Picking up with, Deuteronomy 30:6 and
Ezekiel 11:19-20, 36:26-27, then with these we should also look at
Jeremiah 31:31-34 and Ezekiel 37:26-28 and they read as follows:
Deuteronomy
30:6
“the LORD
thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to
love the LORD
thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou may
live.”
and then;
Ezekiel
11:19-20
“'I will
give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I
will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an
heart of flesh: That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine
ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and
I will be their God.'”
and next:
Ezekiel
36:26-27
“'A new
heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you:
and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will
give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and
cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments,
and do them.'”
now
we'll turn to Jeremiah and then Ezekiel as these tell us that the old
was to have an appointed
ending:
Jeremiah
31:31-34
“'Behold,
the days come', saith the LORD, that 'I will make a new covenant with
the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to
the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took
them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my
covenant they broke, although I was an husband unto them', saith the
LORD: But 'this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house
of Israel; After those days', saith the LORD, 'I will put my law in
their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their
God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every
man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD:
for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest
of them', saith the LORD: for 'I will forgive their iniquity, and I
will remember their sin no more.'”
and now
Ezekiel:
Ezekiel
37:26-28
“Moreover
'I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting
covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and
will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. My
tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and
they shall be my people. And the heathen shall know that I the LORD
do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them
for evermore.'”
Granted these were spoken through His prophets to Israel and granted they do apply to Israel but in principle and according to the revealing of figurative scripture usage they spread across to those who would come to trusting God as Abram trusted God. So from here now we'll turn back to Ephesians:
Ephesians 1:5-6
“Having predestinated
(in Genesis 3:15 as the seed of woman and the enmity to Satan) us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself,
according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the
glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in
the beloved (the seed of woman being the pearl of great price hidden within all mans souls and known a our conscience which speaks of the two pillars of Truth, one being conviction of sin and the other the need of redemption that are hidden in the heart of every man).” and
then verses 11-13 starting with verse 10.
Ephesians 1:10-14
“That in the
dispensation of the fulness of times (Revelation
5:9; Hebrews 12:22-24) he might gather together
in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are
on earth; even in him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance,
being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all
things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the
praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also
trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the (this) gospel of your
salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with
that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance
until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of
his glory.”
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Monday, June 17, 2013
A True an Accurate Meaning of Passover part 9
When when He stood before the
high priest, when that priest tore or rent his clothes (to cause
separation from one to an other, to sever, division, schism) he
passed to Christ his authority as high priest. All the Law and
Prophets at that point were part of Christ as they pointed toward
Christ, all the feast days were Christ, as was the Temple with all of
its utensils and the veil as His flesh and expressed in imagery or
shadow of Him that was to come. (Col. 2:16-17, Heb. 8:4-6, 9:9-10, 10:1-4)
Then there's the outer court (gentiles court, Christ flesh), inner court (Israel's place of materialism and nationalism) and the inner most court (the seat where mercy was in propitiation) or heart of the Temple (the heart of God and mankind). These are all revelations which we are required to master while in our first estate just as Israel was to have done but failed. As they like so many others have done since, taken all things quite literally and through they're reasoning's of these things have missed God as does the worlds churches by in large.
At the cross, of execution, man kinds redemption was inaugurated and all things were changed. The BC was on the left in the renegade and murderer, who refused the offered kingdom. On right side was the AD, the one who asked forgiveness received the offered kingdom. In the Lord's Body was the sum of all the Law, all Commandments, Prophets and Covenants therein contained and now consummated in propitiation in Him, by death. With the death of them, and us within His body, our propitiation then became our burial, resurrection and ascension. Which were witnessed by mans eyes and bore proof of that change.
He then gave to man the gift and infilling of His Holy Spirit as a means of bearing witness to this and other facts. For out of the mouth of two or three witnesses are all things to be established. With man this is impossible but with God all things are possible. All of what the Lord did was a beginning of a change from an external ministration (of death as contained in the literalness of mans religion of reason) under the law of commandment spoken directly to man-Adam, the Law, Psalms and Prophets and Covenants, to a totally spiritual ministration (of Life) in the principle of LIFE. The Eternal, under a Spiritual being, which is Christ in us the hope of glory. For Christ was the promised redeemer and seed of woman of Genesis 3:15 and as redeemer we are all through Him redeemed.
Sorry I got ahead of myself a bit.
The Hebrews had broken His body (the Covenants and the Law and had killed the prophets) because they had turned to reasoning in religious arguements ( which is spiritual idolatry and fornication in place of the true knowledge of God) long before He made His appointed appearance as the Son of Man (at the end of times or of the age as the for ever, last days, everlasting one). That is why He could say, “this is my body broken for you,” it could be said, this is My body that has been broken BY you. It was first broken by Adam and woman when they eat of the fruit. It was as the Everlasting Covenant that He took the Law and the Prophets to their appointed end, in consummation (as man-kinds, not just Israel's propitiation, which was symbolically the seat of mercy with the two cherubim in the heart of man), as mans redeemer in completion and fulfillment, in His death. And being in mans flesh as the God-child He could condemn sin in the flesh as the Son of man. And so He nailed them all to the tree or cross in accord of scriptures.
In His resurrection and ascension we find that we're also raised into Eternal Life and seated IN Christ and Christ is hid in God on the throne. That we are members of His Body the assembly of many parts.
Galatians 3:25
"But after that faith (the way) is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster."
Again we're going to ask you to mentally put the word "way" after faith and Law after schoolmaster. Being saved by faith + nothing in what God has said. Once we come to that place in God's economy in this progressive revelation. The Hebrews are no longer under a schoolmaster, in the corral or under a tutor: as the Law was pictured For we have all been "given right to become" through the Holy Spirit as our teacher, given guidance, as the example of the statutes and ordinances were.
This is also our first estate and we're to come out from under His redemptive covering. Allow us to explain schoolmaster here. The schoolmaster that Paul refers to is not in the Jewish economy, but rather the Greek and the Roman. And what the Greeks and Romans would do is hire a slave or a trustworthy servant [to train the heir apparent as a child in likeness], and that servant/slave was under the demands of the father to raise that child and tutor that child so that at some designated point out in the future, somewhere probably between the ages of 16 - 30 years of age, the tutor would be able to say, "Master this young man is now ready to come in and work right alone side of you in your business. He's got everything that he needs to know. He's been well-tutored, and is prepared." This was all in place when Christ came on the scene for He was its completion and operated in compliance with and to the Law, Psalms and the Prophets. He operated in full compliance of and to the requirements of the Law, Psalms and the Prophets. Remember He told John the Baptist that they were to fulfill all righteousness, this they did and He continues on to do. As Christ.
Now when that father has agreed that indeed the son is ready, then an adoption was instituted. It was not like we think of an adoption of taking a child from some other union, and legally bring him into another. That's not what the Scripture word adoption means. It meant to be placed as a son in full operation of the fathers business, on an equal basis with him in responsibility, and function and every other way. Now that's the term “schoolmaster” that Paul is using here and what it means. This servant who had been hired to bring this child to the place where he could step right in and work with the father. The early church used baptism as a means of adoption, to make that one a child, now get this; a God-child. All right do you get the picture? That's all the Law was intended to do for Israel. But they refused many times over and thereby failed, as Acts bears witness too.
It was to prepare them and bring them to the place that when the Messiah would come they were ready. And in faith they could have said, "Yes," and a few of them did, but for the most part the nation rejected their Messiah, their King, the God-child. They had that opportunity to believe everything that Christ was, had they been ready for Him, but they were not. They wanted to remain in their slavery of religion not knowing what they were bring upon themselves by and through this action of divorcement, the turning of their backs toward God. And so now it comes into our Gentile economy or “Church Age” for us and it's still a valid concept, that the law was given to prepare everything for the coming of the Messiah, the Redeemer, that He could fulfill the work of the Cross, as a God-child. Yes, He had to die, and He had to be buried, He had to be raised from the dead for our sanctification and justification through which we're called righteous.
For the way of God's adopting us as His God-child. But now we see the Law has been satisfied, it has been completely paid in full through the work of the Cross, in the water and blood that flowed, it had been judged as idolatrous and the Jewish religion as insufficient and we now enter in by faith + nothing. The Law, the Covenants, the Promises, Psalms and Prophets have done their job, it's done, it's been crucified, consummated in death and set off the scene. Rolled up as an old blanket or a book placed on the shelf. Isn't that beautiful? YES! it is. And all in the per-determinate counsel of God. Those who come into this faith relationship have in fact become God-children. This by way of Last Supper, garden cup, the cross of Christ and on until His ascension. And our being sealed by the Holy Spirit. This we find in Ephesians chapter 1 verses 5-6 and 11-13. But before we get there we need to look at two other scriptures that may shed some more light to what we've said so far. They are Deuteronomy 30:6 and Ezekiel 11:19-20, 36:26-27, then with these we should also look at Jeremiah 31:31-34 and Ezekiel 37:26-28 and they read as follows:
Then there's the outer court (gentiles court, Christ flesh), inner court (Israel's place of materialism and nationalism) and the inner most court (the seat where mercy was in propitiation) or heart of the Temple (the heart of God and mankind). These are all revelations which we are required to master while in our first estate just as Israel was to have done but failed. As they like so many others have done since, taken all things quite literally and through they're reasoning's of these things have missed God as does the worlds churches by in large.
At the cross, of execution, man kinds redemption was inaugurated and all things were changed. The BC was on the left in the renegade and murderer, who refused the offered kingdom. On right side was the AD, the one who asked forgiveness received the offered kingdom. In the Lord's Body was the sum of all the Law, all Commandments, Prophets and Covenants therein contained and now consummated in propitiation in Him, by death. With the death of them, and us within His body, our propitiation then became our burial, resurrection and ascension. Which were witnessed by mans eyes and bore proof of that change.
He then gave to man the gift and infilling of His Holy Spirit as a means of bearing witness to this and other facts. For out of the mouth of two or three witnesses are all things to be established. With man this is impossible but with God all things are possible. All of what the Lord did was a beginning of a change from an external ministration (of death as contained in the literalness of mans religion of reason) under the law of commandment spoken directly to man-Adam, the Law, Psalms and Prophets and Covenants, to a totally spiritual ministration (of Life) in the principle of LIFE. The Eternal, under a Spiritual being, which is Christ in us the hope of glory. For Christ was the promised redeemer and seed of woman of Genesis 3:15 and as redeemer we are all through Him redeemed.
Sorry I got ahead of myself a bit.
The Hebrews had broken His body (the Covenants and the Law and had killed the prophets) because they had turned to reasoning in religious arguements ( which is spiritual idolatry and fornication in place of the true knowledge of God) long before He made His appointed appearance as the Son of Man (at the end of times or of the age as the for ever, last days, everlasting one). That is why He could say, “this is my body broken for you,” it could be said, this is My body that has been broken BY you. It was first broken by Adam and woman when they eat of the fruit. It was as the Everlasting Covenant that He took the Law and the Prophets to their appointed end, in consummation (as man-kinds, not just Israel's propitiation, which was symbolically the seat of mercy with the two cherubim in the heart of man), as mans redeemer in completion and fulfillment, in His death. And being in mans flesh as the God-child He could condemn sin in the flesh as the Son of man. And so He nailed them all to the tree or cross in accord of scriptures.
In His resurrection and ascension we find that we're also raised into Eternal Life and seated IN Christ and Christ is hid in God on the throne. That we are members of His Body the assembly of many parts.
Galatians 3:25
"But after that faith (the way) is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster."
Again we're going to ask you to mentally put the word "way" after faith and Law after schoolmaster. Being saved by faith + nothing in what God has said. Once we come to that place in God's economy in this progressive revelation. The Hebrews are no longer under a schoolmaster, in the corral or under a tutor: as the Law was pictured For we have all been "given right to become" through the Holy Spirit as our teacher, given guidance, as the example of the statutes and ordinances were.
This is also our first estate and we're to come out from under His redemptive covering. Allow us to explain schoolmaster here. The schoolmaster that Paul refers to is not in the Jewish economy, but rather the Greek and the Roman. And what the Greeks and Romans would do is hire a slave or a trustworthy servant [to train the heir apparent as a child in likeness], and that servant/slave was under the demands of the father to raise that child and tutor that child so that at some designated point out in the future, somewhere probably between the ages of 16 - 30 years of age, the tutor would be able to say, "Master this young man is now ready to come in and work right alone side of you in your business. He's got everything that he needs to know. He's been well-tutored, and is prepared." This was all in place when Christ came on the scene for He was its completion and operated in compliance with and to the Law, Psalms and the Prophets. He operated in full compliance of and to the requirements of the Law, Psalms and the Prophets. Remember He told John the Baptist that they were to fulfill all righteousness, this they did and He continues on to do. As Christ.
Now when that father has agreed that indeed the son is ready, then an adoption was instituted. It was not like we think of an adoption of taking a child from some other union, and legally bring him into another. That's not what the Scripture word adoption means. It meant to be placed as a son in full operation of the fathers business, on an equal basis with him in responsibility, and function and every other way. Now that's the term “schoolmaster” that Paul is using here and what it means. This servant who had been hired to bring this child to the place where he could step right in and work with the father. The early church used baptism as a means of adoption, to make that one a child, now get this; a God-child. All right do you get the picture? That's all the Law was intended to do for Israel. But they refused many times over and thereby failed, as Acts bears witness too.
It was to prepare them and bring them to the place that when the Messiah would come they were ready. And in faith they could have said, "Yes," and a few of them did, but for the most part the nation rejected their Messiah, their King, the God-child. They had that opportunity to believe everything that Christ was, had they been ready for Him, but they were not. They wanted to remain in their slavery of religion not knowing what they were bring upon themselves by and through this action of divorcement, the turning of their backs toward God. And so now it comes into our Gentile economy or “Church Age” for us and it's still a valid concept, that the law was given to prepare everything for the coming of the Messiah, the Redeemer, that He could fulfill the work of the Cross, as a God-child. Yes, He had to die, and He had to be buried, He had to be raised from the dead for our sanctification and justification through which we're called righteous.
For the way of God's adopting us as His God-child. But now we see the Law has been satisfied, it has been completely paid in full through the work of the Cross, in the water and blood that flowed, it had been judged as idolatrous and the Jewish religion as insufficient and we now enter in by faith + nothing. The Law, the Covenants, the Promises, Psalms and Prophets have done their job, it's done, it's been crucified, consummated in death and set off the scene. Rolled up as an old blanket or a book placed on the shelf. Isn't that beautiful? YES! it is. And all in the per-determinate counsel of God. Those who come into this faith relationship have in fact become God-children. This by way of Last Supper, garden cup, the cross of Christ and on until His ascension. And our being sealed by the Holy Spirit. This we find in Ephesians chapter 1 verses 5-6 and 11-13. But before we get there we need to look at two other scriptures that may shed some more light to what we've said so far. They are Deuteronomy 30:6 and Ezekiel 11:19-20, 36:26-27, then with these we should also look at Jeremiah 31:31-34 and Ezekiel 37:26-28 and they read as follows:
Saturday, June 15, 2013
A True an Accurate Meaning of Passover part 8
Luke
22:20 “Likewise also the cup (of
lot or fate, for those who will receive it the final outcome) after
supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is
shed for you (metaphorically
one’s lot or experience, whether joyous or adverse, divine
appointments, whether favorable or unfavorable, are likened to a cup
which God presents one to drink, from which we get “imbibe”).”
now:
Psalm 116:15
“Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.” now
Psalm 72:14
“He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.”
and now
1Samuel 25:29-31
“Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle (the things of value are collected, gathered together) of life with the LORD thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling. And it shall come to pass, when the LORD shall have done to my lord according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall have appointed thee ruler over Israel; That this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself: but when the LORD shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thine handmaid.”
This is Abigail speaking to king David and she's speaking of Nabal (this name mean folly is with him) an enemy against whom Yehovah had stayed the hand of David and kept him from killing this man. Abigail is the handmaid.
“My Lord shall bind or bound in the bundle of life” those things in the cup unseen even though it be a cup of affliction. Affliction because it is not known or not understood because the natural man only sees the external temporal and literal things of the world. He does not see nor know that which God is about doing within the soul and spirit given over to Him. Because as Paul tells us, “we're to walk by Faith not by sight,” which means that we don't always know what is laying ahead, like in the night when there is no moon to aid our sight nor candle or lamp to light the way. Now we'll look at the garden scene just a matter of a few hours later as written in each gospel account:
Matthew 26:36-39
“Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, 'Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.' And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he unto them, 'My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.' And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, 'O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.'”
Mark 14:32-41
“And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, 'Sit ye here, while I shall pray.' And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; And saith unto them, 'My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.' And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, 'Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.' And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, 'Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour? Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.' And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words. And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him. And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, 'Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.'”
Luke 22:39-46
“And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him. And when he was at the place, he said unto them, 'Pray that ye enter not into temptation.' And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, 'Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.' And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow, And said unto them, 'Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.'”
In each synoptic gospel account we find the cup, now did He actually carry a cup with Him? We think not, so the cup is figurative language for the burden and weight that He was under.
Psalm 116:15
“Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.” now
Psalm 72:14
“He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.”
and now
1Samuel 25:29-31
“Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle (the things of value are collected, gathered together) of life with the LORD thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling. And it shall come to pass, when the LORD shall have done to my lord according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee, and shall have appointed thee ruler over Israel; That this shall be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself: but when the LORD shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember thine handmaid.”
This is Abigail speaking to king David and she's speaking of Nabal (this name mean folly is with him) an enemy against whom Yehovah had stayed the hand of David and kept him from killing this man. Abigail is the handmaid.
“My Lord shall bind or bound in the bundle of life” those things in the cup unseen even though it be a cup of affliction. Affliction because it is not known or not understood because the natural man only sees the external temporal and literal things of the world. He does not see nor know that which God is about doing within the soul and spirit given over to Him. Because as Paul tells us, “we're to walk by Faith not by sight,” which means that we don't always know what is laying ahead, like in the night when there is no moon to aid our sight nor candle or lamp to light the way. Now we'll look at the garden scene just a matter of a few hours later as written in each gospel account:
Matthew 26:36-39
“Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, 'Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.' And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he unto them, 'My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.' And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, 'O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.'”
Mark 14:32-41
“And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, 'Sit ye here, while I shall pray.' And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; And saith unto them, 'My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.' And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, 'Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.' And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, 'Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour? Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.' And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words. And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him. And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, 'Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.'”
Luke 22:39-46
“And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him. And when he was at the place, he said unto them, 'Pray that ye enter not into temptation.' And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, 'Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.' And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow, And said unto them, 'Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.'”
John
18:1-9
“When Jesus had spoken
these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron,
where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples. And
Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes
resorted thither with his disciples. Judas then, having received a
band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh
thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. Jesus therefore,
knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said
unto them, 'Whom seek ye?' They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus
saith unto them, 'I am.' And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with
them. As soon then as he had said unto them, 'I am', they went
backward, and fell to the ground. Then asked he them again, 'Whom seek
ye?' And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth". Jesus answered, 'I have told you
that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way: That
the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou
gavest me have I lost none.'”
In each synoptic gospel account we find the cup, now did He actually carry a cup with Him? We think not, so the cup is figurative language for the burden and weight that He was under.
Friday, June 14, 2013
A True an Accurate Meaning of Passover part 7
True Faith works through and
in Love,wherein His Grace is received through the ontological essence of the Spirit of Christ having been restored to the redeemed person, when he operates in and by Christ's Faith only. For this is how Adam lived before the fall into darkness in death and sin. Wherein man then lived by his own inventions and self will and developed self-sufficiency because he could no longer trust any one else. What he did not know is this, man was first birthed a receptive being who would draw from a spiritual source either for his good or for his worst in evil. He did not know that in God alone is all goodness to be found and in the evil was all sorts of previsions in iniquity and evil which have there beginning in his mind, intellect, imaginations, opinions and then to his will and emotions in his fallen state.
Just here we'll quote in part from a book written by Andrew Murray entitled “The Two Covenant” which is available in the public domain the following: “It has pleased Him (God), not as an arbitrary appointment, but for good and wise reasons, which made it indispensably necessary that it should be so, and not otherwise. The clearer our insight into the reasons, and the Divine reasonableness, of there thus being two covenants, and into their relation to each other, the more full and true can be our own personal apprehension of what the New Covenant is meant to be to us. They indicate two stages in God's dealing with man; two ways of serving God, a lower or elementary one of preparation and promise (the first estate into which all professing to believe are placed by God in redemption), a higher or more advanced one of fulfillment and possession (the greater blessing of promise, which requires our willingness to enter only after having passed through the first and our acceptance of the crisis, the cross through the Lord's Supper and garden cup wherein death to the sin nature takes place and we then receive a new the ontological essence of the Spirit of Christ as promised in Genesis 3:15). As that in which the true excellency of the second consists is opened up to us, we can spiritually enter into what God has prepared for us. Let us try and understand why there should have been two, neither less nor more.
In the very nature of things there was no other way possible to God than this in dealing with a being whom He had endowed with the Godlike power of a will. (This is seen in Adam before the fall as Genesis record reveals.) And all the weight this reason for the Divine procedure has in God's dealing with His people as a whole, it equally has in dealing with the individual. (Again as the vow to mans being restored to has first state of being while remaining within the body prepared for him, a spiritual or heavenly being conjoined to God through Christ, and in Christ. Which like Adams willful act caused mans fall so our willful act of receptive trust will cause His Faith in Love to string to Life within us again.) The two covenants represent two stages of God's education of man and of man's seeking after God. The progress and transition from the one to the other is not merely chronological or historical; it is organic and spiritual. In greater or lesser degree it is seen in every member of the body, as well as in the body as a whole. (Every person ever born of woman has within them a conscience of goodness awaiting in receptive anticipation (in hungering and thirsting) the Light of the Gospel through a change of natures. This takes place when the flesh of mans heart is circumcised by God. Which is a reversal of what took place in woman and then in Adam at the instant of the transgression and his receiving the nature of Satan and becoming a child of his.) Under the Old Covenant there were men in whom, by anticipation, the powers of the coming redemption worked mightily. (These are the righteous man and woman of faith as listed in Luke chapter 3 and Hebrews 11. These are also those seen when the earth quaked and the graves were opened at the moment of Christ first resurrection as witnessed in Matthew 27:51-53.) In the New Covenant there are men in whom the spirit of the Old still makes itself manifest. (This is seen in all who stick with mans religion and thereby the deadness of the literal letter and are known by their actions and words as dead witness of their own choosing. Though the seed remains within and is receptive of the Truth but as just said they refuse Christ who is alone all Truth as John bears witness in chapter 1 and elsewhere in his witness message.)) The New Testament proves, in some of its most important Epistles,- especially those to the Galatians, Romans, and Hebrews, how possible it is within the New Covenant still to be held fast in the bondage of the Old by a spiritual force known as religion (And I might add mans unredeemed reasoning's through the use of taking all things in a literal fashion instead of figuratively as they were first meant to be, in faith. For religion comes from the Latin word "religare" which means to hinder, bind or to restrict, as when a policeman hand cuffs a suspect and thereby takes control of his actions. For all religion apart from God's limited form as seen in James chapter 1 and verse 27 is of mans design and making in accord with the evil one. And can be best seen in Revelation chapters 16 starting at verse 19 on through to chapter 18 verse 24.).”
This is inserted because of our statements of their being a first estate in which we're given the Holy Spirit as our first blessing who as our aid and helper, teacher, tutor and trainer and guide into all things spiritual and a second of greater blessing than the first. And the requirement of our willingness to die to all that is worldly, literal, carnal or of religion and of self and self motivation and self sufficiency. There are many a Bible student who have gone on before us who by way of the Holy Spirit have been enlightened to the secrets that the Apostle Paul has opened to us, these men be many and to name just a few are the mystics, Enoch, Jasher though Jasher is not a proper name but is rather a book that draws a true and straight line of delineation, a plumb-line, Jacob Bohmen, William Law who rewrote, ie...interpreted Jacob Bohmen's works, Andrew Murray who also noted the writings of William Law and other such men of renown as, Major Ian Thomas, Watchman Nee, E.W. Kenyon even modern day James Fowler of “Christ In You Ministries” and Les Feldick of "through the Bible with Les Feldick" a simple study in the basics of scripture, to name but a few. William Law has a book which posses the argument between a institutional or religious literal belief system of err and the spiritual system in which is Truth of all that the Lord reveals of Himself during the Marriage Feast of the Lamb or the LORD's Passover meal which we're endeavored to share herein. It's titled “A Demonstration of the Gross and Fundamental Errors” written around the 1600's. My wife just opened this book as of May 2013 and it bears witness and is therefore confirmation to what we herein have already written.
Just here we'll quote in part from a book written by Andrew Murray entitled “The Two Covenant” which is available in the public domain the following: “It has pleased Him (God), not as an arbitrary appointment, but for good and wise reasons, which made it indispensably necessary that it should be so, and not otherwise. The clearer our insight into the reasons, and the Divine reasonableness, of there thus being two covenants, and into their relation to each other, the more full and true can be our own personal apprehension of what the New Covenant is meant to be to us. They indicate two stages in God's dealing with man; two ways of serving God, a lower or elementary one of preparation and promise (the first estate into which all professing to believe are placed by God in redemption), a higher or more advanced one of fulfillment and possession (the greater blessing of promise, which requires our willingness to enter only after having passed through the first and our acceptance of the crisis, the cross through the Lord's Supper and garden cup wherein death to the sin nature takes place and we then receive a new the ontological essence of the Spirit of Christ as promised in Genesis 3:15). As that in which the true excellency of the second consists is opened up to us, we can spiritually enter into what God has prepared for us. Let us try and understand why there should have been two, neither less nor more.
In the very nature of things there was no other way possible to God than this in dealing with a being whom He had endowed with the Godlike power of a will. (This is seen in Adam before the fall as Genesis record reveals.) And all the weight this reason for the Divine procedure has in God's dealing with His people as a whole, it equally has in dealing with the individual. (Again as the vow to mans being restored to has first state of being while remaining within the body prepared for him, a spiritual or heavenly being conjoined to God through Christ, and in Christ. Which like Adams willful act caused mans fall so our willful act of receptive trust will cause His Faith in Love to string to Life within us again.) The two covenants represent two stages of God's education of man and of man's seeking after God. The progress and transition from the one to the other is not merely chronological or historical; it is organic and spiritual. In greater or lesser degree it is seen in every member of the body, as well as in the body as a whole. (Every person ever born of woman has within them a conscience of goodness awaiting in receptive anticipation (in hungering and thirsting) the Light of the Gospel through a change of natures. This takes place when the flesh of mans heart is circumcised by God. Which is a reversal of what took place in woman and then in Adam at the instant of the transgression and his receiving the nature of Satan and becoming a child of his.) Under the Old Covenant there were men in whom, by anticipation, the powers of the coming redemption worked mightily. (These are the righteous man and woman of faith as listed in Luke chapter 3 and Hebrews 11. These are also those seen when the earth quaked and the graves were opened at the moment of Christ first resurrection as witnessed in Matthew 27:51-53.) In the New Covenant there are men in whom the spirit of the Old still makes itself manifest. (This is seen in all who stick with mans religion and thereby the deadness of the literal letter and are known by their actions and words as dead witness of their own choosing. Though the seed remains within and is receptive of the Truth but as just said they refuse Christ who is alone all Truth as John bears witness in chapter 1 and elsewhere in his witness message.)) The New Testament proves, in some of its most important Epistles,- especially those to the Galatians, Romans, and Hebrews, how possible it is within the New Covenant still to be held fast in the bondage of the Old by a spiritual force known as religion (And I might add mans unredeemed reasoning's through the use of taking all things in a literal fashion instead of figuratively as they were first meant to be, in faith. For religion comes from the Latin word "religare" which means to hinder, bind or to restrict, as when a policeman hand cuffs a suspect and thereby takes control of his actions. For all religion apart from God's limited form as seen in James chapter 1 and verse 27 is of mans design and making in accord with the evil one. And can be best seen in Revelation chapters 16 starting at verse 19 on through to chapter 18 verse 24.).”
This is inserted because of our statements of their being a first estate in which we're given the Holy Spirit as our first blessing who as our aid and helper, teacher, tutor and trainer and guide into all things spiritual and a second of greater blessing than the first. And the requirement of our willingness to die to all that is worldly, literal, carnal or of religion and of self and self motivation and self sufficiency. There are many a Bible student who have gone on before us who by way of the Holy Spirit have been enlightened to the secrets that the Apostle Paul has opened to us, these men be many and to name just a few are the mystics, Enoch, Jasher though Jasher is not a proper name but is rather a book that draws a true and straight line of delineation, a plumb-line, Jacob Bohmen, William Law who rewrote, ie...interpreted Jacob Bohmen's works, Andrew Murray who also noted the writings of William Law and other such men of renown as, Major Ian Thomas, Watchman Nee, E.W. Kenyon even modern day James Fowler of “Christ In You Ministries” and Les Feldick of "through the Bible with Les Feldick" a simple study in the basics of scripture, to name but a few. William Law has a book which posses the argument between a institutional or religious literal belief system of err and the spiritual system in which is Truth of all that the Lord reveals of Himself during the Marriage Feast of the Lamb or the LORD's Passover meal which we're endeavored to share herein. It's titled “A Demonstration of the Gross and Fundamental Errors” written around the 1600's. My wife just opened this book as of May 2013 and it bears witness and is therefore confirmation to what we herein have already written.
Thursday, June 13, 2013
A True an Accurate Meaning of Passover part 6
Continueing on with our thought:
There is of necessity three cups the two of the meal and then the cup in the garden. The cup of the New Covenant which signifies the end of the now Old and the bringing of the New which replaces the broken Old Covenants, the Law, Psalms and the Prophets in their proper place of fulfillment or completion in consummation in Jesus. This is the cup of the meal. Then the cup which conceals that which it contains, as a bag conceals what is in it, such as a cloth bag or an old wine skin so conceals from sight that which is hidden or had been so hidden from literal veiw. This is what the custom or practice of the Passover and the Lord's Marriage Feast concealed in its meaning in the elements and the double purpose or application as a Marriage Feast and a death of an old nature (as passed to all sons of Adam) and the New Life promised mankind at Genesis 3:15 and 21. The Life restored through the now New nature in the second Adam. A re-birthing from above becoming spiritually alive or to wake up as from the dead. As a seed buried and which is dead then comes to life we know not how (John 12:24). Paul spends four chapters in Romans dealing with sin and its death and the exchange of these two natures which took place during the Lord's Last Supper on through His ascension and we might add the giving of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. When we so receive Him we're in the process of entering into righteousness wherein our spirit begins to feed on the figurative language of God's Living Word. In the Epistle to the Hebrews the writer relates to the Lord's own words in the eating of His flesh and the drinking of His blood both being a shadow in type of the promised New Covenant that came about through the office of His death and the shedding of His Blood. He consummated the first (The Old) to inaugurate the second, the New. This He could only do because they both have to do with Him being their centers.
“Christ was given all power”-Psalm 2: 6-8; Matthew 11: 27, 28:18; John 1: 29, 10:17-18, 24, 17: 2.
“I am the resurrection and the Life”-Exodus 3:14; Ecclesiastes 12:1; John 11: 25.
"Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord has made with you."-Genesis 3:15, 21; Exodus 24: 8; Mark 14:24; Hebrews 9: 20.
"This cup is the new covenant in My blood."-Genesis 14: 18; 1 Corinthians 11: 25; Matthew 26: 28.
"The blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified."- Hebrews 10: 29.
"The blood of the everlasting covenant. "-Genesis 14:18; Hebrews 13: 21.
" I give thee for a covenant of the people."-Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 42: 6, 49: 8; Matthew 26: 28; Romans 3: 25-26.
“The Lord shall suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in.” -Genesis 2:7; Malachi 3:1; Haggai 2: 7-9; Luke 2: 11, 21-32, 38, 46; Acts 7: 38.
“The prayer of Faith”-Matthew 21:21-22, Mark 11:22-24; Luke 11:8-10, John 14:13, 1 John 5:14-15.
" Jesus was made Surety of a better covenant. "-Genesis 3:15, 21; Hebrews 7: 22.
"The Mediator of the Better Covenant, established upon better promises . . . . The Mediator of the New Covenant . . . . We are come to Jesus, the Mediator of the New Covenant." -Hebrews 8: 6, 9: 15, 12: 24.
“He is our need and the supply for that need”-Exodus 3:11-12, 14-15, 4:10-14; Deuteronomy 8:3-4; Philippians 4:19, 1 Corinthians 1:4, 2 Corinthians 12:9; 2 Timothy 2:1, John 1:14, 17.
“Through the blood of the Everlasting Covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do His Will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. -Hebrews 13: 20-21.
“The principle of the promised Newness of Life in two parts, the first as the propitiation which is the completion or consummation of all that had gone before, sin and death, then of His ontological essence which was in the original Adam in Genesis 1:27, 2:7 as the corporate or federal head of His Body. Since Genesis He has been symbolized by the appointed images, instruments, figures, and utilities in Jewish symbols of worship. Now done away with as the bread and then the second the inauguration of Newness of Life in the cup in which there was wine a symbol of His Blood as the New Covenant sealed by His Spirit of Life, in His blood in all righteousness. This is to be a memorial once practiced but now not so for us, for while He in His ontological essence, His likeness and, His character is being increased within us, again as we become a second Adam.”-Jeremiah 31:30-36; Matthew 26:28; Hebrews 8:6-13, 9:15
“Christ is the principle of Life through Light, Love, Grace in Truth and Spirit. For we now worship the Father is Spirit and in Truth as a son of God by faith.”-John 4:23-24, 14:16-18, 16:13
Then in 1 Corinthians Paul covers it in similar fashion from chapter 5 through 15 mostly in figurative language under the direction of the Holy Spirit. Allow me to turn to 1 Corinthians 5:7 where we find:
1Corinthians 5:7-8
“Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”
As the body or flesh of Christ was of the old leaven, just as ours is but it is said that He had no malice, guile of bitterness in Him (1 Peter 2:22). We could place several words in such places as “the old leaven” or sin, lawlessness, iniquity, wickedness...etc., and “a new lump” with spiritually awakened, sanctified, and righteousness. All through the idea of opening up to public view the Truth, the exposing of the mysteries or secret things hid by God from Israel's and all unredeemed mans understanding. These things are also hid from plan view from those who have entered the first estate in redemption until the Holy Spirit has properly prepared them as the ground is prepared to receive the seed, in Love. For true Faith works through or in Love, not mans philio love of weakness and niggardliness but God's Agape Love restored.
There is of necessity three cups the two of the meal and then the cup in the garden. The cup of the New Covenant which signifies the end of the now Old and the bringing of the New which replaces the broken Old Covenants, the Law, Psalms and the Prophets in their proper place of fulfillment or completion in consummation in Jesus. This is the cup of the meal. Then the cup which conceals that which it contains, as a bag conceals what is in it, such as a cloth bag or an old wine skin so conceals from sight that which is hidden or had been so hidden from literal veiw. This is what the custom or practice of the Passover and the Lord's Marriage Feast concealed in its meaning in the elements and the double purpose or application as a Marriage Feast and a death of an old nature (as passed to all sons of Adam) and the New Life promised mankind at Genesis 3:15 and 21. The Life restored through the now New nature in the second Adam. A re-birthing from above becoming spiritually alive or to wake up as from the dead. As a seed buried and which is dead then comes to life we know not how (John 12:24). Paul spends four chapters in Romans dealing with sin and its death and the exchange of these two natures which took place during the Lord's Last Supper on through His ascension and we might add the giving of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. When we so receive Him we're in the process of entering into righteousness wherein our spirit begins to feed on the figurative language of God's Living Word. In the Epistle to the Hebrews the writer relates to the Lord's own words in the eating of His flesh and the drinking of His blood both being a shadow in type of the promised New Covenant that came about through the office of His death and the shedding of His Blood. He consummated the first (The Old) to inaugurate the second, the New. This He could only do because they both have to do with Him being their centers.
“Christ was given all power”-Psalm 2: 6-8; Matthew 11: 27, 28:18; John 1: 29, 10:17-18, 24, 17: 2.
“I am the resurrection and the Life”-Exodus 3:14; Ecclesiastes 12:1; John 11: 25.
"Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord has made with you."-Genesis 3:15, 21; Exodus 24: 8; Mark 14:24; Hebrews 9: 20.
"This cup is the new covenant in My blood."-Genesis 14: 18; 1 Corinthians 11: 25; Matthew 26: 28.
"The blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified."- Hebrews 10: 29.
"The blood of the everlasting covenant. "-Genesis 14:18; Hebrews 13: 21.
" I give thee for a covenant of the people."-Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 42: 6, 49: 8; Matthew 26: 28; Romans 3: 25-26.
“The Lord shall suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in.” -Genesis 2:7; Malachi 3:1; Haggai 2: 7-9; Luke 2: 11, 21-32, 38, 46; Acts 7: 38.
“The prayer of Faith”-Matthew 21:21-22, Mark 11:22-24; Luke 11:8-10, John 14:13, 1 John 5:14-15.
" Jesus was made Surety of a better covenant. "-Genesis 3:15, 21; Hebrews 7: 22.
"The Mediator of the Better Covenant, established upon better promises . . . . The Mediator of the New Covenant . . . . We are come to Jesus, the Mediator of the New Covenant." -Hebrews 8: 6, 9: 15, 12: 24.
“He is our need and the supply for that need”-Exodus 3:11-12, 14-15, 4:10-14; Deuteronomy 8:3-4; Philippians 4:19, 1 Corinthians 1:4, 2 Corinthians 12:9; 2 Timothy 2:1, John 1:14, 17.
“Through the blood of the Everlasting Covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do His Will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. -Hebrews 13: 20-21.
“The principle of the promised Newness of Life in two parts, the first as the propitiation which is the completion or consummation of all that had gone before, sin and death, then of His ontological essence which was in the original Adam in Genesis 1:27, 2:7 as the corporate or federal head of His Body. Since Genesis He has been symbolized by the appointed images, instruments, figures, and utilities in Jewish symbols of worship. Now done away with as the bread and then the second the inauguration of Newness of Life in the cup in which there was wine a symbol of His Blood as the New Covenant sealed by His Spirit of Life, in His blood in all righteousness. This is to be a memorial once practiced but now not so for us, for while He in His ontological essence, His likeness and, His character is being increased within us, again as we become a second Adam.”-Jeremiah 31:30-36; Matthew 26:28; Hebrews 8:6-13, 9:15
“Christ is the principle of Life through Light, Love, Grace in Truth and Spirit. For we now worship the Father is Spirit and in Truth as a son of God by faith.”-John 4:23-24, 14:16-18, 16:13
Then in 1 Corinthians Paul covers it in similar fashion from chapter 5 through 15 mostly in figurative language under the direction of the Holy Spirit. Allow me to turn to 1 Corinthians 5:7 where we find:
1Corinthians 5:7-8
“Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”
As the body or flesh of Christ was of the old leaven, just as ours is but it is said that He had no malice, guile of bitterness in Him (1 Peter 2:22). We could place several words in such places as “the old leaven” or sin, lawlessness, iniquity, wickedness...etc., and “a new lump” with spiritually awakened, sanctified, and righteousness. All through the idea of opening up to public view the Truth, the exposing of the mysteries or secret things hid by God from Israel's and all unredeemed mans understanding. These things are also hid from plan view from those who have entered the first estate in redemption until the Holy Spirit has properly prepared them as the ground is prepared to receive the seed, in Love. For true Faith works through or in Love, not mans philio love of weakness and niggardliness but God's Agape Love restored.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
A True an Accurate Meaning of Passover part 5
Yesterday we left off with this statement which is partially correct:
"These are all part and parcel of the promised New Covenant the Covenant of an Endless an Eternal Life which Jesus, as the second Adam, declared as being only found in Him as recorded by John in 11:25 and attested to in Psalm 36:9 and Isaiah 38:16."
Here's where this covenant actually was started and again we'll need to go to Genesis chapter 3 and verses 14-15, 21: "The LORD God said to the serpent, 'Because you have done this, you are cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon your belly shalt you go, and dust shall (will) you eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; it (He) shall bruise your head, and you shalt bruise His heel.'".... Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them." Within the context of verse 15 is the first Covenant of all of scripture, wherein is found the promised redeemer. And the Newness of His Life restored to man and it speaks of who? Christ Jesus. Because it was His life or spirit in the beginning in chapter 1:26-27 and then in 2:7, which is attested to by John. Just as do all the Covenants and Promises, Psalms and Prophets spoken to or revealed to Israel but because of the spirit of reason as a familiar spirit they did not comprehend the veiled language because of their hardness of heart which was given mankind at the moment of his separation by death into sin, and were separated form God.
Exodus 23:20a "Behold, I send an Angel..."
Now, that is capitalized! So Who is the Angel when it is capitalized? It’s God the Son again! It’s the Lord, Yehovah, or in our New Testament Yeshua-Messiah, Jesus Christ. The Angel that redeemed me is the way Jacob puts it and there is only one Redeemer in scripture. So, it has to be God the Son! Here is another good example. Who is speaking? God the Son! Who is He going to send? God the Son! We have to remember that all through Scripture, God the Son can speak to God the Father but what are they? They are one and the same so far as all practical purposes are concerned. We can not have one without the other they are inseparable if you will. And it should be pointed out that king David bears this out in his Psalms.
The only difference that we have is in Christ’s earthly ministry when He spoke from the flesh through the Holy Spirit and now He addresses or prays to the Father, what makes the difference? Well, now He is speaking from His humanity and indeed He can address God the Father as His Father. But, when He speaks from His position of Deity, then we think it was Martin Luther who came to the tremendous conclusion that it was God speaking to whom? To God!! So, don’t let that throw you - sometimes God the Son speaks concerning Himself. With this revealed it might here be that we need to say that when God swore by No greater than Himself, in His covenants or pledges. Though they had a mans name on them, He addressed toward an individual that individual was not the man but is in fact Christ. Or in other words He was speaking to Himself as the greater one and the lesser one as the Son of man. Just as was just revealed, God was speaking to the Son of promise who is Christ. Just as the seed of woman found in Genesis chapter 3 is Christ.... and the Adam of Genesis 2 is also Christ (the second Adam) this is then revealed in Hebrews chapter 10 and verses 5 and 7 where it says: “Wherefore when he (Jesus) came into the world, he said, Sacrifice and offering You would not, but a body have You prepared me....Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.” (verse 5 ties with Psalm 2:1-5, and then 6-8, 40:6-8; 50:8-23; Isaiah 1:11; Jeremiah 6:20 and then Amos 5:21-22. Then verse 7 ties with Genesis 3:15; and in the synoptic gospels where He though limited speaks of Himself as the Light, Life, Resurrection, Revelation, Knowledge, Wisdom of God, bread, wine, vine...etc.; Hebrews 10:9-10; John 4:34, 5:30, 6:38) And since the cross we like Jesus can say in agreement with Christ, “in the volume of the book it is written of me, I have come to do They Will of God” and not do harm to the scriptures, for with the Apostle Paul we can ask, “what do You require of me O Lord?” as found in Acts 9:6. For it is of these phrases and others like them that we can enter into promised New Covenant and become a God-child, a second Adam in Christ. “Except you become as little children (a second Adam in innocence and with a tender heart or) you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven or of God.” (Matthew 18:3 paraphrased) For John said that we're given the power or the right to “become a son", which simply means we're not yet there (John 1:12).
For we have to accept the offered redeemer and His redemption before we have right or power to enter even though in Jesus that redemption is complete, He enacted it, He enforces it and empowers it but we have to receive both Him and it as our own. Through action of our free will choice just as it was a free will choice of Adam to eat of the forbidden fruit. Because of the first Covenant of Redemption given man was through Adam our receiving and acceptance is through the second Adam.
"These are all part and parcel of the promised New Covenant the Covenant of an Endless an Eternal Life which Jesus, as the second Adam, declared as being only found in Him as recorded by John in 11:25 and attested to in Psalm 36:9 and Isaiah 38:16."
Here's where this covenant actually was started and again we'll need to go to Genesis chapter 3 and verses 14-15, 21: "The LORD God said to the serpent, 'Because you have done this, you are cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon your belly shalt you go, and dust shall (will) you eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; it (He) shall bruise your head, and you shalt bruise His heel.'".... Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them." Within the context of verse 15 is the first Covenant of all of scripture, wherein is found the promised redeemer. And the Newness of His Life restored to man and it speaks of who? Christ Jesus. Because it was His life or spirit in the beginning in chapter 1:26-27 and then in 2:7, which is attested to by John. Just as do all the Covenants and Promises, Psalms and Prophets spoken to or revealed to Israel but because of the spirit of reason as a familiar spirit they did not comprehend the veiled language because of their hardness of heart which was given mankind at the moment of his separation by death into sin, and were separated form God.
Exodus 23:20a "Behold, I send an Angel..."
Now, that is capitalized! So Who is the Angel when it is capitalized? It’s God the Son again! It’s the Lord, Yehovah, or in our New Testament Yeshua-Messiah, Jesus Christ. The Angel that redeemed me is the way Jacob puts it and there is only one Redeemer in scripture. So, it has to be God the Son! Here is another good example. Who is speaking? God the Son! Who is He going to send? God the Son! We have to remember that all through Scripture, God the Son can speak to God the Father but what are they? They are one and the same so far as all practical purposes are concerned. We can not have one without the other they are inseparable if you will. And it should be pointed out that king David bears this out in his Psalms.
The only difference that we have is in Christ’s earthly ministry when He spoke from the flesh through the Holy Spirit and now He addresses or prays to the Father, what makes the difference? Well, now He is speaking from His humanity and indeed He can address God the Father as His Father. But, when He speaks from His position of Deity, then we think it was Martin Luther who came to the tremendous conclusion that it was God speaking to whom? To God!! So, don’t let that throw you - sometimes God the Son speaks concerning Himself. With this revealed it might here be that we need to say that when God swore by No greater than Himself, in His covenants or pledges. Though they had a mans name on them, He addressed toward an individual that individual was not the man but is in fact Christ. Or in other words He was speaking to Himself as the greater one and the lesser one as the Son of man. Just as was just revealed, God was speaking to the Son of promise who is Christ. Just as the seed of woman found in Genesis chapter 3 is Christ.... and the Adam of Genesis 2 is also Christ (the second Adam) this is then revealed in Hebrews chapter 10 and verses 5 and 7 where it says: “Wherefore when he (Jesus) came into the world, he said, Sacrifice and offering You would not, but a body have You prepared me....Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.” (verse 5 ties with Psalm 2:1-5, and then 6-8, 40:6-8; 50:8-23; Isaiah 1:11; Jeremiah 6:20 and then Amos 5:21-22. Then verse 7 ties with Genesis 3:15; and in the synoptic gospels where He though limited speaks of Himself as the Light, Life, Resurrection, Revelation, Knowledge, Wisdom of God, bread, wine, vine...etc.; Hebrews 10:9-10; John 4:34, 5:30, 6:38) And since the cross we like Jesus can say in agreement with Christ, “in the volume of the book it is written of me, I have come to do They Will of God” and not do harm to the scriptures, for with the Apostle Paul we can ask, “what do You require of me O Lord?” as found in Acts 9:6. For it is of these phrases and others like them that we can enter into promised New Covenant and become a God-child, a second Adam in Christ. “Except you become as little children (a second Adam in innocence and with a tender heart or) you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven or of God.” (Matthew 18:3 paraphrased) For John said that we're given the power or the right to “become a son", which simply means we're not yet there (John 1:12).
For we have to accept the offered redeemer and His redemption before we have right or power to enter even though in Jesus that redemption is complete, He enacted it, He enforces it and empowers it but we have to receive both Him and it as our own. Through action of our free will choice just as it was a free will choice of Adam to eat of the forbidden fruit. Because of the first Covenant of Redemption given man was through Adam our receiving and acceptance is through the second Adam.
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
A True an Accurate Meaning of Passover part 4
Christ's
body as seen in Genesis 3:15, as the seed of woman through whom would come mans
redemption, and restoration of all things in the second Adam. Because here God has so promised, vowed and
covenanted by His spoken word just as He had spoken in Genesis 1:1-3 and
26-27, 2:7, is a type of the first (Genesis 3:15, 21) passover lamb
slain before the foundation of the world. Not in the literal since (mans common language of reason that is to say religion) by rather in the figurative language (of righteousness, in spirit and truth) upon which all covenants, promises, Psalms and even the prophets will from here on speak.
Yehovah-God spoke to Abraham (of a son and then many sons of promise) for in his son Isaac as found in Genesis 12, 15, 17 and then in chapter 21 (Genesis 21:12 “God said unto Abraham, 'Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.'”)
The key is in the singular word “seed, shall be called", which seed we know to be Christ and those who acquire the same trust in Yehovah-God or Christ, that Abraham exercised. (Galatians 3:26; 6:16, Psalm 125:5)
But as Ishmael is of the flesh, and a figure of the Law through which there is NO forgiveness or righteousness. And because he was conceived in sin, all those who chose to remain as such will one day seek to hide in the earth as earthen vessels and pull the grave stone over their thumb, because they reject this gospel of the Son of promise.
Israel (Jacob) left Egypt and the unleavened bread (Genesis 14:18, Exodus 12:3-10, 13:3, 7) given was the bread which came down from heaven to feed Israel while in the wilderness was of Him also. He was also the rock which followed them and watered them (Exodus 17:6) through the wilderness wonderings. He is the rock which struck down the kingdoms (the figure of mixed elements in Daniel 2) or nations of the world in Daniel. He is the last of days, the end of time and the for ever and the for everlasting of the Old Testament. He is the promised one of Daniel 9: 23-27 for in 66-70 AD both the priests and the city were destroyed as herein predicted. Now the two main figures who withheld or restrained the evil of the world where both taken from the earth about the same time they being Paul in 68 AD and Peter in 69 AD which brought about the destruction and further scattering of the Hebrews as predicted and spoken of in veiled language by Jesus Himself. And which the final rejection as recorded in Acts chapter 22 states, where the separation or the lower road most traveled by those who choose to remain earthy and the higher ground became more resisted and its entry harder to find because God's kingdom now suffers greater violence for the violent try to take it by way of forced entry.
Christ's body was undefiled, sinless, without guile, spot or blemish. He gave His body for the remission of sins (propitiation, consummation, final offering) as the righteous one. He gave His blood and body as the completion of the old Law's requirements which fulfilled as the propitiation the Law, Psalms and the Prophets. (1 Corinthians 5:6-8; Galatians 3:12, 14, 26-27, 5:4; Ephesians 2:15; Philippians 3:9; Hebrews 7:19, 10:1) Throughout His ministry to Israel He related through the use of parables to His flesh and the drinking of His Blood of the wine and as bread which caused many to fall away and in this time causes many to be repulsed by such words because they miss understand them and His purpose of using them. For they take all things in a literal since which causes brief.
His body, when eaten as the flesh of a lamb, or as the bread that sustains life, is the Living Word nourishing our soul and spirit. As the Light (the power contained in the Blood) which when God called for it caused harmony and order where there was only chaos, and life to come into the soil, seasons (seed time and harvest) where there was only darkness (figurative of mans unredeemed soul or spirit) and then the light (the new Life restored) that separated day from night. God forbid man from eating the blood for in it is the issues of life. In His blood is the power of an Endless Life. Also the bread or the meat of the Word when received by revelation brings in the illumination, the Light of God. Which then is watered by the Holy Spirit as spiritual drink. These are all part and parcel of the promised New Covenant the Covenant of an Endless an Eternal Life which Jesus, as the second Adam, declared as being only found in Him as recorded by John in 11:25 and attested to in Psalm 36:9 and Isaiah 38:16.
Yehovah-God spoke to Abraham (of a son and then many sons of promise) for in his son Isaac as found in Genesis 12, 15, 17 and then in chapter 21 (Genesis 21:12 “God said unto Abraham, 'Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.'”)
The key is in the singular word “seed, shall be called", which seed we know to be Christ and those who acquire the same trust in Yehovah-God or Christ, that Abraham exercised. (Galatians 3:26; 6:16, Psalm 125:5)
But as Ishmael is of the flesh, and a figure of the Law through which there is NO forgiveness or righteousness. And because he was conceived in sin, all those who chose to remain as such will one day seek to hide in the earth as earthen vessels and pull the grave stone over their thumb, because they reject this gospel of the Son of promise.
Israel (Jacob) left Egypt and the unleavened bread (Genesis 14:18, Exodus 12:3-10, 13:3, 7) given was the bread which came down from heaven to feed Israel while in the wilderness was of Him also. He was also the rock which followed them and watered them (Exodus 17:6) through the wilderness wonderings. He is the rock which struck down the kingdoms (the figure of mixed elements in Daniel 2) or nations of the world in Daniel. He is the last of days, the end of time and the for ever and the for everlasting of the Old Testament. He is the promised one of Daniel 9: 23-27 for in 66-70 AD both the priests and the city were destroyed as herein predicted. Now the two main figures who withheld or restrained the evil of the world where both taken from the earth about the same time they being Paul in 68 AD and Peter in 69 AD which brought about the destruction and further scattering of the Hebrews as predicted and spoken of in veiled language by Jesus Himself. And which the final rejection as recorded in Acts chapter 22 states, where the separation or the lower road most traveled by those who choose to remain earthy and the higher ground became more resisted and its entry harder to find because God's kingdom now suffers greater violence for the violent try to take it by way of forced entry.
Christ's body was undefiled, sinless, without guile, spot or blemish. He gave His body for the remission of sins (propitiation, consummation, final offering) as the righteous one. He gave His blood and body as the completion of the old Law's requirements which fulfilled as the propitiation the Law, Psalms and the Prophets. (1 Corinthians 5:6-8; Galatians 3:12, 14, 26-27, 5:4; Ephesians 2:15; Philippians 3:9; Hebrews 7:19, 10:1) Throughout His ministry to Israel He related through the use of parables to His flesh and the drinking of His Blood of the wine and as bread which caused many to fall away and in this time causes many to be repulsed by such words because they miss understand them and His purpose of using them. For they take all things in a literal since which causes brief.
His body, when eaten as the flesh of a lamb, or as the bread that sustains life, is the Living Word nourishing our soul and spirit. As the Light (the power contained in the Blood) which when God called for it caused harmony and order where there was only chaos, and life to come into the soil, seasons (seed time and harvest) where there was only darkness (figurative of mans unredeemed soul or spirit) and then the light (the new Life restored) that separated day from night. God forbid man from eating the blood for in it is the issues of life. In His blood is the power of an Endless Life. Also the bread or the meat of the Word when received by revelation brings in the illumination, the Light of God. Which then is watered by the Holy Spirit as spiritual drink. These are all part and parcel of the promised New Covenant the Covenant of an Endless an Eternal Life which Jesus, as the second Adam, declared as being only found in Him as recorded by John in 11:25 and attested to in Psalm 36:9 and Isaiah 38:16.
Monday, June 10, 2013
A True an Accurate Meaning of Passover part 3
We're looking toward Mark chapter 14 and verse 22 where it says:
Mark 14:22-26
“And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament*, which is shed for many. Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God. And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.”
* This is the start of the promised New Covenant as found in Jeremiah chapter 31 verse 31 and then repeated in Hebrews chapter 8 verses 8 and 13 and chapter 12 verse 24. And the promised Everlasting Covenant in Jeremiah chapters 31, 32 verse 31, and then 40 of 32 and Ezekiel chapter 16 verse 60. As the Endless Life as found in Isaiah chapter 60 verse 15, which brings it up to our time. As the bases for all that is called the New Testament (or Will) because it reveals and replaces all that had been hidden, as behind a veil within the Old. As the Old only pointed toward (in figurative language, as the thing unseen) the One who was prophesied to come and close it out, as the everlasting one, the end of days, the for ever who was Christ.
Luke 22:14-23
“And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine*, until the kingdom of God shall come. And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table. And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed! And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.”
* Now who is the fruit of the vine or even the vine itself? The Gift of the Holy Spirit, Christ as He is also the fruit producer (living water) and we are to become the fruit bearers. So here again Christ is making mention of His own being by metaphor. Now if we know the operation of a plant or remember our high school biology and the mechanics of plant life. We know that the sap flows throughout, and carries the life of that plant. As the blood carries the life of our bodies within it. We also know that the branches only bear the fruit of that plant as they don't produce the fruit but the water in the sap does the work of that plant. Jesus likened us to His branches as being dependent on Him for all that is needed as the plant needs the sap flowing from the leaf to the root which supports it and draws in the nutrients from the soil. His is also the fatness of the plant or vine though Abraham is a type also.
What is the revelation which we're to gain by these passages? Lets look at John chapter 6 and verses 53-58 where He says: “Jesus said unto them, 'Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.'"
First Israel had all of it in bits and pieces scattered like seed upon the ground. They couldn't put it together because of bitter hearts within them. In each passage of scripture we'll find either body, bread, cup, or blood of the New Testament or Covenant, and the fact that this was done before the feast of Passover, of unleavened bread. The free body of Christ which, as said before, was without imperfection. Remember that Jesus declared Himself to be the Son of man or the second Adam and it was in that capacity that He was a God-child or divine being. Just as Adam was before the fall from, Eternal Life, into death (the separation from God) and sin (the lose of God's Love through rebellion to His spoken Word). Christ as the second Adam now has authority over those who choose Him as the Head of the Body, just as He had in Adam before he fell from Grace and righteousness.
Christ's body (Genesis 3:15, seed of woman) was a type of the first (Genesis 3:21) passover lamb slain before the foundation of the world.
Mark 14:22-26
“And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament*, which is shed for many. Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God. And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.”
* This is the start of the promised New Covenant as found in Jeremiah chapter 31 verse 31 and then repeated in Hebrews chapter 8 verses 8 and 13 and chapter 12 verse 24. And the promised Everlasting Covenant in Jeremiah chapters 31, 32 verse 31, and then 40 of 32 and Ezekiel chapter 16 verse 60. As the Endless Life as found in Isaiah chapter 60 verse 15, which brings it up to our time. As the bases for all that is called the New Testament (or Will) because it reveals and replaces all that had been hidden, as behind a veil within the Old. As the Old only pointed toward (in figurative language, as the thing unseen) the One who was prophesied to come and close it out, as the everlasting one, the end of days, the for ever who was Christ.
Luke 22:14-23
“And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine*, until the kingdom of God shall come. And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table. And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed! And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.”
* Now who is the fruit of the vine or even the vine itself? The Gift of the Holy Spirit, Christ as He is also the fruit producer (living water) and we are to become the fruit bearers. So here again Christ is making mention of His own being by metaphor. Now if we know the operation of a plant or remember our high school biology and the mechanics of plant life. We know that the sap flows throughout, and carries the life of that plant. As the blood carries the life of our bodies within it. We also know that the branches only bear the fruit of that plant as they don't produce the fruit but the water in the sap does the work of that plant. Jesus likened us to His branches as being dependent on Him for all that is needed as the plant needs the sap flowing from the leaf to the root which supports it and draws in the nutrients from the soil. His is also the fatness of the plant or vine though Abraham is a type also.
What is the revelation which we're to gain by these passages? Lets look at John chapter 6 and verses 53-58 where He says: “Jesus said unto them, 'Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.'"
First Israel had all of it in bits and pieces scattered like seed upon the ground. They couldn't put it together because of bitter hearts within them. In each passage of scripture we'll find either body, bread, cup, or blood of the New Testament or Covenant, and the fact that this was done before the feast of Passover, of unleavened bread. The free body of Christ which, as said before, was without imperfection. Remember that Jesus declared Himself to be the Son of man or the second Adam and it was in that capacity that He was a God-child or divine being. Just as Adam was before the fall from, Eternal Life, into death (the separation from God) and sin (the lose of God's Love through rebellion to His spoken Word). Christ as the second Adam now has authority over those who choose Him as the Head of the Body, just as He had in Adam before he fell from Grace and righteousness.
Christ's body (Genesis 3:15, seed of woman) was a type of the first (Genesis 3:21) passover lamb slain before the foundation of the world.
Sunday, June 9, 2013
A True an Accurate Meaning of Passover part 2
This priest we also find in
the Epistle of Hebrews and thereby ties all things together. For in
the Old is hidden that which is now revealed through the New. Know
this that the now revealed are and are only because of Revelation
chapter 5 and Saul of Tarsus to whom one of the small books contents
were revealed as the mysteries or secrets of Deuteronomy 29:29.
Because the Prophets were not allowed to open them up for Israel's
understanding until the end of it's allotted time which was the
appearing of Jesus as the promised seed of woman and the fulfillment
of days (as the everlasting, the end of days and as the for ever, of
God) and all that had been written of or spoken of Him.
It is this asking for Truth that lead us to our study. When did I first ask for Truth and understanding on the night or evening of my entry into the armed forces. When I said the sinner prayer in the back cover of a small New Testament which had just been given me. Which by the way I singed and dated and which bible I still have, as it is my memorial. That was on September 16th, 1966 when I told the Lord after reading and then repeating the prayer out load that I did not fully understand His word and remained puzzled by it.
1Corithians 11:23-32
“ For I (Paul) have received* of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed (as a innocent lamb before its shearers when they do their inspection) took bread (to lift up, to take up an away as the consummation or the bring to an end those things that had gone before): And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body (now Israel as a nation had broken the Covenants of promise, the Law and the Prophets and therefore God was not under any further obligation to them, but for Abraham and Isaac), which is broken for you: this do in remembrance (as a memorial) of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood (is the inaugural of the New promised Covenant of Jeremiah. Which He as the fulness of the Godhead was in Him had the Authority and power to do): this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance (as a memorial) of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come*. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily (without revelation does so as an anti-Christ and therefore), eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body (as such he does not acknowledge Jesus or here Christ, as his LORD of Lord's). For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.”
So who does the chastening? The Lord. Now look at Matthew 26:26-30; Mark 14:22-26 and Luke 22:14-23. We'll look at these before we move on. ( note for the * 1 Corinthians 15:3 and Psalm 24:1, 50:12) What is the cup? When checking this word we find the word “imbibe” which means: to receive, to absorb, to admit into ones mind and retain, and to drink in. This is then to partake of His flesh and blood not in a literal since or language of mere words but as figurative. Wherein we become one flesh and blood (Genesis 2:23) with Him. Because when we do we're said to have rightly divided His body as our own just as in a marriage relationship. So like all figurative language in scripture there is a deeper and in many cases spiritual meaning to words. They're there for our learning and instruction in righteousness. This is why we're admonished to study to show ourselves approved unto God, not man but rather God, as He alone see's our heart condition.
Matthew 26:26-30
“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it*; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. “ (The hymns are found in Psalms 116, 117 and 118 and reveal allot of what is ahead)
Before we go to far Jesus in here as in Luke and Mark reveals Himself as the LORD of Psalm 148:5-6 and Psalm 2:6-8 which says this:
“Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created. He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass.”
“Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion (spiritually speaking of the New Jerusalem the heavenly city not made by mans hands). I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee (again we hear God's voice from heaven declaring this as recorded in the synoptic gospels and then in Hebrews by Paul). Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.”
He takes us back through time to the earliest recital of scripture as seen in Genesis to chapter 1:1-3 and which John records of Him in chapter 1:1-3, 14, 17-18.
*To take in the fullness of the New Covenant in abundance, “drink all of it” to get the full picture with a clear vision of understanding. When we partake of the fatness of the root of the vine we partake of the fullness of that vine and root which is Christ but the fatness is Abraham or faith as he is its symbol. As revealed in Romans 11 and Hebrews 11. For like Abraham we're told to walk by faith (as a darkness of night where there is no light to aid us in seeing) and we're led to faith by the Holy Spirit.
It is this asking for Truth that lead us to our study. When did I first ask for Truth and understanding on the night or evening of my entry into the armed forces. When I said the sinner prayer in the back cover of a small New Testament which had just been given me. Which by the way I singed and dated and which bible I still have, as it is my memorial. That was on September 16th, 1966 when I told the Lord after reading and then repeating the prayer out load that I did not fully understand His word and remained puzzled by it.
1Corithians 11:23-32
“ For I (Paul) have received* of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed (as a innocent lamb before its shearers when they do their inspection) took bread (to lift up, to take up an away as the consummation or the bring to an end those things that had gone before): And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body (now Israel as a nation had broken the Covenants of promise, the Law and the Prophets and therefore God was not under any further obligation to them, but for Abraham and Isaac), which is broken for you: this do in remembrance (as a memorial) of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood (is the inaugural of the New promised Covenant of Jeremiah. Which He as the fulness of the Godhead was in Him had the Authority and power to do): this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance (as a memorial) of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come*. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily (without revelation does so as an anti-Christ and therefore), eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body (as such he does not acknowledge Jesus or here Christ, as his LORD of Lord's). For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.”
So who does the chastening? The Lord. Now look at Matthew 26:26-30; Mark 14:22-26 and Luke 22:14-23. We'll look at these before we move on. ( note for the * 1 Corinthians 15:3 and Psalm 24:1, 50:12) What is the cup? When checking this word we find the word “imbibe” which means: to receive, to absorb, to admit into ones mind and retain, and to drink in. This is then to partake of His flesh and blood not in a literal since or language of mere words but as figurative. Wherein we become one flesh and blood (Genesis 2:23) with Him. Because when we do we're said to have rightly divided His body as our own just as in a marriage relationship. So like all figurative language in scripture there is a deeper and in many cases spiritual meaning to words. They're there for our learning and instruction in righteousness. This is why we're admonished to study to show ourselves approved unto God, not man but rather God, as He alone see's our heart condition.
Matthew 26:26-30
“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it*; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. “ (The hymns are found in Psalms 116, 117 and 118 and reveal allot of what is ahead)
Before we go to far Jesus in here as in Luke and Mark reveals Himself as the LORD of Psalm 148:5-6 and Psalm 2:6-8 which says this:
“Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created. He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass.”
“Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion (spiritually speaking of the New Jerusalem the heavenly city not made by mans hands). I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee (again we hear God's voice from heaven declaring this as recorded in the synoptic gospels and then in Hebrews by Paul). Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.”
He takes us back through time to the earliest recital of scripture as seen in Genesis to chapter 1:1-3 and which John records of Him in chapter 1:1-3, 14, 17-18.
*To take in the fullness of the New Covenant in abundance, “drink all of it” to get the full picture with a clear vision of understanding. When we partake of the fatness of the root of the vine we partake of the fullness of that vine and root which is Christ but the fatness is Abraham or faith as he is its symbol. As revealed in Romans 11 and Hebrews 11. For like Abraham we're told to walk by faith (as a darkness of night where there is no light to aid us in seeing) and we're led to faith by the Holy Spirit.
Saturday, June 8, 2013
A True an Accurate Meaning of Passover part 1
1Corinthians 11:28
“But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.”
By the leading of the Spirit of Christ, I must open His revelation. Because of what Paul herein called an "unworthy manor". For I personally saw this from my childhood in the church and denomination that my parents and grandparents belonged to. And then in our later years as we searched for a true church home, we found none. We searched though the Lord had already called us out from among them. But like so many others we did not understand His meaning because we were caught up in religion and its false activities which mimic God's purposes. And its because of this that many don't properly discern the Lord's body because they don't know or see what it was that Jesus did, by way of verbal language, as recorded by His witnesses, those being the synoptic gospels. When He shared the Last meal with those close to Him. This said we'll make use of the pattern which the Holy Spirit revealed to Paul, that being the use of both the Old and then the New which enforces the new revelation or testimony of Christ. This is done because “Christ or Messiah” was before the foundation of the World, as Yehovah. And we all know that He had total Authority as the Most High God, the Ancient of Days, the one in the likeness of the Son of man (Daniel 7:13).
While doing our daily early morning devotionals which includes seeking God and His righteousness through His written Word, my wife Glenda and I found some very interesting things about the Lord our Passover, which caused this writing.
Guess I should say before we get started on this adventure this, that we seek to know God spiritually before any practical knowledge can be learned. Why? Because that's just the way we are and this has caused many of our friends trouble as they remain more earthy and take all things in a practical manor or quite literally. Which is to take God's revelation of Christ purely as the Hebrews scribes, Sadducee's and Pharisee's and so forth did. As the letter which we now know kills. Why? Because it breeds falsehood in the guise of mans religion or religious practices through his intellect. That's just the way they are. It is from the spiritual side that we've generated this scripture study.
You may ask, Why? Because with the words, "It Is Finished" which Christ spoke while suspended between heaven and hell, earth. Things were changed by God. This is seen first in Acts then in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 in verses 47-49, we'll look at it from 45-51a where it says this: "And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul (Genesis 2:6-7) the last Adam was made a quickening spirit (John 3:3, 7; James 1:17, 3:17; 1 Peter 1:23). Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual (Genesis 1:26-27), but that which is natural (Genesis 2: 6-7); and afterward that which is spiritual (Luke 24:31, John 20:19, 26). The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery;"
One of the things we did was a word search in the Strong's Dictionary for Passover we found the word “pesach” and that it means not only the festival but also the victim or the lamb of that festival. We must consider also the ram with the red ribbon tied to its horns and taken out into the wilderness and released which may require another study.
We'll need to go back to Isaac to uncover the meaning of all things spiritual because he was the son promised Abraham by his (as Abram) trusting God, the taking Him at His word. Which Paul capitalizes on in Hebrews chapter 11, the faith chapter. Which we cover in our blog at, http://thegospelofpaul.blogspot.com/, titled Paul's Mysteries Revealed, which has a link on this site. But for now Jacob though a son of Isaac was not as flesh ruled as Esau was and was therefore more favored by God. But for this purpose Jacob was made halt or lame after the Angel of the Lord wrestled with him and He touched the inside of his hip and it became out of joint. This has been the spiritual condition of Israel as a nation ever since. For we find that Aaron's priesthood (consisting of Levi's heirs) only ministered in the external or material realm as they took God's word literally and therefore they did not please God. Though God gave them a covenant of peace. This has been the same condition of most churched and unchurched peoples ever since. For all have sin and therefore fall short of the Glory of God, because the just or righteous, walk by faith or simply by trusting God to do as He has said. Abraham trusted God to do as He had promised even though he struggled with it for over fifty years he still showed his trusting by leaving his fathers house and homeland.
We also know that the book of Revelation has a lot to reveal about the Lamb of God in figurative language just as used in the Old Testament. When studying any scriptures we need to ask the aid of the Holy Spirit and the help of the Lord before and during our study. Then we need to wait on Him to reveal His Truth. I might also say that Jesus used many parables, metaphors, allegiances and other figurative language to reveal what was about to take place, such as the eating His flesh and drinking His blood or partaking of bread and wine as first introduced in Genesis 3:21, where God sacrificed an animal and then used that animals coat to cover mans nakedness and blood as the force to forgive him of his new sin nature. This is further strengthened by the Priest of the Most High God, Melchizedek as seen in Genesis chapter 14 and verse 18. Where he bring out with him when he meets Abraham after the battle with the king's bread and wine.
Jesus as was His custom throughout the Old Testament as Yehovah used figurative language as a means of convaying His message in the New Testament, and illustrating or alluding to Himself with and by such words as: seed, light, truth, life, eternal, born again, bread, wine, fire, flesh, blood, water, earth, and a host of others. Within the Old He used: for ever, end of days, ever lasting, Yehovah-Nissi, Yehovah-Shaloam, Ruach-Holy Spirit, "Ehyeh asher Ehyeh or I AM that I AM in Exodus 3:13-15 and many more titles which revealed His character as His personality remains the same yesterday, to day, and forever.
“But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.”
By the leading of the Spirit of Christ, I must open His revelation. Because of what Paul herein called an "unworthy manor". For I personally saw this from my childhood in the church and denomination that my parents and grandparents belonged to. And then in our later years as we searched for a true church home, we found none. We searched though the Lord had already called us out from among them. But like so many others we did not understand His meaning because we were caught up in religion and its false activities which mimic God's purposes. And its because of this that many don't properly discern the Lord's body because they don't know or see what it was that Jesus did, by way of verbal language, as recorded by His witnesses, those being the synoptic gospels. When He shared the Last meal with those close to Him. This said we'll make use of the pattern which the Holy Spirit revealed to Paul, that being the use of both the Old and then the New which enforces the new revelation or testimony of Christ. This is done because “Christ or Messiah” was before the foundation of the World, as Yehovah. And we all know that He had total Authority as the Most High God, the Ancient of Days, the one in the likeness of the Son of man (Daniel 7:13).
While doing our daily early morning devotionals which includes seeking God and His righteousness through His written Word, my wife Glenda and I found some very interesting things about the Lord our Passover, which caused this writing.
Guess I should say before we get started on this adventure this, that we seek to know God spiritually before any practical knowledge can be learned. Why? Because that's just the way we are and this has caused many of our friends trouble as they remain more earthy and take all things in a practical manor or quite literally. Which is to take God's revelation of Christ purely as the Hebrews scribes, Sadducee's and Pharisee's and so forth did. As the letter which we now know kills. Why? Because it breeds falsehood in the guise of mans religion or religious practices through his intellect. That's just the way they are. It is from the spiritual side that we've generated this scripture study.
You may ask, Why? Because with the words, "It Is Finished" which Christ spoke while suspended between heaven and hell, earth. Things were changed by God. This is seen first in Acts then in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 in verses 47-49, we'll look at it from 45-51a where it says this: "And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul (Genesis 2:6-7) the last Adam was made a quickening spirit (John 3:3, 7; James 1:17, 3:17; 1 Peter 1:23). Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual (Genesis 1:26-27), but that which is natural (Genesis 2: 6-7); and afterward that which is spiritual (Luke 24:31, John 20:19, 26). The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery;"
One of the things we did was a word search in the Strong's Dictionary for Passover we found the word “pesach” and that it means not only the festival but also the victim or the lamb of that festival. We must consider also the ram with the red ribbon tied to its horns and taken out into the wilderness and released which may require another study.
We'll need to go back to Isaac to uncover the meaning of all things spiritual because he was the son promised Abraham by his (as Abram) trusting God, the taking Him at His word. Which Paul capitalizes on in Hebrews chapter 11, the faith chapter. Which we cover in our blog at, http://thegospelofpaul.blogspot.com/, titled Paul's Mysteries Revealed, which has a link on this site. But for now Jacob though a son of Isaac was not as flesh ruled as Esau was and was therefore more favored by God. But for this purpose Jacob was made halt or lame after the Angel of the Lord wrestled with him and He touched the inside of his hip and it became out of joint. This has been the spiritual condition of Israel as a nation ever since. For we find that Aaron's priesthood (consisting of Levi's heirs) only ministered in the external or material realm as they took God's word literally and therefore they did not please God. Though God gave them a covenant of peace. This has been the same condition of most churched and unchurched peoples ever since. For all have sin and therefore fall short of the Glory of God, because the just or righteous, walk by faith or simply by trusting God to do as He has said. Abraham trusted God to do as He had promised even though he struggled with it for over fifty years he still showed his trusting by leaving his fathers house and homeland.
We also know that the book of Revelation has a lot to reveal about the Lamb of God in figurative language just as used in the Old Testament. When studying any scriptures we need to ask the aid of the Holy Spirit and the help of the Lord before and during our study. Then we need to wait on Him to reveal His Truth. I might also say that Jesus used many parables, metaphors, allegiances and other figurative language to reveal what was about to take place, such as the eating His flesh and drinking His blood or partaking of bread and wine as first introduced in Genesis 3:21, where God sacrificed an animal and then used that animals coat to cover mans nakedness and blood as the force to forgive him of his new sin nature. This is further strengthened by the Priest of the Most High God, Melchizedek as seen in Genesis chapter 14 and verse 18. Where he bring out with him when he meets Abraham after the battle with the king's bread and wine.
Jesus as was His custom throughout the Old Testament as Yehovah used figurative language as a means of convaying His message in the New Testament, and illustrating or alluding to Himself with and by such words as: seed, light, truth, life, eternal, born again, bread, wine, fire, flesh, blood, water, earth, and a host of others. Within the Old He used: for ever, end of days, ever lasting, Yehovah-Nissi, Yehovah-Shaloam, Ruach-Holy Spirit, "Ehyeh asher Ehyeh or I AM that I AM in Exodus 3:13-15 and many more titles which revealed His character as His personality remains the same yesterday, to day, and forever.
Monday, March 25, 2013
Restoration and Rehabilitation of all things Spiritual
In this age of information and
instruction there are a lot of TV programs on how to restore, remodel
and rehabilitate homes and automobiles of all
kinds shapes and sizes. It is from this perspective that the
following draws from in metaphor and type of God's working through
Love, Faith, and Grace, in the perfecting of His Character within
those who have become receptive of Christ. Now the him here
is meaning both sexes because when God created man, man had both
operational within himself as a completed being of God's perfection. And therefore all things spiritual makes this reference as being in
him. Or as being one in Christ and this is stated in metaphoric or
figurative language as marriage in the uniting (being conjoined
together) of two individuals as becoming one being. The first
appearance of this is found in the beginning in Genesis which sets
the course or standard for all scripture and spiritual things or
knowledge of God. It should also be stated that the all things
spiritual here made referenced to are us humans. Because we are not of
the animal kingdom of God's creation and because we alone are to be the
restored and rehabilitated of God through which we acquire God's
character and nature (likeness and image) again. But unlike our
metaphor which has a beginning and an end, mankind once entering
(through redemption) into (through which is salvation caught or found
waiting on us to receive) is an ongoing process of development until
we reach Glory. For when we reach this place we'll see and know Him
as He is.
Many year ago while we were stationed
at Mtn. Home AFB in Idaho. I had a 1953 Chevy pickup which had a
flat-head six and standard shift of course. Glenda my wife, of only a
few months back then, would spend time sanding and cleaning that
truck. But every time she got into it to go fishing or just a field trip
into the hills around Mtn. Home that truck would over heat or stall
to a stop. It got to where she refused to get into it but would help
with the body prep for painting.
This is the background for our first illustration of rehabilitation because it ended up being incomplete. Because we only painted the truck in AF strato-blue with an orange peel finish. The rest of the work was left to others as we had to sell it due to a reassignment, after I had reenlisted, to South East Asian and Thailand to be exact.
Now you may ask what bearing does this have on Christianity or what kind of lesson can we learn from it? Many don't hear or understand the lesson of sifting sand or the building of barns and silos in the parables of Jesus. You see, I had not counted the cost nor was I prepared for the cost of doing a full restoration to the truck but only had enough to cover it with new paint. And this is what many people do with their lives by church attendance just as I had.
This is the background for our first illustration of rehabilitation because it ended up being incomplete. Because we only painted the truck in AF strato-blue with an orange peel finish. The rest of the work was left to others as we had to sell it due to a reassignment, after I had reenlisted, to South East Asian and Thailand to be exact.
Now you may ask what bearing does this have on Christianity or what kind of lesson can we learn from it? Many don't hear or understand the lesson of sifting sand or the building of barns and silos in the parables of Jesus. You see, I had not counted the cost nor was I prepared for the cost of doing a full restoration to the truck but only had enough to cover it with new paint. And this is what many people do with their lives by church attendance just as I had.
The next illustration will take place
with a two story home in which the first floor is all that is torn-en
out and rebuilt and the rest if left as is. This is the condition of
many who have entered the first estate of redemption. And for what
ever reason never pass through in the power of the Holy Spirit but
instead are held back by their own self-sufficiency and religious
behavior. They maybe saved but never come to salvation in Christ.
They hinder God's intended purpose and working through love and grace
in Truth and Faith. Even their worship forms are not as they should
be in spirit and truth but remains as a works of the flesh.
The last illustration will be of a
house which has stood empty for years and has been condemned by the
city because of be vacant and is crumbling as it stands. We count the
cost of doing a full restoration and rehabilitation from top to and
including the foundation. We start this operation at the lowest point
the foundation because it can't be on sifting sand and because the
old is weak and beggarly and crumbling into dust from which it had
its first beginnings. The whole house has to be raised above ground
level in order to get a motorized track driven scoop and jackhammer
under the house to remove all the old flooring and foundation
material. This also requires the removal of the hot water heating
system, water lines and drainage systems, as well as any support
piers and pilings. Then we have to lay a new footer system around the
perimeter of the house of sufficient strength to support the weight
of the house. Then we have to also put in new footings for the piers
and pilings needed which may require new floor jounces and stair case
to the first floor. All this plus new wiring and plumbing alone with
any other mechanical systems as needed. Then we'll move to the top
attach area if we have not done so first to remove a chimney
structure from top to basement. If the roof needs to be replaced this
to is done alone with new trusses and roof boards as required, then
new insulation is added. While this is being done the outside get a
facelift as well with new eves, gutters and downspouts and trim and
finally painting or other modern covering. With each level we remove
all of the old wall materials in order to replace and update
plumbing, wiring and floors not to mention the outside walls in which
insulation is now required. Then all the interior walls are
refinished and painted with the trim and flooring and finally the new
appliances come in to make the job complete and the house livable or
inhabitable again.
HERE'S THE MEANING OF THIS METAPHOR, when we like
this house have passed through death into disrepair and are made
receive of God and His activities. Through His Love restored, we
begin the restoration of all things by God within the ontological
essence of the Spirit of Christ within us. For God then does what
only He does by Himself through Christ's essence within us called
Grace and Faith in all Truth and goodness.
Now I've not quoted scripture verses
nor used spiritual language but have instead used simple every day
language to reveal a spiritual revelation called a mystery or secret
of God's doing. For when we have come to your selves in this fashion
we are said to be the true Israel of God, and the apple of His eye.
Because we've acquired to nature of trust as Abraham and Isaac had,
not to mention Seth, Enoch, Methuselah, Noah, Shem and a few others
of the ancient ones. It was in the process of the removal of the old
things of this house, that the circumcision of the heart of this
house and ours took place, not by our hands but by God's. Wherein
we've become a new creature, as living stones, as the house of God's
ruling and indwelling. In accord with John chapter 17 and the Lord's
prayer there found. Now the winds of despair and the storms of life
may come but where the Spirit of the LORD is there is great peace and
rest. For even our outward parts are clothed in Christ in preparation
for the departure and our joining to the LORD in the air. Then this
structure will again be empty of its inhabitants. And will return to
the dust or dirt from which it was made.
Now here's the warning we can all turn our backs to God just as Israel did and by so doing say NO to Him. And remain in our old sin nature and die a death of continual separation from Him and His Christ. For it was In Christ that God revealed Himself and His plane for all humanity. But because many there are who have and do refuse Him by their religious activities not knowing what it is they are doing. Paul the Apostle to the gentiles or nations gave warnings in Galatian and Hebrew letters which it would do well to search out.
Colossians 1:21-29 "And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now has He reconciled In the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight: If you continue in this faith (through divine Love) grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of this Gospel, which you have (herein) heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister (servant, steward and messenger); Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's (the Church) sake, which is the church: Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfill (reveal the revelation of) the word of God; Even the mystery (secret) which had been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope (His Faith in action not known or seen) of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom (in Christ is found all wisdom as the valuable jewel or pearl of great price); that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labor, striving according to His working (through His Love and Faith in hopes darkness to God's activity of Grace), which works in me mightily."
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Taken from a Commentary on Revelation by James A. Fowler
"In the scene that John describes throughout
the Revelation there is an obvious celebration of victory. In
each of the "camera angles" that John recorded with
his literary camcorder, God in Christ is seen to be the victor
and worthy of praise. Christ's "finished work" in the
cross and resurrection is the basis of His victorious power (5:6,9;
7:14), for "He was declared the Son of God with power by
the resurrection from the dead" (Rom. 1:4). The conflict
that led to His suffering and death, though, is continued in
those who are identified with Him and in whom Jesus Christ dwells.
The life of Christ in Christians will elicit the same conflict
with satanic religion that Jesus incurred while incarnated on
earth, leading to continued personal suffering and physical death.
This is what the Christians of the first century, and of every
age thereafter, need to remember when their lives and the activities
of the church do not appear to be very victorious. The Scriptures
are abundantly clear about this identification with suffering
and death, explaining that Christians will be hated (John 15:18),
persecuted (Mark 10:30; John 15:20; II Cor. 4:9; II Tim. 3:12);
afflicted (Col. 1:24); suffer (Acts 9:16; Rom. 8:17; II Cor.
1:5; Phil. 3:10; Col. 1:24; I Pet. 2:21; 4:13); experience tribulation
(John 16:33; Acts 14:22;Rev. 1:9); and experience death (II Cor.
4:10,11; Phil. 3:10). Christians who understand this are the
only ones who can "see" the victory in the midst of
the ongoing conflict, and sing praises to God and Christ. Such
Christians, along with John, already have a glimpse of the heavenly
hymns of victory that are recorded particularly in chapters four
and five of the Revelation.
Jesus is always realistic about our present condition on earth. We may be able to look to the future and see in a vision the victory celebration of Jesus Christ (chapters four and five), but we are still "in the world" (John 17:11,18) and experiencing the hindrances of that one who is the "god of this world" (II Cor. 4:4), who still has "the power of death" (Heb. 2:14). Faithful Christians continue to be brutalized and killed (Rom. 8:36; 12:1; I Cor. 15:31; II Cor. 4:10,11; Phil. 3:10). Christians are mocked, ostracized, and treated with injustice. Life is not fair in this world! The Christians at the end of the first century were aware of this, as well as Christians in every age since then. The risen Lord Jesus is also aware of what is going on in the world, and by the pictorial representation of the breaking of the seals explains the on-going worldly and religious phenomena over which He is victorious. The victory has been won by His "finished work" (John 19:30) in the past, and we can look forward with hope and assurance to the heavenly consummation of the victory in the future, but the present circumstances seem to loom so large on the horizon of human perspective. We concur with Paul that we are "more than conquerors through Christ" (Rom. 8:37), but the diabolical effects of "the ruler of this world" (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11) seem to be winning the day, especially that most subtle satanic subterfuge of religion. The conflict between Christ and Satan, between Christianity and religion, continues to rage in every age. Jesus wants to assure Christians in every age that He will be victorious over every diabolic expression of religion which might arise throughout church history.
Revealing Himself to be the only One qualified to break the sequence of the seals, Jesus is encouraging Christians throughout the "enigma of the interim" to remain firm in their identification with Him, the Overcomer. Only by faithful receptivity of His character and activity will Christians participate in His victory. The arena of testing is right now. We live on the battlefield in the midst of spiritual warfare between God and Satan, between Christianity and religion. Day by day, moment by moment, we make the decisions of faith as to whether we will trust Jesus Christ, even unto death and martyrdom. Jesus instructed His followers previously, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness. Blessed are you when men revile you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me" (Matt. 5:10,11). He who "loses his life for My sake, shall find it" (Matt. 10:39).
The breaking of the fifth seal connects with the reality of death by martyrdom that was alluded to within the messages to the seven churches as the Christians there bore the deadly brunt of religious persecution (2:10,13). Christian martyrs through the centuries have suffered from the violence, injustice and death caused by religion. When the fifth seal is removed Jesus reveals "the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which that had maintained" (6:9). These souls are said to be "underneath the altar" which would seem to allude to a temple-like scene in heaven, but we know that there is no temple there (Rev. 21:22), so it may indicate that they are "near to the heart of God." Those who have inflicted death upon these Christian martyrs are "those who dwell on the earth" (6:10). In contrast to Christians who are "citizens of heaven" (Phil. 3:20), religionists are "earth-dwellers" and "world-agents" of the "god of this world" (II Cor. 4:4). The primary "front" for Satan's earth-bound "world-system" is religion. Christians have often failed to recognize that the chief earthly enemy of the Christian faith is religion. Christianity is not be identified with or aligned with religion. Religion is Satan's organized counterfeit and subterfuge to deceive mankind and undermine the work of Christ. It is always antagonistic to Christians. Religion is responsible for more deaths by martyrdom among Christians that any other agent. Many Christians have been murdered in the midst of religious "heresy-hunting" and inquisitions as documented in Foxe's Book of Martyrs. Religion then turns around and plays off of the martyrs to create an incentive for their adherents to "measure up" to the sacrifice of the martyrs. It uses martyrs as incentive for vengeance against alleged enemies. It even beatifies martyrs into elevated "saints" to be revered and worshipped instead of Jesus Christ. No wonder the martyrs cry out to God to judge the earth-dwelling religionists and avenge their blood (6:10)! Their cry is not an uncharacteristic cry for retaliatory vengeance, but expresses their desire to see Christianity vindicated against the injustice of religion which has promulgated such murderous martyrdom of faithful Christians." ~James A. Fowler~
Jesus is always realistic about our present condition on earth. We may be able to look to the future and see in a vision the victory celebration of Jesus Christ (chapters four and five), but we are still "in the world" (John 17:11,18) and experiencing the hindrances of that one who is the "god of this world" (II Cor. 4:4), who still has "the power of death" (Heb. 2:14). Faithful Christians continue to be brutalized and killed (Rom. 8:36; 12:1; I Cor. 15:31; II Cor. 4:10,11; Phil. 3:10). Christians are mocked, ostracized, and treated with injustice. Life is not fair in this world! The Christians at the end of the first century were aware of this, as well as Christians in every age since then. The risen Lord Jesus is also aware of what is going on in the world, and by the pictorial representation of the breaking of the seals explains the on-going worldly and religious phenomena over which He is victorious. The victory has been won by His "finished work" (John 19:30) in the past, and we can look forward with hope and assurance to the heavenly consummation of the victory in the future, but the present circumstances seem to loom so large on the horizon of human perspective. We concur with Paul that we are "more than conquerors through Christ" (Rom. 8:37), but the diabolical effects of "the ruler of this world" (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11) seem to be winning the day, especially that most subtle satanic subterfuge of religion. The conflict between Christ and Satan, between Christianity and religion, continues to rage in every age. Jesus wants to assure Christians in every age that He will be victorious over every diabolic expression of religion which might arise throughout church history.
Revealing Himself to be the only One qualified to break the sequence of the seals, Jesus is encouraging Christians throughout the "enigma of the interim" to remain firm in their identification with Him, the Overcomer. Only by faithful receptivity of His character and activity will Christians participate in His victory. The arena of testing is right now. We live on the battlefield in the midst of spiritual warfare between God and Satan, between Christianity and religion. Day by day, moment by moment, we make the decisions of faith as to whether we will trust Jesus Christ, even unto death and martyrdom. Jesus instructed His followers previously, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness. Blessed are you when men revile you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me" (Matt. 5:10,11). He who "loses his life for My sake, shall find it" (Matt. 10:39).
The breaking of the fifth seal connects with the reality of death by martyrdom that was alluded to within the messages to the seven churches as the Christians there bore the deadly brunt of religious persecution (2:10,13). Christian martyrs through the centuries have suffered from the violence, injustice and death caused by religion. When the fifth seal is removed Jesus reveals "the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which that had maintained" (6:9). These souls are said to be "underneath the altar" which would seem to allude to a temple-like scene in heaven, but we know that there is no temple there (Rev. 21:22), so it may indicate that they are "near to the heart of God." Those who have inflicted death upon these Christian martyrs are "those who dwell on the earth" (6:10). In contrast to Christians who are "citizens of heaven" (Phil. 3:20), religionists are "earth-dwellers" and "world-agents" of the "god of this world" (II Cor. 4:4). The primary "front" for Satan's earth-bound "world-system" is religion. Christians have often failed to recognize that the chief earthly enemy of the Christian faith is religion. Christianity is not be identified with or aligned with religion. Religion is Satan's organized counterfeit and subterfuge to deceive mankind and undermine the work of Christ. It is always antagonistic to Christians. Religion is responsible for more deaths by martyrdom among Christians that any other agent. Many Christians have been murdered in the midst of religious "heresy-hunting" and inquisitions as documented in Foxe's Book of Martyrs. Religion then turns around and plays off of the martyrs to create an incentive for their adherents to "measure up" to the sacrifice of the martyrs. It uses martyrs as incentive for vengeance against alleged enemies. It even beatifies martyrs into elevated "saints" to be revered and worshipped instead of Jesus Christ. No wonder the martyrs cry out to God to judge the earth-dwelling religionists and avenge their blood (6:10)! Their cry is not an uncharacteristic cry for retaliatory vengeance, but expresses their desire to see Christianity vindicated against the injustice of religion which has promulgated such murderous martyrdom of faithful Christians." ~James A. Fowler~
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