The Biblical Overview of The Plan of God – Part 10

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The Biblical Overview of The Plan of God – Part 10

The “Double Portion of [The Inheritance Is] The Right of The Firstborn”

Gen 43:33 And they sat before him, the first-born according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth. And the men marveled at one another.
Gen 43:34 And one took portions to them from before him. But Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.

Deu 21:17  But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his.

Introduction

I want to share with you all an exchange between Larry Groenewald and others and  me as the introduction to today’s study on the overview of the plan of God. This is a discussion of Larry’s study on Thursday, December 11th, 2014.

Those verses I quoted above are three verses which were sent to Larry in response to the discussion we had after Larry’s study that Thursday in His series on Foundations In Genesis.

This is an e-mail from Larry concerning the law of the right of the firstborn:
Larry writes:

“As we know the double portion is bestowed on the firstborn according to these verses:

Deu 21:15-17  If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have born him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated:  16  Then it shall be, when he maketh his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, which is indeed the firstborn:  17  But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his.

Jesus, being the firstborn or “the beginning of the creation of God”, is the Beloved of the Father and He was given the rights of the firstborn, which includes the “double portion”:

Heb 1:2-10  Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;  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;  4  Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.  5  For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?  6  And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.  7  And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.  8  But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.  9  Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.  10  And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:

This double portion relates therefore to Jesus’ rulership over the physical creation or fleshly eon, and the spiritual creation or spiritual eon (Eph 1:9-10). Jesus confirms this honour given to Him with these words:

Mat 28:18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Rev 1:11a  Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last…

In Christ the elect or “uihosthesia” has been given this same authority to have dominion over all:”

End of Larry’s e-mail, to which I responded:

“I am so grateful to be able to share with you in this further revelation of who we are in Christ. I feel at this moment I am truly Benjamin who is simply receiving five times more from Christ, while bringing virtually nothing to the table.

I was thrilled on Thursday to receive the revelation the Lord gave you concerning the law of the double-portion birthright of the spiritual firstborn. It had that ring of Truth to it that made me say to myself, “yes, that is what that means!”, and these verses came to mind:

1Co 6:2  Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
1Co 6:3  Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

Now in this thread you have fleshed this out even further for me when you made this statement:

Heb 1:10  And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:

This double portion relates therefore to Jesus’ rulership over the physical creation or fleshly eon, and the spiritual creation or spiritual eon (Eph 1:9-10). Jesus confirms this honour given to Him with these words:

Mat 28:18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Rev 1:11a  Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last…

I am just so very grateful to see this so clearly!

“The world” in 1Co 6:2 is the word ‘kosmos‘ and it means this physical world, “the beginning… the first man Adam”. It is not the word ‘aion‘ which is also translated as ‘world’ at times in the King James Version and in many other versions. The statement “How much more things that pertain to this life” proves that the “angels” of verse three do not “pertain to this life” and are spirit messengers, and Paul is referring specifically to the great white-throne judgment where God’s elect, as a small “lake of fire”, will be “judging angels” in an age that does not pertain to this life in vessels of clay.

You gave us:

Eph 1:9  Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
Eph 1:10  That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

Yes, indeed, Benjamin’s “five times as much” portion of food, his “three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of raiment”, more than his ten brothers received, are all types of the double portion that “is the right of the [spiritually] firstborn”. The word “both” in Eph 1:10 includes both portions of that “double portion” which is “the right of the [spiritually] firstborn”.

Gen 45:22  To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of raiment.

The double portion law of the right of inheritance applies only to the spiritually “firstborn”, typified by Isaac, who was not the “firstborn of the hated” physically, but who was “the firstborn of the hated” spiritually.

The fact that Hagar was the physically hated wife whose son was the physically hated firstborn, is to this day, used by the Muslim religion to justify their claim to “the double portion… right of the firstborn” as it relates to the promises made to Abraham. Christians, who are equally lacking in spiritual understanding, cannot understand how the apostle Paul equates Isaac’s and Rebecka’s descendants with Hagar in Galatians 4. The inability of the Galatians to understand how spiritual matters conflict with the letter of the Word was a great concern to the apostle Paul, and should be a great concern to us:

Gal 4:20  I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.
Gal 4:21  Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
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.
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.

Physical Israel is merely the Old Testament type of the true Israel of God, but spiritually physical Israel is nothing more than Hagar and her “son of the bondwoman”.

Exo 4:22  And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:

That statement simply is not true, physically, but it is true spiritually. Esau, Edom, was physically born before Jacob, whose name was changed by God to ‘Israel’. Jacob was Esau’s twin brother. Esau was the physical heir of the “right of the firstborn… the double portion”, but Jacob typifies those who have supplanted the physical firstborn, and has not become the type of those who are the spiritual ‘firstborn’.

Gal 4:28  Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

Gal 6:15  Certainly, it doesn’t matter whether a person is circumcised or not. Rather, what matters is being a new creation. 
Gal 6:16  Peace and mercy will come to rest on all those who conform to this principle. They are the Israel of God. (GW)

1Co 6:2-3 tells us what the Biblical phrase, “double portion” includes. It includes the gift of ruling from heaven with Him who is the first and the last. The double portion includes being granted power over both the first, physical world and the last spiritual world. The right of the firstborn is given only to those who have the right of the double portion of the firstborn. We are told specifically that the special blessing of that “double portion” power over the heavens and over the earth is reserved only for those who are given the honor of being in that first resurrection, which precedes the millennial reign of Christ and His “firstfruits”.

Rev 2:17  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it

Rev 14:3  And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.

They alone will reign with Christ over this world. Ruling over this world is the first portion of their “double portion”. It is with this part of our inheritance that the holy day overview of the plan of God for His physical creation is concerned. This holy day overview concerns itself only with the three harvests of the flesh of this world, and a harvest is the cutting down of each of those three harvests. They are 1) Christ the firstfruits, the spring barley harvest, 2) they that are Christ’s at His coming, the feast of firstfruits, at  the summer wheat harvest, and 3) “then cometh the end… of the year”, the fall grape harvest. Those are the three harvests with which the holy days seasons are concerned:

2Ch 8:13  Even after a certain rate every day, offering according to the commandment of Moses, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts, three times in the year, even in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles.

The “last great day” has nothing to do with the second portion of our double portion, except that the “little season”, which is typified by “the last great day”, must take place to provide God the occasion He is seeking against all flesh “in the four quarters of the earth”. Only then, after the “thousand years” (the feast of tabernacles) and after the “little season” (the last great day) which follows the thousand years of our judging of this physical realm, which is the first part of our “double portion”, will we inherit with Christ the second part of our “double portion… right of the firstborn”. This is the part of our inheritance which has been “hid with Christ in God” which yet affects “every man” who has ever lived:

1Co 2:7  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 

Col 1:26  Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 
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:
Col 1:28  Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: 
Col 1:29  Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

This “mystery, even the hidden wisdom,” is not “ordained before the world unto [the] glory” of all others. Rather it was “ordained before the world unto our glory”. Truly there is no end to the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of the knowledge of our God!

Rom 11:33  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!

Eph 3:17  That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
Eph 3:18  May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
Eph 3:19  And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Heb 12:22  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
Heb 12:23  To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,”

[End of e-mail.]

This study of the overview of the plan of God for all mankind concerns itself with who we are as “the Christ… the firstfruits unto… the Lamb”, who are the instruments through whom Christ is working to fulfill His Father’s purpose of redeeming back from death His entire creation “in Adam”.

1Co 15:22  For, just as, in the Adam, all die, so, also, in the Christ, shall all be made alive. (REV)

We concluded our last study having demonstrated that there are just two resurrections, and only two times of judgment. The first time of judgment is now in this physical realm for God’s elect. Our judgment follows our spiritual death to this physical life (Joh 12:24, 1Co 15:31, Gal 2:20). Our judgment which “begins at the house of God”, and in which we are even now living, is followed by the first resurrection at the beginning of the thousand year reign of Christ and His Christ. The second time of judgment is after the millennium and the “little season” which follows the millennium. The second time of judgment is in the lake of fire, and that judgment is followed by the destruction of death which is the very purpose for the lake of fire.

Rev 20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

If we are very attentive to our Lord’s words, we will notice that we were just informed that the destruction of all flesh, is not itself the destruction of death. The destruction of death is accomplished only within the lake of fire where Satan himself, and the carnal minds of all men, are destroyed:

Rev 20:10  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Rev 20:15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life [who, at this time are only those in that “blessed and holy… first resurrection”] was cast into the lake of fire.

Christ tells us this:

Mat 28:18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

What this tells us is that everything that takes place on the earth, takes place only because it has previously been determined “in the heavens”:

Dan 4:17  This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High [‘the heavens’] ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.

Mat 18:18 Verily, I am saying to you, Whatsoever you should be binding on the earth shall be those things having been bound in the heavens, and whatsoever you should be loosing on the earth shall be those loose in heaven. (CLV)

But earlier He had told us this:

Luk 22:29  And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;

Joh 17:18  As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. 

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

A kingdom is not a kingdom without a king, and we are called “kings and priests unto God”:

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.

Over what are we “kings and priests”? Here again is the answer to that question:

1Co 6:2  Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
1Co 6:3  Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

It is obvious that these ‘angels’ do not “pertain to this life” in this physical realm. Those who are raised up to life to be cast into the lake of fire will in time be ‘sent into the [spirit] world’ to bring Christ to “the spirits of … men” (Heb 12:23), but they have no portion in working with God’s elect whose “double portion” also pertains to this life in this present physical realm, as well as spirits in ‘the lake of fire’ spiritual realm.

What Is Death, and How Is It Destroyed?

It is important that we understand that the destruction of physical death is not the destruction of spiritual death, and that we understand that the destruction of physical death is but a shadow of the destruction of spiritual death.

Notice that it is after the destruction of all flesh “in the four quarters of the earth”, that “death and hell are cast into the lake of fire…” Consider how the subject of death is dealt with in these verses of scripture:

Dan 12:2  And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life [“the Christ” of Christ in the first resurrection], and some to shame and everlasting contempt [all who are not yet in Christ after the rebellion during the “little season” which typifies “the last great day”, the final harvest of all flesh].
Dan 12:3  And they that be wise [“the firstborn… the firstfruits… the Christ”] shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. 

Rev 20:7  And when the thousand years are expired [typified by the feast of tabernacles], Satan shall be loosed out of his prison [typified by “a little season” vs 3],
Rev 20:8  And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
Rev 20:9  And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

Mat 8:21  And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
Mat 8:22  But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let [spiritually] the dead bury their [physically] dead.

Mat 9:24  He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.

Joh 11:11  These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
Joh 11:12  Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
Joh 11:13  Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
Joh 11:14  Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

Christ speaks of physical death, as if it were only “taking of rest in sleep”. On the other hand, He speaks of our lives in sin as death even as we are physically alive:

Mat 8:21  And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
Mat 8:22  But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

What this demonstrates is that the destruction of all physical flesh, is not yet the destruction of death. The final destruction of death is accomplished only by bringing all men to God, in “the lake of fire”, which follows the “little season” of the rebellion against the “rod of iron”, rulership of God’s elect. The final destruction of death is accomplished only when he “who has the power of death… the great red dragon… that old serpent the devil, and Satan”, is destroyed in that same “lake of fire”:

Heb 2:14  Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death [true spiritual death of the rebellious carnal mind of Satan within all flesh] he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

Here is how “the devil” is destroyed:

Rev 20:10  And [when the thousand years and the little season of rebellion are expired, vs 3 and 7] the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

This “lake of fire” is where “the ungodly and the sinner appear”:

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
1Pe 4:18  And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

As this ‘lake of fire’, we are also the saviors of those who are being saved in this era, and in this realm of the spirit. It is through us that death will finally be destroyed because “as He is so are we in this world”.

1Jn 4:17  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment [which is now “on the house of God”]: because as he is, so are we in this world.

Rev 20:11  And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev 20:12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:13  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

It is of utmost significance that this “great white throne” judgment of “the dead small and great” is revealed to us immediately after the destruction of “all the nations in the four quarters of the earth”. This is not called a ‘black throne’ judgment. It is a white throne judgment, and this is what takes place at any judgment over which Christ presides:

1Co 11:32  But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

The “condemnation” spoken of here is the later judgment, which is the later chastening in the very same ‘fire’ which is even now judging the present “house of God”, as these verses demonstrate:

Mar 9:49  For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.

1Co 3:13  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. 
1Co 3:14  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire

1Pe 4:12  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

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

There it is for those who are granted to see it. Judgment is a fiery trial, and the judgment which is now on the house of God is the daily dying and the daily crucifixion with Christ which is the “fiery trial being endured by all in whose flesh He now has come:

1Jn 4:2  Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh [of “His body, which is the church”, Eph 5:30, and Col 1:24] is of God:
1Jn 4:3  And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh  is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. 

Eph 5:30  For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sakewhich is the church:

It is those in whom Christ dwells while yet in this age, who are “the firstfruits unto God and the Lamb”, and who therefore alone possess “the double portion… right of the firstborn”.

Deu 21:17  But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his.

I hope this study has demonstrated from the scriptures that the judging of this world is not the right of any but the firstborn, “firstfruits unto God and the Lamb (Rev 14:4).”

We will stop at this point for today, and, Lord willing in our next study, we will demonstrate, with the Old Testament types, what is the rebellious spiritual condition of those who inhabit this earth during the millennium and the “little season” which follows the millennium.

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