Come and See – Chapter 10 of the Gospel of John – Verily, Verily – Part viii – A Corn of Wheat –

——♦ ——

THE Corn of Wheat

—— ♦——

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)

   We need to take a deep breath here because this verse in the gospel of John 12:24 does not stand alone. In fact, it has many threads attached to it both in the natural and in the spiritual realms. The Lord is giving us a glimpse of His eternal purpose in the redemption and in the ways of man. Both Chapters 11 and 12 of the gospel of John are closely linked together; from the raising of Lazarus to the Lord declaring of Himself, If I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. (John Chapter 12:32) This he said, signifying what death he should die. (John Chapter 12:33) Both of these Chapters are full of ministry for the child of God, and we will deal, in depth, with both Chapters as we seek the mind of the Spirit as we study these Chapters.

   This study, however, is about Verily, Verily. This is the seventeenth Verily, Verily in the gospel of John. 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)

Side Note: 12 and 24. The numbers 12 and 24 lead off with the predominant number 12 which represents the nation of Israel and the Church. We have 12 sons of Jacob, and 12 apostles. This flows through to Revelation 7 verses 4 and 5. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. (Revelation 7:4) Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. (Revelation 7:5) Here we see the number twelve (12) times one thousand (1000) giving each tribe twelve thousand, (12,000) and totaling one hundred and forty-four thousand (144,000). Giving us 12000 from every tribe listed. In Revelation Chapter 7 we also see the absence of one tribe: Dan, this of course takes us back to Jeroboam because he is denounced many times as the man who caused Israel to sin. However, even the division of Jeroboam goes back to Solomon and his idolatry with the temples that he built for his wives on the mount of corruption where he also worshiped those heathen gods, here was the wisest man and yet the sin of Adam, the battle of the corrupt flesh overtook Solomon and cost his descendants the fullness of the kingdom.

   Although Jeroboam was God’s tool he rebelled, and as Aaron built a golden calf, and said to Israel, These are thy gods, O Israel, so also in like manner Jeroboam built an idol; however, he built not one but two golden calves. One  calf was placed in Dan, in the northern most part of his kingdom, and one golden calf in Bethel (the house of God), in the southern part of his kingdom. The purpose of the two calves was to keep the children of Israel from going to Jerusalem and worshiping Jehovah. Thus, in the same manner that Aaron had presented other gods to the children of Israel at the base of mount Sinai, so also Jeroboam said, These are thy gods, O Israel. This was a false system that Jeroboam set up with men who were the lowest of the low to be the priests of his ungodly religion. In Revelation 7 God substitutes Dan with the tribe of Manasses (a son of Joseph), thus completing the twelve tribes and then multiplying each tribe by 12000. (The other son of Joseph, Ephraim, was not included in this list of tribes in Revelation 7 because of idolatry. In the book of Hosea 11:8, we read that God’s heart turned within Him because of Ephraim, How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? [how] shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? [how] shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.) So, we see that number twelve is very important in the relationship of Israel. In Revelation 4:4, we see the saints and the elders and there are four and twenty elders, which had four and twenty seats, and four and twenty crowns. And these numbers are also found in Revelation 21, where we see the great city, the heavenly Jerusalem descending out of heaven. The apostle Paul called this city the mother of us all. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. (Galatians 4:26)

  The gates of this city in Revelation 21:12, has twelve gates, and the twelve gates have twelve angels, and the gates bear the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: (Revelation 21:12) 

    The walls of the city have twelve foundations, and in these foundations are the names of the twelve apostles. The chief measurement of the city is twelve thousand furlongs, for the length, the breadth, and the height, the wall is measured at a hundred and forty-four cubits. The number twelve to the square, as in Chapter 7, the hundred and forty-four thousand. ♦ End of Side Note: 12 and 24.

   In John 12:24 we have a great lesson of truth that God uses numbers both in multiple and individually to declare His will and purpose. And this introduces us to the great lesson and truth, 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) It is quite evident that the Lord is speaking of Himself. When we compare it with verse 32 and 33, we can draw no other conclusion that the Lord Himself is THAT corn of wheat. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. (John 12:32) This he said, signifying what death he should die. (John 12:33) Christ was showing us a foreshadow of not only what was before Him, but what He would personally accomplish for us in His death, in His burial, and in His resurrection. 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)

——♦ ——

Except a Corn . . . Die

—— ♦——

   Except a seed . . . to those who plant both physically and spiritual seeds, one is brought to this great truth before us. It was needful for the Seed to die. These were the words of the illegal high priest. God often uses wicked men to relate His truth, such as Balaam, and in John 11:50,51 the high priest. Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; (John 11:51) This was all part of the ungodly conspiracy between the Pharisees and Sadducees, the priests and the scribes. They covenanted together to bring about the death of Jesus of Nazareth. This prophecy was just a reflection of their ungodly hearts. Yet, they were working within the determinate counsels of God and His foreknowledge. Jesus of Nazareth was the Son of man; however, He was the Man from heaven and not of the earth.

Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. (1^st Corinthians 15:46) The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. (1^st Corinthians 15:47) As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. (1^st Corinthians 15:48)

   We are building a spiritual garden of mind and thought concerning the corn of wheat and the Son of God. In the natural sense, whenever I plant ONE seed in the ground, THAT seed MUST die, and a new life formed. From this one main root, from this one seed, many feeder roots form, then new life breaks ground and it is in a new world. The plant MUST be nourished and protected from the predators, which are many. The number one predator is the worm, the worm that dieth not.

Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. (Mark 9:44)

Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. (Mark 9:46)

Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. (Mark 9:48)

   Three times God shows us the power and character of the worm. In the natural sense the worm is the number one predator of the plant. There are worms who attach to the root, and cut off the nourishment of the plant, and stop the development of the fruit. As in 1^st Corinthians Chapter 15, we see our spiritual bond and life in Jesus Christ and the heavenly, verse 48. So, these enemies, in this world, are here to prevent life in Jesus Christ, to hinder the life of faith in Jesus Christ, to stunt the growth of the child in Jesus Christ, and to overthrow the life of the believer in Jesus Christ. There are worms that cut the stem of the plant at ground level. These are the most vicious for the plant is dead and has no life when these worms are through. Then there are the worms that attack the leaves. This cuts off photosynthesis, or the work of the sun. If the farmer defeats all of these worms, his war is not over, for now we have the worms that attack the fruit; not just one type of worm, but many types with many descriptions of sizes, shapes and colors. So, from this seed dying in the earth and giving newness of life, there are many predators and enemies. We also have enemies above the ground. We have grasshoppers, locusts, the egg-laying moth, the white fly, the aphids, the ants, the birds, the rabbits, the deer, and the squirrels and racoons. We have the mice and the rats all these and more for one little seed. You would think that this would be enough to fight against, but there is more. The Lord gave us the parable of the sower in Matthew Chapter13: 3 – 9.

And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; (Matthew 13:3)

And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: (Matthew 13:4)

Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: (Matthew 13:5)

And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. (Matthew 13:6)

And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: (Matthew 13:7)

But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. (Matthew 13:8)

Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. (Matthew 13:9)

   By the Lord’s description of the sower, there are many enemies and misfortunes that hinder the life of the seed. But is there more? Yes, you can have a bad seed that will not bring forth life, and while you sleep, the enemy can come in and sow tares.

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: (Matthew 13:24)

But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. (Matthew 13:25)

But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. (Matthew 13:26)

So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? (Matthew 13:27)

He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? (Matthew 13:28)　

But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. (Matthew 13:29)

Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. (Matthew 13:30)

   All the years that I have planted, I have sown many seeds. I have watched them grow, and I have also watched the weeds grow right beside them. You would be surprised how many weeds mimic the same plant that they grow next to. They look very similar; for example, here in Florida, we have a weed that looks very similar to a tomato plant, and one that looks exactly like a potato plant, and they grow out of nowhere, and grow right beside the tomato plant or the potato plant almost mocking and laughing at me (the sower). And there are many more weeds that disguise themselves with the very appearance of the plant that they are pretending to be. One year, we had a hurricane blow through in late summer, the next spring, we had a brand-new crop of weeds that we never had before. The hurricane had picked these seeds up into the air, and then sowed them into our fields. And you would think that this was enough; yet you sow good seed, but the ground is too cold or too wet, so the seed rots in the ground, but the weeds have no problem coming up even without a sower. Weeds can choke the good plant; they grow so close to their roots that they intertwine around the good plant and take all the nourishment away so that they wilt and cannot produce fruit. So, some would say, why plant at all? The heart of the farmer is to sow and watch things grow; so also, is the gospel of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I keep planting in the field of my enemy among the weeds, the thorns and the thistles. I sow the word of God into an evil world, into the darkness of man’s religion, into all the evil societies of the world knowing that it is God and only God who gives the increase. From one little seed out of the word of God, comes another newborn child of God, another adopted son, another warrior willing to put on the whole armor of God.

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. (Ephesians 6:10)

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. (Ephesians 6:11)

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 6:12)

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (Ephesians 6:13)

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; (Ephesians 6:14)

And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; (Ephesians 6:15)

Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. (Ephesians 6:16)

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: (Ephesians 6:17)

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; (Ephesians 6:18)

   Why this elaborate armor of God? Because in every pathway, at every turn, there is trouble. And you wonder what is in the darkness of this world? And you lay hold on the Light from above to guide you in the Holy Spirit, the divine Teacher and Master of the word of God, and its mysteries of the divine Godhead. It is the Spirit of God who waters and protects the new plants who have come out of death into the light and life of Jesus Christ. 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)

—— ♦——

He bringeth Forth

—— ♦——

   The theme of resurrection begins in John Chapter 11 with the resurrection of Lazarus, and this theme is developed in both Chapters 11 and 12. From Lazarus to the Lord Himself . . . He is the power of an endless life. Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. (Hebrews 7:16) The Master Sower is the Lord. The field is the world. The enemy is the old serpent, the devil, and his children, the embodiment of Cain. For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. (1^st John 3:11) 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. (1^st John 3:12) The Lord wants us to understand that the good seed belongs to Him, and the bad or evil seed belongs to 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. (John 8:44) As the good seeds are the children of God, He delights to call them His children. By the Sea of Galilee, in His resurrected and glorified body, He asked His children as documented in John 21:5, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. Here is the Great Provider, He rose from the dead, and He is now the glorified Man who would be joined to heaven.

   He is the everlasting witness of God’s love to mankind. Do we really see the transaction that took place, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die. How explicit can anyone get? Christ was not talking about another, but of Himself. He is the one who has the power to lay down His life and He has the power to 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)

   In John 12:24, the Lord is taking us into the unseen. 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. He is showing us the realm of faith. For there is a tangible world, and an unseen world separated because of sin. I have often thought of this great unseen realm of angels, and saints of a world beyond this world of darkness, a bright dominion where the Lamb is the Light thereof. And by the Lamb, I mean the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. A dominion where Light and Life dwells together in perfect harmony, and the Center of this harmony is Jesus Christ Himself.

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.(Revelation 4:11)

Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. (Revelation 5:12) And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. (Revelation 5:13) And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever. (Revelation 5:14)

Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. (Hebrews 7:16)

For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;(Colossians 1:19)

And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. (Colossians 1:17)

Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.  (Ephesians 1:23)

   All these verses point to the spiritual Center of faith and belief. The spiritual Center is Christ, for within Him, out of Him, and from Him flows all the power of God through His eternal word. 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; (Hebrews 1:3)

   In our natural world we depend on the sun for heat, light, and for growing because all life depends on the sun. Now in the realm of faith, all is dependent on one Center, which is Christ, all that is in the Light is in Christ, they have been brought forth by His Light, for He is the Light of all men. He is the ONLY Light, and He is the ONLY One who could and can call light out of darkness.

And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. (Genesis 1:3) And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. (Genesis 1:4) And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. (Genesis 1:5)

   And God declared of the Light that was good. (Verse 4) The divine Sower called light out of darkness, (verse 2). And divided it so that the light would be called day, and the darkness would be called night. These are the first two themes that travel through time and eternity with the transit world and its history in the natural, and the spiritual world in the unseen of faith.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1) For by it the elders obtained a good report. (Hebrews 11:2) Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. (Hebrews 11:3)

   In Genesis we have the book of beginnings. We are not only introduced to God, but we are introduced to man. We are introduced to sin, and then through the proceeding pages, we see the result of sin, which is death. Why is every verse in the book of Genesis so important? And why does every verse have meaning? Genesis has been rightly called ‘the SEED plot of the Bible.’ It is the garden of God’s word, and everything that follows first springs from this first book of the Bible. When anyone sees these blessings in the beginning, then through faith and the Spirit of God they will then see the entire timeline of creation: man on earth, and the heavens opened to man, and the saints in heaven; and being born anew they will step into eternity as a new creation.

   We often read, and talk about the unseen of faith, and that faith is the evidence of things not seen. Those who belong to the Lord Jesus Christ have stepped into eternity, and at their new birth they have been translated in spirit into the kingdom of God’s dear Son. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: (Colossians 1:13) It is part of our journey and part of our hope to dwell upon the things above, to dwell on all the saints around the throne of the Lamb, to look forward to not only seeing, but dwelling within the city of our God, the heavenly Jerusalem. And there will be the Light, and the Lamb is the Light thereof, as a continued witness of God’s love to us. Just as in Genesis, when the Lord Jesus sowed the light, and all life came forth because of the light, and not the darkness. So, in the spiritual realm, He has gone into darkness to sow His light and thereby has taken us out of darkness and into his life and light. We often forget that God is the continual Creator, for even today those who He has taken out of darkness are new creations in Christ. 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. That corn of wheat that fell into the ground in the Lord’s death and burial has brought forth much fruit in His resurrection. 

 One of the first themes in the Bible is Light dividing the darkness. (Genesis 1:4) One of the end themes of the Bible is the Lamb is the Light thereof. (Revelation 21:23) Throughout the Scriptures, we see the very power of the Word of God creating new lives, renewing souls, and quickening spirits to fill and populate the unseen realm of heaven, ALL by 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; (Hebrews 1:3) Why did the Holy Spirit use this phrase, the word of His power? This is opposite to the thoughts of men; however, the Holy Spirit wants us to see that all power in heaven and in earth comes from the Center of power, which is Christ. The word is the tool of His creation, and its sustaining power. He, the Lord Jesus, holds all things in place by the word of His power. Everything is in obedience to the WORD and to Christ who is the WORD.

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)

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12) Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. (Hebrews 4:13)

But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4)

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)

   In Revelation 1:16 we have the eternal power of His word in all purity and truth and in righteousness. 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. In Hebrews 4:12, 13 we have the effects of that power even to dividing the spirit from the natural man and dividing both spirit and the soul from the bone and the sinew. In Matthew 4:4 the word of God is the power of life, it is life for man, for man does not live by bread alone, but by the power of God’s word which giveth life. In Christ was life, and the life was the light of man. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. (John 1:4)

   Once again, I say, the power of all life is within the Son of God. Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. (Hebrews 7:16) The Lord Jesus is Life first, then Light just as He was seen in Genesis Chapter 1, verses 1- 3. The Spirit hovered over or brooded over the darkness of the deep, and the Spirit was life, and the Spirit divided the light from the darkness. The Spirit of Christ drives the darkness into the night, and the Lord’s righteousness DRIVES the darkness into the caves and dens of destruction.

And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. (Revelation 6:14)

And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; (Revelation 6:15)

And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: (Revelation 6:16)

For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?  (Revelation 6:17)

   These verses not only show us the depravity of mankind, but it reveals the enmity of man’s heart to God and His Christ. No matter how badly the circumstances are for man, no matter how severe the judgment is against man, man will NOT repent, he continually shakes his fist in the face of God and will not relinquish his evil will. It also shows us that in the last days there will be times of darkness. Men of reprobate minds will rule the earth and will deny God and His Christ. They would rather face complete destruction then to submit to the will of God. Notice the categories that these are men are from all walks of life showing us that in Adam not only the mighty, not only the poor, but ALL of mankind has enmity in the hearts against God because man loves darkness and hates the Light.

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:18)

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)

But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.  (John 3:21)

   How blind is man’s heart that he prefers judgment instead of repentance, and begs the rocks to hide him from the face of the One who sits on the throne of judgment? This is the face of the glory of God in Jesus Christ. This is the face that God the father loves; we, as newborn babes, and travelers through life love Him because He first loved us. It was in the divine counsels (before the world was) that the love of the Father was displayed in the manifest image of God in Jesus Christ. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2^nd Corinthians 4:6)

   Mankind does not want to accept the God of eternity with ALL power of life and light. Man cannot reason that there was an image of God BEFORE creation. That God IN this image was the Creator, and that He would speak and uphold all things through this divine image. The words that this image (God manifested in Christ Jesus) spoke would endure forever. Not one word from this image would fall to the ground, but every word spoken by this image would be settled in heaven forever.

   This is why in John Chapter 1, we have another beginning, we have the Word of God, the image of God in Jesus Christ, the Son of His love, and the Lamb that taketh away the sin of the world. This is what the world refuses. No matter how many times that they hear the word of God they turn their backs to God’s Christ and worship the gods of their imaginations. In 2^nd Corinthians 4:6 it is the redeemed who glory in the face of God’s glory in the Lord Jesus Christ. In Revelation 6:16 we have man (6) hiding from the face of that glory (1) before His glory was revealed in Christ, and after His glory was revealed in Christ — 6 . 1 . 6. And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. I would remind you that God will not give His glory to another. This is why the glory IN the face of the Lord Jesus Christ as on the mount of transfiguration and in Hebrews 1:3 is the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. True deity and true glory belong to the Son, and He is the display of the glory of God, not only in His manifestation as Jesus Christ, but as the Eternal Son made higher than the heavens. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; (Hebrews 7:26)

——♦ ——

The Corn and its Fruit

——♦ ——

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)

    We are born again because OF and IN that corn of wheat. The total work of redemption was given solely to the Son of God. The Lord Jesus mentioned more than once that what He was doing and what He would do was at the command of God the father. Yet, the Lord Jesus could say (with all truth) that He was IN the Father, as the Father was IN Him, as He told Philip, he that hath seen me hath seen the Father.

If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. (John 14:7) Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. (John 14:8) Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? (John 14:9) Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.  (John 14:10)

   The Lord Jesus could never step outside of the Godhead. He could not depart from God the Father, and God the Spirit. This unity cannot be broken. You may ask, What about the cross and the Lord’s death? These few words show that Christ never departed from the Godhead, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit . . . after having uttered those words, He then gave up the ghost.

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)

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. (1^st Corinthians 2:11)

    In these two verses we have a distinct difference between the spirit of man, and the Spirit of God. Christ never had the spirit of man. He was the total embodiment of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. He was and is the fullness of the manifested image of the Godhead. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. (Colossians 2:9) Let us also look at Hebrews 10:5 and 7, 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) Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. (Hebrews 10:7)

   Now let’s consider this volume (in the volume of the book it is written of me). The volume of the book is mentioned as one volume, I believe you have this full volume today in the King James Bible. The Spirit of God has compiled all the truths out of the ancient texts and presented them to us in our day in the volume, the one volume of the book. So, all the Old Testament prophecies of Christ foreshadowed His life on earth. All the Old Testament appearances of Christ prefigured His manifestation and His walk among men. All the Old Testament Scriptures were written to tell us of the reason for, and the path to the cross of Christ. The New Testament reveals the completion of that work, the future glory of Christ, and the redeemed and the future judgment of the children of darkness.

   I once heard a story of a dog that was lost, and for years the owner searched for his dog, and one day when he opened the door there was his dog. In the dog was a spirit of direction, who knows what this dog suffered in its attempt to return home, how many times was his path blocked or what caused his delay? Yet, he made his way home and was safe again with his master. As we look into the spiritual world through the word of God, we see (in our new birth) that we are on a journey, however, in our new birth we have the Spirit of Christ within, and as He loved the Father’s house, so we also love the Father’s house. I write of the unseen. In our pathway home, there are many things that deter us and blocks our path, but the Spirit within us continually seeks a land, and a city in the unseen whose Builder and Maker is God.

By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. (Hebrews 11:8) By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: (Hebrews 11:9) For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. (Hebrews 11:10)

For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. (Hebrews 11:14) And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. (Hebrews 11:15) But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. (Hebrews 11:16)

Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: (1^st Peter 1:6) That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: (1^st Peter 1:7) Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: (1^st Peter 1:8) Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. (1^st Peter 1:9)

   The apostle Peter, through the Spirit, reveals a great truth that the Old Testament saints, and the New Testament saints are drawn together receiving the end of their faith, even the salvation of their souls. Faith NEVER changes. It is a Law of God — the Law of Faith. Where [is] boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. (Romans 3:27) Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1) So faith is a tangible article given by the Author of faith, the Son of God because He is the Author and Finisher of faith. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)

   The Lord Jesus Christ is also the Possessor and Giver of all faith because within Him is the very root of faith. We see this in Galatians 2:20 that I live BY the faith OF the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. The tangible article of faith belongs to Jesus Christ, and He is the One (through His Spirit) who gives His faith and faith brings forth grace. The Law of Faith belongs to the Law Giver: Jesus Christ.

   In the unseen realm we have not seen the Lord Jesus Christ, yet we believe in the Son of God through faith. To my understanding the faith that is given by the Son of God gives the beholder the knowledge and wisdom to understand the unseen concerning his own soul. Having not seen, we believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. That IN Him dwells ALL the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and it is this One who fills the eternity of God. We believe that Christ is the manifest IMAGE of the invisible God. Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: (Colossians 1:15)

    We are blessed by our belief and faith in the Lord who is the blessed One of God. He has traveled the darkness of death, He has overthrown the dungeons of sin, He has defeated both the works of sin and death, and through the travail of His soul He has given new life in us who believe and cherish the blessed Lord. The distance that the Spirit of God travels through the gospel of John is remarkable, we start in the beginning before the world was, before the heavens and the earth. We are embraced by a Spirit with ALL power to create and establish His own will. When God spoke the first words of creation, it was THROUGH and IN the Son of God. God the Son was/is the WORD, He is filled with all the power of God, and in Him is the brightness of God’s glory. God the Son is the Author and Power of both the spoken and the written word of God, and through the WORD of His power He upholds it all. In the beginning He created and sustained two separate dimensions: one is the heavenly dimension (that which is spiritual), and the other dimension is the earth: that which is natural and the seen. The unseen Spirit (God) developed a realm of matter. The heavens and matter were created and placed in perfect order as a wheel within a wheel. Throughout this creation, the stars and the heavenly bodies would be the outer force to maintain a gravity to keep all things in alignment pulling on each other to sustain their position and place in a system of stars, planets, moons, and galaxies. And then the jewel that would come forth out of the stars, not only had God created the heavens, but He also created the earth. On this earth He would work His divine plan of redemption and show forth His divine Sovereignty according to His determinate counsels of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Son (in His manifest image) would contain ALL the power and fullness of the Godhead bodily. In the manifestation of Jesus Christ, He became the tangible body prepared BEFORE the foundations of the earth. 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)

—— ♦——

A Corn – A Seed -The Seed

—— ♦——

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)

  Yes, this corn, this seed (this Holy Seed) would fall into the ground, and die, and come forth in life everlasting. This was that Holy Seed from above.

Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. (Galatians 3:16)

And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. (Luke 1:31)

And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:35)

   Truly, how can anyone comprehend these things. This is one the mysteries of God. This is God who is the Creator, the Power, and the Sustainer of all things, the One who spread out the stars across the heavens, the One who measured the earth in the hollow of His hand, the One who brought life out of death, the Creator of all living, from the tiny ant to the mighty elephant, who can understand such things, and where do we find this understanding? It is through the key of faith, it unlocks the unseen and mysteries of God to the believer. In Genesis we learn the first secret of the seed: Every plant and tree that was created had the seed within itself.

And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, [and] the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed [is] in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. (Genesis 1:11) And the earth brought forth grass, [and] herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed [was] in itself, after his kind: and God saw that [it was] good. (Genesis 1:12)

And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. (Genesis 1:29)

   We also learn (concerning mankind) that man also has a seed within himself, and his seed travels through many generations, in fact, Abraham had Levi in his loins, and yet, Abraham was not the father of Levi. And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham: (Hebrews 7:5). The seed of man for generations is within himself. The DNA of man is the evidence. However, before modern man understood or discovered this trail of DNA God revealed it in Hebrews 7:5, and in Genesis 1:12. Then we have the Almighty God, and within Himself, is the fullness of all in all. Within God there is a Seed within Himself. This Seed is the Spirit, the Spirit of God, and in the manifestation of this Spirit we have the Lord Jesus Christ which is the image and Seed within God.

   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) The Scriptures declare that there is a Spirit of the Father, a Spirit of the Son, and the Holy Spirit or Comforter.

   In John Chapter 4:23, 24, we see the Spirit of the Father. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. (John 4:23) God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:24)

   In Romans 8:9, we see the Spirit of the Son in Christ. In the gospel of John 14:16- 18, we see the union of the Son with the Spirit in the words ‘I will come to you’ in verse 18.

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;  (John 14:16) Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. (John 14:17) I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. (John 14:18) 

   Christ stated that within every heart of every child of God there would be the manifestation of His Spirit. The proof of His promise is recorded in Hebrews 13:5, Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

   In Psalm 37:25, we see the mystery of God’s divine and tender care for His own. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. Notice the words righteous and the word seen, all the seeds of God are under God’s care. When you compare this with Hebrews 13:5, you will see the wonder of the presence of Christ when He declared in John 14, I will come to you.

   We have become spiritual lights in a world of darkness through our new birth and the indwelling of the Spirit of Christ. We have not been put here on earth to accomplish great worldly things. We are here for the sole purpose to manifest our love for our divine Creator, and to relate this love to mankind. The command to go into all the world and to preach the gospel is under the divine power and authority of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The declaration of the gospel is a voice from the power and authority of the Godhead bodily. It is not the money, nor the things of the earth, but those who are possessed by Christ within are content with such things as they have been given from above. There are not many noble, nor mighty men of the earth, we have been called OUT of a world of sin and death and destruction to relate a better world and life to the lost race of Adam. The true treasures of God can only be found with the golden key of faith of the Son of God. The seed within itself, the wheel within the wheel, the mystery of God, the Father, Son and Spirit are ALL completed in all power and wonder in the Godhead bodily. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. (Colossians 2:9) Pay attention to the word bodily. There is another body in Hebrews 10:5 that was prepared by Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This body was manifested to take away the sin of the world.

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.  (John 1:29)

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.  (1^st Timothy 3:16)

   In John 1:29 we have the mystery of the Lamb of God. In 1^st Timothy 3:16, this mystery is revealed. Notice how the Spirit of God begins this verse, for God has spoken and there is no controversy for the Almighty proclaimed great is the mystery of godliness. Then the Spirit of God, through the word of God, gives us an understanding of this mystery, God was manifest in the flesh. The likeness and glory of God was sent forth in the flesh in Jesus Chris, the Son of God. And through His work on the cross He was justified in the Spirit. Who’s Spirit? His own Spirit, the Spirit of God was justified through the travail of His soul. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. (Isaiah 53:11)

   The body, the soul, and the Spirit were manifested before man in the Lord from heaven, Jesus Christ, and was justified in the Spirit, and seen of angels. This takes in not only the manifest image, or the body that was prepared for Him, but it includes His descent as the corn of wheat into the darkness death. He not only took sin out of the world, but completely eradicated death in His own resurrection. And so that we, as believers, would have a link to that divine life in Christ, He ascended as the heavenly Man Christ Jesus, to the right hand of God and there He is the great Intercessor, and representative for us before God. For the truth of the mystery God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself. Christ was not only the image but the witness of the invisible God here on earth when He walked among men.

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)

  The Lord Jesus Christ, the Man from heaven, returned to God as the Man Jesus Christ. There is a divine Man in heaven who has power over ALL principalities. He has power over ALL the heavenly bodies and over the earth.

   From all the Scripture names there is only one name that is above every name. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name: (Philippians 2:9) That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; (Philippians 2:10) Remember that this name was given BEFORE His birth, and this name was applied and known as the Son of God. This name was the name attached to the manifest image of the Almighty God. In the book of Philippians, we have the name and the Man who was made higher than the heavens. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; (Hebrews 7:26)

—— ♦——

He bringeth Forth Much Fruit

—— ♦——

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)

   Out of the Lord’s death and resurrection He brought forth multitudes of souls under His grace and truth. These are the fruits of His work upon the cross of Calvary. Here is the power of an endless life. He is the Seed that remains in itself. He is the power of reconciliation to those who had no hope in this world and who were without God. As Christ told Martha in John Chapter 11 that He was the resurrection and the life, so now, He has proved it by His own resurrection and His endless life. He proved it not only to mankind, but He proved it in the presence of death. When the cry was given that Lazarus should come forth, the Lord Jesus was projecting the power of His own resurrection when the angels from on high declared, He is not here: for he is risen. In Chapter 12:1, we get a definite time period. Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. It was six days before the passover, and it was six days before the Lord Jesus, the corn of wheat, presented Himself to God the Father as the divine sacrifice, the divine Passover. This was to be the fulfillment of all righteousness, and the fulfillment of all previous passovers. This was to be the finality of the fullness of time when the Lord Jesus Christ proclaimed, It is finished.

   Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. (John 12:1) There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. (John 12:2) In John 12:1, we also have the message of resurrection for we are told that the Lord Jesus came to Bethany (house of affliction), and the Holy Spirit reminds us that this was the location where the Lord Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. It was at Bethany (house of affliction) where death met the power of life in Jesus Christ. It was there that death fled into the darkness. It was in the house of affliction that we see the result of the power of life sitting at the table where they were all gathered together, and just so we will not forget, Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. The Holy Spirit not only reminds us of Lazarus, but Martha is also brought to the forefront as well. Thus, also connecting her to His resurrection power through the words that the Lord Jesus had spoken to her as recorded in John. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: (John 11:25) And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? (John 11:26)

    These very words that he had spoken to Martha were revealed to all who were present when He actually raised Lazarus from the dead. This work of resurrection was so profound to the Jews not only desired to kill the Lord Jesus, but they also wanted to kill Lazarus (the evidence of resurrection power) as well as erasing the power of God that was in Jesus Christ. Which no one could do nor can do. Although the Lord Jesus had restored life before this was the ultimate test of His power of resurrection for Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days and was in the state of corruption. This is also a witness to those who have died and will die in Christ that the immortal God is able to quicken us and raise our vile bodies into His glorious image. Once we see the Lord Jesus Christ as the Center of God’s power, we see that all radiates from His power, that all centers in His all in all. Every element and tangible substance come from the Originator of power by the power of His Word. This power of His Word expresses the power of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. All are within the manifest image of God. He is truly the fullness of the Godhead BODILY, and He is the complete revelation of God to mankind. All things that have been revealed have come through His manifestation, and the power of His Word. In Colossians 2:9, as we stand in awe at the fullness of the Godhead Bodily, this truth is so profound that the Holy Spirit gives all who believe a warning in verse 8. The first word is BEWARE. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. (Colossians 2:8) For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. (Colossians 2:9) This warning is to hold fast to the wisdom and knowledge of Christ which the child of God possesses. When the Spirit of Christ comes into your heart it is His Spirit who is the Comforter. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. (Galatians 4:6)

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;(John 14:16)

Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. (John 14:17)

I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. (John 14:18)

Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. (John 14:19)

At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. (John 14:20)

He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. (John 14:21)

   Here again we have the assurance that the Lord Jesus gives to all believers. In verse 21, He comes and manifests Himself to every child of God (this IS the Spirit of Christ) and within the heart the child of God cries out, Abba Father. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. (Galatians 4:6) 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) This is the Spirit which the world cannot receive. Only the children of faith can behold such a wonder. For it is the Son of God and His Spirit, the working force of redemption within Christ and the power of the Godhead bodily that confirms and secures our souls in the Father’s hands. The men of the world know not the wisdom and knowledge of Christ because He only reveals His wisdom and knowledge BY His Spirit, and without the Spirit of Christ the world of mankind wanders in the darkness without light, and without life.

   Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.(Colossians 2:8) We need to beware of every man, for there will be those who will tell us, . . . Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; . . . (Mark 13:21) For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. (Mark 13:22) The true and only spiritual leader is the spirit of truth which is in Christ Jesus. The sin within man blinds him to all that is of God. And man is no friend of God. We see this is in the multitude of religions. They deny the power and the supremacy and sovereignty of an all-powerful God. For God cannot be divided, yet all religions are founded on division.

   Think on this. We should also realize that mankind has an alliance with Satan, or if you prefer, Lucifer. You see, sin first appeared and was manifested in the heavenlies by Lucifer, and his band of rogue angels who rebelled against God. Lucifer brought this very same sin of rebellion and sedition into the garden to deceive mankind. Adam, created in the image of God, was the Federal Head of God’s creation. And sin overthrew this image. Adam lost dominion over the realm that God had given to him, as the Federal Head of the creation Adam named all the animals. He was given a help mate who was in subjection to him, but Satan came in and usurped Adam’s power and authority by overthrowing Adam through his help mate. This is where the war began between spirit and soul, between man and God, between man and woman. The deep seed of sin affects all. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. And what is the glory that is in this verse? It is the glory that Adam possessed before he brought sin into the world. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23).

   Man and Satan are linked together through sin. Sin is the common denominator in the human race. Man is not identified by righteousness, but by sin. Man is not identified by light and glory. He is identified by evil and darkness. The human race has a kinship with Satan. The devil is their father. Man will deny this. He will jokingly brush his sin and his union with Satan aside, however, the Lord Jesus did not brush it aside. He brought out the raw and divine truth in John 8:44.

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.

  This verse does not have to be written many times; it is written so that we may know that ALL of mankind is exposed as children of the devil. In verse 8 of Colossians Chapter 2, the Spirit of God tells the child of God to beware of man because of the sin that dwells within man. For that sin within man is enmity against God. Man in all of his religious works and his political wickedness is NOT a friend of God. The alliance of Satan and man is brought out in Revelation Chapter 13. The man of sin receives his power from the Dragon, which is the old serpent the devil, this man of sin not only receives his power, but he is given the seat of Satan. This seat is identified in Revelation Chapter 2:13, I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. The Church of Pergamos is identified with the seat of Satan. Very few realize that corruption came into the outward visible Church (or tangible article) in the very first century of Church history, even while the apostles were still living. The Church became progressively evil because of evil men descending upon it to corrupt the things of God. The devil, although smiling, was not showing the wickedness of his poisonous fangs, instead, he used the smile to overthrow those of Christ. Some things never change. In the deception of Adam, Satan took away Adam’s first love: the Creator God, the Lord Jesus Christ. Adam’s help mate (Eve) became a thorn and not a companion because of sin. Compare what took place in the garden with what occurred in the Church of Ephesus. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. (Revelation 2:4) They also forsook their first love, the Lord Jesus Christ.

   When you turn your back on God you open the door for Satan; therefore, in the next Church, Smyrna, we find the synagogue of Satan.

And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; (Revelation 2:8) I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. (Revelation 2:9)

   This identifies that the Jewish system under the Law penetrated within the Church. The synagogue was the place where the word of God was read to the people. However, in the synagogue of Satan, we see the word blasphemy of them which say they are Jews or Christians and are not. But we also see that they have power because now the Church of God is called the synagogue of Satan. I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. (Revelation 2:9). This is a repeat of the children of the devil as in John 8:44. In Revelation 2:10 we have the opposite of John 8:44, for those who resist the religious corrupt system, the devil will cast some into prison. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. (Revelation 2:10) The severity of this brings on the dreadful threat of death, be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. Those who are faithful unto death will receive a crown of life. So, we see that when the first love is lost it opens the door for the flesh, the world, and the devil and the Church becomes the synagogue of Satan. But we are not done, neither is the devil. First, we have the synagogue of Satan. Next, we have Satan’s seat in Revelation 2:13. I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. From his seat within the Church and amongst the devil’s brethren he lays hold of the faithful and slaughters them, and we have Antipas, the only recorded martyr, as a representative of many martyrs to come. The dreadful tragedy is this: that Antipas was slain AMONG the Church, and verse 13 ends with where Satan dwelleth. We see Satan’s destructive works within the visible church using false brethren (brought in unawares), deceivers, and disputers of the truth of God. In Revelation Chapter 13, the cancer of sin and death has spread over the whole world and the whole world is united in the power of the serpent. His representative, the Beast receives his power from the Dragon, and the Beast is worshiped by the whole world, except for those who will not take his mark, or the number of his name because they cling to the name that is above every name, the name of Jesus Christ.

   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) This great authority and power is given to the Beast by Satan over all kindreds, tongues, and nations.

And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. (Revelation 13:7) 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)

   To understand how close we are to this point, and to that day and time, we need to examine the following verses.

And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. (Revelation 13:15)

And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: (Revelation 13:16)

And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. (Revelation 13:17)

   All of us know what has been taking place around the world. Satan is using his children to divide the populace by the injection of the so-called RNA (mRNA) ‘vaccine’ that can change and alter the DNA structure within mankind. In many locations today to refuse this injection removes a person’s rights to buy or sell, and even their rights to public services, or even to enter public buildings. The mask was the beginning of this domination. The shot in the arm is the progression of the progressives to dominate the earth until the Beast (the man of sin) is revealed. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six. (Revelation 13:18) The Beast is the end and depth of the confederacy of mankind united with Satan that began in the garden with Adam. Remember that Adam’s first offspring is identified as a child 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. (1^st John 3:12) The first child of Adam was a murderer, and the Beast in Revelation Chapter 13 is the ultimate slayer of the righteous. This would be Abel multiplied many, many times.

   So, beware of man for he will try to abuse you as documented in the book of Colossians 2:8. Satan (through his children) will spoil you through man’s corrupt and twisted knowledge. He will brainwash you through his ideology. His children will teach vain philosophies, and deceptions, such as Critical Race Theory, and the lie of evolution. What a cruel trick that evolution has played on mankind. This unproved assumption called a ‘theory’ has divided mankind and has united mankind. If you will not accept that God created man, then you have to accept the evils of evolution and what a dirty trick it has played on mankind that man is an accident, that man’s DNA structure is constantly in need of improvement until he can be made into a perfect robotic mechanism controlled by other perfect robotic beings made in the image of their god: Satan. However, the child of God has accepted the wonder and love of his Creator. The child of God is aware of the fallacy and the deception and the evil of the false religion of evolution. Another lie of man is the brotherhood of all men, and that all men are children of God. All men originated from Adam, however, there is no brotherhood between the children of Adam, and the children of God saved through the work and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. The only factor that ALL of mankind has in common is that we have all been created by God. The apostle Paul stated in Acts7:22-31 that all men are of one blood, created by God, and called his offspring; however, being called offsprings of God is NOT the same as being called the children and sons of God. This is not a minor point, but this is a massive divide. The enemy tries their hardest to deceive even the very elect in every turn of phrase, in every sweet-sounding concept. The deception of today, right now, through man’s religion and man’s rule over man including ALL political factions have centered their existence and power on building on the biggest lie that has ever been contrived and that is . . . ye shall be as gods. However, they are unaware that someone beat them to it, and they are all exposed in John 8:44 as children of their father Satan. When the devil told Adam and Eve that they would be as gods they fell for the greatest lie of all, and we are still living in that lie.

For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. (2^nd Peter 2:18) While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. (2^nd Peter 2:19) For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.  (2^nd Peter 2:20)

   There is only one way to be free from the lie of the devil, and this is to accept both the grace and truth of the Lord Jesus Christ, to be born of the Spirit of the Son of God, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (John 1:12) Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:13) Man does not see the shackles of sin, and yet, all his tragedies, all his misgivings, all his diseases and sickness have come from sin. Mankind neither sees, nor understands that he is shackled by sin until he is exposed to the revelation of God through God’s word and through God’s Son, Jesus Christ, the Word. Man cannot be set free or be at liberty through man’s religion that divides, or man’s political ideologies that also divide. The world cannot do for man what man needs. Only divine intervention BY the Almighty, through His Son, Jesus Christ, can set one free. And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:32) If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. (John 8:36)

   Slavery can be accomplished without chains. Sin is a good example. Many are bound by one particular sin, and this sin carries them to a premature death which happens every minute in the drug culture, which governments (especially local, state and federal agencies of the United States) allow and promote, from the simplest of drugs to the most lethal and deadly drugs. You also have the wars of men. Wars never set people free. They just transfer people to different sets of rules which can ease their restrictions, or multiple them. But this is not freedom. Freedom can only come by the removal of one’s burden and this burden is on all of mankind for ALL have sinned. Christ sets a man free from sin, and the burden of that sin. Christ also in that freedom gives eternal life, and this eternal life is IN and BECAUSE of the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ. We have a word today, being shouted out all over the world, the word is FREEDOM. People who are able to reason KNOW that they are enslaved, and they desire to be set free. Yet, FREEDOM has no reality in truth. Man seeks FREEDOM from government, not comprehending that government cannot and will not allow total FREEDOM. True FREEDOM is not given by governments; thus, man remains in bondage. He is shackled in mind, body and in soul with that very word of FREEDOM. Man does not understand that his real bondage is to sin. You can stand beside highways, and sing about FREEDOM, and even in a political sense the reason for the cry of FREEDOM is that these individuals have realized that they truly have NO FREEDOM. Corrupt governments of this world, under sin, dictate rights and liberties with limitations according to the will and whims of government, and not by people. I know a place, a secret place, that man is blind to, where men are FREE, where they have no desire of politics or of wealth, or man’s religion. They have realized that the answers to the problems of men are not in this world, but the answer is in the One who is at the right hand of God, the man Christ Jesus. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. (John 8:36)

   The devil is a master of lies, and his children have taken on his persona as skillful liars. From our childhood we are given a steady diet of lies. And we believe these lies because others before us also believed the same lies. It is a tradition of mankind (in Adam) to pass his lies onto future generations. In the devil’s strategy handbook, it is lie upon lie, evil upon evil, deception upon deception, and the complete opposite of what God has proclaimed in His truth and revelation to man in His most holy word. These generational lies have become traditions. They can come in the form of holidays, or special occasions, that are passed from generation to generation, and yet, all are founded on lies. 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. Man is so indoctrinated by lies that he has become numb and will not even investigate or reconsider the possibility that his life revolves around lies.

   Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.In Colossians 2:8, this is exactly what the Holy Spirit is warning the child of God against. In recent years we have moved from the lie of global warming to the lie of climate change when the world has always been in a flux of weather changing. It is common sense to reason that this massive globe (on which we live) is not only heated by the sun, but its very core is on fire. And why all men are not incinerated by the outward heat of the sun, and the inward fire within the world is because of God’s power. Every creation, every planet, every star, every heavenly body has a purpose, and will fulfill that purpose according to God’s plan and His determinate counsels. Man likes to feel that he is in charge. He is just a speck of dust on a giant globe and man’s history and destiny has been determined by God. The book of the revelation proves this because God tells us the End. Through God’s word, we understand that the heavens will be on fire one day, and the earth and the things that are tangible will be dissolved, and God will create a new heaven and a new earth. Of course, man is not going to believe this because man feels that he is the ruler of his own destiny. Those in power move the cords of government to bring about their own determined beliefs no matter what the cost to the peoples of this earth. With ‘covid’ we are seeing deception in a new light. Man, through government, fears world population. Working behind controlled closed doors government arranges and conspires against the peoples of the world to decrease earth’s population by any means as long as they are not seen as the perpetrators of the death of millions, paid for by those who have been selected to die. But we are warned to BEWARE of the deception of the world. It is not world population that is the cause of our problems. It is not the weather that is the cause of our problems. Sin is the root cause of our problems. Sin is the greatest tragedy and crises that has ever befallen mankind. It is the cause and root of death. Depraved and reprobate men use the rudiments of the world to not only overthrow the world, but they also attempt to overthrow the righteous.

  World governments are playing on the fears of man. Governments create a problem, or an epidemic that drives men to fear, then they harness their subject with a false solution of masks; then, another false cure is magically produced. The great enchanter and wizard Merlin is then presented to the world to be the god of medical solutions and the profiteer of vaccine patents of a costly cure. As Merlin and corporations get wealthier, they greedily create a system of continuous booster cures that do not cure but keeps man in constant fear and bondage. Why? Control, money, greed, and deceptive agendas to form a world centered around one power source of one world government: this is the goal of our controllers. And their chief weapon against mankind is FEAR. Man has been fed fear from the very beginning of the institution of organized domination up to our current age of evil bureaucracies and evil inventors of news. Liars ALL.

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.

   Governments have become the ministers of death with their own brand of heroin in a so-called vaccine that doesn’t cure. If it cured, then there would be no need for a booster, or a second booster; we ask, How long, O Lord, will these boosters continue? What lies ahead will be another plan to control world population or remove a section of the populace. There will be no end UNTIL all nations, and all men have been completely swept into the whirlpool of the madness of slavery and subjection. Could it be through a war fabricated by another lie of the devil out of the center of deception, which is Washington, D.C.? You never thought that there would be this much more in Colossians 2:8. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. This is exactly what we fight against every day. And just so that we understand all these things, the any man is all of mankind. The enemies of God will spoil you through philosophy, through ideology, through vain deceit, and of course also after the tradition of men. How many have made decisions totally based on the tradition of men? Their father did it, their father believed it, their father acted on it, and formed his life around it, and so they also do it, believe it, and act of the tradition of men. Then we have the rudiments of the world. These are the evil tentacles and gnarling roots of both religion and political societies deceiving mankind. And why, because there is no love of God within them.

   God assures the child of God that (through Christ) He has overcome the world because the seed of faith within him has brought forth his new birth, and a new creation. 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) The Lord Jesus has removed the fears of this world and exposed the lies of this world to the overcomer. He has exposed all the rudiments and power that Satan has used over the children of men. The power of the new creation has not only transformed the child of Adam to a child of God but has translated the child of God INTO the kingdom of Christ. We are no longer in bondage to this world, for we belong to another world. We belong to the Man in heaven at the right hand of God. He has sent His Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus Christ, into every heart within every child of God, crying, Abba, Father. That corn of wheat that fell into the ground has redeemed us unto God by His blood. He has broken both the shackles and the cords of sin and death, and He has destroyed the works of the devil in three simple words, It is finished. If one pays attention to the Scriptures and spends time with the Spirit of God, one will realize that the umbrella of John 3:16 is to the world as a whole to encourage them to believe, however, for the Christian who has believed, God tells us NOT to love the world, neither love the things that are in the world. (1^st John 2:15)

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.(1^st John 2:15) For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (1^st John 2:16) And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. (1^st John 2:17)

   There is no contradiction with God. God shows His love to everyone. Although they many refuse His love, they are aware of God’s love. Christ came for ALL; yet ALL will not come to Christ. The enmity of their hearts will shut out any belief that they would have for the Son of God. Salvation is conditional. You must believe in your heart not on your lips. It is with the HEART that man believes, and then he makes a profession or an acknowledgment of faith in Christ. In the multi religions of this world, man believes with his lips, but this belief never reaches the heart. Many make a profession of faith just to be accepted by others, or to be members of an organization. They deceive themselves by the traditions of men. What does the Spirit of God tell us concerning this world? NOT TO LOVE THE WORLD. It is the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life that we are not to love, for these things are not of the Father, but are of the world. This also includes all the systems of mankind because they are founded on all of these things: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. The Lord Jesus came from heaven bearing the love of the Father, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, Israel, and they received Him not. He came bearing light and life, He was God manifested in the flesh, and He was the true Light shining in the darkness of mankind. However, because of sin, man loved the darkness, and hated the Light; thus, man could not, and cannot comprehend the Light. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. (John 1:5) This is the same darkness today. Darkness covers the path, and darkness preaches many Christs, who can tell which way to turn?

But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. (2^nd Corinthians 11:3) For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. (2^nd Corinthians 11:4)

   There is one way to know that there is a Center, and a divine point of truth, and this is in Jesus Christ because He proclaimed it of Himself. 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) The Christ of the cross must be the Center of faith. The word of God must be the Law of faith, and the Spirit of grace is the bestower of faith in Christ Jesus. He is that corn of wheat that fell into the ground. 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)

—— ♦——

It Abideth Alone

—— ♦——

  The Lord Jesus Christ today is sat down at the right hand of God, and He is still the voice and Spirit to mankind. It is He who has overcome the world through His death on Calvary’s cross. Without reservation, He made the profound statement to man that it was HE and ONLY HE who could overcome the world, and HE did overcome the world, and HE has overcome the world. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33) All through John’s gospel we get little hints of the Son of God and His foreknowledge. This verse is speaking in foreknowledge, however, in God’s mind, it is already accomplished in His determinate counsels. It is only the appointment of that day on the cross that confirms this to man for God KNEW from the beginning in His determinate counsels and in His foreknowledge. Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:(Acts 2:23). If I may, I would like to show you certain footsteps that the Lord Jesus took to arrive at the very fullness of time on the cross of Calvary. I am speaking only of His manifested life here on earth. The threat of man against the Christ began at His birth, for it was His birth date and His birth star that determined the time of Herod’s persecution in killing ALL the male children under two years of age in Bethlehem of Judea.

Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men. (Matthew 2:16) Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, (Matthew 2:17) In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. (Matthew 2:18)

Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not. (Jeremiah 31:15) Thus saith the LORD; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the LORD; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy. (Jeremiah 31:16) And there is hope in thine end, saith the LORD, that thy children shall come again to their own border.  (Jeremiah 31:17)

  Bitter tears of agony crashed over Bethlehem as countless male infants and babies were viciously slaughtered, prophetically recorded in the book of Jeremiah, and fulfilled in the New Testament and recorded in the book of Matthew, the book of the King and His kingdom. Today, cries go up to God, but these cries are from the innocent ones slaughtered while resting in the womb, the result of the clinically detached unemotional word of ‘abortion.’

   To continue on His path and journey to accomplish His victory of the cross He had to walk among men; although He was God, He endured the temptation of the devil, and the temptation of the devil’s children. 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) He was victorious in this. There was no man like unto this Man ever before or since on this earth, not Adam, or any of his descendants. This Man was SENT into the world with a divine mission, to accomplish divine righteousness of earth. He came to do this in what God determined as the fulness of time. But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law. (Galatians 4:4) It is not man who determines time. It is God who determines time. All through Scripture you can see where God has interrupted the time of humanity for His own purpose. The birth of the Lord Jesus Christ was the greatest of all interruptions in time. The subject of the Son of His love, the Lord from glory, was not bound by time. Therefore, He can interrupt the timeline of man’s history at His will. (Joshua 10:12, 13; Isaiah 38:8) We see this in the gospel of Luke in Chapter 2 at the birth of the Son of God, the body that was prepared before the foundations of the earth. 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 His path here on earth, He endured the contradiction of sinners. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. (Hebrews 12:3) This is what God had to endure to redeem mankind. We see this contradiction all through the gospel of God. The children of the devil are loud and boisterous in their opposition to God and His righteousness because His righteousness was being fulfilled in His beloved Son.  And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. (Matthew 3:15) Do you see the purpose of the fulfillment of all righteousness? This righteousness had to be fulfilled in order for mankind to be justified before God and to be a partaker of God’s righteousness through the sacrifice and death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. When the Lord loudly cried out, It is finished, then this righteousness was fulfilled. Mankind was now without excuse for his sin because now his sin was placed on another. Man by belief in Jesus Christ is set free from sin. The benefit of this was eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord. Yet, the Lord still suffers the contradiction of sinners in this present world. In the Lord’s walk through His world, He also endured false witnesses against Him; the chief instigators of these false witnesses were the religious leaders of that day.

Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; (Matthew 26:59) But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, (Matthew 26:60) And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. (Matthew 26:61)

Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? (John 2:18) Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. (John 2:19) Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? (John 2:20) But he spake of the temple of his body. (John 2:21)

  These verses have been misunderstood from the very time that the Lord uttered this profound truth: that HIS BODY IS THE TRUE DIVINE TEMPLE OF GOD. The temple of Herod had no merit before God. It was only the Lord Jesus Christ being in that temple that brought God’s righteousness to Herod’s temple. This righteousness was IN His Person, and not within the temple itself. The Jews of that day had used the temple of the world, built by Herod, to buy and sell merchandise in the same manner as Hophni and Phinehas in 1^st Samuel. However, there was no merchandise with God the Son. Christ had nothing to sell, only to give, and His gift was grace and truth. Notice in the book of Matthew that the priests, searched diligently for false witnesses and could not find one. Now I suggest, the bag was opened, and money was taken out of the bag and all of a sudden, they found two false witnesses. This plays right in with Judas who carried the bag and was a thief, and the devil entered into Judas, and he betrayed the Lord of glory for thirty pieces of silver.

   Then His footsteps became heavier as He continued to the cross. The religious leaders, the counsels, the rulers of the Jews, AND the people condemned Him before Pilate for NO CAUSE. Yet, they were determined in their sin and wickedness to find any cause (even a false cause) to accuse Him. Remember these people were ruled by their father the devil, they were determined to drive righteousness OUT of the world. Little did they know, that through their wicked actions, in their most horrid sin that they would allow God to fulfill ALL righteousness, and thus, opened the doorway of redemption for ALL men. When they yelled, Crucify him, crucify him, it was one more weighty massive step in fulfilling God’s righteousness. Again, both the religious and the political world were against God’s Christ. They were united in their evil sin to eradicate righteousness from the world. The Jews befriended Barabbas, a thief, and a murderer to accomplish what they thought was their will, but it was God’s will. In the Roman world, both Herod and Pilate became friends, although before this point in time, they were at enmity with each other, and were fierce political enemies.

And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves. (Luke 23:12)

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)

Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, [even] the law of commandments [contained] in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, [so] making peace; (Ephesians 2:15) And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: (Ephesians 2:16)

   We see in this word enmity that it is a word of separation. It separates man from the living God. We have the enmity of mankind against God, and we have the enmity of man against other men. This six-letter word enmity is owned and IN all of mankind without Christ. This is proven by Romans 8:7, Because the carnal mind [is] enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. I want you to see this hidden truth in Romans 8:7 that the carnal mind is the mind of the flesh. Why is this important? Let us go back to Genesis Chapter 3, remember that Genesis ‘is the seed plot of the Bible,’ and contains the Law of first Mention, so let’s open our eyes and our ears to the mind and voice of the Holy Spirit of God. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:15) In this verse is the very first time that the word enmity is recorded. Do you see the beginning of enmity was going to carry through the total history of mankind?

Side Note: The last mention of the word enmity is in the book of James, Chapter 4, verse 4. Through the earth-number of four (4) we also have God’s definition of enmity: the enemy of God. In this verse we have the world mentioned twice, therefore, it is a dire message to the world in the seen written word of the world and we have the message reinforced by the unseen message through the numbers. The double emphasis of the earth-number 4 and the double emphasis of the word world can be considered a LOUD SHOUT-OUT to BEWARE and to BE AWARE. (4:4 /world, world / enmity, enemy) Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. ♦ End of Side Note.

   This enmity was going to be between the seed of Satan, and the Seed of God. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:15) Our first witness to this is the wicked slaying of Abel by his brother Cain, the murderer who was a true child and seed of Satan. However, we are not finished with enmity, it is a six (6) letter word, and the number of man is WHAT? SIX! How things just fall into place. Now, how can we get rid of this enmity? Since it is in ALL man, then man cannot abolish it, there has to be a higher power, a creatorial power, and this power can only come from the Creator of all things, Jesus Christ. Now, let’s go to the book of Ephesians, and read who has abolished enmity. The Lord Himself abolished enmity. Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, [even] the law of commandments [contained] in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, [so] making peace; (Ephesians 2:15) And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: (Ephesians 2:16) He has abolished enmity by taking this enmity into His own flesh and thereby destroying this enmity between God and man in those who are reconciled to God in one body, the Body of Jesus Christ, the body prepared before the foundations of the world, the body of sacrifice, the body of justification, the body of righteousness, all fulfilled IN Jesus Christ. And as God put it, And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby. That which man could not do in his enmity against God, God has accomplished in His love for man. Christ, the Son of His love removed enmity in His own flesh on the cross of Calvary.

   I am going to speak about the heaviest footstep of all, you may not see it this way, but I do; it is when the Holy Spirit records He (speaking of Christ) gave up the ghost.

1. And Jesus cried with a loud voice,and gave up the ghost. (Mark 15:37)
2. And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God. (Mark 15:39)  3.
3. 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) 
4. 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)

   In these four records we should see the surrounding words and the depths of these words, and what was taking place at that moment in MAN’S time, and in GOD’S fullness of time. In MAN’s time, man thought that he was successfully completing his enmity against the Almighty God in the most horrific manner of man’s wickedness to man (in this case) the Son of man, the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. In Mark 15:37, it is at the last moment of life, all others would be weak and feeble at this point, however, at the point of the Lord’s death He showed His power and strength in His eternal voice, And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. This is the voice that shook mount Sinai, this is the voice that quickened the dead, this is the eternal voice of redemption. And yet, when He approaches us in the coolness of the evening, in the heat of the day as on the road to Emmaus, He speaks to us in a still small voice. He has quickened us by a LOUD voice, and He comforts us with the still SMALL voice of His own Spirit, the Spirit of Christ.

   In Mark 15:39 we read, And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God. The world (through the centurion) recognized that Jesus was the Son of God. Surely, the centurion did not understand that his words revealed the unconscious awareness of who this Man on the cross was, and through the centurion’s voice he represented the voice of the unredeemed world; however, the redeemed on this side of the cross see in this statement the recognition of the Son of God. We have the power and the glory of our reconciliation to God in the death of His Son.

   In Luke 23:46 we have the words, 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. We have more information from the Spirit of God, here we see in that same loud voice, the Lord Jesus commends His Spirit, the eternal Spirit of God, into the hands of the Father because God cannot be separated even in death. Although He went into death, and overcame death, He did not surrender His Spirit to death, it was His soul that was made an offering for sin, it was His soul that was the sacrifice to God, and by this sacrifice He has brought us unto God and has justified us before God.

Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. (Isaiah 53:10) He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. (Isaiah 53:11) 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)

   Scriptures NEVER mention that His Spirit was offered for sin. It was HIS SOUL that was sacrificed to reconcile man unto Himself. For He was identified with the transgressors in His own manifestation in the likeness of sinful flesh. He poured out His SOUL, not His Spirit, therefore, He commended His Spirit to the Father BEFORE He gave up the ghost. The Eternal God remained completely and perfectly intact although the manifestation of Himself in the flesh was put to death. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s  sake. (Psalm 23:3) In Psalm 23, it is the restoration of the soul of mankind, in Isaiah 53, we have HIS SOUL being offered as a sacrifice to restore the souls of man. The Son of God offered HIS SOUL so that our souls could be restored. 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)

   I haven’t forgotten John 19:30, there is so much that takes place in this small amount of time at the very end of the Lord’s time upon the cross. In John19:30, we see an added point that is not recorded in the other three gospels. And this is, the Lord Jesus bowed His head. 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) This is where we see the ultimate humility, everything was poured out against Him. And it is right here at this moment that He reached the very height and depth of humility. But this too was also of God. This too was of God the Son, and God the Spirit, this was all part of the determinate counsels and the foreknowledge of God. Philippians Chapter 2, verse 8 binds His humility with His death on the cross. It is at the very end that He humbled Himself and came obedient unto death. Even the death of the cross. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

   So, at this last step, He commended His Spirit unto the Father while He was enduring the fullest of the contradiction of sinners. They jeered and mocked Him while in all humility He was fulfilling the righteousness of God. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross . . .if he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross . . . . Save thyself, and come down from the cross, (Matthew 27:40, 41; Mark 15:30) these were the raging voices from the bulls of Bashan as prophesied in Psalm 22:12. This took place after He received the last vile action that mankind could do to Him. They lifted up a sponge full of gall and vinegar to the One who was bringing life out of death for them. This was the honey in the carcase of the lion as foretold in the book of Judges 14:8 by Samson. Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And even now, the majority of men do not understand this divine riddle that was spoken by Samson in the book of Judges that out of death comes life.

   After tasting the vinegar laced with stupefying gall, Christ refused to drink it. They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted [thereof], he would not drink. (Matthew 27:34) Then with a LOUD voice that shook the world He cried out, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. His voice and cry of victory shook the souls locked in prison and shook the graves of those who died in faith (Hebrews 11). And to those who have been shaken, and who will yet be shaken, and to all mankind, even to the very end of time, His victory over death and sin on the cross of sacrifice will resound throughout the heavens at the final judgment at the great white throne where the books will be opened against all transgressors because there will be no blood found to cover their sin.

   It is finished was the fullness of God’s time. But we still wait for the end of man’s time when all will be reconciled and placed in the hands of Christ when He will create a new heaven and a new earth wherein righteousness will dwell. After He bowed His head, He then gave up the ghost. Do not confuse this with the Holy Ghost. This was not only His outward image, but the inward image of a man. Yes, we do not understand all these things, but we do know that Christ commended His spirit unto God the Father first. After He  commended His Spirit to God the Father, He then gave up the ghost. So, this ghost was part of His manifestation as Man sent forth from heaven in the likeness of sinful flesh to bear the sin of the whole world so that man would be without excuse, and God would be justified in ALL of His actions, both prior and after the cross. Everyone who stands at the great white throne will have refused the blood of the covenant, and the Spirit of grace in Jesus Christ and stand there without excuse, all alone, in the presence of the Judge of eternity. What a dreadful place and what a dreadful day that will be for those who have refused the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

——♦ ——

I Say Unto You

—— ♦——

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)

   Now, the corn of wheat has fallen into the ground, and it dies alone, but it comes forth victorious over death and sin. This Corn, this Seed, has defeated both sin and death, and has destroyed the works of the devil in those glorious words, It is finished. As a giant wormhole He has transported His fruit from death to life in His own resurrection and has given US (His fruit) His own Spirit. We have His Spirit as just men made perfect in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. His finished work on the cross not only fulfilled the fullness of time but fulfilled the righteousness of God. This one Corn of wheat (the Bread of life) has brought forth an eternity of righteous fruit bearing His name for His name’S sake, the name which is above every name.

   At this point in time, all men must understand sin. Sin is the greatest instrument of death. It is the greatest world catastrophe that has ever been placed on the sons of man because all who are born into this world are under the Law of Sin and Death. (Romans 8:2) And ALL who are outside of Christ are under the complete power of sin and death. Those who are in Christ have His life, His resurrected life, within them by the indwelling of the Spirit of Christ.

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)

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)

   In this same study Chapter 12 of the gospel of John, the Lord Jesus related His foreknowledge to us again in verses 32, 33, And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. (John 12:32) This he said, signifying what death he should die. (John 12:33) The Lord shows us the completeness of the work of the cross to fulfill the righteousness of God, and to justify God in His grace and in His judgment. At the cross grace was established for all men. He drew ALL men unto Himself and made grace available to all through faith in the Son of God. This also allowed God to judge those who would refuse His grace; therefore, this leaves unrepentant man without an excuse before the Almighty God. It is His power (in every sense of power) to seek and to save that which is lost. This must be in complete Light, yes, I said, the LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. It has gone out into all the world. And the world, as a whole, through the millenniums of time has not received it, but they have denied it through all manners of lies and deceptions. They have heard, and yet, have turned a deaf ear to this wonderful Christ, and His gospel wherein the righteousness of God is revealed through the death of His Son on the cross of Calvary.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. (Romans 1:16) For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. (Romans 1:17)

   To clarify the word ‘Light’ in Him, the Lord Jesus Christ was life and is life, and this life is the light of men. Those who believe walk in this light, and those in darkness walk at the command of darkness and refuse the Light and Life that is in the Lord Jesus Christ leaving them subject to God’s judgment, and the second death, and their finality, the lake of fire. Just a thought, suppose these deniers while being cast into the lake of fire (the second death) hear the most profound words in the history of mankind, It is finished as a reminder of what they had refused in unbelief. In John Chapter 1 we see the power of life and light in the Lord Jesus Christ, and yet, the darkness comprehends it not, not only in His day, but throughout the total history of mankind, the darkness has not understood the mysteries and the ways of God. This is why we have a divine revelation in the Bible that all men lay under the power of the Holy Word of God unto justification, or unto justice. In the power of life and light, the Bible, the very written word of God, has His power in every letter, in every number, in every word, in every sentence, and in every phrase, in every chapter, and in every book to make the whole of His Holy revelation to mankind. An old sage once told me, ‘If it doesn’t taste right, it is not of God.’ This led me to the Bible that tastes right, the KJB (King James Bible). The Holy Spirit has been around on earth since He brooded over the darkness in the 2^nd verse of the book of Genesis. He knows the end from the beginning. He knows all that has and will befall mankind in his sin. It is utter foolishness to think that the keeper of eternity, the Creator of all things, the Creator of heaven and earth, the extreme Power in all matter, and the Possessor of the things that are seen, and the things that are not seen, the intellectual power of God is NOT beyond ALL of the thoughts of man. He declared this in His word, that His thoughts are higher than the heavens, and His ways are beyond the understanding of mankind. So therefore, these things have to be revealed to man BY God’s revelation to man in His most Holy word. Why would such a vital point of man’s redemption be subject to error when God in Christ Jesus upholds ALL things by 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. (Hebrews 1:3)

   The Holy Spirit works through time. He enlightened man in different stages in the Pentateuch. He enlightened man through the words that He gave to Moses, however, Moses did not have the book of Joshua, or the future books that would be given by the breath and voice of God in the timeline of man’s history. Man does not live by bread alone, but by EVERY word, EVERY WORD that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Do you really want to doubt this? For doubt is unbelief. Even Thomas had to experience this by a direct revelation by Christ Himself. Thomas had to live the very words of his unbelief. Did he doubt the Lord when the Lord told him, to not only look at the marks, but to FEEL the marks in His hands, and to thrust his hands in the Lord’s side? Remember, at this point, the Lord was in His glorified Body, He was flesh, bone, and Spirit. In light of man’s history, even our modern history, could these books within the Bible be gathered together and placed in one volume by the power of man? With the level of unbelief in the world today, I conclude it would be impossible. Man without the Spirit of God is in opposition to the totality of the Word of God. He mocks it, and misrepresents it, he uses it in ways of deception to blind the eyes of those wandering in darkness, he lies about the Word of God and what it contains. Man ignores the condemning Scriptures and justifies himself before God without any merit or blood of the cross. In this progression through man’s history, God has written His word on papyrus, on parchment, even on linen. He has written it on paper, and He has printed in on the printing press, He broadcasts it by the radio, and television, and now at the end of the Church Age He is sending it throughout the whole world over the internet. Again, remember the words of an old sage, ‘everything that you read, whether it is from these articles or articles by others, it MUST taste right to your spirit, the Spirit of Christ. Any message, whether oral or written MUST pass the intense scrutiny of Scripture.’ I will tell you that for our time in Church history, we have sixty-six books that the Holy Spirit has brooded over to make sure that we have an unaltered revelation of God for our heart, soul, and spirit. Since the Supernatural God is a discerner of the intents of the heart to every person, it shows that we are transparent to the eyes of God. You may fool Adam, or his representatives, but you will not fool nor deceive God, for God is not mocked in unbelief. What soever a man sows in unbelief THAT shall he also reap. Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. (Galatians 6:7) This principle in Galatians is not only proven by words, but also through the Old Testament. In 1^st Samuel Chapter 15, Saul disobeyed the word of God (that was given by God’s servant) in direct revelation to Saul, yet Saul still disobeyed the word of God.

And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. (1^st Samuel 15:22)

For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king. (1^st Samuel 15:23)

   Do these words in 1^st Samuel have as much authority as Galatians 6:7? Yes, they do. Notice that Saul disobeyed the WORD of God. We have a miniature gospel in verse 22, and 23 of Samuel. The first thing that we see (in obedience) is obeying the VOICE of the LORD. Where did this come from? It came from revelation to Samuel and then to Saul. It was based on obedience to that voice, and that all the sacrifices that man could make would not overcome his disobedience to the voice of God which is the Word of God. The opposition to the word of God clarifies that rebellion is as THE sin, the Holy Spirit says THE sin, this takes us back to the garden and to the sin of Adam. See how the Holy Spirit, through the history of man, weaves His mind through all of the Scriptures. Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and what is witchcraft? Men and women taking the place of God, use their deceptions and powers of the devil to overthrow the righteous, and attempting to overthrow the word of God. We also have the word stubbornness, this is the enmity that is within every heart of man, as we saw in Romans 8:6. This enmity, or stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Idolatry is to worship anything or anyone and to make it greater than the Almighty God. This point of worship can be found centered in many people and in many objects: in philosophies, in ideologies, and most of all in the religions of men where man takes his place above God by denying His Christ, refusing His Word, and substituting His gospel with another gospel through the deception of the ministers of Satan. Since man rejects the word of the Lord, God will reject man. God will set His own king, the Lord Jesus Christ, over His millennial kingdom, then the whole world will be under the dominion of God the Son, and man will be put into is proper place. In verse 24 of 1^st Samuel Chapter 15, Samuel told Saul denied the voice of the Lord, and the word of the Lord by his rebellion, and by his unbelief because he feared the people, and obeyed their voice. So, what have we learned from Galatians and 1^st Samuel 15? That the word of God is given to man and man is commanded by God to be faithful and obedient to the WORD of God because the WORD of God IS THE VOICE OF GOD. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. Revelation 19:13.)

   For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. (John 12:43) and How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only. (John 5:44) Saul’s rebellion is only one example of placing more value on the words and praises from men then obeying the voice of God.

Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. (John 14:23) He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.(John 14:24)

For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. (John 12:49) And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak. (John 12:50)

   Once again, we see the voice of God in the Son. The Son has authority in what He says. His voice IS the authority of God. He clarifies this with whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak. We see many witnesses of the voice of God to man. In 1^st Samuel we see God speaking THROUGH Samuel with God’s voice, which is God’s Word. In John’s gospel, the Lord not only stated that He spoke the words of God, but that He received those words from God the Father. In Galatians, the apostle Paul (who was carried into the third heaven) through divine revelation gives us God’s words in Galatians 4:6. At many different points in history, and through different vehicles, servants of God, through revelation, spoke the words of God. Compare those who spoke through faith and belief to those who speak today in the pulpits in unbelief and question the word of God and attempt to raise doubts about the word of God and you will see the depth of rebellion in the rejection of the voice of the Lord and in the denial of the word of the Lord.

   Many who are treading in the seas of religion and feel deep inside themselves that there is something more than the religion of man. . . . they are right. There is one voice in God’s revelation to mankind, it is that voice that we as the children of God have been commanded to listen to. If we were here solely to listen only to the words of man, there would be no need for the holy Scriptures. We, as the children of God, are directly connected to the Sower, who is Jesus Christ, and thereby, in Him, we sow into the world His word, and the glorious gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. And we sow the word unto life, and light eternal. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. (Galatians 6:8)

  I remind you again that it is the Spirit of Christ who has freed us from the Law of Sin and Death. Lay hold of the magnitude of what is revealed in Romans 8:2, For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. This is the result of Christ’s finished work. In Hebrews 1:3, we see the revelation of the finality of His work Godward when He purged our sin, He sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high. 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; (Hebrews 1:3)

   The Lord Jesus now sits upon the throne of righteousness. 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) The Lord Jesus NOW has all power over heaven and earth. This throne is a Sovereign throne with ALL the authority and power of the sovereignty of God. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. (Matthew 28:18) This power belongs to God the Son, the Son of man, the Lord Jesus Christ. There is a MAN in heaven for us today to make intercession for us before God. He has ALL power in both heaven and in earth. Christ is the infinite God and the infinite Savior with infinite attributes, you cannot have the knowledge of God without believing the revelation of Himself in and through the holy Word of God directed by the Spirit of Christ for He, Himself, is the eternal Author of the Word of God.

——♦ ——

The Revelation in the Corn of Wheat

—— ♦——

   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) The Lord describes His death simply written as a corn of wheat, and the miracle of resurrection in the words it bringeth forth. This includes His ascension for it includes bringing much fruit. From the first Chapter of the gospel of John we see the shadow of His death traveling through the whole gospel, from the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world by the sacrifice of Himself, to the end of His walk on the cross with the words, It is finished. And of course, the glories of His resurrection as the first begotten from the dead. 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 since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. (1^st Corinthians 15:21) For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. (1^st Corinthians 15:22) But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. (1^st Corinthians 15:23)

And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, (Revelation 1:5)

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: 8)

   Without the revelation of God how would we, the children of God, acquire these divine truths? It is only through the word of God that we acquire the knowledge of God through His word. Think of the power of the word of God and the WORD of God. God takes that which was dead in trespasses and sin, and through His mighty power gives life and light through His word in the revealing of His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ transforms that object into a new creation, not part of the old, but completely new in Jesus Christ. He gives His Spirit within; He translates them into the kingdom of His dear Son. He places within the heart a love for God that was not there before. And this is only a small part of our new birth. There are so many things in both the seen and in the unseen that we possess now in Christ. And all this has come to us by divine revelation.

   Peter told us that God has given us His divine nature. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (2^nd Peter 1:4) Whatever you do, do not read over this verse! God has announced by His Spirit that His promises to us are not only great, but they are exceedingly great. That we who love the Lord Jesus Christ have been given His Spirit, His divine nature, and by this, we have escaped the corruption of this world. We are now firmly placed with Christ at the right hand of God. This divine nature is not hidden. It is not a mystery to the child of God. The child of God knows the Spirit of Christ, and His Spirit within reveals not only the wonders of Christ, but the wonders of the truth of God through His divine revelation which is the word of God. 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) We have such a wonderful truth in Romans 8:9, it is the very presence of the Spirit of Christ, His divine nature. This divine nature has replaced the nature of Adam and sin for there is now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus. We have been called by His heavenly calling. His voice was heard in our hearts from heaven. He, through His Spirit, quickened us for we could not quicken ourselves. Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; (Hebrews 3:1)

   In the divine revelation of God through the holy word of God, we have another element, and this is the element of faith. One must have faith in the very words of the word of God. Faith gives an understanding of the word of God and of the WORD of God. For without faith, it is impossible to please Him. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, [even] in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; (Romans 10:8)

   One should look at the word of God as a legal document of faith wherein the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, for the just shall live by faith. The book of light and life, which is the word of God, can only be received in the heart by faith. This gives the power of life in Jesus Christ by the revelation of Himself, by His Spirit through the word of faith. In the book of life, which we do not have, is an eternal record of the power of life and in this power, every name of the redeemed is written in this book of life from the foundation of the world.

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)

   Pay attention: this is a divine proclamation concerning the book of life of those who have walked by faith from righteous Abel to the present time and through the end of the history of mankind. It is the word of faith that has marked them and has brought them into the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. There are no mistakes in this book of life, there have not been any deletions. This book was full of the names of the redeemed from the beginning; our names were written in the divine pages by the divine hand from the foundation of the world. God knew the sheep of His pasture before He created Adam. (To deny this is to deny God’s foreknowledge.)

But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.(John 10:26) My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: (John 10:27) And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (John 10:28) My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. (John 10:29) I and my Father are one.  (John 10:30)

  The first point that we see is those who wander in darkness are wanderers FROM the truth. They take the side of man and not God in their darkness, and their names are not found in the book of life. The Lord when He was speaking to the Jews in John’s gospel in Chapter 10, told them that they believed not because they were not His sheep. In verse 29, we see a prior position or an action taking place BEFORE at the foundations of the world. This transaction took place between God the Father and God the Son in the names of the sheep of His pasture. This is the working of the determinate counsels and foreknowledge of God.

Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: (Acts 2:23)

Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,(Ephesians 1:5)

In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:(Ephesians 1:11)

   The Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, KNEW every footstep that He would take on His journey to the cross according to the will and purpose of God the Father was to fulfill the determinate counsel of God. There was nothing in His life that was going to be interrupted or changed. He had an appointment to keep, and He knew every step of the way. There were no surprises to the divine counsels because ALL would be fulfilled and accomplished by the determinate power and will of God.

  Let’s look at the world today without Christ. Those who believe not are more, many more, than those who believe. There is NO Christian nation on planet earth today. Yes, there may be wannabe’s, but they do not meet the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. In our own country (USA) politicians have been trying to cast God out from every thought. They want God out of their world, and they have been working fearlessly and feverishly to accomplish this. I will give you one example: since the 1950’s the government of the USA, and the other governments of the world have been doing all that they can to break down ANY moral structure within their countries. These nations have passed laws that are in direct conflict with the commandments of God which were given for ALL of mankind, and all of mankind is responsible to these 10 commandments IN THIS LIFE. However, man loves the dregs in the cup. The deeper that he goes in sin, the further he hides from God. In his denial of God, he removes God’s word wherever he can. In the religious sense, man under the influence of Adam, ministers not only a false profession, but false doctrine as well. All the error that we have in the professing church today has come in by the ambassadors of Satan, who are the children of Adam and not the children of Christ. We see this all developing to its end in Revelation 17:17 when the nations of the world voluntarily give up their kingdoms and their possessions to the Beast (who is the child of the devil). For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. However, it is according to the will of God, and His determinate counsel. Man thinks that he is in power. Yet. It is God who puts in their hearts to fulfill His will, and what is this supposed to accomplish? The last phrase in Revelation 17:17 says it all . . . until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

   So much for the independence of man, or man’s self-will. Man wants to think that he can cast God out of the world, and unite mankind together, and declare that he is god. In their rebellious reluctance to give their kingdoms to God, they instead joyfully give their kingdoms to the demonic Beast who has received his power, and his throne from Lucifer, the old serpent the devil. Verses 12 and 13 of Chapter 17 of the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ also gives us further light. And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. (Revelation 17:12) These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. (Revelation 17:13) Here we see a connection to Daniel’s prophecy 7:24, And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. This unification is structured around a system of powers of evil men (who control nations – kingdoms) who have forsaken God and all that is of God. On all national levels today, all are in rebellion against God and His Word. Where are the politicians falling down on their knees and begging forgiveness from the Almighty God? The majority of them are self-willed, self-centered, and could care less for the people whom they govern. Of course, this must be, if there is no love of God in them, then there is no love of God for their neighbor, or for their brother, or for their constituents. Today we live in an era of the whip and the master, and the populace has become the slaves of the so-called elite. In Revelation 17:17, it is God’s turn through His sovereignty over mankind and the kingdoms of the world, For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. It is God who puts into their hearts to give up their kingdoms to the Beast because God is preparing them for their own great destruction, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. In Revelation 17:17, we see that God’s word is still at the forefront. What I have written, God says, I have written. And through His determinate counsel every word, every decree, and every declaration WILL BE FULFILLED.

   When I was growing up there was a certain independence of man with man. In other words, in that day, it was NOT such a collective world. Man enjoyed a certain independence from other men. He had the right to choose where and when he worked. He had the right to choose where he lived. He had the right to choose what he would say. But this has all been turned upside down. Now, those who are the dominant strain of evil are in charge of all men. They willfully push other men into the corner of obscurity so that they can rule over them. Reason and education have been changed to indoctrination and political immoral ideology. Covetous man wants more rights than God. When God proclaimed the way of salvation, then man in his willful disobedience proclaimed, as Cain said to God, ‘I will do it my way even if I have to use the word of God in total deception of the truth to accomplish my will.’ Well, this might work on the top ten music charts, but with God who knows the thoughts and intents of the heart (Hebrews 4:13) man’s will cannot overturn God’s will. When man sets himself in opposition to God, he will eventually lose every time. Satan, as Lucifer, went against God, and he lost. Adam went against God, and he lost. Cain went against God, and he lost. The world went against God, and they lost. (Genesis 6) And now, world governments have united, together. They are weeding out their enemies, so that they can all be of one mind when they give their kingdoms to the Beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. (Revelation 17:13) Since ‘Genesis is the seed plot of the Bible,’ things that begin in Genesis continue to the very end of man’s history. Chapter 6 in the book of Genesis was the world against God, and there was only one man preaching righteousness, however, in the not-too-distant storm clouds of history, there will come another world rebellion against God. And this would be when God puts all of mankind in subjection to Himself by establishing His kingdom, in His Son Jesus Christ. Again, we have one man of righteousness, however, this MAN is God Himself. Many times, this world has gone against God. Many of the conflicts between nations is because man denies God, and if man denies God then he is also going to deny his fellow men. We have many established kingdoms of domineering politicians who want to subject ALL men to THEIR will and not after God’s will because Cain’s syndrome is still active within mankind.

And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.  (Luke 21:34) For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. (Luke 21:35) Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. (Luke 21:36) And in the day time he was teaching in the temple; and at night he went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of Olives.  (Luke 21:37)

  We have come to The End of Ages. The history of the Age of the Church is about to close, and a cloud of darkness and evil will come over the world because of He who is taken out of the world. This will be the departure of the Spirit of God. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. (2^nd Thessalonians 2:7) This is the departure of the Spirit of God from the earth, and when the Spirit of God is taken out of the way, the man of sin will be revealed.

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: (2^nd Thessalonians 2:8) Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, (2^nd Thessalonians 2:9) And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. (2^nd Thessalonians 2:10) And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: (2^nd Thessalonians 2:11) That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.  (2^nd Thessalonians 2:12)

   There is so much in these few verses. Do you realize the expanse of time in these verses? From the Church Age to the day when the Lord will destroy the evil nations and the man of sin with the brightness of His coming is an immense time frame. In 2^nd Thessalonians Chapter 2, verse 3, we are also introduced to the man of sin. Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition. When we see this day approaching, we are not to be shaken in mind, or be troubled neither by spirit, nor by the words of man. Without a doubt, TODAY – NOW – WE – SEE – THIS – DAY – APPROACHING. As evil progresses and multiplies, then deception and lies will come with them. From verse 2 in 2^nd Thessalonians Chapter 2 to verse 4, we have the man of sin revealed as a deceiver, as that Wicked one. And there will be a great falling away, this falling away will be falling AWAY from Christ, not from man’s religion. Man’s religion will be part of the Beast’s religion culminating in the worship of the Beast under the banner of religion.

That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. (2^nd Thessalonians 2:2) Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; (2^nd Thessalonians 2:3) Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.  (2^nd Thessalonians 2:4)

   This man of sin will be the ultimate of self-centeredness. He will believe his own deception that he is God. He will sit in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. We see many of his foreshadows today in the men who rule the world both seen and unseen. But we cannot escape the root cause of the world’s problems. The world is in its current position because of SIN. This three-letter word is more powerful than all the past, present, and future armies of the world. Sin is the barometer of a nation, even the world. I just received a pamphlet produced and printed by the United States government, it denies and overthrows all moral belief, and was designed to break down the moral character of individuals especially those who follow the Lord Jesus Christ. When a government becomes controlled by satanic power then all who follow Christ becomes enemies of the state. Sooner or later (in the wave of contempt against God) they will come and remove those who love the Lord Jesus Christ from their demonic society. The religious societies of this world have been doing this for years: denying those who hold the truth and deliberately pushing them out of their presence.

  In Revelation 17, we see a man who unifies both religion and politics and takes on the title of Pontifex Maximus, and as “greatest priest” he forces all to worship the Dragon, and the Beast. And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. (Revelation 13:14) And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. (Revelation 13:15).

   When this government of the United States (or dis-united states), deliberately removed the word of God out of schools, they replaced it with the beginning of immoral teachings. Slowly the government of this country has worked deceptively and purposefully to destroy ALL moral fiber in the individual, and cast God out of their world. By bombarding the conscientiousness of man with continual immoral persuasions (whether by media, government, academia, advertising, or through corporate incentives) ALL morality can be thrust out of man’s beliefs and thoughts entirely. God’s moral code in the Ten Commandments has been replaced with Satan’s immoral code to the destruction of mankind. You can take the Ten Commandments down, you can disavow them, but you cannot dissolve them. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ does not change the character or the meaning of the Ten Commandments for grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Truth will always demand a moral life. Of course, man hates this because he is a sinner, and an immoral being. It is only God’s revelation in the Ten Commandments that universally gives man guidance of what he should be. (What man SHOULD be is not what man CAN be, or even what man IS. Always remember that the Ten Commandments is God’s moral standard, and because it is God’s standard man is unable to achieve His standard.  The Ten Commandments was given to show man how far he has fallen from God’s holiness and righteousness.)

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: (Romans 8:3) That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:4)

   Man may not love the result of sin, which is death, but NO ONE can deny that man loves his sin. Man has committed all kinds of atrocities and evils because of his love for sin, and man’s love for sin is more than his love for God. I made this statement to a religionist, and he condemned me for putting man in that state of mind and heart, I simply said to him, ‘Then how would you interpret all have sinned and come short of the glory of God?’ I had to listen to all the good that he found in mankind. I then replied, ‘That might be your opinion, but it is not God’s decree, for ALL are guilty before God.’ When you don’t run with the herd, they do not want you around. I guess I will have to remain in the race that God has set before me and be completely satisfied that my salvation and my work for the Lord is between me and God, and no one else. It is what He has set before ME that I must finish although the whole world runs with the herds of religion. I will run with God in Jesus Christ. We, as Christians, should realize that the world is the place of our LABOR and our DEDICATION, we are in a world that HATES us. This is NOT the proverbial playground of religion. It is a battlefield between the righteousness of God and the evils of Satan and the children of Adam. The Body of Christ was never meant to be a melting pot of religions and the world. The Body of Christ is a place of separation from the world and from man’s religion. The body of Christ is an offense to the world, and to its religions because Christ became a rock of offense, a stone of stumbling to them who stumble at His word.

Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, (1^st Peter 2:7) And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. (1^st Peter 2:8)

    We have been persuaded by the doctrine of democracy both in the church and in the world that the majority is always right. Well, in God’s word, the majority is always wrong spiritually. You cannot reconcile these two opposing thoughts. The majority belong to the world and to Satan. A small minority belongs to Christ and to heaven. Was the majority in Genesis Chapter 6 right? The judgment of the flood proved that the majority were wrong.

   The judgment at the tower of Babel was against the majority, in fact, ALL were judged. What man cannot see at the tower of Babel is that there was no representation for God. Man had become united together against God. Man was, once again, in utter ruin worshiping himself. The mighty hunter, Nimrod, built the first world political confederacy constructed around a unified religion: which became the template for MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. The tower of Babel was constructed by people of one mind and of one language. The judgment of Babel proved that the majority were wrong.

   What about the judgment of Sodom and the five cities of the plains? The majority were all judged, and they were left in utter ruin. Smoldering ashes were the evidence of God’s judgment against these cities. When Moses was sent to lead God’s people out of Egypt, was the majority right? ALL of Egypt was under divine judgment. Pharaoh, his court, and his nation came under the judgment of the strong hand of God. Was the majority right? When you believe that man in his life and decisions as a sinner has more authority than God then you are completely wrong. We live in a world where man believes that he has more authority than God because man believes that the majority is always right. The false doctrine of democracy has brought this evil world to this current collapse of all moral character.

   Sin determines the failure of moral character and sin has determined that man because of sin has an appointment with death. When sin abounds, it destroys the moral character of man. Man looks at his world through eyes of immorality. The deeper man goes into sin, the more man and society cast off ALL moral character. Lies become truth, and truth becomes lies and is accepted by all. Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:(Romans 5:20)

   The Law of God was given so that man might be exposed by his sinful image in the mirror of the Law. However, instead of reconciling his sinful image he fell deeper into sin by opposing the Law of God in his sin. Sin cloaked the Law and man ignored the Law of God and went in his own way, the way of sin and death. However, no matter how great sin is, no matter how low sin brings man, no matter how many deny God, grace has abounded and is greater than man’s sin. The love of God was given to man although there is nothing in man to love. That’s right. This is what sin has produced beginning with Adam. He was driven out from the presence of God because God could not look on sin, so He drove man from His presence. In Adam’s descendants Cain (the first born, the heir) was of that wicked one. (1^st John 3) and Abel acquired the faith of the Son of God and through this faith was declared righteous because of grace. (Hebrews 11:4) 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.

   All the foreshadows and prophecies of the Lord’s death in the Old Testament revealed to man that God was a God of grace. In fact, it is recorded of Noah that he found grace in the sight of God. The Church Age is not the only age that has been made a recipient of God’s grace; even before the Lord’s death on the cross the all-knowing, the all-seeing, the all loving God exercised His grace through faith because without faith it is impossible to please God. (Hebrews 11:6) The love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, is the vehicle of God’s grace through faith. God declared His love when He announced His beloved Son. God the Father knew that at that particular time when He declared His Son as His beloved that Christ would indeed be crucified. It was an announcement of His love for the world. That they, through faith, may acquire God’s grace in the very Person who came from heaven the Son of God to proclaim grace and truth. And even with the revelation of God’s dear Son, man still refuses to believe for not all men have faith. And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith. (2^nd Thessalonians 3:2)

   When Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt there were only two out of all the people who came out of Egypt who went into the land of promise and that was Joshua and Caleb. A very interesting pair . . . . Joshua means Savior, and Caleb (wholehearted) was from the tribe of Judah. It is amazing how the Holy Spirit declares truths through names, numbers, and of course words. The very two who entered into the land came out of Egypt. One noted by God the Holy Spirit as a Savior, and the other is noted as from the very tribe that would declare their King, the tribe of Judah. Of course, king David was also from the tribe of Judah, the man after God’s own heart, and was a foreshadow of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Isn’t the ministry of the Holy Spirit wonderful? The Holy Spirit often spends time glorifying the Son of God within us, exalting not only the Person of Christ but the Spirit of Christ within us.

   Only two out of all those who came out of Egypt crossed into the land of promise because ALL others perished in the wilderness because of unbelief.

For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; (Hebrews 3:14) While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. (Hebrews 3:15) For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. (Hebrews 3:16) But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? (Hebrews 3:17) And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? (Hebrews 3:18) So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. (Hebrews 3:19)

   This brings us back to the majority. Again, we see the failure of the majority. And they failed because of sin and unbelief. Men gather themselves together in tribes, in gangs, in armies, and in nations so that they may have power over others. Men gather together to have power in the form of a majority.

   As we examine the books of the Old Testament God’s grace and kindness amazes us. Over and over again, in the book of Judges, the men of Israel did what was right in their own eyes and failed to be obedient to God. Over and over again, God judged them through the harshness of their conquerors. And over and over again, God of grace provided deliverers, such as Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, Deborah and Barak, Gideon and others. Throughout the book of Judges, the majority of Israel was wrong and sinful, but where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.

   As we move forward from the Age of Judges to the Age of Kings, it was the same failure. King after king, generation after generation it was the same failure of disobedience to their God. Their own sin overthrew their own kingdoms until there was no recourse except to send Israel and Judah into captivity into the land of Babylon. Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because [there is] no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. (Hosea 4:1)

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. (Hosea 4:6)

Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. (Isaiah 5:13)

Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak [this] to your shame. (1^st Corinthians 15:34)

   In the day of Christ, it was the majority who refused Him. It was the majority who condemned Him. It was the majority who demanded that He be crucified. And in His sufferings, it was the majority who mocked Him.

The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.(Acts 3:13) But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; (Acts 3:14) And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. (Acts 3:15)

Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: (Acts 2:23) Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. (Acts 2:24)

   We could continue on through the history of man revealing the wicked minds and evil hearts of men until the very end when ALL the nations will come against God’s Christ.  He, as the divine King, still possesses all power in heaven and in earth, and will destroy them with the fires of judgment. This will be The End of the nations of mankind in rebellion against their Creator. God will bring the power of the majority to an end. For in His final judgment, He will prove once and forever that the majority is spiritually ALWAYS wrong. I know that this will upset those who hold fast to the concept of democracy, for many years they have been crying, ‘Democracy, democracy,’ but democracy is not freedom. Democracy means ‘the people rule.’ (The United States was once both a republic and a democracy). In the very root of democracy your neighbor has control over your life and possessions. Collectively, your neighbors chose the ways and the means of your life by the laws that they enact against the very root of what man calls freedom. (We have written many times that man cannot be free on earth for man is under the bondage of sin and the judgment of sin and cannot be set free from these shackles except in the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. Only Christ can break the shackles of sin and lose the darkness of death.) When democracy disappeared in the 1800’s men still cried out democracy when there was no democracy. They overthrew democracy by not honoring the very Constitution that their forefathers wrote centered around a republic (representation). The war of man against man was determined by those who no longer believed in the Constitution or a democracy/republic. They extinguished it with the fires of war and turned man against man and destroyed all future hope of the will of the people to rule themselves. From that point in time government has lashed out and convinced the people to will themselves into slavery. Today man is in slavery to the world monetary system. You are under the bondage of a financial system with long tentacles that destroys the souls of men. Right now, in Canada, men have gathered together in a protest against their own slavery, and the corrupt authorities who rule over them threaten to take away their homes, their money and their children . . . . because they can. In France, there is the same cry. In England they shout out because of an oppressive government. In New Zealand, and Australia, Italy and Germany the people protest despite the oppressive hand of their governments. (This situation is so fluid that by the time that this article is posted things that are, may not be). In Italy, they light candles and have vigils looking and desiring that illusive freedom that is not possible on this earth.

   In the United States, the carpet baggers (those who are citizens of other lands, and those who have aligned themselves with other nations) have overthrown the entire government and have taken possession of all the people. The people are now the pawns of these very illusive elite horns of power. This of course is of the political realm guarded by bureaucrats with a wholehearted corporate agenda. Money has become the rope of strangulation forcing people into submission. For who wants to give up all that they have in the cry for freedom? Very few. And these few are ushered away out of sight and out of the minds of the masses. Democracy ‘the will and rule of the people’ have willed themselves into slavery because of the will of the majority. We have come to our present point in history because the majority loves their sin and not God. It is not ‘in God we trust,’ but the self-will of man in the majority, and this majority is held captive by sin and death.

  There is no righteousness on earth. The children of God, those who possess the righteousness of God, have received that righteousness from God in heaven, and consequently, the children of God are not of this earth. I am right now on earth, and (as I live and breathe) am also seated in the heavens in Christ Jesus. This is a far distant thought for the children of men because they do not have the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ. Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) (Ephesians 2:5) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: (Ephesians 2:6)

   Man believes that the only link to heaven can only be acquired by death. Of course, this is not true. The only link to heaven is acquired by a life within Christ. In our redemption He has made us to sit in heavenly places. He has given us a new life on earth, as children of God, and He has connected Himself (through His Spirit) with our very being in both the earth and in heavenly places. Truly a mystery of mysteries, but the Spirit of God wants us to know that He has raised us up together in Christ Jesus; each and every child of God, has been quickened out of death in the new birth. Sin has been vanquished and death has been cast off, and the new life that we possess is the life of the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2:20) Man would deny our passport to heaven. Man would have us wallow in the troubles and sufferings of this present evil world. However, our link to the heavenlies is IN Christ Jesus our Lord. Right now, we have His presence with us on earth and He has our presence in heavenly places. You won’t hear this from many pulpits today. We have been reconciled not only from sin, but from the earth itself, and the presence of Christ is with us.

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)

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: (Colossians 1:13)

Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: (2^nd Peter 1:10 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (2^nd Peter 1:11)

In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, (Ephesians 1:13) Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:14)

And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30)

And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. (Romans 8:23)

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)

And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. (Hebrews 12:24)

See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: (Hebrews 12:25)

   Do you see the last phrase in Hebrews 12:25, him that speaketh from heaven? The Lord Jesus, right now, speaks from heaven to confirm that word of God, and the verses that we have listed. He does it by the presence of His own Spirit in every believer. It’s what I call, The personal ministry of Christ within the heart. True ministry has to come from the Spirit of Christ through the word of God, and His divine revelation concerning His word and that particular truth. The word of God is a living organism. It is centered in the Living Word the Lord Jesus Christ. This gives the word of God a heartbeat in every believer. It gives the word of God breath in every believer. It gives the word of God a voice in every believer to reveal the mind of the Spirit in every believer. This is the proof of sonship.

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (1^st John 3:1) Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (1^st John 3:2) And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. (1^st John 3:3)

—— ♦——

The Glory and Love of the Corn of Wheat

—— ♦——

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)

   This corn of wheat that fell into the ground was the Lord of glory, and through the determinate counsels of God has completed the work of righteousness as the Lord told John the Baptist, it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. God’s righteousness constrained God’s love. God’s love constrained His righteousness and both God’s love and His righteousness had to be brought together. Righteousness had to be fulfilled so that love would abound. This was done in His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ fulfilled ALL the judgment that was against man in total righteousness. Sin was put out of the world because of the righteousness of God, and because God’s righteousness was satisfied His love could abound. This allowed man to be justified before a holy and righteous God in the Person of His Son, Jesus Christ. God’s righteousness demanded judgment as we see in Romans Chapters 5, 6 and 7; thus, man was without an excuse before God. God satisfied Himself in the death of the Lord Jesus Christ in His righteousness, it was not man being satisfied, it was God on the cross who became sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in the Lord Jesus Christ. It was God who had to be satisfied that all that was against mankind had been totally finalized, and perfectly finished in accord with God’s holiness and righteousness, and only then could God place us in the position of being without condemnation.

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)

   The Lord Jesus Christ became the love gift of God in His Son by fulfilling ALL of God’s righteousness. His beloved Son was apart from man in Adam, yet, to fulfill God’s righteousness and His judgment against man, Christ in the likeness of sinful flesh had to bear the sins of the whole world upon Himself. This was the Judge’s decision to judge the sin of man in Himself. As the High Priest of God, Christ could then show His grace and mercy to man.

   In Genesis 18:25 we learn that the Almighty is the Judge of the whole earth. That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? There is nothing done openly or in secret that this Judge does not see and is not revealed to Him. When we consider the great white throne, we see another facet of this Judge. On this throne, He is the Judge of eternity. Although man cannot conceive such a high authority, it is not man who has the right to determine God’s authority.

   In the book of Romans, we have a document of justice and righteousness. For in Romans ALL men stand before the Supreme Court of God from the individual person to ALL men in Adam. God sees and judges in both cases. He judges individual men, and He also judges man in man’s unification with other men based on the sin of man. Every individual who is born to man is under the penalty of sin and death because all have come from Adam, who brought sin into the world. (Romans 5:12) So, the sin of Adam relates to ALL men, however, the individual sin performed by the individual is recorded in God’s book that is laid up until the great white throne. The only reprieve from the penalty of sin and death is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ because His indwelling Spirit makes us free from sin and death. When Abraham related to us that God was the Judge of the whole earth, it revealed to us that the world in its present state, was under the judgment of God because of the sin of Adam. However, with Sodom, those men were wicked in THEIR individual sin, and God could not tolerate their sin any longer; therefore, judgment was determined against them from the courts of heaven. God the Judge of the whole earth defines sin as spiritual darkness that has come over the whole world and has infected ALL men because of their natural tie to Adam. Sin was transmitted and is transmitted from one man to another in the process of birth. You could say that when sin entered into the world and into Adam that not only did God’s glory depart, but Adam’s DNA now contained the seed of sin. The proof of this is that all die. 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) Man (in Adam) stood before a holy and righteous God and then came the fullness of time.

Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: (Galatians 4:3) But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, (Galatians 4:4) To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. (Galatians 4:5)

   Adam brought sin into the world and bondage under that sin; thus, the bondage of sin and death is upon ALL men through the disobedience of ONE man in Adam. God sent His Son manifested in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh. Understand that the Man from heaven did not have an earthly relationship to the seed of Adam. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. (Galatians 3:16) It was Christ who took sin UPON Himself to carry sin or to take sin OUT of the world through His obedience to God the Father.

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 burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. (Hebrews 10:6) Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. (Hebrews 10:7) Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; (Hebrews 10:8) Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. (Hebrews 10:9) By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:10)

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: (Philippians 2:5) Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: (Philippians 2:6) But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: (Philippians 2:7) And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:8) Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: (Philippians 2:9) That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; (Philippians 2:10) And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:11)

   This process in both the books of Hebrews and Philippians completed and established the obedience of God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Righteousness was fulfilled and exalted by the Son of God by bearing the punishment for the sin and sins of the whole world in that Body that was prepared for Him to remove the transgressions from man on the tree. The place of Adam’s disobedience to God is recorded in Genesis 2:9 and 17. Adam’s rebellion did not take place at the tree of life, but at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. (Genesis 2:9)

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)

Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: (Galatians 3:13)

   Once again, I will remind you that ‘Genesis is the Seed Plot of the Bible,’ and the things revealed in Genesis traverse throughout the entire Bible. In Galatians 3:13 we have the tree of redemption taking us back to the tree of offense in Genesis Chapter 2. In Galatians 3:13 we have the tree of crucifixion; this tree was the place of reconciliation. Reconciliation for what? It was for the sin of the whole world. Here was a Man in obedience who was never touched by sin, nor was there sin within Him, nor did He any sin, and yet, in complete obedience to God the Father. Christ died and bore the judgment of God for ALL men. In Galatians 3:13, it is important for the Holy Spirit to use the word tree. It is similar to the two men mentioned in Romans Chapter 5:17 – 21.

For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) (Romans 5:17) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. (Romans 5:18) For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. (Romans 5:19) Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: (Romans 5:20) That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:21)

  Sin came in from the knowledge of the tree of good and evil. (To know is to experience). Sin was cast out from the tree of love and righteousness. In the wonderful creation of God, everything is created in God’s order, and established by God’s laws. All of creation is under God’s laws . . . even mankind. Mankind refers to gravity as a law, which it is, it is one of the laws of God over His creation which is held in place by the word of His power. What man calls the natural world is under the laws and ordinances of God. We see this in Ezekiel with the wheel within a wheel which is all controlled by the laws of God. There are also laws in the unseen of God’s creation. Sometimes the unseen is brought together with the seen, for instance; you cannot see sin as a tangible, yet you can see the result of sin in physical death. Scripture declares that sin brings forth death. (Romans 5:12) When God placed His laws onto and into His universe, He also placed His laws over the children of men in Adam in both the physical sense and the spiritual realm. Adam was placed in the natural or in the seen under the Law of Sin and Death, given to Adam prior to his disobedience. God had established THIS Law over man, and man broke this Law in his disobedience. This is confirmed in Romans 8:2, For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. Notice how the Spirit of God presents this verse to us, it is the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus that has the preeminence. It is the divine declaration that there is a Law of the Spirit, and this Spirit is the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. This also relates to Hebrews, Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? In Hebrews 10:29, the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus is called the Spirit of grace. In Romans 8:2, there is a Spirit of life. In Hebrews 10:29 we have the Spirit of grace. In this Law of the Spirit of life we see the love of God to every believer, and this Law of life has set us free from the Law of Sin and Death by the Spirit of grace. We are now free from the resonating power of sin, and we can approach God (in our new life) by the Spirit of His Son Jesus Christ, the one and only Mediator between God and man.

Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. (1^st Timothy 2:4) For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; (1^st Timothy 2:5) Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. (1^st Timothy 2:6)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: (Ephesians 1:3) 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) Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, (Ephesians 1:5) To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. (Ephesians 1:6) In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; (Ephesians 1:7) Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; (Ephesians 1:8) Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: (Ephesians 1:9) That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: (Ephesians 1:10) In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: (Ephesians 1:11) That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. (Ephesians 1:12) In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,  (Ephesians 1:13)

   Christ is the Benefactor of the Spirit of life, the Spirit of grace, and the Spirit of promise, all in ONE Spirit, the Spirit of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. He presents to us the Gift and gifts of God. We don’t deserve it, but because of the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus we have acquired our freedom from sin and death in Jesus Christ. In Romans 8:2, we have the overturning power of the Judge Himself. Who bore our sin in His own Body on the tree that He might give His Spirit of life to those who believe in Him overturning the Law of Sin and Death. Love and righteousness prevailed, and God established His love for the world. It is God who gave the Law of love which is in Christ Jesus. We also see the Law of love in Deuteronomy 6:4,5.

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: (Deuteronomy 6:4) And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. (Deuteronomy 6:5) 

   This Law of love existed before Israel was a nation and has extended itself through thousands of generations since.

The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: (Deuteronomy 7:7) But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. (Deuteronomy 7:8) Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations; (Deuteronomy 7:9)

And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: (Mark 12:29)

And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. (Luke 10:27)

   The apostle John tells us that we love Him because He first loved us.

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. (1^st John 4:7) He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. (1^st John 4:8) In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. (1^st John 4:9) Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  (1^st John 4:10)

We love him, because he first loved us. (1^st John 4:19)

   This is the Law of love. For God is love. But how was God going to reconcile His righteousness in the reconciliation of man and the world to Himself? The answer was to send the Son of His love, the Son within Himself, the very Center of His love. To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. (2^nd Corinthians 5:19) In 2^nd Corinthians we see love reconciling the whole world unto God. The whole of sin was laid on the Son of God’s love. This established God’s judgment and fulfilled His righteousness so that man would be without excuse. And God gives us the simplicity of believing. There are those who believe in the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, and those who do not. Here is man’s dilemma. If you refuse God’s grace in His Son, there is no more sacrifice for you. (Hebrews 10:29) Man (in Adam) will stand at the great white throne without excuse. This is the throne of God’s righteousness, and the measure of their lies will be read out against them, out of the books.

And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. (Revelation 20:11) And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. (Revelation 20:12) And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. (Revelation 20:13) And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. (Revelation 20:14) And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.  (Revelation 20:15)

   In all the flamboyant studies of prophecy by the imaginations of the sons of men, why is this great white throne often ignored and left out? These are the souls of men standing before the Judge of ALL eternity, and their mouths are stopped, not one word, not one excuse. They are there to listen to the judgment of God out of God’s records concerning their lies. The books will be opened and read out against them. They will hear both their open sin and their hidden sins. All will be viewed by a Holy and Righteous God. This white throne of judgment shows the very purity of this judgment of God. It reflects the One who sits upon this throne. He is the recognizable figure as in Revelation Chapter 1: 13-18.

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; (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: (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)

   This is the same Son of man who was rejected by man, and now those who rejected Him are standing before Him and will be judged according to the books. In verse 18, the Son of man has the keys of hell and of death. In Revelation Chapter 20, we see the dead in verse 12, then we see death and hell cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. When the Lord closes the door, He will insert the key into the lock, and it will be locked forever. There will be no one to open it, for it will be sealed forever. Now, to us who believe, we see ourselves in the next Chapter of the book of the Revelation in Chapter 21: 5 – 7.

And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. (Revelation 21:5) And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. (Revelation 21:6) He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. (Revelation 21:7)

   In Revelation Chapter 21, again we see our sonship, and that we are eternally linked as sons to God.

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (John 1:12) Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:13)

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (1^st John 3:1) Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (1^st John 3:2) And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. (1^st John 3:3)

And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. (Galatians 4:6)

He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. (Revelation 21:7)

   The simplicity of God the Son when He expresses His love to His disciples (and to us) is seen through these few words, except a corn of wheat falleth into the ground. (John 12:24) The Lord knew that His time was approaching the storm clouds of evil were gathering together. Yet, to comfort His own, He expressed His compassion and love for them in the most gracious way He explained His departure from the earth. 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)

   In Chapter 11 of the gospel of John, the Jews, who were present at the raising of Lazarus, recognized the love of Jesus Christ for Lazarus. This should comfort us for the same love for Lazarus also applies to the redeemed, who will be raised at His coming. Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! (John 11:36) So why can’t man recognize this great love today? Because as I have written many times, man loves his sin more than he loves God. To most of Adam’s children, Christ is just a byword, or just a minor forgotten figure in the history of man. They have sealed their minds and hearts, souls and spirits to the Christ of the cross, the Man in heaven made higher than the heavens. So, we return to Revelation 21:8, But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Has spiritual darkness taken you too far away from the knowledge of God? Has sin blinded you to God? Is your heart hardened to God? Is your spirit the spirit of corruption? Is your soul dead? I beg of you, Be ye reconciled to God. This could be your final call.

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)

Amen and Amen.

© Copyright 2022, 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)