Monday, August 10, 2015


FULL-OVERCOMERS


Jack Davis



“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man will hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me, To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne”– Rev. 3:20-21.

“Even As I Overcame:” May Jesus words comfort our hearts as they did his disciples (Jn. 16:33), “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” Is it possible for a child of God to be entirely victorious? Let us take courage, Jesus fully overcame, for us. Even though He was tempted in all points like as we are, He was entirely victorious.

Consider Matthew 4:8-10, “Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”

In these scriptures we sense how our adversary operates. He would use the world and things therein to distract us from wholehearted worship. Satan would like to see us take a course which is in opposition to our Father’s will. The world’s customs, conditions, and products are not intended to make us wholehearted worshipers. As we get more occupied with the material, and temporal, we become less interested in lovingly serving God. With the command, “Get thee hence!” when Satan came to offer Jesus the kingdoms of the world, He sent him away. Praise God we also can send him packing, resisting him steadfast in the faith. The sword of the spirit is also mighty for us through God. Satan must respect the authority of God’s Word.

“And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death” – Rev. 12:10-11.

All believers overcome in some measure. We each prevail in one aspect of life or other. Yet God has provided that each of us be triumphant in it all. In every area tempted and tested whether body, soul, or spirit. He would have us rise above every obstacle. Many take encouragement from the Word recorded in I Cor. 10:13. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

During our earthly sojourn here we will encounter strong opposition from Satan, the system (komos) of this world, and the self life. The Devil is always stirring the fresh to disobey God’s wonderful powerful, life giving Word. Yet in the face of the prevailing conditions of our day, our surroundings, and in our fallen nature, with all the contrary winds that the prince and power of the air constantly brings against our frail little barque, we may be more than conquerors through Him that loves us.

“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” I Jn. 5:4-5. “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” I Jn. 4:4. “I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the Word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.” I Jn. 2:14.

In considering the forgoing references with their context it is apparent that there are degrees of overcoming, as there are different levels of conflict, and types of reward. Consider Revelation 2 and 3, Where this is especially evident and also II Jn. 8. Today the lax, loose, lukewarm, self-satisfied, Laodicean condition is prevalent, but, praise God the love of some is waxing hot. There seems to be many today like some of the Corinthians that are full and reigning (I Cor. 4:8), but they are filled with the wrong things, and reigning on the wrong thrones. That with which we are filling determines how full overcomers we become.

Spirit, Soul, Body: While we feed on the Living Bread, meditating on His Word, allowing it to flood our being with light and love, He fills our spirit life with His thoughts, instead of our own. I am certain that our adversary is intent upon interjecting his thoughts into whatever capacity we leave scripturally unfilled. We overcome in spirit by “casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and by spiritually renewing our mind.” We overcome in our souls by “setting our affection on things above” – Col. 3:1-3. We overcome bodily by bringing it into subjection to the life of Christ, presenting it a living sacrifice, not conforming to the world, but glorifying God therein.

Triune Fulness: Scriptural, spiritual fulness serves to make us full overcomers. “The measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ;” develops in us as we grow up in Him. “In whom dwelleth the fulness of the Godhead bodily” – Eph. 4:8-15; Col. 2:9-10. God has provided for a completeness, full growth, Christ being formed in us. Gal. 4:19. His purpose that we be conformed to the image of His dear Son – Rom. 8:29.

God tells us “Be ye filled with the Spirit” Eph. 5:18. Jesus said, “He has been with you, He shall be in you.” He is enduement with power from of high. Therefore we are urged to drink Him in, and keep on drinking and filling
(I Cor. 12:13) in a continuous sense, so as to realize His influence, and experience His control in our life.

In Eph. 3:16-21, we are taught about being “filled with all the fulness of God.” This becomes experimental through an intimate knowledge, a heart revelation of the love of Christ. It is a result of the fulness of the life of Christ, and the fulness of the power of the Holy Spirit. He offers us powerful assurance with the precious statement of verse twenty. “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be the glory in the church by Jesus Christ throughout all ages world without end. Amen.” God would fill the triune man to an overflowing fulness of adoration unto the triune God. This seems essential to becoming full overcomers.

Divine Fulness For An Overcoming Life: He would fill our capacity for looking. “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal, For where your treasure is there will your heart be also. The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, the whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light in thee be darkness, how great is the darkness. No man can server two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon: Mt. 6:20-24.

Thank God we may have a single eye to His glory, as we let Him fill our vision. How wise to allow that which is truly illuminating occupy our sight, consume our attention. If we will let Him anoint our eyes with spiritual eye salve, He will give us clear, unclouded perception. Let Him fill our capacity for learning. Paul prayed that we might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding…that we might be fruitful in every good work” – Col. 1:9-10.

Let Him will our capacity for living. “In him we live and move and have our being.” Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeded out of the mouth of God. No man liveth unto himself, and no man dieth unto himself…whether we live or die we are the Lord’s. Jesus bore our sins on the cross that we should live unto righteousness, live according to God in the spirit” I Pet. 2:24; 4:6. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ teaches to live godly. Thank God we are alive! To me, the ultimate expression of God filling our capacity for life, is seen in the words of the Apostle Paul; “for me to live is Christ, to die is gain” Phil. 1:21.

He would fill our capacity for loving. When we are spiritually empty and immature we lack that fulness. Read Romans 5:2-8. The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost. Our Lord delights to fill our capacity for lifting. We are equipped not only to rise above our troubles, but also be an encouragement to others.

“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. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to him that is athirst, of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be by son” Rev. 21:5-7.

“If God be for us who can be against us.” We overcome because He is with us, because His Spirit is in us, and because we are partakers of our Lord’s victorious life. His life in us is just as triumphant as we will let Him be. Oh, LET Him have his way. What a privilege to let Him overcome in us, making us full overcomers.

The Garden of the Lord


Anita Clark


“And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed” Gen. 2:8. The Lord planted the first garden as a refuge for man. It was a beautiful fruitful place with every provision for man’s comfort. But, more than that, it was a place where God could have sweet fellowship with man as they walked together in the cool of the day, communing with one another. This peaceful atmosphere was broken by the entering in of disobedience and sin. Man was driven out of the beautiful garden and was never allowed to enter into it again.

The Lord sought to make a spiritual garden of Israel. He calls them His garden or vineyard. Isa. 61:3 tells us that when Messiah would come, He would “appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord.” Through the centuries of God’s dealings with them, they rejected His commandments, slew His prophets, and finally when the Son of God was sent to them, they rejected and crucified Him. “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not” Jn. 1:11.

This is exactly what Jesus sought to show in the parable that He told, recorded in Luke 20:9-16. A certain man planted a vineyard and let husbandmen take care of it while he was gone. After sometime, he sent His servant to receive fruit of the vineyard but they beat him and sent him away empty-handed. After trying this three times with the same results, the landowner sent his own son, whom the husbandmen promptly killed and cast out of the vineyard. How the Father’s heart has grieved over Israel and their heartless disregard for His love to them.

In Jeremiah 12:10, it says “Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.” The pastors or leaders of Israel’s day were held responsible for the care of God’s vineyard. God expected fruit from Israel and received none. This is exemplified by Jesus desiring fruit from the fig tree in Mark 11:12-14, and finding nothing but leaves. There is no less responsibility placed upon God’s pastors and leaders today to be faithful, to care properly for God’s garden.

Yes, we today are God’s garden. I Cor. 3:9 says, “Ye are God’s husbandry.” One translation says, “Ye are God’s cultivated field.” Not only are we His “cultivated field” but we are also “laborers together with God.” The work that God has called us to do is like a garden plot. Some labor in gardens in Kansas or Missouri or other places. God wants us to tend these plots faithfully as we work together with Him by His enabling. “Neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth, but God that giveth the increase” I Cor. 3:7.

Proverbs 24:30-34, tells us of the field of the slothful. As Solomon looked at this neglected field he realized this gardener was “void of understanding.” So many who try to labor for the Lord are ill equipped ignorant persons because they haven’t taken time to study God’s Word and become established in the Truth. Further observance of this fruitless patch, showed it to be overgrown with thorns and nettles. According to Jesus’ word in Matthew 13:22, this speaks of the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches which choke the Word and cause spiritual barrenness. How many Christians today are defeated because they are taken up with gaining material things? All these things shall perish with the using and be totally destroyed very soon when the Lord comes. They are not worth wasting our time over. Other Christians are absorbed with the hard trials and adversity. They moan and groan and have no joy. A secret of not letting the hard thorns of trial gouge us and cause roots of bitterness to spring up in our lives, is to learn to rejoice in whatever circumstance we find ourselves in. This is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Solomon also saw that the “wall was broken down.” A broken wall speaks of a lack of separation unto the Lord. God has translated us “from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of His dear Son,” but many of us still walk as though there’s been no separation made. This broken wall speaks not only of lack of separation from the worldly, fleshly things but also from the religious evils and false doctrine. The wall doesn’t fall down suddenly, but one day a little stone falls off. We may thing, “one little stone doesn’t matter too much.” But, soon another stone falls off, and then another. If the wall is not repaired, there soon will be a large breach where the enemy can come in easily and steal the  precious fruit. “Take us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vine, for our vines have tender grapes.”

The sleepy condition of the slothful is spoken of in verse 33. Very soon their poverty and travail will come upon them because they failed to be watchful. In I Thess. 5:1-7, Paul warns us that Christ will come as a thief in the night and some will be in a slumbering condition, taken up with life and intoxicated with the world. He says, “Let us not sleep as do others; but let us watch and be sober.”

In Song of Solomon 1:6, the Shulemite woman says, “My mother’s children were angry with me, they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept.” Satan, using other people, makes us feel that other things are more important than “keeping our own vineyard.” We an easily be encumbered with “much serving: but its more important to be close to Jesus, in love and fellowship then anything in the whole world.

In contrast to Proverbs 24:30, we see what sort of gardener the Lord is as recorded in Isaiah 5:1-7. “My well beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill. And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it.” The Lord knows all about gardening. He chooses the most fertile soil and prepares it well. All care is taken to choose the choicest vines. Only “grade A” will do. The plot is laid for the best sunlight and water absorption. Proper planting procedures are always followed. Just the right amount of water and perfect cultivation are always provided as God is not dependent upon the weather as we natural gardeners are. He gives the rain in abundance and then the perfect amount of “Sonshine.”

A crop doesn’t grow in a day. It takes time and God’s work in us to produce fruit takes time, but He is patient. “The husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it” James. 5:7. Though the Lord is speaking to Israel in these verses, we can receive instruction also. He wants to find fruit in our lives. He “looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.” The Lord says, “Judge now between thee and me, what could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it?” Can the Lord be blamed that Israel did not produce fruit for His pleasure? Can we blame God or accuse Him of not doing enough to make our lives bare satisfying fruit unto Him? No! God has made all provision through the cross of the Lord Jesus for our total victory, growth, and fruitfulness.

In Song of Solomon 4:12 – 5:1, we read of the Lord’s beautiful garden. These verses portray the deep work that is being done in the lives of those believers of this Church Age who want to satisfy the heart of Jesus with beautiful fruit of love for His pleasure. This beautiful bride is spoken of as a garden inclosed, (v. 12) shut up by a wall that isn’t crumbled and broken down, This wall shuts her up as a private garden for the pleasure and fellowship of the Beloved Son of God. There He walks with her in the cool of the evening in deepest fellowship, much deeper than Adam ever experienced with God in the first garden.

In this garden are all sorts of fruitful trees, and fragrant spicy plants. These speak to us of the fragrant life of Jesus Christ as spoken of in Ephesians 5:2, “As Christ who hath given Himself for us an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour.” The only thing wafting up to God that thrills His heart and tantalizes His divine nostrils is Jesus Christ His Son. As the life of Christ is made manifest in our lives through our yieldedness to Him, a fragrance arises to the throne which is sweet and wonderful. Christ smells it. It is for His pleasure. “For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ” II Cor. 2:15.

Nearly all the spices and fragrances mentioned here are obtained by crushing, grinding, or stripping. And we find that the fragrance exudes from the believers lives to the greatest extent when they suffer the crushing blow of sorrow, trial, and test and yet rejoice and praise and walk in victory before the Lord. In verse 16, the bride calls upon the north wind (the adverse conditions) and the south wind (the balmy happy times) to blow on her garden that the spices may flow out. It takes both, and God in His great wisdom knows how much of each. Paul said in Phillipians 4:11-13, “I’ve learned whatsoever state I’m in to be content…I know how to be abased and I know how to abound. I can do all things through Christ which strengeth me.”

In Song of Solomon 5:1, the Lord says, “I am come into my garden.” Yes, the Lord has been enjoying fruit from His garden, feasting on love and devotion of His bride for all this Church Age. Many saints gone before were a garden to Him and now in this endtime He has found some others who are a beautiful, fruitful oasis of love and fellowship. Some are still waiting, faithfully watching and longing to see Him face to face.

I am reminded of the precious verse in Zephaniah 3:17 – “He will rejoice over thee with joy…He will joy over thee with singing.”

Leave Your Waterpots



“The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,” John 4:28

We read this recently in our study of the book of John. I was quite struck with the actions of this Samaritan woman. When she encountered Jesus, she was so excited that she left her waterpot and went to tell others.

For this woman, her waterpot was a very important part of her life. Imagine having to go and get water from the well so that you can have something to drink. Without her waterpot, she was not going to have any water in her house. And yet, she left this very important item because she deemed the knowledge of Jesus more important.

When was the last time you were this excited about Jesus? It seems that we have many “waterpots” in our lives. Things that we consider to very important to us. I don’t want to try to enumerate them, because they are different for every person. How often do we leave our “waterpots” to spend time with our Lord. How willing are we to leave something we consider important in order to make it to Bible study, or prayer meeting?

So many churches today do not even have a mid week service any more, because no one comes. Even those that do all say the same thing. Only a small percentage of the normal Sunday morning crowd shows up. Could it be that we have become too attached to our “waterpots.”

Some churches try to bring the “waterpots” in so people don’t have to leave them. They have “Super Bowl Parties” at the church so people don’t have to leave their “waterpot.”

Paul says in Philippians 3:7–8, “But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,” Paul certainly was leaving his “waterpots” behind to be closer to his Lord.

In Ephesians 1:17, Paul prays for the saints, “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:” If we are to know our Lord in the way the Paul prays for, we will have to leave our “waterpots” and seek Him.

God is not seeking “robots” who are forced to seek Him or do His will, He is seeking those that willingly leave their “waterpots” to seek Him and do His will. I pray that God will give you an excitement about knowing Jesus more and more.

Gordon Crook

The Fatherhood of God


Earlene Davis



The Hebrew word for father means, ‘Ancestor, source, inventor.’ Besides its obvious primary use in the Scripture, there are other applications, most have become common in its use for one who is chief or ruler (one in authority). Jesus said, “call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven” – Mt. 23:9. In other words there is to be no claim by men as the spiritual father one over the other. For One Father, the heavenly Father is over all. The Jews boasted in their father Abraham as their ancestor and source (Mt. 3:9), but not as replacing God.

In a general sense God is the Father of all men, as their creator. Malachi 2:10 asks the question, “Have we not all one father? Hath not one God created us?” Yes, in that sense God is the universal Father of all men. He became the Father of the Jews by covenant – Isa. 63:16. A covenant they were unable to keep. But “God is love” – I Jn. 4:7. He so loved mankind that He created and they had become sinners by disobedience. He sent His only begotten Son to redeem them. We read in Jn. 1:12-13, as many as received Jesus, His Son, “to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (born of God, the new birth).

John 3:16-17 – Jesus words, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” Praise God! He so love, He sent His Son. Jesus also said in Jn. 16:27, “the Father Himself loveth you, because ye have loved Me and have believed that I came out from God.”

Because we are children of God, we can cry, “Father, Father” – Rom. 8:15-16. We are in God’s family, as His children and He is our Father. We read in II Cor. 5:19 that “God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself.” And in the 6th chapter of II Cor. We read because you have separated yourselves unto me, “I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty” – v. 18. And in Heb. 2:9-10 it says, by the grace of God in giving the gift of His only begotten Son and His dying in our place, paying the penalty for our sins, He brings many sons unto glory.

I Jn. 3:1-2 “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not…Beloved, now are we the sons of God…”. All believing persons on Jesus are called sons of God, Jew & Gentile, male & female, rich & poor, etc. How or why? It is all because of the love of the Father that He bestowed upon us. We are the sons of the living God and He is our Father. He not only created us, but He has bought us, purchased by the blood of Jesus, His Son.

There are no strings attached, we are the sons of God by faith, simply believing and receiving Jesus. We could not be any more secure. Jesus said, “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father which gave them Me, is greater then all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand” – Jn. 10:28-29. We now can come boldly to the throne of grace. We can come into the very presence of God, our Father. There we find mercy and grace to help in our time of need – Heb. 4:16.

We address God in our prayers, “Our Father which art in heaven…”. I so appreciate Heb. 12:7, God dealeth with us as sons. Even when we need correction, He does it in His love, because He loves us. There are many times we don’t know which way to turn and feel like we are in-between a rock and a hard place. We need God’s wisdom. All we have to do is ask Him -James 1:5. He giveth it liberally and upbraideth not to those who ask in faith – v. 6. And verse 17 tells us that “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” May God our Father be praised!

RUTH



Debra Isenbletter


Ruth 2:23 – “So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and dwelt with her mother in law.”

Here we see how Ruth responded to both Boaz’s and Naomi’s instructions. She obeyed! “So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz.” There was a double witness (Deut 19:15) from Boaz and Naomi that she should obey. Ruth listened to both and there was a double obedience on her part to both Naomi and Boaz. Ruth “kept fast,” she “kept close,” she “stayed close to” the maidens of Boaz. She took Boaz’s words and Naomi’s words to heart, listened and obeyed. She did what was asked without question, without argument, without complaint. One of the meanings for “kept fast” means “abide fast” and “follow close.” This shows the purpose and direction Ruth had for her life. She knew where she would go each day. She knew what she would do each day. She knew who she would follow and fellowship each day. Our lives need purpose, direction and structure and when we do as Ruth, follow close and keep close to those godly examples, and godly things, we will be truly content.

Another meaning for “kept fast” is “cleave (fast together)” or “to be joined.” This shows fellowship and companionship. These maidens became Ruth’s companions, she learned from them as she fellowshipped with them. They taught her wisdom: “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise” (Prov 13:20). Paul warned that those we walk with, talk with, fellowship can teach us good or bad habits. “Be not deceived: evil communications (companionships) corrupt good manners (morals and character).” (1 Cor 15:33). Ruth’s companions taught her good manners! She learned how to talk, how to dress, how to conduct herself as a godly woman. Here we see Ruth clinging tightly as she follows closely – she learned through fellowship!

We see also that this statement that “she kept fast” by his maidens speaks of Ruth’s obedience. This is what pleases Boaz! I think he cared more about that than the amount of grain she gleaned. Ruth’s life is filled with lessons of obedience and each taught her something. Her obedience in leaving Moab taught her to let go of her past. Her obedience in following Naomi taught her to embrace God and His promises. Her obedience in laboring in the fields taught her about provision and providing. She learned so many things in the fields of Boaz. She learned to provide for Naomi, to serve, to submit, to be faithful, to be separated. She learned about Boaz, she saw his grace in action. In each experience there was some suffering that she experienced. This was work! There are little trials and big trials and every day trials or trials every day. Suffering teaches, prepares and strengthens. Ruth’s obedience was seen by all, by Boaz, by his servants, by Naomi, by all Bethlehem! Her labors, her service, her submission taught her things and revealed things about her that could not have been revealed in any other way. There should be a visible testimony of our lives before the Lord, the saints and the world. We render that same obedience and submission to Jesus, who is our Boaz. This is obedience that testifies. Paul wrote the Romans “your obedience is come abroad unto all men” (Ro 16:19) and commends them for their “obedience of faith” (Ro 16:26).

Ruth continued to labor, to serve and obey “unto the end of the barley harvest” and then went on and continued until the end “of the wheat harvest.” Ruth would have gleaned from April through June, about four to six weeks. She gleaned until all the harvest was finished! And while she gleaned she “dwelt with her mother in law.” She stayed with and cared for Naomi. Ruth spent her days serving Boaz and her nights serving Naomi. What a testimony of service!

The Priesthood


Part 2


 By Corina Medina


The third point is the duration of the priesthood. Let’s look a little more about how long it continued. Heb. 7:23-27: “And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death” They were human, so they died. We see they did not have an eternal priesthood. Heb. 7;24-28: “but this man, (Jesus Christ) because he continues ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. 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. Concerning the eternal priesthood, Heb. 10:12-14 says: “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God; from hence forth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified." So there it is, one perfect offering. He sat down at the right hand of the Father. How marvelous! We have an eternal heavenly priest. It is finished! He lives always. He IS eternal life. . .

Lastly, consider the garments of the great High Priest in the book of Exodus. This is a beautiful type of our Lord Jesus Christ. It shows His character, compassion, care, and responsibility for his own. Ex. 28:9-12: “thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the children of Israel: Six of their names on one stone, and the other six names of the rest on the other stone, according to their birth. With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, shalt thou engrave the two stones with the names of the children of Israel: thou shalt make them to be set in ouches of gold. And thou shalt put the two stones upon the SHOULDERS of the ephod for stones of memorial unto the children of Israel: and Aaron shall bear their names before the LORD upon his two shoulders for a memorial.” This would be nationally and collectively as a nation. And you see them in Malachi 3:16-17 they are living stones and jewels: “Then they that feared the Lord spoke often one to another, and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and the thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spares his own son that serves him.”

I Pet. 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.” From verse 1 to 10 we see that they were carried on his shoulders, in that he took responsibility for these children. This was written to believing Jews and now for all that believe. Shoulders speak of responsibility.

The second point in Ex. 28:15-21 “thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment with cunning work; after the work of the ephod thou shalt make it; of gold, of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twined linen, shalt thou make it. Foursquare it shall be being doubled; a span shall be the length thereof, and a span shall be the breadth thereof. And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, even four rows of stones: the first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this shall be the first row. And the second row shall be an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond. And the third row a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst. And the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper: they shall be set in gold in their inclosings. And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet; every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes.” Verses 29 & 30: “And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the LORD continually. And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron's heart, when he goeth in before the LORD: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the LORD continually.” The stones upon his shoulders were a national, collective responsibility, but this breastplate carried the responsibility personally, individually, tribe by tribe. It was born on his heart in love, the love the High Priest has for us.

The third point about this clothing that he wore is in Ex. 28:36-38 “thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD. And thou shalt put it on a blue lace, that it may be upon the mitre; upon the forefront of the mitre it shall be. And it shall be upon Aaron's forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD.” On the forehead – the all-knowing, all-wise God. And we know we are accepted in Him, and that He loves us and knows us. He is responsible for us.

This is such a beautiful portion of Scripture. Living Stones! God is responsible. “Upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Aaron’s forehead, upon his heart and on his shoulders speaks of the work of Jesus Christ our Savior. And because we know this, and believe this, and have accepted this and have embraced this and know His great care and concern for us. He gave Himself for us. He was out sacrifice once for all, the great perfect sacrifice. Seeing that he loves us, he is our mediator. There is no other man under heaven able but Christ Jesus. “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.” Heb. 4:14-15. Believe. Hold Fast. Testify. “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.” He was certainly not like Eli, or Annanias. He was tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin, the sinless, perfect Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. Verse 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. We can put our trust in and dependence on Him, on His shoulders and trust in his loving heart and His wise all-knowing ways as head. Jesus Christ, Better than the Old Testament priests. Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever.
The Lord bless you with His Word.