#12 Did Jesus Go to Hell? Part 2: The Nephilim

Did Jesus go to Hell?
Part 2: The Nephilim
 

Ephesians 4:7-10
But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
 
Last week we started down a path, attempting to explain this phrase:
 
Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
 
The question was asked: did Jesus go to hell?
 
Another good question to ask would be: if Jesus went to hell, what did He do while He was there?
 
These are questions that we will answer before we're done, but they won't be answered tonight.
 
1 Peter 3:19-20
By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
 
This is really the scripture upon which these questions hinge. Who were the spirits, and where is this prison? Once again, these questions will be answered next week.
 
Jude 1:6-7
And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
 
We already introduced the thought that much of these scriptures and thoughts are connected to sins committed by angels with human women. Another question that arises is: why? Why would these angels want to do such a thing? As we discussed last week humanity, before Babel, collectively knew God's proclamation to the serpent that the seed of the woman would crush his head (Genesis 3:15). The first family was present for this discourse, and this proclamation of God would have been disseminated through oral tradition until it was penned in the book of Genesis. As we discussed before, after Babel, people groups would have carried with them their version of the story, which explains why there are varying mother- child deities in every culture known to man.
 
Just as humanity was now made aware of God's plan for redemption, from this point moving forward, the serpent was also aware that in some way, the seed of the woman would "crush his head." The head in the Bible oftentimes represents power and authority, so while Satan may not have known the plan of God exactly, he knew it was the seed of the woman who would conquer him. Therefore, it seems that this rebellion against God was a purposeful move to "infect" the woman's offspring to the point that the seed would no longer be of the woman, but an altogether different seed; thereby, thwarting the plan of God. I must say that the results of this move are far reaching, but for tonight, we will just stop here.
 
Genesis 6:1-2
nd it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
 
Job 1:6-8
Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them. And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
 
Job 2:1
Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord.
 
The terminology, sons of God, in both the Genesis passage and the Job passage comes from the same root in the Hebrew, which is ben Elohim-- translated as Sons of God.
 
Genesis 6:1-2
And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose....
 
The above Union produced the below offspring.
 
Genesis 6:4-7
There were giants [Nephilim] in the earth in those days; and also after...

[so the Bible clearly states that there were (Nephilim/ Giants) on the earth before and after the flood]
 

Genesis 6:4-7....that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Hebrews 13:2)
 
Matthew 22:30
For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.
 
Most of the time when people combat the thought of the Nephilim being the offspring of humans and angels, they use this verse out of Matthew. The context is that the Saducees are trying to trip Jesus up because they didn't believe in the resurrection. The way Jesus describes this scenario is that people in the resurrection are like the Angels of God in heaven. He's not saying that the resurrection saints are angels. He's saying that God's angels in heaven aren't married and engaging in married "business" and either are the resurrection saints. But He certainly in no way said that Satan's angels didn't.
 
Genesis 6:6-7 …And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
 
The Practices
 
Romans 1:23
And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
 
(1) the unholy Union
(2) the unholy offspring
(3) and the continual evil going on in the minds of man.
 
I think that we will be able to prove as we examine the scriptures that these nephilim were teaching humans during this time frame and afterwards to worship the creation instead of the creator. And in the next class, I hope to make the point that the same thing is going on to some extent today. The "leftovers" of these nephilim are inciting God's creation to rebel against Him, and whether they realize it or not, worship Satan in the process.
 
Leviticus 18:1-10
Leviticus 18:21-25
Leviticus 19:1-2
 
Leviticus 19:26-31[1 Kings 18:28; Mark5:5// cutting and the occult]
 
Rounding the corners of the heads produced what is called a tonsure, and was worn by the Babylonian priests. Interestingly we have seen pictures of Catholic monks wearing their hair in a similar fashion when this verse is connected to Leviticus 21:5, we have this exact hair cut.
 
Leviticus 20:1-7
Leviticus 20:15, 16
Leviticus 20:22-27
Leviticus 21:5
 
The Place
 
The place that God promised Israel as their own was the land of Canaan. He had already in 2000 BC separated out for Himself a man named Abraham, through whom, He made a people for Himself. Now, the people have become a nation while slaves in Egypt, and His plan requires that they have a place of their own. It is to be a place of victory for them. It is to be a place where they can be a nation separated unto God for the purposes to bring Him praise and glory.
 
This place known as Canaan is the land that was inhabited by Noah's offspring from Ham whose son was Canaan, but there were also descendants of Ham's son Mizraim who were the Philistines. (Genesis 10:14)

And so the land that God promised His people Israel approximately 440 years after he called Abraham out of his father's house was filled with demonic sorcery and Satanic rituals.
 
Into the midst of this sin sickened condition, God plants His people Israel He created from Abraham. If you will notice this map, God placed His tribes into the land where all these Nephilim strongholds existed.
 
This thought raises many others questions in my mind:
 
(1) God is creating an eternal family.
(2) God chose then to use inferior humans that He created as vessels to defeat the forces of evil. Today, God is using inferior humans as vessels to house His Holy Spirit. Those who are in Christ, have become empowered through the plan and Spirit of God to trample scorpions and serpents, demon spirits, as God edges closer to bringing evil to an end.
(3) God will one day bring evil to an end, and in some way, He will use those that were believers as vessels of judgment for fallen angels (1 Corinthians 6:3)

I put this map here because I wanted to emphasize the point that God placed the nation He created right into the nest of sin. His plan has always been for His people to be a light in the midst of darkness; and furthermore, His plan is that His people would have victory over the forces of evil.
 
As we will see in the next section, when we describe the people that inhabited the land that God was giving Israel, a common denominator is that God's people are winning battles over their enemies.
 
More importantly there's no way that they could have been victorious in their own strength. God promised that He would drive the inhabitants in the land out, but Israel, through faith had to engage the battle and trust Him to give them the victory-- he chooses to prove Himself by using frail humanity.
 
I would also like to consider the fact that God also sent Jesus the light into the midst of a world of darkness, and the darkness couldn't overcome the light of God (John 1:5). Lastly, just as Israel's purpose was to be the light of God and dispel the enemies of the land through the strength of God, in the New Covenant, when a man is born again, that man becomes a partaker of the divine nature of God, and as we've been saying, there is a process taking place where when we allow the "new man" to grow in Christ, the new nature begins to dispel the old nature (2 Peter 1:4). Furthermore, victory over sin is given through God's grace, which we access through faith in the finished work of Christ.
 
The "People"
 
Numbers 13:27-33
And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan. And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
 
Deuteronomy 2:10-11
The Emims dwelt therein in times past, a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; Which also were accounted giants, as the Anakims; but the Moabites call them Emims.
 
Deuteronomy 2:20-22
(That also was accounted a land of giants: giants dwelt therein in old time; and the Ammonites call them Zamzummims; A people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; but the Lord destroyed them before
 
Deuteronomy 3:11
For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of giants; behold, his bedstead was a bedstead of iron; is it not in Rabbath of the children of Ammon? nine cubits was the length thereof, and four cubits the breadth of it, after the cubit of a man.
 
13.5 ft. Long
6 ft. Wide
 
1 Samuel 17:4-9
And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of brass. And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass between his shoulders. And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam; and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: and one bearing a shield went before him. And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me. If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us.
 
Goliath 9'6"

Joshua 14:14-15
Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel. And the name of Hebron before was Kirjatharba; which Arba was a great man among the Anakims. And the land had rest from war.
 
2 Samuel 21:15-17
Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines: and David waxed faint. And Ishbibenob, which was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David. But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him, saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench not the light of Israel.
 
2 Samuel 21:20-22
And there was yet a battle in Gath, where was a man of great stature, that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to the giant. And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea the brother of David slew him. These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.
 
1 Chronicles 11:22-23
Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done many acts; he slew two lionlike men of Moab: also he went down and slew a lion in a pit in a snowy day. And he slew an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits high; and in the Egyptian's hand was a spear like a weaver's beam; and he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear.
 
The Egyptian= 7'8"
 
Amos 2:9
Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them,whose height was like the height of the cedars,and he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above,and his roots from beneath.

Nephilim: TRUE STORY of Satan, Fallen Angels, Giants, Aliens, Hybrids, Elongated Skulls & Nephilim

By: Trey Smith

#11 Did Jesus Go to Hell? Part 1

Did Jesus Go to Hell?

Part 1

As a point of clarification, once this two part series is complete, you will realize that there has been a concerted effort by the enemy of God to corrupt God’s plan of redemption; therefore, the purpose of these two weeks is to give you a better overall understanding of the Bible and to remind that we are in a war!
 

Ephesians 4:8-10
Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
 
In these verses, there are two main thoughts:
 
(1) There was a change that took place in the spiritual realm for the Old Testament saints. Previously, when they died, they went to a place of the departed souls where there was a waiting period for them before they could be brought to heaven. The terminology, ...led captivity captive...explains this thought, because the words captivity and captive are very similar in their origins and essentially mean exactly that. These Old Testament saints were captive in a location in the underworld because:
 
Hebrews 10:4
For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
 
The OT saints were held captive in this location because the plan for God's remission of sins had not been completed. But Jesus was the fulfillment of the sacrificial system, and His blood satisfied the just demands of God.
 
Now, in this Ephesians passage, what is taking place is the thought that these OT saints were captive and waiting, and now, with God's plan for sin being completed; they were released from this captivity and made captives of Christ where He brought them into the presence of God.
 
Now, that Jesus has completed the payment required for sin when a person dies, their eternal spirit departs to one of two places. If they're saved (In Christ), they're absent from the body and present with The Lord and their body awaits the day of its resurrection and glorification.
 
Most people are confused about the concept and terminology the Bible uses regarding the place we call hell, but let's try to bring some clarity.
 
There are several words used interchangeably to describe the place of departed souls. Regarding the Old Testament, there are words such as grave, death, Hades, but the main word we often think of is "hell," more specifically we are often associating these thoughts with eternal damnation, and how it's used in the New Testament when it's associated with eternal fire:
 
Through this story in Luke about the rich man and Lazarus, we learn that there are at least two different parts to "hell." And while there are two more concepts about Hell that we will need to delve into, we'll start here.
 
Luke 16:19-31
-- There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
 
Lazarus was in the place of departed souls known as Abraham's bosom. We would also believe that this is the place referred to as Paradise by Jesus when He spoke to the thief on the cross:
 
Luke 23:43
43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.
 
Abraham's bosom and Paradise was the place where the Old Testament saints who were followers of God departed until Jesus brought them with Him to glory.
 
Once Jesus died on the cross, and the debt of sin was paid in full, because the blood of the OT sacrifice couldn't remove the debt of sin: Hebrews 10:4

4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
 
Once again, Jesus at that point was able to lead captivity captive. In other words, He brought their departed souls to heaven, and there they await the resurrection of their bodies.
 
So in this first passage, we learn these truths:
 
(1) before the cross, the Old Testament saints, who were saved through faith in the sacrificial system, were kept in a place called Abraham's Bosom or Paradise until Jesus' blood accomplished what the blood of bulls and goats could not.
 
(2) the departed souls of people that were not believer's in God's way are in a place this story calls torments.
 
One other important concept that wasn't necessarily addressed in this story is that there is no more Abraham's Bosom, there is no Paradise, and there is no Purgatory! You make your decision for God today on this side of the grave. Once again to be absent from the body is to be present with The Lord.
 
Before we get into the last idea of hell, fire, and brimstone, we need to cover one more concept about the thought of hell.
 
1 Peter 3:19-20
By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
 
Jude 1:6
And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
 
2 Peter 2:4
For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
 
It's my personal belief that all these passages have in common disobedient angels that are being held in chains in a prison known as "hell."
 
Now, the word hell in the original language has a meaning all its own. The word here is Tartarus. Because some of this is going to be such a new thought to some of you, I want to make sure that I do my best to explain.
 
The New Testament was written in a specific type of Greek. In times past, there were two types of Greek. One was known as Koine Greek, meaning common, and the other was known as Classic Greek. The New Testament was written in the Koine Greek. Now, it's important for us to understand that the Greek language was already in place before the New Testament writers wrote the New Testament. Therefore, these words were already in place and existed.
 
In some cases, the words kept the same meaning, but in other cases, when the New Testament writers used the words, the meaning changed. For instance, last week, when we talked about walking worthy, I told you about how the word lowliness was viewed by the Grecian culture as degrading and behavior only worthy of a slave. In contrast, the New Testament writers used it as an adjective to describe someone walking worthy of the title Christian.
 
In the case of this word Tartarus, this word was already in existence and had a specific meaning. Its meaning was connected to a place in the underworld, which imprisoned the gods who crossed lines and had sexual relationships with mortals and from there hybrid type heroes were birthed. One example would be Hercules.
 
So that is the name of this word Tartarus. I don't want to spend much more time on this tonight, but let us say that the connection between these three verses, the thought of chains, the thought of prison, and the thought of hell [Tartarus] all have a common link with these fallen angels.
 
So now we've learned about three different locations in hell. Abraham's bosom, which is gone now. torment, where unbelieving souls await the great white throne judgment, and Tartarus, which has some connection to chained up angels and a story about hybrids.
 
By the way, maybe we should mention the concept of Babel and why there are so many similarities across the globe regarding stories. For instance: flood stories, mother child deities, pyramids and ziggurats, which seem to be built the same in ancient times whether in Egypt, Babylon, or South America, and as we will discuss next week, this story about Tartarus.
 
My point is that there were certain things that were well known to the people who existed before the Tower of Babel where the languages were confused. God confused the languages for multiple reasons, but the main reason for our concern tonight was so that humanity would obey the command He gave Noah, which was to replenish the earth. Instead, what they had done was stayed together and rebelled against God.
 
As these people groups began their nomadic journeys across the globe, they all had eerily similar stories that the Bible explains all these people groups would have known, because they were things God had revealed to humanity before the languages were confused. Yes, the stories may vary slightly in some cases, but usually where they vary is when they depart from the truth of God's word.
 
So what story are we to believe. Well, God did a wonderful thing right after the confusion of the languages and the separation of the nations. He called a man named Abraham out from the nations, and He made a nation for Himself, and through this nation, He gave His word and He chronicled the real version of these occurrences, and all these other nations were worshiping false god, which are fallen angels and demon spirits. So God has told His story through His people Israel and the church, and that’s the truth.

 The last concept regarding hell is a place called Gehenna. It is also known as the lake of fire or the last death.
 
Matthew 10:28
And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul:but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
 
Mark 9:43-44
And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off:it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
 
In both of these passages the word for hell in the Greek is Gehenna, speaking of the lake of fire, also known as the final judgment.
 
The word Gehenna comes from a real place that was on earth. This name comes from the valley of Hinnom, which was located south of Jerusalem. In ancient days, when Israel cheated on God by serving false gods, they made their children walk through the fire in this valley as they worshiped the false god known as Molech. Furthermore, during Jesus' time, it was used as a refuse place, where carcasses were burned along with other garbage.
 
With this in mind, you can now get a visual of what Jesus is talking about when He's teaching on hell. He's giving them a visual of what this place is going to look like.
 
Matthew 25:41
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

Just to make a point, hell was never intended for human beings. God has always had a plan to save sinners. The purpose for hell was to judge Satan and his fallen angels.
 
Revelation 12:9
And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
 
Revelation 20:14
And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
 
So Gehenna is the place of final judgment.
 
But I don't want to leave you on a sad note because Hell doesn't await the child of God. The grave won't be able to hold the Christian down, because our Jesus was victorious. Jesus told Martha that He was the resurrection and the life. When we resurrect, we will receive a glorified body, and we will live eternally with our Lord.
 
2 Corinthians 5:6-8
Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
 
1 Corinthians 15:42-44
So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
 
2 Corinthians 5:1-5
​ For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
 
1 John 3:2
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
 
He has gone before as the firstborn from the dead:
 
Colossians 1:18
And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
 
He told Martha that He was the resurrection:
 
John 11:24-26
Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
 
What does it mean that we will be as He is? Well, it doesn't mean that we will be gods. Instead, it's descriptive of His glorified body. In some way, our glorified body, will be like His after our resurrection from the dead.
 
What was His glorified body like?
 
John 20:19-20
Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.
 
He still had the wounds of the cross! Also, notice the doors were shut and He appeared. In His glorified body, He operated above the laws of physical matter.
 
John 20:27-29
Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
 
Luke 24:39-42
Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.
 
He has bones and flesh, but there is no mention of blood. I can't prove this, but I believe the reason why is because, on earth, the life of the creature is in the blood, and in the resurrection, the life will be in the Spirit of God.

#8 Mystery Unveiled: Jesus the Communion

Matthew 13:1: parable of the sower intro to the thought of mystery, that which is hidden from the natural eye.
 
Ephesians 3:1-2
or this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
 
For what cause Paul? For the cause of you Ephesian Gentiles, and you South Louisiana Gentiles who were strangers to the citizenry of God's kingdom. It's for your cause that Paul was a prisoner of Jesus.
 
This is the imprisonment in Rome where he was under house arrest, which was before the imprisonment where he was in a dungeon  in the ground in the Mamertine Prison, and from there eventually beheaded for his faith.
 
But in this imprisonment, he sits under house arrest for the cause of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles. Undoubtedly, there is a reference here also to the fact that the very reason he's in prison has something to do with his associations with one of the Ephesians named Trophimus (Acts 21).
 
But what really gets my attention is that no matter his circumstances, he remains focused on his real purpose in life. He calls himself a prisoner of Jesus. He's not a prisoner of Rome. Caesar doesn't hold the key to the chains that bind him to this spot, and he's also not second guessing whether he was in God's will bringing the gospel to these alienated Gentiles.
 
And then he continues by saying you have heard of the dispensation of the grace given to me for you right?
 
The word dispensation is a compound word connected to oikos, which is the Greek word for house. And the whole idea of the word is the thought of a house steward, and the way it relates to  Paul is that he has been entrusted with the task of bringing the gospel of Jesus to the Gentile world who doesn't know God, and the task can be likened to the thought of a house steward caring for his master's estate. Paul has been entrusted with a great responsibility, and he continuously forges forward with perseverance.
 
You're probably wondering in your mind, how does he do it? How does he carry on in spite of all the negative circumstances? How does he keep the faith and not just fall prey to depression?
 
The answer is "...the dispensation of the grace."
 
It's the grace of God that carries him through. No man, I don't care how resilient he may be, could carry the load Paul carried alone. It's the grace of God that bears the load in Paul's life as he accomplishes the will of God.
 
Grace changes the internal character of a man. Whatever he was before, look out because things are getting ready to change. If he was a quitter, now he's going to be a finisher with excellence. If he was weak as a father, he's about to become the best daddy a man could ever be...
 
You see grace is the supernatural working of the Holy Spirit strengthening a person to be what they couldn't be before on their own, strengthening them to do what they never could have done, it's the spiritual catalyst that changes everything. It's the hope when all hope has run out, it's the power when the bones are dried up and weakened. Just when all hope is lost and failure certain, grace shows up and takes over, and when that man allows grace to have its way-- watch out devil, because now that man or woman has become a force to be reckoned with in the hand of God.
 
Paul learned some things about grace before he ever sat under this house arrest (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). And let me say this to you Christian, "Whatever you do-- don't quit! Don't give up on Him, because He will never give up on you! Surrender your life to him, in your weakness, cry out to Him, and watch His grace change everything."
 
God gave Paul the supernatural strength he needed in order to accomplish the task he asked of Him, but let me say this Christian, "Grace must be submitted to in order for it to work; the head must be softened; the neck must be un-stiffened, and the knee must be bowed. If the man or woman of God refuses to let go of the reins and let God have His way, the wandering journey will continue when, instead, the power of God could be working on their behalf!
 
Ephesians 3:3-6
How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery:(as I wrote afore in a few words, whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
 
The word mystery is introduced in this verse and is the focal point of the thought surrounding the ten verses we will cover. Fourteen times in these six verses, from 3-10 of Ephesians chapter three, words like: mystery, knowledge, known, see, and understand are used.
 
Specifically, the mystery entails the fact that God's plan regarding the birth of His eternal family always included the entirety of the world, but that it was previously hidden in a mystery. A mystery is something that is difficult to see. It's a riddle that must be solved, a treasure that must be searched for, but in the case of God and His plans, a revelation that must be given by Him to man.
 
This mystery, Paul explains has been opened up to God's "holy" apostles. Maybe the word holy should receive attention, because I can assure you that religion, through the ages, has skewed our perception of the apostles. We have discussed this concept many times, but the word "holy" is hagios in the Greek and describes separated out ones. It's the same word that is often translated as sanctified, once again, meaning separated ones.
 
In the sense of sanctification, the believer is separated out from the world by being placed into Christ. In this place, the Holy Spirit indwells him, which separates the believer from the world. People may not like to hear this, but not everybody has the Spirit of God living in them. Only those born again from the dead are alive with the presence of God.
 
In the context surrounding this passage, the idea of the "holy" apostles is that they have been separated out by God for a purpose, to them the mystery of God has been revealed: God has an eternal plan, and this is what He meant when He said way back in Genesis:
 
Genesis 12:1-3 that in Abraham there was a blessing for all the nations.

The promise surrounded a nation that would come from Abraham, a nation that was in Him, and from him, a blessing for all nations would come forth and that blessing was Jesus. But heretofore the blessing was a mystery that is now being revealed.
 
So the word holy connected to the apostles surrounds a separating out for a purpose not some special level of Christianity they were given when compared to the rest of mankind, or some status attained that allows them to be depicted in religious art donned with crowns of halos.
 
As a matter of fact, these halos come from ancient Babylonian mystery religion; they represent the sun disc, which filtered from Babylon to Egypt and is found connected to Osiris and Isis in reference to the birth of their son Horus, which are all clues to Satan's agenda of usurping the power and plan of God.
 
I bring all this up because for so long I had this thought in my mind that these men were almost like gods; they were so holy, and how could their words help me, who was so unholy? No! You need to understand that you will never be separated out to do what they did (used as instruments to pen the holy writ), but your are just as holy in the eyes of God than they ever were because the same separation that made them holy made you holy; we were all made holy in the eyes of God when through faith, in the sacrifice of Jesus, we were translated from darkness to light, from the world into the place known as "In Christ."
 
Regarding Abraham:
 
Romans 4:16-22
Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb: -- He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
 
Ephesians 3:7-8
Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;
 
Minister is Diakonos, which means servant, literally, a table waiter. This is where we get the word deacon. I find this concept very interesting. This word was first used to describe Stephen and the other original deacons; their purpose was to minister practically through the physical distribution of food while the apostles sought the face of God and studied the scriptures (Acts 6).
 
But here, Paul applies this word to himself. He is a diakonos, a servant to distribute food to people. But in this sense, the thought is spiritual food, even the mysteries of God to inform them of their hope in Christ.
 
If his word is applied to you as a calling on your life, your response is not to be one of elevation of self. It's a lowering of self, a lowering where one is made to serve the master, and the master has asked His servants, "Feed my sheep!" Not, "Extort my sheep."
 
Paul self deprecates and debases his person outside of Christ...Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints..., but also makes it clear that grace has been given unto him to accomplish what God has called him to do. You see from the outside looking in with physical eyes it may seem that Paul isn't of God. He's in prison. I mean no one wants to take the time to consider why he's there, to consider the fact that he's in there for preaching the gospel and taking a stand against legalism.
 
Nowadays, they would say that Paul was out of the will of God because he didn't have enough faith and so he was thrown in jail. If The Lord tarries for any length of time, and the Christian who has Jesus burning in his heart lets him out you may go to jail too Christian.
 
I'm not talking about the majority of the church, which is sitting under a social gospel that wants to make the home life better and focuses on cleaning up the community. I'm talking about a gospel that focuses on allowing God to clean the heart! Those Christians that follow that gospel will be persecuted if the Lord tarries.
 
Paul's been given grace to preach the gospel. Jesus preached peace to those that were far off and those that were near. The good news of the kingdom must be heralded. There is a wedding taking place upon the horizon! You need to understand that God is looking for a bride to marry His Son. Will you marry the Son? How many people will have left their invitation in the envelope? How many people will have not even known because they weren't told.
 
I have thought many times about how the Apostle Paul was so against God, and then God performed a suddenly, where his life was transformed instantaneously before God, and suddenly there was such a flow of revelation given unto him.
 
Undoubtedly, he remains humble because forever burned on the retina of his mind are multiple occurrences where he led the way to rip people from their homes, having them placed in prison, having them killed; forever burned in his mind is the sight of Stephen being stoned, the sound of stone striking skin, then the crack of bone, the recording of these sounds undoubtedly from time to time played again in his mind. Then that glorious day when he was full of zeal on his way to Damascus, and he was overcome by the light of God. These are persistent reminders that outside of Christ he is nothing, but a hater of God's way, but in Christ, he has been given great revelation regarding the things of God.
 
In the words that the Holy Spirit would choose through Paul's vocabulary, "...I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;"
 
Unsearchable- Untraceable: boundless: past finding out.
 
These riches, literally a treasure are past finding out but don't think for one moment that Paul has ceased in striving to mine for the gold that he knows is there.
 
What great treasures were revealed to this mighty man of God. All these connections where Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament types:
 
He is the Passover lamb (1Corinthians 5:7)
He is the unleavened bread (1Corinthians 5:7)
 
He is the mercy seat where the blood is applied to settle God's offense against us (Romans 3:25: the word propitiation in the Greek is the same word for Mercy Seat)
He is the rock which when stricken living water flowed (1 Corinthians 10:4)
 
The grace of God was poured into this humble servant Paul so he, a diakonas, could serve us the bread of God by unveiling through the Holy Spirit the mystery of God.
 
Ephesians 3:9-10
And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
 
God is using the church to reveal to both man and principalities (angels, both good and bad) the manifold wisdom of God. The word for manifold was used in ancient times to refer to embroidered patterns of many colors. The idea connects to beauty and diversity, but also unity in that all this is coming together as one. The church (called out ones) made up of both Jew and Gentile are a beautiful pattern of unity that has been woven together through the cross. And this being placed on display for both man and angel to see; for them to see the wisdom of God.
 
Mankind:
The purpose of Paul's stewardship was that all men would have the opportunity to have enlightened spiritual eyes. Remember Paul's prayer was that people would see with spiritual eyes. He wants all men to be able to see the mystery, which was previously hidden.
 
The word fellowship here in the Greek is literally koinonea and this word is also translated at times to the word communion.
 
Paul is continuing his thought from previous about people being able to see. He wants them to see this glorious mystery which was prepared from the beginning.
 
While we can attribute the word 'omniscience' to God and simply state that nothing takes God by surprise, if we consider the thought of this verse:
 
(1) God has a plan that he wants man to see
 
(2) God's eternal plan connects humanity together as a body or family for a common union or purpose; ultimately, it will result in eternal fellowship or intimacy, but what must be noted is the fact that this same verse mentions Jesus' role as the eternal word who spoke the worlds into existence.
 
This tells me that when the earth was created, God knew there would be a fall, resulting in a plan that was preordained (1 Peter 1:18) that would go into effect and through the ages He's been communicating the plan; really writing the story twice so humanity wouldn't miss it. Ultimately, whether we like it or not, the choice in the garden produced a daily choice for man. What will he choose? Who will he choose? God or what the spirit of the world is offering?
 

Angels:
But with regards to the principalities, there is something amazing taking place in the heavenly realms that you and I can't see. The angelic hosts both good and bad are viewing this redemption plan. And as God moves His plan forward, they are amazed and in awe at what God accomplishes. Everything seems scattered and thrown in different directions and then in Christ, God makes one new man. The church ekklesia, called out ones.
 
You have to understand that they've never experienced redemption. An angel will never be bought back from sin. All they know is that one third of their fellow creation went the way of Lucifer and now, those angels are destined for a lake of fire. And they see themselves and how grateful they must be that they didn't fall prey to the devices of God's most beautiful creation. How they must have previously looked upon his beauty and perceived in their angelic minds that this one was more special than they, and now they see how those that went his way are fallen and will never return.
 
But they also see that in man’s case, there is something altogether different going on in the spiritual realm. There is this thing called salvation, a buying back from the fall, and their angelic eyes observe everyday this glorious move of God!
 
Hebrews 2:14-17
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
 
Epi- above
Lambano- to seize or take hold of
 
God lowered Himself in order to seize, take hold of, or redeem humanity. He did not lower Himself to redeem fallen angels. He bypassed them. I can only imagine what they must have thought when they saw all this taking place in the spiritual realm
 
1 Peter 1:1-12
1 Peter Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
 
"...desire to look into." Literally means to stoop over to look.
 
This thought implies a willingness to exert or inconvenience oneself to obtain a better perspective. The heavenly angels peer through the portals of heaven and observe the salvation of fallen man, and when a man is saved:
 
Luke 15:10
Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
 
And while all this is rejoicing over this mystery over salvation is taking place with the heavenly angels, I can only imagine the seething anger burning in the minds of the fallen ones:
 
Colossians 2:15
And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
 
 Because you see Jesus spoiled their plans, through the giving of His life, He paid sin's debt because the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus. They didn't even know what was happening. They had a clue that one day something big would take place. They even knew that the serpent would be crushed by the seed, and that through the crushing somehow the seed would be hurt, but they were so thirsty for Jesus blood and death, they didn't even see that they played into God's plan all along, and the fact that their inciting Israel and Rome to hang Him on the cross signed the spiritual Emancipation Proclamation.

Jesus: The Jubilee

From Judgment to Jubilee

Read Luke 4:18–21

Isaiah 61: trees of righteousness the planting of the Lord to bring him glory

From the beginning God had a word of deliverance for his people Israel, a promise that the Passover would bring freedom from bondage and tyranny.

A beautiful plan to bring them into the promised land, which was a land of rest, a land of provision where the milk and honey flowed and the grape clusters were so large they had to be carried by two men hanging from a pole, but the report of the 10 was contrary, only two (Joshua and Caleb) believed that God was big enough to defeat the Giants in the land.

Hebrews 3:10 God was grieved with that generation and said they do always err in their hearts because they don't know my ways.

Hebrews 3:17 he was grieved with those who did not believe. Their carcasses fell in the wilderness because of unbelief.

God tested Israel in the wilderness for those 40 years. He says in Deuteronomy 8 that he tested them to prove to them what was in their heart, to prove them (put them to the test) and to humble them.

Now he's ready to bring them into the Canaan rest, which represents for us the place of victory over our enemy.

And he gives them promises in Deuteronomy 28. The promises are contingent upon their willingness to heed or hearken to his word to the statutes and judgments, the law which is synonymous to the word of God. However, if they refuse to hearken to the word of the living God instead of promises they will receive curses. And sadly they didn't listen and instead of the blessings, they received the curses of Deuteronomy 28.

Furthermore, as we discussed last week, they came under the bondage of various nations because they didn't listen to the word of the Lord. God repeatedly sent them prophets to warn them. Nevertheless, they stiffened their necks and refused to listen to the word that God had given them.

As they began to harden their hearts towards God's word, they were moved farther away. And God knew that they would need to be set free from their bondage, so he promises that Messiah would be anointed in Isaiah chapter 61. He promises that Messiah would be anointed by the Spirit of God to preach the good news of the gospel to those that are meek. In the New Testament, the book of Luke chapter four uses the word poor instead of meek, but they both have the same meaning and are speaking of those that are poor and humble. Israel at this time has become poor and humbled and in bondage because of their refusal to hear the word of God. Once again, God repeatedly told them in Deuteronomy 28 and in Deuteronomy 15, and Deuteronomy four, if you do not hearken to my my word you will find yourself in bondage in the land.

God's promise of the Messiah is that he would be anointed to set the captives free to bring healing to those that are bruised to open the doors of the prison to them which are bound and that ultimately they would be the planting of the Lord they would be trees of righteousness that would bring him glory in the land.

As we look at Luke chapter 4, we see Jesus full of the Holy Spirit led into the wilderness to be tempted.

It is true in Deuteronomy chapter 8 that God says he led Israel in the wilderness for the purpose of proving their hearts and tempting them to show them what was in their heart and to humble them. Nevertheless, Psalm 107:4 says that they wandered. Wandering there in the original language has the description of staggering or walking while in an intoxicated state, so the children of Israel, while they were led, because of their disobedience they could not see properly, they could not walk properly, they moved further and further away from the will of God.

Whereas Israel was tempted for 40 years in the wilderness for their proving, Jesus was tempted for 40 days in the wilderness for his proving. The word of God says that Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit to go into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

Just as Israel's temptation, testing, or proving (the test's results either produce failure or an approvedness towards God) was to point out to them who their person was, remember their name was

Israel, one who would rule with God, one who would be the prince of God, or one who would declare the name of God to the heathen nations around them that was the testing of the person, but also they were tested according to their purpose because in Deuteronomy chapter 4 it said that when he the nations see the laws in the statutes and the judgments that God had given them that they would realize that there was no other nation upon the earth that was so close to the God of glory.

And Jesus in His wilderness experience; He is also being tempted according to his purpose and his person. You see the enemy is coming at him and calling him the son of God and wanting him to act that way wanting him to perform miracles that the Father didn't speak to Jesus to perform, Jesus said that He only says and does what He receives from the Father. But Satan wants him to go his own way just as he (Satan) caused Adam to go the way of the serpent in the garden, he now wants to take the only hope that humanity will ever have of regaining this World and giving it back to God, of exchanging this sinful condition of the human heart and giving it back to God, and he wants to make a mockery of God again by causing Jesus to fail also. Furthermore, each and every day, he prowls like a lion seeking to devour God's creation. Always attempting to get humanity to go opposite of God. In this trial, Satan quotes scripture, and he quotes things that are true, but when these passages are lain beside the context of what is occurring, they're contrary to the Father's will; therefore, disastrous and sinful if embraced.

There is a similar occurrence that takes place when the child if his perceives this testing the wrong way. For instance, on the surface, it's viewed simply as, when the devil comes, quote some scripture, and put him in his place. In reality, this maneuver could produce the very disobedience that Satan is longing for; if the object of one's faith is moved from Jesus and His finished work on Calvary for victory, which comes through the fact that our faith in His sacrifice clothes is with His righteousness, and now being clothed with Him, we have access into the presence of God through the veil, which is His flesh (Hebrews 10:19,20). The efficacy (effectiveness) of His sacrifice was shown to us in Matthew 27:51 when the veil in temple was ripped from the top to the bottom, because it was that very veil, which separated God's people Israel from His presence, the place where the mercy seat was located, where God promised to meet them between the cherubim (Exodus 30:6).

Back to Jesus' trial, Satan brings Jesus upon the high mountain and shows him the kingdoms of the earth. He already knows out of Psalms chapter 2 verse six that God's king would be set up on a mountain the mountain Zion and not only that, but the God- king would also be God- Son.

Satan knows who Jesus is he's trying to bring deception to Jesus he's trying to get Jesus to take upon himself the roll of the king now to take upon himself His deity now. But God's plan is that Jesus would operate as the Son of Man and to bring redemption to this fallen world.

In a similar fashion, we need to understand that the enemy of our soul also wants to tempt us this way. He will attempt to confuse us about our person. In other words, are you Christian or are you a "worldling?" There will also be a temptation to prove our purpose in this life. In other words, will you live for yourself or for the purposes of God to bring Him glory in the midst of these evil nations?

And just as Israel left the wilderness and entered into the Promised Land where they were supposed to find the victory of God in their lives, Jesus leaves the wilderness temptation full of the Holy Spirit and steps into the synagogue, proclaiming He is the fulfillment of rest, He is the fulfillment of Jubilee. He is the fulfillment of what the broken human heart has been waiting for as quotes Isaiah chapter 61-- this very day is being fulfilled before your very eyes.

The connection point to all this previous dialorights where Jesus sats that He's going to preach the acceptable year of the Lord, because that is a direct correlation to the date of Jubilee. JESUS IS YOUR JUBILEE!

It's for the next few minutes I want to preach a message to you about Jesus our Jubilee.

Judgment (the trial)
 
Judgment- the forming of an opinion, estimate, notion, or conclusion, as from circumstances presented to the mind.
 
So I'm using the word judgment in a little different way than usual. The judgment I'm going to discuss has to do with Jesus' trial in the wilderness. You see Satan had formed his own opinions about God and God's plan. He formed an opinion about Adam that he would fall, and in this wilderness experience of Jesus, he plans to make his opinion about Jesus a reality also-- thank God he was wrong!
 
You and I must understand that he also has an opinion about us. His opinion is that we would rather go his way and what he offers instead of God's way. Not only will he form an opinion of you, he will use others in your life to put that opinion on you and judge you with condemnation. He wants to put you in prison under guilt. But God's plan allowed our sin to be judged on Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:22). Jesus was our sin offering, because of Him, and our faith in Him, we are judged as righteous in God's eyes, but Paul warns that as we navigate this journey called life, we better judge our walk, and the way we do that is by allowing the Holy Spirit to speak to our hearts through the word of God. The word of God is a mirror through which we must judge our walk with God (James 1:22-24).
 
1 Corinthians 11:31-32
For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
 
There is much to be said about Jesus' temptation in the wilderness. The main point that has been preached for years surrounds Jesus' use of the word to combat Satan's ploys. I certainly wouldn't want to refute that concept because there is obviously a battle being engaged over the word of God in this trial.
 
But maybe a couple points should be noted just for clarification purposes: (1) more than just quoting scripture, Jesus is operating in a proper understanding of scripture. Satan is quoting scripture also; he's just twisting it to serve his own purposes. We won't detour here, but be reminded that he (Satan) has ministers that do what he does (2 Corinthians 11:14); (2) there is a deep spiritual truth that I won’t expound on this time, but I will mention it; in the essence of this temptation, Jesus is being asked to operate according to His own purpose and strength. In some fashion, this is very similar to Adam's test and ours.
 
In other words, Adam was tempted to go another way, and he did. Now, Jesus, the last Adam ( ) is being tempted to go His own way. He turned water into wine. Why not turn stones into bread? Jesus said, "I do what I see my Father do, and I say what I hear my Father say." Jesus is about the Father's will.
 
Regarding our temptations, we should understand that God has a plan for our victory. Jesus destroyed the power of evil on our behalf, so we could function as vessels for God's Spirit to operate through as He produces this eternal family over thousands of years and brings evil to an end; therefore, God expects that we will trust His plan for victory, which is continued faith in Jesus’ finished work at Calvary, providing access into the grace of God, empowering with the believer with the presence of the Holy Spirit in order to produce a soldier, a warrior for God.
 
When we attempt through other methodologies to gain victory over the devil, we chart a course of flesh rather than faith; we follow the path of Adam rather than Jesus. Give me some examples preacher: (1) understanding the word of God is essential to our victory, but when we begin to place faith in our constant quoting of scripture for victory over temptation, we are changing the object of our faith from Jesus and His finished work to what we do. I could add every other sort of spiritual discipline at this point. You need to do the math and come to your own conclusion, but as you work out the problem, keep this constant in the formula for your equation: Jesus' sacrifice is what resolved the problem of sin for the human race, and our continued faith in that alone is what gives us access into the presence of God where His grace abounds, and when I use the concept of grace, I'm talking about the supernatural power of God in a situation, a power that makes devils tremble in their leathery skin.
 
The previous was lagniappe. The point I want to make about this temptation now is that the enemy is calling into question Jesus' person and His purpose. Regarding person, Satan wants Jesus to operate as the Son of God and prove Himself this way. Satan wants to see signs and wonders, but Jesus' purpose on earth was to make right what the first Adam made wrong (Romans 5). We all know that Jesus was the Son of God; He was God, and as I will point out in a minute, Satan knew it also.
 
Luke 4:3-4
And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
 
Notice how he addresses Him as the Son of God, and then he entices Him to function on His own in that capacity, which is contrary to the Father’s will because the Father never told Him to do that. This is exactly what Satan did to Adam; he enticed them both to depart from God's way and to follow his choices.
 
Luke 4:5-8
And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them:for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan:for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
 
We may have a hard time realizing what's going on here, but Satan is crafty, and sadly he knows God's word better than we can imagine. He's aware of this Psalm:
 
Psalms 2:6,7
Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
 
Through this Psalm, Satan knows that God's fulfillment of the king will also be His Son. Look how the Psalm states that the Son- King would be placed on the hill (mountain) of Zion, and Satan also brings Jesus up on a mountain, calls Him the Son of God, and entices Him to take a crown without a cross. How many people, even Christians are looking to get their blessing today instead of faithfully following God and looking for their reward in eternity?
 
And let there be no confusion God allows the trial to ensue for the purpose of proving our faith and showing us what's in us. Through the test, we were shown what was in Jesus, which was obedience and sacrifice. Faith in the Christian isn't faith without a test. Until it’s tested, faith is just a theory.
 
Jesus was tested in this passage we're studying.
 
Job was tested as a believer in God: Job 23:10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
 
Israel was tested Deuteronomy 8: Deuteronomy 8:1-7 All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers. And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live. Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years. Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee. Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him. For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills;
 
***And I can assure you that every person who calls themselves a Christian will be tested to be proven according to their person and their purpose: are you a Christian or a “worldling?” Are you here to live for self or to serve God?
 
But hallelujah, Jesus came out of the wilderness and into the synagogue to accomplish His purpose in the power of the Holy Spirit. It's time for you and I to come out of the wilderness and enter the purpose God has for us in the power of the Holy Spirit. What I'm saying is that at this point it's been proven who Jesus is. He's come full of the Spirit of God. He's passed the test. Have you ever passed the test Christian? It's a wonderful day when you do.
 
 
The Jubilee
 
Luke 4:18-21
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
 
The whole wording of this passage is pointing to the Old Testament year of Jubilee, specifically, the last phrase, "To preach the acceptable year of the Lord."
 
Leviticus 25:8-14
And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years. Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubile to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land. And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof:it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family. A jubile shall that fiftieth year be unto you:ye shall not sow, neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of thy vine undressed. For it is the jubile; it shall be holy unto you:ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field. In the year of this jubile ye shall return every man unto his possession. And if thou sell ought unto thy neighbour, or buyest ought of thy neighbour's hand, ye shall not oppress one another:
 
God keeps placing the concept of the Sabbath in front of His people. We're told that when creation was finished, God rested. Certainly, we don't think that God needed rest; rather, God was setting a precedence to show His people that there was a need for rest, and a constant reminder that God does the work that results in rest.
 
There was a Sabbath for days, which was the seventh day of the week-- what we call Saturday; there was a Sabbath of years, every seventh year was a Sabbath, and there was a Sabbath of sabbath years. 7+7+7. The 49th year represented the conclusion of the seventh seven year cycle; therefore, throughout the 50th year was the year of jubilee.
 
The year of jubilee allowed the people of Israel who had become oppressed financially and sold themselves as indentured slaves, to be set free. They received their property back and their relatives back who had been sold into slavery because of financial woes, which typically was a result of their disobedience to God's word, (Deuteronomy 15:5), resulting in them having to sell themselves to a fellow brother in order to work off their debts, but there was a beautiful day to look forward to upon the horizon. On the day of Jubilee, they would be released, released from bondage and slavery, released from tyranny! Jesus is our Jubilee. His finished work on the cross has set us free. We are no longer under sin’s debt.
 
It should be understood that God kept the idea of Sabbath rest on the forefront of His people's minds because there was a future rest He was bringing, and this is the rest that Jesus is speaking of here on this day when He entered the synagogue.
 
In addition to the Sabbath's the Promised Land of Canaan was also considered a promised rest of God, but as the book of Hebrews tells us, Canaan wasn't the finality of rest either, because if (Jesus v 8) actually should have translated Joshua, had given them rest then God wouldn't have spoken of another rest to come, which is Jesus (Psalm 95:11; Hebrews 4:7-10). God ceased from His work because it was completed.
 
Many commentators believe that this day was the day of Jubilee for Israel as Jesus sat and taught in the synagogue.
 
 It is quite the common occurrence within the church today that the people of God find themselves spiritually, physically, and even financially placed under the yoke of slavery, resulting from years of refusing to hearken to God's word, but good news! Jesus is our Jubilee!
 
And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
 
Luke 4:18-21
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
 
The Lord's fulfillment of Jubilee addresses:
 
The poor
The broken hearted
The captive
The blind, and
The bruised
 
As I was studying this passage, and my eyes came across the adjectives: broken hearted and captive, the Lord spoke to my spirit saying, "People's hearts are broken by friends, relatives, church family, and the world. When their hearts are broken they build walls for protection.
 
The walls in ancient cities like Jericho or Jerusalem were used to keep marauders out. In a similar fashion, when we get hurt, we build walls to protect ourselves from an outward onslaught never realizing that we are constructing a prison and encapsulating ourselves within it, preventing God from being able to use us because we are so busy protecting ourselves.
 
The Lord's jubilee will set the captive free.
 
Isaiah 61:3
To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion,
to give unto 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, that he might be glorified
 
When jubilee enters your heart, you become the planting of the Lord. When a tree is planted and develops a root system it's there to stay. There is a concept about the Jubilee that reminds me of this idea of the planting that Isaiah speaks of. This Isaiah passage is the end of what Jesus quoted in Luke; it wasn’t added to what He said, but it reminded me of a certain aspect that occurred at the end of the seven year Sabbath:
 
Deuteronomy 15:12-17
And if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee. And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty: Thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy winepress:of that wherewith the Lord thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him. And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the Lord thy God redeemed thee:therefore I command thee this thing to day. And it shall be, if he say unto thee, I will not go away from thee; because he loveth thee and thine house, because he is well with thee; Then thou shalt take an aul, and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise.
 

A Man Acquainted with Grief and Sorrows

A Man Acquainted with Grief and Sorrows

The book of Isaiah was written by the prophet bearing its name approximately 700 BC, which is around 300 years after Solomon's fall and the continued decline of Israel's spiritual condition. While Hezekiah's reign had, for a period of time, brought an end to idol worship, during Isaiah’s time-frame, Israel is once again engaging in adulterous practices towards God; therefore, the purpose of this book is to bring correction, warning, and an opportunity for true repentance.

When we back away as if viewing a forest from afar, we see the overall plan of God: man is separated from God, God has a plan of restoration, and He brought forth Jesus and the New Covenant through the people He created called Israel. This is the over-arching plan of the ages—the creation of an eternal family. However, when we move up close to a tree in the forest to inspect it, while we lose some sight of the forest, we are able to see intricacies we would have previously missed; for instance, there are tiny insects moving in and out of the cracks in the bark. In a similar fashion, we are a tree in the midst of the grand forest called the human race; nevertheless, God has great concern for us; furthermore, we have specific intricacies and hurts in our lives that God desires heal. He wants to set us free, not so we can live for ourselves, but so we can spend our lives on Him as a reflection of His love.
 
Isaiah 1:18
Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord:
though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;
though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
 
The wording in the original language for "...let us reason together...," has the idea of a discussion with the conclusion of a convincing process taking place. In other words, God wants to have a sit down with His people Israel. He wants to convince them of their downward spiral.
 
It should be pointed out that the reasoning or communication God wants to put forth isn't a question of whether what His people are doing is sin; rather, the purpose of the reasoning is that His people would recognize their condition and repent.
 
Again, God's willingness to reason isn't associated with Him considering our opinion about what is or isn't sin. His word has established these truths already: His mind won't be changed from His eternal word whether homosexuality is a sin (Leviticus 18:22; Romans 1:24-32) fornication is a sin (1 Corinthians 6:9), whether drunkenness is a sin (Galatians 5:21). His word is clear. His reasoning is that He wants His people to see their sin and understand He has a plan of restoration, which must start for us with repentance.
 
Repentance in the life of the believer brings restoration to the presence of God and refreshing to the soul:
 
Acts 3:19
19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
 
God will send Isaiah as a preacher to warn the people of their sin, giving them an opportunity to respond through repentance, but God also lets Isaiah know that there is an occurrence that takes place when the gospel is preached. While some will repent (respond to the Word of God by coming to the end of self and embracing God's ways), the hearts of many will become fat, a fattened heart could be described as a layer of hardened, congealed fat over the outside of the heart (inner man), which prevents the word of God from penetrating and performing its function; this concept can be equated to fallow (untilled) ground.
 
Furthermore, God tells Isaiah that even though they have ears, many times the ears become heavy, the hearing of the gospel becomes grievous and burdensome to the person who is not willing to submit and respond in an appropriate manner to God's calling. The heart of that man or woman begins to deafen their ears to the truth; also, they begin to close their eyes because they don't want to see what God is saying through the prophet (mouthpiece of God).
 
These truths can be found in Isaiah 6:1-11 through the vision Isaiah had when King Uzziah died, and he saw the Lord; when Isaiah experienced the presence of God, he saw his sinful condition, he repented, and he was commissioned by God to preach the gospel; when the gospel is preached, some respond through repentance, but some harden their hearts.

So what we have so far is: (1) Isaiah 1:18 God's people are living in rebellion and sin; however, God's desire is that they be restored into His presence; therefore, He wants to reason, have a sit down, where He promises them that even though the sins of the people are crimson, they can be made white as wool.
 
The world and the people of God need to hear that message: the sins of man are crimson. While we may be deceived by sin's blinders, the sinful condition of humanity's heart is "popping" red before the eyes of a holy God. But there is hope; there is forgiveness of sin; there is a plan.
 
(2) In the Isaiah six passage, we learn some more about God's plan. We learn that when our strength dies (Uzziah), we become dependent upon God, finding ourselves in the presence of God. And once in the presence of God, mankind begins to see himself for how he really is-- unclean. Once a person allows their heart to be transformed by God, a desire is birthed within them to do God’s will.
 

And this brings me to the passage that I want to preach. This passage is one of many in Isaiah, which describe what scholars call the “suffering servant.” Jesus was the suffering servant, and when we become convinced by the Holy Spirit that our purpose is to serve Him, He makes us a humble servant. The previous examples of Isaiah 1:18 and 6:1-11 certainly apply to our Christian lives today; however, in their original context, they referred to God’s overall plan of redemption beginning with Israel. As we move forward with more specificity towards the “suffering servant,” the main point I want you to get is that God is concerned about your individual life. He wants to make you whole. He wants to set you free.

Isaiah 61 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto 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, that he might be glorified.

Jesus quoted this passage out of Isaiah in Luke 4:18, 9, also, referencing the fact that this passage in Isaiah was specifically referring to Him; when He was in the synagogue teaching; therefore, we have specific proof that the suffering servant spoken of throughout Isaiah are prophecies that point to our Jesus.

Isaiah 53:1-7
Who hath believed our report?
and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant,
and as a root out of a dry ground:
 
Promises had been given to Judah (Genesis 49) and David (2 Samuel 7), but at this time Israel's spiritual condition has taken a downward spiral. The people are serving false gods; nevertheless, the promise will never die; even though the ground is dry, the root remains. As Isaiah had already prophesied in:
 
Isaiah 11:10
And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse,
which shall stand for an ensign of the people;
to it shall the Gentiles seek:
and his rest shall be glorious.

Previously, it was mentioned that the root was tender and that it would grow out of dry ground. The reference to Jesse right here is David’s dad; as most of us are aware, it was promised that Messiah would come from David. Now, during Isaiah’s time, approximately 200 years have passed since the prophecy given to David (2 Samuel 7:13); the kingdom has been split because of Solomon’s disobedience, and things will only worsen for Israel as time moves forward. King Zedekiah, who was the last King to rule from Jerusalem, was carried away to Babylon approximately 618 BC with his eyes gouged out, bound in chains, and thrown in prison. By the time Jesus was born about 600 years after Zedekiah, the Roman Empire had Israel under its power as a vassal state. The above prophecies were certainly true: the root of Jesse came forth, and He came as a tender plant out of dry ground; He was born of insignificant means when all hope for the promise appeared lost.
 

he hath no form nor comeliness;
and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
 He is despised and rejected of men;
 
The majority will be repelled by the real Jesus. When you begin to tell the crowd that true Christianity isn't looking at the cross, but man, through faith in Christ, dying with Him on the cross, you lose the majority. We live in the midst of a time when everything around us appeals to our senses and convinces us what success is supposed to look like; yet, the success of our Savior was His obedience to death.

Who would have ever expected that the King of Kings would be born as a babe in a manger wrapped in swaddling clothes, a king born to die. The King of Kings and Lord of Lords who deserves all glory and adoration came to this sinful world in the humility of a manger amongst not even common people but unclean animals.

He is the “suffering servant,” and He is asking us to be humble servants. It’s required of His people to learn His heart. What an arduous task this appears to be on the surface in the midst of a society where we are influenced by the world around us to be drawn towards that which is pleasing to the eyes. I think convertible Corvettes and Michael Kors watches are cool, but Jesus isn’t impressed. The King of the universe was born in a manger where animals would live. He didn’t wear silk robes. He was a lowly carpenter. He wasn’t impressed with the bank account of a man; instead, He chose to sit down to eat with sinners, tax collectors, and even lepers. And the way He handled these occurrences wasn’t like some woman wearing her diamond rings ladling Chicken a- la- king at a soup Kitchen for an hour in an attempt to feel better about herself. He sat with them, got to know them, and loved them. He knew the gospel could change their lives, so He invested the kingdom of God into them. This is not an arduous task; it is impossible for self to come to this type of conclusion. Only the gospel transforms a self seeking heart into a humble servant.

Philippians 2:5-9
-- Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
 
There is nothing on the surface or superficially about our Savior that draws men to Him, but when you look inside and see His heart of humility and His willingness to give Himself for you, all the pomp and circumstance begins to fade. All the things that I thought would bring me happiness begin to take a backseat to the Savior's love and will for my life.

a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

The world didn’t love Him then and they sure don’t love Him now.
 
The Soldiers mocked Him
 
Matthew 27:29-51
And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand:and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him
 
The world mocked Him
 
And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross
 
Religion mocked Him
 
Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him
 
The thieves mocked Him
 
The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth

He was a man acquainted with sorrows, because He became clothed in the tent called flesh:
 
Hebrews 2:14
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
 
He has felt what we feel. He has been rejected; He has been hurt; He has been made fun of; He has had people that He loved turn their backs on Him. You can rest assured Christian that no matter what you experience on this side of the eternal veil, your Jesus has been there already, He defeated it at the cross, and:
 
 Hebrews 4:15
15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
 
Oftentimes, when people are hurt by family, friends, or mostly people in the church, the devil preys upon their minds, telling them, "You're alone! No one loves you. You're isolated; the church is full of hypocrites, so why go back?"

The devil is a master at convincing people they’re alone.
 
Don’t say it again Christian. He was all alone, but you’re not all alone.  You don’t have to be alone, because your Jesus took that for you:
 
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?--
 
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him;...

Grace is King through Christ: The Object of Abraham's Faith

The Object of Abraham’s Faith

Genesis 15  After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
 
God spoke to Abraham, and gave Him a word in a vision. It must be remembered that when God first spoke to Abraham, there was no nation of people that served Him. Abraham was born and raised in a home of pagans who worshiped false gods, just like many of us who thought we had been told the truth but we were actually brought in under deception. The context of the word has the thought of answers. In other words, it’s as though God is giving Abraham answers to questions. Undoubtedly, Abraham had questions. God had called him to be a mighty nation and to this point nothing had happened as he would have expected.
 
God tells Abraham to fear not. In this sense, the word doesn't appear to be speaking of reverence; rather, it speaks of unhealthy fear, probably related to what God has asked of Abraham. The emotion of fear often accompanies the words God gives His people. There is a natural tendency to internalize and take upon self the burden of accomplishment. Instead of looking to the God who gave the word of instruction as the source of accomplishment also, we often attempt to take the reins and accomplish it ourselves. This type of approach will always lead to fears and anxiety because we will realize, that in our own abilities, we are faced with an insurmountable task, wondering, how I will ever accomplish what God wants from me.
 
The reason that Abraham doesn't need to be fearful is that God is his shield. The shield in this case is known as a buckler. In other words, God is Abraham’s protection in the battle. You and I are in a war also Christian. We have already discussed this concept in detail, but true Christianity understands that there is an enemy of God, and God’s plan, he (Satan) is the accuser, the opposer, and his desire is to exalt himself above all that is God. This is what we are in war against.

But just as in Abraham’s case, God is our shield and our reward. Typically, this type of shield was a small one, in some cases, made out of crocodile hide. These shields were small because they were utilized in the midst of hand to hand combat.
 
God wants Abraham to know that there's no need for fear because God is his protection in the midst of battle. Furthermore, God is also his reward. This is descriptive of payment. With this said, God is the protection, sustenance (provision), and ultimately the reward, when we endeavor to accomplish, in God’s strength, what He has asked us to do.
 
What an honor! Abraham your reward is me (God), your payment for your work is me (God). The idea is a wage or payment. You want me in your life; concern yourself with what I'm concerned with. You want me in your life be about my business.
 
And Abraham's business was directly related to the birthing of Messiah, directly related to the plan of salvation. Stay faithful child of God. Stay faithful to God and His plan, and concern yourself with His business-- the adding of souls to the eternal family. If you do this, there will be a reward. The reward will be Him.
 
Genesis 15:2
And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?
 
It's as though Abraham is saying, "I know you showed up in my life out of nowhere. When I was lost like everyone else, walking in darkness, and worshiping false gods, you-- a God that was alive, a God that wasn't made of clay or wood, formed or fashioned by the hands of men, but a God who's alive; You, revealed yourself to me. I heard your voice, and I know what you've asked of me, and now you're coming to me you're my protection and my reward, but the very thing I need from you, I haven't received. Your promise to me requires offspring, and I have none.
 
Genesis 15:3
And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed:and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.
 
And so Abraham, like so many believers, attempts to strategize or accomplish in his own strength the plan of God for his life.
 
His plan is to use his servant Eliezer as his heir. To be truthful, nearly all Christians face these types of trials in their everyday walks with God. We are so prone to get ahead of and out of God's will. Many times, in our personal lives, we make decisions about relationships without regards for God's will. We act like we are in God’s will. We say things like, "God wants me happy. He wants me to have a relationship that will make me happy."
 
No! God wants you to focus on Him. He wants you to want Him to be your fulfillment. Get that right Christian. Get that right and maybe you'll see your desires come to pass, but stop living a lie and acting like you’re in God's will when everything you're running after is moving you further away from God.
 
Abraham was trying to help God with his plan, but Abraham's job wasn't to bring the plan to pass through manipulation, logic, and maneuvering. No! Abraham's job was supposed to be believing God's word for the promise to come to pass.
 
Many times, this is where we go wrong. We are so consumed with what we call the promises of God that are directed towards our "felt needs," we put what God wants on the back burner. You go on and live your life that way. You go on and live a self- seeking life on this side, in this physical world, but don't be surprised when you get to eternity and your eternal reward is based on what you went after here don't be surprised, because that's what you wanted.
 
God said, "I'm your reward Abraham." Is that the reward you're looking for Christian-- that in the end you've gained God, you've gained His eternal presence?
 
Genesis 15:4
And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.
 
God's promise was that the seed would come forth from Abraham. Already, in this process, Abraham is trying to compromise God’s word and figure out a way to make things happen another way. Ultimately, Abraham will go his own way, and in his flesh, produce offspring in his own strength. Abraham's choices produced a child of the flesh named Ishmael. The Ishmaelites were a wandering people who ultimately fell prey to the lying religion of Islam. We are still dealing with Abraham's decisions today. With this in mind, the current Christian should be made aware that fleshly attempts to produce God’s will, result in repercussions. You can try to cover them up all you want to, but God and you know the strife and chaos produced by those decisions. There is only one way to stop the fruit of those decisions: repent (turn) and seek God moving forward.
 
Genesis 15:5-6
And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them:and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
 
You see the Lord's promises to Abraham were greater than his flesh could ever produce that's why God needed Abraham to believe Him at His word.
 
The stars of the skies speak of a multitude much greater than just the nation of Israel. Instead, God's promise to Abraham was that through him a nation would be brought forth, and that through that nation, Messiah would be brought forth, and through the followers of God, both offspring through Abraham's Israel and Messiah's church, the seed would be more numerous than the stars in the sky, the eternal family of God would be more numerous than the natural mind could perceive.
 
Even though Abraham would struggle moving forward, he believed God regarding the plan of salvation to the extent that he understood it. The result of Abraham's faith was that God called him righteous.
 
God wants to call you righteous. He wants to call me righteous. The question that must be asked is will we believe God regarding His plan for salvation? Or will we attempt, in our own strength and logic, to make it through?
 
Moving forward from this point I would like to show you how much of God's plan Abraham understood.
 
Galatians 3:8-9
And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee (seed) shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
 
The word scripture is graphe, where we get our word graphic, meaning writings. This passage is speaking of the writings of God, so what is being said is that the writings of God are preaching the gospel. To be truthful, before the words of God were written, they were spoken, with God's intent that they would be written, even engraved, within this physical world for man to behold with his eyes.
 
The scripture of God is His communication to a lost and dying world. As we move closer to the end, there will be more movement away from believing the word of God as inspired, and more movement towards trusting science and the logic of man to fix the ills of humanity, but God says His writings preach the gospel.
 
The word gospel means "good news." We have already established the bad news in recent, prior classes. We discussed the fall of man and his separation from the presence of God.
 
 But the scriptures contain within them the word of hope from God, the hope that God has a plan, a plan which contains good news. The good news is that while man is separated because of his sin, God's plan will bring restoration again. God spoke the scriptures in advance, showing that the way to salvation would come through Abraham; the specific thought being justification, that legal declaration given by God, which speaks a verdict of righteousness over a man’s life because of faith exhibited in the promised one.
 
The justification spoken of specifically in this passage is for the heathen. Who is Paul talking about when he says heathen? The word is ethnos. Ethnos is where we get our word ethnicity, which categorizes people according to cultural groups. Interestingly, the two people groups being juxtaposed are the Jews, God’s people created in Abraham, a nation whose borders were delineated by God’s promises and their circumcision, long before those borders were ever delineated by geographical boundaries such as rivers, ridges, or ravines. With this in mind, God is delineating the heathen as that ethnos or people group who are not His, essentially, speaking of those pagan nations who neither believed in Him nor worshiped Him.

Abraham was called out of the world, and through him a nation called Israel was created. From that nation, the world was given Jesus, and through the name of Jesus, men are saved, made righteous-- justified: Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
 
God's promise to Abraham and the essence of the gospel is that through what God would bring forth from Abraham, the world would be blessed. When God spoke this word to Abraham, regarding His eternal plan, Abraham believed God (the action required for faith), his faith resulted in righteousness being placed into his (Abraham’s) account. Now, thousands of years later, when heathen or Jews for that matter, place their faith in the eternal plan of God, they are blessed along with faithful Abraham, because they also, receive the pronouncement of justified over their lives.
 
Galatians 3:16
Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
 
So the promise given to Abraham regarding the blessing of the nations through his (Abraham's seed) was not the nation of Israel itself; rather, it was the seed brought forth from that nation, and that seed was Christ.
 
But how do we propose that 2000 years before Jesus was ever born Abraham would have been able to know about Jesus, in order to place his faith in Him for righteousness, resulting in justification?
 
Undoubtedly, we will have to look, but be assured, this is what God preached in advance to Abraham-- Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
 
John 8:56-59
Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day:and he saw it, and was glad. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. Then took they up stones to cast at him:but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
 
There is so much in these verses to unpack, but we need to stay focused, so I will only briefly mention a sideline thought. Jesus tells the Pharisees two incredible concepts (1) Abraham saw the day of Jesus, and his vision resulted in jumping joy (2) Jesus says that He was before Abraham. More specifically, He says before Abraham was "I Am." Now, where have you heard that wording before? Jesus was referring to Himself as God here, specifically, as the voice from the burning bush. For anyone, specifically, a Jehovah's Witness who wouldn't believe that's what's being said, look at how the people He was talking to responded, they picked up stones to kill Him.
 
But our focus must remain centered upon Abraham's visualization of the day of Jesus, which is undoubtedly connected to God's promises to him and his son Isaac, which produced Israel and gave Messiah to a lost and dying world.
 
Genesis 22:2
And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
 
John 3:16
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.
 
How beautiful is the plan of God? We see in God's command to Abraham thousands of years before Jesus the same terminology God would say about His own Son, "Take your son, your only son."
 
Genesis 22:6
And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.
 
And here we see a picture of the cross because the wood was laid upon the back of the son, just as the cross was laid upon the back of God’s only Son. 
 
Genesis 22:7-14
And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father:and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood:but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering:so they went both of them together. And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham:and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him:for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram (a substitute sacrifice offered instead of Isaac) caught in a thicket by his horns:and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah Jireh:(the Lord our provider) as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.