Abel
The Voice of Thy Brother’s Blood
(Hebrews 11:4)
Part 2
By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. (Hebrews 11:4)
And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground. (Genesis 4:10)
—–A More Excellent Sacrifice —–
Through God’s Progressive Revelation of Himself
As we return to the more excellent sacrifice of Abel, the Spirit of God will reveal that the more excellent sacrifice was the Lord Jesus Christ. And now, as the resurrected Man, He is at the right hand of the majesty on high. As God had respect for both Abel and his offering, in Hebrews 11:4, we are reminded (by the Spirit of God) that God testified in Abel’s time of Abel’s MANY gifts, (God testifying of his gifts) showing that Abel had made many trips to the altar of sacrifice. In God’s progressive revelation of Himself and of all His ways, in the book of Leviticus there are MANY offerings which in turn show us the VALUE of the more excellent sacrifice, the Lord Jesus Christ. These are teaching moments to learn of Christ as a lamb before the foundations of the world. But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (1st Peter 1:19) Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you. (1st Peter 1:20)
What is progressive revelation? Man cannot know God unless God reveals Himself to man. Searching without God’s revelation NO ONE can find God; therefore, God began in Genesis 1:1 to reveal Himself, (In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.) And progressively through the Scriptures we see the God of creation in a brighter, clearer light, and the light continues to brighten as He reveals more about Himself. It is only His light that can pierce the darkness of this world. This includes the dark heart of man.
As we go through the Scriptures, we see that what has been given to different portions of humanity not only reflect forward in prophecy, but the word of God gives light to the past. For instance, in John Chapter 8, verse 44, the Lord Jesus informs us that in the very beginning the devil, the old serpent, Satan was a MURDERER and a LIAR from the beginning. Truly this reflects us back to the first human death on the earth, Abel, who offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. And Cain was of the wicked one. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous. (1st John 3:12) Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. (John 8:44)
What do these three words of the Lord Jesus Christ learn of me mean to you? Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (Matthew 11:29) For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:30) If you proclaim that you have been called out of this world to be a Christian, a born-again follower of Jesus Christ, THEN by your profession of faith, you not only were given the gift of the Spirit of Christ within, but you were given responsibilities as newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word of God. To learn of Christ is the desire of every soul who has been restored by the new birth. In our heavenly creation we are heavenly beings while we are on earth, we have the Spirit of Christ within our heart sent to us at the moment of our birth in Jesus Christ. His divine Spirit within gives us the authority of the word of God in our heart. Yes, we are waiting our metamorphous in death, or our translation when we will be changed in a twinkling of an eye as we go through our metamorphous in a moment of time, and we will be like our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. As He had a Body prepared for Him, so likewise, each and every child of God has a heavenly body prepared for them. We have confidence in this in the total value of not only the sacrifice of Christ, but the power of His resurrection. The Lord Jesus said, learn of me. So therefore, let’s learn and see the value of the third hour when our Savior was crucified, and the subsequent three hours bringing us to the darkness of man and then the ninth hour of finality when the Lord Jesus said, It is finished. We know that on the third day, Christ arose. Also, on the third day, Israel will be raised up out of the ashes of their nation, in the beginning of the third day.
Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. (Hosea 6:1)
After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. (Hosea 6:2)
Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth. (Hosea 6:3)
Numbers are the key here. The morning of the third day . . . it is the number and NOT time that we are interested in. Can we fit 2nd Peter into the book of Hosea? But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. (2nd Peter 3:8) The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2nd Peter 3:9) Remember that we are dealing with the number three. We are in the morning of the THIRD millennium: (first millennium A.D. 0001-999/1-1000; second millennium 1000-1999/1001-2000; third millennium 2000 -2999/2001-3000) since the third hour when they crucified the Lord Jesus Christ. Israel is in THAT THIRD HOUR NOW. In the third day or third millennium, in the morning, the bridegroom is at the doorstep as we witness Israel’s fight for survival as a nation. At her darkest hour, 1/3 of the flock of Israel will come through the fires. They will endure and God will preserve them through the three hours that will come over them.
And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. (Zechariah 13:8) And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God. (Zechariah 13:9)
Although the entire world comes out against Israel, she will NOT perish for God promised Abraham that God would put his descendants into the land and give them an inheritance that can never be annulled. Although these hours of darkness seem to block out the light of Israel, God is still their eternal Light in His promises. God will neither deny, nor take away any of His promises that He has given. After the darkness is passed, when the words ring in their ears, It is finished, the nation of Israel, 1/3 will be brought into the blessings in the MORNING of their THIRD DAY. Their blessings will be as the former and the latter rain. Now, here is a wonderful thing, they will receive their blessing at the hands of the One whom they had pierced, and He will look upon them as His people, and Israel will look upon Him as their God. They will look upon Him whom they had pierced.
Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. (Revelation 1:7)
And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. (Zechariah 12:10)
In Revelation 1:7, it is all kindreds of the earth as well as the nation of Israel, shall wail when they look upon Him, whom they had pierced. This is AFTER the tribulation period of seven years. It’s interesting that God divides the seven years of tribulation into two parts of three and a half years. With the last 3 ½ years called the Great Tribulation or the day of Jacob’s trouble. It is during this time period that darkness will come over the whole earth. And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, (Revelation 16:10) This darkness refers to the kingdom of The Beast, the man that Satan raises up and places him on his throne. In 2nd Thessalonians, he is called the man of sin, so there we see a connection with SIN and man being a beast.
In analyzing the kingdom of The Beast, everyone has taken the mark of The Beast, and those who refused are beheaded. Now, think of where we are today in history, and how close we are as a submissive society to all evil. Approximately 75% of the population took the death shot. Most likely 40% took it willingly, but the rest took it because of threats, although they had serious and legitimate reservations. Since it was very recent, and still in our memories, look what happened to those who would NOT take the death shot in the great covid-man-made plague. Some lost their jobs, some were shunned by family and society, they could not travel, and had restrictions on their movements, they families ostracized them and constantly every night the legacy news media condemned them as traitors to society. Global leaders and a pretend illegitimate and unelected President threatened them because they refused to take the death shot. This is the evil tyranny that we live in TODAY. The leaders of this world have openly declared that they OWN each and every one of us, and will do whatever they want with and to us. At one point in the western world, each leader of each nation has threatened their people. This was the western world’s conspiracy to take power over all the people. They designed the plague, and they distributed the plague not knowing all the consequences and possibilities of the end result. They did not consider that their biological weapon could wipe out all of humanity. But they were ready to take that chance with all earth life. These are evil men and women directed by Satan as we will see in the kingdom of The Beast when Satan puts his man upon Satan’s throne. What would happen if the present Nazi Marxist spirit went a little further where everyone who did not get the shot was under the control of the news media? It would not have taken much for these evil broadcasters to condemn you to death, and they came close even without authority. They put many in jeopardy by condemning those who refused to take the shot and blamed them as contributing to the spread of the covid-man-made weaponized plague. This took place just three years ago, and do not forget those poor souls of January 6th. How many after years are still in prison? How many died in prison for exercising their legal and free right of assembly as they protested against an illegal election of a false president? Also, never forget who led and encouraged violence . . . January 6th was a government insurrection against the people. And look what that has brought us, we are on the very brink of nuclear war. These people are insane. (Babylon [hath been] a golden cup in the LORD’S hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad. Jeremiah 51:7) The world is being prepared for the mark of The Beast. I would think that when the order comes, the cowardly lying news agencies will be first in line and will gladly take the mark and nightly condemn to death those who refuse to take the mark of The Beast. This is a darkness that is worse than physical darkness. It is the absence of all divine Light in Jesus Christ. Just as an example, it is Israel and not the palestinians who are being condemned by the media. There is an embedded hatred for the Jews in this world, and this hatred will continue on through the tribulation period until Christ comes to deliver them and to receive them unto Himself. The end of Israel will never quench the enmity and hatred for the Jews. They would hunt them as beasts all over the world, if the laws allowed. Recently, we have seen the twisting of law not only in the world court, but in the courts of the United States against the TRUE President falsely called ‘the former President.’
When Satan raises up his man, The Beast, the fulfillment of ALL sin and enmity against God (Revelation 13) ALL restraint will be removed for even the two witnesses that God sends from heaven to witness AGAINST this ungodly world, as Abel, they will be slain by the Cain’s of this world, the children of the wicked one. Upon the death of the two witnesses, the whole world will rejoice and celebrate much like as a pagan Christmas. They will send presents to each other, rejoicing over the death of these two witnesses of God. You know, as the mirage of sin, that these presents will be sent in the name of the goodness of man, and with man, there is none good, no not one. Goodness belongs to God, and God alone.
And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. (Revelation 11:8)
And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. (Revelation 11:9)
And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. (Revelation 11:10)
And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. (Revelation 11:11)
And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. (Revelation 11:12)
Contrary to man’s belief in his own self goodness, we live in a world and in an age of darkness of both man and Satan where man loves darkness and HATES the light. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. (John 3:19) For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. (John 3:20)
When Satan entered into Judas to betray the Lord of glory in hopes of destroying the Lord Jesus Christ, it would not be a strange thought or thing if Satan wants a nuclear war to destroy God’s creation. The leaders in the United Sates AND the western world think that they are invincible, no one counts ALL the missiles that if fired would cause a nuclear fire that would destroy the western world, and most likely the eastern world as well. Apparently, Nagasaki and Hiroshima have not given world leaders respect and fear of a nuclear holocaust.
Today man is living in an insecure world, a world of fear, a world of darkness, a world of death and destruction. Entire continents, societies and leaders are in chaos because of Satan’s darkness over the world. The world is sick of western control over nations. We are in a global defeat of the western world. And what will happen when the rats see the destruction of their nations, and their mirage ideology of democracy vaporize into the air as the men of tyranny take over the world. All this is man’s effort and Satan’s effort to derail the purpose of God . . . which is impossible. As the God of creation raises the sun in the sky, and His determinate counsels control the sun’s rising and setting each day, so the wheels of God’s government fulfill His purpose in the same faithfulness until the day comes when the Son of righteousness, the Lord Jesus Christ, will arise and come forth with healing in His wings.
The darkness that we see today is NOT going to go away; in fact, world darkness is going to overtake all life, spiritual wickedness is going to be accomplished and this world will come to ruin, and Satan will bring in the kingdom of The Beast. Remember the number of man is the number six, and the number of The Beast is 6 – 6 – 6. This personality will come rise from the pit and he will be the son of Satan with all manners of evil in his being and all the power of Satan will be at his disposal. To confirm man and the number six closely look at the entire 6th Chapter of the book of Genesis, and the sixth Chapter of the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.
Although God may yet allow us to enjoy a few years of peaceful light, it will only be for a short time for there is an approaching dreadful darkness coming soon over the whole earth. It will begin as the sixth hour of the Lord’s crucifixion and will last until the ninth hour. Remember that the number nine is the last single digit or number. It is a symbol of finality as the Lord’s words will be repeated at His coming. In THAT glorious day, the day of evil will be finished, and the light of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of righteousness, will rise upon the earth when He reveals Himself to the world as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. In the symbolism of numbers, the earth itself and humanity is in the third hour and have entered into the beginning of darkness. And they still refuse the testimony of God and Jesus Christ.
—–A More Excellent Sacrifice —–
Through that Holy Thing, that Holy Child, and the Holy One
The world has never been able to grasp that God was IN Christ and IS Christ reconciling the world unto Himself. That in the plan of God, Christ, the anointed One, in a Body prepared for Him was ALWAYS the more excellent sacrifice that was foreordained BEFORE the foundation of the world. And in the determinate counsels of God nothing would stop His star, nothing would stop that holy thing, that holy child, that Holy One as God the Father SENT the Son of His love into the world. As Christ descended as a light, a ray of hope for mankind, God presented His Son in a most unique way. His manifestation came forth in the channel of birth being made of a woman, made under the Law in the FULLNESS of time to embrace ALL time and history of mankind. From Abel to the very last called in faith, God will fulfill His purpose and plan, and no matter what Satan does to this world, no matter how dark the heart of man becomes, NOTHING will stop the plan and purpose of the Lamb, the more excellent sacrifice, the Lion out of the tribe of Judah will reign over the earth and of His eternal dominion there will be NO END.
Although THIS world passes away, He will bring in the ETERNAL STATE creating a NEW heaven and a NEW earth. In the last moment of darkness while on the cross, the Lord Jesus proclaimed, It is finished. All that was to come through time and history became engulfed in those three words, and immediately, the world SHOOK and there was a great earthquake, and the veil in the Temple was rent from top to bottom as darkness slowly crept over the earth to symbolize the greatest conquest of a King as Christ DEFEATED ALL DARKNESS. The more excellent sacrifice was complete and so, Christ commended His Spirit to God the Father in the Body that was prepared for Him to BE the more excellent sacrifice and with His divine eyes piercing the heavens, He gave up the Ghost.
● And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. (Luke 23:44) And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. (Luke 23:45) And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. (Luke 23:46)
● Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. (Matthew 27:45)
● After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. (John 19:28) Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. (John 19:29) When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. (John 19:30)
As the gospel in the book of Luke is the gospel of the Son of man, as the more excellent sacrifice to redeem man unto God, it is THERE in the gospel of Luke that Christ commends His Spirit to His Father in heaven. This unique Being, the manifestation of the invisible God, this Man from heaven, was ONE of a kind, He had a unique Body, a unique Spirit as the Son of man, He was born of God, He was that holy thing, that holy child, that Holy One. The Lord Jesus Christ was the Son of God’s love, and because Christ FINISHED the work of redemption for us, as the more excellent sacrifice God the Father sends the Spirit of His Son into the heart of each and every one of His children who have been born again by the Spirit of the Almighty. This Spirit of Christ, in our hearts, echoes the words, Abba Father, thus, placing us in a position of sonship in the ROYAL FAMILY of the Lord Jesus Christ.
● And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. (Galatians 4:6) Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. (Galatians 4:7)
● For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. (1st Corinthians 2:11)
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. (1st Corinthians 2:12)
Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. (1st Corinthians 2:13)
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1st Corinthians 2:14)
But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. (1st Corinthians 2:15)
For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. (1st Corinthians 2:16)
● But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, (Galatians 5:22) Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:23) And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. (Galatians 5:24)
Who can explain the Spirit of Christ within the heart? Only one who has the Spirit of Christ can explain the wonder and glory of THAT Spirit that has led one unto righteousness in that more excellent sacrifice. As Christ presents Himself in the heart of the believer, it is a fact of divine revelation. God has revealed Himself WITHIN the heart so that the believer will manifest the will of God and the truth of God and the Spirit of God to the world through the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the Spirit of Christ that reveals the truth of the word of God. The world does not want to receive the truth for the world LOVES the darkness that they dwell in, and they HATE the light. In the last fifty years darkness, the evil of man, has surmounted and conquered the highest mountains of civilization. They have invented a HATE doctrine against the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. They are so bold to proclaim that the words of righteousness are now the words of hate. But God KNEW all along and in the prophecy of Isaiah He tells us exactly what man is doing at this exact moment in time TODAY.
● Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! (Isaiah 5:20)
Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! (Isaiah 5:21)
Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: (Isaiah 5:22)
Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! (Isaiah 5:23)
Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel. (Isaiah 5:24)
● Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, (Romans 1:22)
We see the complete breakdown of the rule of man because man has denied and cast off the rule of God.
Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? (Psalm 2:1) The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, (Psalm 2:2) Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. (Psalm 2:3) He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. (Psalm 2:4)
There has never been a time in the history of mankind that man has cast off ALL divine morality. This is just not a city as Sodom, nor a nation as Tyre, or a great city as Nineveh. This is a GLOBAL epidemic of evil. When the Bible says ALL, ALL, ALL have come short of the glory of God. It is ALL of mankind. For there is NONE good but ONE, and that is GOD.
You have to compare the goodness of man with the works of Cain. The world continually sees the works of their hands as good. When it is only the works of Adamkind. Without the knowledge of God, without His personal revelation of Jesus Christ to the heart of man, then man has NO goodness at all. Man loves to play in the green meadows and fields of religion. He never thinks of the thunder and lightning above, and of God’s judgment over them for the refusal of God’s Christ IN their hearts. It is with the heart that man believes, and unless he believes in the Spirit and light of Jesus Christ man’s heart will remain in darkness. The opinion of the world today is to LOVE darkness and they love to have it so.
When the apostle Paul preached before the world court of king Agrippa, Paul presented the gospel to a man who had more knowledge of the Scriptures than the majority of PROFESSING Christians today.
● Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently. (Acts 26:3)
● For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner. (Acts 26:26) King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest. (Acts 26:27)
This should scare you, always remember PROFESSION is NOT POSSESSION. Unless you have the Spirit of Christ, you are none of His. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. (Romans 8:7) So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. (Romans 8:8) But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. (Romans 8:9)
These are the words of king Agrippa as Paul presented the gospel to him, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. (Acts 26:28) Here was a king who had a knowledge of Scripture according to Paul, and king Agrippa had listened to Paul’s proclamation of the gospel that confirmed Scripture. Now I would like you to take some time, let’s call it Intermission. Open your Bible to Acts 26, and read the gospel preached by Paul. Is this what YOU believe, or do you believe another gospel? What did Agrippa say? ALMOST. King Agrippa could not lay aside his own crown. As a king, he could not bow to the King of kings. The pride of life and the power of man’s vanity could not allow king Agrippa to utter the words, Lord, I believe, save me. In that brief moment of time, king Agrippa wrestled in his own heart, with his own darkness, and his darkness won. He would not receive the light that is within Jesus Christ. He could not accept that more excellent sacrifice in Jesus Christ.
—-A More Excellent Sacrifice —–
The Sweetsmelling Savour to God
Abel loved the light in the more excellent sacrifice. And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. (Ephesians 5:2) This is the only time in the entire Bible that the words sweetsmelling savour is mentioned. Christ’s sacrifice ascended up to God as not only a sweet savour, but by using the word sweetsmelling as one word, it was as the incense ascending up to God in the tabernacle giving off the worth of the sacrifice and the character of the life of Christ.
In the Old Testament, in the book of Leviticus, the burnt offering was a sweet savour unto God. But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD. (Leviticus 1:9) The life of the redeemed are also a sweet savour of Christ. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: (2nd Corinthians 2:15) In this 15th verse, it is NOT OUR worth that is a sweet savour, it is what we are IN Christ. It is the fragrance of Christ IN His sacrifice that God identifies within both His Son and what His Son accomplished. If you belong to the Lord Jesus Christ then you are part of what He accomplished on the cross of Calvary; thus, making you a part of His sweet savour.
In the first offering of Leviticus Chapter 1, the words sweet savour are used because of the burning of the fat of the sacrifice. To show the connection with the sacrifice of Abel we have Genesis 4:4, And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering. (Genesis 4:4) This is to show us that the whole lamb was consumed, and the fat thereof gave it a distinctive odor as it was burning, and that savour ascended up to God. We can follow this in Leviticus 1:12 when the whole sacrifice was consumed. And he shall cut it into his pieces, with his head and his fat: and the priest shall lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar: This in conjunction with the sweet savour of Leviticus 1:9 was a foreshadow of the sweetsmelling savour of Christ.
With the more excellent sacrifice of Abel we have a male, a first born without blemish within and without who was set aside for Abel’s specific sacrifice. The Lord Jesus Christ was foreordained BEFORE the foundations of the world to be the Lamb of God. He was SET ASIDE as the Son of man and the Lamb of God. When He was manifested from heaven, that manifestation was as God’s beloved Son. This is very important because in Leviticus 1:12, the word his is used three times, and Christ was manifested as the fulness of the Godhead bodily: Father, Son and Holy Ghost . . . his pieces, with his head and his fat. His pieces (the many glories of Christ), His head (the GODHEAD bodily), and His fat (the uniqueness of His worth in the more excellent sacrifice).
In the book of Hebrews, Chapter 1, verses 4 and 5, the Lord Jesus Christ is begotten of God, named by God and has the inheritance as the Son of God. Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. (Hebrews 1:4) For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? (Hebrews 1:5)
God declared when He brought Christ into the world that He would be to Him a Father, and Christ would be to Him a Son, and that Christ would be the first begotten. The evidence of the Holy Spirit in the word of God is overwhelming concerning the Sonship and deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is through the Living Spirit of Christ that the child of God is freed from the Law of Sin and Death. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2) To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, (Hebrews 12:23) Prophetically, the Sonship of the Lord Jesus Christ and His dominion as King over all the earth is found in Psalm 2, verse, 6 and 7. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. (Psalm 2:6) I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. (Psalm 2:7)
All through Scripture God deifies His Son, however, the world as well as religion rejects His deity. From the moment of the Lord’s birth, that holy thing was God with us. And when that holy thing was born, God declared His deity by dictating to the angels that they shall all worship Him. And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. (Hebrews 1:6) In the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, when He committed His Spirit to God the Father, it was the complete Spirit of deity that ascended up to heaven. In Acts 20:28, Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. The whole Church was and is established on the fact that the blood that was shed on the cross of Calvary by Jesus Christ was the BLOOD OF DEITY and not the blood of mere man. It is quite evident through Scripture that when God ransomed us out of sin HE PAID the ultimate price WITH HIS OWN BLOOD. This not only brings in the Old Testament saints, but it also includes the Church as well.
Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: (Colossians 1:15)
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: (Colossians 1:16)
And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. (Colossians 1:17)
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. (Colossians 1:18)
For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; (Colossians 1:19)
And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. (Colossians 1:20)
So, we see that the more excellent sacrifice in the Lord Jesus Christ is the sacrifice of deity in the sweetsmelling savour. In the Song of Songs, in the first Chapter, the second and third verse, we have the love of God found in His bride, the Body of Christ. Natural affection becomes spiritual affection of the redeemed, and the earthly joy in the wine is replaced with the joy of the Lord from heaven. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine. (Song of Songs 1:2) Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee. (Song of Songs 1:3) In verse 3, the Lord’s fragrance is divine. The example in the New Testament would be when Mary poured the ointment on the Lord Jesus Christ. The entire house was FILLED with the fragrance in the anointing concerning His death. Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. (John 12:3) This brings us to the Christian. When Christ is in the heart, there is the sweet fragrance not only of His death, but of His resurrection, and the power of His endless life. Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. (Hebrews7:16) There is no other name given among man in relation to divine Saviorhood. There is no name in the Bible EXCEPT the name of the Lord JESUS Christ that is an ointment poured forth. In this ointment poured forth, first we have the fragrance or the aroma, then we have the lasting preservation of the ointment, and to show the power, His name is also the healing element for the soul. He restoreth my soul. Psalm 23.
Remember, that God also sees us in the purity of virgins, speaking of the Church, in the phrase, therefore do the virgins love thee. As the word virgin means purity, it puts the soul in a new position before the Lord. Christ identifies His Church as virgins arrayed in white raiment, pure from the dirt and stink of the world.
● And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. (Revelation 19:6)
Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. (Revelation 19:7)
And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. (Revelation 19:8)
And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. (Revelation 19:9)
● The king’s daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold. (Psalm 45:13) She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework: the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee. (Psalm 45:14)
Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee. (Song of Song 1:4)
With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought: they shall enter into the king’s palace. (Psalm 45:15)
Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth. (Psalm 45:16)
I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever. (Psalm 45:17)
A bride made perfect through Christ the King . . . as He has brought us to God, He will continually hold us to His bosom. The scarlet line of God’s love begins and ends in the Son of His love, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a complete circle of love embracing all of the redeemed in the power of His endless life. And nothing can separate us from that divine life. We love the Lord Jesus because He first loved us, and He has given Himself as a sweetsmelling savour of His life as the more excellent sacrifice. As the eternal King He has brought us into His chambers and brought us into the Father’s house.
● Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. (John 14:1)
In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (John 14:2)
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:3)
And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. (John 14:4)
Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? (John 14:5)
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)
● He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me [was] love. (Song of Songs 2:4)
● How fair is thy love, my sister, [my] spouse! how much better is thy love than wine! and the smell of thine ointments than all spices! (Song of Songs 2:10)
The Holy Spirit has given us a view from above. We have seen the fair One walk among man. We have seen the Love of God manifested to the entire world in the more excellent sacrifice of the Son of His love. We see the devotion of Abel as he looked forward into time to the fullness of time. Our hearts soared in the heavenlies as we smelt the sweet odors of the ointment poured forth. Let the writer and the reader take this message with them in their hearts, souls and spirit. Let us embrace the wonder of His love and what He paid to purchase us in that most excellent sacrifice of the Son of His love, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen and Selah
© Copyright – Michael Haigh
Published on July 17, 2024, at 3:15 PM at EST.
Article may be used, but not for gain. Freely ye have received, freely give.
All Scripture references are from the King James Bible. (KJB)