Today we reach Day #50, the final day of Counting the Omer. To recap, an omer is a "sheaf" of unthreshed stalks of grain. It symbolically references the Great Harvest of mankind just as the old hymn "Bringing in the Sheaves" demonstrates to us. We must now prepare to be threshed and refined!
The Counting of the Omer is referenced two times in scripture:
And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed. Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to the Lord.
~ Leviticus 23:15-16 (NKJV)
"You shall count seven weeks for yourself; begin to count the seven weeks from the time you begin to put the sickle to the grain. ~ Deuteronomy 16:9
For Christians, the Omer counts us to the day of Pentecost and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit. One might say Counting the Omer is a summary of our Christian walk from receiving the Law to receiving the Power which writes the Law on our hearts, from beginning to end, from start to finish. Jesus' atoning work on the Cross was finished and now He is "finishing" and refining us in His Master Peace through the Power of the Holy Spirit. It was
50 Days after Jesus rose from the dead that the apostles gathered in the Upper Room to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
For today's final Devotional, we need a fitting ending. We need to address that, not only are we reaching the end of this Omer series but we are also nearing the end of days on this planet. As such, there is some "final business" that we all need to tie up. Jesus stated to Peter that we should make every effort to forgive others over and over again.
"I do not say to you until seven times, but seventy times seven."
~ Matthew 18:22
It seems that, through hyperbole, Jesus is clearly advocating for extravagant forgiveness. Many people might take this to mean "unlimited forgiveness" but even at 70 x 7, Jesus' own words suggested that there is still an ending point.
Let us remember that just a few chapters before, Jesus also spoke of an "unpardonable sin." In light of Christ's recommendations to forgive and then forgive and forgive again, the term "unpardonable sin" may almost seem to be an oxymoronic phrase. If He commands us to be willing to extravagantly forgive sin, one might justifiably ask...WHAT CAN BLOCK FORGIVENESS FROM HAPPENING? How can someone sin unpardonably?
If we confess [Spoiler Alert: Clue here] our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ~ 1 John 1:9 (Berean Study Bible)
As Christians we must believe what Jesus says without question. If Jesus says there is an unpardonable sin, make no mistake about it, there IS a sin that is unpardonable! First, let's look at His words in context. When Jesus made this statement, He made it to the Pharisees who were accusing Him of being "Beelzebub" or of being a devil. Jesus responded:
Therefore, I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.
~ Matthew 12:31-32
May I be so bold as to paraphrase Jesus? In essence, Jesus said:
"As BAD as that is (calling Me a devil), it is STILL pardonable. What is unpardonable, however, is speaking that same thing against the Holy Spirit or attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to the devil. Now, THAT is unpardonable."
"OK, OK"...you might say. "I still don't fully understand it." Well, let's begin by studying the attributes of the Holy Spirit. WHY was the Holy Spirit sent to the Church after Jesus ascended to Heaven? How does someone blaspheme against the Holy Spirit? Let's "be a Berean" and study the scripture to confirm this:
The Work of the Holy Spirit
CONVICTS:
And when He comes, He will
convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment:
~ John 16:8 (Berean Study Bible)
TEACHES and REMINDS:
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will
teach you all things and will
remind you of everything I have told you.
~ John 14:26 (Berean Study Bible)
EMPOWERS WITH BOLDNESS:
After they had prayed, their meeting place was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
~ Acts 4:31 (Berean Study Bible)
KEEPS OUR HEARTS SOFT IF WE LISTEN:
Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: Today, if you hear His voice,
do not harden your hearts, as you did in the rebellion
~Hebrews 3:7-8 (Berean Study Bible)
SHOULD NEVER BE IGNORED, QUENCHED, OR EXTINGUISHED:
Do not extinguish the Spirit.
~ 1 Thessalonians 5:19 (Berean Study Bible)
Recently, an apostate woman "pastor" posted a YouTube video teaching people that the nagging in their heart convicting of their sin was BAD, that it was the voice of the devil. She instructed them that they simply needed to keep ignoring this voice in order to reach "self-actualization." She went so far as to call that "check" in your spirit an "inner critic," the "accuser" and equating it with the devil who doesn't like your "actual self." Wretchedly, she was instructing people, in detail, on how to commit the unpardonable sin. She was equating the conviction of the Holy Spirit with something bad or evil, something to be ignored, suppressed and resisted. The devil is to be resisted, NOT THE HOLY SPIRIT! When we resist the devil, he flees from us. Why, in the name of everything holy, would we want to resist the Holy Spirit? David prayed:
Cast me not away from Your presence; take not Your Holy Spirit from me.
~ Psalm 51:11 (Berean Study Bible)
This apostate "pastor" was also instructing people to do away with the necessary component of CONFESSION but instead accepting ourselves and our sins as just part of who we are.
For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
~ Psalm 51:3 (Berean Study Bible)
This evil teaching of no conviction, no confession is basic "I'm OK, You're OK" pop-psychology, secular nonsense. The real Truth is that a book should more accurately be titled "I'm a Mess, you're a Mess!" That is the core essence of a REPENTANT heart! Until we grasp how badly we need a Savior (the depth of our wickedness), we cannot REPENT! If we simply keep embracing and affirming ourselves with all of our spots and wrinkles, we will not submit to the transformation from "glory to glory" provided by the tutelage of the Holy Spirit. Christ demands and deserves a Bride without spot or wrinkle!
That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
~ Ephesians 5:27 (KJV)
As a popular song lyric says: "Don't Leave Me This Way"...Christ loves us too much to leave us the way He found us.
Then I passed by and saw you squirming in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, 'Live!' There I said to you, 'Live!'
~Ezekiel 16:6 (Berean Study Bible)
The real "accuser of the brethren," the enemy of our souls, will NOT convict us because Satan wants to CONDEMN us. He knows that the only way we will be condemned is by tricking us into perpetual disobedience and non-confession of sins.
If we deliberately go on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins remains, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume all adversaries.
~ Hebrews 10:26-27 (Berean Study Bible)
When our Teacher, the Holy Spirit, convicts us and tries to guide us into righteousness, what should we do with that "knock on the heart?" If we continually and unrelentingly DISMISS Him, we will die in our sins! Even worse, to equate the Holy Spirit's conviction of sin with the devil is unpardonable as it creates an unrepentant state in which it is IMPOSSIBLE TO REPENT! Shudders!
So clearly the Bible does not instruct us to "embrace our real self." You are not great "just the way you are" despite popular belief and song lyrics. Embracing the spirit of "self-acceptance"
IS THE ESSENCE OF THE UNPARDONABLE SIN.
Just before Christ's return, scripture speaks of the removal of the "restrainer" which precedes the revealing of the "man of lawlessness."
And you know what is now restraining him, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but the one who now restrains it will continue until he is taken out of the way.
~ 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 (Berean Study Bible)
I personally believe that the "man of lawlessness" who is revealed before the Second Coming of Christ will preach a false gospel of "giving up" and embracing sin and sinful lifestyles. It will be the opposite message of scripture which exhorts us to persevere and overcome. We see this evil "gospel" being proclaimed already in the LGBTQ+ perversion agenda. "Just accept yourself." It will be a gospel of fake "love" and Universalism. It will preach that the only requirement for entry into the Kingdom is the false doctrine of "if you just believe." This is NOT the gospel in scripture, I like to call it the fake Disney gospel. Disney literally wrote a song for the movie Peter Pan entitled "If You Just Believe." It was about children who don't want to grow up. Even devils know that Jesus Christ is the Holy Son of God and they know that He rose from the dead for our sins. Thus, this "head knowledge" is obviously not enough to keep us out of the abyss with them!
As most devilish messages are, it is a HALF Truth which is the worst sort of lie. While Jesus most certainly is the Holy Son of God, and He most certainly rose from the dead, the TRUE gospel message begins with REPENT....turn away from sin! We must also bear fruits of repentance through confession and conduct otherwise we will be outed as LIARS whose father is the father of all lies.
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors-not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.
For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
~Romans 8:12-13
The Final False Prophet will teach a doctrine of LAWLESSNESS, no conviction, no confession of sins...just grace, grace and more grace on steroids. This is a heretical doctrine leading to eternal death.
This devilish doctrine of "just believe" maligns obedience as a "return to legalism." The snake in the grass tells us: "Surely, God doesn't require you to obey Him! You can eat the forbidden apple of your own desires and not die! In fact, you will become like God, making all your own decisions and doing what is right in your own eyes." Same old lie from Satan that was told from Day 1.
While, we must fully grasp that our atonement is 100% through the Blood of Jesus Christ and that nothing we can ever offer atones for one single sin that we have committed, we SIMULTANEOUSLY acknowledge, with a repentant heart, that we HATE sin and wish to avoid it through obedience to His Holy Word administered to us through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit convicts us, teaches us, guides us, "softens us up" and reminds us of God's Holy Word and SHOULD NEVER BE IGNORED. God forbid any teaching that instructs us to resist the Holy Spirit and then likens His conviction in our souls to the devil! God forbid it.
Having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.
~ Hebrews 5:9
So, let us finish counting the Omer on a high note. Let's REPENT! We must return to serving Christ in obedience to His Holy Word. Don't bite the big apple of Satan's lies...it's full of maggots. As we approach Pentecost, let us be thankful for the Power and conviction of the Holy Spirit Who was sent to help us fight the good fight to the finish. When we submit to the Holy Spirit, He gives us the power not only to submit to God's finishing work in our hearts but to also...
FINISH OFF SATAN.
Christ on a White Horse (Revelation 19:11-16)
Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:
KING OF KINGS AND
LORD OF LORDS.
