The excerpt below is from Timothy Germain’s book Walking Amidst the Golden Candlesticks. Find out more about Timothy by clicking here.
“Thou son of man, shew the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities: and let them measure the pattern. And if they be ashamed of all that they have done, shew them the form of the house, and the fashion thereof…” Ezekiel 43:10,11
God has opened the door of understanding to see clearly that the house men have been building is not according to his blueprint. He is giving us light through the Spirit of His Son, the blueprint of the house. The religious system is still blinding the minds of millions of churchgoers, not understanding the blueprint. The house that HE is building is seen in Christ. The Ekklesia is a revelation of Christ. When the assembly gathers, we each are members of his body. We each are ministering Christ to one another. We don’t come to worship, but to encourage and edify one another. The blueprint is Christ mediating HIMSELF through each member of the body.
There are two metaphors in the New Testament: Ekklesia is a body and a building. The building that the LORD is building are from living stones, those, we who have been regenerated by the Spirit. We, each as living stones, are to be built up together, into a habitation where God lives. In Christ we are the living stones of this spiritual house with Christ the corner stone.
“And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:20- 22) “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:5)
The Old Testament gives us spiritual pictures throughout its text, each one laden with spiritual meaning. The tabernacle that we see in the wilderness is a type of Christ. It was there that the priests ministered in the sanctuary. It was their job to offer up service for the people on behalf of God’s divine order. It was the priest who handled the holy things, and the high priest who passed judgment. We who are new creations in Christ are those priests, offering up spiritual sacrifices, which is our spiritual worship. There is no special class anymore as it was in the Old Testament. Each in Christ is a royal priest, and the only offering we have is the sacrifice of praise.
“By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.” Hebrews 13:15
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a 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; 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.” 1 Peter 2:9,10
What has happened in the religious system called Christianity have created a special class of men who are regarded completely differently from everyone else. They called themselves THE MAN OF GOD. They are above everyone else. They have it all wrong. Leaders are not lords over God’s people but servants. Leaders lead but have no authority in and of themselves as said Jesus to the twelve.
“And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. And he said unto them, the kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sits at meat, or he that serves? is not he that sits at meat? but I am among you as he that serves.” Luke 22:24-27
The apostle Peter repeats the same thing, addressing the elders who he himself was one.
“The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.” 1 Peter 5:1-4
Remember, brothers that Christ is your head, not another man, no matter what he may say otherwise. Don’t allow yourself to be deceived by this class of men who lord it over you.
“But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.” 1 Corinthians 11:3
There was a movement called the Shepherding movement back in the early seventies, which gained adherents through the New Wine magazine. They were teaching a hierarchy of authority. The man at the top was your shepherd, and under him were his sheep. By submitting to him, they said, you were submitting to God. By not submitting to him, you were in rebellion to God. This went on for a number of years until the whole thing fell apart. Some of you reading this may remember the five men who started it. It was pioneered by five teachers: Charles Simpson, Bob Mumford, Derek Prince, Don Basham, and Ern Baxter, based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Shepherding Movement emphasized and promoted: authority, submission, discipleship, commitment in covenant relationships, loyalty, pastoral care, and spiritual covering.
“The Shepherding movement arose out of a concern for the weak commitment, shallow community, and the general worldliness characteristic of many American churches. To solve these perceived issues, members in the house church were taught to have life-decisions “covered” by the house-group leader, elder, or pastor. Such decisions included where to live and work, whom to marry, or whether to see a doctor when someone was ill.” https://www.wikiwand.com/en/articles/Shepherding_movement
There is no hierarchy in the body of Christ, and no man is your covering. It should be mutual submission to each other in humility with the scriptures, illuminated by the Spirit as our authority. The five fold ministry (Ephesians 4:11) has no authority in and of themselves. We each submit ourselves to God. As Jesus submitted himself to the Father, so we too follow his example.
The example of Shepherding seeking to control others by religious manipulation is played out century after century. When will it ever end? When will those who are called by His name follow the illumination of the Spirit to hear the voice of God and walk out their lives as fellow royal priests? We need Christ our life, revealing himself to us all, without any religious bondage. The veil must be removed from our eyes to see Christ clearly.
“Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless, when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 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 3:12-18
The premise of this book is that Christianity with all of its denominations, schisms, doctrines, and practices actually has been given over to spiritual Babylon. Saul in the Old Testament represents this departure from God’s leadership as king. Israel rejected their king and wanted a king like the other pagan nations.
Throughout history, this has happened repeatedly in what is called Christianity. Christ has been pushed out through their refusal to allow him to be head, to lead each member; to bring light through each part; to reveal himself through his body, with each part functioning. Formalism, performance, showmanship, programs, preaching, choirs, religious buildings, spectator gatherings, ego, pride, ambition, witchcraft, et all, has replaced the illumination of the Spirit of Christ.
Is the Spirit of the LORD moving through each member? Is Christ head of the body, as He is to be the one directing every part, mediating Himself? May God by His Spirit open your eyes to the distress we’re in, that has caused this matrix called Christianity.
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