FINDING THE PLAN OF SALVATION - Part II

KEY VERSES: THE PLAN OF SALVATION

And of all my sons, (for the Lord hath given me many sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel.

And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and my courts: for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.

Moreover I will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant to do my commandments and my judgments, as at this day. (1 Chron 28:5-7)

  KEY VERSES I: Like David, God has many sons. David chose one specific son – Solomon. His name means “peaceful!” His reign was a time of growth and peace. During Solomon’s reign, God rested. Solomon’s reign is symbolic of the Millennial Reign of Christ, and represents the Sabbath, or seventh “day.” Why was Solomon picked rather than the others? Because God has foreknowledge; He knew that Solomon would serve his/His Purpose.

  Solomon was chosen, not really to be king, but to build for God a “house.” The key word is chosen. Paul said, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Solomon was chosen because he had a purpose. God saw that he was the one to build a “house” for Him.

As Solomon was chosen to build for God a house, Christians are chosen to build for God a Church, according to scripture: “Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God” (Rev 3:12a). Each Christian is a pillar in the House, not the one that Solomon built, but the House that God built.

  Solomon was chosen to be God’s son, and He would be Solomon’s Father. When sinners become Christians, they are emancipated from their father, the Devil (John 8:44), and are adopted by God (Ephes 4:1-6). Like Solomon, Christians are predestined to be adopted in a sense that God knows who will be His sons and who will not be. Solomon would be; the others would not be.  With God’s foreknowledge, He does not need to wait around to see, but they are ordained before the foundation of the world (Ephes 1:4).

  It is to be noted that God knew Solomon would be the right person to build His House, and that was Solomon’s purpose. God knew that David and Bathsheba would sin, and used their sin to His advantage. Would God make David sin for that purpose? No… Satan is the author of sin, and God just knew it in advance.

  The same applies to Christians. All are predestined (John 3:16) but few respond. God knew that Solomon would respond and chose him. God knows who of us sinners will respond, and calls us. Sinners have a choice in responding or not. However, the Lord knows our hearts, and is not confined by time. He knows it in advance!

  Christians are needed to build the invisible Church; we are pillars for the “roof.” Sons uphold fathers, and Christian sons uphold the Father. What makes a “pillar?” It is, “You who love the Lord and hate evil.” (Psalm 97:10a).  If evil is not hated, the pillar collapses and “the roof” falls. Psalm 97 says, “He (God) preserves the souls the saints,” and “saints” are those who hate evil!

Thus “preservation of the saints” is dependent on loving God and hating evil.  Those who do not love God and hate evil are weak pillars in the Church and are bound to fail. I suppose that pillars of a strong Church depends on its foundation: “And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock” (Exod 33:21), and if not, then there may be a collapse. The Rock on which the pillar stands is imperative in upholding the Roof: “He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock” (Luke 6:48).

  Solomon could have built God’s House on sinking sand, but he built it on the Solid Rock of the threshing floor stone, which by the way, is still extant beneath the Dome of the Rock! For now, Solomon’s Temple is long gone, but it was replaced by the second and Herod’s Temple, all on the same rock! Then, along came Jesus, who replaced the Temple and He is the Foundation Stone of the Church. Is that coincidence that Jesus is the Foundation Stone of the Church and Solomon built God’s House on The Foundation Stone? I don’t think so!

  Solomon built on the Rock of The Foundation Stone for an everlasting church building. Satan tore it down many times, but the foundation remains. Jesus is now the Rock of our salvation, and the Church is everlasting.

  When God provided David direction for building for Him a House, He was also providing direction for building for God a Church. God provided the foundation, then needed pillars. Cedars would not suffice; He wanted lively stones according to scripture: “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house” (1 Pet 2:5a). God ordained the material for His House, and His Church.

  Solomon finished the House, but the Church was not complete until apostolic times:

Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord. (Ephes 2:19-21)

  It wasn’t really The Foundation Stone of Ornan’s threshing floor; it was the prophets and apostles! Solomon only perceived that the House was completed. It was soon destroyed, but the Church lasts forever!

  The Foundation Stone is a datum. So is a cornerstone. The foundation of the House that Solomon built was the datum. It was The Foundation Stone. And Jesus was the Cornerstone Datum on which the Church was built!

  Catholics believe that Peter was the rock on which the Church was built (Mat 6:18). Surprise…   He was! He was one of the apostles who were the foundation, but we must not forget that Jesus was the Datum! Ironically, it is believed that Peter is buried beneath Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome. God seems to like puzzles and has a sense of humor as well.

KEY VERSES II: And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.

Take heed now; for the Lord hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it. (1 Chron 28:9-10)

  To build the House for God, Solomon was to know God, serve God with a perfect heart and a willing mind. “Knowing God” is communing with Him pertaining to all things (2 Cor 6:4). Solomon, in his wisdom, turned to God in building His Temple. Christians must know God and turn to Him in all things!

  “A perfect heart and a willing mind” are a pair. The flesh is imperfect and weak, but the spirit is willing (Mat 26:41). Our flesh most often fails us, but God selected Solomon because he was willing to build God’s House to His plans. Solomon’s flesh failed him often, but in the end, his spirit did not (Book of Ecclesiastes).

  As pillars of the Church and Christians, although we are imperfect in matters of the flesh, our souls must be willing. Of course, the mind referees the spirit and flesh. Christians must control their minds! Solomon had to focus on God’s Will to build the Temple, and we must focus on God to be His Temple, as is written, “Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” (1 Cor 6:19).

  “Holy Ghost” refers to Jesus’s Ghost which he gave up when he died. Jesus’s glorified flesh resides in Heaven in God’s House, but his Ghost lives in our “house.” Sin cannot co-dwell with righteousness. We are unable to evict Satan’s law of sin because of our flesh, but the flesh must be willing to evict the evil.

  Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son to God. God did not require the sacrifice when He saw Abraham’s willingness. That was accounted to him as righteousness. (Rom 4:9). We are to be willing to sacrifice ourselves as Abraham did and as Solomon was willing to do! “Ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Rom 12:1). Solomon was willing to do that to build God’s House and we must be willing to sacrifice ourselves to be God’s and the pillars of the Church!

  How is the sacrifice made? Not by circumcision of the flesh, but the heart. (Rom 2:29). Sacrifices were made yearly (Lev 16:34) in Solomon’s Temple, but Jesus made the sacrifice for our Temple once and for all (Heb 10:10). Then, our “reasonable service” is to give our flesh to Him one time. That is rebirth, and all “must be,” to be saved (John 3:7).

  King Solomon diminished himself and elevated God by building for Him a house. He served God although he was a king. However, Jesus is King of kings! Solomon served the King as king, and as mere servants, we too must be willing to serve Him!

  Warning: Solomon was told: “If thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.” That is our warning as well. God, of course, calls everyone, but we must be willing to be found. Solomon’s mind was occupied on God and building for Him a House. We must be willing to be a “pillar,” and what do pillars do? Support a load.

  “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, ‘If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Mat 6:24). Implied therein, is that our service is burdensome. That cross-carrying is your reasonable service. That cross-carrying makes you the “pillar” to God’s House as a Christian!

KEY VERSES III: All this, said David, the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern.

And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord. (1 Chron 28:19-20)

  Solomon was not on his own. God was with him until His House was built. The building took only a few years, but God’s House was not finished until it was full and utilized for His service. Likewise, the Church is not finished until everyone has heard the Word and made their decision: “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come” (Mat 24:14).

  The Church will be complete when everyone has had the chance to get aboard God’s “Ark.” Yes, Noah’s Ark represented God’s House and the Church. Somewhere the Ark still exists, and likewise, the Church will exist until the world either accepts or rejects Jesus. Like the Ark, the Temple had a straight gate and a narrow way, as do we who endeavor to enter the Church (Mat 7:12-14).

  Not only that, but cherubim guard the gate to the Church as they did to God’s seat on the Ark of the Covenant. The narrow gate for the Temple was Jesus, and it still is! His Doctrine is the Straight Gate into the Church, and the path to the Church is Jesus. Cherubim still guard the Church, and the only password to enter-in is “Jesus” for he is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life!” (John 14:6).

  The Way to build God’s House would not be easy: “Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee.” Like Solomon, Christians must endure to the end (Mat 10:22). If Solomon had given up, God’s House would not have been completed. If we give up, one pillar is missing from the Church!

Solomon had to be strong. We have it easier. (Mat 11:30). It is not cumbersome to build God’s temple within us, but Solomon had to do the construction whereas with us, God does it all!

Note: This is getting lengthy. To be continued tomorrow.

FINDING THE PLAN OF SALVATION

  Where would anyone expect to find the plan of salvation? Anyone should answer, “In the gospels!” That seems to be rational, but the biblical patriarchs knew Jesus and his Purpose long before Jesus was ever born. They had a purpose as well; to serve the Lord Jesus.
  Throughout the gospels, people had the hope of salvation. From where did they obtain their hope? From “The Word” of God.  The apostle John said that “The Word” was there in the beginning,  and was made flesh (John 1-3,14). If Jesus was there in the beginning, where was he? One place that Jesus was, was in David’s heart! We know that David was “a man after God’s own heart”(Acts 13:22). Well, David found the heart of Jesus!
  Be sure that, like David, you are not alone! “He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it.” (1 Thes 5:24), Then, John 3:16 details who God calls – “whosoever,” meaning all are called. David was called to build God a House, but because he was a man of blood, God delegated his son, Solomon, to build for God a House, just as the Father did not build for us a “house” but His Son did!
In the New Testament (NT), the “scripture” referred to which brought men to Jesus was the Old Testament (OT). Therefore, questioning minds should look for the plan of salvation, not only in the NT gospels, but in the OT. Jesus was there! David knew Jesus in his heart, so why not find the Son of David, and his plan of salvation, in the words of David? After all, David convicted himself of sin, and David felt guilty (2 Sam 12), and he said the prayer of repentance (Psalm 51). David knew the plan of salvation.
I found that plan. It was hidden there in God’s calling of Solomon to build for Him a House. Note, that God did not even want a house (2 Sam 7). What did He desire? A temple made not of bricks and wood, but one wherein He lives in the hearts of men. That was the “Temple” which Solomon was truly building, and God even gave the plan for that Temple as well as Solomon’s! The Church was commissioned in the Chronicles of the Kings.
  In chapters 26 and 27 of 1 Chronicles, God provides instructions for building the physical temple. Then in chapters 28 and 29, He revealed the Plan to build the spiritual “Temples.” We find out in the NT that God’s Temple is in the hearts of His children (1 Cor 3:16). Building of the spiritual temple is chronicled in the following key verses: (Read them over, and study them thoroughly. Think about Jesus and grace. Tomorrow I will explain the plan of salvation from those passages.)

KEY VERSES: THE PLAN OF SALVATION

And of all my sons, (for the Lord hath given me many sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel.

And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and my courts: for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his father.

Moreover I will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant to do my commandments and my judgments, as at this day. (1 Chron 28:5-7)

And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.

Take heed now; for the Lord hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it. (1 Chron 28:9-10)

All this, said David, the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern.

And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord. (1 Chron 28:19-20)

Furthermore David the king said unto all the congregation, Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work is great: for the palace is not for man, but for the Lord God. (1 Chron 29:1)

Who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord? (1 Chron 29:5b)

(They all) offered willingly? (1 Chron 29:6b)

Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy. (1 Chron 29:9)

Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.

But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. (1 Chron 29:13-14)

O Lord our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own. (1 Chron 29:16)

I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee. (1 Chron 29:17)

And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for the which I have made provision. (1 Chron 29:19)

And they sacrificed sacrifices unto the Lord… (1 Chron 29:21)

And did eat and drink before the Lord on that day with great gladness. (1 Chron 29:22a)

And the Lord magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel. (1 Chron 29:25a)

THE CITY OF GOD

KEY VERSES:

There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. (Psalm 46:4)

For the Lord most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth. (Psalm 47:2)

God is gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet (Psalm 47:5)

God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness. (Psalm 47:8)

God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. 3 God is known in her palaces for a refuge. (Psalm 48:1-3)

As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish it for ever. (Psalm 48:8)

  I believe that Jerusalem has three identities: (1) Disregarding theologians, for now, consider that Jerusalem was in the midst of the Garden of Eden as that was where The Tree of Life stood (Gen 2:9). As can be seen from Psalm 46:4 above, Jerusalem had a river with streams of gladness. That corresponds well with the description of the Garden of Eden of which it is written, “And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.” Therein, “the river” in the Garden was the river with streams of gladness from Psalm 46. David was, I believe, identifying Jerusalem as the Garden of Eden!
  Identity (2): Jerusalem was the City of David: “Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the city of David.” (2 Sam 5:7). Zion, as per my previous commentary, (https://kentuckyherrin.blogspot.com/2019/09/hope-all-about-zion.html), has two identities: Jerusalem and Jesus. The hope of eternal Zion was by hope in Jesus! Thusly, Jerusalem is not only The City of David, but the City of God. It would seem that in the key verses that David was writing about Jerusalem, and the City will be “established forever” and from there “God has gone up with a shout.” That indicates that Jerusalem is the portal to spiritual New Jerusalem, and we know it was from that Great City from whence Jesus ascended (Acts 1:9-11).
  Jerusalem is a physical place for God, in reference to the city of Jerusalem, “is King over all the earth” ()Psalm 47:2). We think of “earth” as planet Earth. In general, there is no distinction in scripture whether it refers to the earth as matter of the planet. However, in a few cases, there is a distinguishing between the two:

The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them. (Psalm 89:11)

Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. (Psalm 90:2)

  In the first passage, there are three references: heavens, earth, and world. The first two pertain to Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth.” Most of us have been confused; I don’t believe that refers to the space in the cosmos and planet Earth, but to void and matter. Once God created matter and the space for it, then the world was created subsequent to that.   When would that have been? When the Heaven and the Earth were separated by a firmament, heaven above and the Earth below. (Gen 1:7). It is at that time, Heaven” was used rather than “heaven” with a small “h.” (The translators made a distinction in the usage.) Likewise, in Genesis 1:10, Earth is capitalized for the first time in scripture. The specific “earth” (land) on which life was created is called planet Earth (with a capital “H”.)
  It seems that the Earth was not created on the first day but the third day with Heaven’s creation on the second day. That makes sense since Lucifer and the other angels pre-existed mankind. That surely occurred on the second “day.”
  On the first Day, Light was separated from the darkness. Those too are capitalized, perhaps distinguishing them as “Truth” and “Lies” as well as the physical transition from energy to matter. All religions, including Christianity, consider matter as evil and the spiritual as good. The first Day seems to be preparation for the realm in which Lucifer lives. We know from the New Testament (NT) that there is a “great gulf” in Heaven (Luke 16:26). Of course, on one side of the “gulf” is Light and on the other side Darkness.
  The first Day seems to be before the World was created. Psalm 92 indicates that the earth was formed, then the World subsequent to that. In other words, matter was created on the first Day and it was molded into the World on the third Day. “The earth was without form” (Gen 1:2) would indicate that matter had not congealed. The time was ready for the formation of the cosmos. The light on the first Day was not the sun but God, Who Is Light, using His Holy Spirit, Who Is Power, to create!
Genesis 9:9 explains the planet’s creation: first there was water, then dry land appeared. That was the first use of Earth capitalized, meaning the world. I believe that the dry land which was one continent was Eden, and that the Garden was eastward in Eden. If Pangea (the land before continental drift) is examined, Israel and Jerusalem are eastward in Pangea as the Garden was eastward in Eden (Gen 2:8).
  I have made a connection between identity 1 and identity 2. It seems that Jerusalem is the midst of the Garden of Eden, and the Garden was the City of David. The third identity was Zion or Jerusalem, The City of David, all three as the City of God – identity 3.

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. (Rev 21:1-3).

  Verse one indicates that God reverses His original creation. The first step in the process of regenerating what He first generated, was wiping the “slate” clean. He undid Genesis 1:1. He doesn’t destroy Heaven and Earth, but space and matter. Then God started afresh, using a new space and new material! Then New Jerusalem will come down to a new, cleaned-up world, specifically to its foundation; to where the center of the Earth was in the midst of the Garden – Jerusalem –  which means “the foundation of peace.”
  Of course, New Jerusalem is the Place of Peace as it is The City of God (Rev 3:12) which David referred to as “The City of The Great King” and “The City of Our God” in the key verses. Thus, it is established that the third identity of Jerusalem is New Jerusalem. Each time its identity changes its “spirit” (countenance) does as well. In the beginning it was “very good” (Gen 1:31), now the City of Jerusalem is “the whore Babylon” (Rev 17:5), and in the end it is glorious, as Jerusalem is transformed from the whore to the glorious bride (Rev 21:2)!
  David was a prophet. Moses wrote that the songs (psalms) are for prophecy (1 Chron 25:3). David spoke of Jerusalem as if he had already obtained the reward of New Jerusalem. David was not magnifying the City of David, but the Great City of God. He knew its origin and of its regeneration. Now you do as well!  When I look toward Jerusalem, I see the Beautiful Garden, a presently sinful city, and the heavenly City of God!

REBELLION AND PROPHECY

KEY VERSES:

This is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord: Which say to the seers, “See not;” and to the prophets, “Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits: Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.” Wherefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel, “Because ye despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay thereon: Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant.” (Isa 30:9-13)

  Seers and prophets are mentioned therein. In Hebrew, “seers” are ra’ah and prophets chozeh. Ra’ah behold and advise what comes from divine revelation. Chozeh see or mentally perceive divine information, and surely pass it along (Strongs’ Dictionary.) The only difference is that “seers” always see and “prophets” comprehend divine information. Neither are strictly “prophets” in that prophesy shares the future.
  Of course, seeing and comprehending is oftentimes of future events but is not limited to it. For some reason, scripture distinguishes between the two, but later on “prophet” is mostly used, I suppose, because seers became corrupt as they quit providing divine insights but their own. The New Testament (NT)uses the Greek word “prophetes,” obviously for “prophet.” The NT does not use the word “seer” at all.
  Prophets, indeed, see future events as “pro” means “beforehand” in the Greek. It would seem that seers were less specialized as they saw information given from the divine for the present.
Prophets advise. Thus, prophesy serves two functions: seeing God’s will by inspiration in advance, and advising the people using the information received. They are messengers from God. Jesus was referred to as a “prophet” (Mat 21:11). That makes sense since he was God’s “mediator” (1 Tim 2:5). Jesus was The Messenger and The Angel of God since “angel” means “messenger.” Prophets are angels, then, not by birth but by inspiration.
  Isaiah was told to “get out of the way” (from the key verses). The Jews were saying, “We do not want to hear from God!” That is rebellion and Isaiah rightfully said, “This is a rebellious people.” From whom were they rebelling? Not from Isaiah but his message.
Although Jesus was from Nazareth and was a Nazarene, he too was rejected by his own rebellious people. Isaiah’s rejection was a foreshadowing of the rejection of Jesus in that prophet Isaiah spoke the Word of Prophet Jesus!
  What message from Jesus did they not want to hear? The Law (Hebrew Torah Torah) of the Lord. The Law is God’s precepts. “Precepts,” in this case, are God’s Principles, and of course are God’s Will for mankind. What makes them NOT laws is that they are voluntary, of course with repercussions. In the New Testament, they remain God’s Will, but Christians are expected only to harmonize their own will to God’s Will. Doing the Law without revering God is worthless. It is the human will that prevents from keeping The Law, and respecting the Law! Jesus came not to change The Law but to provide a new attitude about His Will.
  “Love is fulfilling of the law” (Rom 13:10). That means that The Ten Commandments are not commandments at all, but an itemization of how to love God and others – The Greatest Commandment and the one like unto it (Mat 22:36-4), wherein Jesus made it clear that he was referring to The Ten Commandments which were prescriptions for eternal healing!
  It was not Isaiah the Jews hated; it was God’s Will revealed through the words of Jesus from The Word Himself – Jesus by Name! They hated Jesus without a cause before Jesus even came into the world as flesh and blood. Isaiah was foretelling Jesus’s own words:

But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause. (John 15:25)

  People still hate without causation! They always will. People hate some because of gender, race, nationality, beliefs, and such things. Christians have been and will be persecuted to the end. Overcoming persecution for God’s Name (Jesus) is the Way to eternal life. Christians must endure hatred to the end! (Note that love is not toleration but desiring that “none shall perish;” John 3:16).
We are now in a period of hatred without causation. Isaiah was also prophesying of later times when he advised: “This is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord.”
  The Law is the Will of the Lord and our somewhat righteous founders based our law – the U.S. Constitution – on mostly just (right) natural law which was derived from the Law of God. Now we’re seeing a rebellious people on a daily basis, not truly hating the administration but what’s right itself. They are hating the man Trump without causation.
  Actually, Isaiah was endeavoring to “drain the swamp” in Judah. It had been awash with rebellious people who disliked, no hated, The Law. There was a spiritual revolution in progress when Isaiah spoke to his people, but they were dead-set on doing things their way without obedience to the Law of the Land. The same exists today; rebellious people have taken the law into their own hands by disregarding the law of the land and doing what they will.
  The Jews got their king “impeached,” as he was overthrown by malevolent foreign forces and his eyes put out. The Jews suffered the consequences of their rebellion; they were enslaved for seventy years. They got what they wished for – an anarchy.
Socialism is anarchy; it is people doing what is right in their own eyes, never fearing that it is self-destructive. They hate the American way so badly that they are willing to destroy the republic and commit hari kari on themselves. That’s what the Jews did, and what the progressives (regressive socialists) are wont to do.
  It all goes back to Satan. Marx was his emissary, and he said that religion as nothing more than interference to the will of the masses. Isaiah and Jesus interfered with what the Jews and Nazarenes wanted to do. In the end, what was that? They desired to kill God? Why? He was hated without a cause… other than they pursued emancipation from His authority.
  The social war in the West at the moment is a movement, not against Trump, but against God and His precepts. Trump is hated without a cause for endeavoring to “drain the swamp” of malefactors just as Isaiah attempted to do. Beware the enemy within for “he” is us!
  Socialism is rebellion wherein selfish people attempt to be their own gods without rules or regulations. Just as with the Jews who were put in bondage, foolish left-wing Americans vote for their own enslavement. It is not really Trump they hate, but Jesus without a cause! Jesus is always victimized; always was and always will be.

THE MEEK

KEY VERSES:

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. (Mat 5:5)

But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. (Psalm 37:11).

  Jesus said the first blessing. David, inspired by God, observed the same blessing in the psalm. Each have two parts. Part one in each are the promise of blessings, and part two are the blessings. The blessing is for the meek (part one), and the blessing is inheriting the earth. The Psalm explains the inheritance: delight in the abundance of peace. “Peace” is bliss!
  “Blessings” are things which further complete happiness. Such a state is one of “bliss.” Blessings, then, are a promise of bliss, and that state only exists in Paradise.
  Jesus indicated that the meek will have bliss, obviously in Heaven. Where does the part about “earth” come in? “Earth” without the capital “E” refers to “land” according to Strong’s Dictionary for Psalm 37:11 and is not necessarily on the planet Earth. In the Greek, in Matthew 5:5, the meaning is “soil.” Therefore, the blessing is not necessarily for Paradise on Earth, but ownership of land some place.
  Jesus included his blessing on meekness in a list of several others. Jointly, they are referred to as “The Beatitudes,” each representing states “of utmost bliss” (Merriam-Webster  Dictionary).
The key verse is for one particular attitude which is blessed – meekness, which is possessing humility, meaning not prideful nor arrogant. Meekness very well describes rebirth. Jesus said, “Marvel not; you muse be born again (John 3:7), then referred to the story of Moses, the vipers, the Jews, and the brass serpent on its pole (Num 21).
  With the example of that occasion long ago, Jesus meant to explain meekness with Old Testament symbolism. The Jews who looked up at the dead serpent realized that God had the power of life, and that they did not. They diminished themselves and elevated God. That is meekness – knowing our place relative to God. He is Supreme; we are not. He can save us; we cannot save ourselves.
David used some other “lyrics” to define meekness:

·         “Depart from evil, and do good” (Psalm 37:27), and “Trust in the Lord, and do good” (Psalm 37:3)

·         “Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness” (Psalm 37:3)

·         “Delight yourself also in the Lord” (Psalm 37:4)

·         “Commit your way to the Lord” (Psalm 37:5)

·         “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him” (Psalm 37:7)

·         “Wait on (perhaps “serve’) the Lord” (Psalm 37:9)

·         “Shows mercy and gives” (Psalm 37:21)

·         “Delights in His (God’s) Way” (Psalm 37:23)

·         “The righteous shall inherit the land” (Psalm 27:39)

·         “Speaks wisdom” (Psalm 37:30)

·         Is just. (Psalm 37:30)

·         Obey God’s Will willingly (Psalm 37:31)

·         Endure to the end (Psalm 37:31)

  That is quite a responsibility; no - a proper attitude; a beatitude. David wrote:

·         “They are preserved forever.” (Psalm 37:28)

·         They “shall inherit the land.” (Psalm 37:29),

·         And “dwell in it forever.” (Psalm 37:29)

  That’s sufficient. The promise of the bliss for meekness in “the land” called Heaven wherein the meek is “preserved  forever.” Just as with Abraham who was looking at the land of Paradise, and not really Israel, the “earth” or “land” to be inherited by the meek seems to be in the City of God.
Jesus said, “In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2). The meek shall inherit a mansion from their Father in Heaven. Our focus must not be on the Earth, but on obtaining Heaven. I believe that’s where Abraham, Moses, and David looked, not so much at the land of Israel. In other words, “The Promise Land” is in Heaven, not on Earth.
  However, “Earth” can also be taken literally:

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.  And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (Rev 21:1-2).

  The “mansion” in the City of God will come back to its foundation in Jerusalem. Ironically, the meek are blest with “land” in Heaven and on Earth, but it will be the same land! I believe that New Jerusalem will sit on the same foundation as the Garden of Eden, but with a large population, it is no longer a “garden” for two but a City for those who follow the Way through the Straight Gate!

ON FEASTING AND FASTING

KEY VERSE: My knees are weak through fasting; and my flesh faileth of fatness. (Psalm 109:24)

  People think of “fasting” as doing without food; it is not. It is disrupting routine behavior. Because eating is routine, not eating is thought of as “fasting.”
“Feasting” is anything which “gives unusual or abundant enjoyment” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). For most people great meals provide beyond the routine, abundant enjoyment. Everyone must eat. For good health, it must be done on a routine basis. Feasting, as does fasting, disrupts the routine of people. Ironically, the difference in spelling between those two words is the small letter “e” which also is the first letter of “eating.”
  Prosperous people become accustomed to the more pleasant things in life. As such, they overeat for the sheer joy of it. Overeating, beyond what it takes for routine nourishment, is referred to as “gluttony.” That is overindulgence of pleasant things. Epicureanism is living for pleasure; it has all importance. Paul rebuked the Epicureans for their unknown god. Their god was their taste buds. They lived for the sheer pleasure of it. In reference to food and drink, their god condenses down to their taste buds.
  When people say, “I need some food; I’m starving to death,” that is deception. Better said is “My taste buds are not getting attention; they need appeased.” That is Epicureanism. I know who their god is and he is them!
  Epicureanism is not only the pleasure of food, but any type of pleasure. Some live for good wines, fine vodka, decorating the skin, royal apparel, elaborate beauty products, fine jewelry, esteem, and such. “Fasting” would also include giving up those things. Of course, the sacrifice without a cause is futile; there must be an honorable reason to fast for it to be effective.
Feasting is easy. The first sin was a feast. Although God warned them, Adam and Eve forewent “good” food from the Garden of Eden for some type of Epicurean food: “… the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat… (Gen 3:5).
  Note that her Epicurean god (The Serpent) provided not only food, but an abundance of beauty and wisdom. Just as the food in the Garden, beauty there was plentiful and perfect. God called it “very good” (Gen 1:31). Likewise, in the Garden, the two already had the knowledge of good but lacked any knowledge of evil.
 “The Wisdom Tree” was Epicurean in that the two became “philosophers.” They immediately rationalized their bad behavior to God: Eve blamed the Serpent and Adam blamed Eve. The Wisdom Tree introduced deception into the world, and mankind always finds it difficult to discern deception. (I sometimes refer to the forbidden tree as “The Philosophy Tree” because is certainly lacked true wisdom!)
  Satan, embodied within the Serpent, essentially said: “FEAST!” With their herbal diet already enough, when standing under the Philosophy Tree, God demanded they FAST! They had been accustomed to eating, but when standing under that particular tree, God wanted them to disrupt their eating patterns. They were warned to fast when near that tree: “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Gen 2:17).
  Is that not a warning to fast? The Philosophy Tree represents the doctrine of the world which is The Doctrine of Sin. People must fast from over-pleasuring whether it be food, drink, or behaviors. In Genesis 2:17 the Hebrew words for “eat” are also consume, burn, and crave. Remember what Paul said, “It is better to marry than to burn” (1 Cor 7:9). “Burn” therein is “inflamed” or “lustful.” It seems that an over-abundance of pleasure, and the thoughts of it, is what “eating of the tree” is all about.
  Some theologians, as I do, believe that the problem with the Philosophy Tree was seeking pleasure rather than contentment. Should the two not have been content in the Garden? They should have been. However, they sought to feast by eating, focusing on beauty (lust), and having self-esteem by obtaining wisdom.
  John referred to those things much later as, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (1 John 2:16). Those attitudes are “Epicureanism” - a kind word for the lust for pleasure! Pleasuring oneself becomes the mode of worship, and the flesh becomes the Epicurean’s idol. They know not their “god” but we all know him; their gods are themselves!
  David (Psalm 109:24) was spot-on; he referred to his “fatness.” Figuratively, that is “richness” and implies pleasure. David forewent pleasure by fasting. Pleasuring is an easy thing to do. As we learned from Adam and Eve, it was enjoyable to actually partake of the Philosophy Tree, but afterwards it was hard work to fast from it!
  God helped them out when he put them outside the Garden away from the Tree. Henceforth, existence was by “the sweat of their faces” not just by a loving God (Gen 3:19). Thereafter, fasting from pleasure became toilsome. It is hard work to disrupt the natural inclination (from the forbidden tree) by fasting from pleasure. (Original pleasuring is called “original sin”).
 Christians are called to fast (disrupt) the routine of pleasuring. David understood that he had once feasted, on Bathsheba for one, but now he must fast from pleasure. David got serious about God’s Will for him. His own will, once rebellious, harmonized with God’s Will after repentance and a change in his “fattening.”
  “Gluttony” is sinful because it is overindulgence. We all have seen tattooed people over-indulge with decorating their flesh. That is sinful. How many tattoos are overly indulging? God knows… I have no idea, but perhaps one is too many (Lev 19:28). That disruption from the normative is self-indulgence, and perhaps sinful because artistic work on the flesh adorns our idols. Flesh covered by tattoos is feasting by providing self-pleasure to the skin.
  Don’t be offended, people… your tattoos won’t damn you, but overindulgence in anything may indeed make you die. Any behavior which over-indulges yourself is a fast from God. Others indulge in alcohol. How much is acceptable? Perhaps one drink for your health, as Paul prescribed (1 Tim 5:3).
  People are warned not to over-indulge in wine (Ephes 5:18). It appeases the flesh, and those who drink in excess are not filled with the spirit (ibid). Excessive wine may physically and spiritually kill you as God forewarned because the focus is on the “self.” If one is serious about their relationship with God, fasting from the pleasure of wine is the first step. God desires that Christians be sanctified as were the Nazarites, and they were not to drink wine or even chance drinking of it!
Wine can be made from figs and that was surely routine in biblical times. Ironically, the forbidden tree was likely a fig tree as the two sinners immediately covered their shame with a fig-leave apron. Just as the Nazarite is not even to eat the fruit that may ferment, sanctified Christians would abstain from wine to avoid excess.
  Then there is the gluttony of overeating. Just like the person with the tattoos, most who over-indulge in food have a tell-tale heart; it is their flesh. Not all, but many obese people are gluttons. (Of course, for some it may be genetics, hormonal, or health related, but for most surely it is over-eating for the pleasure of the taste of good food). Even some skinny people with great metabolism over-indulge at times. We all should fast so as to disrupt the routine behaviors!
  Eating is bi-modal. It nourishes to support life, but too much destroys and leads to physical death! Often missed is that he over-importance of food can lead to spiritual death. God warns about the glutton as disgusting to him, and that includes any over-indulgence (Deut 21:19_21). We find out from Paul later on that it is not what goes in the mouth but the intent of the heart. God’s Will is that we not be gluttons, and when our own will supersedes God’s Will, that is sinful! “Sin” seems to consist of putting your desire “to be your own master” over God’s “I Am” the Master!
Regarding the key verse, David recognized his “fatness” – his desire for excessive pleasure, and came to realize that he needed to “fast” from it, and apparently did so!
  Stoicism results from fasting for wrong reasons. Right now, I am fasting to lose weight. That is self -indulgence because it elevates me. If I fast to please God, then that is righteous. If I fast for other reasons, like when praying for others, that is spiritually noble.
  Some people have been overpowered by demons. I believe drug-usage allows demons to enter in. Jesus prescribed prayer and fasting to defeat our demons (Mat 17:21). We must also pray and fast for our own spiritual welfare. If not, then we just may die!
  People often give up from fasting from alcohol, drugs, food, or pleasure of any kind because they get deceived just as Adam and Eve were. When we give up, we give in to Satan. His desire is that His children be as designed, and that is “very good” (Gen 1:31). To be as God intended, as we have found, is hard work! God gave us will-power for self-control to demonstrate our willingness to please Him! Those who fail the hard work of fasting for the Lord displease the Lord.
  Rebirth is about change; the old person who does his own will should have been replaced by a new person who does God’s Will. The evidence of rebirth is which master we serve; do we serve God or ourselves?

Hope: All About Zion

  Zion (“Tsiyonin” in  Hebrew) is the City of David and specifically The Temple Mount which was called Mount Moriah in early times. It was there that Abraham was willing to seal the covenant with God. Abraham was willing to sacrifice the entire flesh of his only remaining son, just as God was willing to do years later on nearby Mount Golgotha – “the place of the (Adam’s) skull” (Mat 27:23; Mark 15:22; John 19:17).

  Rather than Isaac’s entire flesh, God sufficed with the flesh of man’s shame which was circumcision of the foreskin of his genitalia. For a time that flesh would protect those who kept the Covenant, but it was not the flesh of the penis which provided safety, but the circumcised hearts of the covenanters: “Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked” (Deut 10:16).

I often wondered, therein, if God made a double-entendre! Was He referring to necks or erections? (Covering their shame hinted at the latter; Gen 3:7). That is a great question as erections seem to be mankind’s greatest problem; a “tool” for the men, a “tulip” to the woman, and a generator in God’s “He-Shed” to keep the “lights” a burning.

  Uncircumcised hearts are lustful; circumcised hearts are not! Circumcised genitalia rest; uncircumcised genitalia prowl. There is a synchronicity between the heart and the genitals. Will- power controls the lust, and God cuts off the flesh of the heart. Mankind shares responsibility in controlling their desires. However, this is not the subject of today’s commentary; Zion is!

  Abraham saw Zion from a distance: “On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off” (Gen 22:4). Then once obtaining Zion, Abraham said, “My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering.” Then God provided and His identity became known: “The angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham:’ and he said, ‘Here am I.’”

  First off, God identified his Existence as Father when He said, “Here Am I” (I AM). The Angel of the Lord called from Heaven. This was one specific Messenger or Angel, the Voice of God in the Garden – The Word (John 1-3,14) who is called Jesus. God the Father was there as was The Son. Where was the Holy Spirit? “He” was providing the sacrifice, burning the sacrificed flesh, and blessing Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the nations of the Earth (Gen 22:17-18).

  God cannot be separated. He was there on Zion in all three “substances” and He was there on Calvary the same way! In other words, the Flesh of God died, but His Spirit and Mind experienced death on our behalf much the same way that Abraham experienced death on behalf of his son. Abraham experienced Zion, and he also experienced Zion. Are you confused? Zion was indeed Mount Moriah in Jerusalem, but was there another Zion?

  Abraham saw Zion and experienced it at a location. He also experienced God in His fullness – The Messiah was there on Mount Moriah, as He was on Ornan’s Threshing Floor where Solomon’s Temple would be built. The Temple was God’s House. I believe it has the  same intent as God’s “House of Many Mansions” in New Jerusalem in Heaven: “In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:2).

  On Zion, God was preparing a place for those faithful to the Covenant. First, man was to provide a place there for God, as God was there sealing the deal with mankind. The Abrahamic Covenant was always by grace as Jesus provided the sacrifice, and it was a covenant of two parts: God gives the gift and people graciously love the Giver! Nothing has changed.

  God is in God’s House. Zion, then, not only represents Mount Zion (Moriah) and Jerusalem, as well as New Jerusalem, but Jesus himself! “So the heathen shall fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth thy glory. When the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory” Psalm 102:15-16). Of course, David was referring to Jesus appearing in Zion, but the focus is on his appearance, not Zion itself!

  When did Zion appear in his glory? When he died and gave up the Holy Ghost.

And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man. (Luke 23:46-47)

  John validated that even as the moment of glorification: Going to his death, Jesus spoke of himself as glorified:

He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night. Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him. (John 13:30-32).

  Given those two different events associated with glorification, “glorification” seems to be a process commencing with Christians glorifying Jesus, then God glorifying him on the Mount of Transfiguration, the Last Supper glorifying Jesus, then death finishing the glorification process, and Jesus even commenting, “It is finished.”  (John 19:30). What was finished? Glorification! He was transfigured from the Son of Man to the Son of God, then to God Himself on the Holy Cross.

David saw that, and wrote of it in Psalm 102:15-16. Zion was not only a place, but a promise, and a Person. Zion implies the Messiah who we call Christ and Jesus.

  Abraham saw Zion and stood on that Holy Ground by faith. He talked with Jesus, but didn’t see his face as Jesus spoke to him from Heaven. David foresaw Jesus (Zion) appearing in his glory! He saw the heathens fearing the Lord of Zion, as well as kings. Kings have always strived to maintain Zion, and feared the Jews as God’s chosen people. I am one of the “heathens” (Gentiles) who David envisioned fearing the Lord, and a “peculiar person” as we are called!

  David could have mentioned only the Jews, but Jesus was more than King of the Jews, he is Savior of all mankind! David foresaw that when most did not.

  Moses was part of the Covenant. It was effectually the same as the Abrahamic Covenant with the items listed for clarity. Jesus – the Finger of God and The Word – wrote down the “Prescriptions” for the healing of the nations. He too saw Zion, but from afar (Deut 34:4) but it was not his time to see Jesus yet. He knew that Jesus would be there soon, but he had yet to see Jesus in his glory. That all changed with the transfiguration.

  Moses, on the Mount of Transfiguration, finally saw God face to face and He was Jesus all the time. Moses had seen the land of Zion from afar, but on that Holy Mountain, Moses saw the person, Zion, close up and with his own eyes looking into the eyes of God – the God who he had sinned against!

The theogian, H. J. Whitaker (1987), proposed that the Mount of Transfiguration may be Mount Nebo where Moses saw Zion from afar. Since he saw Zion close-up at the transfiguration, it makes sense that Moses and Jesus were again on Mount Nebo. Moses didn’t go to Zion; Zion came to Him!

  David’s thoughts, in many of his psalms, were saturated and fixed on seeing God’s face. He sang songs about the Face of God. Moses dreamed about seeing the land Zion and the Person Zion. It was not the land that kept him faithful, but the prospect of the Man Zion!

  As a Christian, and a former heathen, my hope is seeing God face-to-face. My room will be in a house of many mansions, predictably it must be Zion. It will be: New Jerusalem is Zion! Of course, just as Moses, my eyes are not on the place but the Person Zion. It was never the place Zion that interested Abraham, Moses, David, nor the other patriarchs and prophets, but the face of God, who David seemed to call “Zion!”

On Preservation

Safe or Saved by the Face of God?

  I am prone to pass over the psalms when reading scripture.  That’s not what the Passover should be! Stupid me; for there is great doctrine hidden away in those words of prose! David wrote most of them. In those “songs” he confessed his sins, lamented over them, feared his enemies who were representatives of Satan, sought solace in the Lord, and had hope that his salvation would come.
  He asked that Israel be preserved that the covenant be preserved; that a Savior would come from his seed. Just as David was the hope of the Jews, the “Son of David” – Jesus – is the hope of mankind. The Jews were to be given first opportunity before the world!
  David often said things as, “Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies' sake.” (Psalm 31:16) and “O love the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. (Psalm 31:23). Most often “the English word “safe” is used in past tense, as “saved.” It is as if it already happened!
  Let’s examine the classical example of “saved”: “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:21). Now focus on “shall be saved.” Some versions use “should” and “shall” interchangeably. However, “should” is past tense and “shall” present tense; albeit “shall” is directed toward future events. Thusly, “shall” can have a double-meaning – now or anytime subsequent to the present.
  Bear with me for a moment, and not let this lesson in grammar deter your thoughts. Words mean things! Do you not want to know if you have been saved, are now saved, or will be sometime in the future? It is to be noted that “the assurance of salvation” is having enough faith that you perceive yourself as already “saved.”
  Satan plays word games with people to confuse them. One deception that he uses is to believe that you have already been saved so that you will not walk the Way of Jesus any further. Some versions use “should be saved” as in John 3:16 KJV. Other versions use “shall be saved.” Which is it? The original Greek leaves that open to interpretation. Their word is sozos, and Strong’s Dictionary provides “safe” and “saved” as definitions. It also gives “preserve;” “To keep safe from injury, harm, or destruction” (Merriam-Webster Dict.). I prefer “safe” because it fits scripture better. For instance, Job had a hedge of safety about him. His preservation was by faith in trusting God. (Job 1).
  In the Garden of Eden, there was surely a hedge about it to keep the pair safe. How is that known? Because there was one way back into the Garden which was protected by the flaming swords of cherubim to keep those without faith from The Tree of Life (Jesus).
  “Shall” is archaic. Presently, “will” is most often used. “Will be safe” makes sense because it is certain that anyone will be “safe” if they have what? David wrote in the psalm that God preserves the faithful. That is present tense. It indicates that anyone who is faithful is in a state of preservation.
Faithful is not only for the present, but the word itself points toward the future. “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved” (Mat 10:22). Paul likened faith to a race with a prize at the end. Faith has a time element; faith is serving to the end. Ironically, Christians serve and God preserves! Preservation, like any preserves, is dependent on lack of contamination. As sealed lids to jars preserves the meat, God seals the safety “container” (the soul) as long as contamination does not enter in. (John 6:27).
  Of course, the “meat” is our flesh. By grace God gave us free will to determine what we allow into the soul. His safety is not to allow the meat to be thrown-out into Sheol (Job 1:12) but God does allow those who are “safe” to be afflicted (Job 2:7). Because of his faith, Job was preserved throughout all sorts of mishandling and attempts to contaminate his preservation.
  The question arises? “Could Job have relinquished his faith?” It seemed that the Lord had forsaken him, just as it seemed to Jesus on the cross. God did not and will not! He allowed Satan and his demons to tempt Job by loosening “the lid” on his “jar” (the soul) a little at a time. Job could have abandoned God but he did not! Jesus could have abandoned God but he did not! The point so far is to conclude that those who have faith are not saved but they are safe.
  I have always pondered God’s Will that Adam “dress and keep the Garden” (Gen 2:15). Does not the Lord take care of the Garden Himself? Since there was not death there, and no weeds, it would seem that God cared for the “trees” Himself. Obviously, as the two were cast out of the Garden, God did just that!  “Trees” in scripture seem to be a metaphor for “living souls.” God would take care of the souls in the Garden paradise, as he does in Heaven, but outside in the world, God foreknew Adam’s role: He was to dress and keep the living souls out there!
  Just as good a translation for “dress and keep” is to “serve and preserve.” Outside in the world, Adam was to serve the Lord and others, which by the way is the Greatest Commandment, and just as in the Garden, the Lord will preserve His faithful.
  David worded his psalm correctly – “preserveth the faithful.” The Lord preserves those with faith is to the end just as with the jar of “meat” which was discussed earlier. Meat can be preserved for a reason; it is to nourish the one who preserves it. God preserves mankind to the end to serve Him. Faith is trusting the right master. Those with faith choose wisely; they choose the Face of God as David wrote.
  “The Face of God” is the Savior – Jesus! As I have written many times, the prophets and patriarchs didn’t see God’s face directly, but as a shadow. They most certianly saw The Tree of Life as “The Face of God” in that the Root and Power was beneath the surface of the earth. How is it known that The Tree of Life is Jesus? By its twelve fruits and the fact that “it” is still standing on the River of God in Paradise (Rev 22:2).
  Remembering that the Tree of Life in the Garden was protected by cherubim, who can enter? “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city” (Rev 22:14). Those faithful to the end who have a right to The Tree of Life! The password recognized by the cherubim is “Jesus.” By no other Name can one enter in! “Blessed” means “bliss” which is only in Paradise.
  Salvation is not now in the present. It is entering into the gates of God’s City wherein Satan can no longer affect them. It has impenetrable walls and the gate is still guarded by cherubim to keep evil-doers out – those who have no right to be there. The promise, “shall be saved,” is then. Each day the faithful are nearer their salvation than when they first believed! (Rom 13:11).
  The point is that “salvation” is when we can see the Face of God in Person; not only in our thoughts and visions, but when we look at God we will see His Face. That Face is Jesus, and then with entry into the Gate to that City, finally the faithful will be saved.
  Salvation depends on our seeing the Face of God as David did. That “face” is seen by Jesus’s Name only, and no other. Salvation depends on Jesus, The Tree of Life, still preserved in Heaven as on Earth. The faith and trust that he is alive is faith to save us.
  I’ve written before that “The Third Prescription” is about the Face and Purpose of the Face, and His Name. Examine that Prescription: “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.”
  The Lord is without a name, but He is called Jesus, the Christ, and God With Us. If we call on the Name of the Lord for salvation that Name is Jesus. Vanity in regard to God’s Name is disregarding the very Purpose of Jesus which is to save mankind. The penalty for taking Jesus flippantly is “guilty” and those will not be preserved from perishing. “Perishing” is not having the right to enter into Heaven, but deserving of punishment in Hell.
  The Ten Prescriptions, if taken steadfastly and to the end, will preserve to the time of “healing” when Jesus will finally heal the nations – his nations and his people. Rebirth is a sort of vaccination. It doesn’t ensure that one not perish but makes preservation more likely. Foolish people will open the “jar” for a little taste of the flesh inside and despoil all the meat inside!
  Now for one last comment about David’s seeing God’s Face: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” From the Hebrew, a good second translation would be: Thou shalt have no other gods with my face. Jesus is the one and only “Face” of God. Simon the Sorcerer pretended to be, and to many Muslims, Judas was the face of their god, Allah.  Nowadays, it is Brahma, and even people! The true Face of God whose Name is Jesus is the password for entry beyond the cherubim who ensures that only those faithful to the Lord obtain salvation!
  Do not be dismayed; if you keep your faith, you are as well as saved! Satan’s entire purpose is to create doubt and diminish your faith until the Name of the Lord is vanity. The Holy Ghost lives inside true Christians, and Is the hedge against Satan and his demons getting through the entryway to the soul.
  Christians are not yet “saved” but are “preserved” until the time of salvation.

Glorification; Seeing God Face-To-Face

  This morning I wanted to write on glory and glorification. However, before I studied, I was redirected; I was told to continue with the subject of “God’s Face.” It had not struck me that there is an association between God’s Face and glorification! Christians must see God’s Face to become glorified. The questions remain, “What is meant by “God’s Face” and what does “glorification” mean?

 I asked my pastor one day that last question: What is glorification? That man had a doctorate in theology but was somewhat doctrinal rather than spiritual. He replied, “It is glory.” He was well have answered, “I don’t know,” because I don’t believe he had seen God face to face! Now study the key verses:

KEY VERSES:

As for me (David), I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness. (Psalm 17:15)

Hear, O Lord, when I (David) cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. When thou saidst, “Seek ye my face;” my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation. (Psalm 27:7-9)

 In the first of the key verses, David was looking forward to the day when he will be awakened from his sleep. Jesus likened death to sleep (John 11:11-14), and more forthrightly it is written: “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt” (Dan 12:2).

  Since the body will return to the dust from which it came (Gen 3:19; Psalm 104:29), then the physical body shall be mixed with the earth.  That leaves two substances: (1) the soul and (2) the mind. What happens to the rest of our existence? “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” (Ecc 12:7). Our soul goes from whence it came. We know that God breathed life unto Adam and he became a living soul: “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Gen 2:7).

  Life is a combination of dust and spirit. With the Power of God, life was generated! Immediately Adam was given dominion over the animals (Gen 1:26). What man can do since they have souls is rational thinking: “I think, therefore I am.” (Rene’ Descartes). (Irrational thinking was introduced with the first sin. Descartes should have said, “I think irrationally, therefore I am NOT I Am!”)

It appears that when God combined the dust with His Spirit, that mankind was given mind as well! Before sin, man’s and woman’s minds were in harmony with God’s Mind. Soon there would be a disconnect, and chaos ensued!

  The point is that “death” is when the body is separating from the mind and spirit. Upon death, there are two possible existences: (1) iniquitous mind with the spirit of Satan, or (2) a righteous mind with the Spirit of God.

  When David is “awakened” he will have a righteous mind and his soul will be filled, not partially, but full of God’s Holy Spirit. He asked that when he awakes that he be filled with God’s likeness. He will behold God’s face!

  In the beginning, man was created in the image of God, and God used the expression “created in our image.” Why is God “El” (singular) and “Elohym? (plural)” Because he is One God Who has three images – Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Adam surely saw God’s “Face” back in the Garden before sin put a veil over it, just as Moses hid is glory from sinful people.

  Adam was “generated.” David desired to be “regenerated.” That seems to be a return to the state as at generation; back to the image of God with a clean God-centered mind, a soul FULL of God’s Holy Spirit, and a perfect immortal body. That status is the Christian “glorified.” 

  Theologians refer to rebirth as “regeneration” in that “marvel not, ye muse be born again.” (John 3:7). However, as birth requires conception and gestation, rebirth does as well! Seeing the Light is the “conception” of the new creature, but life subsequent to that is the gestation: “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved” (Mat 10:22).

  However, the end is not “the end!” At birth, generation requires time to mature the personality. Subsequent to rebirth, a spiritual personality grows as well. God bestows upon the deceased Christian a new personality with a new attitude. At death, the deceased is finally spiritually full-grown; he is glorified, as Jesus was glorified at death. Glorification in all scripture is the spiritual maturity to credit God.

  Jesus glorified the Father by dying for His Namesake. His death glorified God.

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.  This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. (John 21:18-19).

  Thusly, the ultimate glorification is giving ourselves to the Lord. Because The Law of Sin still influences even Christians, perfect glorification cannot occur until Christians are no longer harnessed to life in this world. Hence, we can only honor God perfectly subsequent to physical death. With the world overcome (1 John 5:5), then the spirit is able to worship “in spirit and in truth” totally. (John 4:24). Overcoming the world cannot occur for us until we are out of the world.

Generation was the creation (Gen 1:1). Mankind was generated perfectly, specifically “very good” (Gen 1:31) in the beginning. At the end of life, the Christian is again made “very good.” That is the end of the regeneration period or process. The period called “life” from rebirth to death is spiritual gestation!

  The main difference in “generation” and “regeneration” is the time interval. God created a perfect man in a moment of one day. To regenerate requires a lifetime because after sin, outside the Garden of Perfection, life is on world-time!

  Repeated for clarity, “regeneration” is the time between “born again” and death: As Paul said, “To die is gain” (Phil 1:21). Why so? At death, regeneration of the Christian is finished; thereafter the Lord can be worshiped in Spirit and Truth. That attitude is the same attitude with which Adam was designed.

  Adam was glorified at generation in that he was able to look at God face to face and live. He was able to worship in perfect fidelity because the Garden was “very good.” Adam was generated with life breathed unto him. Christians will finally be regenerated when death is sucked out of them! That’s what Paul meant by “To die is gain.” We are nourished on this Earth by being in Christ, but after death come maturity; Christians can worship the Lord face to face!

  The ability to worship God without the interferences of the world is “glorification.” Ironically, glorification is not what God can do for us, but what we can do for Him!

  That sort of reminds me of Kennedy’s speech, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”  Substitute “God” therein for “country” and that is glorification. Of course, the ability to do God’s Will is not in this world, but the next. In this world, it is the willingness “to do” that counts as servitude. What God does for Christians is not a ceremonial washing, but a thorough cleansing just as he did with the world in Noah’s time and the world with fire in the end.

  Water is used at the commencement of regeneration to start the cleansing, but fire is required after the regeneration process is completed. At glorification, Jesus “gave up the Ghost” (Mark 15:37). At the glorification of Christians, they are “filled” with the Ghost of Jesus. During the process of regeneration, Christians are not filled with the Spirit because sin still resides in the soul.

Examine this passage:

And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:4).

  Focus on “filled.” In the Greek, that word is “pletho.” The Jewish Christians were not filled that day but “supplied” or “influenced” (Strong’s Dictionary). During the regeneration process the Christian is influenced by the Holy Ghost, and at death (gain) the filling can occur because sin will no longer be in the soul as it is again, “very good.”

  “Regeneration” seems to be more like “sanctification” which is a spiritual growing process culminating in perfection only after death. Sanctification would be the time set apart for growth between rebirth and glorification. Entire sanctification commences with glorification as perfection cannot occur until death sets Christians free from the world!

  When early Christians “glorified the Lord” it was an imperfect glorification. At death, Christians are free to glorify the Lord perfectly because they have finally overcome the gravity of the world!

We think of “gravity” as the Earth’s pull.  It is not? It is an invisible force in space pushing down on the Earth. Likewise, spiritual gravity is an invisible demonic force pushing down on us in the world. Overcoming the world is overcoming that “spiritual gravity.” Will there be gravity in Heaven. I don’t believe so. Christians ought to be able there to move about without restriction. Of course, glorification will be our perfect willingness to glorify God! How better to glorify God than face to face?

  Moses got a little touch of glorification. God came down to him and made that possible:

And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses. And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door. And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. (Exod 33:9-11)

  Moses didn’t see God face to face, but communed with Him directly without an intermediary. Since Jesus is God manifested and Jesus is the mediator, The Word (Jesus; John 1:1-2, 14) was present there speaking to Moses. If he did see God, he was seeing Jesus because Jesus’s  death would tear the curtain that he may be seen directly (Mat 27:51). Moses understood grace! He knew the penalty for sin which is death and that only God’s death was sufficient. He surely spoke to the Lord’s “face” (Jesus) and didn’t die because he trusted the Purpose of Jesus… which was to die for mankind so that we could gain!

  Moses didn’t see the Lord’s “face” clearly if at all. It was obscured by the cloud. That “Cloud” was God made manifest to mankind. Its substance was what Jesus’s flesh would become later.

Then subsequent to that, by grace God showed his Glory, but again not His “face:

 For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.

And the Lord said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.

And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.

And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.

And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.

And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:

And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:

And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen. (Exod 33:16-23)

  Moses never saw God’s “Face” before he died, but when the Lord put on Flesh, Moses was there at the transfiguration seeing God’s Face, face-to-face. The Lord glorified Jesus. He took the cloud off and finally revealed His own Face concealed all those years. Jesus was transformed. Perhaps the transformation was merely the unveiling for a few, but his death rent the veil for all to see Him.

Perhaps Jesus was glorified by God because he was about to glorify the Father! God would never leave nor forsake His only begotten. I believe that Jesus, already spiritually glorious, was physically glorified in preparation to defeat death.

  You see, “glorification” is not something God merely does for us, but is a relationship. Christians glorify God and God glorifies Christians. In life, Christians are willing to do that, but fail. In death, God makes them able to glorify God. “Glorification” is a harmonization between the free will of mankind and the Lord’s Will. He does that by grace, and regeneration commences when the will of Christians begin to harmonize with the Will of God. Total harmonization does not occur until we see God face-to-face on His throne. When we look at his Glory there, we will clearly see Jesus’s face for he alone is the Face of God!

  God is Glorious already. The reward is ours when death rewards Christians with the ability to see God’s Face after Jesus was glorified by God.

Some of the patriarchs did see God’s face long ago. Scripture speaks of a transparent “sea of glass” on which God’s throne sits. (Rev 15:12). David may have seen Jesus through that barrier. It took bright eyes with bright natures to see what others could not see! David surely received that ability after his regeneration (Psalm 51). He could see his own “son” sitting at the right hand of God as his psalms proclaim! They are worth the reading because David was looking at God’s “Face.”