened to a kingly lion, with great splendor and
pride. The second was Medo-Persia, likened to a powerful grasping,
strategic bear, who hugs its prey to death
with its paws. The third was Greece, likened to a swift
conquering leopard.
The fourth was a dreadful beast, likened to the crushing Papal
Roman Empire.
Six days preceded the Sabbath. Six thousand years precede the
seventh Millennium, the time of Christ's Kingdom reign.
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represents
heavenly perfection. |
Seventh day is God's commanded Sabbath. There
were seven creative days or epochs. There are seven colors in the rainbow.
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represents
earthly perfection. |
Ten curtains, ten cubits, were used in the Tabernacle
construction. Human beings have ten fingers and ten toes. The Ten Commandments
represent the essential code of human behavior.
Jesus was 30 when he presented his life in consecration. He
was sold for 30 pieces of silver. Priests could serve in the Tabernacle when they
were 30.
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represents
a period of testing or trial. |
It rained 40 days and nights during the flood. The children of
Israel wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. The spies spent 40 days looking at
the land of Israel. Moses, Elijah and Jesus fasted 40 days in the Wilderness.
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Olive - represents light, peace, divine blessing. |
In Biblical times, OLIVE oil was a source of light. After
the turmoil of the flood, it was an OLIVE branch which the dove brought back to Noah, and
he knew that the waters had abated. When the captives returned from Babylon, they
joyfully made booths of OLIVE and pine and myrtle and thick trees.
OLIVE oil was the bases of precious ointments used in anointing priests and kings of
Israel. The Mount of Olives pictures the Kingdom of Light, Peace and Divine
Blessing.
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Fig
— represents the Jewish nation. |
"Like good FIGS, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive
of JUDAH, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their
good." Jeremiah 24:5
"Now learn a parable of the fig tree; when its branch is yet tender, and
puts forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh." Matthew 24:32
Many Christians recognize this to mean that when Israel sprouts again to life as a
nation, the time of Messiah's Kingdom is near.
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Wine
— represents doctrine. |
"And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will
burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish." Luke 5:37
 |
Bread
— represents life- sustaining, Jesus or Truth |
JESUS
—
"And Jesus said unto them, I am
the bread of life..." John 6:35
TRUTH
— "Therefore let us keep the feast...with the
unleavened bread of sincerity and truth."
I Corinthians 5:8
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Famine
— represents lack of spiritual nourishment. |
Spiritually speaking, this would mean lack of truth, which strengthens
and builds us up.
"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in
the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the
LORD." Amos 8:11
"Thy words were found and I did eat them." Jeremiah 15:16
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White
— represents purity. |
White is clean, pure.
"Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow."
Isaiah 1:18
"Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be
whiter than snow." Psalms 51:7
"Many shall be purified, and made white..." Daniel 12:10
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Purple
— represents royalty. |
Purple was the color for a king's garments.
"And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put
it about his head..." Mark 15:17
"...and purple raiment that was on the kings..." Judges 8:26
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Blue
— represents faithfulness. |
There is a saying, a "true-blue" friend, meaning a faithful
friend. The blue sky reminds us of God's faithfulness every day.
"Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto
the clouds..." Psalms 36:5
"...thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens..."
Psalms 89:2
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Scarlet
— represents the ransom. |
Red, the color of blood, reminds us of Jesus' life given for Adam and
his descendants. Red also pictures "sin," which is covered by the ransom.
"Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow."
Isaiah 1:18
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Green
— represents earthly restoration. |
In spring, the grass and leaves turn green with renewed life.
|
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Gold
— represents the divine nature. |
As gold is the highest, most precious metal, so the divine nature
is the highest nature, the only nature having immortality.
|
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Silver
— represents the truth. |
"The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of
earth, purified seven times." Psalm 12:6
|
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Copper
— represents perfect human nature. |
As a metal, copper is inferior in value to gold, just as the human
nature is inferior to the divine nature.
Jesus feet in Revelation 1:15 were likened to fine brass [copper], burned in a furnace.
This represents the feet members of the body of Christ being exposed to fiery
trials.
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Linen
— represents righteousness. |
"And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean
and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints."
Revelation 19:8
|
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Crown
— represents immortality. |
"...be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of
life." Revelation 2:10
"And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of
glory that fadeth not away." I Peter 5:4
"...they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an
incorruptible." I Corinthians 9:25
|
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Robe
— represents righteousness. |
"...[God] hath clothed me with the garments of salvation,
he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness..." Isaiah 61:10
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Sword
— represents the Word of God. |
"...the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of
God." Ephesians 6:17
"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two
edged sword..." Hebrews 4:12
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Shield
— represents faith and truth. |
"Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to
quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." Ephesians 6:16
"...His truth shall be thy shield and buckler." Psalms 91:4
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Trumpet
— represents a warning. |
"If when he
[the watchman] seeth the sword come upon the
land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people..." Ezekiel 33:3
The trumpet represents a warning, not a trumpet-like SOUND, but obvious EVENTS, great,
historical happenings that all can see, whether or not they understand them.
Present events
— hidden things being revealed, the clamor for the rights of the
oppressed
— speak in trumpet tones.
An important proclamation of restoration, justice, and liberty, comparable to the
Jubilee trumpet of Israel.
"Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubilee to sound...throughout
all your land." Leviticus 25:9
 |
Lamps
— represent the Holy Scriptures. |
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