Clothed in Christ: The Scriptural Journey from Eden’s Fig Leaves to Revelation’s Fine Linen – Part 1

[Study Aired June 10, 2025]

Introduction

Throughout Scripture, clothing is more than mere fabric—it is a profound theological design woven into the story of redemption. From the moment nakedness came to light in Genesis to the triumphant marriage supper of the Lamb in Revelation, garments serve as tangible symbols of spiritual realities. They represent covering sin and righteousness gained, shame and salvation, defilement and glory. In the Bible’s grand narrative, to be clothed or unclothed signifies one’s spiritual state before God. As we trace the progressive use of garments from Genesis to Revelation, a consistent message emerges: God Himself provides the necessary covering for sin, ultimately clothing His people in the righteousness of Christ. We will explore that redemptive journey—beginning with the fig leaves Adam and Eve wore (Genesis 3:7) and culminating in Christ’s royal vesture bearing the title “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS” (Revelation 19:16). Along the way, we will examine key transitions in this framework: the holy garments of Israel’s priesthood, the filthy garments of Joshua in Zechariah’s vision, Isaiah’s promise of salvation as a robe of righteousness, the radiant clothing of Christ at the Transfiguration, the poignant details of Jesus’ crucifixion garments. In doing so, we will consider the original Hebrew and Greek terms (such as kĕthoneth H3801 and endúō G1746) that deepen our understanding of these texts. The goal is to gain spiritual understanding of garments—showing that to be “clothed in Christ” is the ultimate fulfillment of this biblical theme.

Eden’s Coats of Skins: The First Redemptive Covering

Humanity’s story of clothing opens in the Garden of Eden with a dust-formed pair whose nature was natural— “of the dust, earthy” (1 Corinthians 15:4549)—and therefore subject to shame, mortality, and sin. When Adam and Eve became conscious of their condition, they instinctively tried to mask it: “They sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons” (Genesis 3:7). Throughout Scripture, fig leaves represent every flesh-driven attempt to hide sin—external, fragile, and fruitlessness (cf. Jesus’ judgment on the leafy yet barren fig tree, Matthew 21:19).

Throughout Scripture, fig leaves become the Bible’s shorthand for do-it-yourself righteousness. Their broad, pliable shape allows for a quick makeshift covering, yet they wilt within hours—an apt picture of the flesh’s short-lived solutions to guilt. Jesus highlights the symbol when He approaches a leafy fig tree hungry for fruit; finding none, He condemns its false display: “Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward forever” (Matthew 21:19; cf. Mark 11:13–14). Though it was not the season for ripe figs, a fig tree in full leaf should have borne early fruit; its leaves falsely advertised life while offering nothing of substance. This living parable exposed the spiritual hypocrisy of those who appeared righteous outwardly but bore no fruit of repentance or faith—mirroring Adam and Eve’s fig-leaf covering that could not hide their sin (Genesis 3:7). The curse was not merely on the tree but on what it represented: self-righteous religion void of the spirit’s work. As the tree withered from the roots, so too would the lifeless system of outward show without inward transformation. It was a solemn warning that only the righteousness provided by God—Christ Himself—can truly clothe the soul and bear fruit unto life.

The prophets strike the same note: Micah laments that he searches the fig tree for early figs but finds only leaves (Micah 7:1), while Hosea likens Israel’s idolatry to fleeting first fruit that disappoints (Hosea 9:10). In every case, abundant foliage without fruit represents outward religion, rituals, moral effort—that looks promising yet cannot nourish or remove sin. Adam and Eve’s leafy aprons are therefore the Bible’s earliest example of self-manufactured cover-ups, and the rest of Scripture exposes the futility of such flesh-sewn garments.

God immediately exposed the futility of such self-coverings by providing a radically different garment: “Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21). The Hebrew kĕthoneth (כְּתֹנֶת, H3801) denotes a tunic covering the whole body and later refers to priestly linen (e.g., Exodus 28:4). Its root means “to cover,” declaring that only a God-given covering can address dust-man’s shame.

From fig leaves to skins—three spiritual lessons

These contrasting garments teach three intertwined truths. First, self-effort is inadequate: fig leaves wither quickly, just as any righteousness stitched together by the flesh (Isaiah 64:6) “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” Second, atonement requires life: although Genesis 3:21 mentioned above does not detail it, the verse presupposes the death of an innocent creature, foreshadowing Christ, who “condemned sin in the flesh” (Romans 8:3). Third, covering anticipates transformation: the provisional skins look ahead to the day when dust will be “clothed upon with our house from heaven” (2 Corinthians 5:24) “For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.”

Every subsequent God-given garment—priestly linen, prophetic mantle, white raiment—extends this pattern of atonement, mediation, and promised spirit-clothing, culminating in the fine linen granted to the Bride of Christ.

Holy Garments of the Priesthood: Glory and Beauty Set Apart

Moving forward in history, we encounter another significant set of garments: the holy vestments of the Levitical priesthood. Under the Old Covenant, God established an entire system of sacrifices and mediators (the priests) to deal with Israel’s sin, and He was exceedingly specific that those priests be properly attired. “And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty” (Exodus 28:2). These priestly garments—described in detail in Exodus chapters 28 and 29 were not optional or merely ornamental; they were sacred attire symbolizing the sanctity required to approach a holy God. Aaron the high priest wore a richly decorated ephod, a breastplate with precious stones (engraved with the names of the tribes of Israel), a mitre with a gold plate inscribed “HOLINESS TO THE LORD,” and underneath it all, a fine linen tunic (a kĕthoneth) and fine linen undergarments (Exodus 28:4, 39-43). Each piece carried meaning. For instance, the mitre’s golden plate signified that Aaron bore Israel’s guilt and needed holiness on his forehead so the people would be accepted. “And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD. And thou shalt put it on a blue lace, that it may be upon the mitre; upon the forefront of the mitre, it shall be. And it shall be upon Aaron’s forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord.” (Exodus 28:36–38) The bells on the hem of his robe signalled his movement in the Holy Place “that he die not” (Exodus 28:35), underscoring the peril of approaching God without due preparation. Every garment proclaimed that set-apartness and purity were required in God’s service.

Not only did these vestments convey consecration they foreshadow the ultimate High Priest, Jesus Christ. All the garments worn by the Old Testament priests were symbolic of being set apart for God’s work of atoning for sin. Compliance with this God-ordained “dress code” was mandatory: “Aaron and his sons must wear [the garments] … so that they will not incur guilt and die” (Exodus 28:43). The elaborate and beautiful nature of the high priest’s attire taught Israel that the work of mediation was glorious, and that the mediator needed to be holy. At the same time, the very need for special garments spoke of humanity’s separation from God—sinful man cannot walk into God’s presence “as he is,” but must be clothed in holiness not his own. The Israelites, seeing their priests robed in white linen and gold, carrying sacrificial blood, had a continual visual reminder of the cost and necessity of atonement. Hebrews 4:14 calls Jesus our “great high priest”, and unlike Aaron, Christ is perfectly holy and needed no sacrifice for Himself. Yet on the cross He fulfilled all that the priestly garments signified, carrying out God’s plan of atonement. These garments symbolized the complete holiness God requires of His mediators.

The material of the priestly clothes is significant as well—fine linen, especially for the tunic and mitre. Linen in Scripture symbolizes purity and righteousness. (Rev 19:8) “And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints”. The tunic of fine linen (again a kĕthoneth) was a reminder that God’s servants must be clothed in purity to minister before Him. In fact, the Hebrew word for fine linen (shesh H8336) is used for the splendid white garments of kings and priests. The continuity of symbolism is striking what began as God covering Adam with a kĕthoneth continues as God clothes His priests with kĕthoneth tunics of linen. The same covering scheme threads forward, now in the formal worship life of Israel. Thus, the priestly garments stand as an early instalment in the “the robe of righteousness” (Isaiah 61:10) that God is preparing for His people. They point both backward (to Eden’s skins) and forward (to the perfect righteousness in which believers will be clothed). God used these distinctive garments to set His spiritual leaders apart, instilling reverence and depicting, in a tangible way, the holiness without which none can see the Lord. Every time a priest donned his ephod, or a high priest dressed in his full ceremonial dress on the Day of Atonement, it was a living parable of the Gospel: sin requires a covering, holiness is needed to draw near, and God Himself provides what is necessary for atonement.

Filthy Rags Exchanged: Joshua the High Priest in Zechariah 3

Moving from the law to the prophets, the vision of Joshua the high priest in Zechariah 3 provides a dramatic illustration of God’s redemptive undressing and dressing of a sinner. Zechariah, a post-Babylonian prophet, was shown the current high priest Joshua standing before the Angel of the Lord in the heavenly court—except Joshua was utterly defiled. “Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and stood before the angel” (Zechariah 3:3). This scene is startling: the very person who represents the people before God is dressed in filthy clothes. The Hebrew term for “filthy” (צֹאִים, tsō’îm H6674) is extremely strong, indicating utter vileness; indeed, it implies garments fouled with excrement. The high priest’s robes, meant to be clean and holy, are instead depicted as nauseatingly unclean. Satan stands at Joshua’s right hand to accuse him (Zechariah 3:1) “And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.”, pointing to the glaring fact of his defilement. Here is Israel’s sin vividly portrayed—their mediator is unfit; their sins have left even their priest in squalor. All hope would seem lost were it not for the mercy and authority of God revealed next.

In the vision, the Angel of the Lord rebukes Satan and then issues a gracious command: “Take away the filthy garments from him.” To Joshua the Angel says, “Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment” (Zechariah 3:4). This is a gospel moment in the Old Testament. The filthy clothes are removed—symbolically, Joshua’s iniquity is taken away—and he is clothed anew with pure vestments. The text goes on to describe a “fair mitre” set on Joshua’s head and the Angel of the Lord standing by, signifying divine approval (Zechariah 3:5) “And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So, they set a fair mitre upon his head and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the LORD stood by.” We have here an enacted parable of justification: God removes the sinner’s filth and clothes him in righteousness not his own. Joshua could do nothing to clean himself; God had to command the cleansing. The “change of raiment” given to the high priest represents forgiveness and a restored state of purity, allowing him once again to minister before God. It is worth noting that this is not merely individual but representative—Joshua’s cleansing signifies God’s grace to Israel, preparing them for service after the exile. Nonetheless, on an individual level, it powerfully prefigures how every believer is saved: we stand in filthy rags until God, by chastening grace, removes our sin and clothes us in righteousness.

The significance of dirty clothes was not new to Zechariah’s audience. Isaiah had earlier declared, “We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6). Humanly speaking, even our best deeds are defiled. But Isaiah also prophesied a solution (as we will see in the next section): God providing garments of salvation. Zechariah’s vision picks up that promise and dramatizes it. One cannot help but see in Joshua’s stripping and re-clothing a foreshadowing of the work of Christ. When Jesus died and rose again, He took away our iniquity and provided for us the garments of salvation—His own righteousness credited to us, often spoken of in the New Testament as a robe or clothing (e.g., Matthew 22:11-12; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Christ takes our sin upon Himself and in return clothes us with His perfect righteousness, a thought consistent with Zechariah’s imagery. The significance of Joshua standing there in filthy clothes is that he could not serve God in that state; similarly, we cannot stand before God clothed in the soiled garb of our sin. But God’s response — “I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee” — is the essence of the Gospel. Zechariah 3 thus stands as a pinnacle of Old Testament hope: sin removed, and new attire given by the Lord’s decree. It anticipates the time when everyone, once dressed in muck, will be clothed with righteousness.

Garments of Salvation and the Robe of Righteousness: Isaiah’s Prophecy

The Book of Isaiah provides some of Scripture’s most beautiful clothing imagery, explicitly linking garments with salvation and righteousness. Writing about a century before Zechariah, the prophet Isaiah looked forward to the restoration God would bring to His people. In Isaiah 61, a chapter heralding the mission of the Messiah and the restoration of Israel, the prophet exults in God’s saving work using the language of being clothed. “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness” (Isaiah 61:10). Here is a clear statement that salvation is something God puts on us—He clothes us with it. The parallelism in this verse equates “garments of salvation” with “robe of righteousness,” reinforcing that to be saved is to be made righteous in God’s sight, and this is depicted as a comfortable, beautiful garment given to the redeemed. Isaiah 61:10 further illustrates it with bridal imagery: “as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels”. Isaiah uses this picture to convey the glory and joy of being arrayed in God’s salvation. Just as a wedding garment is a source of joy and honor, so the righteousness God bestows is precious and splendid.

Isaiah 61:10 resonates deeply as a description of imputed righteousness—the doctrine that God covers believers in the righteousness of Christ, like a pure white robe. The Hebrew word for “clothed” (labash H3847) and “covered” (ya’at H3271) in this verse are strong terms indicating that God Himself is wrapping the individual in these garments. One does not clothe oneself here; “He hath clothed me… He hath covered me.” Earlier in Isaiah, there is a promise that “He hath covered me in the shadow of His hand” (Isaiah 49:2) and an invitation to “put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem” (Isaiah 52:1). The idea is consistent: God provides the clothing of redemption, and His people are to receive it with joy. Isaiah 61:3 also famously speaks of “the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness,” another exchange God grants to the brokenhearted. All these instances convey a divine transaction: God giving something to cover, to beautify, to transform. The robe of righteousness imagery in Isaiah 61:10 directly prefigures the New Testament revelation that our righteousness is not from works but from God through faith. Philippians 3:9 echoes this desire “to be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness (filthy rags), which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness (Bridal garment) which is of God by faith.” It is as if Paul is saying: “I took off my filthy self-righteous rags and now I’m dressed in the righteousness God gives.”

Significantly, Isaiah’s use of bridal imagery (“as a bride adorns herself”) connects to the final book of Scripture, Revelation, where the Bride of Christ is arrayed in fine linen (we will come to that in our next study). Isaiah’s prophecy stands as a bridge between the old and new, law and gospel. It assures us that joy and rejoicing come when God clothes us in salvation. No longer naked and ashamed as in Eden, no longer in filthy rags as in our sin, we can exult: “He has covered me!” There is almost a sigh of relief in Isaiah’s voice, as if he’s saying, “Despite my unworthiness, look what God has done—He dressed me in the radiant garments of His saving grace.” It’s a far cry from Adam hiding in the bushes with fig leaves; it’s the prodigal son wearing the best robe the father could bring out (Luke 15:22). Thus, Isaiah 61 prepares us for the New Covenant reality: to put on Christ’s righteousness as a garment. When we read this verse in the light of Christ, we understand that the garments of salvation are nothing less than the righteousness of Jesus applied to us, and the robe of righteousness is in fact the Lord Himself whom we “put on.” Small wonder that Isaiah begins, “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord” — for being clothed by God’s grace is our greatest joy and the essence of the gospel.

[Click here for part 2.]

“Journey Through the Kingdom to God’s Throne” – Part 4

The Temple

[Study Aired Nov 26, 2024]

As we continue our journey through God’s spiritual temple, we must remember Jesus’s words that “the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63). This fundamental truth transforms our understanding of the temple from physical structure to spiritual reality. The Apostle Peter confirms this spiritual nature, declaring “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5).

The temple building consisted of three main sections: the Porch (Ulam), the Holy Place, and the Most Holy Place. Each area represents progressively deeper spiritual experiences as we draw near to God. As Solomon wrote, “In thy light shall we see light” (Psalm 36:9), teaching us that spiritual understanding comes through God’s illumination. The prophet Isaiah reinforces this, stating “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD” (Isaiah 55:8). Therefore, we must look beyond the physical structures to understand the spiritual truths they reveal about our relationship with God.

The Porch: Initial Approach

The Porch, or Ulam, served as the entrance to the temple proper. Standing before entering the Holy Place, it represents our initial approach to deeper communion with God. As the Psalmist wrote, “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name” (Psalm 100:4). This entrance speaks to our heart’s attitude as we draw near to God.

Its most striking features were two massive pillars named Jachin (“He shall establish”) and Boaz (“In Him is strength”). These pillars, while physical structures, represent spiritual realities. As Solomon recorded, “He set up the pillars in the porch of the temple: and he set up the right pillar, and called the name thereof Jachin: and he set up the left pillar, and called the name thereof Boaz” (1 Kings 7:21).

These pillars speak to essential truths we must embrace as we draw near to God. Jachin (“He shall establish”) reminds us that all spiritual progress depends on God’s work, not our efforts. As David declared, “The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth forever: forsake not the works of thine own hands” (Psalm 138:8). Boaz (“In Him is strength”) teaches us that our strength for this spiritual journey comes from God alone. As Isaiah proclaims, “Trust ye in the LORD forever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength” (Isaiah 26:4).

The height of these pillars – eighteen cubits each with chapiters of five cubits – reminds us of the majesty of God’s work in us. The ornate decorations of pomegranates and lily work speak to the fruitfulness and beauty that God produces. As Isaiah prophesied, “The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose” (Isaiah 35:1).

The position of these pillars at the entrance teaches us that we must pass between them – acknowledging both God’s establishing work and our dependence on His strength – to progress further into His presence. The prophet Jeremiah captures this truth: “Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD” (Jeremiah 9:23-24).

Standing in the Porch also placed one between the outer court and the Holy Place, representing a transition point between initial salvation and deeper communion with God. As Paul writes, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17). This transition requires leaving behind our self-reliance and fully embracing dependence on God.

The Porch’s measurements – twenty cubits broad and ten deep – created a space of preparation before entering the Holy Place. This reminds us that God prepares us for deeper spiritual experiences. As Isaiah declared, “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31). We must allow God this preparatory work before pressing further into His presence.

This preparation involves understanding that all spiritual progress comes through Christ, as He declared: “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). The Porch thus represents our recognition that further progress depends entirely on God’s grace working through Christ.

The Holy Place: Daily Service

Beyond the Porch lay the Holy Place (in Hebrew “qodesh” – Strong’s H6944, meaning “holy, set apart, sacred”), where priests performed daily service before God. This sacred space represents a deeper level of communion with God, as David yearned: “One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple” (Psalm 27:4).

Only priests could enter this holy chamber, foreshadowing our privileged position in Christ. As Peter reveals, “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5). The physical restriction of access teaches us spiritual truth – drawing nearer to God requires greater consecration. Moses recorded God’s warning: “And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest’s office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death” (Numbers 3:10). This “stranger” represents our carnal nature, the old man which must die for true spiritual service to occur. As Paul declares, “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin” (Romans 6:6). The death sentence on the stranger entering the Holy Place shows us that our fleshly nature cannot approach God: “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Romans 8:6-7).

The Holy Place was completely enclosed, with no natural light penetrating its walls. As Paul teaches, “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14). Just as priests could only see by the light of the golden lampstand, we depend entirely on God’s Spirit for spiritual insight: “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).

The distinction between the Holy Place and the outer court reminds us of Paul’s words about progressing from milk to meat: “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:12-14).

Priestly Service and Spiritual Reality

The activities in the Holy Place were restricted to priests, foreshadowing the elect’s privileged position in Christ. Peter reveals this truth: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Peter 2:9). This spiritual priesthood fulfills what God originally declared to Israel: “And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation” (Exodus 19:6).

This priesthood carries duties. The priests’ careful attention to daily duties teaches us the need for consistent spiritual service. Paul exhorts, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1). Just as physical priests had to be consecrated before service, we too must be sanctified for spiritual service: “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God” (2 Corinthians 7:1).

Physical priesthood required specific qualifications and preparations. No priest with blemishes could approach: “For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or anything superfluous” (Leviticus 21:18). This physical restriction teaches us that our spiritual service requires Christ’s perfection worked in us: “For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14).

The priests’ garments also carried spiritual significance. They were told: “And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty” (Exodus 28:2). These holy garments picture the righteousness of Christ that clothes us: “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness” (Isaiah 61:10). “And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.” (Revelation 19:8).

Within the Holy Place stood three pieces of sacred furniture, each positioned according to God’s precise instructions and each carrying deep spiritual significance. On the north side stood the Table of Showbread, on the south the Golden Lampstand, and before the veil the Altar of Incense. This divine arrangement created a pattern for spiritual service and communion with God.

The Table of Showbread stood on the north side of the Holy Place. God specified its measurements precisely: two cubits long, one cubit wide, and a cubit and a half high (Exodus 25:23). The table was overlaid with pure gold and had a crown of gold around the top (Exodus 25:24), speaking of divine nature and Christ’s kingship through whom we have fellowship with God.

The Hebrew name “lechem panim,” literally meaning “bread of faces” or “bread of presence,” emphasizes its placement before God’s presence. God commanded Moses regarding its preparation: “And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes thereof… And thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a row, upon the pure table before the LORD” (Leviticus 24:5-6). Upon these loaves, God commanded: “And thou shalt put pure frankincense upon each row, that it may be on the bread for a memorial, even an offering made by fire unto the LORD” (Leviticus 24:7). This pure frankincense, never used with sin offerings (Leviticus 5:11), but only with offerings of fellowship and communion, represents Christ’s righteousness through which our communion with God becomes acceptable. As Paul declares: “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Just as the frankincense made the bread a memorial before God, it is Christ’s righteousness that brings us into remembrance before Him.

This bread was to remain before the Lord always: “And thou shalt set upon the table shewbread before me alway” (Exodus 25:30), representing Christ’s eternal presence before God on our behalf. The twelve loaves signify God’s complete provision for all His people, as Jesus declared: “I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger” (John 6:35). Just as this bread sustained the priests, Christ sustains us spiritually: “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever” (John 6:51).

The priests’ eating of this bread in the holy place carried deep significance: “And it shall be Aaron’s and his sons’; and they shall eat it in the holy place: for it is most holy unto him of the offerings of the LORD made by fire by a perpetual statute” (Leviticus 24:9). This exclusive eating foreshadows our privileged communion with Christ: “For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread” (1 Corinthians 10:17).

Just as the Table of Showbread provided spiritual nourishment, the Golden Lampstand provided spiritual illumination. These two aspects of spiritual life work together – we need both the bread of God’s Word and the light to understand it. As David declared, “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple” (Psalm 119:130).

The Golden Lampstand, known in Hebrew as the “menorah” (Strong’s H4501), derived from “nur” meaning “light” or “fire,” was fashioned from pure gold according to the pattern shown to Moses: “And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made… And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it.” (Exodus 25:31,37). This beaten work speaks to how it was shaped – hammered out of a single piece of gold: “Of a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels” (Exodus 25:39). No joints or separate pieces were allowed; it was one complete unit.

The lampstand had six branches extending from its central shaft: “And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side” (Exodus 25:32). These, together with the central shaft, made seven lamps total: “And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it” (Exodus 25:37). Each branch was decorated with specific designs: “Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower” (Exodus 25:33).

Its light came from pure olive oil, as God commanded: “And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always” (Exodus 27:20). This oil had to be specially prepared: “beaten for the light” – the olives were beaten, not crushed in a mill, to produce the purest oil. The priests maintained this light continually: “Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before the LORD” (Exodus 27:21).

The lampstand provided the only light in the Holy Place, as no natural light could enter. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12). Just as the priests needed the lampstand’s light to perform their service, we need Christ’s light to serve God: “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).

With nourishment from the bread and illumination from the lampstand, we are prepared to approach the Altar of Incense. This progression teaches us that true prayer (represented by incense) flows from feeding on God’s Word and walking in His light. As John writes, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another” (1 John 1:7).

The Altar of Incense (mizbach haqetoreth – Strong’s H4196, H7004) stood before the veil. Made of acacia wood overlaid with gold, it measured one cubit long, one cubit wide, and two cubits high (Exodus 30:2). The Hebrew term “qetoreth” refers specifically to sacred incense made according to God’s precise formula: “And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together, pure and holy” (Exodus 30:35). This incense represents the prayers of God’s people, as David wrote: “Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice” (Psalm 141:2). Morning and evening, this incense ascended before God: “And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it. And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations” (Exodus 30:7-8). John’s vision confirms this spiritual meaning: “And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne” (Revelation 8:3). The continuous offering of incense teaches us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

The priests’ daily service included replacing the showbread every Sabbath (Leviticus 24:8), trimming the lamps and adding oil morning and evening, and offering incense. These exacting specifications and duties remind us that approaching God must be according to His terms, not our preferences. As He warned through the example of Nadab and Abihu: “And Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD, when they offered strange fire before the LORD” (Numbers 3:4).

Drawing Nearer Still

The arrangement of temple furniture created a progression toward God’s presence. Each item required priestly attention, teaching us that drawing near to God involves active participation in spiritual disciplines while relying on His enabling grace. As James instructs, “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you” (James 4:8). James adds the requirement: “Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded” (James 4:8), showing this drawing near requires purification.

Moving from the Table of Showbread to the Lampstand to the Altar of Incense marked stages of deeper communion. David understood this progression: “Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts” (Psalm 65:4). Each step brought the priest closer to the Most Holy Place, just as our spiritual walk draws us nearer to God: “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness” (Psalm 17:15)

This progression ultimately leads to the veil, beyond which lay the Most Holy Place. The veil itself represents Christ’s flesh, as scripture reveals: “By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh” (Hebrews 10:20). Through Christ’s sacrifice, this veil was rent: “And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom” (Matthew 27:51), giving us direct access to God’s presence: “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus” (Hebrews 10:19).

Practical Application

These temple truths must transform our daily walk. Like the priests maintaining the lampstand, we must continually tend our spiritual light through prayer and Scripture meditation. As Jesus warned the church at Ephesus: “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place” (Revelation 2:5).

As the showbread was renewed weekly, we need regular renewal through feeding on God’s Word. Job understood this priority: “Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food” (Job 23:12). David likewise declared: “How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103).

The continual incense reminds us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Daniel exemplified this practice: “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime” (Daniel 6:10).

Understanding these patterns helps us fulfill our priestly calling more effectively. Paul urges, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Just as the priests had specific duties at specific times, we too must order our spiritual lives with purpose: “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16).

This study of temple patterns aids our spiritual growth as we see God’s design for drawing near to Him. Every detail teaches us spiritual truth, fulfilling Paul’s words: “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope” (Romans 15:4).

Looking Ahead

As we conclude our examination of the Holy Place, we anticipate studying the Most Holy Place beyond the veil. There we’ll discover even deeper truths about communion with God through Christ. For now, let us apply these Holy Place lessons, remembering that “we have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens” (Hebrews 8:1).

Through understanding and applying these temple truths, we progress in our spiritual journey, always remembering that the physical temple merely foreshadowed Christ and His work in us. For “we are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:22).

Numbers 18:1-32  Bearing the Iniquity of the Sanctuary and the Priesthood

[Study Aired September 4, 2023]

Num 18:1  And the LORD said unto Aaron, Thou and thy sons and thy father’s house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary: and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood.
Num 18:2  And thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring thou with thee, that they may be joined unto thee, and minister unto thee: but thou and thy sons with thee shall minister before the tabernacle of witness. 
Num 18:3  And they shall keep thy charge, and the charge of all the tabernacle: only they shall not come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar, that neither they, nor ye also, die.
Num 18:4  And they shall be joined unto thee, and keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, for all the service of the tabernacle: and a stranger shall not come nigh unto you.
Num 18:5  And ye shall keep the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the altar: that there be no wrath any more upon the children of Israel. 
Num 18:6  And I, behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel: to you they are given as a gift for the LORD, to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation. 
Num 18:7  Therefore thou and thy sons with thee shall keep your priest’s office for every thing of the altar, and within the vail; and ye shall serve: I have given your priest’s office unto you as a service of gift: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death. 
Num 18:8  And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Behold, I also have given thee the charge of mine heave offerings of all the hallowed things of the children of Israel; unto thee have I given them by reason of the anointing, and to thy sons, by an ordinance for ever. 
Num 18:9  This shall be thine of the most holy things, reserved from the fire: every oblation of theirs, every meat offering of theirs, and every sin offering of theirs, and every trespass offering of theirs, which they shall render unto me, shall be most holy for thee and for thy sons. 
Num 18:10  In the most holy place shalt thou eat it; every male shall eat it: it shall be holy unto thee. 
Num 18:11  And this is thine; the heave offering of their gift, with all the wave offerings of the children of Israel: I have given them unto thee, and to thy sons and to thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: every one that is clean in thy house shall eat of it.
Num 18:12  All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the wheat, the firstfruits of them which they shall offer unto the LORD, them have I given thee. 
Num 18:13  And whatsoever is first ripe in the land, which they shall bring unto the LORD, shall be thine; every one that is clean in thine house shall eat of it. 
Num 18:14  Every thing devoted in Israel shall be thine. 
Num 18:15  Every thing that openeth the matrix in all flesh, which they bring unto the LORD, whether it be of men or beasts, shall be thine: nevertheless the firstborn of man shalt thou surely redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem.
Num 18:16  And those that are to be redeemed from a month old shalt thou redeem, according to thine estimation, for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs. 
Num 18:17  But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem; they are holy: thou shalt sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and shalt burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savour unto the LORD. 
Num 18:18  And the flesh of them shall be thine, as the wave breast and as the right shoulder are thine. 
Num 18:19  All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer unto the LORD, have I given thee, and thy sons and thy daughters with thee, by a statute forever: it is a covenant of salt for ever before the LORD unto thee and to thy seed with thee. 
Num 18:20  And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel. 
Num 18:21  And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation. 
Num 18:22  Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation, lest they bear sin, and die. 
Num 18:23  But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance. 
Num 18:24  But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the LORD, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance. 
Num 18:25  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 18:26  Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the LORD, even a tenth part of the tithe. 
Num 18:27  And this your heave offering shall be reckoned unto you, as though it were the corn of the threshingfloor, and as the fulness of the winepress. 
Num 18:28  Thus ye also shall offer an heave offering unto the LORD of all your tithes, which ye receive of the children of Israel; and ye shall give thereof the LORD’S heave offering to Aaron the priest. 
Num 18:29  Out of all your gifts ye shall offer every heave offering of the LORD, of all the best thereof, even the hallowed part thereof out of it. 
Num 18:30  Therefore thou shalt say unto them, When ye have heaved the best thereof from it, then it shall be counted unto the Levites as the increase of the threshingfloor, and as the increase of the winepress. 
Num 18:31  And ye shall eat it in every place, ye and your households: for it is your reward for your service in the tabernacle of the congregation. 
Num 18:32  And ye shall bear no sin by reason of it, when ye have heaved from it the best of it: neither shall ye pollute the holy things of the children of Israel, lest ye die. 

Introduction

This chapter comes right after the Lord has caused Aaron’s rod to bud and produce almonds as a demonstration of who the Lord has called and chosen to rule with Him. Therefore, this chapter is to deepen our understanding of who the Lord has called and chosen by clearly delineating the role of Priests and Levites and going further to describe the benefit package for the elect or the priests. As we are aware, it is from the things that are seen that we are able to understand spiritual truth. 

Rom 1:20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

If one is employed by an organization, the person is given a job description and also the benefits package to which he or she is entitled.  In this chapter, we are clearly shown the role of a priest and of a Levite. That is the job description. We need to understand that the Levites represent our brothers and sisters in Babylon and Aaron, and his sons represent the priest are the same as the elect. The chapter also focuses on our benefit package as an incentive for us, His elect, to stay on course to the very end. Unfortunately, many have seen the incentive package of the elect but are not excited about it. It is all because they have not been given eyes to see and ears to hear. However, to those who are driven by these incentives, they press on to the mark of the Lord’s high calling.

Php 3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 
Php 3:15  Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

The Lord Jesus gave us a parable of a man who found treasure in a field and decided to go back and sell all he had to possess the field. This parable is to show us that what He has in store for us is so exciting that we let go of everything in pursuit of this treasure in the field. The fact that the man hid the treasure and went back to sell all he had means that not many are given to understand our incentive package, as the treasures are hidden, and it is only those who find this treasure in this life who are excited about it, and their reaction is to let go of everything to possess this treasure. 

Mat 13:44  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. 
Mat 13:45  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: 
Mat 13:46  Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

This is how our brother Paul saw the incentive package:

Rom 8:18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Are you excited about the Lord’s incentive package for being a priest of God? Then you must be prepared to lose all that you treasure in this life to gain Christ! Let’s hope that today’s study will kindle that desire to press on to the mark of His higher calling.

Num 18:1  And the LORD said unto Aaron, Thou and thy sons and thy father’s house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary: and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood. 

One of the incentives the Lord has given to His elect is the promise that we shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary. As we know, the sanctuary is the temple of the Lord and is our body. Unlike sin, which is defined as missing the mark, iniquity has to do with being crooked, bent or inclined in the wrong way. In other words, sin is a particular act which is against the commandment of the Lord, but “avon” (the Hebrew word for iniquity) is a state of being, a description of the human character, which has an inclination toward evil. As we are aware, it is because of the old man, or the beast within, that we have this inclination toward evil.  According to Strong, the words “to bear” means to lift or carry away. So, what we are being told in verse 1 of a priest, represented by Aaron and his sons bearing the iniquity of the sanctuary, is that as one of the benefits pertaining to being a priest, that is being called and chosen, our inclination towards evil as a result of the beast or the old man within us which defiles our bodies (temple) will be carried away by the Lord. It is in this sense of our old man being carried away by the Lord through the judgment of our old man that Isaiah made the following statement:

Isa 53:11  He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

The elect are not only to bear the iniquity of the sanctuary but also to bear the iniquity of the priesthood. A key qualification of being a priest is obeying the voice of the Lord as shown in the following verse:

Exo 19:5  Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 
Exo 19:6  And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

Although we are called and chosen as priests before the Lord, we do not obey the voice of the true shepherd when we start our walk with the Lord because of the old man within us. We were rather obeying the voice of the stranger before finally we were dragged by the Lord to hear and obey the voice of the Lord. Remember that the voice of the stranger is the false doctrines of the devil (the stranger). The iniquity of the priesthood is our inclination toward hearing and obeying the voice of the stranger (the devil). Here again, the Lord is promising His elect that He will carry away these false doctrines of the devil so we can hear the voice of the true shepherd and obey Him.

Joh 8:43  Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
Joh 8:44  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Joh 10:27  My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 
Joh 10:28  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 

Num 18:2  And thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring thou with thee, that they may be joined unto thee, and minister unto thee: but thou and thy sons with thee shall minister before the tabernacle of witness. 
Num 18:3  And they shall keep thy charge, and the charge of all the tabernacle: only they shall not come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar, that neither they, nor ye also, die. 
Num 18:4  And they shall be joined unto thee, and keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, for all the service of the tabernacle: and a stranger shall not come nigh unto you.

A key role, highlighted by the Lord for the elect or the priest in these verses, is to minister before the tabernacle of witness. This is contrasted with the role of the Levites, who are to minister to us by being joined to us. The Levites signify our brothers and sisters in Babylon. In verse 3, as His priests, we are to ensure that the Levite do their work of guarding the exterior of the whole tabernacle. However, we, His elect, are to protect the interior of the tabernacle which consists of the vessels and the altar, such that a stranger does not come within the tabernacle, lest we all perish. The strangers here represent both the Levites, who are our brothers and sisters in Babylon, and the people of the world. This role of a priest here in these verses is consistent with the role the Lord assigned the Cherubim when He drove away Adam and Eve from the garden of Eden. The Cherubim were to guard the way to the tree of life, which in our study is represented by the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar. We are the Cherubim who are to guard the way of life in this age from access by our brothers and sisters in Babylon and people of the world until they have gone through the flaming sword (judgment).

Gen 3:24  He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.

Our brothers and sisters in Babylon, representing the Levites, are not allowed to partake with us the word of truth which is Christ. The reason they cannot partake with us the truth of the word of the Lord is that they have been swept away by divers and strange doctrines.

Heb 13:9  Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.
Heb 13:10  We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.

Num 18:5  And ye shall keep the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the altar: that there be no wrath any more upon the children of Israel. 
Num 18:6  And I, behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel: to you they are given as a gift for the LORD, to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation. 
Num 18:7  Therefore thou and thy sons with thee shall keep your priest’s office for everything of the altar, and within the vail; and ye shall serve: I have given your priest’s office unto you as a service of gift: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death. 

Here in these verses, the Lord showed to Aaron and his sons, representing the elect, that the Levites are given to us as a gift from the Lord to help us do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation. The tabernacle of the congregation refers to our bodies. 

1Co 3:16  Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 
1Co 3:17  If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

The work of the tabernacle refers to everything of the altar within the veil in verse 7. This work entails entering through the veil to offer incense from the altar of incense, the lighting of the candlestick to give light, weekly replacement of the showbread and the eating of the previous showbread.  Spiritually, the work of the tabernacle therefore is the presentation of our bodies as living sacrifice to the Lord. This is attained through understanding the word of the Lord as our eyes of understanding are enlightened (eating of showbread). That is when we give light in the darkness (lighting of the candlestick). The weekly replacement of the bread signifies the fact that the revelation of Christ and His words is progressive. What we know today is the result of the enlightenment we have received of His words yesterday. All this work is possible as our old man dies daily through the Lord’s judgment. 

Heb 10:19  Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 
Heb 10:20  By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 
Heb 10:21  And having an high priest over the house of God;
Heb 10:22  Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 

As His elect, we must not disregard the role that our brothers and sisters in Babylon (Levites) play in the grand scheme of the Lord in bringing people to Christ through the law of Moses. However, inasmuch as we are to appreciate the work our brothers and sisters do in Babylon, we are not to cast our pearls before them or give them the opportunity to desecrate our temple with false doctrines. 

Mat 7:6  Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. 

Luk 9:49  And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us. 
Luk 9:50  And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us. 

Num 18:7  Therefore thou and thy sons with thee shall keep your priest’s office for everything of the altar, and within the vail; and ye shall serve: I have given your priest’s office unto you as a service of gift: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death. 
Num 18:8  And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Behold, I also have given thee the charge of mine heave offerings of all the hallowed things of the children of Israel; unto thee have I given them by reason of the anointing, and to thy sons, by an ordinance forever. 
Num 18:9  This shall be thine of the most holy things, reserved from the fire: every oblation of theirs, every meat offering of theirs, and every sin offering of theirs, and every trespass offering of theirs, which they shall render unto me, shall be most holy for thee and for thy sons. 
Num 18:10  In the most holy place shalt thou eat it; every male shall eat it: it shall be holy unto thee.
Num 18:11  And this is thine; the heave offering of their gift, with all the wave offerings of the children of Israel: I have given them unto thee, and to thy sons and to thy daughters with thee, by a statute forever: every one that is clean in thy house shall eat of it.

In verse 7, it is worth noting that the Lord has given us the priest’s office as a gift. This means that the priesthood office is not something to be attained but given. 

Rom 9:16  So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

The Lord has also given the elect the contributions made to Him and all the consecrated things of the people of Israel. The hallowed or consecrated things of the people of Israel refer to gold in the treasures of the house of God as shown in the following verses:

2Ki 12:18  And Jehoash king of Judah took all the hallowed things that Jehoshaphat, and Jehoram, and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own hallowed things, and all the gold that was found in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and in the king’s house, and sent it to Hazael king of Syria: and he went away from Jerusalem. 

1Ki 15:14  But the high places were not taken away. Nevertheless, the heart of Asa was wholly true to the LORD all his days. 
1Ki 15:15  And he brought into the house of the LORD the sacred gifts of his father and his own sacred gifts, silver, and gold, and vessels.

As we are aware, gold and silver represent the truth of the Lord’s words. This means that the contribution and the hallowed things of the people of Israel given to the elect means that the little knowledge of the truth of the word of the Lord, which our brothers and sisters have, will be taken away and given to the elect.

Mat 13:11  And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.
Mat 13:12  For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

Verse 9 also reiterates the point that the most holy things which are reserved from fire and are given by the people of Israel as meat, sin and trespass offerings are all ours. As indicated, the most holy things are the truth of the word of the Lord which cannot be destroyed by fire. On the other hand, it is our false doctrines which cannot stand the test of fire. Eating these offerings in the most holy place is the same as our hearts and minds (most holy place) being enlightened to receive the truth of the word of the Lord.

Num 18:12  All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the wheat, the firstfruits of them which they shall offer unto the LORD, them have I given thee. 
Num 18:13  And whatsoever is first ripe in the land, which they shall bring unto the LORD, shall be thine; every one that is clean in thine house shall eat of it. 
Num 18:14  Everything devoted in Israel shall be thine. 

In these verses, the following items have been highlighted as what the Lord has reserved for His elect: the best of the oil, the best of the wine and of the wheat and the firstfruits. The best in this case refers to the choicest part or the richest. In the Bible, oil is a symbol of the spirit. Being given the best of the oil means that the elect will come to understand the spiritual meaning of what the Lord is saying to us through His words.

Joh 6:63  It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.  (ESV)

The best of the wine and wheat being given to the elect means being given to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of the Lord through His words.  The firstfruit of the people of Israel being given to Aaron and his sons is another way of saying that the Lord’s elect is the firstfruit of the Lord. In other words, we are the first to ripen or become spiritually mature in this age. In verse 14, we are told that the devoted things are all ours. That is to say that everything the churches of this world are offering to Christ is for our sake. 

2Co 4:15  For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.

Num 18:15  Everything that openeth the matrix in all flesh, which they bring unto the LORD, whether it be of men or beasts, shall be thine: nevertheless the firstborn of man shalt thou surely redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem.
Num 18:16  And those that are to be redeemed from a month old shalt thou redeem, according to thine estimation, for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs. 
Num 18:17  But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem; they are holy: thou shalt sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and shalt burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savour unto the LORD. 
Num 18:18  And the flesh of them shall be thine, as the wave breast and as the right shoulder are thine. 
Num 18:19  All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer unto the LORD, have I given thee, and thy sons and thy daughters with thee, by a statute forever: it is a covenant of salt for ever before the LORD unto thee and to thy seed with thee. 

Verse 15 says that all the firstborn of all flesh or beasts that are offered by the people of Israel are given to the elect. In order to understand what is being said here, we need to know the spiritual significance of being firstborn. As indicated in Genesis 49:3, the firstborn signifies strength or might. This means that the strength of all humanity (all flesh or beasts), which is helping our brothers and sisters in Babylon to offer their sacrifice to the Lord, are all for our sake.

Gen 49:3  Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: 

We must remember that at a certain stage of our walk in Christ, we were helped by the strength of our flesh just as Abraham responded to the Lord’s first call when his father, representing our flesh, brought him to Haran.  

Gen 11:31  And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram’s wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there. 

It is instructive to note that verse 15 and 16 state that the firstborn of man or unclean beasts shall be redeemed at the appropriate time, as the Lord has already paid for the sins of the world. Spiritually, unclean beasts or man are the same. In verse 16, the ransom price was five shekels or twenty gerah. The five shekels means that it is grace through faith (significance of five) that all humanity shall be redeemed. Twenty (20=4×5) also means that the whole of humanity (significance of four) will be redeemed by grace through faith. The animals that are offered for sacrifice – cow, sheep and goat – represent the elect who in this life are offering their bodies as living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to the Lord. That is why we are not to be redeemed as we are already holy. Verses 18 and 19 stress the point that we, His elect, are the ones given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.

Num 18:20  And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel. 
Num 18:21  And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation. 
Num 18:22  Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation, lest they bear sin, and die. 
Num 18:23  But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance. 
Num 18:24  But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the LORD, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance. 

In verse 20, the Lord’s elect, represented by Aaron, were not required to have any inheritance among the people of Israel. This implies that we are not to be driven in this life by earthly riches or gain since our portion in this life is to seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness as a priceless possession. 

Mat 6:31  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 
Mat 6:32  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 
Mat 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 
Mat 6:34  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

This does not mean that the Lord will not bless us physically. As Apostle John said, it is the Lord’s desire that we prosper even as we do well spiritually.

3Jn 1:2  Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

The Levites, or our brothers and sisters in Babylon, on the other hand, have been given a tenth in Israel for an inheritance as a reward for their service to the Lord. Here Israel represents the world, and therefore it is no wonder that many physical churches of this world are endowed with riches. The work these Levites offer as their service only touches on the periphery of the temple and is principally to make us aware that we are sinful, based on the law of Moses. This is what leads us to Christ, and after Christ has come to us, we no longer need the services of the Levites. 

Gal 3:23  But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 
Gal 3:24  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 
Gal 3:25  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

Num 18:25  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 
Num 18:26  Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the LORD, even a tenth part of the tithe. 
Num 18:27  And this your heave offering shall be reckoned unto you, as though it were the corn of the threshingfloor, and as the fulness of the winepress. 
Num 18:28  Thus ye also shall offer an heave offering unto the LORD of all your tithes, which ye receive of the children of Israel; and ye shall give thereof the LORD’S heave offering to Aaron the priest. 
Num 18:29  Out of all your gifts ye shall offer every heave offering of the LORD, of all the best thereof, even the hallowed part thereof out of it.
Num 18:30  Therefore thou shalt say unto them, When ye have heaved the best thereof from it, then it shall be counted unto the Levites as the increase of the threshingfloor, and as the increase of the winepress. 
Num 18:31  And ye shall eat it in every place, ye and your households: for it is your reward for your service in the tabernacle of the congregation. 
Num 18:32  And ye shall bear no sin by reason of it, when ye have heaved from it the best of it: neither shall ye pollute the holy things of the children of Israel, lest ye die. 

The Levites are commanded by the Lord to tithe on the tithes they receive from the people of Israel and give them to Aaron the priest. The Levites’ contribution would be counted as though they had worked, just like a farmer who produces grains for the threshing floor and wine from the winepress. This is to let us know that the work our brothers and sisters do in Babylon is for our sake. As we can see, the more tithe the Levites get, the more contribution Aaron received. This means that the more physical riches our brothers and sisters in Babylon get, the more spiritual blessings we get. This is what the Lord has told us about the work of all the Old Testament people whom the Lord has used for His service, together with the work our brothers and sisters in Babylon are doing – it is all for our benefit:

Joh 4:37  And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. 
Joh 4:38  I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours. 

1Co 3:21  Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; 
1Co 3:22  Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; 
1Co 3:23  And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.

May the Lord continue to be merciful to us as we grow in Him. Amen!! 

Heb 7:12-17 “Whither the Forerunner is for us Entered, Even Jesus” – Part 3

[Study Aired October 29, 2020]

Heb 6:20  Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Heb 7:12  For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. 
Heb 7:13  For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar. 
Heb 7:14  For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.
Heb 7:15  And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,
Heb 7:16  Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. 
Heb 7:17  For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

In this section of Hebrews 7 we’re going to look at how Christ fulfills the law within us (Mat 5:17-20) through a process of sanctification (Joh 17:17) which God makes possible through Christ as we become doers and not hearers only of the law who are being consecrated by the Son “who is consecrated^G5048 for evermore” (Rom 2:12-13, Php 2:13, Heb 7:28).

Mat 5:17  Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Mat 5:18  For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Mat 5:19  Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them [Php 2:13], the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Mat 5:20  For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven [Php 3:9].

Joh 17:17  Sanctify^G37 them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

G37 hagiazō hag-ee-ad’-zo
From G40; to make holy, that is, (ceremonially) purify or consecrate; (mentally) to venerate: – hallow, be holy, sanctify.

Heb 7:28  For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated^G5048 for evermore.

G5048 teleioō tel-i-o’-o
From G5046; to complete, that is, (literally) accomplish, or (figuratively) consummate (in character): – consecrate, finish, fulfil, (make) perfect.

Php 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Rom 2:12  For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
Rom 2:13  (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers [Php 2:13] of the law shall be justified^G1344.

G1344 dikaioō dik-ah-yo’-o
From G1342; to render (that is, show or regard as) just or innocent: – free, justify (-ier), be righteous.

Rom 3:20  Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified^G1344 in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Rom 3:21  But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed [1Pe 1:12] by the law and the prophets;
Rom 3:22  Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe [Joh 6:28-29]: for there is no difference:

[In order to be sanctified, which is an ongoing work of God, we must believe (Joh 6:28-29) and in order to believe and continue in that belief (Joh 8:31, Joh 8:36), we must have this hope of glory within us cleansing us as we go from glory to glory (1Jn 3:3, Col 1:27, 2Co 3:18)]

Rom 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; [Col 1:27, Eph 2:10]
Rom 3:24  Being justified^G1344 freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

G1344 dikaioō dik-ah-yo’-o
From G1342; to render (that is, show or regard as) just or innocent: – free, justify(-ier), be righteous.

Rom 8:28  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.
Rom 8:29  For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Rom 8:30  Moreover whom he did predestinate [Eph 1:4-6], them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified^G1344: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
Rom 8:31  What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Rom 8:32  He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
Rom 8:33  Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth^G1344.

G1344 dikaioō dik-ah-yo’-o
From G1342; to render (that is, show or regard as) just or innocent: – free, justify(-ier), be righteous.

In Hebrews 6:20 we read, “Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.” In today’s study we will look more closely at why Christ is called “a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec” (Heb 7:17) and what that means for “the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb” (Rev 14:4) who are being sanctified in this age through a process of judgment that has begun at the house of God (2Co 5:10, 1Pe 4:17, 2Co 5:17-21)

2Co 5:10  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

2Co 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
2Co 5:18  And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation [Eph 2:10, Joh 8:36];
2Co 5:19  To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
2Co 5:20  Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God [Rom 12:1].
2Co 5:21  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Heb 7:12  For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.

What was required of the first Levitical priesthood could only be satisfied in ordinances which were a type and shadow of the heavenly things [the body of Christ] that would be instituted through Christ whose life was typified by the order of Melchisedec. The ministry of reconciliation that we just read is typified by Melchisedec who represents Christ our head, who is the one who is going to reconcile all mankind to God in time (1Co 15:22). Abraham giving tithes to Melchisedec is a reminder to us that Christ [Melchisedec in type] will use the body of Christ [Abraham in type] to lose their lives in order to be instrumental in bringing about the all-in-all event of 1Corinthians 15:28 having “given to us the ministry of reconciliation” (Heb 9:23-26, Oba 1:21).

Heb 9:23  It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
Heb 9:24  For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us (Col 1:27, Eph 2:6):
Heb 9:25  Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;
Heb 9:26  For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself [1Jn 4:17].

The new priesthood of which Christ is the head as our high priest (Col 1:18, Heb 4:15) is typified by Melchisedec and the “change also of the law” is speaking of the law of Christ (Gal 6:2) which tells us we can lay our life down at the altar through our Lord and Saviour for each other (Mat 10:39-40, the life in Christ that we find when we lose ours is the life of Christ in each other Mat 19:29, Mat 12:50, Mat 5:17-18).

Col 1:18  And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Heb 4:15  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Gal 6:2  Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Mat 10:39  He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
Mat 10:40  He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

[“My Father which is in heaven” of Matthew 12:50 reminds us how John 14:20 is being fulfilled today in our lives.]

Mat 19:29  And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.

Mat 12:50  For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

Mat 5:17  Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Mat 5:18  For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

In order to go from being a priesthood in our hearts that ceremonially washes the outside of the cup (Mar 7:4), we must be cleansed by the blood of the lamb. Then we will no longer be those whited sepulchres of which Christ spoke (Mat 23:27) by identifying with Christ’s death within the tomb which represents the dying daily process that we endure so that we can be raised into heavenly places where there is newness of life in Christ (Rom 6:4, 1Co 15:31).

Mar 7:4  And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables.

Mat 23:27  Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.

Rom 6:4  Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

1Co 15:31  I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

“For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law” happens within us when God gives us the power to mortify the deeds of the flesh through the grace and faith given to us (Eph 2:8). That grace is what brings about that “newness of life” even as we see “that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away” occurring simultaneously (Tit 2:12, Heb 8:13, Joh 3:30).

Tit 2:12  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

Heb 8:13  In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

Joh 3:30  He must increase, but I must decrease.

Heb 7:13  For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar. 

That necessary change of the law spoken of in verse 12 introduces the thought that no man can give “attendance at the altar” because the altar which is represented by the order of Melchisedec is not an earthly order but a heavenly one that can only be accessed through Christ (Heb 13:10). “No man gave attendance at the altar” means that our old man cannot and never will enter into that altar (1Co 15:50, Rev 21:27) to which Christ alone gives us access as He increases and we decrease (Rev 15:8).

Heb 13:10  We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.

1Co 15:50  Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

Rev 21:27  And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Rev 15:8  And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

If Christ is in us, we don’t have to wait until we go unto perfection on the third day (Luk 13:32) in order to have “attendance at the altar” in earnest (Eph 1:14, 1Co 13:12, Eph 2:6) as we are accepted through Christ (Eph 1:6) who is in the process of cleansing us at that altar, which is the cross we carry and bear for one another so we can all “come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Gal 2:20, Eph 4:13).

Those seven plagues were poured out upon Christ for our sakes so that we can enter boldly into the temple of God “that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” and through Christ be given that grace and faith that we need in order to become mature sons who can endure until the end through Him who identifies with our sinful flesh (Heb 4:15-16, Php 4:13).

Heb 4:15  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Heb 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Php 4:13  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Heb 7:14  For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. 
Heb 7:15  And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, 

These two verses are just further confirmation of where the true and everlasting foundation (1Co 3:11, Gal 4:4-5) of life springs from [sprang G393] or arises from [ariseth G450]. God’s elect in this dispensation of grace (Eph 3:2) are the first few of many who are called (Mat 22:14) to be redeemed from being “under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons”.

1Co 3:11  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Gal 4:4  But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
Gal 4:5  To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Eph 3:2  If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:

G393 anatellō an-at-el’-lo
From G303 and the base of G5056; to (cause to) arise: – (a-, make to) rise, at the rising of, spring (up), be up.

G450 anistēmi an-is’-tay-mee

From G303 and G2476; to stand up (literally or figuratively, transitively or intransitively): – arise, lift up, raise up (again), rise (again), stand up (-right).

As a result of the redemption process that is unfolding, we are raised in heavenly places together in Christ (Eph 2:6) and are being sent forth as Christ was by God (Joh 20:21). The “exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” will be shown to the world through the elect by redeeming “them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons”.

Eph 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Eph 2:7  That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

Joh 20:21  Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

What is evident is that Our Lord “sprang out of Juda” and not the tribe of Levi, and that truth is being further confirmed with the “similitude of Melchisedec” where “there ariseth another priest” in the order of Melchisedec which is a type and shadow (1Pe 1:12, 1Co 10:11) of the ministry of reconciliation of which Christ is the head of today (2Co 5:18, Col 1:18).

1Pe 1:12  Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

2Co 5:18  And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

Heb 7:16  Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. 

[Study Aired August 27, 2020]

Heb 5:5  So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. 
Heb 5:6  As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God (1Co 15:50, Luk 18:19), and in this section of Hebrews we will look at the example of Christ and how He conducted Himself in this corruptible flesh that He overcame becoming “the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him“.  Overcoming our sinful nature is what we have been called to do and will attain through Christ if it is written in our books to do so in this age (1Jn 4:17, Rev 3:21).

1Jn 4:17  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

Rev 3:21  To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

These verses in the book of Hebrews help us understand how Christ can identify with the church and did so through becoming a high priest who was tempted in all diverse manner yet without sin, and that is part of the “even as I also overcame” experience God’s elect will experience to greater and lesser degrees (Heb 4:15, 1Pe 4:1-2).

Heb 4:15  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

1Pe 4:1  Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
1Pe 4:2  That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God [“the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him” (1Jn 2:17)].

It was because of that experience Christ went through that we can overcome sin in this life as the scapegoat whose heavens are being cleansed (Rom 5:10) by the ripping of the veil that can only occur as His power works within us (Col 1:27, Rom 8:9).

Rom 5:10  For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Rom 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

We go from glory to glory gaining dominion over the beasts of the field little and by little knowing that this increase represents God’s goodness leading us to repentance in this age as we overcome through Christ the beast within the temple which we are (Rom 2:4, Mat 21:12).

Rom 2:4  Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

Mat 21:12  And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,

We rejoice, and again I say rejoice, in the Lord (Php 4:4) who can comfort us through this process of putting off our flesh so “That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ” (Rom 2:4, Eph 1:13).

Heb 9:23  It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

2Co 3:18  But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Exo 23:29  I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee.

Regarding the world in which we live, God is giving us a spirit that gives us the power to forgive from our hearts (Mat 18:32-35) as we say “forgive them, Father, they know not what they are doing.” Christ uttered those words of forgiveness from the cross as a reminder to us that we must mortify the deeds of our flesh in order to live by the faith of Christ which gives us the power to forgive all our accusers, of which there will be many (Luk 23:34, Gal 2:20, Mat 10:22).

Luk 23:34  Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Mat 10:22  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

The liberty we have in Christ (2Co 3:17) comes as a result of bearing each other’s burdens with the strength that God gives us so we can fulfill the law of Christ (Gal 6:2). We must depart from iniquity when we identify it in ourselves and never use the liberty God has given us as an occasion to serve our own flesh, which we all naturally do at first (Eph 2:1-3), but rather see the blessing and joy that can be ours through losing our life and laying it down for each other (Gal 5:13-14, Mat 16:25).

2Co 3:17  Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

Gal 6:2  Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Gal 5:13  For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
Gal 5:14  For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Mat 16:25  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

When we serve our own flesh, we are leaning unto our own understanding, to the way that seems right to us (Pro 14:12) in order to find the “pleasures of sin for a season” (Heb 11:25). This is opposed to Godly comfort that comes to those whom God is purging of sin so that we can be “meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work” fulfilling His will, as opposed to being overtaken by the “earthly, sensual, devilish” ways that descends not from above (Jas 3:14-18) and can only be overcome by His chastening grace (1Jn 2:16-17, Tit 2:12-13).

Jas 3:14  But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
Jas 3:15  This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
Jas 3:16  For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
Jas 3:17  But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
Jas 3:18  And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

1Jn 2:16  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.
1Jn 2:17  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Tit 2:12  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Tit 2:13  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

This section of Hebrews points us to the liberty which we are obtaining through Christ who knows every struggle we have and “how to deliver the godly out of every temptation” (2Ti 2:19-22, 2Pe 2:9, 1Co 10:13).

2Ti 2:19  Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
2Ti 2:20  But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
2Ti 2:21  If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.
2Ti 2:22  Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

2Pe 2:9  The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

1Co 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Heb 5:5  So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. 

The typical priesthood of Aaron that points to Christ speaks of the “gifts and sacrifices for sins” (Heb 5:1) that “could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience” (Heb 9:9).

Heb 5:1  For every high priest taken from among men [Mat 22:14] is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:

[In this dispensation of grace (Eph 3:2) God’s elect are not “taken from among men” to be the typical scapegoat spoken of in Leviticus 16:8 but rather chosen of God to be made fit (2Ti 2:21) in His service so that we can be used to cleanse the world’s conscience of all sin, that is the “gifts and sacrifices” we are making for the world by being judged first in this life so we in turn can be used to judge the rest of the world (1Co 6:3).]

Heb 9:9  Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, (Heb 9:14, Tit 2:14, 1Pe 2:5) that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;

Heb 9:14  How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Tit 2:14  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

1Pe 2:5  Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

Those works were ordained to be accomplished through us (Eph 2:10, Php 2:13) just as Christ’s works were in His own life (Joh 5:30). Knowing that truth helps us understand these following verses (Joh 7:16-17, Joh 8:50-51) that relate to the statement in verse five “So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest“.

Joh 7:16  Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me [Joh 20:21, Psa 107:20].
Joh 7:17  If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

Joh 8:50  And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth.
Joh 8:51  Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.

Heb 5:6  As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

The “another place” where “Melchizedek king of Salem”is mentioned is in the old covenant in Genesis 14:18 and Psalm 110:4). The name “Melchisedec” is mentioned nine other times in the new testament, all within the book of Hebrews. Six of those nine times mentioned are in chapter seven of Hebrews, and two other times spoken of in Hebrews chapter five of which we will look at.

Gen 14:18  And Melchizedek^H4442 king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.

Psa 110:4  The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek^H4442.

Strong’s: From H4428 and H6664; king of right; Malki-Tsedek, an early king in Palestine: – Melchizedek.

This man whose name means in Hebrew “king of righteousness” is someone we are to consider how great he was, because his life and those things he did are typical of the ministry that God has established in the church through Christ the true “King of kings, and Lord of lords” or “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS” (1Ti 6:15, Rev 19:16) who will rule with righteousness through the church (Psa 9:8, 1Ti 6:15-16).

Psa 9:8  And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.

1Ti 6:15  Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate^G1413, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
1Ti 6:16  Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

Potentate G1413

– Original: δu965 νu945 ́u963 τu951 ςpar – Transliteration: Dunastes
– Phonetic: doo-nas’-tace
– Definition:

1. a prince, a potentate
2. a courtier, high officer, royal minister of great authority

– Origin: from G1410
– TDNT entry: 06:44,2
– Part(s) of speech: Noun Masculine
– Strong’s: From G1410; a ruler or officer: – of great authority mighty potentate.

Total KJV Occurrences: 3
•authority, 1
 Act_8:27

•mighty, 1
Luk_1:52

•Potentate, 1
1Ti_6:15

Looking at the scriptures connected to Melchisedec’s name will help us keep in mind how the least can be greater than John and greater than Melchizedek and how all these kings of Israel that ruled in righteousness are just a type and shadow of the only true rulership in the earth that is going to change the heart of man, cleansing the conscience as we saw earlier (Mat 11:11, 1Co 10:11, 1Pe 1:12, Isa 26:9, Luk 10:24).

Heb 7:1  For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;
Heb 7:2  To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;
Heb 7:3  Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually. [Type and shadow language which reminds us of this verse (Rev 22:13)]
Heb 7:4  Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.

“Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings” [Rev 17:10] is symbolic language that points to these verses in Revelation 14:14-20 which speak of a time when the saints will rule the earth with a rod of iron (Rev 2:26-27) “And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.” Abraham gives “a tenth part of all” that represents all our life being given to God in His service, both now and in the future Lord willing during the thousand year reign (Rev 20:6). The 90 other percent of those spoils which Abraham keeps represents that part of our life that must be judged and have God’s wrath poured out upon us [7 last plagues] in order for us to be prepared to rule and reign under Christ as we learn through the suffering we endure via the much tribulation which comes upon us in this life as His children (1Pe 4:17, Rev 5:10, 2Ti 2:12, Act 14:22).

Heb 7:5  And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham: [It takes our flesh being judged (90) in order for us to come up to Jerusalem above where our tithe (10) our life is offered at the altar Jas 5:17-18, Zec 14:17].
Heb 7:6  But he whose descent is not counted from them [Melchisedec who typifies Christ who is not of the Aaronic priesthood] received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises [again Melchisedec typifying Christ (2Co 1:20)].
Heb 7:7  And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better. [Joh 13:16, Joh 20:21]
Heb 7:8  And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth [Mat 6:20, 1Co 15:58].
Heb 7:9  And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham [we do all that we do in service to God through Christ (Joh 15:5)].
Heb 7:10  For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.
Heb 7:11  If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?

This section of Hebrews tells us plainly that the priesthood of Aaron, the Levitical priesthood, was a early type and shadow “yet in the loins of his father” ministry that represents the churches of Babylon today which are under the law and will one day be subject to Christ in the spirit represented by “Melchisedec” [Gal 4:1-5].

Gal 4:1  Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
Gal 4:2  But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
Gal 4:3  Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
Gal 4:4  But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son [typified by Melchisedec], made of a woman, made under the law,
Gal 4:5  To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Heb 7:12  For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law [Mat 5:43-45, Gal 6:2].
Heb 7:13  For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar [Melchizedek represents Christ in whom we are hidden (Col 3:3, Heb 13:10, Rev 2:17, Joh 7:16-17, Col 1:27)].
Heb 7:14  For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.

Jesus is “another priest” “after the similitude of Melchisedec” (Psa 110:4, Heb 7:12-17), and like Melchizedek, Christ is not a descendant of Aaron, and therefore would not qualify for the Jewish priesthood under the Law of Moses. That’s the whole point. Christ could not and would not do the ‘eye for an eye’ approach of dealing with our enemies and came as a reformer who was able to obey the word of God in the spirit and taught His disciples to love their enemies, showing them the spirit of God’s word rather than the letter that kills (2Co 3:4-6, Mat 5:38-39).

Heb 7:14  For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.
Heb 7:15  And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,
Heb 7:16  Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.

2Co 3:4  And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:
2Co 3:5  Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
2Co 3:6  Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

Mat 5:38  Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
Mat 5:39  But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Heb 7:15  And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, [Christ]
Heb 7:16  Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life [1Th 1:5, Act 1:8, Zec 4:6].

1Th 1:5  For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

Act 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Zec 4:6  Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.

Heb 7:17  For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Heb 7:18  For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.
Heb 7:19  For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did [Col 1:27]; by the which we draw nigh unto God.
Heb 7:20  And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest:
Heb 7:21  (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec: [Eph 1:4]) [“after the similitude of Melchisedec“].
Heb 7:22  By so much was Jesus [the subject of the whole matter “Jesus” who is typified by Melchisedec] made a surety of a better testament.
Heb 7:23  And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death [The death being symbolized is the law of sin and death that the “many priests” serve who represent the churches of Babylon – (Rom 8:2, Heb 7:25, Joh 6:51, Gal 2:20, Rom 6:11)]

Rom 8:2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

Heb 7:25  Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

Joh 6:51  I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

Rom 6:11  Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Heb 7:24  But this man, because he continueth ever [typified by these words in Hebrews 7:3], hath an unchangeable priesthood [Joh 6:68, Joh 8:51].
Heb 7:25  Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost [Rom 5:10] that come unto God by him [Eph 1:6], seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
Heb 7:26  For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; [Eph 6:12, Eph 1:21]
Heb 7:27  Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.
Heb 7:28  For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity [Heb 5:1-2]; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

[“For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens” (Eph 6:12, Eph 1:21)]

Heb 5:1  For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:
Heb 5:2  Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.
Heb 5:3  And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.
Heb 5:4  And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.
Heb 5:5  So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee [1Jn 3:1, Mat 22:14].
Heb 5:6  As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

The life of Christ only had to be offered up once for sin (Heb 7:27), and God accepted that sacrifice alone as the one that would cover all the sins of the world (Joh 3:16, Joh 1:29). When we are dragged to Christ by the Father (Joh 6:44) and are caused to “confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved^{G4982 [G5701]}” (Rom 10:9, Mat 24:13, Eph 2:6).

It is “by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Eph 2:8, 1Jn 5:4). In other words we need to be given to believe (Php 1:29) in order to overcome and be saved (1Co 15:17, Joh 6:29, Eph 2:1), and now with the life of Christ in us as our hope of glory (Joh 14:20, Col 1:27), we can “fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church” (Col 1:24). Christ is “the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him” and we are being saved as a kind of first fruits and royal priesthood that will be used of the Lord to save the world because we will have learned obedience by the things that we suffered as our Lord did (Tit 2:14, Oba 1:21, Heb 5:8).

The last part of this chapter twhich we will look at next week elaborates on the process (Php 1:29) that is expected of every son who is being given to overcome and endure until the end so that they can be saved, and the name “Melchisedec” is found in the context of these words to remind us that it is through our high priest Jesus Christ that none of us is going to be lost in this process (Joh 8:36, Joh 18:9, Mat 20:23).

Joh 8:36  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Joh 18:9  That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none.

Mat 20:23  And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.

God knows where each of us is in our growth as He is the one who has given the increase (1Co 3:6) and encourages us through this letter in Hebrews that with Christ in us we can go beyond being “such as have need of milk” and become mature sons who “put you on the Lord Jesus Christ” as He matures us through our confirming trials of this life (Act 14:22, Heb 5:14).

Heb 5:7  Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
Heb 5:8  Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
Heb 5:9  And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
Heb 5:10  Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.
Heb 5:11  Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
Heb 5:12  For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
Heb 5:13  For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
Heb 5:14  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Audio Links

Awesome Hands – part 109

”The Garments of Christ as examined in the priesthood”

January 20, 2017

As many of you do, I love learning new things in scripture. It’s not that the thing I am learning is new, but that it is new to me and my understanding of the Word. Being given understanding of the Word is being given a direct connection to the mind of God the Father, and that is always exhilarating.

I have been covering the setup of the priesthood as it pertains to the mentioning of the word ‘hand’, “yad”, in scripture. However, I thought I was going to move to the next mentioning of the word in scripture, which I thought was found as “hands” in Exodus 30:19.

As is often the case, the Lord has different plans than what I had planned, and that leads us to the verses which will be covered tonight.

Exo 29:29  And the holy garments of Aaron shall be his sons’ after him, to be anointed therein, and to be consecrated in them.
Exo 29:30  And that son that is priest in his stead shall put them on seven days, when he cometh into the tabernacle of the congregation to minister in the holy place.

Consecration

As you listen or read Exodus 29:29-30, you may notice that hand or hands are not immediately mentioned. However, that’s because we only see the English words translated from Hebrew.

When we look at the Strong’s numbers behind the translation, a different and compelling pattern of words immerges.

Exo 29:29  And the holy^H6944 garments^H899 of Aaron^H175 shall be^H1961 his sons’^H1121 after^H310 him, to be anointed^H4886 therein, and to be consecrated^{H4390 (H853) H3027} in them.

As you can see from the Strong’s breakdown, the Hebrew word “yad” H3027 is mentioned in direct connection with “consecrated”.

Very interesting indeed!

The next mentioning of the same word is mentioned only a few verses later:

Exo 29:30  And that son that is priest in his stead shall put them on seven days, when he cometh into the tabernacle of the congregation to minister in the holy place.
Exo 29:31  And thou shalt take the ram of the consecration, and seethe his flesh in the holy place.
Exo 29:32  And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
Exo 29:33  And they shall eat those things wherewith the atonement was made, to consecrate^{H4390 (H853) H3027} and to sanctify them: but a stranger shall not eat thereof, because they are holy.
Exo 29:33  And they shall eat^H398 those things wherewith^H834 the atonement was made,^H3722 to consecrated ^{H4390 (H853) H3027}and to sanctify^H6942 them: but a stranger^H2114 shall not^H3808 eat^H398 thereof, because^H3588 they^H1992 are holy.^H6944

It is obviously not a mistake that “yad” is mentioned with consecrate or consecrated, since the Lord inspired that it be there, but why is it not apparent in the English translations?

Actually, it is mentioned in several translations.

(ABP+)  And^G2532 the^G3588 apparel^G4749 of the^G3588 holy place^G39 which^G3739 is^G1510.2.3 Aaron’s,^G* shall be^G1510.8.3 to^G3588 his sons’^G5207 G1473 after^G3326 him,^G1473 for them to be anointed^G5548 G1473 in^G1722 them,^G1473 and^G2532 to perfect^G5048 G3588 their hands.^G5495 G1473

The ABP uses Greek so it is not an apples to apples comparison, so let’s look at some others in Hebrew.

(Brenton) And the apparel of the sanctuary which is Aaron’s shall be his son’s after him, for them to be anointed in them, and to fill their hands.
(LITV) And the holy garments which are Aaron’s shall be his sons’ after him, for anointing in them and for filling their hands in them.

Some of the translations do not mention either “consecrated/consecrate”, but instead they mention ordaining.

(ESV)  “The holy garments of Aaron shall be for his sons after him; they shall be anointed in them and ordained in them.
(ESV+)  “The holy garments of Aaron ^R11shall be for his sons after him; they shall ^R12be anointed in them and ordained in them.
(GNB)  “Aaron’s priestly garments are to be handed on to his sons after his death, for them to wear when they are ordained.
(GW)  “Aaron’s holy clothes will belong to his descendants so that they can be anointed and ordained in them.
(ISV)  “The holy garments of Aaron shall be for his sons after him so that they may be anointed in them and ordained in them.

Those are the verses for Exodus 29:29. Let’s see if Exodus 29:33 gives us any more insight into what is being said.

(KJV)  And they shall eat those things wherewith the atonement was made, to consecrate and to sanctify them: but a stranger shall not eat thereof, because they are holy.
(KJV+)  And they shall eat^H398 those things wherewith^H834 the atonement was made,^H3722 to consecrate^{H4390 (H853) H3027} and to sanctify^H6942 them: but a stranger^H2114 shall not^H3808 eat^H398 thereof, because^H3588 they^H1992 are holy.^H6944
(DRB)  That it may be an atoning sacrifice, and the hands of the offerers may be sanctified. A stranger shall not eat of them, because they are holy.
(YLT)  and they have eaten those things by which there is atonement to consecrate their hand, to sanctify them; and a stranger doth not eat—for they are holy;

That all seems interesting, but what exactly can we gather from all these verses and differences?

In order to start to answer that, we need to figure out what the Word of God says about consecration.

H4390
mâlê’    mâlâ’
maw-lay’, maw-law’
A primitive root, to fill or (intransitively) be full of, in a wide application (literally and figuratively): – accomplish, confirm, + consecrate, be at an end, be expired, be fenced, fill, fulfil, (be, become, X draw, give in, go) fully (-ly, -ly set, tale), [over-] flow, fulness, furnish, gather (selves, together), presume, replenish, satisfy, set, space, take a [hand-] full, + have wholly.
Total KJV occurrences: 251

H4390
mâlê’ / mâlâ’
BDB Definition:
1) to fill, be full
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be full
1a1a) fulness, abundance (participle)
1a1b) to be full, be accomplished, be ended
1a2) to consecrate, fill the hand
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be filled, be armed, be satisfied
1b2) to be accomplished, be ended
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to fill
1c2) to satisfy
1c3) to fulfil, accomplish, complete
1c4) to confirm
1d) (Pual) to be filled
1e) (Hithpael) to mass themselves against
Part of Speech: verb
A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: a primitive root

“To fill the hand” or “to take a handful?” That still doesn’t seem to fully tell us what is being said.

So, where else in Hebrew is “consecration” mentioned? Well, it is only mentioned a handful of times as consecrate or consecrated and is many more times mentioned as a different English word.

H4390
mâlê’ / mâlâ’
Total KJV Occurrences: 241
filled, 74
Gen_6:11 (2), Gen_6:13, Gen_21:19, Gen_24:16, Gen_26:15, Exo_1:7, Exo_2:16, Exo_31:3 (2), Exo_35:31, Exo_35:35, Exo_40:34-35 (2), Num_14:21, Jos_9:13, 1Ki_7:14, 1Ki_8:10-11 (2), 1Ki_18:35, 1Ki_20:27, 2Ki_3:17, 2Ki_3:20, 2Ki_3:25, 2Ki_21:16, 2Ki_23:14, 2Ki_24:4, 2Ch_5:13-14 (2), 2Ch_7:1-2 (2), 2Ch_16:14, Ezr_9:11, Job_3:15, Job_22:18, Psa_71:7-8 (2), Psa_72:19, Psa_80:9, Psa_126:2, Pro_3:10, Pro_12:21, Pro_20:17, Pro_24:4, Ecc_1:8, Ecc_6:7, Son_5:2, Isa_6:1, Isa_6:4, Isa_21:3, Isa_34:5-6 (2), Isa_65:20, Jer_13:12 (2), Jer_16:17-18 (2), Jer_19:4, Jer_41:9, Jer_46:12, Jer_51:5, Jer_51:34, Eze_8:17, Eze_10:3-4 (2), Eze_11:6, Eze_23:33, Eze_28:16, Eze_36:38, Eze_43:5, Eze_44:4, Nah_2:12, Hab_2:14, Zec_9:13, Zec_9:15
full, 50
Exo_8:21, Lev_19:29, Jdg_16:27, Rth_1:21, 1Sa_18:27, 2Ki_4:6, 2Ki_6:17, 2Ki_9:24, 2Ki_10:21, Est_3:5, Est_5:9, Job_20:11, Job_21:24, Job_32:18, Job_36:16, Psa_10:7, Psa_26:10, Psa_33:5, Psa_48:10, Psa_65:9, Psa_74:20, Psa_104:24, Psa_119:64, Psa_127:5, Ecc_11:3 (2), Isa_1:15, Isa_11:7-9 (4), Isa_13:21, Isa_15:9, Isa_28:7-8 (2), Isa_30:27, Jer_6:11, Jer_23:10, Eze_7:23 (2), Eze_9:9 (2), Eze_10:4, Eze_32:6, Joe_2:24, Joe_3:13, Mic_3:8, Mic_6:12, Hab_3:3, Zec_8:5
fill, 33
Gen_1:22, Gen_42:25, Gen_44:1, Exo_10:6, 1Sa_16:1, 1Ki_18:33, Job_8:21, Job_15:2, Job_20:23, Job_23:4, Job_38:39, Job_41:7, Psa_81:10, Psa_83:16, Psa_110:6, Pro_1:13, Isa_14:21 (2), Isa_27:6, Jer_13:13, Jer_23:24, Jer_33:5, Jer_51:14, Eze_3:3, Eze_7:19, Eze_9:7, Eze_10:2, Eze_24:4, Eze_30:11, Eze_32:5, Zep_1:8-9 (2), Hag_2:7
fulfilled, 20
Gen_25:24, Gen_29:21, Gen_29:28, Gen_50:3 (2), Exo_7:25, Lev_12:4, Lev_12:6, Num_6:5, Num_6:13, 2Sa_7:12, 1Ki_8:15, 1Ki_8:24, 2Ch_6:4, 2Ch_6:15, Job_36:17, Jer_44:25, Lam_4:18, Dan_10:2-3 (2)
fulfil, 7
Gen_29:27, Exo_23:26, 1Ki_2:27, 2Ch_36:21 (2), Psa_20:4-5 (2)
accomplished, 6
Est_2:12, Job_15:32, Isa_40:2, Jer_25:12, Jer_25:34, Jer_29:10
wholly, 6
Num_32:10-12 (3), Deu_1:36, Jos_14:8-9 (2), Jos_14:14
replenished, 5
Isa_2:6, Isa_23:2, Jer_31:25, Eze_26:2, Eze_27:25
set, 5
Exo_28:17, Exo_31:5, Exo_35:33, Exo_39:10, Son_5:14
consecrate, 3
Exo_28:41, Exo_32:29, 1Ch_29:5
consecrated, 3
Exo_29:29, Jdg_17:5, 2Ch_29:31
expired, 3
1Sa_18:26, 1Ch_17:11, Est_1:5
fully, 3
1Ki_11:6, Ecc_8:11, Nah_1:10
filleth, 2
Psa_107:9, Psa_129:7
gather, 2
Jer_4:5, Jer_51:11
replenish, 2
Gen_1:28, Gen_9:1
accomplish, 1
Dan_9:1-2 (2)
become, 1
Lev_19:29
confirm, 1
1Ki_1:14
end, 1
Lev_8:33
fenced, 1
2Sa_23:7
filledst, 1
Deu_6:11
fillest, 1
Psa_17:14
fulness, 1
Job_20:22
furnish, 1
Isa_65:11
gathered, 1
Job_16:10
handful, 1
Lev_9:17
overfloweth, 1
Jos_3:15
overflown, 1
1Ch_12:15
presume, 1
Est_7:5
satisfied, 1
Exo_15:9
satisfy, 1
Pro_6:30
space, 1
Lev_25:30 (2)

Out of the 241 times it is used on Hebrew, it is used 184 times as either filled, fill, full, fulfil or fulfilled.

A few of those examples are:

Gen 6:11  The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.

Eze 11:6  Ye have multiplied your slain in this city, and ye have filled the streets thereof with the slain.

Lev 19:29  Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to be a whore; lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness.

Hab 3:3  God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise.

Gen 25:24  And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.

The reason this may seem a bit confusing is because it can easily become confusing when translations use the same English word for several different Hebrew words and vice versa.

In the case of consecration as found in the form of “consecrate” or “consecrated”, we see it used as being full or filled. However, other places in English, it means something different.

Exo 28:3  And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments to consecrate^H6942 (means sanctify) him, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.

Exo 28:3  And thou^H859 shalt speak^H1696 unto^H413 all^H3605 that are wise^H2450 hearted,^H3820 whom^H834 I have filled with^H4390 the spirit^H7307 of wisdom,^H2451 that they may make^{H6213 (H853)} Aaron’s^H175 garments^H899 to consecrate^H6942 him, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.^H3547

Another time we see it as:

Num 6:12  And he shall consecrate^H5144 unto the LORD^{H3068 (H853)} the days^H3117 of his separation,^H5145 and shall bring^H935 a lamb^H3532 of the first^H1121 year^H8141 for a trespass offering:^H817 but the days^H3117 that were before^H7223 shall be lost,^H5307 because^H3588 his separation^H5145 was defiled.^H2930

This means separate in this verse. The other example is found in Micah 4:13.

Mic 4:13  Arise^H6965 and thresh,^H1758 O daughter^H1323 of Zion:^H6726 for^H3588 I will make^H7760 thine horn^H7161 iron,^H1270 and I will make^H7760 thy hoofs^H6541 brass:^H5154 and thou shalt beat in pieces^H1854 many^H7227 people:^H5971 and I will consecrate^H2763 their gain^H1215 unto the LORD,^H3068 and their substance^H2428 unto the Lord^H113 of the whole^H3605 earth.^H776

The time it is used here means “destroy”.

H2763
châram
Total KJV Occurrences: 51
destroyed, 23
Exo_22:20, Num_21:3, Deu_2:34, Deu_3:6, Jos_2:10, Jos_6:21, Jos_8:26, Jos_10:1, Jos_10:28, Jos_10:35, Jos_10:37, Jos_10:39-40 (2), Jos_11:12, Jos_11:21, Jdg_1:17, 1Sa_15:8-9 (2), 1Sa_15:15, 1Sa_15:20, 1Ch_4:41, 2Ch_32:14, Isa_34:2
destroy, 14
Deu_7:2 (3), Deu_20:17, Jos_11:20, Jdg_21:11, 1Sa_15:3, 1Sa_15:9, 1Sa_15:18, 1Ki_9:21, Isa_11:15, Jer_25:9, Jer_50:21, Jer_50:26, Jer_51:3
destroying, 5
Deu_3:6, Deu_13:15, Jos_11:11, 2Ki_19:11, Isa_37:11

I have listed and talked about this day because part of the lesson to take away from this study today is that we must always be diligent as the Bereans were and search out what we are being told in scripture.

I know many of us do this already, but as can be seen from the examples given, it is important that all children of the Lord know what is truly being told to us.

The other part of the lesson that we can take away from this study is just what it means to be a “son of Aaron”. Remember, Aaron typifies Christ our High Priest, and it is Aaron and his sons who are going to put on the garments being made for the priesthood, which in turn consecrates those wearing the garments.

Exo 29:29  And the holy garments of Aaron shall be his sons’ after him, to be anointed therein, and to be CONSECRATED IN THEM.

Even the food that was set aside was special for Aaron and his sons.

Exo 29:33  And they shall EAT THOSE THINGS wherewith the atonement was made, to consecrate and to sanctify them: but a stranger shall not eat thereof, because they are holy.

What then is the practical take away of this “fulfilling” that we are reading about?

It may not seem apparent at first, but it quickly becomes one of those “ah ha” moments.

Luk 24:44  And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

Mat 5:17  Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

There are 94 times in Greek that G4137 is used.

Since we are directly talking about the holy garments and holy things that must be eaten in Exodus 29, and now we know they are used to fulfill the purposes of God, why is it EXTREMELY important that we recognize that it is ONLY Aaron and his sons that can partake of this fulfillment?

1Jn 3:1  Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
1Jn 3:2  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
1Jn 3:3  And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

What do the sons of God have fulfilled in themselves because of Jesus Christ our High priest as it pertains to garments and things we eat?

2Co 5:1  For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2Co 5:2  For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:
2Co 5:3  If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
2Co 5:4  For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.

Mar 13:16  And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment.

Rev 4:4  And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

Rev 19:14  And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

If you search for the terms “garment” and “clothed upon” separately in the New Testament, a wonderful word story appears that tells us just Who our covering is.

However, it isn’t just anyone who is welcomed to this “wedding feast”. You still must have the proper garment.

Mat 22:10  So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
Mat 22:11  And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:
Mat 22:12  And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
Mat 22:13  Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Mat 22:14  For many are called, but few are chosen.

Are we only talking about physical raiment and physical meat as was being talked about in the old testament priesthood? I hope that is not all that comes to mind.

Luk 12:22  And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.
Luk 12:23  The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.

Luk 12:31  But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.

What is a part of seeking the kingdom of God?

Mat 26:26  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.
Mat 26:27  And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
Mat 26:28  For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Joh 6:51  I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
Joh 6:52  The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
Joh 6:53  Then 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.
Joh 6:54  Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
Joh 6:55  For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
Joh 6:56  He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
Joh 6:57  As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

There are many examples I can use to show that we are fulfilling the priesthood as sons of God now, when we “have our hands filled” with the work of the tabernacle. This filling of the hands is telling us that it is God alone who has setup His priesthood by providing both the garments we wear and the food placed in our belly.

It just so happens that the garment and sustenance, both the OUTSIDE and INSIDE are provided for and sustained by the Lord alone, and that is simply via our High Priest Jesus Christ. It all starts and ends with Him.

(Key verses: Genesis 49:5-7)

Jacob was in the process of dying, and within his final days in Egypt it was the time to tell his sons “which shall befall [them] in the last days”:

Gen 47:28 And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years: so the whole age of Jacob was an hundred forty and seven years.

Gen 49:1 And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.
Gen 49:2 Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.

The theme of the “last days” is applicable to the last chapters of the book of Genesis as it also brings a fitting conclusion to this book of beginnings. God indeed knows the end from the beginning as we also see so much of our own spiritual development within the book of Genesis and also what shall “befall [us] in the last days” (Isa 46:10). Although there is an outward application of the “last days”, this indeed applies inwardly for them whom God has given “eyes within” to see how the Lord’s house is established in this age in the lives of His elect, even within the beasts who are “in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne” of God (Isa 2:2; Luk 17:20-21; Rev 4:6-8):

Rev 4:6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.
Rev 4:7 And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.
Rev 4:8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

These sons of Jacob therefore are also spiritual types of God’s elected few on whom the “last days” or the end of this physical age has come:

1Co 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples [Greek: tupos = figures/a resemblance]: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world [Greek: aiōn = age] are come.

In our last discussion we focused on the firstborn of Jacob, namely Reuben, and how Jacob’s words to Reuben are also relevant to us, if we can receive them. In this discussion we will focus on Simeon and Levi as Jacob addressed them together on his deathbed:

Gen 49:5 Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations [Hebrew: mekêrâh = weapons, sword, devices].
Gen 49:6 O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill [Hebrew: râtsôn = delight] they digged down [Hebrew: âqar = to pluck up to hamstring/to exterminate/root up] a wall [Hebrew: shôr = bullock/cattle]. (KJV)

Gen 49:6 Do not let me attend their secret meetings. Do not let me join their assembly. In their anger they murdered men. At their whim they crippled cattle. (GWT)

The first characteristic Jacob mentioned about these two sons, Simeon and Levi, was that they were “instruments of cruelty.” Both of them were indeed united in their deceitfulness with the men of Shechem after Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, raped Dinah, the daughter of Jacob:

Gen 34:13 And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, and said, because he had defiled Dinah their sister:
Gen 34:14 And they said unto them, We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised; for that were a reproach unto us:
Gen 34:15 But in this will we consent unto you: If ye will be as we be, that every male of you be circumcised;
Gen 34:16 Then will we give our daughters unto you, and we will take your daughters to us, and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people.
Gen 34:17 But if ye will not hearken unto us, to be circumcised; then will we take our daughter, and we will be gone.
Gen 34:18 And their words pleased Hamor, and Shechem Hamor’s son.

At the time of this deceitful agreement to which all the men of Shechem then adhered, Jacob was unaware what Simeon and Levi had in mind, and he was shocked and horrified to hear afterward what these two sons did to the men of Shechem:

Gen 34:25 And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore [after the men of Shechem were circumcised], that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males.
Gen 34:26 And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house, and went out.
Gen 34:27 The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister.
Gen 34:28 They took their sheep, and their oxen, and their asses, and that which was in the city, and that which was in the field,
Gen 34:29 And all their wealth, and all their little ones, and their wives took they captive, and spoiled even all that was in the house.

On his deathbed Jacob brought division between these two sons and a dispersing of their offspring:

Gen 49:7 Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.

This also reminds one of the division and the scattering of the nations at the tower of Babel. “The thoughts of [man’s] heart [are] only evil continually”, and these thoughts were also in the hearts of Simeon and Levi (Gen 6:5; Gen 11:1-9). Although mankind is unified in its opposition to God’s Word and His commandments, the hearts of mankind harbour a divided kingdom which shall not stand:

Mat 12:25 And Jesus knew their [the Pharisees’] thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.

Psa 2:1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
Psa 2:2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,
Psa 2:3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
Psa 2:4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.
Psa 2:5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure [Hebrew: chârôn = anger].

In the actions of Simeon and Levi and the words of King David in Psalm 2, we also see the negative and positive applications of anger respectively. The natural heart always acts in haste with no mercy. David knew this all too well and rather chose the anger of the Lord, because there is mercy with God:

2Sa 24:14 And David said unto [the prophet] Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man.

God’s anger is governed by His mercy as His grace chastens every son He receives bringing a cessation to the evil and vain things in our hearts (Heb 12:6; Tit 2:11-12). Contrarily the anger in the natural heart has no peaceful solution as it also prevents us to see that God’s hands are in all things which happen in His creation (Job 2:4-10):

Ecc 7:9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

Pro 15:18 A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.

The fool in us cannot see that God is to be feared above all, and He will indeed bring true recompense for everything that was done in unrighteousness:

Heb 10:30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
Heb 10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Godly recompense is driven by His jealousy, and through this zeal God brings us to the truth in Christ and keeps us committed to Him. God’s zeal is His passion for His spiritual house to keep it free from fleshly defilement (Exo 20:5; Exo 34:14; Psa 69:9; Joh 2:17; 2Co 7:11; 2Co 11:2). Ignoring the leadership of their own father, Simeon and Levi had a twisted zeal for doing “that which was right in [their] his own eyes” which was all about self-righteousness (Jdg 21:25; Isa 64:6). Few can see in themselves this deceitful self-righteousness and cruel spirit of Simeon and Levi in this age:

Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Naturally this evil spirit in us has no trouble hating people and wishing the worst on our enemies. In our spiritual blindness we cannot see that nobody can move a finger if that is not ordained by God (Isa 45:7; Job 2:4-10):

Pro 16:4 The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

Christ in us is the hope of glory, even as this glory will be evident in our words and actions, even in terms of our anger (Col 1:27):

Pro 16:32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

Eph 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath.

God’s spirit, through the words of Christ, will give us the ability to do today what was impossible to obey yesterday:

Mat 5:39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

This is what Jesus also taught Peter (and all of us), that His Word is spirit, and His Word in our hearts is much more powerful to determine and direct our actions and the things around us (Joh 6:63; 1Co 2:4-16):

Joh 18:10 Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.
Joh 18:11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?

The elect of God will not join the assembly of Simeon and Levi and cripple the cattle of others or resist the works of God. The elect of God will come out of that assembly as they know that the evil and the trials are from God to fulfill the scriptures in our own lives (Luk 24:25-27):

Mat 26:52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
Mat 26:53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
Mat 26:54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?

Let us look how all of these were foreshadowed in the life of Simeon.

Simeon

The name “Simeon” means “to hear”. He was the second son of Jacob from Leah after Reuben:

Gen 29:32 And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.
Gen 29:33 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the LORD hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon.

Although we know the scriptures declare that God “hears not sinners”, especially when they “ask amiss, that [they] may consume it upon [their] lusts”, God indeed hears everything (Psa 139:1-18; Joh 9:31; Jas 4:3). Even in our darkest times when we are the hated and rejected, our desperate cries from a “broken spirit…and a contrite heart” are not ignored by God, as Hagar and Ishmael testify (2Sa 14:14; Psa 51:17; Isa 57:14-18; Isa 66:2):

Gen 21:17 And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.

A few things are connected to this Simeon in the scriptures which proves that God indeed hears and sees everything, and righteous anger and vengeance belong to Him as He will indeed recompense (Heb 10:30). Before Joseph revealed himself to his brothers in Egypt, it was Simeon who was kept as a hostage in Egypt in exchange for Benjamin whom Joseph wanted to see in Egypt:

Gen 42:22 And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required.
Gen 42:23 And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter.
Gen 42:24 And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes.

“Ye would not hear” Reuben’s plea not to sin against Joseph. In our natural Simeonite state we cannot hear the words of truth, and we are bound in the prisons of spiritual Egypt, the rebellious house of flesh:

Eze 12:2 Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house.

Simeon became the founder of the tribe bearing his name, but even in his tribe this spirit of rebellion and self-righteousness was evident when a prince of a chief house among the Simeonites, named Zimri, took a Midianite woman into the camp of Israel in the sight of Moses and the whole congregation. This happened even when God was judging the Israelites for committing whoredom with the Moabite women and their worship of Baalpeor:

Num 25:1 And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.
Num 25:2 And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.
Num 25:3 And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel.
Num 25:4 And the LORD said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel.
Num 25:5 And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baalpeor.
Num 25:6 And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
Num 25:7 And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand;
Num 25:8 And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel.
Num 25:9 And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand.
Num 25:10 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Num 25:11 Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy.
Num 25:12 Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace:
Num 25:13 And he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel.
Num 25:14 Now the name of the Israelite that was slain, even that was slain with the Midianitish woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a chief house among the Simeonites.

It is this rebellious and haughty Simeonite spirit in us which cannot submit to God’s leadership. This proud spirit has no shame to associate with false doctrines even when strongly advised not to. Thank God for the godly anger of the zealous spirit in Phinehas:

Rom 12:11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord.

The numbers of this tribe of Simeon were always on the decline during their time in the wilderness – from fifty nine thousand and three hundred families when they left Egypt to twenty two thousand and two hundred families when they entered Canaan. (Num 1:23; Num 26:14). The result of this was that the Simeonites’ inheritance of land was within the inheritance of the children of the tribe of Judah and they also had to fight with the tribe of Judah to survive against the Canaanites. This was a physical fulfillment of the words of Jacob that Simeon will be scattered among Israel:

Jos 19:1 And the second lot came forth to Simeon, even for the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families: and their inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of Judah.

Jdg 1:3 And Judah said unto Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with thee into thy lot. So Simeon went with him.

God in His mercy also has a place for our Simeonites in His army, even as our rebellious natural anger and self-righteousness are replaced by His righteousness and anger. During the reign of King David, typifying the reign of Christ, “mighty men of valour for the war” were also from tribe of Simeon:

1Ch 12:25 Of the children of Simeon, mighty men of valour for the war, seven thousand and one hundred.

Even the apostle John saw this tribe in spiritual terms being part of the spiritual twelve tribes of the Israel of God (Gal 6:16):

Rev 7:7 Of the tribe of Simeon were [spiritually] sealed twelve thousand.

As his name indicates, spiritually the tribe of Simeon is also able to “hear” the voice of the true Shepherd who is the foundation of the truth, which the number twelve spiritually points out (Rev 21:12; Rev 21:14):

1Co 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Levi

Let us see how Levi helps us to understand our spiritual growth in Christ. Levi was the third son of Jacob from Leah, and Levi means “joined” as she wanted Jacob to be in a closer loving relationship with her than with the beloved wife Rachel:

Gen 29:34 And she [Leah] conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.

The number three is spiritually connected to the process of completion, even the process to become the spiritual sons of God (Gen 40:18-19; Exo 23:14; Luk 13:32; Joh 2:19). Levi as the third son indeed typifies this process as his judgment also brought a deeper function for his offspring within the twelve tribes of Israel. Like Simeon, the tribe of Levi was indeed scattered among the Israelites. Although the whole nation of Israel was called to be separated from other nations, and in this sense a “holy nation” and a “kingdom of priests”, this function was later reserved solely for the tribe of Levi:

Exo 19:6 And ye [Israel] shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

When Israel entered Canaan as a nation, this tribe of Levi became distributed throughout the territories of the other tribes and had no inheritance within Israel (Deu 18:1; Jos 13:14). Rather, they received forty-eight towns in various sections of the land (Jos 13:33). This tribe was called to provide spiritual leadership in Israel, and among the most prominent leaders who came from this tribe were Moses, Aaron and Ezra. These are Moses’ instructions concerning the tribe of Levi before the Israelites entered Canaan:

Deu 33:8 And of Levi he said, Give your Thummim to Levi and let the Urim be with your loved one, whom you put to the test at Massah, with whom you were angry at the waters of Meribah;
Deu 33:9 Who said of his father, Who is he? and of his mother, I have not seen her; he kept himself separate from his brothers and had no knowledge of his children: for they have given ear to your word and kept your agreement.
Deu 33:10 They will be the teachers of your decisions to Jacob and of your law to Israel: the burning of perfumes before you will be their right, and the ordering of burned offerings on your altar.
Deu 33:11 Let your blessing, O Lord, be on his substance, may the work of his hands be pleasing to you: may those who take up arms against him and all who have hate for him, be wounded through the heart, never to be lifted up again.

However, not all Levites served inside the tabernacle or temple, except Aaron and his offspring (Lev 21; Lev 24:9; Num 27:21; 1Ki 8:6; 1Ch 6:49; Heb 9:7; Heb 13:10). The other Levites were to serve the tabernacle or temple in various outward functions, pointing to those referred to in the New Testament as the “called”, and from the “called” another smaller group is taken out by God to serve inside the true temple of God (Deu 17:8-13; Num 3:21-26; Rev 18:4):

Mat 22:14 For many are called [Greek: klētos], but few are chosen [Greek: eklektos: “ek” out of the “klētos”].

These are the only ones who can receive the spiritual meat at the altar of God as they lose their lives and the things which the “called” cling to:

Heb 13:10 We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.

As Levi is the third son of Jacob, so this three-step process starts for all in the outside camp, typified by the whole of physical Israel, before we move into the court which is the domain of the “called” in spiritual Babylon. It is only when we are called out from this time under the governors and tutors in flesh that we can enter to serve and operate under a totally new spiritual law within the temple of God – also called the “third heaven” (Rom 8:1-2; 2Co 12:1-4; Eph 2:6; Gal 4:1-7; Rev 21:1-3):

Heb 7:11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?
Heb 7:12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.

The elect of God are the holy priestly nation of God according to the priestly model or order of Melchisedec, typifying the heavenly Christ with no earthly heritage or attachments to flesh (1Co 1:29; 1Co 15:50; Gal 2:20):

1Pe 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
1Pe 2:10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

This tribe of Levi is indeed spiritually represented in the elected one hundred and forty four thousand:

Rev 7:7b …Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand.

—————

Detailed studies and emails relating to these foundational themes in Scripture are available on the iswasandwillbe.com website, including these topics and links:

Numbers in Scripture
Is It A Sin to Be Angry?
Is There A Time to Be Jealous?
The Zeal of Thine House Hath Eaten Me Up
Who Are The Levites? – Part 1
Who Are The Levites? – Part 2

Mike,

This occurred to me and I have to ask. How do you explain this scripture in Revelation?

Rev 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Notice Mike, there is a very clear distinction between the testimony of Jesus and the Commandments of God.

T____

Hi T____,

Remember Christ’s warning that many are called but few are chosen? Now read this verse in Revelation.

Rev 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

Being ‘called’ is necessary, but not sufficient. Being ‘chosen’ is also absolutely necessary, but we also must be ‘faithful’

Joh 6:70 Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?

The “testimony of Jesus Christ” is not the testimony of Moses or else “what need would there be for another priesthood not after Aaron but Melchisedek?”

“There being a change of priesthood there is also a change of the law.”

Heb 7:11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (f or under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedek, and not be called after the order of Aaron?
Heb 7:12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.

That ‘testimony’ and that ‘change also of the law’ is found in Mat 5-7. It is a “changed law.” It is the “testimony of Jesus Christ,” and even a “piece of the new agrees not with the old.”

Luk 5:36 And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was [ taken] out of the new agreeth not with the old.
Luk 5:37 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. Luk 5:38 But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved. [ Gal. 3:23-4:1- The “schoolmaster,” the “tutors and governors will always be need to “bring us to Christ,” right through the millenium. ” But after that faith is come…” and 1Ti 1:9]]
Luk 5:39 No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.

But you can’t see that difference or “change” and so, sure enough, you “having drunk the old wine” along with the rest of the world, still say “the old is better.”

So Christ rests his case.

Mike

Dear Mr. Vinson,

On three separate occasions, my wife and I have asked another website minister why he “skipped” the most important tithing verse in the New Testament (Heb 7:8) when he quoted most of Heb 7 in his “tithing” paper. I just find it to be a little unacceptable and odd to skip right over this verse. He told me that it would be too dificult to explain it in an email and never even responded to my wife’s two inquiries (which were more direct).

Mike, I am a man after the truth, so I feel that there needs to be an honest explanation given to truth seekers as to WHY this verse was skipped. Can you please help me by explaining what Heb 7:8 means? This verse says that Jesus receives tithes, even when this passage was penned (long after Christ’s ressurrection).

Thank you!

J____

Hi J____,

Thank you for your question.

You say that Christ received tithes “long after Christ’s resurrection.” I will take you at your word that you are simply a truth seeker, but I would like to know if you have taken the time to read thoroughly the paper on my site entitled The Law of Moses Versus The Law of The Spirit?

Both Paul and James inform us that if one is going to keep the law one is “a debtor to keep the whole law”.

Gal 5:3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.

The point of Heb 7:8 is to demonstrate that this new priesthood is vastly superior to the old covenant with it’s fleshly dying priesthood. To take Heb 7:8 and draw from it that Christ should still be receiving only 10% of one’s paycheck is equivalent to saying that the parable of the unjust steward demonstrates that Christ wants us to be unjust stewards. That, of course is not true. Christ Himself interpreted this parable and tells us that the point of the parable is that we are to be “wise as serpents, yet harmless as doves.” The purpose of holding a child in His lap was not to encourage us to remain immature but to encourage us to remain humble and teachable “as this little child.” He did this when the disciples were arguing about who would be greatest in the kingdom.

Even so, the purpose for…

Heb 7:8 And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.

… is simply to demonstrate that…

Heb 7:7 And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.

It is this very chapter that equates the priesthood with the law that came with it:

Heb 7:11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?

And here is what we are told of both, right here in this same chapter:

Heb 7:12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
Heb 7:13 For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.
Heb 7:14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.
Heb 7:15 And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,
Heb 7:16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
Heb 7:17 For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Heb 7:18 For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.
Heb 7:19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.

This is in complete accord with everything else Paul wrote on this subject, like:

1Ti 1:9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,

This is really very basic to Christ’s “but I say unto you” doctrines, contradicting the law of Moses in Mat 5-7. Yet it is more ‘meat’ than most “carnal… babes in Christ” [1Co 3:1-4] can even now receive. “The law [ including tithing laws] is not made for a righteous man.”

I hope this is of some help to you as you seek the truth of God’s Word.

Again I encourage you to read The Law Of Moses Versus The Law Of The Spirit. It is an in- depth treatment of this entire subject of the law. It will answer many questions on this subject that seem like contradictions to many.

Your brother in Christ,

Mike

Hi Mike,

Concerning the matter of “as He is, so are we”, would I be correct in assuming that there is a synonymity between the King and his brethren?

Yours sincerely,
W____

Hi again W____,
You ask:

… would I be correct in assuming that there is asynonymity between the King and his brethren?

The answer to your question is, oh yes! More than you probably realize!

Mat 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Mat 25:45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

The words are right there in red letters, but their depth of Truth is hard to absorb. And even when we claim their veracity, it takes time to come to see that these words mean that Christ’s sufferings are not yet filled up, and that it is incumbent upon us to suffer with Christ, as His Christ, for His body’s sake which is us, the church.

Col 1:24 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 sake, which is the church:

Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint- heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Php 1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

2Ti 2:12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:

“Is there a synonymity between the King [Christ] and His brothers?” Here is the straightforward answer to that question:

1Jn 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

Ours is not a calling to be just a foot soldier, though we certainly are foot soldiers. We are not called to be officers, though we certainly will be officers. The training for an officer is twice as grueling as that of a soldier in regular boot camp. Our calling in Christ is to be “kings and priests”, and as such “as He is so are we”.

Rev 2:26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
Rev 2:27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
Rev 2:28 And I will give him the morning star.
Rev 2:29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

“He that overcometh” what? The answer is “the world”, which Christ is very straightforward in telling us will hate us if we truly follow Him and “walk in His steps”.

These are not ‘might be’ words, they are guaranteed promises given to all who think they want to be overcomers to partake of that “blessed and holy” first resurrection and to become kings and priests to rule with Christ in the ages to come. Here is the training which make us “as He is”:

Mat 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

Sounds exciting, doesn’t it? But that is just the beginning of our training. This is all guaranteed promises:

Mat 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
Mat 10:35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
Mat 10:36 And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.
Mat 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
Mat 10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
Mat 10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

“He that endureth to the end shall be saved” in this age. There are many who begin officer’s training, but most do not last to the end. That should explain the deeper meaning of this verse:

Mat 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

Christ is a leader of leaders. He knows how to bring the best out of His creatures. No great leader leads by promising only goodies to his trainees for such an exalted position as being “rulers of this world”. Our Lord has set us an example that we should walk in His steps.

1Pe 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

There it is! That is our calling. For those who are granted to receive it, it is a wonderful, challenging and blessed calling. But to the many to whom a call to “suffer for His name’s sake” simply does not compute, they simply “cannot receive” it.

Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

I did not mean for this to be this long, but I hope you can now see just how similar is the “synonymity between the King and his brethren.”
Your brother who is striving for that “mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”.

Php 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Mike