Come and See
Chapter 10 of the Gospel of John
Verily, VerilyÂ
Part iv
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber . (John 10:1)Â
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Come and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men. (Psalm 66:5)
For I [know] their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory. (Isaiah 66:18)
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He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about tenth hour. (John 1:39)
And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. (John 1:46)
And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. (John 11:34)
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Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; (Philippians 1:27)
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And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. (Revelation 6:1)
And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. (Revelation 6:3)
And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. (Revelation 6:5)
And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.(Revelation 6:7)
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Verily, Verily
Introduction
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Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. (John 8:34)
  In our study of John 10:1, I mentioned, Verily, verily, or truly, truly, or Amen and Amen, and I am moved to return to this important point. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. (John 10:1) In the racing world, it would be known as a pit stop to prepare our car for what is ahead, to open up our chances to see the invisible. So I am moved to return to this point of importance not only for the value of Verily, verily, but how the Spirit of Christ uses this combination throughout the gospel of John, and ONLY IN the gospel of John. It is evident that the three gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke are predominately of the earth. However, John by the Spirit of God takes us into the unseen world, into the mind of Christ, and into the revelation of God. We pass from the temporal world to the spiritual world in the first three gospels. We can see the horizon of the earth: Matthew being the gospel of the king, Mark reveals God’s faithful servant in every way, and Luke unfolds the Son of man in a divine form as the Man from heaven. However, in the gospel of John, we are above the earth, and we see heavenly things such as the eternal Word being made flesh, and being God. We have angels ascending and descending upon the Son of man as the Spirit of God looks down from above wherein the three preceding gospels it is the world looking up. In the gospel according to John, it is the Spirit of Christ opening to us spiritual truths found no where else in the Scriptures. This reveals the very importance of Verily, verily in the gospel of John. Before we begin, I will list all the verses that have the words Verily, verily.
1. And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man. (John 1:51)
2. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.(John 3:3)
3. Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (John 3:5)
4. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. (John 3:11)
5. Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. (John 5:19)
6. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24)
7. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. (John 5:25)
8. Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. (John 6:26)
9.Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. (John 6:32)
10.Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. (John 6:47)
11.Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. (John 6:53)
12. Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. (John 8:34)
13. Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. (John 8:51)
14. Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. (John 8:58)
15. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. (John 10:1)
16.Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. (John 10:7)
17. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. (John 12:24)
18.Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. (John 13:16)
19. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. (John 13:20)
20. When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. (John 13:21)
21. Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice. (John 13:38)
22.Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater [works] than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. (John 14:12)
23.Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. (John 16:20)
24. And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give [it] you. (John 16:23)
25. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry [thee] whither thou wouldest not. (John 21:18)
  The different subject matter found with each Verily, verily is extremely important. The Spirit of God emphasizes these verses so that we might know and understand the mind of the Spirit of Christ. Let’s take each Verily, verily together that through the mind of the Spirit we might understand and receive of the glories of Christ. This will take some time, but I believe that this will be our only opportunity to see these truths within the veil. I suggest that you read the previous articles on Verily, verily.
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The Shackles of Sin
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Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. (John 8:34)
  Chapter 8 of the gospel of John is a definitive and forceful chapter in that it defines sin and death. We have the root of sin in John Chapter 8, verse 44, in this root we have the activity, will, and works of the devil. 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. And because he is the author of evil, he is the one who has become father of all mankind: those without Christ. In verse 34 we see the subject of sin as a bondage or slavery that man is under the full sway and actions of sin; consequently. This verse leads us to understand that man cannot control himself because he is a servant of sin. It is very difficult for the mind of man to see the depths of sin. Man is so proud in his vanity that he will not accept his ruined condition. He will not accept that he is a slave to sin. He will not accept that he has been shackled by sin and that there is no way that he can remove these shackles. Man even refuses to see that the end of sin is death. It is true that the wages of sin brings forth death. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23) Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (Romans 5:12)
  In the beginning of John Chapter 8, it was very easy for the self righteous Pharisees to see sin in others, but they could not see their own sin of deception within themselves. They could neither see, nor believe that there was sin within their own beings. They did not have (as many today) the full understanding of the depth of sin; this is what man does, he rationalizes his sinful actions. He can take the most heinous sin and by a turn of words sin can almost become acceptable within his society. Take the word ‘murder,’ well let’s just call it ‘abortion,’ you see how man changes words to suit his own guilt. However, ALL men can not escape the result of sin because sin in reality is the object of death; thus, sin and death are inseparable friends. Yet, man does not see either one as an enemy throughout his lifetime. He openly commits sin and tries to hide himself from death. Well . . . . well, where can he hide himself? There is no place to hide from death.
  God through His word, and from the very voice of the Lord Jesus defines sin for us because the descendants of Adam are not capable of giving the true definition of sin and the tragic result of sin which is death. The Jews (having the Law) did not live up to the Law, and this would also encompass ALL men as well as the Jews in the day of Christ. The Bible states that God is no respecter of persons: (Acts 10:34). Sin also is no respecter of persons for ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God, and the result of sin (death) respects no man, for sin brings forth death for one and all.
  The sin within man would not let him keep the Law. 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) Chapter 8 of the book of Romans goes well with John Chapter 8 because in the very beginning we are introduced to a deliverance which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:1)
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)
For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:Â (Romans 8:3)
  We are introduced to the first Law that was given by God to Adam that brought forth death: the law of sin and death. God (through the Holy Spirit) simply calls it the Law of sin and death, and ALL mankind, under Adam who was the Federal Head of sin, is under the Law of sin and death, and because of the magnitude of sin, Adam was completely changed from the image of God to the image of sin. Adam, after sin, had no hope in this world because he was without God. Adam was shut off from all righteousness. He was in complete slavery to sin.
  In John Chapter 8, the woman that the Pharisees brought to the Lord was caught in the act of adultery. And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, (John 8:3) They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. (John 8:4) Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? (John 8:5)
  We always bring up the question, How could she commit adultery all by herself, where was the other guilty party? This tells us two things. First, all judgment in Adam, from his self righteousness, is mitigated by sin within him. The Pharisees condemned the woman but not the man. They were selective in their judgment, they were biased against the woman because in that society men had all the rights and the women had none. We should understand that at the tree of good and evil, we have a three-way division: man was divided from God because of sin, and the woman was divided from both God and Adam (man), and this theme follows through Scripture. Second, this also shows us how the value of marriage had become an ordinance of man, and not the sacred act of God for both man (in Adam) and woman (in Eve). They were given to each other as an inseparable union. The fact of their union was so unique that Eve was taken out of the side of Adam, so that she, in turn, would be united with his flesh and with his bone. How did such a union become divided? It was divided by sin.
And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;Â (Genesis 2:21)
And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. (Genesis 2:22)
And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. (Genesis 2:23)
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. (Genesis 2:24)
 On that particular monumental day when God caused Adam to sleep a deep sleep, we see a type of the Lord Jesus Christ, sleeping the sleep of death, and from His wounded side came forth blood and water. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: (John 19:33) But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. (John 19:34) The purchase of His Bride, the Church, was accomplished by the blood (the sacrifice) and the water (the cleansing) from His wounded side and from the heart of God. Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. (Romans 7:4) However, there is another specific spiritual message in Genesis 2:21, And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof. Christ went into a deep sleep (death) wherein He not only defeated sin, but conquered death and overthrew the works of the devil. Through the following verses we are shown the consistency of the word of God from the beginning.
For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. (Ephesians 5:30)
For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. (Ephesians 5:31)
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. (Genesis 2:24)
This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. (Ephesians 5:32)
Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband. (Ephesians 5:33)
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Before Sin
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  The word of God from before the foundations of the world was set by the Living Word and the determinate counsels of God to declare a plan . . . God’s plan of redemption BEFORE sin had entered into the world. The garden of Eden was the first stage or act in this plan of redemption. The stage was set in a garden, and who created the garden? God. Who created man? God. Who created Eve? God. And who created the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? Yes, it was God. The props were all in place, and man was given the first commandment. The commandment was the command of obedience, and to disobey meant judgment.
And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:Â (Genesis 2:16)
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. (Genesis 2:17)
  To take of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, at that very moment, meant death. Then the next actor stepped onto the stage, and he played his part oh so well! He had been previously removed from his position as an angel of light to the position of ruler of the darkness of this world. He had the perfect script, and the perfect lie to overthrow the dominion of man.
Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? (Genesis 3:1)
And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: (Genesis 3:2)
But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. (Genesis 3:3)
And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: (Genesis 3:4)
For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. (Genesis 3:5)
  The result: sin came into the world. Sin shackled Adam, and Adam and all mankind became the servants of sin. Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. (John 8:34)
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A New World Order
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  When the Lord shed His blood on the cross of Calvary, we have the beginning of a new order in the words, It is finished. In His suffering, in His pain, and the dreadful suffering of being the Sin Barer, He accomplished a task that was IMPOSSIBLE for Adam to complete. Christ finalized the redemption of mankind, and mankind to this very day, cannot accept this wonderful redemption for God was IN Christ reconciling the world unto Himself.
  After the resurrection from the dead, to prove to Thomas (in his doubt) that the work of redemption had been finalized in the Lord’s resurrection, the Lord told Thomas (as documented in John 20:27) 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. This changed Thomas, And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. (John 20:28) As the Lord, in His omniscience, knew of Thomas’ prior refusal to believe, we also have more evidence of the Lord’s omniscience when the Lord stated to Nathanael, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! (John 1:47)
Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. (John 1:48)Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. (John 1:49)
  When the spiritual eyes of Thomas opened he proclaimed My Lord and my God, and when Nathanael blind eyes were opened he said, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. These two men were searched by the eyes of the Spirit of God in Christ Jesus showing us the wonder of the Person of Christ and His knowledge and in foreknowledge which contains all historical knowledge and the future knowledge that the Son of God possesses.
 Now let’s return to the body of Christ, or His bride. We have been taken from His side as an eternal bond, never to be broken, however, there are those who will say that in the physical world, the world of the flesh, there exists today no permanent bond between the woman and the man because of sin. If they can be separated when God instituted marriage, why can’t the bride of Christ be separated from Him? This is where man stumbles because of sin. The turmoil amongst man and woman, especially in our day, goes all the way back to the moment of sin. Sin divided Adam from God, and Adam from Eve. Sin was between all three and could not be reconciled until the cross of Christ. Man divided himself from the woman because of sin; therefore, this division had to be removed. Man would have to be taken out of the way, and a new creation put in Adam’s place. However, this would neither be the physical, nor the fleshly, and it would not be the carnal commandments of man, it would be war between the flesh and the spirit; thus, the Spirit of God would perform a spiritual transaction in the suffering and the sin bearing in the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. What man saw on the cross in the physical world was not as great as what was actually taking place in the spiritual world or realm. We, as believers, are like Thomas and Nathaniel, we are inseparable from the Shepherd of the sheep. (Psalm 23) In Psalm 23 we see the inseparableness of the Shepherd with His own as in John Chapter 10; however, in Psalm 23, the Lord is even present through the valley of the shadow of death showing us the very spiritual aspect of our redemption that not only the chains of sin are snapped, but the dreadful demon of death is destroyed.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4) For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death. (Psalm 48:14)
  And what is the result . . . . we go THROUGH the valley of death, and the Lord Jesus presents us in the Temple of the Lord or the house of the Lord before His Father forever. This was ALL accomplished because He laid down His life that He might take it again. Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. (John 10:17) No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. (John 10:18) This is the eternal power of the Lord’s endless life. Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. (Hebrews 7:16)
Side Note: On Hebrews 7:16. Defining certain scriptures, as rightly dividing the word of truth, is very important to understand the eternal elements of God and God’s existence. In Hebrews Chapter 7, we are dealing with the eternal priesthood of Melchisedec who is the Son of God. The third and fourth verse of Hebrews 7 has become a great stumbling stone to the world, and I am sorry to say this stone of stumbling also encompasses the professing church as well.
For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; (Hebrews 7:1)
To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;(Hebrews 7:2)
Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually. (Hebrews 7:3)
Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. (Hebrews 7:4)
The devil does not want you to believe in the supernatural power of God the Son, and this includes the miracle of being born again in the POWER of Christ’s endless life.
Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. (Hebrews 7:16) In this verse, we have the work of the flesh in the carnal commandment. This would take in Adam and Eve, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: (Genesis 1:28) This was the carnal commandment. However, the power of the Lord’s endless life is not regulated by the carnal. He is spiritual, for God is Spirit. When I was born again by the power of God in Jesus Christ. I did not receive new flesh, I did not receive new eyes, new hair, new strength in a carnal way. My transition from death to life was done by the power of the Spirit of God IN Christ Jesus, unto eternal life in the power of His everlasting life. After being saved, by the mercies and grace of God, the world wants the new born ones to continue after the carnal commandments, however, God teaches us, That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (John 3:6) They (the flesh and the spirit) are divided even in our new birth. The boast of many men, without Christ, is that they still believe that the present existence of mankind is in the image of God. This is a fallacy. Adam LOST that image of God at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This is why when we are in the presence of the Lord and He has called us home, we will be conformed to HIS image, and this by the supernatural power of God. In verse 16 of Hebrews 7, Christ is separated from the natural, from that which is carnal meaning that there was nothing natural IN His conception, IN His birth, and IN His life and His walk upon this earth. He was a supernatural being in every way to accomplish the divine will and righteousness of God upon this earth. He came to earth with the power of His endless life showing that there was no time stamp on His life . . . for it is endless, and shows all the divine power of God went and goes through the Son of God in the word of His power.
Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;Â (Hebrews 1:3)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1) The same was in the beginning with God. (John 1:2) All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:3) So we are brought into His eternal power and Godhead by the Lord Jesus Christ.
For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:Â (Romans 1:20)
This is one of the biggest traits of Adam under the slavery of sin. It is the sin of unbelief. This is a permanent fixture in man from birth. Man departed from God IN Adam to go his own way so that he (man) might seek and covet the devil’s promise, ye shall be as gods. We see in the history of mankind that sin has led man from kingdom to kingdom never finding or accomplishing the ultimate power of being god. The example of kingdom after kingdom, and king after king, and ruler after ruler PROVES sin in man brings forth death NOT life. One has to go outside the realm of mankind to find the power of an endless life, and this life IS IN Jesus Christ, who has the power of an endless life. (Hebrews 7:16) This endless life can only be found in Jesus Christ. This verse in Hebrews Chapter 7, also gives us the existence of the Son of God through eternity. He fills all in all, or eternity.
And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, (Ephesians 1:19)
Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, (Ephesians 1:20)
Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:Â (Ephesians 1:21)
And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, (Ephesians 1:22)
Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. (Ephesians 1:23)
  As new born babes born of the Spirit of God (through God’s Spirit) we are brought into the secret chamber of the knowledge of God; consequently, in the knowledge of God each and every individual who makes up the Bride of Christ receives instruction from the Spirit of God, and are ALL fitted together as a glorious building unto God in the Spirit. We have been given liberty and set free by the Spirit of light which is IN Christ Jesus. 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) This is not the sinful flesh of Adam under the carnal commandment. It is the supernatural working of the Spirit of Christ within us, and one day He will present us to Himself as a glorious image in His own likeness, and this too will be in the Spirit and in the power of an endless life. ♦ End of Side Note: On Hebrews 7:16.
  Going back to the foundation of the earth, we see through the hallowed eyes of the Spirit those things that have been kept as a mystery from the foundation of the earth. And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: (Hebrews 1:10)
  So come with me. . . BACK before time and man . . . BEFORE the foundation of the earth. Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, (1st Peter 1:20)
Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. (John 17:24)
According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:Â (Ephesians 1:4)
  Let’s begin with the Lord in 1st Peter 1:20, Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you. The Lord was foreordained as the High Priest forever after the order of Melchisedec. He was verified by an oath (as High Priest).
And inasmuch as not without an oath [he was made priest]:Â (Hebrews 7:20) (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou [art] a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:) (Hebrews 7:21)
The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. (Psalm 110:4)
  The Lord being God the Son with the glory of the Father took on the Eternal Priesthood to fulfill ALL righteousness in the plan and work of redemption. This was BEFORE He exercised His creatorial power of setting the foundation of the world as documented in Hebrews 1:10. In all three verses (1st Peter 1:20; John 17:24; and Ephesians 1:4) we have the love of God in His plan and purpose of creation. First, the Son of God was loved by the Father BEFORE the FOUNDATION of the world. Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. (John 17:24) The Lord shared an outward aura with the Father. This we cannot go into for it is beyond us at this time; however, in this mystery of God (hid from the foundation of the world) we have much revelation in the word of God in all that the determinate counsels began. Their determinate counsel began then through love for God is love, and the unity of the Godhead is based on love. For the Father loveth the Son, and the Son loveth the Father, and the Spirit of God is the symbol of their love. This complete Godhead is bound by love because God is love.
  This was the foundation of their determinate counsels that love through righteousness would be the Center of the work of redemption so that God would proclaim His love THROUGH and IN His Son Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Therefore, Christ is the gift of that love to mankind. It is only reasonable that before God would begin to create or build (being who He is, omnipotent, omniscience, and omnipresent) that God would not be restricted by any other power or being for He proclaimed of Himself that He is the only true God; and this, God’s plan and purpose must put forth an image of Himself. The plan of redemption must be faultless and purposeful, and all must be known (in foreknowledge) of that which is to come. Think of our age today, how fast knowledge is increased, we have gone from horses to man in space within the last 100 years, This is incredible for look at the thousands of years prior to the last 100 years. Anyone in the 19th century would have said, Impossible; yet, many of us in the 20th century have lived through the majority of this time from horses to space. By a touch of your finger today, you can search the annals of history and in a very limited way predict things that are about to happen in the future, you can do this through the immense power of AI, more than any other generation before us. There is a word of warning; however, with the increase of knowledge we have experienced the dying or death of wisdom and the shape shifters of history and knowledge have perpetrated the many lies of the Satan.
  The devil is the great deceiver, and mankind has become his carnal weapon against God to purposefully deceive ALL of mankind. The sacred documents of man in many cases are nothing but fantasies, and have been used to pervert the lives of many. For our knowledge is beyond our capability to discern truth for our discernment skills have been lost along with wisdom. I know that you disagree, but here are the facts. Has our knowledge decreased sin? No. Sin has abounded and increased. Are there more murders today? Yes. Are there more rapes today? Yes. Are there more adulteries today? Yes. Is there more thievery today? Yes. The fact is this we have put thieves in charge of the cookie jar.(The best thing that we can say about politicians is that they are thieves). I don’t want to bring in all the perverse acts and sexual sins of mankind, you know of them well; consequently, ALL this knowledge that we have today, (ALL the respected institutions of education, science and technology) how have they improved man’s moral standing before a righteous and holy God. It is simple, All the knowledge, all the education, all the benefits has not snapped the chains of sin. Man in Adam is still a slave to sin. He is in servitude to sin and this is borne out in Romans 6:23. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23) This wonderful verse has two parts: first, we see the slavery of sin, and that the wages of sin is death. It is the finality of all sin no matter how rich or poor, or what education level, or no matter how much knowledge one possesses, the end of sin is death. In the second part of this verse, the Spirit of God gives the path of redemption, and He shows us life, and this life is in the Gift of God, and this life is ETERNAL, and it is ONLY through the Lord Jesus Christ our Lord. Paul, through the Spirit, was referring only to believers who receive this gift of God through Jesus Christ, and that it is a Gift from on high.
  There are no remunerations, no works, no wages, the chains of sin (through Christ) have been broken, we have been released from Adam. Christ’s life and death has made us free in His resurrection. His resurrection from the dead proves our new life in Him, and life eternal that He has given us. In His ascension He carries us into glory in a spiritual principle of His finished work on the cross. And we are with Him at the right hand of God. We were dead in sin, and by faith of the Son of God He has given us life in Himself. We are IN Christ with perfect liberty, never to be separated from Him, and He has set us free from sin and free from death. This is that perfect Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, Romans 8:2.
  Now back to the plan of redemption. Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:(Colossians 1:26) These mysteries were hid, however, since the manifestation of the Son of God in these last days, the Spirit of God has unfolded further revelations of the course of history, the revealing of His Church, the end of mankind, and last of all the new heavens and the new earth. This gives us an overview in these last days in God in Christ moving through eternity: past, present, and future, I know that this is not an accurate description of eternity, for eternity cannot be dated nor timed. It’s like the word ‘forever.’ How does the mind see this one word? One cannot reach out and touch ‘forever.’ One cannot physically visit ‘forever. ‘ One thing that we know is that there are two sides to ‘forever.’ We have the ‘forever’ of the damned, that they will be judged and cast into the lake of fire where there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth for the sufferings of their sin, and then we have the ‘forever’ of righteousness in Christ Jesus, and those who believe and love Him are a new race, a new creation in Jesus Christ. And their ‘forever’ will be with Him in the presence of His righteousness and great glory. Why do I use the word race? Because we have been born into a new man. When we came naturally into this world, we were born unto Adam, and we were under the servitude of sin, however, in our new birth (which is supernatural) we are set free in Christ. The Lord Jesus in His Spirit was the first born among the dead.
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;Â (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)
  These verses embrace the creatorial power of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the first born of the Father, He is THE and ONLY beloved Son of God, and He is the instrument of creation. He has created all things to fulfill all His creatorial power and authority. 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) What many refuse to see in this verse is the creation of both the physical and the spiritual: two worlds that have been divided by sin and death. Christ created both the physical and the spiritual or the unseen, and He created within them all things that they contained (whether they be seen or unseen).
  In the physical (or man under sin) man continually believes that he is capable of ruling himself and his own actions. How many of us have been hindered by our own sin, or the sin of others? Do you see the position of bondage that we are in? According to the scriptures man cannot rule himself. One of the divine prerogatives is that God gives the leaders, kings, magistrates, governors, and the potentates of this world to the race of man according to God’s desires to not only rule OVER man, but to judge man. This all goes back to the root of sin in Adam, for sin rules Adam. If God did not intervene, the human race would destroy itself. Even in our own days, in time, we see that man is not capable of ruling himself, whether it is his immediate surroundings, or the governments that rule over him. Democracy (although it sounds good to the hearts of man) is a fallacy, for as long as there is sin, it will interrupt the path of righteous justice. A republic is nonsense for a republic demands that man rules justly. There has been no republic that has fulfilled the justice of God because of sin. Even when God chose a nation unto Himself, it wasn’t the Law, or the ordinances that God gave that overthrew Israel, it was their sin and the depth of that sin showing that man is not capable of ruling himself even under the greatest of conditions. In a sense, subconsciously, Israel saw this in themselves, when they cried out to Samuel, Give us a king. However, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. So even a king, born of Adam, does not have the capability in ruling in righteousness and justice because of sin. In our modern age, there is a reason for the propaganda of governments: the propaganda or lies create a following of unjust people; they follow an unjust system . . . for man cannot rule himself. He is under the servitude of sin, so that through the total history of mankind God has raised up rulers (whether thrones, as kingdoms, or dominions as in tyrannies, such as Pharaoh, who bound the people of God in bondage), to reveal that all systems of the rule of man becomes a bondage to its people.
For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. (Romans 9:17)
And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth. (Exodus 9:16) So we ask ourselves Why? Part of the answer can be found in Psalm Chapter 2, verses 1, 2, and 3.
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)
  We see the utter turmoil in man and in all societies in Psalm 2. This is because of the inherent sin within man and his enmity against the Almighty God. Man cannot obey the laws of God because man is separated from God by sin. Sin controls both man and his societies. When you examine the nations of the world, even today, you will find a rebellion and an enmity against God in the very governments that control these nations. (Our world governments hate their people and hate God. This hatred is more than evident not only in their germ warfare that they deliberately designed, but in their lies to drive fear into the minds of their citizens). If God did not intervene in the history of man, then man in his sin would destroy all of his civilizations, and all around him. Look at the horror of the atomic age. Man has his finger on the trigger that could destroy the entire world. It is not man that has prevented this. It is only the mercy of God that stops man from destroying himself. God is the trigger guard that prevents the total destruction of mankind so this is why He raises up kings, and He also sets them down whether they are thrones or principalities or dominions.
What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: (Romans 9:22) And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, (Romans 9:23) Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? (Romans 9:24) As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. (Romans 9:25)
And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God. (Daniel 2:23)
This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king: (Daniel 4:24) That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. (Daniel 4:25) And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule. (Daniel 4:26)
And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: (Daniel 4:34) And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? (Daniel 4:35) At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me.(Daniel 4:36) Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase. (Daniel 4:37)
  All these verses confirm that it is God who rules over the kingdoms of men. He MUST because man cannot rule himself because of sin. 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) In Colossians 1:16, it is thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers, all these God has taken away from man because man CANNOT rule justly, therefore, God has divinely taken control over ALL the kingdoms of men. If we applied these four dominions to world history, we would find ourselves between an age of principalities and powers. This could include the rule of the people (falsely so-called rule). The powers that is the last in the list in Colossians 1:16 is the most dangerous. In a biblical sense , powers get their energy, purpose, actions, and their thrones from Satan himself. This is brought out in Revelation Chapter 13 because the beast acquires his power and his throne from Satan. (Revelation 13:2) And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. (Revelation 13:2)
  Since man in Adam is a servant of sin, then all the kingdoms of the world: past, present, and future, are affected by sin. For the men who rule them are sinners. And the only way to see through this mist of sin is to have the power of God and the wisdom of God in Christ Jesus.
  These are some of the fallacies of the rule in the kingdoms of men: imagine that I wanted to create a government, such as the one in Genesis Chapter 10 . . . my name is Nimrod, and I’m a mighty hunter, I drive fear into men, and I subject to death both man and beast, I create a system of fear and propaganda, Let’s unite as one force and rally around the tower boys! This has not changed. The whole known world believed the lie of Nimrod. Thousands of years have passed since Nimrod (which brings us to mankind today) the theme within man remains the same, his greatest desire is to fulfill the lie to Adam, that was uttered by Satan, ye shall be as gods.
  This lie (ye shall be as gods) was in Adam, and manifested itself more in Cain, and when we get to Nimrod, it is not only just a brother, but the whole world is under his dominion, once again mankind believed a lie rather than the truth. If you sat down with the average person in our nation today, and told them that we live in a nation of lies and liars, you would be amazed at the replies that you would get. In one sense, when the Lord Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees in John 8:44, He mentioned that being of their father the devil, they were also great liars, as the devil himself. 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. When we examine this verse, our mind has to go back to the very first lie on earth that was uttered by the serpent . . . . Yes, that old serpent the devil.
  Today, the first qualifications of the politician (from the head on down) and many other public servants is a doctorate degree in lying and a secondary degree in stealing. The world and its governments are sick in sin. This is why they need their flags, they need their patriotic songs, and in many ways they themselves hate the very existence of flags, and songs, however, to keep their lies afloat they have to allow them just as they allow the Constitution; however, they interpret and twist the words to mean anything they want it to mean to justify their sin. Satan has them by the throat twisting their minds so that they are bumbling, rambling, stumbling idiots. Sin has turned their grey matter into stone. This is not the ONLY reason, however, that we have such governments. It is the sin of the people that has brought the tyranny of governments of this world upon us. In the Old Testament, in the book of Hosea 4:9, God stated like people, like priest and we could add to the words like people . . . . ‘like politicians,’ Whether you want to admit it or not, God has set His divine judgment on the whole world because of man’s sin and the level of sin in the world. The God of heaven is very mad at the world. Get ready . . . . for whatever mankind does not kill, the world in its present convulsions to come, will kill; lastly, for the most wicked kingdom, and the most wicked who are left on the earth at the end, the Lord will destroy them all with the sword of His mouth. And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. (Revelation 19:11)
His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. (Revelation 19:12)
And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. (Revelation 19:13)
And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. (Revelation 19:14)
And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. (Revelation 19:15)
And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. (Revelation 19:16)
And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. (Revelation 19:21)
And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: (2nd Thessalonians 2:8)
But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. (Isaiah 11:4)
And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. (Revelation 1:16)
  One should consider all scripture as a whole. When we think of the historical ways of Adam’s race, we have to study the past, the present, and with the prophecies within the word of God we are allowed to study the future. In all this, was written and settled in heaven BEFORE the foundation of the world. Every line and precept was recorded in heaven by the Master Scribe, the Spirit of God, who knows the end from the beginning and the beginning from the end. 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. In Colossians 1:16, again, we have that word powers because within the world governmental structure there is a deceptive hidden world government. This government has many players, the nations are in name only, and they are instructed by the unseen government (organization) to rule with propaganda lies and force. These rulers have invaded and overpowered all avenues society. It is their enormous wealth that divides them and separates them from the populace. Yes, they rule by mammon. Their many tentacles conform governments to their own rule. The entire propaganda system reports only what the hidden rulers want the people to accept, no matter how ludicrous the lie. I am amazed that the bigger the lie, the more it is accepted and welcomed. The people are so engrossed in their sin that they have buried their heads deep within the sands of sin. It is to the point that the average person cannot even tell when they themselves are telling a lie or the truth. You do understand that a lie is a program within the devil’s computer. And these lie programs allow you to abhor the truth. Sin is now killing the nations of the world through the lies of their leaders. How you say? One example is the governments promoting the killing of a living child within the womb (and outside of the womb). They like to call them the unborn to rationalize their sin of murder. However, if no one else will say it . . . . I will . . . the government that authorizes such a thing is guilty and each official and politician and office of that government is guilty. The doctor, the nurse, the secretary that makes the appointment are all guilty of murder. The building owners who rents and leases these pits of darkness is guilty. Pilate . . . . go wash your hands for they are full of blood, and blood touches blood. As Abel’s blood still cries out today from the ground, so these defenseless victims of the sin of man cry out, How long Oh Lord? And mother, for your part, you are also guilty. There is no hope for those who will not repent, you have set you course and destination for killing the children of God. They do not belong to you, they belong to God. For the earth is the Lords’ and the fullness therein.  The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.(Psalm 24:1)
  When Christ came to claim the throne of Israel, He was rejected. Those in leadership were so full of sin and treachery that they condemned the Prince of Life. The Pharisees were guilty because of SIN. The Sadducees were guilty because of SIN. The Herodians were guilty because of SIN. The rulers of the Jews were guilty because of SIN. The people were guilty because of SIN. And sadly, we come to tears, ALL forsook Him, even Peter who had boasted that he would die with Him. And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. (Luke 22:61) And Peter went out, and wept bitterly. (Luke 22:62) In Peter’s rejection of the Savior, the Spirit of God brought him to tears, he wept bitterly, for his sin gnarled at his soul. What is man that God is mindful of him?
What [is] man, that he should be clean? and [he which is] born of a woman, that he should be righteous? (Job 15:14)
What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? (Psalm 8:4)
LORD, what [is] man, that thou takest knowledge of him! [or] the son of man, that thou makest account of him! (Psalm 144:3)
  To contemplate on mankind brings an awareness of mass failure because of SIN, one to another. The pages of history records the behavior of mankind, and from the beginning he has been shedding blood upon blood. Man is more vicious then the great and fearful leviathan, or the pride of the jungle, the majestic lion. However, in all this, God looks down on the children of men, and within each and every one that is born unto Adam, whether they deny it or not, there is a witness deep in their souls that there is a God in heaven. We have our inner thoughts of ourselves, and we have the thoughts of Scripture concerning each and every one of us that in Adam we are guilty before God, the Judge of heaven and earth. This is what is deep within the soul of man. That seed of sin brought in by Adam, and cultivated by all of mankind.
And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment? (Job 7:18)
How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle? (Job 7:19)
I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself? (Job 7:20)
And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be. (Job 7:21)
 The question that arises is, Why should or why does God care? When the Lord was being crucified the only one that begged for mercy was the thief beside Him. The Lord was numbered with the transgressors in His death, and yet, one transgressor found mercy IN Christ. The thief, himself, confessed that he deserved his punishment, for the deeds of sin.
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53:12)
  The redemption plan that was set into play before the foundation of the earth, and before the beginning of time, continues gathering lost souls into God’s realm. However, God’s redemptive plan of salvation is only a part of His greater plan for His creatures. The greater plan is to transition His children from the temporal into the spiritual realm. When the Lord shed His blood on the cross of Calvary, we have the beginning of a new order in a new world in the words, It is finished.
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FROM –Â SINCE – BEFORE
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  Now think again, What is man that thou art mindful of him? To understand the terrible pitfalls of sin, we have to go back before time and before man. Yes, back BEFORE the foundation of the earth. We need to understand some of the descriptions that God has given to us BEFORE the creation of man. We have BEFORE the foundation of the earth, we have FROM the foundations of the earth, and then we have SINCE the foundation of the world.
• FROM the foundation of the world
• That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.(Matthew 13:35)
• Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: Matthew 25:34)
• That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; (Luke 11:50)
• For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. (Hebrews 4:3)
• And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (Revelation 13:8)
• The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.(Revelation 17:8)
• SINCE the foundation of the world
• For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. (Hebrews 9:26)
• BEFORE the foundation of the world
• Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.(John 17:24)
• According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: (Ephesians 1:4)
• Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, (1st Peter 1:20)
  Let us now examine these different periods, it will give us more understanding of the Life and the manifestation of the Son of God. The glory that He shared with the Father was the fullness of the Godhead: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This is where we find the determinate counsels of God, and the architects of the plan of creation. These plans were drafted IN the beginning, and they take in the total history of ALL of God’s creation from the beginning to the new heavens and the new earth that will come when ALL is revealed from God’s holy word. If one makes such bold statements there must be Scripture to back them up. We see the glory that the Lord Jesus had with the Father was BEFORE the foundation of the earth. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. (John 17:5) This glory is incorporated or joined with the Father’s glory, and the glory of the Spirit of God. However, notice that this glory is also incorporated with His own, this would be His redeemed. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. (John 17:10)This is a question that we should consider here, What kind of God would share His glory with those who are unworthy of any glory? Would Baal, or Ashtoreth, or Diana of Ephesus, or Zeus, or Trident, or the gods of mankind today, or would the prince of darkness share his presumed glory with anyone? The devil does not want man to be redeemed, and he definitely will never share any of his glory with man. The devil wants man to remain in servitude to sin, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin, and all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Yet, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Creator of all things is willing to share His glory with His redeemed. Adam remains a servant of sin, he is bound, hog tied, and branded with sin. However, before the foundation of the world, before sin, we have the words of the Spirit of God as documented in Ephesians 1:4, According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. There are two ways to treat this verse: the first way is to ignore it hoping it will go away; and the second way is to believe in a living God who would choose you in His love before the foundation of the world because, you see, nothing is impossible for a holy and righteous God. Many times the word of God is put aside because of the thoughts of man. Man thinks his intelligence is higher than the Almighty. Man has no concept of the love of God, or of the righteousness of God. God knows His sheep by name, and these names were written in the book of life FROM the foundation of the earth.
And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (Revelation 13:8)
The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. (Revelation 17:8)
  Make sure that you believe in your heart the power and omniscience of this One, the Creator of all things (the Lord Jesus Christ), in both the seen and unseen, who loved you and gave Himself for you to snap the chains of sin and death, and to give of His eternal life. (Hebrews 7:16)
  Adam lost everything to sin. He lost dominion over all the works of God in the earth that was committed to him. He forfeited them for sin and death. Truly, this was not a good deal for Adam, and since then, the redeemed of God had nothing but sin and death before their redemption, however, in the Lord Jesus Christ God has blessed us with spiritual blessings in heavenly places. We, as the sons of God, have been made to sit down in the very throne of Christ. Adam had life in himself, and he traded it for sin and death. When we came into this world, we had both sin and death within us, but through the mercies of God and faith of the Lord Jesus Christ we have traded our bondage of sin and death for life and liberty in the Lord Jesus Christ. What a gift from an eternal God with an endless life.
  Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. When we break down the word SIN, we never acknowledge the voice of sin both within and without. You can call it temptation, or whatever you want to call it, but sin has a voice. This voice begins as soon as you can reason in this life, even as an infant begins to reason. The voice of sin starts within. It desires to wear away the flesh. For one day it will finalize its victory in death. The voice of sin has its allies in all the peoples of the world for not only are we tempted within, but we are tempted from others, even those closest to our very souls. No matter how old you may get, sin and the sting of death is always there. Grandfather passes away, then mother and father, maybe a brother or two, or even a child, the sting and heartache of death is always there. Death is a constant and ever present reminder of sin past, and present, and the end thereof is death. Since Adam lost everything to sin, how can we escape? How can we escape from this prison of sin and death? It has to be a gift from God. Which is only mentioned one time in the gospel of John in 4:10, Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. (John 4:10) Here we behold that the Gift is God’s dear Son with the power of an endless live. (Hebrews 7:16) Why would God give such a gift, if He was not a loving God? How could God accomplish such a thing if He was not a righteous God? For ALL of us are undeserving, ALL of us have come short of the glory of God. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 2:23) When we come into this world, the sin of Adam is already established, it is established in the world, and they that dwell therein. You are born into the world by slaves, and your very birth denies your freedom from sin and death.
  Now back to the Gift . . . . a slave only has two options: he can buy his way out of slavery; or one can purchased him and set him free. Since sin is a stern master, one is helpless no matter what he has to give sin, for sin is never satisfied, it only wants more until the finality of death. However, the Creator of all things has a gift that He sent into the world in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Although God sees us as being without God and without hope in this world with no exceptions, He sent His Gift from heaven above IN the Lord Jesus Christ to give life and liberty to those who believe BY faith in Him. And if the Son shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. (John 8:36)
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. (Galatians 5:1)
  The only key to release the shackles of sin is found in God’s love. This key makes me free, and this Key is His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. (Revelation 1:18)
  If I may share this wonderful thought with you, in Revelation Chapter 1, John sees Christ as the Son of man glorified with all divine glory and power, He is identified as the Son of man IN glory for us, that He is the first born from the dead, and by laying down His life, and taking it again, in the power of His endless life, He IN love reveals Himself to His beloved servant John. John was on the isle of Patmos, he had been banished because of his testimony of Jesus, and the word of God. How fitting, that in this despondent place, John sees the very One as the Son of man, this was the One who he had laid his head on the Master’s breast and listened to the heartbeat of eternity. Now, on Patmos, John sees that same Jesus as the Son of man glorified.
And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;Â (Revelation 1:12)
And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. (Revelation 1:13)
His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;Â (Revelation 1:14)
And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. (Revelation 1:15)
And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. (Revelation 1:16)　
And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:Â (Revelation 1:17)
I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. (Revelation 1:18)
Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; (Revelation 1:19)　
The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches. (Revelation 1:20)
  The Lord Jesus revealed to John that because of His own sacrifice upon the cross, He has the keys of hell and death. However, man is a slave to sin, or servant of sin. How can we be made free? Who has the keys to release him from the shackles of sin? Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. SO WHO, I ask WHO can set us free? Only one, this same Jesus, that was born in a manger, in a stable, this holy thing, that at His birth the angels of God worshiped 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) This deity of heaven was now manifested upon the earth, and the angels of God worshiped Him. And the reason for His manifestation was told by an angel to the shepherds who were watching their flocks, that a Savior was born as Christ the Lord. Not as Jesus of Nazareth, although this is one of His earthly titles, but the angel of God declared that this One who was born was the anointed of God with the oil of gladness above His fellows.
But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. (Hebrews 1:8)
Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. (Hebrews 1:9)
And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:Â (Hebrews 1:10)
  This same Jesus, the Son of man, would be hidden in Egypt from Herod, the servant of the devil, who would destroy Him, but God is over all, and He would return into the land of Abraham who rejoiced to see the Lord’s day and was glad in it. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. (John 8:56) He was back amongst the people that He had led out of Egypt by His servant Moses. And now since the days of David and the kings, He had come to sit on the throne of Israel, but He only received rejection. He was in the world, and the world knew Him not . He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. (John1:10) He came unto his own, and his own received him not. (John1:11)
  In the determinate counsels of God from the beginning in the plan of redemption Christ KNEW His course and path on earth. He was the heavenly Man who was sent to prove the heavenly Man and not the earthly man, Adam. Adam was the man of sin, in that he brought sin into the world. Christ had come from heaven’s glory to take sin out of the world, and to prove Himself a heavenly Man separated from Adam. One of the most inaccurate interpretations of Hebrews 4:15 is that Christ being tempted was able to sin. This comes from the pits of hell and from Satan. Christ was the heavenly Man to PROVE heaven and to PROVE Himself that He was beyond temptation, although He was tempted in all parts as we are tempted, yet, He was without sin. 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. (Hebrews 4:15)
  The Man from heaven had no human genetic code within Him that related to any part of Adam. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: (Hebrews 10:5) In Him was no sin, He did no sin, and He was without sin. You cannot get any plainer then this, and there is Scripture proof for all three points.
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2nd Corinthians 5:21)
Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:(1st Peter 2:22)
And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. (1st John 3:5)
  Then we have the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ speaking to His disciples in John Chapter 14, He declared that the prince of this world cometh and has nothing in Him. Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. (John 14:30) What does this verse tell us? It tells us that there was nothing of Adam within the Lord Jesus to respond to the devil. It also tells us that He was about to confront the devil face to face in His sacrificial death to remove SIN out of the world, to cancel the dread of death that was upon all of mankind, and to destroy the works of Satan himself. Satan would hear and feel all the righteousness of God against him in the death of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. Christ died on a dead tree  to make way to the tree of life.
 The heavenly Man would prove Himself a worthy and graceful sacrifice for His own. In His righteousness He would fulfill ALL righteousness to the final last three words, It is finished. All of eternity hangs on these three words, It is finished.  Christ died on a dead tree  to make way to the tree of life. Sin and death had met their Conqueror, the sword of His Spirit had destroyed the works of the devil, and love and righteousness had triumphed over evil. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil was set on fire and finally burned down. At the cross of Christ, Christ died on a dead tree, this was to make way to the tree of life. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil was finally destroyed by the righteousness of God, and we find the tree of life in Jesus Christ our Lord. Sin had been vanquished, death has been destroyed and the works of the devil have been dissolved.
But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. (Hebrews 2:9)
And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. (Hebrews 2:13)
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; (Hebrews 2:14)
And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (Hebrews 2:15)　
For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. (Hebrews 2:16)
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. (Hebrews 2:17)
For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted. (Hebrews 2:18)
  Now this is the sum: man in Adam is a servant of sin for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; therefore, God SENT the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ to loose the shackles of sin, and to present to man the glory of God in Himself, who is the image of the invisible God. He, the Son of man, is the first begotten of the Father brought into this world as the holy child Jesus.
For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, (Acts 4:27)
By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. (Acts 4:30)
  This phrase holy child is only mentioned twice in all of Scripture. This is to show us that from a child, the Lord Jesus was the Christ of God, the anointed one from heaven. He was SENT into the world as the ONLY begotten Son of the Father, and He came to declare His Father, and the Father’s love. The Father has declared Him, This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. The Son of God (in Hebrews 2) destroyed the shackles of sin, and He loosed the ball and chain of death. Sin was vanquished by the love of God and His righteousness which was and is in Jesus Christ, my Lord.
Amen and Amen.
© Copyright 2021, Michael Haigh
This article may be used, but not for gain. Freely ye have received, freely give.
All Scripture references are from the King James Bible. (KJV)