The Antitypical Day of Atonement
Part Eight: Leaves and Fruit
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” (John 15:1-2) Yeshua reveals to us the intentions and desires of the Father for the human race in the form of an Illustration. It should not come as any surprise to us that gardeners grow fruit trees with the specific goal in mind of producing fruit. While sunlight, water, good soil and basic maintenance of the tree are certainly important in his mind; if the only thing a tree can bear are leaves; then that tree has become a curse to him. Today I am going to compare the whole race of Adam to a giant tree which has been planted upon this earth in order to produce 144,000 units of fruit. The book of Revelation identifies them as 144.000 obedient descendants from the twelve tribes of Israel (See Revelation 7:1-9).
The season of a fruit tree provides an excellent parallel to the processes specified to occur during the Anti-typical period of Atonement. Now as we ponder the season of a fruit tree; the first visible signs of life that catches our eyes are the budding leaves on the tree. We can liken these leaves to every man, woman, and child who has ever been born through Adam and Eve. As the season progresses, blossoms appear beneath the canopy of leaves and later these buds are transformed into fruit. The buds on the tree are likened to the emergence of the 144,000 as we approach the latter days. At the end of the season, when the fruit is ripe; the grower ceases all normal activity and concentrates all his efforts on separating the fruit from the tree. The harvest is gathered and stored in a place that is sealed and dry so the fruit will remain uncorrupted by the extremes of winter. As for the leaves, they are not harvested; instead they wither, they fall, and are assimilated into the earth. Sadly for the large majority living upon the earth today, these leaves represent all those who are not part of the 144,000.
If the Anti-typical Day of atonement were to occur at this time, and if you were not designated as part of this class, it would be easy say to ourselves “I am as a leaf and I am not important to the Father!”; but this line of thinking absolutely untrue! The natural world teaches us that leaves serve a vital purpose to the tree by gathering light and transforming it into energy. This in turn invigorates the tree and aids in bringing the fruit to maturity. Leaves also provide shelter from the essential, yet damaging rays of the sun so that the fruit will not perish directly beneath its scorching rays. So how does this illustration coincide with the Yom Kippur ceremony? Note that the flesh of the LORD’s Goat is burnt up after it is sacrificed; the majority of its blood is poured beneath the Alter; but a remnant of this blood is captured in a bowl and transmitted before Ark of the Covenant. This blood represents the 144,000 who are preserved as firstfuits (see Revelation 14:4). These are the elect who will stand before the Father alive at the end of Days. Those who are found unfit to stand before Him alive must wither, fade and return to the earth as was promised to Adam. And although we may be upright and obedient, YHWH must hold fast to his promises. “I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them." (Revelation 14:13)
The yearly remembrance of Yom Kippur is a reminder to all flesh that the day is coming when the season of mankind will come to a close. When the blossoms of fruit (the emergence of the 144,000) become visible to our eyes; we who serve YHWH as the leaves will be limited to a lifespan of 1260 days. Through the blood and suffering of those who will rebel against YHWH in the wilderness, the 144,000 will take their lessons heart and come into perfect compliance into the Covenant made with Israel.