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Why the live goat remains alive and his fate is yet to be fulfilled
Fred R. Coulter—November 4, 2017
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{transcriber's note: message begins about 14:55 minutes in, after sermonette}
Greetings, everyone! Welcome to Sabbath services!
Let's see a little bit more about Satan, and let's understand some things that are very important in relationship to the two goats of Lev. 16.
- Where was Christ ever called 'Azazel'?
- Where in the New Testament do the scribes and Pharisees come close to that? When they said that He cast demons out by Beelzebub!
- When was heaven—or the throne of God—ever called…
Because they say that for the second goat, all the sins are put on the second goat to be carried to heaven; God doesn't want sin in heaven; they're not going there.
- Why does God put the sins upon the live goat as well as the sacrificial goat?
Let's also understand another very important principle: The Old Testament does not interpret the New Testament! The New Testament interprets the Old Testament! The Old Testament has rituals and prophecies; the New Testament has fulfillment of rituals and prophecies, as well as further prophecies that unlock and open the Old Testament.
Leviticus 16:7: "And he shall take the two goats and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation." That's in front! The goat for the Lord, which was sacrificed, his blood was carried into the Holy of Holies!
Where was the body of the goat, along with all other sin offerings, taken after the blood was sacrificed? They were taken outside the camp and burned completely!
Verse 8: "And Aaron shall cast lots on the two goats; one lot for the LORD and the other lot for Azazel." The King James Bible says 'scapegoat.'
Jesus is not a scapegoat; He is the bona fide sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, not a scapegoat. A scapegoat is that you accuse this person or that person and you get off free. Not true!
- Why were lots having to be chosen if they were both for the Lord?
If they were both for the Lord:
- Why was one for the Lord and the other for Azazel?
You need to ask all those questions!
Verse 10: "But the goat on which the lot fell for Azazel shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement upon it and sent away into the wilderness for Azazel."
- Why was that done?
- What does this represent?
- We will see!
Then the blood for the goat that was for the Lord was taken into the Holy of Holies with the other sin offerings, etc. Aaron confessed all the sins, transgressions and uncleanness of the children of Israel over the goat for the children of Israel. This was an offering for forgiveness in the sense of covering.
As I mentioned in part two, this was so that God could work with the nation; this was not for individuals. It was for the nation as a whole.
Verse 21: "And Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the sins of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat, and shall send it away by the hand of a chosen man into the wilderness. And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities to a land in which no one lives…." (vs 21-22).
- Who lives in heaven?
- God the Father
- Jesus Christ
- thousands and thousands of angels
- 24 elders
- 4 living creatures
- When did it ever picture God's throne in the wilderness? It did temporarily, after they made the tabernacle and everything for the tabernacle in the wilderness!
It all had to be dedicated to God and run according to the will of God and His commandments. That's the only time, and that was a picture of things in heaven above.
Why confess the sins over a live goat if the sins have already been forgiven through the sacrificial goat? Let's draw a little analogy here: Years ago they had great campaigns to get rid of the mafia in New York.
- If you killed the godfather, did you get rid of all of his gang?
- Did you get rid of all the accomplices?
- If you arrested all of them, and all of the politicians who were in cahoots with them remained free, have you gotten rid of the evil?
God also holds all of the accomplices guilty! Let's look at the goat for Azazel, which does picture Satan the devil—not Christ; not another form of Christ!
Satan is a spirit being and angels do not die, so he is going to continue living forever. How is the best way to picture that in a ritual at the temple? By not killing it! This also takes away the proposition that God will destroy Satan. The correct translation is that He will destroy the works of Satan.
Satan has been around along time. Let's understand that here is Christ in the flesh, the priests, the Sadducees and Pharisees, and the elders. They thought that they knew the true God. They thought that they represented Him. Let's read what Christ says:
John 8:28: "Then Jesus said to them, 'When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you yourselves shall know that I AM…'" That told them a lot, because the Greek there is 'ego emi' and they knew that was a name of God.
"'…and that I do nothing of Myself. But as the Father taught Me, these things I speak. And He Who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone because I always do the things that please Him.' As He spoke these things, many believed in Him. Therefore, Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in Him…" (vs 28-31). How deep was that belief?
"…'If you continue in My Word, you are truly My disciples. And you shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall set you free'" (vs 31-32).
Take this is reverse: If you don't continue in His words, you are not His disciples, you don't know the Truth, and you will not be freed from the deception that is holding you.
Verse 33: "They answered Him, 'We are Abraham's seed, and have never been in bondage to anyone….'" The Romans occupied their territory city and temple!
"'…What do You mean by saying, "You shall become free"?' Jesus answered them, 'Truly, truly I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a servant… ['doulous'—slave] …of sin'" (vs 33-34). We must have the forgiveness of our sins.
- Where did it start? In the Garden of Eden!
- Did not Adam and Eve have the choice? Yes, indeed!
Verse 35: "And the servant does not live in the house forever; but the Son lives forever. Therefore, if the Son shall set you free, you shall truly be free" (vs 35-36). So, it's His sacrifice and His Spirit combined that will do it!
Verse 37: "I know that you are Abraham's seed…" Notice the difference between seed and children:
- seed—offspring
- children—spiritually you are as Abraham, loving and obedient
"…but you are seeking to kill Me, because My words do not enter into your minds. I speak the things that I have seen from My Father, and you do the things that you have seen from your father" (vs 37-38). That's why the two identical goats, because the carnal mind cannot discern between the false christ and the true Christ, the false father and the true Father.
Sidebar on watching TBN: I'm catching up on all these Protestants. I'm going to continue a little more on the sermon series: The Mystery of Protestantism and Jonathan Cahn.
If you watch TBN for a while, how many times do they bring up the Father, compared to the number of times they bring up Jesus? Probably a hundred to one! Maybe if we're generous, we'll say five. True conversion puts you in contact with the Father, through Jesus! They do things of their father.
- Who was their father? Satan!
- Where does Satan like to be? In the high and important places!
in our day:
- What happened in Pasadena? Evil came! They didn't get rid of it!
- Why go out there and bother all the brethren, that's too much work? Get someone inside and destroy it within!
That will take care of a lot of the scattered sheep, some of whom were never really sheep.
Verse 37: "I know that you are Abraham's seed; but you are seeking to kill Me, because My words do not enter into your minds. I speak the things that I have seen from My Father, and you do the things that you have seen from your father" (vs 37-38).
How many sins do we have here? The individuals and Satan, who causes them to sin and causes them to go against Christ!
Verse 39: "They answered and said to Him, 'Our father is Abraham.' Jesus said to them, 'If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has spoken the Truth to you, which I have heard from God; Abraham did not do this. You are doing the works of your father.'…." (vs 39-41). The whole point on this thing with the live goat is:
- Who inspires sin in the world?
- How does he cause it to happen?
- What is God going to do about it?
That's the question of Atonement! It follows right along with the Holy Days. Before the Millennium begins, you've got to put Satan away. Why? Because as long as he's around you can't stop his infiltration in causing people to sin!
Verse 41: "'You are doing the works of your father.' Then they said to Him, 'We have not been born of fornication. We have one Father, and that is God.'" They understood everything about Christ's birth, and didn't God do that wonderfully? Jesus was born in Bethlehem, but didn't stay there much more than about 40 days. Was there any address on the manger? The Catholics are so stupid, they believe that He was born in a cave.
All the things around Jerusalem are nothing but a commercial lie to get devoted people to come there and give money and believe all of the satanic lies that surround Jerusalem today! If that offends you, be offended! But you better take it up with God lest you offend Him.
Verse 42: "Therefore, Jesus said to them, 'If God were your Father, you would love Me, because I proceeded forth and came from God. For I have not come of Myself, but He sent Me…. [v 44]: You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you desire to practice. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has not stood in the Truth because there is no Truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he is speaking from his own self; for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I speak the Truth, you do not believe Me. Which one of you can convict Me of sin? But if I speak the Truth, why don't you believe Me?" (vs 42-46).
Verse 47: "The one who is of God hears the words of God. For this reason you do not hear, because you are not of God." That's clear as can be!
John 12—This is when Jesus was selected. You cannot get the Passover sacrifice confused with the Atonement sacrifice. The Passover sacrifice is for those whom God calls!
- Is He calling everybody? No!
- What is God going to do about all these people? The answer is in the Last Great Day!
- if they're blinded by Satan, which they are
- if God blinds them, which He has
- if they have the veil over their eyes, they can't understand
- if they have been cut off from God, because God cut them off
Who is responsible for that? God is!
He has decreed that He's going to give every person a chance for salvation. That's why the second resurrection! They never had a first opportunity. If they were blinded by Satan the devil, then it's not entirely their own fault.
He was selected, and this was on a Sabbath Day, the 10th day of the 1st month, selection time for the Passover lamb.
John 12:28: "…Then a voice came from heaven, saying, 'I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.' Then the people standing there, who heard it, said, 'It thundered.' Others said, 'An angel spoke to Him.' Jesus answered and said, 'This voice did not come because of Me, but because of you. Now is the judgment of this world….'" (vs 28-31). Who is the god of this world? Satan the devil!
"'…Now shall the prince of this world be cast out'" (v 31). The question is when will the shall be executed? We read these things and we think more in the immediacy of what we are reading.
John 14:30: "I will not speak with you much longer because the ruler of this world is coming; but he does not have a single thing in Me." That's Satan the devil!
John 16:7: "But I am telling you the truth. It is profitable for you that I go away because if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you. However, if I go, I will send it to you. And when that one has come, it will convict the world concerning sin… [everyone is going to know what sin is] …and righteousness… [the true righteousness of God] …and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; concerning righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you no longer will see Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged" (vs 7-11). But when will the sentence be carried out? That's what the Day of Atonement is all about!
We know that Satan deceives the whole world. We know that the world is held in that deception like a covering pall. You might say that it's all captured in this great net of Satan the devil.
Sidebar: Very rarely do you hear this on TBN, but there are some few who do talk about the literal return of Jesus Christ. Because of this, Satan is called what?
2-Corinthians 4:3: "But if our Gospel is hidden, it is hidden to those who are perishing; in whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of those who do not believe, lest the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, Who is the image of God, should shine unto them" (vs 3-4).
- What are we to believe? There's a lot we are to believe!
- What is the summation of that belief? Man shall not live by bread alone but by the words of God he chooses!
A little slight of hand! Isn't that what the world does? …by every word of proceeds out of the mouth of God!That's the requirement!
Let's look at some of the sins of Satan the devil, and this will help answer the question: Why is that goat left alive and then both hands of the priest are laid on the goat. All the sins on laid upon that goat! Why? Because Satan is the one who the author of sin! Let's see how he works in the Church:
Acts 5:1: "Now, a certain man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a possession, and kept back part of the price for himself… [apparently they got more than what they said it was worth] …his wife also being aware of it; and he brought a certain portion and laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, 'Ananias, why did Satan fill your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit…'" (vs 1-3).
Can Satan influence? inspire? put into people's hearts? Yes, indeed!
"…and to keep back part of the price of the estate?" (v 3). What should Ananias have done, since he said he was going to pledge all of it? He should have said, 'Look, Peter, we said it was going to be for $10,000, but we actually got $15,000. We're willing to give you the $15,000, but what do you think? He didn't do that. So, Satan can put it into the heart of people.
There's one man who, every time I say that, sends me a card saying that 'Satan can't inspire anybody.' Well, what is this? If you put it in the heart, it's going in. Is it from a spirit being inspirerer? Yes!
- What about all the people out there?
- What about what Jesus said, 'Many shall be led into sin'?
Think about that, because children are born into the world, and the only thing they know is how to suck and cry and eliminate. That's it! If someone causes you to do something, are they responsible? Do they have a share in that? Of course they do! Yes, they do!
Ephesians 2:1: "Now, you were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you walked in times past…" (vs 1-2)—living a life walking in sin. Did they know it was sin? Maybe there were some things they understood were not good! Look at what Paul said when he came to Mars Hill.
"…according to the course of this world…" (v 2). You're born into a world already made and set. That doesn't mean that new things can't come along, but it's all set.
"…according to the prince of the power of the air… [Satan the devil] …the spirit that is now working within the children of disobedience" (v 2). So, Satan causes them to sin! Today he has many things besides himself and demons to cause people to sin:
- entertainment
- all the digital things
- all the movies
Everything in the modern world that there is! Think of all the things that those of us who are older, when they first came out we thought that they were good things. But they have all evolved into evil! Look at all the advertisement for all of the movies that are coming out, all the games that kids play. Think about how they are not educated with the Word of God. They are actually educated to be stupid idiots in the system that we have today.
- Who is responsible? Satan!
- Should he not be punished for that?
- Should we not have something in a ritual, in the Old Testament, to show us what God is ultimately going to do with him?
- Is Satan not the enemy of all mankind? Yes, indeed!
Verse 3: "Among whom also we all once had our conduct in the lusts of our flesh, doing the things willed by the flesh and by the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as the rest of the world." Those are our sins! The New Testament shows the forgiveness of human sin through the sacrifice of Christ.
- Where does it ever say the forgiveness of Satan's sins?
- Where does it ever say that Satan repented?
- Nowhere!
That's why we have the live goat!
Let's see how else sin comes into the Church via the way of the enemy. We will see how that is explained, as well. This is why that when a false prophet or doctrine comes along we are to prove all things. And prove it by the Word of God. What is the standard that we are to follow? The standard of man? or The standard of God? God!
Paul is talking to all the elders from Ephesus and he's telling them, Acts 20:28: "Take heed, therefore, to yourselves and to all the flock…" All who are elders have a particular extra job to do before God always: Never get carried away with self and vanity! Never! Don't come along with some great new doctrine. Prove all things!
"…among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to feed the Church of God, which He purchased with His own blood" (v 28). That's quite a command!
Verse 29: "For I know this: that after my departure grievous wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will rise up speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after themselves" (vs 29-30). How does that happen? What I've just read, we've all lived through.
The parable of the sower: we know the ones who had fell by the wayside, and those who fell into the thorns and thistles and so forth. We know the one that says that Satan takes it out of their heart. Isn't that interesting that Satan can remove it? How does he remove it? By getting you active in many things in the world! That's how he does it.
Matthew 13:24: "And He put another parable before them, saying, 'The Kingdom of Heaven is compared to a man who was sowing good seed in his field; but while men were sleeping…'" (vs 24-25).
Matthew 25—what about the ten virgins; what were they all doing? Sleeping and slumbering! We all have our weaknesses. When you have weak moments, you better go to God and ask for some strength.
"…his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away. Now, when the blades sprouted and produced fruit, then the tares also appeared" (vs 25-26). Here they are all growing together. Think of how many people that you knew in the Church. Ministers: where did they go? That's to say nothing of the world and worldly Christianity.
Verse 27: "And the servants came to the master of the house and said to him 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? Then where did these tares come from?' And he said to them, 'A man who is an enemy has done this.' Then the servants said to him, 'Do you want us to go out and gather them?' But he said, 'No, lest while you are gathering the tares, you also uproot the wheat with them'" (vs 27-29).
Why? Because as long as each one of us is rooted in Christ, producing fruit, that's what's important! However, I do believe—speculation—that this also comes in cycles, and God scatters so that He gets rid of the tares.
Verse 30: "Allow both to grow together until the harvest… [Is the harvest going on regularly? Yes!] …and at the time of the harvest, I will say to the reapers, 'Gather the tares first, and bind them into bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my granary.'"
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Let's think about the whole process of tares being sown. How does that work? There's a sermon that we did on The Jesuit Agenda by the SDA Church! Satan sends his best educated and accomplished in the world. Some come as accountants, some as advisors, some as professors. One of the greatest mistakes that was made was that we must get the colleges accredited. Why was that a great mistake? Because the state dictates the standards for your teachers and curriculum. So, what happened? Various ones came into the Church… Some people could see that this was not good, but they couldn't understand what was happening!
They sit there and sit there, and the first thing that they do is advise something good to get you to go along. Then the moment will come for the introduction of false doctrine.
In this case, in the church that we're talking about today, and other churches, that accept the two goats as Christ, some of those were in the former church (WCG) where some of the tares were transplanted over, but they didn't let themselves be known right away. Never do that!
To give a little hint where you can find that the Jesuits have infiltrated different organizations and churches is wherever you see the little candle that looks like a little light. You see that on TBN; you will notice it.
Then they introduce doctrine, and you have with the Church of God the key thing is the Passover. Atonement is for the nation and against the world when Christ returns. But Passover is from the time of Christ for all those whom God calls for those who answer the call. Many are called, but few are chosen! Why? Because few answer the call!
So, you have someone sitting there with tenure. This happened to the Baptist about five years ago. There was a man who was a sound theologian for the Baptists for 20 years. When the time was right he began to announce that with his studies that he did, that he no longer believed in the virgin birth of Christ and many other doctrines. It shocked the whole Baptist organization!
How long have they believed in Sunday? They were already vulnerable. You understand why Paul says that you need to prove all things and hold fast to that which is good! It will always start with something that will eventually become very important.
Look what happened to that Church (WCG)? They now keep Sunday and all the holidays of this world! Can it (the Church) be taken away? Yes, it can! They grow up together and then God has to take them away. What is the ultimate fire going to be? The Lake of Fire!
Let's see Christ's explanation, Matthew 13:37: "And He answered and said to them, 'The One Who sows the good seed is the Son of man… [that's the Word of God; the Truth of God always] …and the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the children of the kingdom…'" (vs 37-38).
- Are we not the children of Kingdom?
- Are we not to produce fruit?
- That fruit is the spiritual fruit; grow and understand!
"…but the tares are the children of the wicked one…. [Satan the devil] …Now, the enemy who sowed them is the devil; and the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. Therefore, as the tares are gathered and consumed in the fire, so shall it be in the end of this age" (vs 38-40). When does this age end? Not until after the second resurrection and the Lake of Fire!
Remember Matt. 7: Many shall say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, didn't we do wonderful works in your name? Didn't we do great things, cast out demons, and did mighty things in Your name?' He will say, 'Depart from Me, you who work iniquity; I never knew you!'
Stop and think! What are the most important Scriptures about knowing God? Where do you find those? Four verses define it clearly! Here is how you know. I'm going to ask a Protestant one of these days:
- Do you believe that Jesus Christ is Lord and Master? Yes, I do!
- Do you believe that He was born of the virgin Mary?
- Do you believe that He was the God of the Old Testament before He was the Lord of the New Testament? Yes, I do!
- Do you believe that you should love and obey Jesus? Yes, I do!
- Do you believe these verses, the Word of God?
1-John 2:3: "And by this standard we know that we know Him: if we keep His commandments." Conditional! Jesus said, 'If you love Me, keep My commandments and I will send to you the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit that will be within you.' So, if you're not keeping the commandments of God, you don't have the Holy Spirit! If you think you're spiritual and act spiritual:
- Did that come from 'the prince of the power of the air' with a false Jesus?
- With a false doctrine?
- Can Satan make you feel good? Can Satan answer your prayers?
- Yes!
So, if we keep His commandments, v 4: "The one who says, 'I know Him' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the Truth is not in him."
- you say you know Christ
- you say He is your Master
- you say He is your Savior
Do you believe what He teaches? Oh, yes! I teach it every Sunday in church!
Mark 2:27[transcriber's correction]: "And He [Jesus] said to them, 'The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath." He didn't create the Sabbath Day without a reason for it. It was for man. Wasn't that the first consciousness that Adam and Eve had on the Sabbath Day after they were created on the sixth day? I wonder what that first Sabbath service was like?
They were created with a working language. Their sin was greater than ours because we're all born into the world and we have to learn and be taught.
Verse 28: "Therefore, the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath." That's a commandment! Of the ten, how many say to remember? One! Of the ten, which is the one that they forget the fastest? The fourth, then the second!
1-John 2:4: "The one who says, 'I know Him' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the Truth is not in him." Doesn't that sound like what we read about Satan the devil in John 8. Where were they when Jesus said that? At the temple!
That's what He said of the devil: he's a liar from the beginning and there is no Truth in him; he has nothing to do with the Truth! We can add that if he takes part of the Truth and twists it by logic and philosophy into an acceptable doctrine for men, is that not a lie? Yes, it is!
Verse 5—another test: "On the other hand, if anyone is keeping His Word…" That makes the whole message of Christ even more binding. If you're keeping His Word you would believe Mark[transcriber's correction] 2:27-28, that Christ is the Lord of the Sabbath. If He's Lord of the Sabbath, it's His day, as well as all the other days in the Bible that God commands us to keep.
"…truly in this one the love of God is being perfected…. [Is there a counterfeit love? Yes, indeed!] …By this means we know that we are in Him" (v 5).
- it's not what you say
- it's not what you profess
- it's not what you believe
- it is actually what you do because you believe the Truth
Verse 6: "Anyone who claims to dwell in Him is obligating himself… [self-imposing upon yourself if you say that you believe in Christ and He's the Son of God] …also to walk even as He Himself walked." Jesus never replaced Sunday for the Sabbath, nor the holidays of this world for the Holy Days of God!
Those are pretty strong verses! Are those hard to understand? No! If you can't understand those, you didn't even graduate from kindergarten! So, the enemy comes along and does this.
2-Peter 3:14 "For this reason, beloved, since you are anticipating these things, be diligent…"
2-Peter 1:5: "And for this very reason also, having applied all diligence…"
Now you know why Christ is upset at the Laodiceans. They're not diligent. Do a study on 'diligence.' We're told to 'guard the door of your mind diligently' (Prov. 3). Today that's really true.
2-Peter 3:14: "…so that you may be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless." You may not be at peace in the world, but by Christ.
Verse 15: "And bear in mind that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation, exactly as our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has also written to you." Apparently, Paul may have been in prison or about ready to be executed about this time.
Verse 16: "As he has also in all his epistles… [he had every one of Paul's epistles] …speaking in them concerning these things; in which are some things that are difficult to understand…"
Yes, they are; but it doesn't say impossible to understand. How do we understand them? What are some Scriptures?
- A good understanding have all of those who keep His commandments!
People in the world do not connect doing with understanding!
- If you say you believe in Christ and do not do the things that He says, you'll never understand the Truth of what it means to believe in Christ!
You may have a profession, but a belief is an entirely different thing.
"…which the ignorant and unstable… [Acts 20; they shall arise among you] …are twisting and distorting… [that's how they do it] …as they also twist and distort the rest of the Scriptures to their own destruction. Therefore, beloved, since you know this in advance, be on guard against such practices, lest you be led astray with the error of the lawless ones, and you fall from your own steadfastness; rather, be growing in the grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and into the day of eternity. Amen" (vs 16-18).
This tells us an awful lot. Remember, the way you stay diligent is what you did yesterday, if it was really good, that's fine. If it wasn't, repent! It says today if you will hear His voice! We're to live by every Word of God that proceeds out of His mouth. Tomorrow you may have plans, but how that turns out you won't know until it comes. We're all guaranteed to make mistakes. I don't see anybody who is perfect.
Let's see how this happened with the Colossians, and see the attempts that were made. Let's bring a little background from Paul at Mars Hill (Acts 17). Who were the ones who were there?
- the philosophers
- the brains
- the mathematicians
- the ones who were considered near God-like in the flesh
- Aristotle
- Socrates
- Pythagoras
Whomever else you want to mention among the philosophers.
Colossians 2:1: "Now, I want you to understand what great concern I have for you, and for those in Laodicea, and as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, unto the knowledge of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; in Whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (vs 1-3).
Everything comes from the Word of God, which comes from God the Father and Jesus Christ. We are to put it together 'a little here and a little there' and so forth.
Verse 4—a warning: "Do not let anyone deceive you with vain words…"—persuasive speech!
- How many have been persuaded by the two-goat heresy?
- How did they use persuasive speech?
- What was left out in their proof in saying that the second goat was Christ and taking our sins to heaven?
Verse 5: "For though I am indeed absent in the flesh, yet, I am with you in spirit, rejoicing and beholding your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, be walking in Him; being rooted and built up in Him, and being confirmed in the faith, exactly as you were taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. Be on guard so that no one takes you captive through philosophy and vain deceit, according to the traditions of men, according to the elements of the world, and not according to Christ" (vs 5-8). That's how they do it!
When you want to prepare a people for something like this to occur, what do you do? You water-down everything, shorten everything and you concentrate on people and fellowship and relationships, rather than God!
To show how that works, how many of you were disappointed when you found out that someone whom you thought you really knew well, fell for the false doctrines 'hook, line and sinker'?
Let's talk about 'the wicked one' a little bit more. The wicked one is Satan the devil. What does he do daily before the throne of God? Accuses us, because we sin!
Matthew 6:9: "Therefore, you are to pray after this manner…" This is the outline prayer, not the specific prayer, but all the elements to include in your prayers. Some days it will include some elements, some days other elements, some days all elements.
"…'Our Father…'" Why is he way of God not a religion as described by people in the world and what they believe 'religion' is? I know that it says in James it says, '…true religion…' He means the true practice of Godliness!
The New Covenant doesn't just forgive your sins; that's a start. The New Covenant—you're baptized and receive the Holy Spirit and begettal from God—puts you in direct contact with God the Father, not just Jesus. You can't say, as the Jews do, that 'we have the Father and the Old Testament' and the Christians in the world say, 'we have Jesus.' You have to have both the way the Bible says.
We're to pray, "…'Our Father, Who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name; Your kingdom come…'" (vs 9-10)—and the rule of God over us as the Kingdom of God ruling over us. We're not in it, but we are under it.
"…Your will be done…" (v 10)—the opposite of our will! What is the whole key out of this prayer?
- you have contact with God the Father
- you are to pray to Him every day
- you are to become God-willed, rather than self-willed
That's what it means to meditate on the Law of God! You let the Laws of God be that vehicle within your mind on how you think, rather than the philosophy of 'I've got a theory.' What do you think? That sounds pretty good to me! I've got a theory: What does God say about it? Different process!
"…Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven" (v 10)—in our lives. Jesus said, 'I did not come to do My own will, but the will of the Father Who sent Me. I do as He taught Me. I do as I see Him do.'
Verse 11: "Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors… [or sins] …and lead us not into temptation, but rescue us from the evil one…." (vs 11-13). We have to be rescued from Satan!
How many temptations come along in a day? Who knows, in today's world! So, we have to be rescued.
"…For Yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen" (v 13). Everything depends upon God.
Let's see something very interesting, which will also tell us why the second goat was sacrificed, and that the work that the second goat pictures has not been fulfilled.
Colossians 1:9: "For this cause we also, from the day that we heard of it, do not cease to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding."
- What does God want us to do?
- How does God want us to think?
We're going to make many mistakes; He knows that! That's why the daily prayer is, 'Forgive us our debts, our sins.' God is not just interested in your actions. He is interested in your thoughts! That's from where all your actions come!
Verse 10: "That you may walk worthily of the Lord, unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God." That's why you heard so many times since you've been in the Church: prayer and study! That's like saying food and water!
Verse 11: "Being strengthened with all power according to the might of His glory, unto all endurance and long-suffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father, Who has made us qualified for the share of the inheritance of the saints in the Light" (vs 11-12). God the Father is the One Who has done that.
Verse 13: "Who has personally rescued us from the power of darkness…" Who is in control of the power of darkness? Satan the devil (Acts 26)!
"…and has transferred us unto the kingdom of the Son of His love; in Whom we have redemption through His own blood, even the remission of sins; Who is the image of the invisible God, the Firstborn of all creation" (vs 13-15)—the creation of those destined to the Kingdom of God who were human beings first, and then raised from the dead! Some people read that and say, 'See! Jesus was the firstborn of creation.'
- Which creation?
- The physical?
or
- The spiritual?
- Which is the most important? The spiritual!
Verse 16: "Because by Him were all things created, the things in heaven and the things on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether they be thrones, or lordships, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him and for Him. And He is before all, and by Him all things subsist. And He is the Head of the Body, the Church; Who is the Beginning, the Firstborn from among the dead so that in all things He Himself might hold the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell; and having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcile all things to Himself; by Him, whether the things on the earth, or the things in heaven" (vs 16-20).
That's why the live goat remains alive! Until the sentence of Satan the devil is carried out in its completion as cover on the Day of Atonement.
First being bound in the abyss (Rev. 20). Then after he is loosed, after the thousand years, then cast into the Lake of Fire and removed to the blackest darkness—wherever that is in the universe—forever!
That's what that goat pictures. But it can't be completed until everything else in God's plan, up to that time, is also taken care of. Removing the goat, what does that also remind you of concerning sin for people? This is on the goat, and that's for Satan! But what happens when people sin and God does not take away their life? What does He do? He banishes them! Sends them into exile!
- Did He not do this with Israel?
- Did He not do this with the Jews?
- Did He not do it with the Babylonians?
- Did He not do it with the Assyrians and Egyptians?
- Yes, indeed! He banishes them!
What happens to the live goat who has all the sins upon him? He is banished! Not executed! Type of spirit being, banished!
Upon all the sins, beginning with his rebellion against God, and against all the sins against humanity, all are going to be upon him and he's cast into the Lake of Fire and then banished unto the utter blackness of darkness in the universe forever! That's what the live goat pictures.
We will see that in the book Exodus we have a principle that always applies. This reminds me of the criminal who gets captured after he's killed and murdered people. What's one of the first things that he says? Don't shoot! Don't shoot!
Exodus 23:7: Keep far from a false matter… [false doctrine] …and do not kill the innocent and righteous; for I will not justify the wicked." Who is the wicked one? Satan the devil! He had no repentance, and he must bear all his sins, his own and what he has brought upon all people, and banished the utter blackness and darkness forever!
Scriptural References:
- Leviticus 16:7-8, 10, 21-22
- John 8:28-47
- John 12:28-31
- John 14:30
- John 16:7-11
- 2 Corinthians 4:3-4
- Acts 5:1-3
- Ephesians 2:1
- Acts 20:28-30
- Matthew 13:24-30, 37-40
- 1 John 2:3-4
- Mark 2:27-28
- 1 John 2:4-6
- 2 Peter 3:14
- 2 Peter 1:5
- 2 Peter 3:14-18
- Colossians 2:1-8
- Matthew 6:9-13
- Colossians 1:9-20
- Exodus 23:7
Scriptures referenced, not quoted:
- Matthew 25; 7
- Proverbs 3
- Acts 17
- Acts 26
- Revelation 20
Also referenced:
- Sermon Series: The Mystery of Protestantism
- Video: The Jesuit Agenda (by the SDA Church)
FRC: bo
Transcribed: 11-12-17
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