The Testimony
by the Watchman Dana Smith
keywords: LORD, God, testimony, witness, prophecy
Words:3594

The LORD God has always had a witness and a testimony. The Apostle Paul talks of this in Romans chapter one. The Apostle points out that the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. These men hold the truth in unrighteousness. These men never glorified God, nor were thankful, and became vain [useless] in their imaginations as their foolish heart was darkened. By this they turned the image of God into idols of things God made and the worship they did, they did unto demons.
The Apostle Paul spoke to the Corinthians on this matter as well saying that the Gentiles sacrificed to idols which are in fact devils. Although men do so as this thinking it is Gods they sacrifice too, it is actually devils and the fellowship they have is with devils. Therefore as man heads towards the end of time and a showdown with the LORD God, man has a propensity to follow idols and devils. Men hardened of heart and mind, blinded by the God of this world, will fall into perdition. In the last days, the Beast shall be revealed and make an image [idol] that men and women, nations and countries shall worship.
Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19 ¶Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
1 Corinthians 10:19 What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing?
20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.
Howbeit, the LORD God has always provided a testimony and a witness to his great Love for mankind and the enduring promise of the coming Messiah. It is this promise which is bound up in the Apostle Paul’s talk of the ‘love of the truth’. For the testimony of God is this, that he loved us so much that he gave his only begotten Son to die on the cross for our sins, this is John 3:16. A famous passage. In this passage that almost everyone can quote stands the hallmark of the point of delusion for the end days mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2. For the world shall not ‘receive the love of the truth’ and shall instead follow the ‘son of Perdition’, his idol, and worship him. The world shall be deceived through a delusion sent by the LORD God to those who have rejected and refuse his love, i.e., his only begotten Son-Jesus Christ, Y’SHUA Ha Massiach.
It was that witness of God that was evident to the early Hebrews when they left Egypt. It was Passover that the Death Angel passed them over and they saw first hand the power of this Invisible God who manifested himself on their behalf. The visible sign of Gods presence, however, was on the ark of testimony in the holy of Holies [Ex 25:22; Lve 16:2; 2 Sam 6:2]. This was called the Shekinah. It was in the ark of testimony where the testimony was put. This testimony or ordinance [strong's 5715] referred to the Ten commandments, which were a solemn charge or duty. It was the two tables of testimony, tables of stone written with the finger of God [Ex 31:18]. This existed as a reminder and a “testimony” of Israel’s relationship with and their responsibility to God.
Moreover, this Ark of testimony, the Mercy seat, and the Cherubim, was in the Holy of Holies where this Shekinah would appear. The presence of God many times though, appeared outside the tent or tabernacle of witness to the Hebrews. This Shekinah even appeared on Moses face when he came down from the presence of God in the mount. This presence, his interaction with the Priests and his acceptance of Israel had the foundation of the commandments or the witness or testimony. This again, the testimony was in the ark. This was the two tables of stone written by the finger of God containing the ten commandments. The was the law, the foundation of the presence of God.
The Ark of the Testimony
Exodus 25:21 And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.
Exodus 25:22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim’s which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.
Exodus 30:26 And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony,
It was the Mercy seat, also known as the ‘place of atonement’ or as we say at one ment with God. It was a golden plate, called the plate of propitiation on which the High Priest sprinkled the seat 7 times on the Day of Atonement. This is also known today as Yom Kippur and is a fall feast, the holiest time of the year for the Jews. While they are looking for the Messiah yet to come, we know Y’Shua has already come. It is he, whom is the ‘atonement’ now for us. It was his atoning death, the shedding of his innocent blood on the cursed cross of calvary that brought the justice of God to forebear and allow those who would believe on this Son of God to be in communion with the Father as we know him today. The Jews knew him and many do as Yahweh, or Adonai as the Jews call him. Jesus called him the Father and told us he was our Father in heaven.
It is the way God spreads his message and love to others, through this testimony. A personal witness of two or three, which fulfilled the law, to prove the witnesses claim. If something is spoken by one only, there is no proof according to the law. But if two or three reputable stand up and testify, then that thing which they speak, is true. We find Christ at the river Jordan and John looks up and says “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”[John 1:29] Then as John baptized Jesus we God the Father speaking “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” [Matt 3:16-17], the Spirit of God descending like a dove upon Jesus, and Jesus standing in the river. People were looking on and saw all this. This was the testimony of God regarding his son. It was the testimony of John in chapter 3:31-36 that we know Jesus came from above, speaking the words of God, testifying of the Father. We know as well that He had the Spirit of God in an unlimited measure and all things were given into the Sons hands. Here the testimony of John also says that if you believe on the Son [trust in, rely on, and cling to] him, then you will find everlasting life and the wrath of God will not abide on you. Jesus confronted the religious establishment of his day. Men who followed the law strictly and knew the original languages. These had corrupted the law by adding the traditions of men. In one confrontation Jesus pointedly spoke to the issue of his own witness and that of the Father. A witness that they did not receive. Jesus told them bluntly, “that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” [John 8:17-24]
The Testimony of Jesus to the Jews!
John 10:25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me.
John 5:33 Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.
34 But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved.
35 He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.
36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.
37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.
The Testimony of Jesus to the Religious Establishment!
Matthew 8:2 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
3 And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
4 And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
Jesus followed the principle of testifying and being a witness. Everywhere he went he showed, revealed, and gave testimony to the Father. He brought forth the gospel of Good news and gave it to the Apostles. He taught all those who followed him to testify of this to all men everywhere! By the time Jesus finished his work of atonement, he had manifested the Father unto those who were given him. They came to know that God had sent the Father and the words the Father gave to the Son were given to them. They knew the Son came from the Father and so believed on him. This was the testimony of Jesus to the world. The words the Father gave to the Son were given to those in the world. Some received them, others did not. Howbeit this did not change the veracity of the testimony. For the testimony of Christ was true, whether or not the religious establishment, the unbeliever, the Jew or the Gentile did not believe or receive it!
John 17:6 ¶I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.
8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.
It was the testimony of Jesus of the Father that fulfilled the ‘love of the truth’ which the LORD God had planned all along. The prophets had also testified of a coming Messiah. It was this plan of God to manifest himself, to bring salvation to all nations, and to bring the kingdom to those who would accept his love and in return give him their love and devotion. It was and still is the plan of God to bring witness and testimony to the world, even if they do not receive it. Jesus warned in Matthew 10:17-19 to ‘beware of men for they will deliver you up’. Thus those who followed the Lord would be persecuted and as with their LORD would find rejection, but the LORD told them that when this occurred they were to understand it was for a “testimony against them and the gentiles”, and they were to “take no thought how or what ye shall speak for it shall be given you in that same hour what to speak”. It is recorded in Acts 14:3 that the Apostles testimony was the ‘word of his grace’ , which they did testify to. It is here as well that the Father confirmed this word by sending ‘signs and wonders to be done by their hands’, which thus provided more witness to this God and his grace to the world.
Furthermore we read of other testimonies. For example the testimony of Enoch is what? Well in Hebrews 11:15 we see that Enoch’s testimony was that ‘he pleased God’. Enoch’s testimony is not known in exact details but this much is for sure, it was so good, God translated him to heaven. Simply put, Enoch did not see death. This is why many today see this man, Enoch as one of the two witnesses in Revelation. Why? Again scriptures say ‘it is given unto men once to die and after this the judgment’. Because Enoch did not see death, he will when he is one of the two witnesses in Revelation. These witnesses will also be Gods testimony and witness to an evil world, to the beast and false prophet, to the gentiles, and to the Jews that there is a True God and a true savior. This true God and true savior is not the one you see on earth and are following. It is not this false one, the beast and false prophet. This will be Gods Witness to the end time world.
The Testimony of the Two Witnesses to the World and the Beast!
Revelation 11:7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
It is during the outpouring of the ‘wrath of God’ in Revelation 15 that we see that these bowls of wrath proceed from the tabernacle of testimony in heaven. It is coming directly from God himself and this is seen as Gods final testimony and witness to a world that has rejected his love and sought out for themselves other Gods.
The Testimony of Heaven!
Revelation 15:5 ¶And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened:
Finally, just as the ‘testimony of Christ’ was confirmed in the Corinthians [1 Cor 1:5-9], for example, so too, our own testimony must be confirmed as well. We must ‘testify of Christ’. Remember John the Revelator gave and bare record of the Word of God and of the testimony of Jesus Christ. He also gave record of all things he saw. [Rev 1:2,9] He called himself, ‘your brother and companion in tribulation’. It is this that we as followers of our Lord Jesus must understand. We are living in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, just as John. It is the kingdom of Jesus Christ that is coming. It is his patience we must keep as we live our lives daily, testifying of and waiting for the return of Christ. It also is given unto us on the behalf of Christ Jesus, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.[Phil 1:29]
The Testimony of the Believers in the Last Days!
God has always had and always will have a testimony and a witness to the world. For these last days and the coming kingdom of Y’Shua, we are those witnesses of his grace, i.e. his gospel, and his love, who is Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, there is no other. It is that testimony, kept by his witnesses who hold the word of God dearly in their hearts and testify of him that are seen slain under the altar of God.[Rev 6:9]. It is our mandate to overcome, through faith, walking in the calling of our God. Revelation 12:11 says we have overcome and will overcome all things by the blood of the lamb, the word of our testimony, and we are to ‘love not our lives unto death’. As the dragon makes war with the seed of the woman. The seed being Jesus Christ, born of a Woman, begotten of God, and his seed all those who followed him and believed on him, i.e. ‘those who keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ’. [Rev 12:17]. It was to this end that John the Revelator saw and heard a ‘fellow servant and of thy brethren’ who ‘have the testimony of Jesus’, who said that the ‘testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.’ [Rev 19:10] It is the witness, the testimony borne to Jesus, those who testify of Jesus and for Jesus, this is the very essence of Prophecy. For Jesus fulfilled the law and the prophets. Jesus fulfilled prophecy, for it spoke of him and he spoke of the love of the truth. The truth that God, who cannot lie, sought to redeem man from the foundation of the world and called the end from the beginning to testify afore hand of his great love, plan, and coming Messiah who would redeem man from the sure death they were bound for. This is prophecy.
In conclusion, let me ask, what is your testimony of Jesus? What has he done for you, to you, with you, and in you? Everyone who knows the LORD has a witness borne of God through the Holy Spirit. It is that testimony in you that must be given. It is the way you overcome. In power, through the Holy Ghost, in these last days, let the testimony of God pour out unto those around you. Some will receive it, others will not. You are not above the Master himself, for he had those who hated him, rejected him, betrayed him, persecuted him, and those who loved him. He overcame, so will you! What is your testimony or witness?
Below is the testimony of the Apostle Paul, read them both!
The Testimony of Paul!
Acts 22:6 And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.
7 And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
8 And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.
9 And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
10 And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.
11 And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.
12 And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there,
13 Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.
14 And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.
15 For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.
Summation of the Apostle Paul regarding his testimony of Christ!
Acts 20:18 And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons,
19 Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:
20 And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house,
21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
22 And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:
23 Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.
24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
25 And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.
26 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.
27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.