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Go To Meeting
Albert Jones—2021
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One of the things I wanted to do in starting this sermon is thinking about the promises that God has given us. In everything that we're doing in our lives, all of our effort and commitment to this way to one another and God the Father and Jesus Christ is based on a covenant relationship that we have with the Father and with Christ. That covenant relationship is based on commitments that they have made to us; promises that they have given us. That's what we hold onto because
- we believe our Father when He says to us that He loves us
- we believe our Father when He says to us that He has something great in store for us
We know that at creation, God formed the inhabitants on the earth to sustain us. Things were going along well until that one being who totally against everything that God is doing, and he is our nemesis, Satan the Devil who came onto the scene.
We recognize everything that occurred, and Adam and Eve did something that they shouldn't have done, and caused a condition to occur. Part of the curse that God pronounced is:
Genesis 3:15: "In, and between your seed and her Seed; He will bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel."
That's pointing to some things that need to be cleared up, because all of a sudden we have a condition that now mankind is in a state of sin. That sin committed by Adam and Eve now is imputed or transferred to all of us. We're going to need a means or way out of that. Even here, God is pointing to that. Let's see what God indicated in Matt. 1.
We're projecting forward a bit, a lot transpires between the Garden of Eden and Matthew, but we're familiar with God's Word and we know that the New Testament brings to light the Old Testament. The Old Testament helps establish a greater and deeper understanding of the New Testament.
Matthew 1:17: "So then, all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away to Babylon, fourteen generations; and from the carrying away to Babylon to the Christ, fourteen generations."
Then it talks about the genealogy of Christ's birth; David being the principal in that genealogy in terms of a promise made to David. It's a central piece when you think about God's promise to His creation and God's promise as it relates to the work He's doing in us. The promise that God made to David is very critical here in terms of the throne.
Verse 19 [transcriber's correction]: "And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man…"
This is where the angel announced, relating the birth of Christ o Mary, and Joseph's betrothal.
"…and not willing to expose her publicly, was planning to divorce her secretly. But… [this is not part of God's plan] …as he [Joseph] pondered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, 'Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary to be your wife, because that which has been begotten in her is of the Holy Spirit'" (vs 19-20).
This is something greater than the human flesh can imagine! This is something being done by God!
Verse 21: "And she shall give birth to a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus; for He shall save His people from their sins."
When you read this Scripture, it talks about His people, meaning all of mankind, His creation, which all of mankind incurred the sin of the Garden of Eden. This Scripture speaks to the grander plan of God! We know that that is a major part of what God is doing in His Family today. We're establishing some foundational things here, from which these promises will make greater sense.
Luke 1:27: "To a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the lineage of David; and the name of the virgin was Mary. And after coming to her, the angel said, 'Hail, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you; blessed are you among women.' But when she saw him, she was greatly perplexed at his message, and was considering what kind of salutation this might be. Then the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, because you have found grace with God; and behold, you shall conceive in your womb and give birth to a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give Him the throne of David, His forefather; and He shall reign over the house of Jacob into the ages, and of His Kingdom there shall be no end.'" (vs 27-33)—eternity!
These are just foundational Scriptures that establishes the relationship and the heart of the plan that God is doing in our lives.
You see that I was mentioning David quite a bit. There is a lot more when you think about the Garden of Eden to David. But we want to focus on something here:
2-Samuel 7:4: "And it came to pass that night the Word of the LORD came to Nathan saying, 'Go and tell My servant David, "Thus says the LORD, 'Shall you build Me a house for My dwelling? For I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought up the children out of Egypt until this day, but have walked in a tent, and in a tabernacle'" (vs 4-6).
This is also what Abraham did when God called him out, he dwelt in a strange land, living in tents and tabernacles with his sons. God says that this was His condition, as well, so it says:
Verse 7: "In all places in which I have walked with all the children of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the tribes of Israel, those whom I commanded to feed My people Israel, saying, 'Why do you not build Me a house of cedars?' Now, therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts: "I took you from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be prince over My people, over Israel"'" (vs 7-8). This is an appointment that God ordained!
Verse 9: "And I was with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies out of your sight, and have made you a great name like the name of the great ones in the earth…. [showing that God's work in his life] …Moreover, I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them so that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more. Neither shall the sons of wickedness afflict them any more, as before'" (vs 9-10). We're seeing God work in their life that way!
Verse 11: "And even from the time that I commanded judges to be over My people of Israel, so will I cause you to rest from all your enemies. Also, the LORD tells you that He will make you a house." This is where the LORD has spoken this!
Verse 12: "And when your days are fulfilled, and you shall sleep with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you who shall come forth from your loins. And I will make his kingdom sure. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever" (vs 12-13).
Now we're beginning to see where God is pointing to us, His house!
Verse 14: "I will be to him for a father, and He shall be to Me for a Son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the sons of men. But My mercy shall not leave him, as I took it from Saul whom I put away before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever" (vs 14-16).
We see how the Scripture will go from present to future prophetic. We see that in just that span of Scriptures; there's a lot that's being said there.
Verse 17: "According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David. Then King David went in and sat before the LORD. And he said…" (vs 17-18). These words are very important:
"…'Who am I, O Lord GOD? And what is my house, that You have brought me here? And this was yet a small thing in Your sight, O Lord GOD. But You have spoken also of Your servant's house for a great while to come. And is this the manner of men, O Lord GOD? And what can David say more to You? For You, O Lord GOD, know Your servant. For Your word's sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all these great things to make Your servant know. Therefore, You are great, O LORD God. For there is none like You, neither is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. And what one nation in the earth is like Your people, like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to Himself, and to make Him a name, and to do for You great things and awesome things, for Your land, before Your people, whom You redeemed to You from Egypt, from the nations and their gods? For You have established for Yourself Your people Israel to be a people to You forever. And You, LORD, have become their God. And now, O LORD God, the word that You have spoken concerning Your servant, and concerning his house: establish it forever, and do as You have said" (vs 18-25).
Verse 26: "And let Your name be magnified forever, saying, 'The LORD of hosts is the God over Israel.' And let the house of Your servant David be established before You. For You, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, have revealed to Your servant, saying, "I will build you a house." Therefore, Your servant has found in his heart to pray this prayer to You" (vs 26-27).
If you can imagine, brethren, just imagine what David is realizing what God is promising him. We understand it even more intimately than David.
Verse 28: "And now, O Lord GOD, You are that God, and Your words are true, and You have promised this goodness to Your servant."
We know that when God promises, it is done! It's a done deal! It's a sure thing! David understood that.
Verse 29: "Therefore, now, let it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue forever before You. For You, O Lord GOD, have spoken. And with Your blessing let the house of Your servant be blessed forever."
These are incredible Scriptures that lay a foundation! Let's see some confirmation of some things:
Acts 7:44: "The tabernacle of the testimony was among our fathers in the wilderness, as He Who spoke to Moses had commanded, to make it according to the pattern, which he had seen; which also our fathers, who received it by succession, brought in with Joshua, when they took possession of the land from the nations whom God drove out before the face our fathers, until the days of David" (vs 44-45).
We're showing here in terms of the promised that God had made to Abraham; God was going to give that land to Abraham's descendants. He did fulfill His promise, as God always does.
Verse 46: "Who found grace before God, and sought to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob; but Solomon built Him a house. However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made by hands, as the Prophet says: 'The heaven is My Throne, and the earth is a footstool for My feet. What house will you build for Me, says the Lord, or what is the place of My rest? Have not My hands made all these things?'" (vs 46-50).
This is just a realization for us that there's something greater being prescribed here in this house that God is building. God does not need a building made of wood, stone, cedars and fine construction. But God is looking to dwell with us!
We know that David wanted to build a house, but selected Solomon to fulfill it. Now this is the completion of the house, according to God's instructions. Let's see the significance of it. This is a significant time in the nation of Israel. This is the culmination of a time of peace that Israel had not know before, or since, in the sense of the blessings that God placed in Israel during the reign of Solomon.
1-Kings 8:1: "Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel…"—after the completion of the temple and they're preparing to dedicate it!.
Bear with me as I read through this because I want to establish some very critical principles here. Think about our Savior, our King and His office today, and everything that you know that He has done and is doing for us in His work, His Family, His Church and on the earth. As was announce to His mother Mary prior to His birth: Our Savior!
1-Kings 8:1: "Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, to King Solomon in Jerusalem, so that they might bring up the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion…. [the place where God dwells with His people] …and all the men of Israel were gathered to King Solomon at the Feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month. And all the elders of Israel came in, and the priests took up the Ark. And they brought up the Ark of the LORD and the tabernacle of the congregation and all the Holy vessels which were in the tabernacle—even those the priests and the Levites brought up. And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who had assembled to him were before the Ark sacrificing sheep and oxen which could not be counted nor numbered for multitude" (vs 1-5). Tremendous sacrifices before God there!
Verse 6: "And the priests brought in the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD into its place, into the Holy place of the house, into the Holy of Holies under the wings of the cherubim…. [the Temple and the Ark are shadows of the actual in heaven] …For the cherubim spread forth their two wings over the place of the Ark. And the cherubim covered the Ark and the staves of it above." (vs 6-7). Then he goes on to describe what they did!
Verse 10: "And it came to pass when the priests had come out of the Holy of Holies, the cloud filled the house of the LORD. And the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD" (vs 10-11).
God putting His presence there in that way, demonstrating how pleased He was, how very committed He was to dwell with His people. The Lord said that He would dwell in the thick darkness.
Verse 13: "I have surely built an exalted house for You, a settled place for You to abide in forever."
Is God to abide in a house of cedars forever? I think we've clarified that there's something greater that this is pointing to!
Verse 14: "And the king turned his face around and blessed all the congregation of Israel. And all the congregation of Israel stood. And he said, 'Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who spoke with His mouth to David my father and has fulfilled it by His hand, saying, "From the day that I brought forth My people Israel out of Egypt, I did not choose any city out of all the tribes of Israel to build a house, so that My name might be in it. But I chose David to be over My people Israel."'" (vs 14-16).
Verse 17: "And it was in the heart of my father David to build a house for the name of the LORD God of Israel. But the LORD said to my father David, 'Because it was in your heart to build a house to My name, you did well that it was in your heart…. [that's a good thing] …Only, you shall not build the house, but your son who shall come out of your loins, he shall build the house for My name'" (vs 17-19).
Think about the duality of Scripture! '…your son who shall come out of your loins, he shall build the house for My name'
Verse 20: "And the LORD has performed His Word, which He spoke… [we knew that that would be true, because God cannot lie]…and I have risen up instead of my father David. And I sit on the throne of Israel as the LORD promised. And I have built a house for the name of the LORD God of Israel."
So, we have established that the throne was established by God's intention and design. It's His desire to dwell with His people. Why is the tabernacle so very important to God's work? It is a very important aspect of it! God is in His Temple; He was there in that thick darkness. The people, whenever they needed something, they would flow to Him! You can read Solomon's prayer and we know that if the people needed God:
- Where did they go?
- Where did they go to pray?
- Toward this place!
- Toward the Temple of God!
Verse 44: "If Your people go out to battle against their enemy, wherever You shall send them, and shall pray to the LORD toward the city which You have chosen, and the house that I have built for Your name, then hear in heaven their prayer and their cry, and maintain their cause" (vs 44-45).
And even more critical for us, v 46: "If they sin against You (for there is no man who does not sin), and if You are angry with them and have delivered them up before the enemy and they have been led away captive to the land of the enemy, far or near, yet, if they shall think within themselves in the land where they are carried captives, and repent, and pray to You in the land of their captors saying, 'We have sinned and have done perversely, we have done wickedly,' and so return to You with all their heart and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies who led them away captive, and if they pray to You toward their land, which You gave to their fathers, to the city which You have chosen, and the house, which I have built for Your name, then hear their prayer and their cry in heaven Your dwelling place, and maintain their cause, and forgive Your people who have sinned against You, even all their sins which they have done against You, and give them compassion before their captors, so that they may have compassion on them; for they are Your people, and Your inheritance, which You brought out of Egypt from the middle of the furnace of iron; for Your eyes shall be open to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your people Israel, to hearken to them whenever they call to You; for You have separated them from among all the people of the earth to be Your inheritance, as You spoke by the hand of Moses Your servant when You brought our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord GOD'" (vs 46-53).
I wanted to take that time to establish this relationship that we have before God. It is a very blessed and special relationship that we have. Let's talk about some of these differences to put a fine point on this.
Hebrews 3:1: "Because of this, Holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of the faith we profess—Jesus Christ."
We see that He was promised to come as a Savior from the very beginning, sacrificed from the foundation of the world!
Verse 2: "Who was faithful to Him Who appointed Him, even as Moses was in all His house. For He has been counted worthy of greater glory than Moses, even as He Who built the house has so much more honor than the house itself. For every house is built by someone, but He Who built all things is God" (vs 2-4).
Now, here is what we need to understand, going back to what He allowed David and Solomon to do. I say that David and Solomon did good work as God inspired it. The Father and Christ does better work! Awesome work! "For every house is built by someone, but He Who built all things is God."
Verse 5: "Now on the one hand, Moses was faithful in all his house, as a ministering servant, for a testimony of those things which were going to be spoken afterwards. But on the other hand, Christ was faithful as the Son over His own house; Whose house we are…" (vs 5-6).
So, we see the greater house that Christ and the Father has been speaking to from the very beginning, they don't dwell in houses of cedar and stone. His presence was in the temple so that the people could see and know that He was with them. But He was speaking to a greater house that God is building and that is us! His Family! His Church
"…if we are truly holding fast the confidence and rejoicing of the hope firm to the end" (v 6).
These are the promises that we have from God, that we can hold onto; Paul is saying that we need to hold onto that. Do not let anything get between what you and what your faith is in God.
Verse 7: "For this reason, even as the Holy Spirit says, 'Today, if you will hear His voice, harden not your heart, as in the rebellion, in the day of temptation in the wilderness, where your fathers tempted Me and tried Me, and saw My works forty years. Because of this, I was indignant with that generation, and said, 'They are always going astray in their hearts, and they have not known My ways.' So, I swore in My wrath, 'If they shall enter into My rest—'" (vs 7-11).
Verse 12: "Beware, brethren, lest perhaps there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief…"—NO!
- stand firm in the promises of God
- hope in the promises of God
Know that the work that God has begun in you, He will see through tot the very end. There is no wavering or turning away from you, lest you waver and turn away from God, no matter the situation that you find yourself in! Remember that if all fails that God loves you! That love will not change!
"…in apostatizing…" (v 12):
- leaving
- finding interest in other things
- thinking that there's something better
- thinking that there is another way
"…from the living God" (v 12).
If you put your confidence in anything other than the living God, you're putting your confidence in death and nothingness.
There's only one God and we know that He is true! He's made all things! He's called us to be a part of His work in this end-time!
Verse 13: "Rather, be encouraging one another each day… [I hope this sermon helps to encourage you] …while it is called 'today,' so that none of you become hardened by the deceitfulness of sin."
So, God has called us to be alert, be mindful! He's reminding us that Christ is our hope! This is what God is telling us with this understanding and knowledge that we have regarding the relationship that He has with us.
1-Peter 2:1: "Therefore, having put away all wickedness, and all deceit, and hypocrisies and jealousies, and all slanders, as newborn babes… [this is a new beginning for us] …yearn after the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow." (vs 1-2).
This is what we need to be, in this wholesome environment that allows us to grow as a God's people. Not a toxic one that hinders and stunts our growth. The pure milk is what we need to be dinning on.
Verse 3: "If you yourselves have indeed tasted that the Lord is gracious. To Whom coming, as to a living Stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God, and precious" (vs 3-4).
This Cornerstone, this Rock, is a living Stone. It's not a dead stone that just lays there in the dirt. This is a living Stone that we're connecting ourselves to.
Verse 5: "You also, as living stones…" This is an active, living, breathing relationship that we have with God, our Creator!
"…are being built up as a spiritual house—a Holy priesthood—to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (v 5).
It isn't any righteousness in any of us! Our righteousness comes through our relationship with God the Father and Christ is given to us through the Holy Spirit and given back to God, because we received it from God. These are very important aspects of it! Yes, God is doing a great, an incredible work in our lives!
Verse 6: "For this reason it says in the Scripture, 'Behold, I place in Zion the Cornerstone, chosen and precious; and the one who believes in Him shall never be put to shame.' The preciousness is to you, therefore, who believe;but to those who disobey, the Stone that the builders rejected has become the Head of the corner, and a Stone of stumbling and a Rock of offense; especially to those who stumble at the Word, being disobedient, unto which unbelief they also were appointed. But you are a chosen stock, a royal priesthood, a Holy nation, a people…" (vs 6-9).
Spiritual Israel I speak to here as a part of this message to God's Church and to His people! It says that the house of David would be raised up forever. So, here we are spiritual Israel! Jesus Christ—from the linage of David—having been placed as it's King!
Verse 9: "But you are a chosen stock, a royal priesthood, a Holy nation, a people for a possession of God, that you might proclaim His excellent virtues, Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people, but now are the people of God; who had not received mercy, but now have received mercy" (vs 9-10).
Verse 11: "Beloved, I exhort you, as strangers and sojourners, to restrain yourselves from fleshly lusts which war against the soul; having your way of life honest among the Gentiles so that although they speak against you as evildoers, through having witnessed your good works, they may glorify God in the day of visitation" (vs 11-12).
We know that the glory is to God! This is part of our calling, that is to be lights in the world, to be salt sprinkled among the dullness of life in this world. So that they may see and know that there is something better.
Jeremiah 33:14: "'Behold, the days come,' says the LORD, 'that I will establish the good thing, which I have promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah. In those days, and at that time, I will cause the Branch of Righteousness to grow up to David. And He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land.'" (vs 14-15). We know Who that is pointing to!
Hebrews 8:1: "Now, here is a summary of the things being discussed…"
Here it is right here, and here's what we know to be true and what rejoice in. Here is what we renew each year at Passover, our covenant and have faith in, that we have support. I say again, God has given us everything that we need to be in His Kingdom. It is available to us even if we don't have it within, we have a Source from which we can request, requisition, that power that we need. Put your requisition into God through prayer. Petition Him and request it of Him. He promised that if we pray according to His will He will hear us.
"…We have such a High Priest Who sat down at the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord set up, and not man. For every high priest is ordained to offer both gifts and sacrifices; therefore, it is necessary for this One also to have something that He can offer. Now, on the one hand, if He were on earth He would not even be a priest since there are priests who offer gifts according to the priestly law; Who serve as a representation and shadow of the heavenly things, exactly as Moses was Divinely instructed when he was about to construct the tabernacle: 'For see,' says He, 'that you make all things according to the pattern that was shown to you in the mountain'" (vs 1-5).
Verse 6: "But on the other hand, He has obtained a supremely more excellent ministry, as much greater as the superior covenant of which He is also Mediator, which was established upon superior promises."
I just want to focus on that verse for a minute, but this is the whole crux of the message. We saw the pomp and circumstance, and all the glory that was exhibited with the physical temple being constructed. So much so that God came down in a cloud to let the people know that He was in this midst. God told Solomon, after that prayer, that He had heard his prayer and 'I will honor it,' He said. So, here we are with a superior promises above and beyond that:
- IF they went to war, pray to the temple and God would hear
- IF they sinned, bring a sacrifice to the temple and God would hear
Here we are today with a superior promise!
Verse 7: "For if the first covenant had been faultless, then no provision for a second covenant would have been made. But since He found fault with them, He says, 'Behold, the days are coming,' says the Lord, 'when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah'" (vs 7-8).
This covenant is superior to anything that He had established with physical Israel. Much greater!
I want to speak to some of these promises that are part of the New Covenant. First of all, let's start with the broadest one, which is grace! We stand in grace. There was a physical relationship with Israel in the past. Yes, it was by grace that God reached out and chose a people and brought them unto Himself to be a nation unto Himself.
Today we stand in grace, and that grace covers every aspect of everything that I've talked about:
- the fact that you hear this message
- the fact that you were called
- the fact that you have God's Sprit
- the fact that you were pricked in the heart and your mind was opened
All through the graciousness of God! So, we give thanks to God for His calling!
- we stand in that grace
- we stand under that grace
That grace describes the promises that we have from God. That we won't be able to go through each and every one of the promises of God here. But I encourage you to go back and do a deep study on each one. We have done some of this in the Bible studies that we have been doing. One is rest! God has promised a rest to His people. That rest includes the office of the High Priest in heaven.
Hebrews 9:22: "Now, almost all things are purified with blood according to the priestly law, and without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins. Therefore, it was indeed obligatory for the patterns of the heavenly things to be purified with the blood of these animals, but the things in heaven themselves with superior sacrifices than these. For Christ has not entered into the Holy places made by human hands, which are mere copies of the true; rather, He has entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us" (vs 22-24).
Verse 25: "Not that He should offer Himself many times, even as the high priest enters into the Holy of Holies year by year with the blood of others; for then it would have been necessary for Him to suffer many times since the foundation of the world. But now, once and for all, in the consummation of the ages, He has been manifested for the purpose of removing sin through His sacrifice of Himself" (vs 25-26). Christ's blood gives us access!
Verse 27: "And inasmuch as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this, the judgment; so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear the second time without sin unto salvation to those who are eagerly awaiting Him" (vs 27-28).
- this rest
- a High Priest
- access to the Father
- freedom from sin (Rom. 8:15)
- justification
All of this culminated with what was announced to Mary, what was established in the Garden of Eden, where God's plan began.
These promises are magnified in the Scriptures. We have justification through faith with works. Yes, faith and works together. Apart, faith without works is dead. But faith and works together were working or acting on what we believe. We're truly engaged that way. Christ's blood, again (Heb. 12:24
We also have this enormous, very major aspect of it, which makes it possible, and that is power! Holy Spirit! Yes, there's a spirit in man, but that is merely an essence that gives us consciousness. We are aware, alive, comprehend, see around us, but we can't comprehend spiritual things without the Spirit of God!
There's good that we can do. Yes, we can do good things, but goodness in the world never equates righteousness with God. Goodness is something that God expects of all mankind. The Holy Spirit enables us on another level. It gives us hope! We have a Savior!. We have the promise of the resurrection!.
Hebrews 11:35: "Women received their dead restored to life…"—a resurrection!
We know that on the day of Christ's crucifixion that many received their dead restored to life. Lazarus was resurrected from the dead.
"…and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a superior resurrection" (v 35)—a resurrection to spirit life, immortality in the glory of Christ that is promised to us!
How many can say that God has promised a relationship, not just as a friend or servant, but as a son!
Romans 8:14: "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. Now, you have not received a spirit of bondage again unto fear, but you have received the Spirit of sonship, whereby we call out, 'Abba, Father.'" The Spirit itself bears witness conjointly with our own spirit, testifying that we are the children of God" (vs 14-15)—Holy Spirit and sonship!
Titus 1:1: "Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect…"
The faith that we have, that we walk in, renew each year in our covenant relationship with God. We walk by faith!
"…and the knowledge of the Truth that is according to Godliness; in the hope of eternal life… [not just the resurrection, not just a physical life, but a spirit life] …which God Who cannot lie promised before the ages of time, but revealed in its own set time in the proclamation of His Word, with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior; to Titus, a true son according to our common faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior" (vs 1-4).
Paul mentions this, because this is a part of those promises that God gives us, always we're standing in that state of grace, mercy and peace. Not just from the Lord, but "…from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior." We have an incredible relationship here!
Hebrews 1:1: "God Who spoke to the fathers at different times in the past and in many ways by the Prophets, has spoken to us in these last days by His Son, Whom He has appointed heir of all things, by Whom also He made the ages; Who, being the brightness of His glory and the exact image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His own power, when He had by Himself purged our sins… [conquering that condition in the Garden of Eden] …sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high; having been made so much greater than any of the angels, inasmuch as He has inherited a name exceedingly superior to them. For to which of the angels did He ever say, 'You are My Son; this day I have begotten You'? And again, 'I will be a Father to Him, and He will be a Son to Me'?" (vs 1-5). Remember those Scriptures back there referring to David!
Verse 6: "And again, when He brought the Firstborn into the world, He said, 'Let all the angels of God worship Him.' Now, on the one hand, of the angels He says, 'Who makes His angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of fire.' But on the other hand, of the Son He says, 'Your Throne, O God, is into the ages of eternity; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your Kingdom. You loved righteousness and hated lawlessness…'" (vs 6-9). This is a true statement, and we all need to understand that God hates lawlessness!
"'…because of this, God, even Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness above Your companions.' And, 'You, Lord, in the beginning did lay the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of Your hands. They will perish…'" (vs 9-11).
We were talking recently about the universe and how spectacular it is. But it is in a state of decay because it is a physical universe. This even will become new.
Verse 11: "'They will perish but You remain forever; and they will all grow old like a garment, and You will roll them up like a covering, and they shall be changed; but You are the same, and Your years will not end.' But unto which of the angels did He ever say, 'Sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet'? Are they not all ministering spirits, being sent forth to minister to those who are about to inherit salvation?" (vs 11-14).
Yes, we walk every day and God's angels are about us charged with our protection and oversight. These are promises from God. His eyes are always about the business of His people. He is very much aware of us.
Job 14—this is what we are all looking forward to. We are all waiting for that change to occur. We have hope that the work God is doing in us individually, with His Family and with His Church, that we will see the resurrection. We will stand in that day when Christ comes, and we will either be resurrected from the dead to spirit life, or we will be changed in the twinkling of an eye to a spirit being.
After going through everything Job went through, he did understand this; this was part of the dialog:
Job 14:14: "If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time in the grave I will wait, until my change comes. You shall call, and I will answer You; You shall have the desire for the work of Your hands" (vs 14-15).
God is working in our lives right now, and He is creating a new thing, and that new thing will be given a spiritual body one day, so that that perfect Godly character that God is making in us, creating in us, will then have that perfect righteous body to be joined to, and we will be born anew in the kingdom of God as spirit beings, as a part of the very Family of the Sovereign God of the universe.
Scriptural References:
- Genesis 3:15
- Matthew 1:17, 19-21
- Luke 1:27-33
- 2 Samuel 7:4-29
- Acts 7:44-50
- 1 Kings 8:1-7, 10-11, 13-20, 44-53
- Hebrews 3:1-13
- 1 Peter 2:1-12
- Jeremiah 33:14-15
- Hebrews 8:1-8
- Hebrews 9:22-28
- Hebrews 11:35
- Romans 8:14-16
- Titus 1:1-4
- Hebrews 1:1-14
- Job 14:14-15
Scripture referenced, not quoted: Hebrews 12:24
AJ:bo
Transcribed: 8/29/21
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