GOD WITH US
(Examining the Nature and
Blessings of the Presence of God)
By Ward
Fenley
CHAPTER 2
(Fulfillment of the
Presence of God in the New Testament)
From Zechariah we turn to the N.T. that, with abundance, overwhelmingly
supports the fulfillment of each of the O.T. passages discussed. Of course,
there is the text that has been the foundation of this book:
Matthew 1:21-23 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt
call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. 22 Now
all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord
by the prophet, saying, 23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall
bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted
is, God with us.
With simplicity the angel exclaims the result of the birth of Messiah—God
with us. This is precisely what every passage we have already studied has
been implying. Christ’s appearance was not a partial and separate manifestation
of God: His appearance was the very glory of God revealed to His people—a
New Covenant blessing that was not to be accomplished until Messiah came:
John 1:4-18 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for
a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might
believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that
Light. 9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh
into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him,
and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received
him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become
the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born,
not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but
of God. 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. 15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he
of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he
was before me. 16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for
grace. 17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus
Christ. 18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which
is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
John the apostle explains that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the light
promised by the prophets (vv.4,5,7-9 cf. Job 12:22; 33:28-30; Psalm4:6;
18:28; 36:9:43:3; 89:15; 112:4; 118:27; Proverbs 4:18; 16:15; Isaiah 2:5;
9:2; 10:17; 30:26; 42:6,16; 49:6; 51:4; 60; Micah 7:8,9; Zechariah 14:6,7;
Matthew 4:16; Luke 2:32; John 3:19-21; 8:12; 9:5; 12:36,46; Acts 13:47;
26:23; 2 Corinthians 2:4-6; Ephesians 5:8,13,14; Colossians 1:12; 2 Timothy
1:10; 1 Peter 2:9; 1 John 1:5-7; 2:8-11; Revelation 7:16; 21:11,23,24;
22:5). Luke uses more general terms to describe this:
Luke 1:68-79 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited
and redeemed his people, 69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for
us in the house of his servant David; 70 As he spake by the mouth of his
holy prophets, which have been since the world began: 71 That we should
be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; 72 To
perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;
73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, 74 That he would grant
unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve
him without fear, 75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the
days of our life. 76 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the
Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their
sins, 78 Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from
on high hath visited us, 79 To give light to them that sit in darkness
and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
This Light came when Jesus came into the world. John associates this light
with believers in Christ becoming the sons of God (John 1:12). Obviously
sons have to be born—born again. Being born again is synonymous with becoming
a child of God. Hosea predicted that this would not take place until the
New Covenant kingdom:
Hosea 1:10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as
the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall
come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not
my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living
God.
Paul confirms this in the epistle to the Romans:
Romans 9:24-26 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only,
but also of the Gentiles? 25 As he saith also in Osee, I will call them
my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.
26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto
them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of
the living God.
Being a child or a son of God is inseparably related to beholding the glory
and light of Christ:
John 1:12-14 But as many as received him, to them gave he power
to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which
were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will
of man, but of God. 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.
John maintains that the beholding of glory and the manifestation of grace
and truth was not present under the O.T. economy:
John 1:16-17 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace
for grace. 17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came
by Jesus Christ.
1 John 1:1-2 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard,
which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands
have handled, of the Word of life; 2 (For the life was manifested, and
we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life,
which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
This, of course, explains salvation in the book of Ephesians:
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that
not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
The significance of the passage pertaining to God dwelling among His people
is seen in the eighteenth verse of John chapter one:
John 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son,
which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
Under the Old Covenant no man had seen God at any time. Some professing
Christians maintain that no man still has ever seen God. This would mean
that we are still under the curse of the Old Covenant ministration of death.
One of the blessings of the New Covenant is dwelling in the light of Messiah,
i.e. dwelling with Messiah, God with us. If God is not with us then Matthew
1:23 has no meaning to us:
Matthew 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring
forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted
is, God with us.
There was no postponement of this promise because of a supposed failure
on the part of Jesus Christ, as many dispensationalists affirm. In fact,
there is not even going to be a second separated phase two thousand years
far-removed from this event. Those who are Christians are dwelling with
God and have seen Him. This may seem absurd to those whose hope is in earthy,
physical things. However, to those who have the mind of Christ, i.e. spiritual
men (1 Corinthians 2:9,10), this is one of the great blessings of the New
Covenant fulfilled in Jesus Christ. John explains the fact that we have
beheld His glory (John 1:14). Some would argue that John was speaking of
the Son and not God. This is simply a denial of the deity of Jesus Christ.
They have forgotten the well-known cross-reference:
John 1:1,14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God... 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.
"We," John says, "beheld His glory." Is Christ our Light? If so, then we
are beholding His glory. If not, then we are not under grace and truth
but still under the law. In fact, John said in reference to the ministration
of death, "the darkness is passing and the true light is already
shining (1 John 2:8)". It is to be assumed that for God to dwell with us
is for us to "see" God. John said (referring to those under the Old Covenant),
"No man hath seen God at any time." If we stop there then we have radically
distorted the context of the first chapter of John. John added an enormously
important statement after He said this: "the only begotten Son, which is
in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him." The word declared
is defined by Strong’s concordance as 1834. exegeomai, ex-ayg-eh'-om-ahee;
from G1537 and G2233; to consider out (aloud), i.e. rehearse, unfold.--declare,
tell. Jesus is the manifestation or the unfolding of God to His people,
thus we have seen God. Though there are several Greek words used for "seen"
or "see," John chose to use the word horakane. This word is defined
by Strong’s as 3708. horao, hor-ah'-o; prop. to stare at [comp. G3700],
i.e. (by impl.) to discern clearly (phys. or ment.); by extens. to attend
to; by Hebr. to experience; pass. to appear:--behold. The Manual Greek
Lexicon of the New Testament by Abbot-Smith (1986) notes at least 5 ways
horao
is used: 1) of bodily vision; 2) to see with the mind; 3) to take heed
or beware; 4) to experience; 5) to visit. John in his Gospel and in his
epistles very frequently uses the word in reference to mental perception
or seeing with the mind. One might argue that, yes, in Christ, we have
seen Christ, but certainly we have not seen the Father. This sentiment
is dispelled by Jesus Himself in the fourteenth chapter upon Philip’s inquiry
regarding the Father:
John 14:6-9 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and
the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 7 If ye had known me,
ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and
have seen him. 8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it
sufficeth us. 9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you,
and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen
the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?
Every time Jesus used the word seen in this passage it is the Greek
word horakane, from horao. This is very important when considering
John’s statement that until the time of Messiah no man had seen (horakane)
God. Yet John’s added statement that the only begotten Son had declared
God agrees perfectly with the statement of Jesus that if His people see
Him, they have seen the Father. The objection might be raised that in the
epistle of first John, John states the same idea that no man has seen God:
1 John 4:12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another,
God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
He reiterates this point in vs.20:
1 John 4:20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he
is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can
he love God whom he hath not seen?
One might conclude upon a careless glance of these two passages that God
was remaining unseen even in the New Covenant. Aside from the blatant contradictions
this would impose upon the Scriptures we have examined, this assumption
deforms the theme John is conveying. The context of this passage and a
comparison with the fourteenth chapter of John will clearly show that the
statement that no man has seen God at any time refers to those who do not
love God nor His children. Here is the context:
1 John 4:7-21 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of
God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8 He that
loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 9 In this was manifested the
love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into
the world, that we might live through him. 10 Herein is love, not that
we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation
for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one
another. 12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God
dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. 13 Hereby know we that
we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.
14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the
Saviour of the world. 15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son
of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. 16 And we have known and believed
the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love
dwelleth in God, and God in him. 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. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out
fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in
love. 19 We love him, because he first loved us. 20 If a man say, I love
God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother
whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 21 And this
commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
Under the bond of the New Covenant, love for God and His people is the
explicit proof that a person is born of God (vs.7). It also proves that
a person knows God. John recorded the words of Jesus speaking about
the same topic as He prayed to the Father:
John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the
only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
Once a person is in Christ, to know God is to love God. This is
why Jesus spoke so forcefully regarding the necessity of love among those
professing to believe in Him. In his first epistle, John teaches that the
person who does not love does not know God. Verses 11,12 are very interesting
to say the least:
1 John 4:11-12 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love
one another. 12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another,
God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
It always perplexed me when I merely glanced at this passage. I wondered
why John interjected what seemed to be unrelated material in saying that
no man hath seen God at any time. The context before and after speak of
the love of God and the love of His people. Why the sudden interjection
regarding the seeing of God? If we remember John’s words in the
first chapter of his Gospel it becomes apparent:
John 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son,
which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
God is seen as Jesus Christ. This revelation of Jesus Christ is proven
when we love one another. This was not the case under the law of Moses:
John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came
by Jesus Christ.
This is exactly why John recorded the very next verse:
John 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son,
which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
The two verses are basically proverbs explaining the same principles: the
law given by Moses is synonymous with no man having ever seen God, even
those who loved God and His people. Grace and truth that came by Jesus
Christ are synonymous with the only begotten son in the bosom of the Father
declaring God, i.e. the Father who is seen as we see Jesus. This, explains
John in his epistle, is proven by our love for one another as believers
in Jesus Christ. But in the first epistle John does not stop there. He
associates one other element of the New Covenant kingdom directly related
to our love for God and His people and our knowing God, and that is our
dwelling with God, which is the subject at hand:
1 John 4:13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us,
because he hath given us of his Spirit.
1 John 4:15-16 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of
God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. 16 And we have known and believed
the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love
dwelleth in God, and God in him.
1 John 4:20-21 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother,
he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how
can he love God whom he hath not seen? 21 And this commandment have we
from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
The man who does not love his brother cannot love God. There must first
be love for God before there can be love for our brother. There seems to
be what one might call a tagma agape or an order of love. That is,
God loved His people and sent His Son to be the propitiation (the sacrifice
that satisfies the wrath of God) for their sins. It is because of this
that we love Him. Hence, "We love Him because He first loved us." The inevitable
result of God’s love for His people is that they will certainly love Him
and
His people. Therefore he that is born of God (a child of God) loves God
and his brother, showing that God dwells in him and God is seen by Him.
The man who does not love His brother has first never loved God and therefore
has never seen God.
1 John 3:4-6 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law:
for sin is the transgression of the law. 5 And ye know that he was manifested
to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. 6 Whosoever abideth in him
sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
The implication is clear: just as the one who sins (proven by self-righteousness
and hatred for the brethren) has never seen God, the one who loves and
truly is trusting in the righteousness of Christ has seen God. In other
words, under the bond of the New Covenant revelation and giving of the
Spirit (vs.13 cf. 1 Corinthians 2:9-14; Ephesians 3:5,6), seeing God (looking
upon things eternal cf. 2 Corinthians 4:18), and dwelling with God is proven
by our love for the body of Christ. Christ seemed to make reference to
this idea in the Olivet Discourse:
Matthew 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily
I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these
my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
The relation to the theme of God dwelling with His people is clear. The
prophets predicted that God would dwell among His people. Matthew recorded
the angel’s words to Joseph that Jesus Christ was Immanuel, which being
interpreted is, God with us. John says nothing different:
1 John 4:12-16 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one
another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. 13 Hereby
know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of
his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the
Son to be the Saviour of the world. 15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus
is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. 16 And we have known
and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth
in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
While John’s theme is still fresh in our minds, we must analyze the subject
of God dwelling among or in His people in the Gospel of John chapter fourteen.
This is another passage that has been twisted and broken apart to suit
eschatological schemes. Just as Matthew 24 is the key to understanding
the timing of prophetic revelation, John 14 seems to be the key to understanding
the nature of prophetic resurrection. Some futurists would
argue that Matthew 24 refers to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70,
yet they maintain that the general resurrection of the dead could not have
taken place then because we are still in our physically mortal bodies.
John 14, however, explains that the resurrection cannot be separated from
God dwelling with His people. We must remember that the outward visible
sign of the destruction of the Old Covenant Temple was God’s sure testimony
that the inward invisible New Covenant Temple had been consummated;
i.e., as long as the Old Covenant Temple was still standing, the ministration
of death had not completely passed away (2 Corinthians 3:11; Hebrews
8:13; 12:27). Thus, the ministration of life and righteousness had not
yet been completed. Though we will not in detail delve into the nature
of the resurrection, by a thorough analysis of the passage, the nature
of the resurrection will become apparent as the subject of God dwelling
with His people is considered. We have observed part of the chapter in
reference to seeing God, now we will examine the passage within
its context which actually begins in chapter thirteen:
John 13:31-38 Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now
is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God be
glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway
glorify him. 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall
seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so
now I say to you. 34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one
another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this
shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
36 Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered
him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow
me afterwards. 37 Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now?
I will lay down my life for thy sake. 38 Jesus answered him, Wilt thou
lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock
shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice. 14:1-28 Let not your heart
be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house
are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare
a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come
again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 5 Thomas saith unto him,
Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6 Jesus
saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto
the Father, but by me. 7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father
also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. 8 Philip saith
unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 9 Jesus saith
unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known
me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou
then, Show us the Father? 10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father,
and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself:
but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. 11 Believe me that
I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very
works' sake. 12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me,
the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall
he do; because I go unto my Father. 13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my
name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If
ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. 15 If ye love me, keep
my commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another
Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth;
whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth
him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18
I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while,
and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall
live also. 20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye
in me, and I in you. 21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them,
he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father,
and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 22 Judas saith unto
him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto
us, and not unto the world? 23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man
love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will
come unto him, and make our abode with him. 24 He that loveth me not keepeth
not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's
which sent me. 25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present
with you. 26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father
will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things
to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. 27 Peace I leave
with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto
you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 28 Ye have
heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved
me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father
is greater than I.
The ultimate goal of Jesus to be glorified is clearly seen toward the end
of chapter thirteen. The glory which Jesus had with the Father before the
foundation of the world (John 17:1-5) was about to be regained. However,
in order for Jesus to attain this glory He must leave His disciples in
a
little while, for a little while (John 13:33; 14:19 cf. Hebrews
10:36,37). This would naturally leave the disciples in a frantic
state after having physically been with the Lord for over three years.
The ensuing discussion between Jesus and Peter, Thomas, Philip, and Judas
(not Iscariot) takes place. Jesus reminds the disciples of what He had
spoken to the Jews regarding them not being able to follow Him; a subject
upon which Jesus seemed to place peculiar emphasis:
John 7:34-36 Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where
I am, thither ye cannot come 35 Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither
will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among
the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles? 36 What manner of saying is this
that he said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am,
thither ye cannot come?
John 8:14 Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record
of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither
I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go.
John 8:21-22 Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye
shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.
22 Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither
I go, ye cannot come.
John 12:35-36 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the
light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you:
for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. 36 While
ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light.
These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.
If the hateful Jews were perplexed by these statements of Jesus, imagine
the minds of His disciples. Jesus said:
John 13:33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye
shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come;
so now I say to you.
When the rest of the context is seen it is obvious that Jesus was directing
their attention to the key characteristic which proved a person to be in
the kingdom of God, and that is love for Jesus Christ and His people:
John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one
another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this
shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Peter, still troubled by the woeful statement of Jesus that His disciples
would not be able to follow Him, was the first to question Christ:
John 13:36a Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou?
Jesus sovereignly directed Peter’s question to create a discourse that
would lead the disciples to a greater understanding of God’s presence and
love:
John 13:36b ...Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not
follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.
Most scholars would agree that the place to which Jesus was going was heaven.
Some have argued (from Peter’s response) that Jesus is referring here to
death. However, as we will see, this does not harmonize with the rest of
the theme of John 14. Peter was not satisfied with Christ’s timing as to
when Peter would be able to follow him:
John 13:37 Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee
now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.
It is possible that Peter interpreted the words of Christ as referring
to death. The thrust of Christ’s consequent response to Peter’s question
was not to ask Peter to merely follow Him to death. Rather, Christ
was reiterating a truth that was very prevalent in His teachings; and that
is, that one must be willing to take up His cross if he is to be a follower
of Christ:
Matthew 10:32-39 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men,
him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33 But whosoever
shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is
in heaven. 34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not
to send peace, but a sword. 35 For I am come to set a man at variance against
his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law
against her mother in law. 36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own
household. 37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy
of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of
me. 38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not
worthy of me. 39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth
his life for my sake shall find it.
Matthew 16:24-28 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will
come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow
me. 25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will
lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26 For what is a man profited,
if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall
a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of man shall come in
the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every
man according to his works. 28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing
here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming
in his kingdom.
Mark 10:17-31 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came
one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall
I do that I may inherit eternal life? 18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest
thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. 19 Thou knowest
the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do
not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. 20 And
he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my
youth. 21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing
thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor,
and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and
follow me. 22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for
he had great possessions. 23 And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto
his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom
of God! 24 And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth
again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust
in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel
to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the
kingdom of God. 26 And they were astonished out of measure, saying among
themselves, Who then can be saved? 27 And Jesus looking upon them saith,
With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are
possible. 28 Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and
have followed thee. 29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you,
There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father,
or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,
30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren,
and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and
in the world to come eternal life. 31 But many that are first shall be
last; and the last first.
Notice how in each of these passages Christ associates the finding
of eternal life with following Him. In each passage the kingdom
of God is either directly or indirectly mentioned. In order to attain the
age
to come (which refers to the New Covenant age in comparison to the
Old Covenant age - cf. Matthew 12:32; 1 Corinthians 10:11, Hebrews 9:26),
one must be willing to lose everything in order to be with Christ. This
was especially manifested in the lives of the apostles:
Acts 14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting
them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation
enter into the kingdom of God.
2 Corinthians 4:10-11 Always bearing about in the body the dying
of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in
our body. 11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus'
sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal
flesh.
Philippians 1:20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope,
that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always,
so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life,
or by death.
It is clear from these passages that the following to which Christ
was referring (i.e. following Christ in forsaking all) would lead to following
Him to the place where He was going; i.e. going to heaven to be with His
Father. To say that He was referring to death is to join in the Pharisees’
misunderstanding of His words:
John 8:21-23 Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and
ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.
22 Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither
I go, ye cannot come. 23 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I
am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.
Peter assumed this:
John 13:37 Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee
now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.
Jesus lovingly questioned Peter’s fleshly desire and informed Him that
Peter would not even be willing to follow Him in death:
John 13:38 Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for
my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till
thou hast denied me thrice.
Jesus then continues His own exegesis of eternal life dwelling with Him
and His Father. He first admonishes His disciples to not be troubled. If
He were referring to the following of Him in mere physical death in the
verses above, this admonition would be entirely pointless. Essentially,
if He were referring to physical death, He would be saying, "Follow Me
in life and then die with Me. Let not your heart be troubled." The disciples
would have great reason to be troubled if Christ was referring to following
Him in mere physical death. Christ’s words obviously disturbed the disciples:
John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe
also in me.
Here Jesus announces the proof of true faith in God—faith in Jesus Christ—the
foundation of everlasting life (Habakkuk 2:4; John 3:16). The manifestation
of true and saving faith in God is faith in Jesus Christ. Christ makes
this clear in His reproof of the Pharisees:
John 8:19 Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered,
Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known
my Father also.
Paul taught this as well:
1 Corinthians 2:6-8 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are
perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world,
that come to nought: 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even
the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it,
they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
If they were truly trusting God they would have trusted Christ, for He
is God manifest in the flesh (1 Timothy 3:16; 1 John 4:2,3; 2 John 1:7)
and is the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3).
We now come to one of the chief texts that many use to support a physical
heaven:
John 14:2-3 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were
not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if
I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto
myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
It is imperative that we remember the context continuing from chapter thirteen.
Jesus explained that He was about to leave:
John 13:33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye
shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come;
so now I say to you.
He told Peter that he would follow Him later:
John 13:36 Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou?
Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou
shalt follow me afterwards.
He now explains in more detail the place where He is going-His Father’s
house. He also explains why He is leaving. He is going to prepare a place.
He then makes the promise that if He goes to prepare a place, He will certainly
come again to receive them so that they could be with Him. The desire of
Jesus Christ was to be with His people. This is an essential part of Christ’s
High Priestly prayer:
John 17:24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given
me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast
given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
Jesus longed for His people to be present with Him so they would behold
His glory. Jesus told Peter that Peter would follow Him later. Previously
in the Gospel of John, Jesus spoke the same thing in reference to those
who are under the bond of the completed New Covenant:
John 12:26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I
am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father
honour.
Jesus explains that He would be present with those who followed Him. Was
this true only of the Apostles? Most professing Christians would agree
that Christ is with us wherever we are:
Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my
name, there am I in the midst of them.
What is interesting is the fact that John 12:26 has a greater context related
to the passages we examined dealing with the cross-bearing of believers:
John 12:23-28 And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come,
that the Son of man should be glorified. 24 Verily, verily, I say unto
you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone:
but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. 25 He that loveth his life
shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it
unto life eternal. 26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where
I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my
Father honour. 27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father,
save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. 28 Father,
glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both
glorified it, and will glorify it again.
Notice also how Jesus associates His glory with the father and His presence
with His people. He linked the same two elements in John 17:
John 17:1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven,
and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also
may glorify thee:
John 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self
with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
John 17:10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am
glorified in them.
John 17:22-24 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them;
that they may be one, even as we are one: 23 I in them, and thou in me,
that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that
thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. 24 Father,
I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am;
that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst
me before the foundation of the world.
As we have already seen, the O.T. is filled with passages expressing God’s
desire to dwell with His people. Here are just that were previously cited:
Psalms 132:13-14 For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired
it for his habitation. 14 This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell;
for I have desired it.
Song of Songs 7:10 I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me.
Ezekiel 37:26 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them;
it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and
multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.
A question that might be asked is: Did Christ come to dwell among His people
as God with us only to be disappointed and disappoint us, forcing us to
wait thousands of years for the fulfillment? Also, is Christ still waiting
for part of His High Priestly prayer to be answered concerning His be people
beholding His glory? Just as Jesus said He would be with the disciples
a little while longer, He also said that He would return in a little while.
There was much confusion among the disciples concerning this little
while:
John 16:16-19 A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again,
a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father. 17 Then
said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith
unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while,
and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father? 18 They said therefore,
What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith.
19 Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them,
Do ye inquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall
not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me?
Frequently the disciples forgot the words of Jesus concerning things of
which He spoke. Jesus spoke concerning this little while in John 13:
John 13:33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye
shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come;
so now I say to you.
In John 14, by explaining the place where He was going, Jesus answered
the apostles’ question regarding the little while of John 16. After
telling the disciples that He was going to prepare a place for them in
His Father’s house, and that He would come again to receive them to Himself
so they could be with Him, Jesus says:
John 14:4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
Jesus seems certain that the disciples knew the place where He was going
and the way to get there. We must therefore conclude that either this information
was mentioned in the O.T., or Jesus was speaking of Himself. Thomas, still
clouded by fleshly thinking, asks the question:
John 14:5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou
goest; and how can we know the way?
Who is correct, Thomas or Jesus? Jesus said the disciples knew where Christ
was going. Thomas said that they did not know where Christ was going. Jesus
said that they knew the way to get there. Thomas implied that they did
not know the way. Obviously Jesus was correct. However, the question we
must ask is, what is the where, and what is the way? In order
to answer the where, we must examine vv.4,5 with the verses immediately
preceding:
John 14:2-5 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were
not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if
I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto
myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 4 And whither I go ye know,
and the way ye know. 5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither
thou goest; and how can we know the way?
The where to which Jesus and Thomas were referring has many mansions
(vs.2), will be prepared (vv.2,3), and will be the place where Jesus receives
His people and resides with them (vs.3). Before we examine the Way, an
extremely important factor must be realized which, in most commentaries,
is completely disregarded. Jesus first said that He would go to prepare
a place. He then said He would come to receive His people to Himself. No
where does He speak about going again after He comes to His people. A prominent
eschatological error (to which the author used to adhere) is the pre-tribulation
rapture theory. This theory teaches that Christ came as Messiah, resorted
to plan B (since Israel would not have Him as king), had to go back to
heaven where He will wait until He receives (raptures) His people, who
compose a parenthetical (temporary-Gentile) church; then, seven years later
(after physical Israel opts to have Him as King) Jesus comes to the physical
earth for exactly one thousand years, after which He then goes again and
takes His people with Him. As Christ speaks with His disciples, however,
He seems to have something different in mind. He taught the disciples that
He would, very simply, go and come. This is in accord with all the passages
which teach that God would set His tabernacle among men, the most well-known
of which is found in the book of Revelation:
Revelation 21:2-11 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem,
coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her
husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the
tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall
be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no
more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more
pain: for the former things are passed away. 5 And he that sat upon the
throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write:
for these words are true and faithful. 6 And he said unto me, It is done.
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that
is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7 He that overcometh
shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers,
and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have
their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is
the second death. 9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which
had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me,
saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. 10 And
he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed
me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious,
even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
Here in Revelation we see the New Jerusalem (the church vv.9,10) coming
down from God out of heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her Husband,
which explains what Jesus said in John 14:2,3:
John 14:2-3 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were
not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if
I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto
myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
It is the bride whom Jesus was to prepare for her eternal residence. This
preparation was the transforming work of the Holy Spirit building the New
Covenant Temple of God (2 Corinthians 3:18; Galatians 3:3; Ephesians 2:15,22;
4:13,24; Philippians 1:6; Colossians 3:10; 1 Peter 2:5). This bride is
seen again as descending out of heaven from God (vs.10). This explains
vs.3:
Revelation 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying,
Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them,
and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be
their God.
The tabernacle of God is with men. God will dwell with them. This coincides
with the answer Jesus gave to the Pharisees regarding their question concerning
the coming of the kingdom of God:
Luke 17:20-21 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: 21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo
there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
Clearly, Jesus taught the invisibility of His coming (2 Corinthians 4:18;
1 Timothy 1:17), and that the kingdom of God would be within them,
or, as Paul says, the glory that was about to be revealed in them
(Romans 8:18).
At this point, another question should be raised: why would the Pharisees
ask when the kingdom of God would come? Why did they not ask when they
would go to the kingdom of God? Remember, Jesus said, "I will come again
and receive you to myself," not "I will come again receive you to Myself,
and then we will all go." It is to be noted that frequently the Pharisees
were wrong in their understanding of Scripture. But how were they wrong?
Usually their misinterpretation of Scripture had to do with nature
rather than timing. This seems to be the chief problem that the
Pharisees and the Sadducees had. As we shall see, this comes from not knowing
the Scriptures or the power of God. An example of this is the Sadducees’
inquiry into the resurrection. Even though they denied the resurrection,
they assumed that the Pharisees’ interpretation of the resurrection as
a physical resurrection was the correct interpretation. They inquired of
Jesus regarding the physicality of marriage in the kingdom of God. Jesus
told them that in the kingdom of God there was neither male nor female,
for in the kingdom all live unto God. Here was a religious sect which was
misinformed regarding the word and power of God. Even Martha expected a
physical resurrection of Lazarus at the last day. Yet Jesus responded,
"I am the resurrection and the life." Like many throughout church history,
and especially in the twentieth century, the Pharisees were expecting a
Messiah whose kingdom would be physical and earthly. They expected Messiah
to come and conquer the dreaded fourth beast of Daniel, the Roman Empire.
Why not? It seems clear that Messiah would perform this:
Daniel 2:39-45 And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior
to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over
all the earth. 40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch
as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh
all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. 41 And whereas thou sawest
the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom
shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron,
forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. 42 And as the toes
of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be
partly strong, and partly broken. 43 And whereas thou sawest iron mixed
with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but
they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.
44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom,
which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other
people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and
it shall stand for ever. 45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was
cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the
iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath
made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream
is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
Daniel 7:7-27 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a
fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had
great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue
with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before
it; and it had ten horns. 8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there
came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of
the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were
eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. 9 I beheld
till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose
garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool:
his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. 10
A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands
ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him:
the judgment was set, and the books were opened. 11 I beheld then because
of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till
the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.
12 As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken
away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. 13 I saw in
the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds
of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before
him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that
all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an
everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which
shall not be destroyed. 15 I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst
of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. 16 I came near unto
one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told
me, and made me know the interpretation of the things. 17 These great beasts,
which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth. 18
But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the
kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever. 19 Then I would know the truth
of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful,
whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake
in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet; 20 And of the ten horns
that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom
three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very
great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. 21 I beheld,
and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
22 Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints
of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,
which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth,
and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. 24 And the ten horns out
of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise
after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue
three kings. 25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and
shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and
laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and
the dividing of time. 26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take
away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. 27 And the
kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole
heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose
kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey
him.
It is clear that during the time of the Roman Empire, Messiah was to set
up His kingdom. The question is: did Christ fail? Did He have to resort
to plan B; a plan for which we must still wait? There are some who say
(as this author once said) that there will be a revived Roman Empire. Where
in the passages from Daniel is this mentioned? One must search in vain
to find it not only in Daniel but in the whole Bible as well. It is only
when considering the words of Jesus Christ that we realize He was speaking
of an unseen kingdom not of this world:
John 18:33-37 Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again,
and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews? 34
Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell
it thee of me? 35 Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the
chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done? 36 Jesus
answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world,
then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews:
but now is my kingdom not from hence. 37 Pilate therefore said unto him,
Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To
this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should
bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my
voice.
Beyond any reasonable doubt Jesus clarifies the geography of His kingdom—not
of this world. Yet the Pharisees, with their fleshly works-salvation
outlook, assumed (as do most futurists) that this kingdom to which Daniel
referred was a fleshly kingdom to be established on planet earth. They
were very aware of the promises of God to set up His kingdom. It is likely
that the passages they remembered had to do with God setting up His tabernacle
among men:
Isaiah 33:20 Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine
eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not
be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither
shall any of the cords thereof be broken.
Ezekiel 37:27-28 My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will
be their God, and they shall be my people. 28 And the heathen shall know
that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst
of them for evermore.
Once again, these passages speak of God’s tabernacle being among men, coming
to men. It was prophesied that Messiah would come to men:
Genesis 49:10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver
from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering
of the people be.
This gathering of the people unto Him would be when Shiloh came, which
seems directly related to the prophecy given to Caiaphas:
John 11:51-52 And this spake he not of himself: but being high
priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;
52 And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together
in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.
When these passages are taken into consideration, Christ’s words to the
disciples become rich with prophetic realization:
John 14:2-3 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were
not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if
I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto
myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
The words of Jesus here are directly connected to His words to the Pharisees:
Luke 17:20-21 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: 21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo
there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
"The kingdom of God is within you" is referring to none other than Christ
coming and receiving His people to Himself. As we mentioned before, the
Pharisees were frequently in error concerning the Scriptures. However,
we have observed some of the Scriptures from which they derived their information.
Regarding Christ’s coming they were correct. Jesus did not correct them
regarding their interpretation of the coming of the kingdom. Instead, He
corrected them concerning the nature of the kingdom. Christ knew that their
interpretation of the kingdom was a physical and earthly interpretation
(Philippians 3:19). Christ did not say, "The kingdom of God cometh not."
He said, "The kingdom of God cometh not with observation," or as Strong’s
Concordance defines, 3907. parateresis, par-at-ay'-ray-sis; from G3906;
inspection, i.e. ocular evidence:--observation. In other words, the
kingdom of God does not come with ocular evidence. The timing of the "coming"
of the kingdom is evident in the Gospel of Mark:
Mark 8:38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my
words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son
of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy
angels. 9: 1 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be
some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they
have seen the kingdom of God come with power.
The kingdom coming with power refers to the presence of Christ, or the
Parousia, the presence from which God’s enemies would be cast away:
2 Thessalonians 1:4-11 So that we ourselves glory in you in the
churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and
tribulations that ye endure: 5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous
judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for
which ye also suffer: 6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense
tribulation to them that trouble you; 7 And to you who are troubled rest
with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty
angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and
that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9 Who shall be punished
with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the
glory of his power; 10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints,
and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among
you was believed) in that day. 11 Wherefore also we pray always for you,
that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the
good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:
Christ coming to dwell with His people was the "fullness of the blessing
of the Gospel" (Romans 15:29), a blessing which, as we will see, would
not be given to those who did not love the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus spoke of the place where He was going (His Father’s house), and
He spoke of the Way by which one could reach this house (Himself):
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the
life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
This passage is frequently quoted outside of its original context. It is
generally agreed that this verse is referring to salvation in Jesus Christ.
That is, when one believes on the Lord Jesus Christ (the Way) they have
come to the Father. We must contend for the truth that coming to the Father
is one and the same with coming to the Father’s house, a place which Jesus
went to prepare (vv.2,3). This house is the place where Jesus is (vs.3);
a place which all believers are:
Hebrews 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house
are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm
unto the end.
Once this is understood, then it becomes obvious that where Jesus is there
also are His people:
John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come
again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Again, Jesus uses this same language in His High Priestly prayer for those
who follow Him under the bond of the New Covenant:
John 17:24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given
me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast
given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
John 12:26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am,
there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father
honour.
In light of these passages, we must conclude that if we have come to the
Father (the Father’s house, where there are many mansions) through Jesus
(the Way to the Father’s house), then we have come to the place where Jesus
was going. Therefore, we are with Him where He is. This is one of the chief
objectives for which Christ died; the objective of bringing His people
to the Father who dwells in the Holiest of holies:
1 Peter 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:
Hebrews 7:19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in
of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.
Hebrews 10:18-22 Now where remission of these is, there is no more
offering for sin. 19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into
the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new and living way, which he
hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21
And having an high priest over the house of God; 22 Let us draw near with
a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from
an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
The significance of Christ’s phrase, "I will come again" (John 14:3), is
understood when His office of High Priest is considered. Under the Old
Covenant, once the high priest had finished making atonement in the Temple,
the congregation was outside the Temple eagerly awaiting his presence with
them:
Leviticus 16:17 And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of
the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place,
until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his
household, and for all the congregation of Israel.
No man could enter the tabernacle until the high priest came out of the
Temple. The coming again of Christ is the substance of the shadow
of the Old Covenant high priest coming out of the Temple, which is precisely
what Hebrews 9:28 is implying:
Hebrews 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many;
and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without
sin unto salvation.
If, as the futurist affirms, we are saved and our sins are completely removed
as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12), then why are the terms,
"without sin" and "salvation" mentioned within this verse? Unless one is
familiar with Old Covenant types, the significant meaning of this verse
remains concealed. Christ’s coming again does not refer to a separated,
distant future salvation and removal of sin; rather, it refers to Christ’s
High Priestly ministry to fulfill the day of salvation, which was consummated
with His Parousia or presence. This presence refers to the complete communion
with God at the mercy seat. There is a clear type of this in the O.T.:
Exodus 25:22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune
with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which
are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee
in commandment unto the children of Israel.
Exodus 30:6 And thou shalt put it before the veil that is by the
ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony,
where I will meet with thee.
At this point a brief description of the mercy seat is necessary for a
broader understanding of the presence of God. In Exodus 25:17-22, God gave
the instruction regarding the construction of the mercy seat. God ordained
Bezaleel to construct the mercy seat. It is fascinating to note that Bezaleel’s
name means in the shadow (i.e. protection of God). For surely he
needed this protection as he would construct the mercy seat; an object
to be approached only by the high priest. God described Bezaleel’s ordination
in Exodus 31:
Exodus 31:1-5 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 See, I have
called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of
Judah: 3 And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in
understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, 4 To
devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, 5 And
in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in
all manner of workmanship.
In Exodus 37 Bezaleel constructs the mercy seat:
Exodus 37:6-9 And he made the mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits
and a half was the length thereof, and one cubit and a half the breadth
thereof. 7 And he made two cherubims of gold, beaten out of one piece made
he them, on the two ends of the mercy seat; 8 One cherub on the end on
this side, and another cherub on the other end on that side: out of the
mercy seat made he the cherubims on the two ends thereof. 9 And the cherubims
spread out their wings on high, and covered with their wings over the mercy
seat, with their faces one to another; even to the mercy seatward were
the faces of the cherubims.
Notice the positioning of the angels in regard to the mercy seat. They
were placed on either side looking toward the mercy seat facing each other.
In Exodus 25:22; 30:6 we observed that God would commune at the mercy seat.
The mercy seat is said to have been on top of the testimony which contained
the law. Romans speaks very clearly regarding the purpose of the law:
Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh
be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Romans 4:15 because the law brings about wrath; for where there
is no law there is no transgression.
It is very evident that a mercy seat was needed in order to approach the
almighty God whose law worked wrath against His people. Through the mercy
seat, however, God would commune with Moses in the worldly Holiest
of holies. Tragically, the devastating reality was, that as long as the
first temple was still standing, the people of God could not enter the
Holiest. Hebrews explains this in more detail:
Hebrews 9:1-8 Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship
and an earthly sanctuary. 2 For a tent was constructed, the first one,
in which were the lampstand, the table, and the bread of the Presence;
this is called the Holy Place. 3 Behind the second curtain was a tent called
the Holy of Holies. 4 In it stood the golden altar of incense and the ark
of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which there were a
golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tablets
of the covenant; 5 above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the
mercy seat. Of these things we cannot speak now in detail. 6 Such preparations
having been made, the priests go continually into the first tent to carry
out their ritual duties; 7 but only the high priest goes into the second,
and he but once a year, and not without taking the blood that he offers
for himself and for the sins committed unintentionally by the people. 8
By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the sanctuary has not
yet been disclosed as long as the first tent is still standing. (NRSV)
The positioning of the angels was toward the mercy seat signifying their
awaiting the presence of God. The well-known vision of Isaiah sheds much
light on the subject:
Isaiah 6:1-7 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord
sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered
his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of
hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. 4 And the posts of the door
moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean
lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes
have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. 6 Then flew one of the seraphims
unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs
from off the altar: 7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this
hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.
There are several things to be noted as we consider the coming again
of Christ: first, the angels were present in the Temple and crying to one
another, "Holy, holy, holy." They obviously were in the heavenly
Holiest of holies, for it is clear from the Scriptures that God does not
dwell in temples made with hands:
Acts 7:48 Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with
hands; as saith the prophet,
Acts 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing
that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with
hands;
Second, God’s glory is present in this Temple and filling the whole earth,
which represents Gentiles coming to faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 15:8-12).
Third, a picture of Christ’s cleansing is seen as the angel took the coals
from the fire and purged the sin of Isaiah. The representation is unmistakable:
the coals represent the sacrifice of Christ upon the altar of the cross.
The earth being filled with the glory of the Lord signifies God’s tabernacle
dwelling among men, as we have already seen (Isaiah 33.20; Ezekiel 37:26-28).
This was the New Covenant glory that would never fade (2 Corinthians 3:8-11);
a glory into which the first-century believers were being transformed (2
Corinthians 3:18).
The mercy seat of Exodus 37 is a manifest type of Jesus Christ. Romans
is explicitly clear concerning this ministry of the heavenly High Priest:
Romans 3:23-26 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory
of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that
is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through
faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins
that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at
this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of
him which believeth in Jesus.
The word "propitiation" is defined as a mercy seat. That is, Christ is
the mercy seat by which (or Whom) we approach, and commune with, God; hence,
the words of Jesus:
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the
life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Enjoying the full presence of God was a blessing unattainable under the
curse of the Old Covenant. Hebrews is explicitly clear concerning this:
Hebrews 10:1 For the law, having a shadow of the good things to
come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices,
which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect.
It was only after the abolition of the first tabernacle that the
full presence of God would be experienced by His people, which is exactly
what Hebrews 9 is implying, especially vs.8:
Hebrews 9:8 By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into
the sanctuary has not yet been disclosed as long as the first tent is still
standing.
Revelation speaks of the heavenly temple not being opened until God’s wrath
was accomplished upon His enemies, the Jews. This wrath was consummated
with the destruction of the earthly Temple:
Revelation 11:18-19 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is
come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou
shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints,
and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them
which destroy the earth. 19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven,
and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were
lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
It is important to see the relationship between the reward of the
servants, prophets, and saints, and the judging of the dead with the opening
of the temple (Daniel 7:7-14; Revelation 20:11-15). Later in Revelation,
John makes reference to the same event:
Revelation 15:2-8 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with
fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his
image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the
sea of glass, having the harps of God. 3 And they sing the song of Moses
the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous
are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King
of saints. 4 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for
thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee;
for thy judgments are made manifest. 5 And after that I looked, and, behold,
the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: 6 And
the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed
in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.
7 And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials
full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. 8 And the temple
was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no
man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven
angels were fulfilled.
Here we see the relationship between the opening of the Temple with the
victory over the beast (vs.2), all nations coming and worshiping before
God (vs.4), God’s judgments made manifest (vs.4), the vials with plagues
of the wrath of God to be poured out upon Israel (vv.6,7), and the Temple
filled with the glory of God (vs.8 cf. Isaiah 6:1-7).
Christ’s coming again or second appearing (which involved
the destruction of Jerusalem (Matthew 24:1-3,34) is elucidated by the rest
of the passage immediately preceding Hebrews 9:28:
Hebrews 9:8-28 By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into
the sanctuary has not yet been disclosed as long as the first tent is still
standing. 9 This is a symbol of the present time, during which gifts and
sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper,
10 but deal only with food and drink and various baptisms, regulations
for the body imposed until the time comes to set things right. 11 But when
Christ came as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through
the greater and perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this
creation), 12 he entered once for all into the Holy Place, not with the
blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal
redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, with the sprinkling
of the ashes of a heifer, sanctifies those who have been defiled so that
their flesh is purified, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who
through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify
our conscience from dead works to worship the living God! 15 For this reason
he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may
receive the promised eternal inheritance, because a death has occurred
that redeems them from the transgressions under the first covenant. 16
Where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established.
17 For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long
as the one who made it is alive. 18 Hence not even the first covenant was
inaugurated without blood. 19 For when every commandment had been told
to all the people by Moses in accordance with the law, he took the blood
of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled
both the scroll itself and all the people, 20 saying, "This is the blood
of the covenant that God has ordained for you." 21 And in the same way
he sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels used in worship.
22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and
without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. 23 Thus
it was necessary for the sketches of the heavenly things to be purified
with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves need better sacrifices
than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands,
a mere copy of the true one, but he entered into heaven itself, now to
appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself
again and again, as the high priest enters the Holy Place year after year
with blood that is not his own; 26 for then he would have had to suffer
again and again since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has
appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice
of himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once, and
after that the judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear
the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but
to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. (NRSV)
In vs.9, it is evident that the conscience needed purging. Under the Old
Covenant this could not have taken place, because, under that inferior
Covenant (Hebrews 7:22; 8:6; 12:24), everlasting life was impossible:
Galatians 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God
forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life,
verily righteousness should have been by the law.
By the law was the knowledge of sin. Therefore, under the Old Covenant
there was never any purging of the conscience. In fact, the opposite was
true. The purpose of the day of Atonement under the Old Covenant was not
to take away sin. Rather, its purpose was to remind the sinner that his
conscience had not been purged, showing him that he was still in need of
salvation and under the curse of the law of sin and death:
Hebrews 10:1-3 For the law having a shadow of good things to come,
and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which
they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers
once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. 3 But in those
sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
A remembrance of what? Of sins. Through Christ’s sacrifice the conscience
was purged forever:
Hebrews 9:13-14 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the
ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying
of the flesh: 14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the
eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience
from dead works to serve the living God?
This purging of the conscience was entirely unknown to those under the
Old Covenant, which is why the Psalmist exclaimed:
Psalms 14:7 Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion!
when the LORD bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice,
and Israel shall be glad.
They had not yet obtained the salvation that came with Jesus Christ. Peter
even admonished his readers regarding this salvation by grace:
1 Peter 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto
salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
1 Peter 1:9-13 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation
of your souls. 10 Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched
diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 11 Searching
what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did
signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the
glory that should follow. 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. 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;
In examining Hebrews 9 it is apparent that this salvation which was to
be fully consummated at the revelation of Jesus Christ is inseparable from
dwelling in the Holiest of holies in the presence of God. The Old Covenant
believers were waiting for the time of reformation, i.e. the time when
Messiah would bring in everlasting life and righteousness:
Daniel 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon
thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins,
and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness,
and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
The writer of Hebrews then continues to show the contrast between New Covenant
heavenly
things and Old Covenant carnal things:
Hebrews 9:10-11 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers
washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.
11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater
and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of
this building;
The Greek phrase ton mellonton agathon is used to show the imminence
of the fullness of the New Covenant kingdom. By using the word mellonton
translated as it should be (about to), the passage reads:
Hebrews 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things
about to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with
hands, that is to say, not of this building;
What good things were about to come? Hebrews 8 clarifies that the good
things about to come were the promises of the consummated New Covenant:
Hebrews 8:10-13 For this is the covenant that I will make with
the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws
into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them
a God, and they shall be to me a people: 11 And they shall not teach every
man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for
all shall know me, from the least to the greatest 12 For I will be merciful
to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember
no more. 13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old.
Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
During the apostolic era the Old Covenant and its curse upon the people
of God was in the process of decaying and waxing old. The end was so imminent
that the writer of Hebrews could declare with certainty that it (the Old
Covenant) was ready to vanish away. Hebrews 9 simply explains the details
of the contrasts between the two covenants as does the rest of the book.
Hebrews 9:11 says that Christ is the High Priest by a greater and more
perfect Tabernacle. This tabernacle is none other than that mentioned in
Ezekiel and Revelation:
Ezekiel 37:26-28 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with
them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them,
and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.
27 My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and
they shall be my people. 28 And the heathen shall know that I the LORD
do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for
evermore.
Revelation 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold,
the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they
shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
The Old Covenant produced no eternal redemption, i.e. forgiveness, for
the people of God. However, the New Covenant in the blood of Christ obtained
eternal redemption once for all:
Hebrews 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his
own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal
redemption for us.
A similar statement is made in chapter ten:
Hebrews 10:9-10 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God.
He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. 10 By the which
will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ
once for all.
Through purging the consciences of His people, proclaims the writer of
Hebrews, Jesus Christ is the Mediator of the New Covenant:
Hebrews 9:14-15 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through
the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience
from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this cause he is the
mediator of the New Testament, that by means of death, for the redemption
of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are
called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
The phrase, "Mediator of the New Testament" should bring to our remembrance
what we have already studied regarding Jesus as the Way to the Father:
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the
life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Simply stated, there was enmity between God and His people, and the Old
Covenant sacrifices could not abolish that enmity. However, Jesus Christ,
the Mediator of the New Covenant, could:
Ephesians 2:13-16 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were
far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 14 For he is our peace, who
hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between
us; 15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments
contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so
making peace; 16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body
by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
Ephesians does not stop there. Paul continues the very theme we are examining:
through Christ we have direct access to the Father:
Ephesians 2:17-22 And came and preached peace to you which were
afar off, and to them that were nigh. 18 For through him we both have access
by one Spirit unto the Father. 19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers
and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household
of God; 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21 In whom all the building
fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22 In whom
ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
All the elements are there: sacrifice, access to the Father, the household
of God, the holy Temple, and God dwelling with us. This makes the phrase,
"Mediator of the New Covenant" so much more significant. As we have seen,
this mediation to bring peace between God the Father and His people was
accomplished through the blood of Christ; the new and living Way
that brought His people into the Holiest of holies (Hebrews 10:19,20).
Verse 14 continues to explain why this was done:
Hebrews 9:15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the New Testament,
that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were
under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise
of eternal inheritance.
The promise of eternal inheritance was that to which Christ so frequently
alluded, i.e. eternal life:
John 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give
him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in
him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word,
and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not
come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
John 5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the
resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection
of damnation.
John 6:27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that
meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give
unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
These promises of Christ were speaking of nothing less than Himself:
John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the
life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
These same promises of the inheritance or the reward are throughout the
Old and New Testaments:
Genesis 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.
Psalms 16:5 The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my
cup: thou maintainest my lot.
Isaiah 28:5 In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of
glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people,
Isaiah 62:3 Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the
LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.
1 Peter 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive
a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
2 Corinthians 1:20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and
in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
Colossians 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:
The reward, the crown of glory, the promise, and the inheritance are all
contained in the Name above all names, Jesus Christ. The promise of eternal
inheritance would be Christ in His people. The hope of glory was
just that for the first-century saints—a hope. This explains Paul’s words
to Titus:
Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing
of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
The first-century believers were hoping for His presence, i.e. the unseen
kingdom of God that would not come with observation:
Luke 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:
They were waiting for the fullness of God to dwell in them. This may sound
foreign if one is not familiar with N.T. language regarding the necessary
transforming work of the Holy Spirit before Christ and the Father would
dwell in believers.
Verses 16,17 of Hebrews 9 explain the necessity of the death of the
Testator in order for the inheritance to become effectual:
Hebrews 9:16-17 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity
be the death of the testator 17 For a testament is of force after men are
dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.
Even in the twentieth century we understand this type of language. If a
father wills his estate to his son, in essence the promise is, when he
(the father) dies then the benefits of the estate become the son’s, but
only after he dies. Hebrews exclaims the same principle. The word testament
simply means a contract (espec. a devisory will):--covenant, testament
(Strong’s).
Testator is from the same root word. Literally, Jesus is the will-writer
and the contractor who promised to give the inheritance (Himself)
to His people after He died. The outpouring of the Spirit was essential
in accomplishing the application of the inheritance. Both Jesus and Paul
make clear references to this:
John 7:38-39 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said,
out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spake
he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the
Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another
Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
John 14:18-20 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because
I live, ye shall live also. 20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my
Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he
will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto
him, and make our abode with him.
Ephesians 1:13-14 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, 14 Which is
the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession,
unto the praise of his glory.
The purpose of the indwelling Spirit was to guarantee that the inheritance
(Christ) would be given to all believers (Galatians 4:19). It would be
at this point that the fulfillment of 2 Corinthians 1:20 would be accomplished:
2 Corinthians 1:20 For all the promises of God in him are yea,
and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
Hebrews makes very clear the status of O.T. believers before the death
of Christ:
Hebrews 9:17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise
it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.
As long as Christ was living, the N.T. was of no strength at all. Therefore,
O.T. believers could not have passed into heaven before Christ died. To
affirm this would be to deny the necessity of the death of Christ for forgiveness
of sins and entrance into heaven:
Hebrews 8:1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the
sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne
of the Majesty in the heavens;
Hebrews 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.
Hebrews 9:24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made
with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself,
now to appear in the presence of God for us:
Hebrews 10:19-20 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into
the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new and living way, which he
hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
We must conclude, therefore, that it would be a grave error to affirm heavenly
status for anyone before the death of Christ. Heavenly status and presence
with Christ are inseparable. We must remember that the way into the Holiest
would only be completed after the dissolution of the Temple:
Hebrews 9:8 By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into
the sanctuary has not yet been disclosed as long as the first tent is still
standing.
Hebrews 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into
the Holiest by the blood of Jesus,
Why would the writer of Hebrews tell them to have boldness? Primarily,
because they were about to enter the Holiest at the destruction of the
first tabernacle. Other writers allude to this same idea:
Ephesians 3:11-12 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed
in Christ Jesus our Lord: 12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence
by the faith of him.
1 John 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.
The boldness here refers to, as Paul makes evident, approaching the Father.
This boldness necessarily was absent from O.T. believers because Christ
had not yet paid the penalty for sin in order for them to enter into the
Holiest. Yet under the consummated N.T. (or promise) the writer of Hebrews
states otherwise:
Hebrews 10:21-22 And having an high priest over the house of God;
22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having
our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with
pure water.
Notice that the performance of the High Priest was essential in order for
believers to have confidence to approach God the Father. A similar assertion
is made in chapter four where the writer speaks of entering into the eternal
rest of God:
Hebrews 4:14-16 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. 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. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of
grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Through the High Priestly ministry of Jesus Christ believers have come
to the throne of God the Father in heaven:
Hebrews 12:22-23 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, 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,
This status is in direct opposition to that in which all believers remained
under the Covenant from Sinai:
Hebrews 12:18-21 For ye are not come unto the mount that might
be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness,
and tempest, 19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which
voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them
any more: 20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if
so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through
with a dart: 21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly
fear and quake:)
This entrance into heaven would only be granted by the work and intercession
of the High Priest who had already passed into heaven:
Hebrews 9:24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made
with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself,
now to appear in the presence of God for us:
In expounding upon the presence of God with His people by the blood of
Christ, the writer of Hebrews shows the O.T. type:
Hebrews 9:18-23 Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated
without blood. 19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people
according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water,
and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the
people, 20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined
unto you. 21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and
all the vessels of the ministry. 22 And almost all things are by the law
purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. 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.
A popular theme among professing Christians who are somewhat familiar with
the relationship between the O.T. types and the N.T. reality in Christ,
is the fact that without the shedding of blood, there is no remission or
forgiveness of sins. The writer of Hebrews said that any vessels
associated with the Temple and its various ministries had to be sprinkled
with the blood of calves and goats. Once this is understood, it is evident
that the vessels in the O.T. Temple are patterns or representations
of believers purged by the blood of Christ. Paul uses language with which
first-century believers (especially Jewish believers) were well acquainted:
Romans 9:21-23 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the
same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? 22
What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured
with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: 23
And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of
mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
1 Thessalonians 4:4 That every one of you should know how to possess
his vessel in sanctification and honour;
2 Timothy 2:20-21 But in a great house there are not only vessels
of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour,
and some to dishonour. 21 If a man therefore purge himself from these,
he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's
use, and prepared unto every good work.
The physical vessels of ministry under the Old Covenant represent the spiritual
vessels of ministry under the New Covenant. This gives a little more light
on Paul’s identification of believers and ministers:
2 Corinthians 3:5-6 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to
think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 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.
Just as the vessels in the earthly Temple pertained to earthly service
under the Old Covenant, likewise, the vessels in the heavenly Temple pertain
to heavenly service under the New Covenant. It is vital to understand that
as long as the first inferior Covenant was instituted, there was no true
remission of sins as we have already learned:
Hebrews 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and
of goats should take away sins.
Therefore, all those believers were still under the Old Covenant. Under
the New Covenant, however, the writer of Hebrews shows the reality in Christ:
Hebrews 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.
The patterns or representations of things in the heavens had to
be purified with the blood of bulls and goats. On the contrary, or rather,
the reality of the substance of the shadow, heavenly things are purified
with better things than these. Consider these related passages:
Colossians 2:16-17 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in
drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath
days: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
Hebrews 10:1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come,
and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which
they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
Hebrews 10:34-37 For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took
joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have
in heaven a better and an enduring substance. 35 Cast not away therefore
your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. 36 For ye have
need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive
the promise. 37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come,
and will not tarry.
In these passages we see the comparison between the shadow and the substance.
Hebrews 9:23 tells us that the heavenly things are purified with better
sacrifices, i.e. the sacrifice of Christ. This explains the adjective better
concerning the New Covenant:
Hebrews 7:19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing
in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.
Hebrews 7:22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
Hebrews 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.
What is important to understand is position of those things purified
by the sacrifice of Christ. The writer of Hebrews says "the heavenly things."
In other words, under the New Covenant those who have been purified with
the blood of Christ are considered heavenly or heavenly things.
This purification is seen throughout the N.T.
Ephesians 5:25-27 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also
loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and
cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present
it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such
thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from
all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good
works.
Hebrews 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through
the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience
from dead works to serve the living God?
Hebrews 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood;
and without shedding of blood is no remission.
1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we
have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son
cleanseth us from all sin.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive
us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Each of these verses contains the element of purging, all of which use
some form of the Greek word katharizo. Hebrews tells us that it
is through this purging that we are made heavenly, which fits perfectly
with the rest of the book:
Hebrews 10:19-20 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter
into the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new and living way, which
he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
The heavenly things dwell in the Holiest which is not a temple made with
hands. This presence of those purified by the blood of Christ in the Holiest
is identical to the place which the writer of Hebrews says believers have
come; a place directly associated with the presence of the Father and the
Son:
Hebrews 12:22-24 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, 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, 24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant,
and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of
Abel.
Notice the various facets related to this presence with God: first we see
the element of Mount Zion, an element which was predicted frequently in
the prophets:
Psalms 2:6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
Psalms 14:7 Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion!
when the LORD bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice,
and Israel shall be glad.
Psalms 50:2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.
Psalms 69:35 For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of
Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession.
Psalms 132:13 For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it
for his habitation.
Isaiah 1:27 Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts
with righteousness.
Isaiah 2:3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us
go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and
he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of
Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
Isaiah 4:4-5 When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the
daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the
midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.
5 And the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and
upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming
fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence.
Isaiah 12:6 Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great
is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.
The city of the living God is also associated with His presence:
Psalms 42:2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when
shall I come and appear before God?
Psalms 46:4 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad
the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.
Psalms 84:2 My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of
the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.
Psalms 87:3 Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah.
Daniel 6:26 I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom
men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God,
and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed,
and his dominion shall be even unto the end.
Hosea 1:10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the
sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come
to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people,
there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.
Romans 9:24-26 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only,
but also of the Gentiles? 25 As he saith also in Osee, I will call them
my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.
26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto
them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of
the living God.
The heavenly Jerusalem is also the place to which believers have come to
be in the presence of God:
Psalms 51:18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou
the walls of Jerusalem.
Psalms 68:29 Because of thy temple at Jerusalem shall kings bring
presents unto thee.
Psalms 128:5 The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt
see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.
Psalms 135:21 Blessed be the LORD out of Zion, which dwelleth at
Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD.
Psalms 147:2 The LORD doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together
the outcasts of Israel.
Isaiah 2:3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us
go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and
he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of
Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
Isaiah 27:13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great
trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish
in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall
worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem.
Isaiah 30:19 For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou
shalt weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of
thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee.
Isaiah 33:20 Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine
eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not
be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither
shall any of the cords thereof be broken.
Isaiah 52:1 Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy
beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall
no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.
Isaiah 52:9 Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places
of Jerusalem: for the LORD hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed
Jerusalem.
Isaiah 62:6-7 I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which
shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the
LORD, keep not silence. 7 And give him no rest, till he establish, and
till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.
Isaiah 65:18-19 But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which
I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a
joy. 19 And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the
voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.
Isaiah 66:10 Rejoice ye with
Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy
with her, all ye that mourn for her:
Isaiah 66:13 As one whom his
mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in
Jerusalem.
Isaiah 66:20 And they shall bring
all your brethren for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon
horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift
beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the LORD, as the children
of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD.
"To an innumerable company of
angels" is the phrase used to show the heavenly quality of believers.
This corresponds with several other passages that involve the presence
of angels or describe the nature of heaven:
Isaiah 6:1-3 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord
sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered
his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of
hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
Genesis 28:12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth,
and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending
and descending on it.
John 1:50-51 Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto
thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater
things than these. 51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto
you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending
and descending upon the Son of man.
Matthew 16:27-28 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his
Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to
his works. 28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which
shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
Matthew 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all
the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
Matthew 18:10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little
ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold
the face of my Father which is in heaven.
Luke 12:8-9 Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before
men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: 9
But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of
God.
Luke 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried
by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
Luke 20:34-38 And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of
this world marry, and are given in marriage: 35 But they which shall be
accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead,
neither marry, nor are given in marriage: 36 Neither can they die any more:
for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being
the children of the resurrection. 37 Now that the dead are raised, even
Moses showed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham,
and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. 38 For he is not a God of the
dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.
This should remind us of that place in Scripture (where God communed or
made His presence with Moses: between the cherubim or angels):
Exodus 25:21-22 And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the
ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.
22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above
the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of
the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto
the children of Israel.
They signify God’s presence through the mercy seat. Cited earlier was Romans
3:25 which declares Christ to be that mercy seat:
Romans 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through
faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins
that are past, through the forbearance of God;
If we have come to Christ, then we have come to the presence of the Father
where the angels dwell. We commune with God in His presence and in the
presence of the holy angels. Isaiah saw this picture in his vision. He
was in the Holiest in the presence of God and the angels. But he could
not endure it, for even he spoke: "Woe is me, for I am undone. I am a man
of unclean lips and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips."
But what was the solution to Isaiah’s problem? That is, what would enable
Isaiah to have a clear conscience in the presence of God? The passage tells
us that the angel took the tongs and one of the coals of the altar (representing
the sacrifice and bloodshed of Christ) and cleansed the unholy lips of
Isaiah. It was at this time that Isaiah would be able to respond with a
clear conscience to God’s request for an evangelist to reach the people.
Hence, Isaiah says: "Here am I. Send me."
From the passage in John (1:50-51) where Jesus is seen speaking with
Nathaniel, Jesus says that Nathaniel will the see the fulfillment of the
dream Jacob had regarding the ladder. The ladder represents Jesus Christ,
the Mediator between the Father and His people. The angels are the ministers
which carry believers, as they did Lazarus, into the presence of the Father.
This is what the writer of Hebrews implies in the first chapter:
Hebrews 1:13-14 But to which of the angels said he at any time,
Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? 14 Are
they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall
be heirs of salvation?
This of course is related to Jacob’s dream:
Genesis 28:12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the
earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God
ascending and descending on it.
And its fulfillment:
John 1:51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you,
Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and
descending upon the Son of man.
What is so significant is that the context in Genesis concludes with Jacob
identifying the blessing of what he had just seen:
Genesis 28:12-17 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on
the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of
God ascending and descending on it. 13 And, behold, the LORD stood above
it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac:
the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; 14
And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad
to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in
thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. 15
And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou
goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee,
until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of. 16 And Jacob awaked
out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I
knew it not. 17 And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place!
this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.
Jacob calls it the house of God ("whose house are we" Hebrews 3:6), and
that surely "the Lord is in this place." That is, Jacob recognized that
entrance into the house of God was by the ladder, which of course represents
Christ. Christ is that ladder, or as Jacob also says, "the gate of heaven."
We enter into heaven through the ladder. Christ identified Himself as that
door or gate to the pasture:
John 10:7-9 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I
say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All that ever came before me
are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door:
by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out,
and find pasture.
This sheds enormous light on that most familiar passage of Scripture:
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the
life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Coming to the Father through Jesus the Son is synonymous with salvation
and heaven, or the house of God (the church), and the elements of Hebrews
12:22-24 that include presence with an innumerable company of angels. Believers
are said to have come to the "general assembly and church of the firstborn
that are written in heaven." This is referring to none other than the church,
the Bride, who is the body of Christ, a body in which Paul said there is
neither male nor female. This corresponds with the comparison Jesus made
between believers and angels in the resurrection, "they neither marry nor
are given in marriage...for in the resurrection all live unto God":
Galatians 3:26-29 For ye are all the children of God by faith in
Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have
put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond
nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ
Jesus. 29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs
according to the promise.
Romans 6:10-11 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in
that he liveth, he liveth unto God. 11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves
to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our
Lord.
Ephesians 1:22-23 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave
him to be the head over all things to the church, 23 Which is his body,
the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Ephesians 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as
Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
Then the writer of Hebrews finally gives the most magnificent element in
the New Covenant. He declares that believers have come to God the Judge
of all and to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant, and to the blood
of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. Here
we have the clear presentation of that exclusive method by which believers
have access to the Father and the rest of the heavenly elements: the blood
of Christ. The writer contrasts the effectual quality of the blood of Jesus
with that of the sacrifice given by Abel; a sacrifice which, though superior
to that given by Cain, nevertheless represented the inability of the Old
Covenant to give life:
Galatians 3:21-22 Is the law then against the promises of God?
God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life,
verily righteousness should have been by the law. 22 But the scripture
hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ
might be given to them that believe.
Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, the elect of the Father can now
approach Him boldly. Believers are in the presence of God, forever never
to die under the curse of sin and death:
John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word,
and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not
come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
John 8:51 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying,
he shall never see death.
This resurrection life in Jesus Christ is the glory of the New Covenant
as believers are face to face with Him in the presence of God the Father.
When this is understood, the pregnancy of Christ’s statement is unmistakable:
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the
life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Christ here unites several important features of redemption: Through coming
to Christ we have come to or through the Way, and we have the Life, and
we come to the Father, or as we have noted, the Father’s house.
Before the fullness of these things could be accomplished Jesus Christ
had to fulfill the High Priestly ministry, which involved taking the sacrifice
into the Holiest of holies to appear in the presence of God for the people.
Hebrews 9:24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made
with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself,
now to appear in the presence of God for us:
Some have mistakenly assumed that when Christ rose from the dead He had
entered into the Holiest of holies. Christ however, denies this:
John 20:17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet
ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend
unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
Christ distinguishes that which He was going to consummate: the accomplishment
of the tabernacle of God with men:
2 Corinthians 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with
idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will
dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall
be my people.
Revelation 21:1-3 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the
first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more
sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God
out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard
a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with
men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God
himself shall be with them, and be their God.
The glory of the Hew Heavens (the New Covenant) is the presence of God
as He tabernacles among His people. This glory is greater than the Old
Heavens (the Old Covenant) which was in the process of passing away (or
"being shaken" ) in the first century:
2 Corinthians 3:11 For if what is passing away was glorious, what
remains is much more glorious.
Hebrews 12:25-28 See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if
they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall
we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, 26 whose
voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, "Yet once
more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven." 27 Now this, "Yet once
more," indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as
of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.
28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken,
let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence
and godly fear.
The proof that the "earth and heaven" mentioned refers to the Old Covenant
is clearly seen in the context (Hebrews 12:18-28). The appearance of Christ
before the Father was so that the people of God could be brought unto Him
by His blood. This was the purpose of the death of Christ:
1 Peter 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:
The contrast shown in Hebrews 9 between the Old and New proves that the
writer was acknowledging that the ministry of the High Priest was not yet
accomplished. The sacrifice of Christ had to be accepted and applied to
the vessels just as sacrifices were accepted and applied to the vessels
under the Old Covenant:
Hebrews 9:21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle,
and all the vessels of the ministry.
Once the sacrifice of the earthly high priest was accepted then he could
appear to the awaiting congregation:
Leviticus 16:17 And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of
the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place,
until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his
household, and for all the congregation of Israel.
Likewise, no man could enter into the Holiest until Christ would come out;
the only difference being, that under the Old Covenant the people were
never allowed into the Holiest holies. The entrance of Christ into the
Holiest of holies was to completely perform the office of High Priest.
Because His sacrifice was through the eternal Spirit (Hebrews 9:14), it
was acceptable in the sight of the Father. This sacrifice was declared
to be the sacrifice once for all (Romans 6:10; Hebrews 7:27; 9:12,26,28;
10:10; 1 Peter 3:18). Therefore, He was able to bring His people into the
Holiest of holies to commune with God the Father; something which was never
accomplished under the Old Covenant:
Hebrews 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and
of goats should take away sins.
From the next two verses in Hebrews 9 the difference between Christ and
high priests under the Old Covenant is obvious:
Hebrews 9:25-26 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as
the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;
26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world:
but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by
the sacrifice of himself.
At the cross, Christ appeared to put away or cancel sin by His one-time
sacrifice. This, of course, is in stark contrast to the office of earthly
high priests, who not only had to enter yearly to offer sacrifices; they
also had to offer sacrifices for their own sins. Christ, on the other hand,
was under no such obligation, for He was sinless:
1 Peter 1:18-19 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; 19 But with the precious blood
of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
Also, because the blood of bulls and goats could not take away sins, the
earthly high priests would come out of the Temple only to remind the congregation
that they were still under the curse of sin and death. He could not "bring
them to God" into the Holiest of holies. This is the enormous difference
between the weakness of the Old Covenant and the strength of the New Covenant:
Hebrews 7:18-19 For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment
going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. 19 For the
law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by
the which we draw nigh unto God.
The truth of Hebrews 9:27 is often cited to show the urgency of believing
on the Lord Jesus Christ lest a person die and enter into eternal punishment.
This doctrine is very true and the application is appropriate. Nevertheless,
it will serve us well to understand the significance of the relationship
between vv.27 and 28:
Hebrews 9:27-28 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but
after this the judgment: 28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins
of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time
without sin unto salvation.
The word "So" in vs.28 shows that Christ was to follow the pattern of dying
and bearing judgment. He was to die and bear the judgment of His people.
The rest of vs.28 flows perfectly with the entire context of Hebrews
9:
Hebrews 9:28b ...and unto them that look for him shall he appear
the second time without sin unto salvation.
It is evident that the writer had the first-century audience in mind by
using the phrase, "and unto them that look for Him." The writer has stressed
this point throughout the book:
Hebrews 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house
are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm
unto the end.
Hebrews 3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the
beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
Hebrews 4:1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us
of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
Hebrews 6:8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected,
and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
Hebrews 6:11 And we desire that every one of you do show the same
diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together,
as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more,
as ye see the day approaching.
Hebrews 10:36-37 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have
done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 37 For yet a little
while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
Hebrews 13:14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one
to come.
The writer is exhorting the Hebrews at Jerusalem to "look for" the second
appearing of Jesus Christ. We must ask why the writer was so intent on
conveying to the Hebrews that the return of Christ was so imminent. This
admonition would clearly give the Hebrews the impression that they were
to look for the second appearing of Christ. Were the Hebrews who received
this admonition disappointed even though they looked for His appearing
or presence?
Beyond this is Christ’s appearing without sin unto salvation. "Without
sin" refers to the sacrifice of Christ being offered for sin to "put away"
sin (vs.26). That is, Christ took upon Him the sins of His elect. But we
must remember that after His death and resurrection He still had to ascend
to Holiest of holies to become the mercy seat for the people of God:
Romans 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation (mercy-seat)
through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission
of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
We noted earlier that before Christ ascended to the Holiest of holies to
offer the acceptable sacrifice unto God, He requested that Mary Magdalene
not cling to Him, for He had not yet ascended to His Father (John 20:17).
After His ascension, however, Christ was fulfilling all the requirements
of the High Priestly office:
Romans 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died,
yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God,
who also maketh intercession for us.
Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost
that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for
them.
Pertaining to performing of the High Priestly office, Hebrews 10:9
is very enlightening:
Hebrews 10:9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He
taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
The verb "taketh away" is in the present tense. Jesus Christ, during the
transformation period, was taking away the Old Covenant and establishing
the New Covenant. In fact, the context of Hebrews 10 teaches that just
as the earthly high priests were still offering sacrifices, Christ
was fulfilling His heavenly ministry:
Hebrews 10:7-14 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book
it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God 8 Above when he said, Sacrifice
and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not,
neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law 9 Then said
he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he
may establish the second 10 By the which will we are sanctified through
the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all 11 And every priest
standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices,
which can never take away sins 12 But this man, after he had offered one
sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God 13 From
henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool 14 For by one
offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
The significance of those ministries of Jesus Christ which were being
performed during the first century must be emphasized. First, we see
in vs.8 that the earthly high priests were still offering (present tense)
sacrifices under the law. On the contrary, however, the heavenly High Priest
was taking away (present tense) the first covenant so that He would
completely establish the New Covenant. In vs. 10 we see the clear substance
of the O.T. shadow. As we have observed, under the Old Covenant the priests
would first offer the sacrifice upon the altar. After this they would enter
the first tabernacle to accomplish the service of God:
Hebrews 9:6 Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests
went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.
Of course to fulfill the type, Christ, our heavenly High Priest, also had
to enter the first tabernacle to accomplish the service of God. This service
of God is crucial to understand. Later in Hebrews 9 this service is illustrated:
Hebrews 9:21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle,
and all the vessels of the ministry.
The vessels, as we have learned, represented believers in Jesus Christ,
or vessels prepared for honor. The earthly minister took some time to sprinkle
the vessels of ministry. Jesus, therefore, performed the substance of this
shadow as well. It was this ministry that Jesus was performing during the
first century between Pentecost and the destruction of the Temple: i.e.
the ministry of sprinkling or sanctifying the vessels. This is precisely
why the use of the sanctified is in the present tense:
Hebrews 10:10 By the which will we are (being) sanctified through
the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
At the time of the writing of the book of Hebrews the earthly high priests
were still performing their earthly ministries:
Hebrews 10:11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering
oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
Both words ministering and offering are in the present tense.
This is understandable especially when we consider that the Temple and
Jerusalem had not yet been destroyed:
Galatians 4:25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth
to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
Before the destruction of Jerusalem, Paul identified it as still existing.
So did the writer of Hebrews:
Hebrews 9:8 By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way
into the sanctuary has not yet been disclosed as long as the first tent
is still standing.
Therefore, as long as the Temple was standing, the earthly priests were
daily ministering and offering sacrifices which could never take away sins.
Concerning the heavenly service, Christ, at the same time the earthly priests
were performing their earthly service, was performing
His
heavenly service. That is, while the earthly ministers were sprinkling
and sanctifying the earthly vessels, Christ was sprinkling and sanctifying
the heavenly vessels:
Hebrews 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them
that are sanctified.
The New King James Version translates this with more clarity, emphasizing
the present tense of the verb "sanctified":
Hebrews 10:14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those
who are being sanctified.
This important theme of progressive sanctification and transformation is
taught in numerous other places including Hebrews 8:13:
Hebrews 8:13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the
first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
However, it is especially clear in 2 Corinthians 3. Consider Paul’s use
of present tense verbs in this context:
2 Corinthians 3:9-18 For if the ministration of condemnation be
glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect,
by reason of the glory that excelleth. 11 For if that which is done away
was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious. 12 Seeing then
that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: 13 And not as
Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could
not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: 14 But their
minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken
away in the reading of the old testament; which veil is done away in Christ.
15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.
16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken
away. 17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord
is, there is liberty. 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.
Verse 9 teaches us that the ministration of righteousness was exceeding
(present tense) in glory in contrast to the Old Covenant ministration of
death which glory was passing away (present tense-vs.11). The ministration
of righteousness was in the process of excelling (vs.10) opposing
the Old Covenant which was being abolished (present tense-vs.13);
the same veil which was being done away in Christ (vs.14-also present
tense). Of course vs.18 describes the transformation that first-century
believers were experiencing as the Covenants were in transition:
2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a
glass the glory of the Lord, are being changed into the same image from
glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
This present-tense transformation first-century believers were experiencing
pertained to the changed from Old Covenant glory to New Covenant glory.
It was at the completion of this glory that believers would be fully transformed
into the heavenly image of Jesus Christ. This would take place once
the outward sign of the destruction of the Temple occurred. This outward
sign of the destruction of the Temple would fulfill the wrath of God upon
Israel (Luke 21:23). Once this transpired, then the heavenly vessels which
(who) were being sanctified could enter into the Holiest of holies to be
completely in the presence of God the Father forever and ever. This explains
the significance of the phrase in Hebrews 9, "without sin unto salvation."
Once the transformation was complete and Christ sprinkled and sanctified
the vessels, He could come out of the Holiest of holies into the first
part of the tabernacle where the sprinkled and sanctified vessels were.
Consequently He would bring them in with Him (their mercy seat) as they
appeared before God the Father-holy, unblameable, and unreproveable in
His sight:
Colossians 1:20-22 And, having made peace through the blood of
his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say,
whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. 21 And you, that
were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now
hath he reconciled 22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present
you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
The outpouring of the wrath of God seen in the destruction of the earthly
Temple was the visible sign that the heavenly Temple was finally opened
so the people of God could enter:
Revelation 11:18-19 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is
come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou
shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints,
and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them
which destroy the earth. 19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven,
and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were
lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
Revelation 15:1-8 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous,
seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the
wrath of God. 2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire:
and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image,
and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of
glass, having the harps of God. 3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant
of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy
works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.
4 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only
art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments
are made manifest. 5 And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of
the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: 6 And the seven angels
came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white
linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. 7 And one of
the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the
wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. 8 And the temple was filled
with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able
to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were
fulfilled.
The reward that God would give His people was entrance into the Holiest
of holies to be with Him (Revelation 11:18,19; 15:2,5,8):
Hebrews 10:15-22 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us:
for after that he had said before, 16 This is the covenant that I will
make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into
their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; 17 And their sins and
iniquities will I remember no more. 18 Now where remission of these is,
there is no more offering for sin. 19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness
to enter into the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new and living
way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say,
his flesh; 21 And having an high priest over the house of God; 22 Let us
draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts
sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
This reward of being in the presence of God the Father is what Jesus, the
apostle John, and Matthew said would take place in their generation:
Matthew 16:27-28 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of
his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according
to his works. 28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which
shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.
Hebrews 10:36-37 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have
done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 37 For yet a little
while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
Revelation 22:10-12 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of
the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. 11 He that is unjust,
let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still:
and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy,
let him be holy still. 12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is
with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
Again, the Scriptures remind us that the presence of the Lord was the reward:
Genesis 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.
Isaiah 40:10 Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and
his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work
before him.
Colossians 3:24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward
of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
Psalms 16:5 The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my
cup: thou maintainest my lot.
This last reference referring to God maintaining the Psalmist’s lot concerns
the land or inheritance he and all other believers would
receive at the return of Christ:
Hebrews 11:39-40 And these all, having obtained a good report through
faith, received not the promise: 40 God having provided some better thing
for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
Daniel was told of this same lot:
Daniel 12:13 But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt
rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.
This lot or inheritance is none other than presence with Jesus Christ and
the Father, the complete restoration to that which was lost in the garden,
and the ultimate goal of redemption.
This returns our attention to the passage that is the key to understanding
the presence of God with His people and that is, John 14. The last verse
we studied was vs.6:
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the
life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
In vv.7-9 Jesus admonished Philip that seeing Christ was seeing
the Father. Jesus then proceeds to explain to Philip that the Father is
in Him and He in the Father:
John 14:10-11 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the
Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but
the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. 11 Believe me that
I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very
works' sake.
The difference between Jesus and the disciples (at that time) was that
the Father was not yet in the disciples. Notice that the works and words
of Jesus demonstrated that the Father was dwelling in Jesus and Jesus in
the Father. Jesus explains to Philip that those who believe on Christ would
do greater works than He:
John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on
me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these
shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
We should note the "greater works" that believers would do; for this is
a result of the initial significance of the passage: and that is, He who
believes on Christ will do the works of Christ. Some have mistakenly assumed
that the "works" to which Christ was referring were restricted to the physical
miracles of healings, raising the dead, feeding the hungry etc. This, however,
is not only Scripturally untenable, it is also experientially untenable;
for obviously believers in Jesus Christ are not still performing the same
miracles Christ performed. This was something exclusively restricted to
Christ and the first-century believers:
Hebrews 2:3-4 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation;
which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto
us by them that heard him; 4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs
and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according
to his own will? (cf. Mark 16:16-18).
Many passages would seem to imply that the works referred to the miracles
performed by Jesus Christ:
Matthew 11:2-5 Now when John had heard in the prison the works
of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, 3 And said unto him, Art thou
he that should come, or do we look for another? 4 Jesus answered and said
unto them, Go and show John again those things which ye do hear and see:
5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed,
and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel
preached to them.
John the Baptist was requesting proof that Jesus was the true Messiah.
Jesus did not say, "Yes, it is Me, but I am not performing what the Scriptures
clearly teach I must perform once I really do come to set up the Messianic
kingdom." Some, however, would affirm this as the case. Jesus, on the contrary,
deliberately told two of John’s disciples to merely tell John of the various
aspects of the Messianic kingdom which were being performed by Him. Christ
seemed to think that this would convince John. We believe He was not mistaken.
Jesus was not trying to fool John. He was telling John the truth. The questions
must then be raised: How would this convince John and what knowledge did
John previously have that would lead him to believe that Jesus was the
Messiah? The Scriptures that predicted the miracles and presence of God
with His people are clear:
Isaiah 35:3-10 Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble
knees. 4 Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not:
behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense;
he will come and save you. 5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. 6 Then shall the lame man
leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness
shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. 7 And the parched ground
shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation
of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes. 8 And
an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of
holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those:
the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. 9 No lion shall
be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found
there; but the redeemed shall walk there: 10 And the ransomed of the LORD
shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their
heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall
flee away.
This passage clearly teaches that in the Messianic kingdom, not only would
the blind be given sight (vs.5), the ears of the deaf be unstopped (vs.5),
the lame leap like an hart; we also see that the tongue of the dumb would
sing (vs.6), cleansing, holiness, redemption, and ransoming would be accomplished
(vv.8-10), judgment would take place by the vengeance of God (vs.4); finally
and most related to our subject, God would come and be present with them
and save them by the waters, i.e. the Living Waters of Jesus Christ:
John 4:10-14 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest
the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou
wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the
well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? 12 Art thou
greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof
himself, and his children, and his cattle? 13 Jesus answered and said unto
her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14 But whosoever
drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the
water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up
into everlasting life.
John 7:38-39 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said,
out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spake
he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the
Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
Revelation 22:1-2 And he showed me a pure river of water of life,
clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was
there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded
her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing
of the nations.
We must ask, was John the Baptist familiar with the book of Isaiah? He
seemed to be familiar enough with chapter 40 that he honestly believed
he was the fulfillment of the voice crying in the wilderness:
Isaiah 40:3-6 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare
ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made
low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:
5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see
it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. 6 The voice said,
Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness
thereof is as the flower of the field:
Compare this with John’s own words:
John 1:22-23 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may
give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself 23 He
said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the
way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
We should not assume that John the Baptist was unfamiliar with the Scriptures,
let alone the book of Isaiah. Therefore, we must conclude that John was
very familiar with not only Isaiah 35 but also every other Scripture that
speaks of the Messianic kingdom.
The time of the Messianic kingdom was approaching (Matthew 3:2; 4:17)
and Jesus the Messiah was performing the physical miracles which proved
the far greater spiritual kingdom was near. At this point, it should be
noted that Jesus gave a very specific command to the disciples:
Matthew 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven
is at hand.
The context in which this is seen gives us great insight concerning the
kingdom of God:
Matthew 10:7-8 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven
is at hand. 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out
devils: freely ye have received, freely give.
Why did Christ command the disciples to preach that the kingdom of heaven
was approaching rather than present if the disciples were going to be performing
healings etc. while preaching? The same question could be asked regarding
Christ’s words to the Samaritan woman:
John 4:10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the
gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest
have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
Was Christ saying that immediately He would give her the Living waters?
Certainly this could not be the case; for this would contradict the clear
teaching of Scripture of when the Living waters would begin flowing:
John 7:38-39 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said,
out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spake
he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the
Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
Christ was merely teaching that the time had come for the Messianic kingdom
to be built. This would begin at Pentecost with the outpouring of the Holy
Spirit who was the deposit or guarantee of the inheritance. This inheritance
was Christ, whose presence came at the destruction of the O.T. Temple (Hebrews
9:8). Both Christ and Paul described this time of Living Waters as the
"day" or "day of salvation:
John 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw
it, and was glad.
2 Corinthians 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted,
and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted
time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)
Hebrews describes this period similarly:
Hebrews 8:8-10 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the
days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house
of Israel and with the house of Judah: 9 Not according to the covenant
that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand
to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my
covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. 10 For this is the covenant
that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord;
I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and
I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
It was during this "reformation" period that God would take away the first
covenant to establish the second covenant on better promises:
2 Corinthians 3:11 For if what is passing away was glorious, what
remains is much more glorious.
Hebrews 8:13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first
old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
Hebrews 10:9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh
away the first, that he may establish the second.
During this transformation period, the apostles would obey the command
of Christ to preach that the kingdom of heaven was at hand:
Romans 13:11-12 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high
time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we
first believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore
let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.
1 Peter 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious
and watchful in your prayers.
James 5:8-9 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming
of the Lord is at hand. 9 Do not grumble against one another, brethren,
lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!
Revelation 22:10 And he said to me, "Do not seal the words of the
prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand.
These same apostles would certainly be performing the physical miracles
Christ gave them the ability to do:
Matthew 10:1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples,
he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal
all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
This is confirmed in the book of Acts as well:
Acts 3:6-8 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such
as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up
and walk. 7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately
his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8 And he leaping up stood,
and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping,
and praising God.
Acts 5:14-16 And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes
both of men and women.) 15 Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into
the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow
of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. 16 There came also a
multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks,
and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every
one.
Acts 8:5-7 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached
Christ unto them. 6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those
things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were
possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were
healed.
Acts 14:7-10 And there they preached the gospel 8 And there sat
a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his
mother's womb, who never had walked 9 The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly
beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed 10 Said with
a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.
Acts 20:9-10 And there sat in a window a certain young man named
Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching,
he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken
up dead 10 And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said,
Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.
Acts 28:8-9 And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay
sick of a fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed,
and laid his hands on him, and healed him. 9 So when this was done, others
also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed:
It is very important to notice that in many of the cases of healings, the
Gospel was preached. In fact, the great significance of the book of Acts
was not to show the physical miracles God was performing through the apostles
but rather, the spiritual miracles performed through the preaching of the
Gospel: the miracle of raising spiritually dead men to life:
Acts 5:20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the
words of this life.
Acts 11:18 When they heard these things, they held their peace,
and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance
unto life.
Acts 13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and
glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal
life believed.
Most Christians would agree that the great miracles of healing the blind
and the deaf, and raising the dead etc., have the far greater and deeper
spiritual meaning of "seeing" life and being healed of sin-sickness and
being raised from spiritual death:
John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and
he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God
abideth on him.
Romans 15:20-21 Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not
where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation:
21 But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see:
and they that have not heard shall understand.
Ephesians 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses
and sins:
1 John 2:11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh
in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath
blinded his eyes.
1 Corinthians 2:9-10 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor
ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which
God hath prepared for them that love him. 10 But God hath revealed them
unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep
things of God.
This is precisely why spiritual life is what is emphasized in the N.T.
epistles. It is fascinating to see that when power is mentioned it is frequently
connected with the preaching of the Gospel to give life from the dead:
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it
is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the
Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Romans 15:18-19 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things
which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by
word and deed, 19 Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the
Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum,
I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
Romans 16:25-26 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according
to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation
of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began 26 But now
is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the
commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience
of faith:
1 Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that
perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and
Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
1 Corinthians 2:4-5 And my speech and my preaching was not with
enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and
of power: 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but
in the power of God.
1 Corinthians 4:19-20 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord
will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the
power. 20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
1 Corinthians 9:18 What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach
the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse
not my power in the gospel.
2 Corinthians 4:5-7 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus
the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who commanded
the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give
the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of
the power may be of God, and not of us.
Ephesians 1:18-19 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, 19 And what is the exceeding
greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working
of his mighty power,
1 Thessalonians 1:5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only,
but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye
know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
This same Gospel power shows the contrast between the O.T. and life in
Christ under the N.T.:
Hebrews 7:14-16 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda;
of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. 15 And it is
yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there
ariseth another priest, 16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment,
but after the power of an endless life.
What we have seen in the book of Acts and in the epistles is the emphasis
placed upon the power of the Gospel to heal and to judge the nations:
2 Corinthians 2:14-17 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth
us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge
by us in every place. 15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ,
in them that are saved, and in them that perish: 16 To the one we are the
savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life.
And who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not as many, which
corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight
of God speak we in Christ.
Revelation 2:26-27 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto
the end, to him will I give power over the nations: 27 And he shall rule
them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken
to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
Notice that the passage in Revelation declares that it is he that overcomes
who will rule the nations with a rod of iron. This phrase is typically
seen as referring to Christ as the word in these passages:
Revelation 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.
Revelation 19:11-16 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white
horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness
he doth judge and make war. 12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on
his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew,
but he himself. 13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and
his name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which were in heaven
followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite
the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth
the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And he hath
on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD
OF LORDS.
It is this "rod of iron" which performed and is performing the greater
works of which Jesus spoke.
We should be aware of the fact that the word Israel has significant
meaning. The basic Hebrew translation is defined by Strong’s as Yisra'el,
yis-raw-ale'; from H8280 and H410; he will rule as God. Just as in
the O.T. Israel ruled as God physically over the nations, likewise, the
new Israel of God rules spiritually as God over the nations both to save
and to destroy. This was clearly predicted in the O.T.:
Psalms 96:13 Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge
the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people
with his truth.
Psalms 149:5-9 Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing
aloud upon their beds. 6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth,
and a twoedged sword in their hand; 7 To execute vengeance upon the heathen,
and punishments upon the people; 8 To bind their kings with chains, and
their nobles with fetters of iron; 9 To execute upon them the judgment
written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.
Isaiah 28:9-13 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make
to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from
the breasts. 10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept;
line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: 11 For
with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. 12
To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest;
and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. 13 But the word of
the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line
upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they
might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
Isaiah 41:15-16 Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument
having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and
shalt make the hills as chaff. 16 Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall
carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them: and thou shalt rejoice
in the LORD, and shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel.
Isaiah 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper;
and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness
is of me, saith the LORD.
Micah 4:13 Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make
thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in
pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the LORD, and
their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth.
Micah 5:8 And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in
the midst of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a
young lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treadeth
down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver.
Zechariah 12:6 In that day will I make the governors of Judah like
an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf;
and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and
on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even
in Jerusalem.
Zechariah 12:9 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will
seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
Zechariah 13:3 And it shall come to pass, that when any shall yet
prophesy, then his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto
him, Thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of the LORD:
and his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when
he prophesieth.
Zechariah 14:12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD
will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh
shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall
consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their
mouth.
Zechariah 14:17-19 And it shall be, that whoso will not come up
of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the
LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. 18 And if the family of
Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague,
wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the
feast of tabernacles. 19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the
punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
Malachi 4:3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be
ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith
the LORD of hosts.
Jesus clarified this as He spoke concerning those who remain in unbelief:
John 12:44-48 Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth
not on me, but on him that sent me 45 And he that seeth me seeth him that
sent me 46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on
me should not abide in darkness 47 And if any man hear my words, and believe
not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the
world 48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that
judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the
last day.
Through the word of God, the spoken expression of Christ, the Gospel is
preached and shows condemnation or life:
Romans 10:5-18 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is
of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. 6
But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not
in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ
down from above:) 7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring
up Christ again from the dead.) 8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee,
even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which
we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus,
and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead,
thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness;
and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture
saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is
no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all
is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the
name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in
whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom
they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And
how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful
are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings
of good things! 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias
saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17 So then faith cometh by hearing,
and hearing by the word of God. 18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes
verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends
of the world.
Romans 15:20-21 Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not
where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation:
21 But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see:
and they that have not heard shall understand.
Romans 10:5-18 teaches that ascension into heaven is not by the deeds of
the law but through faith in Jesus Christ. It is in heaven where Christ
dwells. Therefore, comparing chapter 10 with Romans 15:20-21 we see that
through faith in Jesus Christ we ascend to heaven by the door (John 10:1-16)
to enter the green pastures where we see Him and hear the voice of the
good Shepherd.
Returning to John 14 we now have a clearer understanding of the "works"
to which Jesus was referring:
John 14:10-12 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the
Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but
the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. 11 Believe me that
I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very
works' sake. 12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me,
the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall
he do; because I go unto my Father.
Through the analysis of Christ’s life as the sinless Lamb of God, we find
that not only were His works demonstrated in the physical healing of the
people and His complete obedience to the law; more importantly, His works
were demonstrated in preaching the Gospel to the poor (the poor in spirit)
and the consequent healing of their soul:
Luke 4:18-19 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath
anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the
brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of
sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised 19 To preach
the acceptable year of the Lord.
This gives light concerning Christ’s words pertaining to the sheep and
the goats:
Matthew 25:31-46 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and
all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his
glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate
them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed
of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation
of the world: 35 For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty,
and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and
ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came
unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw
we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38
When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 And the
King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as
ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done
it unto me. 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart
from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his
angels: 42 For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty,
and ye gave me no drink: 43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked,
and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44 Then
shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered,
or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not
minister unto thee? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say
unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did
it
not to me. 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but
the righteous into life eternal.
Christ’s intent, contrary to many, was not so much to draw attention to
those suffering under these physical circumstances; rather, He was addressing
the need of His sheep. Under the enormous apostasy of Israel, the false
prophets did not feed the sheep of Christ. Instead, they devoured them
through their false teaching and hypocrisy:
Isaiah 58:6-10 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose
the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed
go free, and that ye break every yoke? 7 Is it not to deal thy bread to
the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house?
when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not
thyself from thine own flesh? 8 Then shall thy light break forth as the
morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness
shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward. 9 Then
shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall
say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the
putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; 10 And if thou draw out
thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy
light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day:
Christ through His people spiritually satisfies this need:
Isaiah 49:8-10 Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have
I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will
preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish
the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; 9 That thou mayest
say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Show yourselves.
They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.
10 They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite
them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs
of water shall he guide them.
This is why Christ identified not only Himself as the light of the world:
John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light
of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall
have the light of life.
John 12:46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth
on me should not abide in darkness.
He identified believers as the light of the world as well:
Matthew 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set
on an hill cannot be hid.
Paul also believed this:
Acts 13:46-47 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was
necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but
seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting
life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles 47 For so hath the Lord commanded us,
saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest
be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.
Through the preaching of the Gospel (the same Gospel Christ preached),
those who believe in Christ join with the apostles in doing greater
or
more works than Christ. When the passages are compared it is clear that
Christ rules through His body the church. It is through the church that
Christ performs the greater miracles than what He performed. These greater
works are the fruits of the everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Living
Waters for the healing of nations:
Revelation 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven,
having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth,
and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
Revelation 22:1-5 And he showed me a pure river of water of life,
clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was
there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded
her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing
of the nations. 3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God
and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: 4 And
they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. 5 And
there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of
the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever
and ever.
We now come to a very enlightening section of our passage in John 14:
John 14:16-23 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you
another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit
of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither
knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in
you. 18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 19 Yet a
little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I
live, ye shall live also. 20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my
Father, and ye in me, and I in you. 21 He that hath my commandments, and
keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved
of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 22
Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest
thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 23 Jesus answered and said unto
him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him,
and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
The popular teaching of "accepting Christ" into our hearts is often very
abused. Many times people view the phrase, "Christ in your heart" as some
sort of an instant cure for emotional strain, troubles in life etc. Though
Christ certainly can heal those problems, yet the greater meaning of Christ
in the heart is lost. This is partly due to the fact that in many of those
places where people are taught to accept Christ, they are also invariably
taught that it is because of a certain repetition of a prayer or the recitation
of a particular formula that the God of heaven is obligated to reside in
them. Hence, not only are there multitudes of false conversions, there
is also a comprehensive deficiency of the spiritual meaning of Jesus Christ
dwelling in the heart.
The words of Christ in John 14, diametrically opposed to many popular
"invitational messages," teach a truth so superior to twentieth century
evangelism that it entirely deems what is inferior as a perversion of the
Gospel. Even in so-called reformed circles, there is a great depletion
of knowledge concerning Christ’s words in John 14. Jesus taught that before
He would come to His people, He would send the Holy Spirit (the Comforter).
The purpose of the Comforter was to transform the first-century believers
into the image of Christ out of the Old Covenant curse of death (2 Corinthians
3:18). The Comforter is identified as the "down payment" of the believers’
inheritance:
Ephesians 1:13-14 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, 14 Which
is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased
possession, unto the praise of his glory.
The earnest was the believers’ guarantee that Christ (the Inheritance)
would come to dwell in their hearts. The world did not "know" nor "see"
the Holy Spirit of truth:
John 14:16-17 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you
another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit
of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither
knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in
you.
Before Pentecost, the first-century believers did not have the Holy Spirit
in them:
John 7:38-39 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said,
out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spake
he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the
Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
Jesus said:
John 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive....
Paul uses this same language as he explained spiritual understanding to
the church at Corinth:
1 Corinthians 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things
of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he
know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
It is clear that it was the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of
Pentecost that turned true believers in God into spiritual men. Most reformers
err in saying the Spirit of God was "in" O.T. believers as it pertains
to a redemptive indwelling. This, however, is an erroneous effort to defend
the total depravity of man. Their argument is that the "spiritual man"
is the only person who can exercise true faith in God. It is true that
the natural man cannot exercise true faith in God unless the faith is caused
by God. It is also true that the unbelieving natural man is totally depraved
and is totally unable to believe in God. Only God has the power to show
a man his utter rebellion and hatred toward God. Only God has the power
to cause him to believe. Our purpose, however, is to show that the prophetic
outpouring of the Spirit was the event which created "spiritual" men or
as the Bible says, the new creature in Christ. This can proven through
an analysis of the passage in 1 Corinthians which was a quotation from
Isaiah 64:
Isaiah 64:3-4 When thou didst terrible things which we looked not
for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence. 4 For
since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the
ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared
for him that waiteth for him.
Most Christians would agree that his had not taken place during Isaiah’s
life. The N.T. confirms this as a reality among first-century believers:
1 Corinthians 2:6-10 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are
perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world,
that come to nought: 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even
the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it,
they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is written,
Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of
man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10 But
God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth
all things, yea, the deep things of God.
Ephesians 3:4-5 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge
in the mystery of Christ) 5 Which in other ages was not made known unto
the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets
by the Spirit;
1 Peter 1:9-12 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation
of your souls. 10 Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched
diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 11 Searching
what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did
signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the
glory that should follow. 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.
It is evident that these two passages are referring to the same revelation:
the heavenly realities in Christ Jesus. If we continue the context in 1
Corinthians, the spiritual man is entirely a New Covenant reality resulting
from the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2). This was a sign
to Peter that the prophecy of Joel was being fulfilled:
Joel 2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour
out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
Peter defines Joel’s "afterward" as the last days:
Acts 2:16-21 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out
of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days
of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: 19 And I will show wonders in heaven
above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before
that great and notable day of the Lord come: 21 And it shall come to pass,
that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
This outpouring of the Spirit was the preparation for the actual presence
of the first and second persons of the Godhead, Jesus Christ (Galatians
4:19:John 14:23). This outpouring is prophesied elsewhere in the O.T.:
The first of these is found in Proverbs 1 where wisdom cries to the
rebellious:
Proverbs 1:21-33 She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in
the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying,
22 How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners
delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? 23 Turn you at my
reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known
my words unto you. 24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched
out my hand, and no man regarded; 25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel,
and would none of my reproof: 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I
will mock when your fear cometh; 27 When your fear cometh as desolation,
and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh
upon you. 28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they
shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: 29 For that they hated
knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: 30 They would none
of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. 31 Therefore shall they eat
of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. 32
For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity
of fools shall destroy them. 33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell
safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.
Notice the elements associated with the outpouring of the spirit: God would
make known His words (i.e. the Gospel and glad tidings of Jesus Christ;
vs.23 cf. Romans 15:21; 1 Corinthians 2:9,10); judgment (vv.26-31); and
lastly, the safe dwelling place of those who listen (vs.33 cf. Psalm 23
and John 10:1-16).
Also in Isaiah is a prediction of the outpouring of the spirit:
Isaiah 32:15-18 Until the spirit be poured upon us from on high,
and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted
for a forest. 16 Then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness
remain in the fruitful field. 17 And the work of righteousness shall be
peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
18 And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings,
and in quiet resting places;
Here Isaiah associates prosperity with the outpouring of the Spirit (vs.15),
righteousness and justice (the imputed righteousness through the blood
of Christ cf. vv.16,17 & Romans 3:21,22), peace (cf. vs.17 & Ephesians
2:13-15; Colossians 1:20-22), the effect of righteousness: quietness and
assurance forever (cf. vv.17,18 & Hebrews 2:15; 6:18,19; Titus 1:2),
and finally, God’s people would dwell in sure dwellings and quiet resting
places (cf. vs.17 & Ephesians 2:19-22; Hebrews 12:22: 13:14; 1 Peter
2:5). Isaiah again in chapter 44 speaks of the outpouring of the Spirit:
Isaiah 44:3-5 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and
floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my
blessing upon thine offspring: 4 And they shall spring up as among the
grass, as willows by the water courses. 5 One shall say, I am the Lord's;
and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall
subscribe with his hand unto the LORD, and surname himself by the name
of Israel.
In this particular context, the New Covenant subject of living waters is
intimated. We must constantly remember that all the promises of God in
Christ are yes and amen (2 Corinthians 1:20). Therefore, confirmation of
the particular promise that God would pour water upon him that is thirsty
is seen in Christ’s discourse with the Samaritan woman:
John 4:10-14 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest
the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou
wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the
well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? 12 Art thou
greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof
himself, and his children, and his cattle? 13 Jesus answered and said unto
her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14 But whosoever
drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the
water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up
into everlasting life.
The actual fulfillment of this promise chronologically would not
take place until the outpouring of the Holy Spirit:
John 7:38-39 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said,
out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spake
he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the
Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
This passage explicitly tells us that the outpouring of the Spirit (the
outpouring of water of Isaiah 44:3) could not have taken place until after
Jesus was glorified. Hence, the outpouring of water and the Spirit found
in Isaiah 44 are synonymous. Isaiah states that this outpouring is a blessing:
Isaiah 44:3b ...I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing
upon thine offspring:
It is generally agreed that the outpouring of the Spirit is referring to
the Holy Spirit from heaven. Peter certainly reached this conclusion:
1 Peter 1:9-12 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation
of your souls. 10 Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched
diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 11 Searching
what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did
signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the
glory that should follow. 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.
The blessing therefore refers to the presence of God through the Spirit
and ultimately through Jesus Christ:
Ephesians 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:
Some would say that the phrase "Spirit of Christ which was in them" was
a soteriological indwelling of the Spirit. However, this does not at all
necessarily have to be the case. The Spirit was said to have been in Saul:
1 Samuel 11:6 And the spirit of God came upon Saul in power when
he heard these words, and his anger was greatly kindled.
But later we read:
1 Samuel 16:14 Now the spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and
an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him.
The Spirit coming upon Saul was simply that of a kingly anointing:
1 Samuel 16:13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him
in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the LORD came mightily
upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.
The "Spirit in them" is referring to that anointing by God for the prophets
to write Scripture, i.e. to testify of that which would come
2 Peter 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will
of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.:
But to say that the phrase "Spirit in them" is referring to a soteriological
indwelling is not only unfounded in the text; it also cannot be supported
when considering the whole redemptive outlook of the Jesus and the prophets.
Paul considered the outpouring of the Spirit the earnest of the first century
believer’s inheritance which would be Christ at His appearing (Titus 2:13):
Ephesians 1:13-14 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, 14 Which
is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased
possession, unto the praise of his glory.
It is not to be inferred that this earnest or down payment would be the
only activity of the Holy Spirit upon these first century believers
before Christ would come to dwell in their hearts. In fact, the N.T. the
essential aspect of the transforming work of the Holy Spirit upon these
believers:
2 Corinthians 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.
The greater context of chapter 3, as we have seen, is dealing with the
contrast between the Old and New Covenants, not the outward sanctification
of the believer. The fullness of this transforming work of the Holy Spirit
would consummate at the destruction Jerusalem and the Old Covenant Temple
(Matthew 24:1-3,34). When Luke 21 is compared with Ephesians 1 this is
more clearly understood:
Luke 21:20-32 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies,
then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. 21 Then let them which are
in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of
it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.
22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written
may be fulfilled. 23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them
that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the
land, and wrath upon this people. 24 And they shall fall by the edge of
the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem
shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles
be fulfilled. 25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon,
and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity;
the sea and the waves roaring; 26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and
for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers
of heaven shall be shaken. 27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming
in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 And when these things begin to
come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption
draweth nigh. 29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and
all the trees; 30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own
selves that summer is now nigh at hand. 31 So likewise ye, when ye see
these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.
32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all
be fulfilled.
Christ, speaking to His disciples, tells them in no uncertain terms that
when these signs take place they (the disciples) were to look up (i.e.
to heaven) for their redemption (the presence of Jesus Christ in their
heart, cf. Luke 17:20,21) would draw nigh (Luke 21:28). This is the same
redemption to which Paul refers:
Ephesians 1:13-14 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, 14 Which
is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased
possession, unto the praise of his glory.
When compared with Luke, it is very obvious why the N.T. writers believed
the return of Jesus Christ (their inheritance and redemption) was imminent.
Hence they commanded their brethren to "look up" as Christ commanded them:
Romans 13:11-12 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high
time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we
believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore
cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
1 Corinthians 1:7-8 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for
the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: 8 Who shall also confirm you unto
the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which
hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Philippians 4:5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord
is at hand.
1 Thessalonians 2:19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing?
Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be
caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air:
and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1 Timothy 6:19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation
against the time about to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.
2 Timothy 4:18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work,
and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever
and ever. Amen.
Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing
of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Hebrews 13:14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one
to come.
James 5:8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming
of the Lord draweth nigh.
1 Peter 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation
ready to be revealed in the last time.
1 Peter 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;
1 Peter 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore
sober, and watch unto prayer.
1 Peter 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's
sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also
with exceeding joy.
1 Peter 5:1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also
an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker
of the glory about to be revealed:
2 Peter 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto
ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place,
until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
Clearly, the N.T. writers admonished the first-century believers to "look
up," for their redemption was drawing nigh. Their redemption was none other
than Christ dwelling in their hearts by faith:
Ephesians 3:1-19 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ
for you Gentiles, 2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of
God which is given me to you-ward: 3 How that by revelation he made known
unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, 4 Whereby, when ye
read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 5 Which
in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed
unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; 6 That the Gentiles
should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise
in Christ by the gospel: 7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to
the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of
his power. 8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this
grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches
of Christ; 9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery,
which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created
all things by Jesus Christ: 10 To the intent that now unto the principalities
and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold
wisdom of God, 11 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in
Christ Jesus our Lord: 12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence
by the faith of him. 13 Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations
for you, which is your glory. 14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 Of whom the whole family in heaven
and earth is named, 16 That he would grant you, according to the riches
of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner
man; 17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted
and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what
is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love
of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the
fulness of God.
The fullness of the blessing of the Gospel was the result of the transforming
work of the Holy Spirit preparing the first-century believers for Christ
to dwell in their hearts. The presence of Christ in the believer is the
glory of the believer. To have Christ is to have glory; a crown of glory
that will never fade away. This is that to which Christ was referring when
Judas (not Iscariot) inquired of Him concerning His manifestation. When
the context of this manifestation is seen with the verses above
pertaining to the sending of the Comforter, the purpose of the Comforter
and the end result are evident:
John 14:16-23 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you
another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit
of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither
knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in
you. 18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 19 Yet a
little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I
live, ye shall live also. 20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my
Father, and ye in me, and I in you. 21 He that hath my commandments, and
keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved
of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 22
Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest
thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 23 Jesus answered and said unto
him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him,
and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
The Holy Spirit was to prepare the place (the house of John 14:2):
John 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not
so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
Jesus would prepare this house (Hebrews 3:6; 1 Peter 2:5) through
the Comforter whose ministry was to comfort and transform the first-century
believers into the fullness of the New Covenant age (1 Corinthians 1:18;
2 Corinthians 3:11,14,18; 1 Timothy 6:13; Hebrews 8:13; 10:14; 12:27,28;
1 Peter 3:21).
Jesus promised that not only would He send the Comforter to dwell in
them. He also promised that the fullness of resurrection life would be
consummated with Christ dwelling in His people. He said, "At that day,"
which is the same day He mentioned in John 6:
John 6:44,45 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath
sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written
in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore
that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
In John 14 we read these words:
John 14:19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more;
but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
Being raised and living are synonymous. At the last day (of the last days
of the Jewish age) this resurrection and life out of the curse of the law
of sin and death would be complete. Notice the phrase Christ uses in John
6:44 that at the raising of those whom He would draw to Himself, they would
also be taught of God, clearly implying that He would be present
with them. This was a reality that was taking place in the hearts of believers
after the outpouring of the Spirit:
Ephesians 4:21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught
by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
Jesus said:
John 6:45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all
taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of
the Father, cometh unto me.
True resurrection is being taught of God, which Paul describes as becoming
spiritual or, believing in Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. This
resurrection would be complete when Christ would dwell in their hearts:
Ephesians 3:16-19 That he would grant you, according to the riches
of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner
man; 17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted
and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what
is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love
of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the
fulness of God.
Paul longed for the saints’ comprehension of the magnitude of God’s love
for them. The expression of that love was shown through Christ’s death,
resurrection, and finally His Parousia or presence with them. Paul used
the phrase, "filled with all the fullness of God" to describe the imminence
of the consummation of salvation. Peter believed the same:
1 Peter 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto
salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Paul also alluded to the phrase, "the fullness of God" in the first chapter
of Ephesians:
Ephesians 1:22-23 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave
him to be the head over all things to the church, 23 Which is his body,
the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Christ’s body, the church is the fullness of God who, during the first
century, was filling His church as she was growing into completion.
The verb, "filleth" is in the present tense and should literally be read,
"the fullness of Him who is filling all in all." This more clearly
shows the transformation of the church as she was being changed into the
image of Christ. This is also seen in Chapter 4:
Ephesians 4:13-15 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and
of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure
of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more
children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine,
by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait
to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in
all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Colossians speaks of this same present tense transformation of the church
during the first-century:
Colossians 2:16-19 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in
drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath
days: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping
of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed
up by his fleshly mind, 19 And not holding the Head, from which all the
body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together,
increaseth with the increase of God.
The church was increasing with the increase of God; i.e. she was in the
process of being filled with God as she was transformed from the Old Covenant
to the New Covenant. Even John in his Gospel addresses this crucial aspect
of redemption-God filling His people:
John 1:14-17 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. 15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying,
This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before
me: for he was before me. 16 And of his fulness have all we received, and
grace for grace. 17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth
came by Jesus Christ.
There is a very important point that John is conveying regarding the relation
of grace and fullness. Notice first that John declares the beholding of
Christ’s glory—a glory which was being unveiled to the first-century church
as they were being transformed from Old Covenant glory to New Covenant
glory. The apostle declares that Christ was "full of grace and truth."
In other words, Christ was the perfect Lamb of God without blemish and
without spot (1 Peter 1:19). This fullness of grace and truth is not a
combination of virtues restricted to Christ for eternity. Through the glory
of the New Covenant this same fullness is bestowed upon the believer in
Christ Jesus. Consider the train of thought from verse 14 to verse 16:
"the Word…dwelt among us, full of grace and truth…and of His fullness have
we all received. The point is clear. John is implying exactly that which
Paul was implying: that the church under the bond of the New Covenant is
full of God. The fullness (complete unrestricted presence) of God is not
a yet future event. It is an accomplished status under the New Covenant.
The problem lies in the fact that many refuse to see that the glory of
the New Covenant was not consummated until the destruction of the physical,
earthly Temple. The New Covenant came by process, not suddenly. Paul understood
that, though the physical veil was torn symbolizing access into the holy
of holies, Christ nevertheless had to perform the ministry of the Holy
Spirit to transform the early Christians into the New Covenant (2 Corinthians
3:11; Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:10; Hebrews 8:13; 10:9). He described
this as a "short work on the earth":
Romans 9:28 For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness:
because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.
This short work was to accomplish the complete restoration of God’s elect
to Himself. This restoration is presence with Him; a blessing lost in the
garden of Eden (Genesis 2:17). Because of the work of Jesus Christ, the
believer is brought into the presence of God. Otherwise we have no right
to claim that restoration to God is complete. Jeremiah and Joel both predicted
this restoration:
Jeremiah 30:17 For I will restore health unto thee, and I will
heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast,
saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.
Joel 2:25-27 And I will restore to you the years that the locust
hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my
great army which I sent among you. 26 And ye shall eat in plenty, and be
satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously
with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. 27 And ye shall know that
I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none
else: and my people shall never be ashamed.
Notice that Joel equates restoration with God dwelling in the midst of
His people. And even though the passage in Jeremiah does not specifically
speak of the actual presence of God, yet God equates the glory of His people
with this restoration in the very next two verses:
Jeremiah 30:18-19 Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will bring again
the captivity of Jacob's tents, and have mercy on his dwellingplaces; and
the city shall be builded upon her own heap, and the palace shall remain
after the manner thereof. 19 And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving
and the voice of them that make merry: and I will multiply them, and they
shall not be few; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small.
Through the transformation of the Holy Spirit to bring the first-century
believers from death to life, restoration to God was being accomplished.
This is why Paul told the Hebrews that they were receiving (present
tense) a kingdom (Hebrews 12:28).
Paul understood the transformation of the church into the image of Christ
to be taking place in the first century. Not only this: he also understood
the consummation of that change to also take place within the first century.
Jesus taught the fullness of this transformation:
John 14:20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and
ye in me, and I in you.
Judas (not Iscariot) had one of the same questions that Christians have
had for two thousand years:
John 14:22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it
that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
A question that must be raised at this juncture is: why would Judas ask
this question? How did he know that Jesus would manifest Himself only to
believers and not to the entire world? The answer is found in the response
of Jesus to the question raised by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom
of God should come:
Luke 17:20-21 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: 21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo
there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
The Pharisees wanted to know when, but Judas wanted to know how.
Jesus answered the Pharisees’ question of when by alluding to the fact
that He must "first suffer and be rejected of this generation" (Luke
17:25). Judas, however, understood (at least to a degree) the significance
of what Christ taught concerning the nature of the kingdom; i.e., "The
kingdom of God cometh not with observation… for, behold, the kingdom of
God is within you." This is precisely why Judas asked the question, "Lord,
how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?"
Judas seemed to at least be acquainted with the truth that when the kingdom
would come it would certainly not come with observation; i.e., it would
not be observable. He also apparently understood that the kingdom would
be a manifestation within believers in Christ. This is shown by the question
of Judas, "How is it that you will manifest yourself to us." In other words,
Lord how are you going to bring your kingdom to us without the rest of
the world seeing it? The answer Christ gives is extremely enlightening
as we consider the presence and fullness of God with those who trust only
in Him:
John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me,
he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto
him, and make our abode with him.
This was the answer Christ gave. The way He would manifest Himself to believers
and not to the rest of the world was by dwelling in them. Jesus said that
He and the Father would come unto him. Jesus and the Father would make
their abode with the one who trusts Christ as their Savior. In John 6 Jesus
makes a strong statement concerning His dwelling with the believer:
John 6:55-57 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink
indeed. 56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in
me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the
Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
At this point it should be brought to our attention that the filling of
the church with Jesus Christ is not to be separated from His dwelling in
her or her partaking of Him. This theme of partaking with Christ is essential
to understand not only concerning the theme of His dwelling with the church;
it also must be joined with the imputation of righteousness. The themes
of partaking of Christ and righteousness are united in a prophecy of Christ
during the sermon on the mount:
Matthew 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness:
for they shall be filled.
The implication is clear: those who truly were hungering and thirsting
after righteousness would certainly partake of Christ who alone could be
their righteousness. This satisfaction of hunger and thirst would not begin
to take place until Pentecost:
John 7:37-39 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus
stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly
shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spake he of the Spirit,
which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not
yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
The Gospel of John, chapter six teaches this subject in detail:
John 6:27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that
meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give
unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
The basic problem of the Jews was two-fold: they sought after physical
satisfaction. This is evident by the words of Christ to those who temporarily
followed Him:
John 6:26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto
you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat
of the loaves, and were filled.
Ultimately, however, this statement of Jesus would lead to a far more significant
problem and that is the continued rebellion of the Jews in trying to attain
righteousness by the deeds of the law. These Jews wanted physical blessings
by a fleshly means. Their whole concept of righteousness and satisfaction
was based upon the efforts and desires of the flesh. This is the root problem
of mankind. Many professing Christians today are obsessed with a self-affirmed
autonomism and freedom of the will. That is, they believe they are able
in and of themselves to come to Christ (come to His presence) in their
depraved condition, even though Christ specifically said:
John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent
me draw (lit. drag) him:
The Pharisees believed in the same concept with the exception that they
overtly trusted in their works and denied Christ. By their works they would
attempt to gain what they desired—namely, a physical, earthly kingdom.
This is nothing new. These errors still affect people today. The Jews responded
with these words to the words of Jesus pertaining to everlasting life and
that by which it is obtained:
John 6:28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might
work the works of God?
Their question was not about the Life of which Jesus spoke. As far as they
were concerned this "life" was physical satisfaction with food, drink,
etc. Their question had to do with how they could attain this life; hence,
their words, "What shall we do that we might work the works
of God." Jesus explained that the work of God was to believe on Him whom
God had sent. Nevertheless, they still desired a sign, i.e.; something
physical to prove Christ was the Messiah (vs.30).
Of course the dialogue continued with Jesus claiming to be the bread
which comes down from heaven:
John 6:32-35 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto
you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you
the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he which cometh
down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. 34 Then said they unto
him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. 35 And Jesus said unto them, I
am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that
believeth on me shall never thirst.
Their desire was for a physical bread that they could eat and forever be
satisfied. Because they had these expectations, however, Jesus dashes their
hopes and dreams by announcing Himself as the Bread of Life, on whom if
any man believes they would never thirst nor hunger.
Jesus then addresses the fact that they would not believe and then explains
who would believe and why they would believe:
John 6:36-37 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and
believe not. 37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him
that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
The promise of life would come to those whom the Father had given to the
Son. Because of the decree of the Father those whom He had given to the
Son would most certainly come to the Son. Jesus then explains that coming
to the Son could not be accomplished unless the Father dragged to the Son
those whom He had given to the Son:
John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent
me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
There is nothing spoken of regeneration in this verse. It is simply a miraculous
work of the Father in changing the will of man to come to the Son; a prophecy
mentioned in the book of Psalms:
Psalms 110:3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power,
in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the
dew of thy youth.
It is because of the Father's dragging that those whom He has given to
the Son will be made willing in the day of God's power. This is the gift
of faith. God causes this faith. Therefore, the one who has been given
to the Son must and will be caused by God to come to, or approach the Son.
This also is a prophecy in the book of Psalms:
Psalms 65:4 Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest
to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied
with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.
What makes clear that this verse and Psalm is a prophecy is the fact that
the result of being caused to approach God is dwelling in His Temple: clearly
referring to the New Covenant Temple. Not only this, but the preceding
verse speaks of the purging of iniquity:
Psalms 65:3 Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions,
thou shalt purge them away.
Certainly under the law iniquity prevailed against the people of God. But
the Psalmist knew there was a time when iniquity would be purged. It would
be through this purging that those whom God had caused to approach Him
would dwell in the Temple in His presence. In His presence they would be
satisfied with the goodness of His "house." In John 6 Jesus implies that
this satisfaction would take place only through coming to Him. Through
coming to Christ the believer is then given everlasting life. It is in
coming to Christ that God then indwells the believer or what Colossians
says, circumcises them with the circumcision made without hands. This involves
the believer's spiritual baptism into the death and resurrection of Christ:
Colossians 2:10-13 And ye are complete in him, which is the head
of all principality and power: 11 In whom also ye are circumcised with
the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins
of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: 12 Buried with him in baptism,
wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of
God, who hath raised him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your
sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with
him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
Notice in vs.12 that we are buried and raised with Him through the faith
of the operation of God. It is through or by faith (faith of the operation
of God) that we are resurrected (i.e. saved):
Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord
Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the
dead, thou shalt be saved.
Christ was speaking of no different salvation in John 6:
John 6:44-51 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath
sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written
in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore
that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. 46 Not
that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen
the Father. 47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me
hath everlasting life. 48 I am that bread of life. 49 Your fathers did
eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50 This is the bread which cometh
down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. 51 I am the
living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread,
he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which
I will give for the life of the world.
At this point it is critical to see the reference Jesus makes to the believer
having learned of the Father:
John 6:45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all
taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of
the Father, cometh unto me.
There are other references that speak of the believer having learned of
God:
Ephesians 4:20-21 But ye have not so learned Christ; 21 If so be
that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in
Jesus:
1 John 2:7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an
old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is
the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
A problem arises for the futurist when considering these verses in comparison
with the words of Christ in John 6:45. Jesus associated this learning and
being taught of the Father with resurrection life (vs.44). John and Paul,
however, imply that this learning and teaching of the Father was already
a reality in the hearts of these first-century Christians. It is not, as
some say, an already-but-not-yet reality. Rather, the New Covenant transformation
which began at Pentecost (Philippians 1:6) was working in the hearts of
these believers. What Jesus was saying in John 6:44,45 was that by the
time the resurrection at the last day (a day which was approaching for
the first-century believers cf. Hebrews 10:25) came, the elect of God who
had trusted in Christ would all be fully taught of God. This teaching is
not referring to the cognitive knowledge of the intellect of God. It refers
to the knowledge of Jesus Christ as the Savior and fulfillment of the kingdom
of God. Even Hebrews speaks of this same subject:
Hebrews 8:10-13 For this is the covenant that I will make with
the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws
into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them
a God, and they shall be to me a people: 11 And they shall not teach every
man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for
all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. 12 For I will be merciful
to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember
no more. 13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old.
Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
The knowledge of God is no different than the spiritual things of 1 Corinthians
2; things which refer to the knowledge of Jesus Christ and eternal life:
John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the
only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
Jesus then continues relating everlasting life with seeing the Father.
This is inseparable from eating the bread of life. Through believing on
Jesus Christ, the believer eats the bread of everlasting life. It is this
everlasting life that is equivalent to having learned and been taught by
God. These once again are the spiritual things of 1 Corinthians 2. Through
eating the bread of life, we come to the Father:
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the
life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
or as Jesus says, His Father's house:
John 14:2-3 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were
not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if
I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto
myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
This house is the body of Christ, the church:
Hebrews 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house
are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm
unto the end.
The Jews strove among themselves when Christ told them that they must eat
His flesh and drink His blood. This especially aroused them when Jesus
declared that through eating His flesh and drinking His blood a person
would obtain eternal life:
John 6:53-58 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto
you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye
have no life in you. 54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath
eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh
is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 56 He that eateth my flesh,
and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father
hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall
live by me. 58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your
fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall
live for ever.
Christ clearly spoke of eating His blood and drinking His flesh. He equivocated
this with believing on Him:
John 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of
God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
John 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that
cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never
thirst.
John 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one
which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and
I will raise him up at the last day.
John 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me
hath everlasting life.
John 6:50-51 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that
a man may eat thereof, and not die. 51 I am the living bread which came
down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever:
and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life
of the world.
John 6:53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto
you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye
have no life in you.
John 6:54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal
life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 6:57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father:
so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
To believe Christ is synonymous with eating His flesh and drinking His
blood. Eating His flesh and drinking His blood is synonymous with eternal
life and dwelling with Him. It is in the very next chapter that the timing
of this life and its relationship to the things of the Spirit of God in
1 Corinthians 2 are clarified:
John 7:37-39 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus
stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly
shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spake he of the Spirit,
which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not
yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
Notice that thirst is quenched through coming to Christ and also that the
Living Waters are that which quench the thirst. These Living Waters represent
the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was not yet given because Christ was not
yet glorified (risen from the dead). There is only one account of a generally
redemptive giving of the Spirit, and that was at Pentecost. It was at Pentecost
that the Living Waters, which Jesus promised to the woman at the well,
would be given. These Living Waters were that which would quench the thirst
of those who believed. This is precisely why Peter, though he had believed,
had not yet been converted. Hence, Christ's words to him:
Luke 22:32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not:
and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
It would be through conversion (the giving of Living Waters) that believers
would enter into the kingdom of heaven:
Matthew 18:3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted,
and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Finally in John 6 Jesus really exposes the heart of the people. He had
already exposed their obsession to be satisfied physically. Upon their
murmuring, however, Jesus addresses a far more serious issue, the root
of the problem: the works of the flesh:
John 6:60-65 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard
this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? 61 When Jesus knew
in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this
offend you? 62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where
he was before? 63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth
nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are
life. 64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from
the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me,
except it were given unto him of my Father.
Not only does Jesus decimate the physical hopes and dreams of the Jews,
He utterly contradicts the method by which they thought they could attain
the physical pleasures for which they were longing. Jesus bluntly tells
them the truth of the attainment of spiritual life:
John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth
nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are
life.
Neither Jewish nationality or deeds of the flesh could give them the eternal
life of which Christ was speaking. Jesus eliminated any possibility of
life by the deeds of the flesh by saying, "the flesh profits nothing."
The life to be given could not be attained by any deed of the flesh. To
drive this point even further, Jesus explained that even coming to Him
could not take place by the deeds of the flesh:
John 6:65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can
come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
It was this statement that exposed all of the shame and pride of the Jews;
for in their minds at least they could have some say in the matter of coming
to Christ. But not even this could happen if the Father did not give the
faith. John the Baptist spoke of the same concept:
John 3:27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except
it be given him from heaven.
The knowledge of the Father through Jesus Christ was unattainable as far
as human ability. Jesus elaborated on this in the Gospel of Matthew:
Matthew 11:25-27 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank
thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things
from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. 26 Even so,
Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. 27 All things are delivered
unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither
knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son
will reveal him.
The revelation of the Father is equivalent to everlasting life. This life
and revelation is determined solely upon the good pleasure of Christ:
John 5:21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth
them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.
This life, knowledge and revelation about the words of life of which Jesus
spoke would be revealed at Pentecost-the giving of the Spirit. They would
reach their climax at the destruction of the Jewish Temple, the outward
sign that the entire Godhead would now make His abode in the hearts of
His people.
Related to what we have examined concerning the words of Jesus, here
is a prophecy from Isaiah:
Isaiah 55:1-2 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters,
and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and
milk without money and without price. 2 Wherefore do ye spend money for
that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not?
hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your
soul delight itself in fatness.
The means by which these spiritual blessings would be attained are found
in vs.3:
Isaiah 55:3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your
soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even
the sure mercies of David.
The life of the soul would take place through coming to Christ. God here
compels the O.T. Jews to come to Him (i.e. believe in Him). Those who truly
believed in Him did not receive the fullness of the promise of life until
the Parousia (Hebrews 11:39).
From John 6 it has been especially clear that to partake of Christ (i.e.
believe on Him) is to have Christ indwell the believer. This is made very
clear in John 6:55-57:
John 6:55-57 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink
indeed. 56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in
me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the
Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
Something imperative to understand is the Greek word used for "abode" or
"dwell." The word is monane. This word is translated in Strong’s
as a staying, abiding, dwelling, abode. The depth this word is seen when
the beginning of the context in John 14 is examined:
John 14:1-3 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God,
believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were
not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if
I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto
myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
The word for mansions in vs.2 is the identical Greek word that is
used for abode in vs.23, except that in verse 23 is in the singular
form:
John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me,
he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto
him, and make our abode with him.
Christ told Judas that the one who loves Jesus is the mansion in whom He
would dwell. In vs.2 Jesus said, "In My Father’s house are many abodes",
or literally, dwelling places. Once again Hebrews 3 declares all believers
under the New Covenant as the house which Jesus built:
Hebrews 3:3-6 For this man (Jesus) was counted worthy of more glory
than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour
than the house. 4 For every house is builded by some man; but he that built
all things is God. 5 And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as
a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;
6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold
fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
The writer of Hebrews was convinced that believers under the New Covenant
are the house of God. Jesus specifically told the disciples that there
are many mansions (abodes) in His Father’s house. He then said He would
go to prepare a place for the disciples. This place is the house which
began to be built by the Spirit at Pentecost. This was prophesied in Amos:
Amos 9:11-12 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David
that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up
his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old: 12 That they may
possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by
my name, saith the LORD that doeth this.
This was house or tabernacle was in the process of being built according
to James in the book of Acts:
Acts 15:14-17 Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit
the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. 15 And to this
agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, 16 After this I will
return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down;
and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: 17 That
the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon
whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.
Peter certainly agreed with this:
1 Peter 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual
house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable
to God by Jesus Christ.
The phrase, "are built up" is in the present tense, literally read, "are
being built up." This is exactly theme Paul had in mind in Ephesians as
he described the church "growing up" in Christ. Christ sending the Comforter
was the way He would "prepare a place" for His people. The Spirit would
transform His people from Old Covenant glory to New Covenant glory in order
to prepare them for Jesus and the Father to make Their abode with them.
The first-century Christians were hoping for Christ to dwell in them. He
would be their inheritance. Paul identified this as, "the hope of glory":
Colossians 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:
Many have misinterpreted this passage to say Christ is in us and therefore
we have hope for a yet future glory. Not only does this belittle the significance
of Christ dwelling in us, it also is a distortion of the passage. Notice
that the passage describes "the riches of the glory": Christ in them. Christ
is the riches of glory. They were hoping for Christ who would soon be their
riches and crown of glory (1 Peter 5:4; Isaiah 28:5). Paul went to great
lengths to describe the magnificence of the gift of Jesus Christ:
Ephesians 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints,
is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable
riches of Christ;
This is exactly what Christ was saying to Judas when He promised what would
come upon those who loved Him. Christ, the resurrection and the life, was
the reward and inheritance given to all who were trusting and loving Him.
The same reward, Jesus Christ, the Lord of heaven and earth, is given to
all who cease from their self-righteousness and trust entirely upon Him
for the salvation of their souls. By the faith in Christ, the faith that
comes by the unmerited favor and sovereign pleasure of God, the believer
is immediately translated into the kingdom of God by Christ dwelling in
their hearts. This is how the kingdom of God comes to His elect. This is
how God manifests Himself to His chosen people and not to the world.
It is for this reason that Christ went on to tell Judas and the rest
of the disciples they should rejoice in the fact that He was leaving:
John 14:28-29 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and
come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said,
I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have
told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might
believe.
If Christ at this point had opened their understanding to comprehend the
unsearchable riches His presence would bring them, the disciples surely
would have been ecstatic about His leaving them; for they would be certain
that the Comforter would come and eventually Christ Himself would come
to dwell in them. What is interesting is how Jesus tells them that He told
them beforehand so that when He would return they could with certainty
know and believe that their Savior was now ruling and reigning in their
hearts. This ruling and reigning in the heart signifies the reign of righteousness
under the New Covenant:
Hebrews 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the
house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into
their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God,
and they shall be to me a people:
Romans 5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace
reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Certainly this reign is, and forever will be, none other than the God of
heaven dwelling in the hearts of those who love Him.
In John 17 we find Christ, the High Priest praying that certain blessings
would come upon His elect. One of those blessings is, indeed, the presence
of Christ with His elect. After praying specifically for the disciples,
He then includes the rest of those who would believe on Him through the
preaching of the disciples. Within this prayer is the blessing that Christ’s
chosen people would be with Him:
John 17:20-26 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also
which shall believe on me through their word; 21 That they all may be one;
as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in
us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory
which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we
are one: 23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in
one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved
them, as thou hast loved me. 24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou
hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which
thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known
thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. 26 And I have declared
unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast
loved me may be in them, and I in them.
The desire of Christ for His people to be one is evident. This unity is
not based upon intellectual or doctrinal agreement as many suppose (though
essential doctrinal agreement is a fruit of this unity in Christ). The
oneness in Christ, however, is inseparable from being present with, or
in, Christ. We must remember that this presence with Christ was necessarily
preceded by the deposit of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of first-century
believers—the Spirit who was transforming them from Old Covenant glory
to New Covenant glory (2 Corinthians 3:18). This would ultimately gather
the people of God as one, as seen in vs.21:
John 17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me,
and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe
that thou hast sent me.
After He prays that they would be one, He immediately relates that association
with His own relationship to the Father. This is crucial to understand
especially as we consider that just as Christ is the Son of God, likewise,
under the New Covenant, believers in Him are called sons or children of
the Living God:
Hosea 1:10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as
the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall
come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not
my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living
God.
Paul confirmed this prophecy as fulfilled under the New Covenant:
Romans 9:24-26 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only,
but also of the Gentiles? 25 As he saith also in Osee, I will call them
my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.
26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto
them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of
the living God.
Even John confirms this in the first chapter of his Gospel:
John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to
become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Luke was explicitly clear as he recorded Jesus equating resurrection with
being a child of God:
Luke 20:34-36 And Jesus answering said unto them, The children
of this world marry, and are given in marriage: 35 But they which shall
be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the
dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: 36 Neither can they die
any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God,
being the children of the resurrection.
Jesus, the almighty God identified Himself as the Light of the world. He
spoke of being children of Light:
John 12:36 While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may
be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did
hide himself from them.
Because the covenantal transforming work of the Holy Spirit was operating
in the first-century believers, Paul could say with certainty:
Romans 8:16-17 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit,
that we are the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs
of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him,
that we may be also glorified together.
Speaking of the same subject Paul writes:
Galatians 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ
Jesus.
The accomplishing of this glorious adoption, Paul says was the immutable
plan of God to save His elect:
Ephesians 1:3-12 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places
in Christ: 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:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ
to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise
of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,
according to the riches of his grace; 8 Wherein he hath abounded toward
us in all wisdom and prudence; 9 Having made known unto us the mystery
of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
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: 11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being
predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after
the counsel of his own will: 12 That we should be to the praise of his
glory, who first trusted in Christ.
The inheritance is Christ, the glorious gift given to all those who put
their trust in Him for the forgiveness of sins. Paul calls these children
heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). Even the writer
of Hebrews cited passages from the O.T. as confirmed in Jesus Christ pertaining
to the children of God:
Hebrews 2:10-13 For it became him, for whom are all things, and
by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain
of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For both he that sanctifieth
and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed
to call them brethren, 12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren,
in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. 13 And again,
I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which
God hath given me.
In the Messianic kingdom the elect of God are called the children or sons
of the living God.
Jesus then proceeds to speak of His desire to be in His people and His
people in Him:
John 17:22-23 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them;
that they may be one, even as we are one: 23 I in them, and thou in me,
that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that
thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
First, Jesus says, "the glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them."
We must ask the question: Why would Jesus state this if it was not to take
place for thousands of years? Jesus was simply describing the glory of
the New Covenant and the significance of being raised with Christ in newness
of Life (Romans 6:4,10,11). Even more, Jesus says that the purpose of Him
giving His people glory was so "they may be one." Implication: without
this glory, we could never be one. Yet through the transforming work of
the Holy Spirit Paul declares otherwise:
Galatians 3:26-28 For ye are all the children of God by faith in
Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have
put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond
nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ
Jesus.
Paul says, "Ye are all one in Christ Jesus." Is this not identical to what
Jesus said?
John 17:23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect
in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved
them, as thou hast loved me.
This is clear proof that the unity in Christ is based upon the believers
relationship to Christ and not on whether a certain denomination agrees
intellectually with another denomination. The perfection is based entirely
upon the spiritual communion in Christ. If we are in Christ, we are one
with Christ and His people regardless of physical proximity or acquaintance:
Hebrews 12:22-24 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, 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, 24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant,
and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of
Abel.
Believers have come to the spirits of just men made perfect; hence the
words of Christ, "that they may be made perfect in one." This union and/or
presence in Christ and with His people is not based upon our gender or
nationality, which is why Paul said, "there is neither male nor female:
for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." In other words, in the presence of
Christ we are not regarded as male or female, regardless of our physical
gender. Therefore it follows that in this union we are not even regarded
as married even though physically we may have marital status. Jesus and
Paul are unified on this subject;
Luke 20:34-36 And Jesus answering said unto them, The children
of this world (Greek: aeon or age) marry, and are given in marriage: 35
But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world (Greek: aeon
or age), and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given
in marriage: 36 Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto
the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.
This tremendous blessing of the communion of believers with Christ and
each other is necessarily founded upon believers being in Christ and Christ
in them. The prophets wrote of this union with God with His people and
His people with each other:
Isaiah 62:4-5 Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall
thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah,
and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall
be married. 5 For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry
thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God
rejoice over thee.
Christ even spoke of the New Covenant completion to His disciples pertaining
to this union with Christ and the spirits of just men made perfect:
Matthew 8:11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the
east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in
the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 26:27-29 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave
it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; 28 For this is my blood of the
New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 29 But
I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine,
until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.
Luke 13:28-29 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when
ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the
kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. 29 And they shall come from
the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and
shall sit down in the kingdom of God.
Paul shows a strong relationship between those believers under the New
Covenant and Abraham:
Romans 4:12,16 And the father of circumcision to them who are not
of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith
of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised. 16 Therefore
it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might
be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that
also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
Galatians 3:6-9,14,16 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted
to him for righteousness. 7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith,
the same are the children of Abraham. 8 And the scripture, foreseeing that
God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel
unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. 9 So then they
which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. 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. 16 Now to Abraham and
his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many;
but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
Paul emphatically addresses the singular "seed," which Paul identifies
as Christ. That is, all those who are of faith are the children or "seed"
singular of Abraham. But how can Christ and believers both be called the
"seed" singular of Abraham? From the beginning a man would leave mother
and father and cleave to His wife and the two would become "one" flesh.
Christ, through His marriage to the bride, the church, has become one with
that bride in answer to His prayer:
John 17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me,
and I in thee, that they also may be one in us:
And even more conclusively:
John 17:23-24 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made
perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and
hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. 24 Father, I will that they also,
whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my
glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation
of the world.
Christ’s desire was for His bride to be with Him. That is the great goal
of redemption—namely to reconcile God and man. This is what Christ meant
when He said:
John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come
again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
So then when Paul speaks of Christ and the believers as the seed singular,
he is addressing this marital union between Christ and His bride and the
members of the bride with each other. We are all one in Christ Jesus,
and thus we are the children or "seed" of Abraham. Many assume that Abraham
was perfected once he believed or when he died. This assumption,
however, is quickly seen as false when the writer of Hebrews recites the
names and status of O.T. believers. Included in those names is Abraham:
Hebrews 11:8-10 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. 9 By faith he sojourned in
the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with
Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 10 For he looked
for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
The question is: Did Abraham receive the promise, or any other of the O.T.
believers for that matter? At the time of the writing of Hebrews the answer
was a resounding no:
Hebrews 11:13-16 These all died in faith, not having received the
promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and
embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the
earth. 14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek
a country. 15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from
whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore
God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them
a city.
Hebrews 11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through
faith, received not the promise:
The conclusion of the writer is obvious: the O.T. believers did not receive
the promise, which promise was Christ, their crown of glory (Isaiah 28:5;
1 Peter 5:4) More importantly, pertaining to our subject, the O.T. believers
would not be made perfect without the first-century believers:
Hebrews 11:40 God having provided some better thing for us, that
they without us should not be made perfect.
This is the same perfection and union for which Christ prayed. Related
to and inseparable from this union is the presence of Christ with His people
as they behold His glory, the N.T. glory that was coming to completion:
John 17:23-26 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made
perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and
hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. 24 Father, I will that they also,
whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my
glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation
of the world. 25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but
I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. 26 And
I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love
wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.
To behold the glory of Christ is to have Christ dwelling in us and communing
and dining with Him. This beholding of glory was taking place in
the hearts of the first-century believers:
2 Corinthians 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.
Paul is speaking of no different glory than that for which Christ was praying.
Beholding the glory of the Lord is to behold the glory of the New Covenant—a
glory into which the first-century believers were being changed. The end
result of this transformation would be presence with Christ and beholding
His glory. The first-century believers were waiting for this completed
fulfillment of glory. This is the chief and earnest expectation in the
N.T.:
Galatians 4:19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again
until Christ be formed in you,
Colossians 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall
ye also appear with him in glory.
Until the presence of Christ at His return, the first-century saints did
not have the fullness of glory. It was only in part:
1 Corinthians 13:9-12 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall
be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as
a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish
things. 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face:
now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
The "seeing" and "knowing" is not physical or intellectual as many affirm.
Nor is the fulfillment of these blessings of a different nature than what
is written. It is simply referring to the consummation of these spiritual
blessings that were coming to completion (2 Corinthians 3:18).
Christ’s prayer in John 17 is realized and answered in the heart of
every believer in Christ Jesus. Christ comes to dwell in the believer.
Christ prayed that they would be with Him where He is so that they
would behold His glory. This should remind us of the promise of the New
Covenant we originally cited:
Matthew 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring
forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted
is, God with us.
Even David expressed his longing to be in the presence of the Lord:
Psalm 27:4-6 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I
seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my
life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple. 5
For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret
of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. 6 And
now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore
will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will
sing praises unto the LORD.
Psalms 17:15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness:
I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.
David’s one desire was to dwell in the house of the Lord. This could not
have been referring to the Old Covenant Temple for the obvious references
made by godly men concerning the inability of that Temple to contain God:
Acts 7:48-49 Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made
with hands; as saith the prophet, 49 Heaven is my throne, and earth is
my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the
place of my rest?
Acts 17:24-25 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing
that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with
hands; 25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any
thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
1 Kings 8:26-27 And now, O God of Israel, let thy word, I pray thee,
be verified, which thou spakest unto thy servant David my father. 27 But
will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens
cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?
Notice that David says he desired to dwell in the house of the Lord
in order to behold the beauty of the Lord. When we speak of beholding Christ’s
glory and beauty in His Temple, we are certainly not referring to the Old
Covenant Temple. Therefore we must conclude that the beauty and glory which
Christians behold is within the New Covenant Temple, the church of Jesus
Christ. David explicitly states that beholding the beauty of the Lord takes
place within His Temple or house. In numerous places in the N.T. the church
is described as being the Temple of the Lord. There are only two Temples,
earthly and heavenly. The earthly is temporal and the heavenly is eternal:
2 Corinthians 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen,
but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are
temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
The eternal New Covenant things began with the outpouring of the Spirit
to apply the beginning of resurrection life and heavenly blessings to the
church (believers) (John 7:38,39; 1 Corinthians 2:9,10). What is also interesting
about what David says is the fact that he knew that in the secret of God’s
tabernacle, God would set David upon a Rock. Obviously that Rock is Christ.
Christians behold Christ as they are founded upon Him and dwelling in His
Temple or house.
Even Isaiah and John the Baptist agree that salvation and glory are
synonymous, and that under the New Covenant, even the Gentiles would see
the glory of God. Compare these passages:
Isaiah 40:3-6 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare
ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made
low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:
5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see
it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
Luke 3:3-6 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching
the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; 4 As it is written
in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one
crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths
straight. 5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall
be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways
shall be made smooth; 6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
This beholding of glory is a realized blessing in the hearts of all those
to whom God has chosen to give faith in Jesus Christ. Even Simeon testified:
Luke 2:28-32 Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God,
and said, 29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according
to thy word: 30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, 31 Which thou hast
prepared before the face of all people; 32 A light to lighten the Gentiles,
and the glory of thy people Israel.
If Simeon said this pertaining to Christ’s physical presence, how much
more the actual application of resurrection through the Spirit and Christ’s
eternal presence in the heart of the Christian? Consider the apostle John’s
words on this subject:
1 John 1:1-4 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard,
which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands
have handled, of the Word of life; 2 (For the life was manifested, and
we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life,
which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) 3 That which we
have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship
with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son
Jesus Christ. 4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be
full.
What exactly was it that would make these Christians full of joy? The preceding
verse is clear: "that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our
fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." In other
words, fellowship or presence with Jesus Christ and the Father constitutes
real and full joy. David was well aware of the significance of being in
the presence of God and the consequential joy:
Psalm 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence
is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
In God’s presence there is fullness of joy. The path of life (or the Way)
is Jesus Christ. There is one resurrection life and that Life is Jesus
Christ. When we are in His presence our joy is full. This life in and presence
with God are through faith in Jesus Christ for the remission of sins:
Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins
may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence
of the Lord;
Refreshment, life, and joy are all apart of being translated into the kingdom
of God’s dear Son:
Colossians 1:13-14 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness,
and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In whom we
have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
Jesus spoke enlightening words as well concerning this subject of joy:
John 15:10-11 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my
love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you,
and that your joy might be full.
Abiding in Him and in His love is what brings joy. True joy is having the
Father and the Son dwelling in us. Jesus goes to greater lengths to explain
this joy and presence with Him as He comforts the disciples before He leaves:
John 16:19-24 Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him,
and said unto them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little
while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall
see me? 20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament,
but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow
shall be turned into joy. 21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow,
because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child,
she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the
world. 22 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and
your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. 23 And in
that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever
ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. 24 Hitherto have
ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may
be full.
Jesus here explains that full joy rests entirely upon His presence. The
receiving of which Jesus spoke was that of the Holy Spirit poured out at
Pentecost. Consider this passage:
John 7:38-39 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said,
out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spake
he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the
Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
Jesus quoted a passage referring to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
Therefore the passage must be examined in comparison with the words of
Jesus:
Isaiah 12:1-6 And in that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I will praise
thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou
comfortedst me. 2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be
afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become
my salvation. 3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells
of salvation. 4 And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon
his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name
is exalted. 5 Sing unto the LORD; for he hath done excellent things: this
is known in all the earth. 6 Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion:
for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.
The elements associated with this joy are salvation (vv.2,3), water (vs.3),
and God dwelling in the midst of His people (vs.6); all of which correspond
with the New Covenant and the words of Jesus. Paul also taught that joy
is in God:
Romans 5:11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our
Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
This joy during the transformation was in the Holy Ghost:
Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but
righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
As we have seen, John the Baptist confirmed with Isaiah that salvation
and glory are synonymous. Because the fullness of the covenantal transformation
had not taken place, Peter recognized that the fullness of salvation and
glory was not yet complete. In fact Peter was clear in describing the actuality
that these first-century believers were being saved by the Spirit:
1 Peter 3:18-21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also
now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer
of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
Peter affirmed that the same resurrection that happened to Jesus Christ
was at work saving and resurrecting these first-century believers. Because
of this Peter also describes that the fullness of salvation and glory was
imminent:
1 Peter 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto
salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
1 Peter 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s
sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also
with exceeding joy.
Paul shares the same truth:
Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time
are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be (Greek, mello:
lit. "about to be") revealed in us.
Romans 13:11-12 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time
to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off
the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
Finally, in regard to fullness of joy and God’s presence, we see Jude expressing
that the two are inseparable:
Jude 24-25 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling,
and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding
joy, 25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion
and power, both now and ever. Amen.
This faultless presentation before God was explained distinctly by Paul
as he described the New Covenant in its fullness once the transformation
was complete:
Colossians 1:20-22 And, having made peace through the blood of
his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say,
whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. 21 And you, that
were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now
hath he reconciled 22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present
you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
Ephesians 5:25-27 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also
loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and
cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present
it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such
thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
1 Thessalonians 3:12-13 And the Lord make you to increase and abound
in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:
13 To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before
God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his
saints.
Those who believe that Christ’ Parousia (presence) has not taken place
are forced to believe that we are not yet presented as faultless before
His presence. Jude clearly stated that this faultlessness would take place
at the presence of His glory. Yet so many would affirm that we are holy
and blameless before Him. This is true, but it could not be true unless
He has made His presence with us.
Exceeding, or full, joy would come for these believers when Christ would
come as the inheritance and fullness of life to dwell in their hearts:
Galatians 4:19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again
until Christ be formed in you
Ephesians 3:16-19 That he would grant you, according to the riches
of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner
man; 17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted
and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what
is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love
of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the
fulness of God.
Previous to this coming or presence, the Holy Spirit, the deposit and guarantee
of the first-century believers’ inheritance, was preparing these believers
for Christ to dwell in them. This is the coming of the kingdom of which
Christ spoke (Luke 17:20,21), a kingdom that comes within the heart and
without observation.
Jesus Christ said that the Father always hears Him (John 11:42). Based
upon the testimony and prayers of Christ we can be certain that this prayer
of Christ was answered:
John 17:24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given
me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast
given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
For all those in Christ Jesus, He has manifested Himself to us and we are
beholding His glory in the Holiest of holies, living in His presence. Through
believing the Gospel of Jesus Christ the sinner enters into an unbreakable,
unalterable relationship with the King of kings to enjoy Him forever. Certainly
our primary text shines forth:
Matthew 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring
forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted
is, God with us.
Romans addresses this magnificent topic of God dwelling with His people:
Romans 5:1-2 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by
faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory
of God.
"Access" is a theme that is clearly summarized in the words of Christ:
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the
life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
The reasoning behind Romans 5:2 is evident: "we have peace with God (the
Father) through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom we have access into this
grace…" Ephesians speaks of this same access:
Ephesians 2:17-19 And came and preached peace to you which were
afar off, and to them that were nigh. 18 For through him we both have access
by one Spirit unto the Father. 19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers
and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household
of God;
Through the blood of Christ we have access "by the Spirit unto the Father."
This is also seen in the third chapter:
Ephesians 3:11-12 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed
in Christ Jesus our Lord: 12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence
by the faith of him.
We have already seen that the residence of the Father is the holy of holies,
a place we enter with "boldness" through the blood of Jesus:
Hebrews 10:19-20 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter
into the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new and living way, which
he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
This access is by faith in Christ as is clarified in Ephesians 3:12. What
is significant in the passage in Romans is the reference to "grace." Here
a distinction needs to be made. It should be noted that the term grace
is used in at least two ways. It us usually defined as a gift or unmerited
favor, i.e., receiving something undeserved. We are told that Noah found
grace in the eyes of the Lord when he was rescued from the flood (Genesis
6:8). The Lord told Moses that he found grace in His sight as the Lord
went with the Israelites through the wilderness (Exodus 33:17). These are
examples of temporal grace given for certain situations. The phrase, "saved
by grace," however, pertains to the unmerited favor of God in giving eternal
life to the elect through the faith that God gives. It is imperative that
we make this distinction in order to fully appreciate the New Covenant.
It should be noted that many believe that O.T. believers were saved by
works. This is simply is not true. For under no circumstances were men
ever able to save themselves by works.
John 1:12-13 But as many as received him, to them gave he power
to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which
were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will
of man, but of God.
Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh
be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
However, on the other side, many in reformed circles have erred in saying
that the O.T. saints were already saved by grace; making no reference
to the entrance of the New Covenant and obvious changes contained therein.
The New Covenant terms, salvation and grace, are synonymous, therefore
they cannot be separated. Both terms are used in the N.T. to describe not
only the fullness of New Covenant life once all was consummated; they also
are used to describe the yet future consummation of the New Covenant as
it was growing to completion. Here is a well-known example of the use of
the words grace and salvation referring to the New Covenant
consummation. This is from a perspective of what it means to be under the
fullness of the New Covenant:
Ephesians 2:5-9 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened
us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised us
up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7 That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace
in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace are ye saved
through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not
of works, lest any man should boast.
Here it uses the past tense in describing the New Covenant salvation. It
says that believers are saved. Yet Paul says what seems to be a contradiction
in Romans:
Romans 13:11-12 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high
time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we
believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore
cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
Paul here seems to be implying that the salvation was yet future. To add
to this apparent confusion, Peter says
1 Peter 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now
save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer
of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
The phrase "doth also now save us," is in the present tense. Literally
it reads, "is now saving us." The typical reformed motto concerning this
dilemma is, "We are saved, we are being saved, and we will be saved." There
is no problem with this statement if two very important factors are considered:
First, the timing must be restricted to the first-century. Second, the
salvation
must be referring to one salvation that was taking place during the first
century and would be consummated at the Parousia. The reformers apply the
motto to three separate aspects of salvation. Their analysis of the motto
is this: "We are saved" refers to the salvation of the soul. This contradicts
Peter who clearly taught that the fullness of this salvation was not complete:
1 Peter 1:9-10 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation
of your souls. 10 Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched
diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
They say, "We are being saved" refers to the outward sanctification in
the life. If this were true, then Peter’s statement that baptism was saving
them (not the removal of the putting away of the filth of the flesh) would
be negated. Is this not what reformers mean by outward "sanctification?"
Thus the only other man-centered alternative for Peter’s passage is that
it is referring to physical baptism which is illogical; for this would
mean that the present tense, "being saved" would necessitate a continual
physical baptism. Otherwise, how could they be being saved? The
only possible conclusion to uphold the Biblical view of salvation is that
there is one salvation that was in the process of being brought to completion
from the time of Pentecost to the Parousia. This was the transformation
from Old Covenant glory to New Covenant glory:
2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a
glass the glory of the Lord, are (being) changed into the same image from
glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
"We are saved" would be correct if it is restricted to a first-century
analysis of what it meant to be saved once the transformation would be
complete. "We are being saved" would be correct if restricted to the covenantal
transformation that was transpiring during the first century. We will be
saved would be correct if restricted to the final consummation of the same
salvation.
Ephesians 2 says, "By grace are ye saved." Under the New Covenant, grace
is the means by which we are saved.
1 Peter 1:12-13 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. 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;
Paul in Ephesians was simply describing the glory of the completed New
Covenant. Frequently in Ephesians Paul addresses the whole theme of riches,
upon which theme we have briefly touched:
Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the
forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace
Ephesians 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 2:7 That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches
of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Eph 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this
grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches
of Christ;
Ephesians 3:16-19 That he would grant you, according to the riches
of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner
man; 17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted
and grounded in love, 18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what
is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19 And to know the love
of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the
fulness of God.
Paul in that last passage equates the filling of the fullness of God with
the unsearchable riches of Christ. When we ponder what was lost in the
garden, the rebellion of man against God, the suffering and shame of Christ,
and His glorious ascension to the throne at the right hand of the majesty
on high—then these riches show their unfathomable quality in Christ’s willingness
and joy to make His abode or dwelling with us. His everlasting title as
Emmanuel is clearly defined as Jesus Christ, God with us.
Ward
Fenley
CHAPTER
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