Pro 10:1-5 “He that Gathereth in Summer is a Wise Son”

[Study Aired Jan 30, 2025]

In our last study of chapter nine of Proverbs, we looked at the contrasts being drawn between Babylon and the bride of Christ. There are two woman represented in the church in the wilderness, Babylon the mother of harlots and all her daughters (churches in the wilderness), and the elect bride of Christ (2Jn 1:1) who is called out of Babylon or the wilderness to become the manchild of God (Rev 12:5-17).

2Jn 1:1 The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth;

Rev 12:5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

[this bringing forth of a manchild, happens in the wilderness, where God’s elect are declared from the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4), and not yet aware of this holy calling that has us caught up to his throne, raised in heavenly places (Eph 2:6)]

Chapter ten of Proverbs shows the contrast between the two woman in the wilderness (churches) in regard to the spiritual fruit that is borne through God’s first fruits, (or Sara the wife of Abraham who typifies the free woman who has been given dominion over sin and is going onto maturity by God’s grace) (Gal 4:26-31), as opposed to the bondage of Hagar who is the bondservant, still in bondage to sin.

Gal 4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
Gal 4:27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. [Many more doctrine, the whole stay of bread and water are hers as opposed to Babylon’s starvation of truth (Isa 3:1)]
Gal 4:28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
Gal 4:29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
Gal 4:30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
Gal 4:31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.(the bondwoman has no stay of bread or water, or garment of righteousness, Jud 1:12, Mat 22:12)

These proverbs of chapter ten show us the liberty that God grants His people, revealed by the fruit that they bring forth in their lives, and contrasts that fruit with the bondage of our past, or current struggles that God will take us through as we recognize those things that we need to repent of (Rom 2:4).

The life of Sara who represents the elect church, reminds us in type and shadow of the good fruit that God had determined to bring forth through the “elect lady” from the foundation of the world, good fruit that is contrasted with bad fruit as seen in Proverbs chapter ten, “And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, (Rev 1:3) and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred” (Mar 4:20).

Rom 4:19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead (Rom 6:11), when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb:

[typifying the life of Christ in each of us (Abraham) and the church (Sara) as a whole.]

Heb 11:11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

(The church typified by Sara, is given power to bring forth the manchild and are witnesses of these things to all the world (Rev 11:3)). Then the next few verses describe the blessing that is given to those who are represented by Sara (Heb 11:12-20).

1Pe 3:6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.

(The church, the body of Christ, the bride of Christ is to obey her head symbolized by Abraham who is a type of Christ)

Pro 10:1 The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.

Solomon was a wise son of his father David who typifies Christ, so in this instance Solomon typifies the elect of God who are wise and obedient sons of Christ (Jas 1:5-6, Pro 25:12, 1Pe 3:6).

Jas 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Jas 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

Pro 25:12 As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.

1Pe 3:6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.

We are foolish sons when we don’t bear the burden of others in the body of Christ (Gal 6:2) and that selfishness is “the heaviness^H8424 of his mother” (Psa 119:28) who represents the church. We are nothing without Christ, but with Christ we can bear each other’s burdens, strengthening one another through our obedience to Christ and his words (1Co 14:3). If we think ourselves to be something, then we will be of no value to the body of Christ, deceiving ourselves for not knowing and believing these verses: (Gal 6:2-3, Php 2:12-13).

Psa 119:28 My soul melteth for heaviness^H8424: strengthen thou me according unto thy word.

Gal 6:2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
Gal 6:3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.

Php 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Php 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Pro 10:2 Treasures^H214 of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness^H6666 delivereth from death.

This proverb reminds us that what our carnal man considers profitable is really just smoke and mirrors, or dung as Paul said in comparison to the truth (Php 3:8), which is the righteousness of God that can deliver us from death (Pro 14:12, Pro 16:25), if we continue in it, “but righteousness delivereth from death” (Joh 8:31-32), Psa 88:12, Col 3:1-2, Luk 12:15-21).

“Treasures” H214 ‘ôtsâr o-tsaw’
Strongs: From H686; a depository: – armory, cellar, garner, store(-house), treasure (-house) (-y).
BDB: treasure, storehouse (Luk 12:15-21)
Total KJV Occurrences: 79

“Righteousness” H6666 tsedâqâh tsed-aw-kaw’
From H6663; rightness (abstractly), subjectively (rectitude), objectively (justice), morally (virtue) or figuratively (prosperity): – justice, moderately, right (-eous) (act, -ly, -ness). (Luk 12:15-21)

Php 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Psa 88:12 Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?[Pro 10:2]

Col 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Col 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Luk 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
Luk 12:16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
Luk 12:17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
Luk 12:18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
Luk 12:19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
Luk 12:20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
Luk 12:21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

Pro 10:3 The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance^H1942 of the wicked.

“substance” H1942 havvâh hav-vaw’ 
Strongs: From H1933 (in the sense of eagerly coveting and rushing upon; by implication of falling); desire; also ruin: – calamity, iniquity, mischief, mischievous (thing), naughtiness, naughty, noisome, perverse thing, substance, very wickedness; 
BDB: desire (in bad sense); chasm (figuratively of destruction); engulfing ruin, destruction, calamity (Luk 16:26)

Yes, even that which I thought I had in my self-righteous wicked state in Babylon was taken away from me, “but he casteth away the substance of the wicked” (Mat 13:12 ) for a season, but ultimately, “The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish”, and if God is working with us in this age as the manchild, He will restore us through a process that takes a lifetime of overcoming (Luk 15:17-21, Luk 13:32, 1Jn 2:15-16).

Mat 13:12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

Luk 15:17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! (“but whosoever hath not”)
Luk 15:18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
Luk 15:19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
Luk 15:20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
Luk 15:21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

1Jn 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
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. [Pro 10:2]
1Jn 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Pro 10:4 He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

This is not talking about building bigger barns (Luk 12:18-24), but about labouring in the word, and fighting a good fight of faith and knowing that our labours are not in vain in the Lord, as God will provide what we need in this life if we seek the kingdom of God first and his righteousness (Mat 6:33-34). God will give us the idol of our hearts if we lustfully pursue the smooth things (Isa 30:10), and that which is temporal and passing (1Ti 6:1-12, Heb 13:5-6), and we will rob ourselves of the outstanding recompence of the reward that God’s elect are called to have respect for, unless the Lord gives us victory over the desire for the immediate pottage (Gen 25:32-34) that Esau who represents our flesh lusted after (Heb 11:26). If we are God’s people this slothfulness that leads to spiritual perdition will be burnt out of us (1Ti 6:9, 1Ti 6:12, Heb 6:12).

Luk 12:18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
Luk 12:19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
Luk 12:20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
Luk 12:21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
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 12:24 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?

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.

1Ti 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

1Ti 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

Heb 6:12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Pro 10:5 He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.

We are still talking about spiritual diligence which will result in a great reward, and this proverb reminds us that the one who sleepeth in harvest (Jer 8:20) are the foolish virgins, because the wise were given that extra oil before the end of the day (Mat 25:3-4) [the wise by God’s decree; the ‘wise son that gathers in the summer’ (Luk 21:29-36)].

Jer 8:20 The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. (the foolish son who sleeps in harvest)

Mat 25:3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
Mat 25:4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

Luk 21:29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;
Luk 21:30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.
Luk 21:31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.
Luk 21:32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.
Luk 21:33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
Luk 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
Luk 21:35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
Luk 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

While we all “slumber and sleep”, it is the extra oil that sees the wise virgins ready to enter in (Mat 25:5-10). What we are seeking and gathering with the diligent hand spoken of in (Pro 10:4) is the kingdom of God (Heb 11:14, Luk 17:21), with an expectation that we will be rewarded for doing that, as we’re dragged to Christ (Mat 6:33, Pro 12:24, Heb 11:6, Joh 6:44).

Mat 25:5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
Mat 25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
Mat 25:7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
Mat 25:8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
Mat 25:9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
Mat 25:10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Pro 12:24 The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

God is showing us through this verse (Pro 10:5) that we all slumbered and slept, and are spiritually blind and only able to be awoken by the faith of Christ, a faith that must be tried in the fire (Eph 2:8). God alone has determined of those two groups that slumbered and slept, which will fall away and which will be granted that extra oil that is produced through fiery trials in the day of the Lord (Heb 6:4, Rev 3:18-19, Heb 12:6, 2Pe 3:10). These two characters being discussed in this (Pro 10:5), reveals that God’s diligence that is formed in the elect has great dividends, “He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame“, but we must never forget that we were the son that caused shame, and only because of God’s mercy and forgiveness could we become “He that gathereth in summer is a wise son“

Mat 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. [This is happening within and without]

We pray that we can be those who “must work the works of him that sent me” and accomplish this through Christ in the summer, “He that gathereth in summer is a wise son” and not on the Sabbath when no work is being accomplished (Joh 9:4, Mat 24:20).

Joh 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

Mat 24:20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:

The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – Part 2

[Study Aired March 20, 2023]

In the first part of this topic that was presented last week, it was established that Abraham’s seed and the land are the two prerequisites of achieving God’s purpose. The purpose of God as revealed in His encounter with Abraham is to have a people who express Him, and through them all the families of the earth will be blessed. The seed here physically represents Isaac. However, spiritually, Isaac represents Jesus whose coming is to cause a people to express God’s image and His dominion. This people (a great nation) will later become a blessing to all the nations of the earth. Unfortunately, Abraham did not have a seed and had to believe the Lord even though physically, it was impossible for him to have a seed.

Rom 4:18  Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. 
Rom 4:19  And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb: 
Rom 4:20  He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 
Rom 4:21  And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 
Rom 4:22  And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. 
Rom 4:23  Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;
Rom 4:24  But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

The second requirement for fulfilling God’s purpose is the land. The land is a place for God’s people to live, a place where God’s enemies would be defeated, a place where God will have a habitation and a place where God will build His kingdom. Looking at it from one perspective, the land is our body. In another perspective, the land represents Christ. As the scriptures say, in Him we live, move, and have our being. It is in Christ that we can defeat our enemies and build the kingdom. We can therefore see that both the seed and the land represent Christ!! This is to let us know that everything in this life revolves around Christ, and without Him, nothing flourishes!! That is why Christ coming to us is crucial!!

Heb 1:3  Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; 

Act 17:28  For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. 

Every kingdom has a territorial domain, and in the case of the elect, our bodies (hearts and minds) are supposed to be the dwelling place of Christ or His throne where His kingdom dwells. Christ has to come and establish His kingdom within us first before the kingdom becomes visible later in another age. Unfortunately, the beast is already occupying the throne of Christ within us when we were born. This was the same with Abraham. When he went to Canaan, the land was fully occupied by Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, etc. That’s why David said the following:

Psa 51:5  Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

It took a long time for Abraham to have a seed and for the seed to multiply enough to be able to possess the land – more than four hundred years. In other words, it took a long time for Isaac to be born and for the twelve sons of Jacob to multiply enough to leave Egypt and to possess the land.

Gen 15:13  And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
Gen 15:14  And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.

This shows the Lord’s patience in dealing with us before we are capable of dealing with the beast to establish the Lord’s kingdom within. We, His elect, must also learn to be patient in dealing with the Lord, our brothers and sisters in Christ, our family and the people of the world.

Heb 10:35  Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. 
Heb 10:36  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 
Heb 10:37  For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. 
Heb 10:38  Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 
Heb 10:39  But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

In today’s study, we will continue to take a look at Abraham’s life that was written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

1Co 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 

Abraham’s Life of Faith – Learning to Walk by Faith

When God came to Abraham and made a promise to him, he was seventy-five years old. It was not until he was a hundred years old that Isaac, the seed, was born. From the time of the promise to the birth of Isaac was therefore a period of twenty-five years!! All of us would have given up on God’s promise, but God was able to sustain Abraham to walk by faith as follows:

Heb 11:8  By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 

Rom 4:18  Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. 
Rom 4:19  And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb: 
Rom 4:20  He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 
Rom 4:21  And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 
Rom 4:22  And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. 
Rom 4:23  Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;
Rom 4:24  But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 

This is to show us that it takes time for God’s promises to come to fruition. This is demonstrated clearly by the parable of a man traveling into a far country who delivered his goods to his servants and took a long time to come back for reckoning.  Thus, it is necessary for us to learn to walk by faith if we are to receive the reward as our father Abraham did. For without faith, it is impossible to please God. In the case of Abraham, the scriptures say that, against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and became the father of many nations. Against all the odds, we must still believe that the Lord will intervene in our circumstance!! Even this belief is not our work. It is the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ that operates within us according to His measure.

The Two Women: Hagar and Sarah – Representing the Physical and the Spiritual Experience of the Elect

Sarah was the legitimate wife of Abraham while Hagar was the concubine. The prolonged delay in the birth of Isaac made Abraham fall into the temptation of depending on his own strength to have a child called Ishmael with Hagar, a handmaid of Sarah. However, Ishmael was rejected by God as the seed. This is to make us understand that in this relation with God, it is what God has promised that counts. Our efforts are useless in fulfilling God’s purpose.  We do not choose to serve the Lord. It is God that chooses us. As the scriptures clearly state, it is not of him that will or of him that runs but of God that shows mercy.

Gen 16:1 Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. 
Gen 16:2  And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. 
Gen 16:3  And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife. 
Gen 16:4  And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.
Gen 16:5  And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee. 

Sarah represents the church of the elect, or Jerusalem which is above, while Hagar symbolizes the physical churches of this world (Babylon) or Jerusalem which is in bondage with her children. As we indicated earlier, we start our walk as carnal and therefore we are more attracted to Hagar, since we can see the immediate result in signs and wonders which seemingly makes Jerusalem, which is in bondage, more productive than the New Jerusalem whose husband is Christ. However, in the fullness of time, the bride of Christ, the church of the firstborn, shall have more children than Jerusalem which is.

Gal 4:22  For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. 
Gal 4:23  But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. 
Gal 4:24  Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. 
Gal 4:25  For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 
Gal 4:26  But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 
Gal 4:27  For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. 

Famine in the land – A famine of hearing the word of God

Gen 12:9  And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.
Gen 12:10  And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.

When we start our journey in Christ, we experience famine as Abraham went through famine when he started his journey with the Lord. This famine is not the lack of food or water, but of hearing the words of the Lord as shown in the scriptures below:

Amo 8:11  Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: 
Amo 8:12  And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it. 
Amo 8:13  In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst.

As verse 12 of Amos 8 indicates, the result of famine causes us to wander from sea to sea. This means we get hooked to all kinds of false doctrines that originate from the sea of flesh, thinking we are spiritually being fed.  As a result, we end up being more carnal or worldly, as we continue to faint or thirst for the word of God. This was what happened to Abraham when he came to Egypt as a result of famine and lied about his wife being his sister.  In other words, absence of the word makes us carnal, and, in this situation, we cannot please God. We have all been in this situation before, and it is this absence of the word of God that sets in motion our exit from Babylon.

Abraham as a friend of the Lord – The Lord wants to relate to us as a friend.

Abraham’s encounter with the Lord when He visited him in the heat of the day in the plains of Mamre, was a friendly visit. The conversation centered around Sarah and the Lord’s promise of Sarah having a child at the time of life. What was most significant was the fact that when the Lord was leaving, He said that He could not hide what He wanted to do from Abraham. This is what defines friendship – the openness in dealing with one another, and that was what the Lord did. In this relationship with the Lord, He wants us as friends and not servants, as servants do not know the mind of their master.  However, we are privileged to know the mind of Christ.

Gen 18:1  And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;
Gen 18:2  And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, 
Gen 18:3  And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: 
Gen 18:9  And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent. 
Gen 18:10  And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him. 
Gen 18:11  Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
Gen 18:12  Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
Gen 18:13  And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? 
Gen 18:14  Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. 
Gen 18:15  Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh. 
Gen 18:16  And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. 
Gen 18:17  And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; 
Gen 18:18  Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 

Joh 15:15  Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. 

In this conversation with Abraham, the Lord assured him that at the time of life, Sarah will give birth to a son. There are two instances in the Bible that the phrase “time of life” has been used, and it is all related to the birth of a son. Spiritually, it signifies the time in our lives that the new man (Christ) is born within us, and the old man continues its journey of death.

2Ki 4:16  And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.
2Ki 4:17  And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life.

Abraham Praying for Sodom – the need to intercede for our brothers and sisters.

Gen 18:17  And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; 

Gen 18:20  And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; 
Gen 18:21  I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. 
Gen 18:22  And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD. 
Gen 18:23  And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? 
Gen 18:24  Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? 
Gen 18:26  And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.

Gen 18:32  And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten’s sake. 

Abraham requesting the Lord not to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah if He were to find a certain number of righteous men was to show us the need to intercede on behalf of the elect. Actually, Abraham had Lot in mind as a righteous man living among a wicked generation. He was not praying for Sodom. On a positive note, Lot here represents the elect. 

2Pe 2:6  And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;
2Pe 2:7  And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 
2Pe 2:8  (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) 

Abraham’s intercession was based on divine revelation. Our intercession for the brethren must also be based on the Lord’s revelation. We must all have the burden of praying for the Lord’s elect just like Paul. What the Lord has revealed to us to guide our intercession for our brothers and sisters are His words. The following example shows us what we need to pray for: 

Eph 1:15  Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 
Eph 1:16  Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
Eph 1:17  That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 
Eph 1:18  The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 
Eph 1:19  And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 
Eph 1:20  Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
Eph 1:21  Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 

All our physical needs are encapsulated in these spiritual blessings that we need to pray for. 

Abraham Praying for Abimelech – The “Shameful” Intercession

Gen 20:1  And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar. 
Gen 20:2  And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah. 
Gen 20:3  But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man’s wife. 
Gen 20:4  But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation? 
Gen 20:5  Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.
Gen 20:6  And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her. 
Gen 20:7  Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine. 

These verses of scripture reveal to us that after several years of walking with the Lord, Abraham was still struggling with the flesh. Even though the process of putting to death the old man has started, he was still overcome by the flesh due to fear of insecurity – being put to death because of Sarah. We, also are going through the same thing as Abraham as the evil one buffets us with all kinds of ailments and circumstances that brings us to our wits’ ends. However, just as Abraham was delivered from Abimelech, we shall also be delivered!! What is insightful here is the fact that in spite of Abraham’s apparent failure, the Lord told Abimelech to ask Abraham to pray for him as the Lord had closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech. In fact the Lord told Abimelech that Abraham was His prophet!! The Lord sees the end from the beginning in spite of our apparent failures!! On many occasions when we have failed, we are unable to pray even though no one knows our sins. We can just imagine how difficult it was for Abraham to pray for Abimelech’s family to be fruitful and be preserved. However, Abraham had not seen the fulfillment of his prayer for the Lord to give Sarah a seed. 

Gen 20:17  So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.

The lesson we are to learn from this episode of Abraham is that when we intercede for others, we must forget about our failures and circumstances and believe the Lord will answer our prayers. We must not think that because the Lord has not answered our prayers regarding a particular need, the Lord will not answer our prayer for a brother or sister in a similar situation. We need to learn not to pray according to only our victory. It is easy to pray when we are victorious over the flesh, but we should believe in the Lord that He hears us even in our failures!! Interceding for others does not depend upon our condition. It depends upon our standing with the Lord. That is, it depends on who we are – the prophet of God!!

The Birth of Isaac – the Coming of Christ within us

Gen 21:1  And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken. 
Gen 21:2  For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. 
Gen 21:3  And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac. 
Gen 21:4  And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him. 
Gen 21:5  And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him. 
Gen 21:6  And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me. 
Gen 21:7  And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age. 

As indicated earlier, Isaac typifies Christ. The birth of Isaac therefore signifies the coming of Christ within us to build His kingdom within us (great nation) and in the fullness of time, this kingdom will be outward as the Lord will use us to bless the whole earth. As we are aware, when the Lord comes into our lives, He starts to deal with all that offends through the judgment of our old man. This coming of Christ is the birth of the new man within us as our old man is dealt with by the Lord.

Joh 2:13  And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem, 
Joh 2:14  And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: 
Joh 2:15  And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables;
Joh 2:16  And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise. 
Joh 2:17  And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. 

2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 
2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 

The goal of Abraham’s calling was to bring forth a seed (Christ). The birth of Isaac was based on a promise. If we are called and chosen, then we also have the promise of Christ coming to our temples to build His kingdom within us. This is the promise we have:

Mal 3:1  Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. 
Mal 3:2  But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: 
Mal 3:3  And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.
Mal 3:4  Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years. 

Here in Malachi 3:4, we are told that it is when Christ comes that Judah and Jerusalem will offer a pleasant offering to the Lord. It is when Christ comes that we can offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to Him. The period of Christ coming into our lives is the time of life – that is, the giving of eternal life to us. This eternal life is knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ.

Joh 17:2  As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. 
Joh 17:3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Rom 12:1  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.
Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 

May the Lord help us to continue to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to Him until that day!! Amen!!

The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – Part 1

[Study Aired March 13, 2023]

Introduction

When God burst on the scene to deliver His people Israel (type of His elect) out of Egyptian captivity, He introduced Himself as follows in the following encounter with Moses:

Exo 3:6  And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

Exo 3:15  God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.
Exo 3:16  Go and gather the elders of Israel together and say to them, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, “I have observed you and what has been done to you in Egypt,

In telling Moses that He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, He is showing us that through His dealings with these three people, He is unveiling to us what His eternal purpose is, how His eternal purpose is being fulfilled and how He deals with the people that He chooses to accomplish His purpose. In this encounter with Moses, He also introduced Himself to Moses that “I AM WHO I AM”. This means that He is the self-existing one and is beyond comprehension.  However, we can know His purpose and His ways through His dealings with our fathers – Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. What we need to understand is that the patriarchs were three and the number three spiritually means the process of spiritual maturity through judgment. So, what we are going to learn about God introducing Himself as the God of our fathers is to show how He takes us from the pit of darkness to become spiritually mature sons through His judgment to accomplish His purpose.

If we add together all the different aspects of the experiences of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob including Joseph, who was technically part of Jacob, we see a clear picture of the complete experience of the elect and our understanding of God’s eternal purpose and how His eternal purpose is being fulfilled through His elect.

Exo 3:14  God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” 

Isa 51:1  “Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the LORD: look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug. 
Isa 51:2  Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you; for he was but one when I called him, that I might bless him and multiply him.

The question is why did God introduced himself as the God of our Fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and not anyone else? It is because from the time of creation to the time of Abraham, nobody had been given the task of changing his circumstance to pursue God’s agenda of going through a land to be possessed by his future generation except Abraham. That takes a lot of faith since at that time, it was humanly impossible for Abraham to have a child!! This task given to our father Abraham was subsequently transferred to Isaac and then Jacob and it unveils God’s plan of salvation for the elect first and then the whole of mankind. God in His wisdom had caused Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to live their lives on earth in such a way as to demonstrate to us how those who will come later to believe in Him will come to know Him, understand His purpose for His creation and how He deals with His elect to fulfill His purpose. What we need to note is that while we walk here on this earth, it is impossible to fully know who God is because here on earth, we only see in part and when we become perfect (when we see him as He is), then we can know Him fully.

1Co 13:9  For we know in part and we prophesy in part,
1Co 13:10  but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.

1Co 13:12  For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

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.

I remember several years ago when the Spirit of the Lord was moving me in my quest to search the scriptures to know Him, some of my friends in the churches of this world told me that since we cannot know Him so much while we are here on earth, the little scriptures that we know should suffice in our Christian walk and so we should devote ourselves to prayer and obedience. The fact is if you do not know somebody well, how can you know what He likes or dislike? It is impossible to be obedient to someone you do not know well. They quoted this verse of scripture to support their claim:

Deu 29:29 “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. 

They said that since the secret things belong to God, we should not worry ourselves when we do not understand certain aspects of the scriptures. They were not given eyes to see that the secret things here are those things about God which have not been written. This is because no books can even contain all that Jesus did. We are therefore admonished in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians to not go beyond what is written.

Joh 21:25  And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

The verse in Deuteronomy 29:29 therefore has become a stumbling block for many as they give up their quest to know God, forgetting that the same verse in Deuteronomy 29:29 says that the things which are revealed belong to us. The things which are revealed pertain to the Word of God that we have in our homes. They also forget Paul’s admonition to Timothy to study to show himself approved, a workman who need not be ashamed but rightly dividing the word.  Some even quote that knowledge brings about pride (1Co 8:1) and therefore as a result, there is no such desire to seek Him and know Him!! We have therefore thrown away knowledge and as the scriptures say, “for lack of knowledge my people perish”!!

1Co 4:6  And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.

2Ti 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

1Co 8:1  Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. 

As we are aware, our relationship with God is governed by knowledge just as our relationship with our family and friends are. Relationships are deepened through knowledge.

God, in His quest to establish a relationship with the Israelites in bondage in Egypt, needed to introduce Himself to the Israelites in a powerful way to convince the Israelites and even the messenger Moses to follow Him. Introducing Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is therefore very significant. As we explore God’s relationship with these patriarchs, we will get to know Him and how He relates to us.  We must remember that for us His elect, we are supposed to know His ways and His acts but for the others, they are destined to only know His acts!!

Psa 103:7  He made known his ways unto Moses (a type of His elect), his acts unto the children of Israel. 

In introducing Himself as the God of Abraham, our Lord Jesus Christ was showing us how He picks us from the miry clay and starts the process of cleaning us up to reflect His image and to give us the hope of salvation. The God of Isaac reveals to us that it is the Lord who does all the work within us, as we rest in Him. Isaac was privileged to have all the wealth amassed by his father Abraham. Even when he needed a wife, it was his father who worked through Eliezer to bring him a virtuous woman, Rebecca. All that Isaac did was to wait for the bride to come to him. The God of Jacob shows us how the Lord seeks an occasion to judge us by causing us to go astray and that through our judgement, we learn righteousness. The story of Jacob therefore highlights his deception as he deceived his father, Isaac, to receive Esau’s blessing and as a result, went through bitter suffering. Through this suffering, he learned righteousness and became spiritually mature such that He was able to inherit the promise – the rulership of the elect under his son Joseph who is technically considered as part of Jacob’s experience.

The Lord introducing Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was therefore a complete revelation of who Christ is, His work and purpose. The Book of Revelation is therefore a summary of the Lord’s introduction of Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It sums up who Christ is, our suffering which leads to righteousness, our reward, and the salvation of the world. In fact, every aspect of the Bible is a revelation of Christ, and most are circumstance specific. That is, we get to know certain aspects of Christ in these circumstances. For example, the transfiguration of Christ tells us about the fact that after our life here on earth (6 days), we shall be changed just like Christ was at the Mount of transfiguration. Our transformation begins as the law serves as our schoolmaster until faith comes (the appearance of Moses). This is followed by our need to repent (the appearance of Elijah) and then Christ comes into our lives to transform us.

Mat 17:1  And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart:
Mat 17:2  and he was transfigured before them; and his face did shine as the sun, and his garments became white as the light.
Mat 17:3  And behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elijah talking with him. 
Mat 17:4  And Peter answered, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, I will make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.
Mat 17:5  While he was yet speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold, a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
Mat 17:6  And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.
Mat 17:7  And Jesus came and touched them and said, Arise, and be not afraid.
Mat 17:8  And lifting up their eyes, they saw no one, save Jesus only.

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. 

Mat 3:1  In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, 
Mat 3:2  And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 
Mat 3:3  For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

With all these in mind, let us begin by plowing through the life of Abraham to know what our Lord Jesus Christ means when He says that He is the God of Abraham.

Knowing God Through Abraham

Abraham’s Calling – Leaving Egypt (the world)

Gen 11:27  Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot.
Gen 11:28  And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees.
Gen 11:29  And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor’s wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah.
Gen 11:30  But Sarai was barren; she had no child.
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. 
Gen 11:32  And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.

Abraham was steep in idolatry before God called Him to fulfil His purpose. His background was so dark that God had to appear to him twice. He was worshipping other gods in Chaldees when God approached him. Abraham was not the originator of the call. This shows that it is therefore not of him that wills or runs but of God that shows mercy.  It was God who took the initiative.

Jos 24:2  And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods.

Act 7:2  And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,
Act 7:3  And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee. 
Act 7:4  Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell. 
Act 7:5  And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.

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

We can easily identify with Abraham. When God called us, we were also in thick darkness with no hope for us. However, God who is rich in mercy came to us to begin our spiritual journey. Even though we did not respond to His call immediately just like Abraham, He was always with us just as His spirit moved over the waters covering the earth at the beginning of creation when the earth was without form and void.

Gen 1:1  In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Gen 1:2  And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

The number two means a witness. So, God always leaves a witness when He comes to visit us. The first time was in Ur of the Chaldees. In Acts 7:2, it states that the God of glory appeared to Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia before he dwelt in Haran. Abraham did not respond to this call wholly. However, his father was the key influence in moving Abraham from Mesopotamia to Haran, just short of the Promised Land (Gen 11:31). This is to show us that at the beginning of our walk, our own fleshly zeal (denoted by Abraham’s father Terah) carry us to a certain point in fulfillment of God’s purpose but it is not able to carry us far into the spiritual reality of Christ. That is what the scripture means by the following verse in Isaiah 61:5.

Isa 61:5  And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.

The fact that the God of Glory visited Abraham to leave Ur of the Chaldees is significant as Chaldees refers to Babylon. Thus, we are to leave Babylon which represents the physical churches of this world if we are to respond to God’s call.

Rev 18:4  And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 

When Abraham’s father died, then God appeared a second time to him in Haran (Gen 12:1-5). When we are dominated by the flesh, God uses our flesh to further His course and it is only when we start the process of daily dying to the flesh (represented by Terah’s death) that we can respond to God’s call in a positive way by moving to the Promised Land which signify the beginning of our dominance over the flesh.

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

Gen 12:1  Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
Gen 12:2  And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
Gen 12:3  And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
Gen 12:4  So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.
Gen 12:5  And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came. 

Leaving his country and kindred to follow God speaks of us leaving Egypt, that is, the world to pursue God’s agenda.  The country and kindred that Abraham left signify the fact that God wants us to leave the world and the flesh behind (the flesh must die) in our walk with Him. Unfortunately, we all start our walk with Christ as carnal as depicted by Abraham leaving Haran with Lot.

1Co 3:1  And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 
1Co 3:2  I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
1Co 3:3  For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? 

God’s Promises to Abraham – Being an instrument to save the world

The promise God made when He came to Abraham the second time is that He will make of Abraham a great nation and will bless Him and that through Abraham all the families of the earth will be blessed. This was God’s purpose when He called Abraham.

Gen 12:2  And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
Gen 12:3  And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

This promise by God is to motivate and strengthen Abraham and the elect that will come later to accept God’s calling. The promises are of three-fold:  First, to make out of Abraham a great nation; Second, to bless Abraham and thirdly, to make Abraham a blessing to all the families of the earth. The great nation to come out of Abraham is the Kingdom of God which is now within His elect but will be manifest at the fullness of time. God’s promise of a blessing to Abraham is explained by Paul as being the promise of the Spirit. In Galatians 3:14, it is stated that the blessing of Abraham is that we His elect will receive the promise of the Holy Spirit through faith. Making Abraham a blessing to all the families of the earth is another way of saying that through the elect (Abraham) all humanity will be saved.

Gal 3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Luk 17:20  And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
Luk 17:21  Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. 

1Ti 2:3  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
1Ti 2:4  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

Now let’s focus a bit on the blessings promised to Abraham our father and to us. Blessings can be physical or spiritual. Physical blessing relates to provision, benefit, protection, etc. In the Old Testament, the blessings that the men of God received are all physical. To be blessed physically is for our existence and as the Bible says, to exist only is vanity of vanities. Are we in this life to make a living for ourselves? Oh no!! It is in the New Testament that we are given spiritual blessings which relates to the fulfillment of God’s purpose. We need both the physical and the spiritual blessings to exist to accomplish God’s purpose. Spiritual blessings relate to being called and chosen to become holy and without blame before Him while we live here on earth as indicated by Paul. In addition to our physical blessing, we need God’s grace (spiritual blessing) to be able to accomplish God’s purpose. Grace means God Himself coming to us as revealed in John 1:17 to chastise us to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. So, we need both physical and spiritual blessing (grace) to be able to accomplish God’s purpose.

Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 
Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Joh 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. 

Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Joh 1:16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.

The Departure of Lot – Doing Away with the Flesh

Gen 13:1  And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south.
Gen 13:2  And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. 
Gen 13:3  And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai;
Gen 13:4  Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD.
Gen 13:5  And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. 
Gen 13:6  And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together.
Gen 13:7  And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdmen of Lot’s cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land. 

As indicated earlier, Lot going with Abraham to the promised land means that we start our walk with Christ as carnal or fleshy. Over time, Abraham grew rich in cattle, silver and gold as he journeyed to Bethel which means the house of God. Becoming rich in silver and gold is to make us aware that Abraham was growing in the truth of the knowledge of God and was also physically blessed (rich in cattle). In other words, his eyes were being opened and his ears were hearing the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven. On the other hand, Lot, representing the flesh, is also growing in flocks, herds and tents. What this means is that the flesh was being strengthened. In other words, the flesh’s resistance to the things of the spirit is increasing within us as our eyes begin to see and our ears hear. Definitely, we cannot have two masters within us – one must be subdued. This conflict between Abraham’s herdsmen and that of Lot is all part of the work of the Lord to get rid of the flesh which in this case is Lot and his herdsmen. This is how the Bible describes this conflict:

Mat 6:24  No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Gal 5:17  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Gal 5:18  But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

Since we are led by the Spirit, the flesh will be dealt with through our fiery trials which comes as a result of the word we have received. The exit of Lot from the company of Abraham signifies the dying of the old man and the birth of the new man after the image of Christ. The conflict between Abraham’s herdsmen and that of Lot signifies our fiery trials.

Gen 13:11  Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. 
Gen 13:12  Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.

Abraham’s Seed and the Land – The means of achieving God’s purpose.

Gen 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
Gen 15:2  And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?
Gen 15:3  And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. 
Gen 15:4  And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. 
Gen 15:5  And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
Gen 15:6  And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

As already stated, God’s purpose as revealed in His encounter with Abraham is to have a people who express Him and through them all the families of the earth will be blessed. However, to fulfill this eternal purpose, there are two things that are needed – the seed (a son to be borne by Abraham) and the land. The seed here physically represents Isaac. However, spiritually, Isaac represents Jesus whose coming is to cause a people to express God’s image and His dominion. This people (a great nation) will later become a blessing to all the nations of the earth. Unfortunately, Abraham did not have a seed and so he counted on Eliezer as the seed. However, nothing that we have is useful for fulfilling God’s purpose.  God promised Abraham that He will work it out through him. In our walk with God, nothing that we have, or we can do (in bringing forth Ishmael) is useful for fulfilling God’s purpose. Just like Abraham, God has promised to work it out in us and bring forth the seed, which is the new man in us, borne after the image of Christ.

The second requirement for fulfilling God’s purpose is the land. The land is a place for God’s people to live in, a place where God’s enemies would be defeated, a place where God will have a habitation and a place where God will build His kingdom. Looking at it from one perspective, the land is our body. In another perspective, the land represents Christ. As the scriptures say, in Him we live, move, and have our being. It is in Christ that we can defeat our enemies and can build the kingdom.

Act 17:28  For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. 

Every kingdom has a territorial domain and in the case of the elect, our bodies (hearts and minds) are supposed to be the dwelling place of Christ or His throne where His kingdom dwells. Christ has to come and establish His kingdom within us first before the kingdom becomes visible later in another age. Unfortunately, the beast is already occupying the throne of Christ within us when we were borne. This is the same with Abraham. When he went to Canaan, the land was fully occupied by Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, etc. That’s why David said the following:

Psa 51:5  Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. 

Since we cannot on our own defeat the beast within us, it is imperative that Christ must come first so that in Him we can drive away the beast or the flesh to establish His kingdom. That’s why it was extremely important for Abraham to have a seed (Christ) first. Without a seed, Abraham can only be a stranger in the land since he does not have what it takes to drive away the Canaanites occupying the land. That is why Abraham’s call was just to go through the land as a stranger. The good news is that Christ had assured us through His covenant with Abraham that we shall possess the Land. That is, we shall possess our bodies for Christ to establish His kingdom within us.

Gen 15:18  In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: 
Gen 15:19  The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites,
Gen 15:20  And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims,
Gen 15:21  And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.

It took a long time for Abraham to have a seed and for the seed to multiply enough to be able to possess the land – more than four hundred years. In other words, it took a long time for Isaac to be born and for the twelve sons of Jacob to multiply enough to leave Egypt and to possess the land.

Gen 15:13  And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;
Gen 15:14  And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.

This shows the Lord’s patience in dealing with us before we are capable of dealing with the beast to establish the Lord’s kingdom within. We, His elect, must also learn to be patient in dealing with the Lord, our brothers and sisters in Christ, our family and the people of the world.

Heb 10:35  Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.
Heb 10:36  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
Heb 10:37  For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
Heb 10:38  Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
Heb 10:39  But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

Next week, we shall continue with the God of Abraham, God willing.

May the Lord be merciful to us as Christ increases within us to establish His kingdom!! Amen!!

Heb 11:17-21 “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God” – Part 5

[Study Aired March 11, 2021]

Heb 11:17  By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
Heb 11:18  Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: 
Heb 11:19  Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure. 
Heb 11:20  By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. 
Heb 11:21  By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff. 

In this section of our study of Hebrews, we will look at the “by faith” examples of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and conclude with the “by faith” actions of Jacob, who when he was dying “blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff“.

All these patriarchal stories were written for our sakes (2Co 4:15) and given by inspiration of God, and are therefore “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished^G1822 unto all good works” (2Ti 3:16-17).

2Ti 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished^G1822 unto all good works.

G1822
exartizō
ex-ar-tid’-zo

From G1537 and a derivative of G739; to finish out (time); figuratively to equip fully (a teacher): – accomplish, thoroughly furnish.

Being furnished^G1822 unto all good works is accomplished “through faith” so we can understand that the worlds within us were “framed by the word of God“. The body of Christ is going through this process of being “throughly furnished”^G1822 so we can learn to worship God in spirit and in truth (Joh 4:21-24) with the goal of being able to teach (Heb 5:12). Lord willing, we will continue to be “careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving” we will make our requests known to God as lively stones (1Pe 2:4-5) whose fervent prayers avail much (Jas 5:16) bringing us peace that passes all understanding (Php 4:6-7, Act 21:4-5).

Php 4:6  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God (Eph 6:18, Jas 5:13-16).
Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Eph 6:18  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Jas 5:13  Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
Jas 5:14  Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
Jas 5:15  And the prayer of faith; shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
Jas 5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Act 21:4  And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.

Act 21:5  And when we had accomplished [furnished – G1822] those days, we departed and went our way; and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city: and we kneeled down on the shore, and prayed.

The continual thread which ties all these stories together in Hebrews chapter eleven is the truth that these all obtained a good report through faith but did not receive the promise; God having provided some better thing for us (1Pe 1:12-20, Heb 11:39-40). These events in the lives of all about whom we are reading unfolded for the express purpose of ministering to us, to those who have been given eyes to see and ears to hear that “all these things happened unto them for ensamples^G5179: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come” (1Co 10:11). These hoped-filled stories of faith were given to us so that we can “gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” That is how we are becoming “throughly  furnished^G1822 unto all good works“, through that hope of glory within us, the spirit of God, the comforter, who leads us into all truth so that by continuing in it we can be set free (2Ti 1:6-7, Joh 16:13, Joh 8:32).

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.
1Pe 1:13  Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
1Pe 1:14  As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves [‘negative example of furnishing‘] according to the former lusts in your ignorance [Rom 12:1-2]:
1Pe 1:15  But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; [‘in our words and our works’ in our way of life (Joh 10:37-38, 1Jn 4:17, 1Pe 2:9)]
1Pe 1:16  Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
1Pe 1:17  And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:

2Ti 1:6  Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.
2Ti 1:7  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

Joh 8:32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

The traditions of our fathers, these patriarchs of old, are not what is going to redeem us if we are not given to see how all these stories are connected to the life of Christ within us. It is his word which is life (Joh 6:54-58, 1Co 10:16-17) that was “foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you” within us, as our hope of glory (Col 1:27). It is God who is framing the worlds within us, His word which is spirit and able to quicken us (Joh 6:63).

1Pe 1:18  Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
1Pe 1:19  But with the precious blood of Christ [‘the word of God‘ (Joh 17:17)], as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
1Pe 1:20  Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
1Pe 1:21  Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

Heb 11:17  By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

The trial of our faith is precious to God, and every trial we go through is further purifying our walk with the Lord as we go from glory to glory in Him (2Co 3:17-18). Abraham, being tried [“By faith Abraham, when he was tried“] is symbolic of the work Christ is doing within us, both to will and do of our Father’s good pleasure, which is to give us the kingdom (Php 2:12-13, Luk 12:32, Luk 17:21). In this section of scripture, Abraham represents God the Father and Isaac represents Christ who is the one who is accomplishing these works of faith within us today “by the spirit of the Lord”.

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

God puts us through fiery experiences (1Pe 4:12-13, Rom 5:10) which require that we resist “unto blood, striving against sin”, and it takes the faith of Christ to endure such trials as was demonstrated by Abraham whose own flesh and blood, Isaac, was being offered up just as our Father in heaven has done for us in offering up Christ (Joh 3:16) whose life was represented by Isaac.

Our Father is giving us the power through Christ to present our lives a living sacrifice [‘as Isaac was literally going to be‘] through him, and it requires both our heavenly Father who is the giver of every good and perfect gift (Jas 1:17), along with the Son, to accomplish this work “on that day” of filling up “that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church” (Rom 12:1, Joh 14:20, Col 1:24).

Christ is indeed being offered up again, through the church, if we are being baptized into His death, dying daily and being raised in heavenly places through Him (Eph 2:6). That ability to lay down our life is the promise which has been given to God’s elect whose names are written in heaven (Luk 10:20), meaning that God has purposed for the elect to overcome in this life and to be given the power to do so through the “exceeding great and precious promises” that tell us we can (2Pe 1:4). It was “he that had received the promises” who was able to offer up “his only begotten“. Those type and shadow promises to Abraham have their fulfillment in Christ for us today Who promises that nothing will separate us from the love of God (Rom 8:35-39) which was so great toward us that He gave Christ’s life for us knowing that Christ would then be the author and finisher of the faith that was given to those who would believe in Him (2Co 1:20-22, Rom 5:10).

Luk 10:20  Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

2Pe 1:4  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

2Co 1:20  For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
2Co 1:21  Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;
2Co 1:22  Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

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.

Abraham’s life reveals a pattern that encourages us that “the victory that overcometh the world” is “our faith” (1Jn 5:3-4), which made it possible for him to give an account of what God was able to do for him physically, “accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure”^G3850 (verse 19). That word for “figure” means ‘a parable’ – a parable that typifies what we believe God can do for us spiritually as He raises us up and accepts us through Christ “that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Rom 6:3, 1Co 15:31, Eph 2:6-7).

G3850
parabolē
par-ab-ol-ay’
From G3846; a similitude (“parable”), that is, (symbolically) fictitious narrative (of common life conveying a moral), apoth gm or adage: – comparison, figure, parable, proverb.

In this story ,the “only begotten son” Isaac represents the one seed of promise we are in Christ (Gal 3:16), revealing how we are connected as the body of Christ to God’s love that was demonstrated in giving “his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (Joh 15:13). With God’s spirit abiding within us we are able to have “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” as He gives us the power to overcome in this age (1Jn 5:18-19, Rev 3:12-13).

1Jn 5:18  We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
1Jn 5:19  And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

Rev 3:12  Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
Rev 3:13  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

It is through Christ and the church which is His body that “the world through him might be saved” as Christ gives us the power to let go of all our earthly connections, typified by Ishmael (Gen 17:18), as He makes a way for us to resist the flesh of men, the will of men, unto the saving of our spiritual house that is accomplished by His love being shed abroad in our hearts, which enables us to lay down our life and lose it so that we might find it in Christ (Joh 3:16-17, Oba 1:21, Luk 14:26-27, Mat 12:50, Mat 10:39).

Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Oba 1:21  And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S.

Luk 14:26  If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
Luk 14:27  And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple [Gal 2:20].

[Hating all these various categories including “his own life also” means we are not subject to the will of men but to the will of God which will cause us to be hated by all men Mat 10:22. If we’re granted to obey the will of our Father and endure unto the end we will be saved by His righteousness “which is of God by faith”(Php 3:9)]

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.

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 [1Jn 5:4], who loved me, and gave himself for me.

[“By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac“: God gives us the power to offer up our life a living sacrifice through his spirit, and this living sacrifice we have become (Rom 12:1) is typified by Abraham offering up Isaac (1Pe 1:7)]

Heb 11:18  Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: 
Heb 11:19  Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure. 

Abraham receiving Isaac “in a figure”^G3850” was for the elect’s sake (2Co 4:15, 1Pe 1:12) to remind us that this story and all the old covenant stories are parables, reminding us of what workmanship is taking place within our heavens (Eph 2:10) by the One who is framing our heavens to the glory of God with his word (Col 1:16, Heb 12:2, Heb 11:3).

There is order in God’s plan regarding what seed is called first (“in Isaac shall thy seed be called“). That Abraham begot Isaac and Isaac begot Jacob is also part of that order and is another living parable which reminds us that once we have the faith of Christ, typified by Abraham, then we become sons of God, typified by Isaac (Rom 8:9, Heb 11:18), who will endure until the end through Jacob who must wrestle with God through this life of much tribulation (Act 14:22), enduring in seeing Him who is invisible (Heb 11:27). All of this played out (‘Abraham’s, Isaac’s and Jacob’s lives‘) so we might believe that we can receive the promise of being those first fruits found in Christ in the first resurrection, typified by the new name Israel which is given to Jacob after he endures to the break of the day because of the faith that was given him to not give up, which situation was a type of the faith we now need in order to quench all the fiery darts of the devil throughout this life (Gen 32:26-28, Gal 6:16, Eph 6:16).

Gen 32:26  And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
Gen 32:27  And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.
Gen 32:28  And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

Gal 6:16  And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

Eph 6:16  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

Heb 11:20  By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. 
Heb 11:21  By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff. 

These events of blessing, “Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau“, and then Jacob blessing “both the sons of Joseph“, are very significant moments revealing “things to come“, and those things to come are better things, better promises found in Christ (Heb 8:6). What is important to note as well is that this blessing which typifies the better promises found in Christ, who is the mediator of the new covenant, includes both “Jacob and Esau” and Joseph’s two half-Egyptian sons “Ephraim and Manasseh” who, because of the faith-filled prayer of Jacob as he leaned “upon the top of his staff“, were blessed.

Heb 8:6  But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

We are blessed to know that we have both “Jacob and Esau” and “Ephraim and Manasseh” within us, as they typify the first and second Adam (1Co 15:45-47) who, with the blessing of God in our life [‘Abraham and Jacob’], will be blessed to see that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Rom 8:28).

1Co 15:45  And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
1Co 15:46  Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
1Co 15:47  The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.

It was “when he was a dying” that Jacob was able to bless both the sons of Joseph as he leaned on his staff which represents the power of God that was holding him up, and it is when we die daily (1Co 15:30-31, 1Pe 1:13-16) that we in turn bless each other as we lean not unto our own understanding, becoming the first to trust in God through this process that will lead to salvation and an inheritance we will be blessed to share together in the Lord (Eph 1:12-14).

1Co 15:30  And why stand we in jeopardy every hour?
1Co 15:31  I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

1Pe 1:13  Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
1Pe 1:14  As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
1Pe 1:15  But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
1Pe 1:16  Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
Eph 1:13  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

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.

God’s workmanship will become blessed and holy through a process that has been ordained from the foundation of the world, and these type and shadow examples in Hebrews eleven have been written for our sakes to encourage us and remind us that God is sovereign. In the sovereign plan of our Father there is order, and it is through faith we can understand that order and believe that “the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear“.

Mat 20:1-16 Laborers in the Vineyard

[Study Aired January 26, 2021]

Mat 20:1-16 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire  labourers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the  labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in  the marketplace, And said unto them; Go ye also into the  vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went  their way. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and  did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found  others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all  the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us.  He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever  is right, that shall ye receive. So when even was come, the lord  of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And  when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise  received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. But he  answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong:  didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen. 

What is this parable showing us about the kingdom of heaven?

Notice there are five different times the laborers were hired. What do the five  different times the laborers were hired represent? Here is a link to Mike’s  study on the number five:
Significance of the Number Five. In that study it is shown the number five represents grace through faith. Examples such as the measurements of the temple, the measurements of the cherubims, the implements of the temple all are associated with the  number five.

Another set of five I noticed while researching for this study are the five major covenants mentioned throughout the scriptures which are the Noahic, the Abrahamic, the Mosaic, the Davidic and the New. These covenants are tied to our parable represented by the five different times the householder went  out to hire laborers.

The Noahic Covenant “The Flood of many waters”

Gen 6:17-22 And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die. But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee. And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female. Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive. And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them. Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he. 

The Abrahamic Covenant “Circumcision of the flesh”

Gen 17:1-10 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the  Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee  exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. 

The Mosaic Covenant “Freedom from Bondage”

Exo 6:1-8 Then the LORD said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his  land. And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD: And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto  Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers. And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant. Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD.

The Davidic Covenant “The house building”

1Ch 17:11-15 And it shall come to pass, when thy [David’s] days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build me an house, and I will stablish his throne for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee: But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for evermore. According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David. 

The New Covenant “The Law is put inwardly, written in their hearts”

Jer 31:31-34 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. 

These covenants are all part of the process of the old man becoming the  new man by grace through faith.

Eph 2:1-10 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of  disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in  mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. 

“The kingdom of heaven is like a man that is a householder.” Who is this “man that is a householder”?

G3617 
οἰκοδεσπότης
oikodespotēs
oy-kod-es-pot’-ace 
From G3624 and G1203; the head of a family: – goodman (of the  house), householder, master of the house. 

Householder means head of the family. Who is the head of our family? God is literally the householder, and the Christ is the steward.

1Co 11:2-3 Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you. But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. 

This parable taken inwardly shows us that Christ is the householder, and the elect are the stewards.

Col 1:15-18 Who [Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head [householder, master] of the body, the church [the elect]: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

This process starts with the householder hiring the laborers. The householder is hiring laborers to work his vineyard. The vineyard in this  parable is the house of Israel which represents the world.

Isa 5:7 For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked  for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but  behold a cry. 

Jer 22:29 O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD.

There are five groups of laborers hired throughout the day. They are described as the first and the last. The first four groups represent the called and chosen. The last group represents those who endure until the end.

Mat 20:16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen. 

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. 

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.

Here is the attitude of the first group even though they receive what was promised – a day’s wage.

Mat 20:10-12 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. 

What more can you receive than a day’s wage for a day’s work? The last received the day’s wage first, representing receiving the “crown of Life”.  Everyone receives “Life” but only in the proper order, and only the first group receives the “crown of Life”.

Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when  he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord  hath promised to them that love him. 

Rev 2:10-11 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer:  behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may  be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

Today, the teachings of the Christian world dictate doing something in the flesh will secure life. It is either practicing the old covenants, physical baptism, tithing, communion, or some form of good works that saves you.  On the other hand, Christ tells us that only being born again of the spirit and worshipping in spirit and truth will give us life.

Joh 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 

Joh 4:22-24 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we  worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

[Study Aired October 22, 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 7:5  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: 
Heb 7:6  But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises. 
Heb 7:7  And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better. 
Heb 7:8  And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth. 
Heb 7:9  And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. 
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 draws a comparison for us with those who are “the sons of Levi” in Hebrews 7:5 who represent the churches of Babylon, to “Abraham” (Heb 7:6) who typifies the elect who give their tithe representing their life being given to “he [speaking of Melchisedec] whose descent is not counted from them [sons of Levi]  received tithes of Abraham [God’s elect], and blessed him that had the promises“[Melchisedec, who typifies Christ (2Co 1:20)]. God’s elect are not represented by Levi but rather Abraham, if God has determined that from the foundation of the world to be so (Eph 1:3-6).

2Co 1:20  For all the promises [“and blessed him that had the promises” (Heb 7:6)] of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by^G1223 us. [Eph 1:6, 2Pe 1:4]

Eph 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Eph 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Eph 1:5  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by^G1223 Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Eph 1:6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

G1223 dia dee-ah’

A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through (in very wide applications, local, causal or occasional). In composition it retains the same general import: – after, always, among, at, to avoid, because of (that), briefly, by, for (cause) . . . fore, from, in, by occasion of, of, by reason of, for sake, that, thereby, therefore, X though, through (-out), to, wherefore, with (-in). In composition it retains the same general import.

2Pe 1:4  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by^G1223 these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

One of the main goals in comparing the Levitical priesthood, from where the order of Aaron stems, with another priest that should rise after the order of Melchisedec is to demonstrate where perfection comes from and what is excellent to God (Php 1:9-11) as opposed to something that is good (1Ti 1:9, Gal 3:24, 1Co 15:41).

Php 1:9  And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
Php 1:10  That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;
Php 1:11  Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by^G1223 Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

Php 4:6  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Php 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

In order to “approve things that are excellent” we need to know that this can only be done “by reason of the glory that excelleth” which glory is our hope of glory within (Col 1:27).

2Co 3:1  Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?
2Co 3:2  Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
2Co 3:3  Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
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; [We bring nothing to the altar. (Php 2:13)]
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.

Excellence is the enemy of good

2Co 3:7  But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away [Heb 7:11]:

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?

2Co 3:8  How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?[Heb 7:12]

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

2Co 3:9  For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory [Col 1:27, Rom 8:9].
2Co 3:10  For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
2Co 3:11  For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.
2Co 3:12  Seeing then that we have such hope [Col 1:27], we use great plainness of speech:
2Co 3:13  And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:
2Co 3:14  But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ [“At that day” (Joh 14:20)].
2Co 3:15  But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
2Co 3:16  Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
2Co 3:17  Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

The reason that the change “For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law” (of verse 12 and part of next week’s study) is glorious and excels in glory like the sun outshining the moon, is because with Christ in us as our hope of glory, we can be recipients of those promises which are in Him that speak of bringing us to perfection on the third day (Luk 13:32), not by might or power but by His holy spirit that gives us the power to rip the veil, which ripping symbolizes our overcoming our flesh (Heb 10:20, 1Co 3:16) in this life as we go from glory to glory through Christ as opposed to those who “could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished” (2Co 3:13, Heb 1:3, 2Co 3:18).

Heb 10:20  By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; [Eph 5:30, 2Co 5:17]

1Co 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

Heb 1:3  Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

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.

Now let’s look once again at how Jesus “the forerunner is for us entered” and how blessed we are to have an high priest who can now make us kings and priests (Rev 1:6, Rev 5:10).

Rev 1:6  And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Rev 5:10  And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

The priesthood of God’s elect is typified in the old covenant with the “the order of Melchisedec” as opposed to the “Levitical priesthood” or “order of Aaron“, and it is through Christ alone that we will be able to obtain to this excellent order and high calling found in “him with whom we have to do” as we “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Heb 4:13-15, Php 3:14).

Heb 4:13  Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
Heb 4:14  Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
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 9:13-14, Heb 9:23-24].

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: 

Verse five is going to be contrasted with verse six to remind us that “they that are of the sons of Levi” and “who receive the office of the priesthood” and “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” represent Levi and not Abraham (Rom 9:13). Levi represents Babylon, and Abraham represents the elect to whom God gave the true priesthood “And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father” (Rev 1:6, Rev 5:10) who will reign on the earth under Christ who is represented by Melchisedec.

Rom 9:13  As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

Rev 1:6  And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Rev 5:10  And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

Physical lineage has nothing to do with our calling, and so we’re being reminded that these sons of Levi, although they descend from Abraham, they and we cannot help but be of our Father the devil (Mat 3:9, Joh 8:37-44) until such time that we are called and chosen (Mat 22:14) to be otherwise (Rev 17:14).

Mat 3:9  And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

Joh 8:37  I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.
Joh 8:38  I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.
Joh 8:39  They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham. [A tree is known by its fruit and not by its lineage, in other words (Luk 6:43-45, Joh 6:43-45)]
Joh 8:40  But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.
Joh 8:41  Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
Joh 8:42  Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me [Joh 20:21].
Joh 8:43  Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word [1Jn 4:6].
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.

The context found in John 8:37-44 was written for the elect’s sake today to see clearly that lineage has nothing to do with being free (Php 3:4-9, Rom 2:14-19). This stark contrast being spoken to outward Jews (Rom 2:28) is being drawn to make the point as bright as possible for God’s elect today. Christ is making this contrast to the Pharisee within us who still wants to glory in the flesh, and that contrast between flesh and the spirit is shown between Levi and Abraham. Abraham being a type of Christ who, as our hope of glory within, makes it possible for us to be inward Jews who are being set free (Joh 8:36, Rom 2:29, Rom 8:9, Col 1:27).

Php 3:4  Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
Php 3:5  Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
Php 3:6  Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
Php 3:7  But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
Php 3:8  Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: [Php 1:10] for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
Php 3:9  And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

Rom 2:14  For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
Rom 2:15  Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
Rom 2:16  In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

[(1Pe 4:17) Paul then goes on to admonish the church by showing them what those “secrets of men” are within the hearts of those who are first being cleansed in this age [Rom 2:20-29]. Christ admonishes us and encourages us with these words in that regard as well by telling us to no longer lean unto our own understanding, our own righteousness, by saying “think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham” (Mat 3:9)]

Rom 2:17  Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,
Rom 2:18  And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, [Php 1:10] being instructed out of the law;
Rom 2:19  And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,

The statement “Though they come out of the loins of Abraham” reminds us we are all sons of God, just as Adam was a son of God (Luk 3:38). The Jews had confidence in Abraham, and we have confidence in our own flesh at first until we become of the generation which has no confidence in our flesh (Php 3:3). That first man Adam must decrease in order for the second Adam, Jesus Christ, to take His rightful place on the throne of our hearts which can only happen through the circumcision of our hearts (1Co 15:45, Joh 3:30).

Php 3:3  For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

1Co 15:45  And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

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

Heb 7:6  But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.

The verses in John 8:37-44 explain why “he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham” when we’re given eyes to see that Abraham represents the elect who are called to a blessing of our Lord whose descent was not counted of Aaron, just as Melchisedec’s was not. The promises, as we mentioned above, are all in Christ of which we are being reminded when we read that Abraham “blessed him that had the promises” (2Co 1:20-22).

2Co 1:20  For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
2Co 1:21  Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;
2Co 1:22  Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

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

We’ve established that Abraham is ‘the less’ in this type and shadow event of blessing Melchisedec who represents our presenting all our life as a living sacrifice to God (Rom 12:1-3). Abraham is blessed by Melchisedec by being able to give this offering, and this point is clearly brought out in this statement by king David found in 1 Chronicles 9:14).

Rom 12:3  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

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

Luk 17:10  So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.

Joh 1:27  He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

1Co 1:26  For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

It is this spirit, found in the verses we have just read, which tells us how we are to present ourselves to God as a living sacrifice, a sacrifice that is typified with Abraham giving a tenth [his whole life] of the spoils of war. Giving the spoils of war is a typical act that acknowledges we know where all our blessings originate, along with all our spiritual battles over which God is sovereign in our heavens that are being cleansed in this age.

Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Eph 1:21  Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

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

Ulitimately God will be “all in all” (1Co 15:28), and that is when each life will be fully in subjection to Christ and our Father in heaven. That event is what the tithe symbolizes all along, and is the reason God says “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” in Malach 3:10.

“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!” Romans 11:33 is the blessing we are talking about, as we come to know God and His son which is eternal life (Joh 17:3). Every soul will come to see the unsearchable blessings that this relationship will manifest in each life that God is going to save in due time (1Co 15:22, 1Jn 2:2, 1Ti 4:10, 1Co 2:9).

In verse eight we are simply being told that our many wonderful works, which we think account for something (Mat 7:22), are not laid up in heaven —  treasure that can only be obtained through Christ — and so this verse is worded this way: “And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth” to remind us that it is those who present themselves a living sacrifice, as typified by Abraham’s giving of the tithe, who are able to lay up treasure in heaven where neither moth nor rust does corrupt because we are alive in Him (Rom 12:1, Rom 6:11, Gal 2:20, Mat 6:19-20, Joh 11:26).

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God [Eph 1:6], which is your reasonable service.

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

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.

Joh 11:26  And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

Heb 7:9  And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. 

God’s elect are a living sacrifice who lay their lives down for the world as Christ did (Joh 3:16, 1Jn 4:17), saviors who will come up on mount Zion (Oba 1:21) and who are being sacrificed now so that the stripes that we take upon us, the filling up what is behind of the afflictions of Christ (Col 1:24), can one day be beneficial to those who we will be able to judge as a result of having been judged in this life (1Pe 4:12, 1Pe 4:17, 2Ti 2:12, Php 1:29, Heb 5:14).

“Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham” reminds us that the whole world lives and moves and has their being in Christ (Act 17:28) whose life was sacrificed to take away the sins of the world (Joh 3:16). The sins of the world are forgiven, but an accounting is yet to be given for the many, and that accounting comes about for God’s elect today as He leads us to repentance, which happens as a result of our presenting ourselves a living sacrifice (Rom 2:4). It is Levi and all of humanity who took Christ and sacrificed him, and in so doing “payed tithes in Abraham” (Act 4:26-28) through Christ and His Christ, and this pleased God for that reason. “Levi also, who receiveth tithes” is our time in Babylon when we sincerely give our life over to another Jesus, but God’s people are called out of Levi or Babylon if we have been predestined to be a living sacrifice through Christ in this age (2Co 6:17) who will be sacrificed so “Levi also, who receiveth tithes” can one day come to realize that the sacrifice of Christ and His body expressed in typical language as “payed tithes in Abraham” is connected to Christ’s sacrifice and His body as our kinsman redeemer.

Act 17:28  For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

1Pe 3:18  For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit [Isa 53:10, Joh 3:16, 1Jn 4:17].

Act 4:26  The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ.
Act 4:27  For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,
Act 4:28  For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.

The honor and privilege we have been given to suffer in this life for Christ is being expressed in this verse, and the living sacrifice we have become through Him is for the world’s sake as well as ours and is the way in which the world will come to realize that they “payed tithes in Abraham” by having sacrificed Christ and His Christ (Act 26:14-15).

Act 26:14  And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
Act 26:15  And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.

The first section of this verse “Levi also, who receiveth tithes” is a reminder for us that Babylon does serve us by receiving the lives of the countless many who are called but not chosen. Those multitudes of Babylonian churches represent Levi, and Levi is joined to us, and by God’s grace and faith we come out of her and present ourselves a living sacrifice unto God so that one day those inumerable multitudes will be washed and made “white in the blood of the Lamb” (Rev 7:9, Rev 7:13-14). Babylon unknowingly has served us in their unbelief, and God has shown mercy to us today by calling us out of Babylon so that one day we will be able to extend that same mercy back toward the rest of God’s creation.

Rom 8:22  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
Rom 8:23  And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

Heb 7:10  For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.

We don’t know that we are God’s elect at first, but over time become convinced of better things (Heb 6:9, Rom 8:38-39) unfolding within our heavens which give evidence that we are the sons of God in this age who are being led by His spirit (Rom 8:14-16). Abraham, in type and shadow, is still very young in his walk expressed as being “yet in the loins of his father“. Regardless, this is “when Melchisedec met him“, and this type and shadow event is a reminder for God’s elect that God knows those who are His (Rom 11:5), and His remnant were known from the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4). This meeting of Melchisedec is a type and shadow of our day of visitation when we are dragged to Christ and brought to repentance (Joh 6:44).

Heb 6:9  But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.

Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Rom 8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Rom 8:15  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Rom 8:16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

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? 

Can we go on to perfection through the order of the Levitical priesthood? The answer is emphatically ‘no’, and yet that was a needful part of our journey, receiving the law that was made to show the lawless man within (1Ti 1:9, Rom 7:13) and how impossible it was to be changed and truly overcome by simply keeping the letter of the law that brought only death and not life, which comes through the spirit of God (2Co 3:6).

There is, was and will be a need “that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec“, and Christ is that forerunner who is typified by Melchisedec. However the “order of Aaron” is the other order that genders unto bondage (Gal 4:23-27) and must needs be done away in order for the true liberty of Christ to be manifest through His spirit, a liberty that has begun and will be witnessed through God’s first fruits.

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

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.

Rom 8:19  For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
Rom 8:20  For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Rom 8:21  Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Rom 8:22  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
Rom 8:23  And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

Joh 13:35  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Heb 6:20  Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

[Study Aired October 15, 2020]

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. 
Heb 7:4  Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. 

The last verse of chapter six of Hebrews sets the stage for a very extensive and detailed parable that goes on to describe how Christ and His Christ are alike, and that parable gives us insight to what it means for Christ to be “the forerunner” and how God’s elect are as he is in that regard (1Jn 4:17, 1Co 15:23).

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.

1Co 15:23  But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.

What Abraham is able to accomplish in battle “returning from the slaughter of the kings” typifies the ongoing spiritual battle in our heavens against powers and principalities within (Eph 6:12) that Christ who is represented by Melchisedec is “far above” (Eph 1:21). Offering a tithe to Melchisedec as Abraham did is synonymous with our presenting our “bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Rom 12:1).

Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Eph 1:21  Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

Rom 12:1  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.

It really wouldn’t be a “reasonable service” if we didn’t have the hope of glory within us “the forerunner” Jesus Christ (Col 1:27) Who gives us the strength to go into battle and come out victorious as He builds the house, labouring within us both to will and to do of our Father’s good pleasure (Php 2:13, Psa 127:1, Luk 12:32).

Col 1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

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

Psa 127:1  A Song of degrees for Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

Luk 12:32  Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

There are twenty-eight verses in this seventh chapter of Hebrews and we will look at the first four in this study that should help set the stage for this very hope-filled section of scripture that reminds us what Christ’s role is in our lives “to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them” of verse 25.

God’s elect are being prepared through that process of salvation to join Christ in becoming saviours who come up on mount Zion “to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S” (Oba 1:21). We are being being made ready through the life of Christ “our forerunner” who is typified by the life of this king Melchisedec who is of the “order of Melchisedec” whose title reminds us how God does all things “decently and in order” (1Co 14:40) as we’re shown that order of salvation through this very bright parable of chapter seven that was written for our sakes “upon whom the ends of the world are come” (2Co 4:15, 1Co 10:11, 1Pe 1:12).

Oba 1:21  And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S.

1Co 14:40  Let all things be done decently and in order.

1Co 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

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.

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; 

When God causes us to realize that we are more than conquerors through Christ (Rom 8:37), we rejoice and again I say rejoice (Php 4:4) as we discover our safe haven in our Lord (Psa 107:30) who first gives us the victory over all those kings within us by His righteousness “first being by interpretation King of righteousness” that gives us the power to slaughter all those kings within us by the brightness of his coming (2Th 2:8). The resulting fruit of that victory is described for us in the names of Melchisedec – “king of Salem” or “King of peace” – that represent the fruit of the spirit that is born out of these battles or storms that God raises in our lives as we learn to recognize the peace that passes all understanding that comes from our Lord alone. The order is important, “first being by interpretation King of righteousness“, then after the battle “after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace” (Php 4:7).

Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Php 4:4  Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

Psa 107:30  Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.

2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Another parable or story that represents this peace and joy we find once we meet Christ on the road, typified by Melchisedec who “met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings“, is found in (Luk 24:16-36). The resulting peace described in this parable comes from Christ who states “Peace be unto you”, and causes our hearts to “burn within us” with a desire to know our Lord as we share our life together in him and tell each other “what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread”.

Luk 24:16  But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.
Luk 24:17  And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?
Luk 24:18  And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?
Luk 24:19  And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:
Luk 24:20  And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.
Luk 24:21  But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.

[Three days after this great spiritual life and death battle in Christ’s life against spiritual wickedness in the heavens represented by “the slaughter of the kings” that that Abraham overcame (Heb 7:1), we see our Lord the “Prince of peace” (Isa 9:6) show up and declare “Peace be unto you“]

Luk 24:22  Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;
Luk 24:23  And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.
Luk 24:24  And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.
Luk 24:25  Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
Luk 24:26  Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
Luk 24:27  And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
Luk 24:28  And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.
Luk 24:29  But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.
Luk 24:30  And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.
Luk 24:31  And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
Luk 24:32  And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
Luk 24:33  And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,
Luk 24:34  Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.
Luk 24:35  And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.
Luk 24:36  And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.