In Proverbs 6:5 Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler. Here we can seek a deeper meaning if we apply these words to us as the church. It is time for us to arise and free ourselves of all the bondages and the things that so easily beset us. We will do this if we hear the word he is speaking to us. Like Lazarus, we can come out of our tombs and arise from the dead. Dorcas is a picture of the church. She is lying on her bed dead but the time is coming when the church will open her eyes. She will wakeup and perform living works. She will arise when she sees the ministry of Peter in the sons of God. She will be a gazelle leaping over all the rugged terrain that has prevented her maturity these last two thousand years.

Song of Sol. 2:I0 My beloved spake, and said unto mc, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. 11 For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; 12 The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;

Here is another expectation in the spirit for us to realize. It is time to arise to a new place in God. The winter is past; the times of wasted effort are over. The rain is gone; the word of God has watered our earth.

We are like the flowers that are blooming and the smell of their fragrance is in the earth. The singing of birds is come; the singing of the sons is like a chorus from the heavens and the voice of the Holy Spirit is in our land. Oh, arise loved ones and come away with Him into the third day.

Acts 10:21 Then Peter went down to the men, which were sent unto him from Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause wherefore ye are come? This marks the first time the door of salvation was open to the Gentiles. The Gentiles represent the world, a world that is soon to seek the salvation of Christ and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 12:6 And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. 7 And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. 8 And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.

The prince of this world has had us in bondage and kept us in prison. The traditions of man have bound us but the Holy Spirit is opening new doors. Now is the time to put on our garment put on Christ, and walk in the liberty of the sons of God. Now is the time to walk like Peter. In the ministry of Peter, we cannot help but notice the similarity of his ministry to Jesus' ministry on the earth. The raising of the lame man and raising of the dead and many more miracles point to Christ. It is as though Christ had reappeared in Peter. The greater works were appearing in Peter and the disciples in the earth just as Christ had declared to them. The book of Acts shows that all the Apostles were active in the same way as Peter.

Acts 5:12 And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch. 13 And of the rest durst no man joins himself to them: but the people magnified them.

Acts 5:14 And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) Acts 5:16 There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were waxed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one. 17. Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation, 18 And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.

The apostles were accomplishing the work of the Lord. The religious realm became very angry and placed them in prison. Imagine if the writer of the book of Acts had recorded all the deeds of these twelve ministries. This ministry of Christ was reproduced with authority in the twelve apostles and many others not mentioned. In the book of Revelation there is a group referred to as the 144,000. This is the ministry of the apostles multiplied by twelve and 1,000. The number 144,000 is not an exact number of saints or Hebrews marching across the land. Rather it is a symbolic number as most numbers and subjects are pictured in the book of Revelation.

We can gain insight if we break this number down; I2xl2= I44, I44x1,000=144,000. The number l2 represents the government of God and 1000 years is as a day. Twelve represents the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 apostles and this governing body is exemplified in that there are four and twenty elders (12+12=24) around the throne of God wearing crowns. This is the government of God in which Isaiah quoted, Of the increase of his government there shall be no end; And his government shall be upon his Shoulders. The shoulder represents the body of Christ. The number 1,000 points to a day that has arrived where there is a great manifestation of the body of Christ in the earth. This is the ruling body or the kings and priests of God who are appearing with the rod of iron to rule the nations. This is none other than the sons of God with the same power that raised Christ from the dead.

Rev. 14:4 These are they, which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whither so ever he goeth. 5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.

These were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb. Here the 144,000 are referred to as the first fruits unto God. James explains this peat feast in James1:18 Of his owns will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. Here is further proof that this 144,000 is not just a number but is symbolic of a corporate group of people created as new creatures, new species and the very seed of God planted in the earth springing forth from the earth and not the sky. Once again the mystery of God leaps from the pages as ...we see that the husbandman waits patiently with all the earth for the manifestation of the sons of God. The term first fruits occur 34 times in the bible. It was the feast before Pentecost, a time when the farmer would bring into the house of the Lord the first ripened sheaths of wheat. It was not the entire crop but only an indication of the harvest.

One could look at the firstfruits and predict how abundant the harvest would be. This harvest also relates to Christ at his resurrection: first in the Passover then his death and finally in his resurrection. He was the first fruits or the indication of the harvest of souls that began at Pentecost and continued until the whole world was turned upside down as recorded in the book of Acts. therefore, we are the firstfruits created by God to show forth in the earth the great harvest that shall come when we, the new creature, are waved before the Lord in this day.

Church tradition writes that the Roman Emperor Nero went out to kill the apostles. He hated Christians. He was an enemy of God. He felt it was his mission to slaughter the saints. He crucified them, fed them to lions and burned them at the stake. Ironically, Nero later burned Rome. Nero believed he was a god and in control of the world. He may well rave ordered the death of Peter. The Lord revealed to Peter how he would die long before Nero was in power. Those in power do not control the death of saints. The Lord said, I lay my life down no man taketh it from me," so the death of saints is not determined by rulers but by the Lord.

We lay our life down willingly as the Lord requires. Peter knew what manner of death he would die. When Peter was crucified tradition says he asked to be nailed upside dawn. He felt he was not worthy to die in the same manner as the Lord. The sons of God must face that everything that is not of the divine nature in their life will have to die. As we continue to walk with the Lord, our world will turn upside down. Acts 17:6...These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; the sons of God are appearing.

2Peter 1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and. election sure: for if ye do the* things, ye shall never fall: 11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 12 Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. 13 Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance.

Here is a portion of scripture by Peter that brings us to an understanding that we are the tabernacle of God. AII the furniture in Moses Tabernacle represents us in our full ministries to God and to the world. Peter is reminding us that we are the laver. He is acting as the laver when he tells us to put you always in remembrance of those things. He becomes the laver as he washes us with the word. Peter had experienced the brazen laver when Jesus girded himself with a towel and began to wash the disciples’ feet. The truth is that we are the furniture, we are the ark that contains God; we are the candlestick in which the oil flows and gives light unto the world. We let this light shine and do not hide it under the dimness of a darkened word.

We are the brazen alter that offers up sacrifices unto God for the salvation of others, if we have attained that salvation which embraces all the truth of his word. Paul reminded us to present our bodies as living sacrifices. Christ is the door but we act as a door to help others find salvation and are not like the Pharisees who would not enter the door and shut others out.

We are the tabernacle of God, which has the laws of God in our heart and mind. Our hearts are the dwelling place of his presence and our minds house his thoughts for we have the mind of Christ and we let his mind be in us. That which Moses made by hands to represents the true pattern in heaven, is now represented and contained in our bodies for we glorify God in our body and our mind. We are all that one bread where the bread of his presence rests upon the tables of our heart. Ye are the body of Christ, the tabernacle of God! A tabernacle not made with hands.

I walk in the shoes of the fisherman And I see a great multitude of sons, With their nets in their hand Ready to cast them in the land To bring in the greatest harvest Ever know to man.