How Much More Shall the Blood of Christ – Hebrews 9:14 –

How Much More Shall the Blood of Christ

Hebrews 9:14

How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:14)

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How Much More

    The theme of blood in Chapter 9 in the book of Hebrews fills our hearts, our souls, and our spirits with the ultimate sacrifice of the ONE who loved us unto death. Blood is mentioned in Chapter 9, twelve (12) times, so that we can behold the mind of the Spirit in both the Old and the New Testament. We see the mind of the Spirit revealing that blood in the Old were only symbols of the New, and the Spirit of God presents to us How much more shall the blood of Christ. Therefore, connecting blood (with both Old and New Testaments in mind) we have one particular blood that is singled out by God the Spirit, and this is the blood of Christ, which is the blood of God. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. (Acts 20:28)

   Verse 14 of Hebrews 9 brings out a perfection that there is no other blood, for WHO could offer his blood for sin? And we are told that ALL the blood that was placed on the altar of sacrifice in the Old Testament was only a shadow of the perfection that is in the blood of Christ. In the days of Josiah, the last godly king of Israel, the nation kept a wonderful Passover, for the Passover had not been kept for many years. King Josiah not only renewed the Passover for the children of Israel, but Josiah’s Passover was not like any Passover during the reign of the previous kings of Judah, his Passover was compared all the way back to the days of Samuel. And there was no passover like to that kept in Israel from the days of Samuel the prophet; neither did all the kings of Israel keep such a passover as Josiah kept, and the priests, and the Levites, and all Judah and Israel that were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. (2^nd Chronicles 35:18) Never before had this many animals ever been previously offered as the Passover of Josiah, even in the days of Samuel. This great number of offerings of Israel (now represented by Judah, the two tribes) were of great number because the nation had a great burden of sin to account for. Consider the number of these animals in 2 Chronicles 35: 7 -11. 

And Josiah gave to the people, of the flock, lambs and kids, all for the passover offerings, for all that were present, to the number of thirty thousand, and three thousand bullocks: these were of the king’s substance. (2^nd Chronicles 35:7)

And his princes gave willingly unto the people, to the priests, and to the Levites: Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, rulers of the house of God, gave unto the priests for the passover offerings two thousand and six hundred small cattle, and three hundred oxen. (2^nd Chronicles 35:8)

Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethaneel, his brethren, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, chief of the Levites, gave unto the Levites for passover offerings five thousand small cattle, and five hundred oxen. (2^nd Chronicles 35:9)

So the service was prepared, and the priests stood in their place, and the Levites in their courses, according to the king’s commandment. (2^nd Chronicles 35:10)

And they killed the passover, and the priests sprinkled the blood from their hands, and the Levites flayed them. (2^nd Chronicles 35:11)

    Israel, as a nation, had fallen short of the glory of God. They were under a tremendous burden of sin for they had forsaken Jehovah for other gods. The Temple of Solomon had been shut up, the book of The Law had been lost, and then found during the reign of Josiah. The priesthood had lost their burden of responsibility to Jehovah, and before the Passover could be given, they had to sanctify themselves for they also were in great trespass against the God of Israel. So marvelous was this Passover that there had not been one like it from the days of Samuel, yet in Hebrews Chapter 9, we are told that the blood of bulls and of goats, or the ashes of a heifer (speaking of the red heifer) could not purify the conscience.

The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: (Hebrews 9:8) Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; (Hebrews 9:9)

   In all these sacrifices, God had no pleasure in them for they were all just a shadow of the blood of His Son, the blood of God, that would be given for the sin of the world. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. (Hebrews 10:6) In these sacrifices, God beheld the blood of others (for this blood also had value) because the blood of these animals was a foreshadow of the blood of Jesus Christ upon the cross of Calvary, although the blood of others could not satisfy God’s righteousness.

   As in the days of Adam, the blood and the skins of animals were only a covering for the sin of man UNTIL a better blood, God’s own blood, would be shed on the cross at Calvary. From the beginning of all Passover’s that had ever been kept by Israel, the lamb was the one animal that was sacrificed more than any other animal. In fact, in Genesis Chapter 4, the first sacrifice by man, Abel, was a lamb, the firstling of the flock, which was the first born. This gives us a full understanding of the words from John the Baptist in the gospel of John, Chapter 1, verse 29. The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

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How Much More

How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living  God? (Hebrews 9:14)

    In His revealing to Israel as the Lamb of God, we see the first indication that Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ of God, would be offered as a sacrifice for the sin of the world. Remember, sin is not just an act or action, sin is a member, or part of man’s DNA. All have sinned and ALL possess the DNA of sin throughout the history of mankind. Only ONE, the Son of God from heaven did not have this DNA of sin. In fact, He did not have man’s DNA at all, He was that holy thing sent by God the Father, the Heir of the vineyard come to redeem Israel and all men. And He was rejected of man, He was a man of sorrows, and we hid as it were our faces from Him. Mankind turned their backs on the Savior (Jesus the Christ) from heaven John the Baptist was also a man sent by God. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. (John 1:6) The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. (John 1:7) He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. (John 1:8)

   John was at the river Jordan baptizing the people of Israel. John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. (Mark 1:4) The baptism of repentance was also symbolized as the baptism of death. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:4)

   Scripture tells us that John was on the other side BEYOND the river Jordan, and this was at the EXACT place where Israel passed through the Jordan under the leadership of Joshua. They went into the Jordan as a people and came up into the land as a nation blessed by God. It is here that we see the twelve stones, and the remembrance of the Ark of the covenant being held in the bed of the Jordan by the priests while the children of Israel passed to the other side. (Joshua Chapter 3) Twelve stones were taken OUT of the river Jordan, each one of them represented each of the tribes of Israel, twelve stones were removed from the banks of the Jordan, again representing the twelve tribes of Israel, a prince with God. (Joshua Chapter 4) Let’s put this all together: the twelve stones on the bank from deep in the Jordan were for Israel’s remembrance of THAT day when God took them, as the Holy Spirit puts it, OVER Jordan. And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying, (Joshua 4:1) Be patient . . . we will get there . . . now the twelve stones at the feet of the priest on the floor of the Jordan was God’s part (those things not seen, and hidden from the eyes of men by the waters of the Spirit of God). He would look on those twelve stones in two ways: first, in the way of promise, and secondly, in the way of prophecy. For in the passing of time would come the fullness of time when the Holy Seed of God, that holy thing within Mary’s womb would be the Son of God sent from heaven to fulfill all righteousness.

And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. (Luke 1:28)

And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. (Luke 1:29)

And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. (Luke 1:30)

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

He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: (Luke 1:32)

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)

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?(Matthew 3:7) Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: (Matthew 3:8) And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. (Matthew 3:9)

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) 

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)

     In these verses we have God’s fulfillment of His promise given by Moses that God would send a Mediator between God and man, like unto himself. Moses also told us what Jacob said in Genesis 49:10, The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.    Also, Moses wrote concerning the prophecy of Balaam in Numbers 24:17, I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. 

   Let’s return to the banks of the river Jordan not in the day of the Lord Jesus but in the days of Joshua. Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan. (Joshua 3:11) Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man. (Joshua 3:12)

And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap. (Joshua 3:13)

And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people; (Joshua 3:14)

And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,) (Joshua 3:15)

That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho. (Joshua 3:16)

And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan. (Joshua 3:17)

And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying, (Joshua 4:1)

Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man, (Joshua 4:2)

And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests’ feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night. (Joshua 4:3)

Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man: (Joshua 4:4)

And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of Jordan, and take ye up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel: (Joshua 4:5)

That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones? (Joshua 4:6)

Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever. (Joshua 4:7)

And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, as the LORD spake unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down there. (Joshua 4:8)

And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there unto this day. (Joshua 4:9)  

   Now we should remember that the true concept of godly faith is to believe God and believe that nothing is impossible for God. Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. (Matthew 22:29) God is able to keep His promises and His prophecies. I will give you some two examples: first, Moses made the brazen serpent and put it on a pole. This brazen serpent existed up to the days of Hezekiah, the king of Judah, seven hundred and twenty (720) years, the children of Israel worshiped this brazen serpent. Under Hezekiah’s reformation he called this brazen serpent Nehushtan, a piece of brass, and destroyed it and cast the dust of it into the brook of Kidron. He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan. (2^nd Kings 18:4) Secondly, when the Ark of God returned from being held captive by the Philistines in the days of Samuel, the men of Israel offered the kine that pulled the cart that held the Ark of the covenant, and they used the wood of the cart and the kine as a sacrifice on The Stone of Abel. (1^st Samuel 6:18) (Remember that nothing is impossible with God even to the point of keeping the stone of Abel (before the flood) as the same stone of Abel after the flood.) Believe it, if you will, remember, NOTHING, absolutely NOTHING is impossible with God.

   Concerning the brazen serpent, the Lord Jesus referred to it in the gospel of John Chapter 3, verse s14 and 15, And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: (John 3:14) That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:15) He is telling us, in John Chapter 3, how He, the Son of God, is going to be lifted up before ALL men, and offered on the cross. Now it has been two thousand years plus and man STILL displays the Lord Jesus on the cross when, in fact, He has fulfilled His promise of John Chapter 3, and is 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) So, at the time of the Lord Jesus, by the banks of the river Jordan, He instructed John the Baptist that in His own baptism unto death they would be fulfilling ALL righteousness. 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)  

    John, standing before the Sadducees, Pharisees, and Levites, kept the words of Joshua, as he pointed to the twelve stones, and told the Levites that God was able to raise up children to Abraham from THOSE twelve stones that the twelve men from the twelve tribes of Israel had placed there by the Jordan approximately one thousand four hundred (1400) plus years previously. This was a witness to the children of Israel, and the fulfillment of God’s part, the unseen part. As both John the Baptist (the rightful high priest of Israel) and the Lord Jesus (the rightful King of Israel) entered into the river of Jordan, stepping down upon the stones that the children of Israel had placed at the feet of the priests in the days of Joshua they both fulfilled the righteousness of God. (John the Baptist was in the rightful line of Aaron; the only one in all of Israel who could be the genuine high priest from the line of Aaron in both his father (Zechariah) and his mother (Elisabeth) who was a daughter of Aaron in her descent. Also, remember the supernatural conception and birth of John the Baptist; even his name was given by God.) In the river Jordan, the priests held the Ark of God, now John, the high priest, would hold the Ark of God in his hands as He baptized the Lord Jesus in fulfilling the righteousness of God which would be completed on the cross of Calvary. In John the Baptist we have the high priest, in the Lord Jesus we also have the King of kings, and we also have the combination of both the seen (John as the high priest) and the unseen (Christ as the Priest forever after the order of Melchisedec, and as the Ark of the covenant). All this takes place with the offering as the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. But this is not all, to make SURE that we understand what had happened at the river Jordan, the heavens opened, and God the Father proclaimed, This is MY Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And the Spirit of God was revealed in Jesus Christ by the symbol of a dove coming down and lighting upon Him. John the Baptist was a witness of these things when he reminds us through the gospel of the apostle John Chapter 1, verses 32 – 34.

And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. (John 1:32) And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. (John 1:33) And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. (John 1:34)

And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: (Matthew 3:16) And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (Matthew 3:17)

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How Much More Shall the Blood of Christ

How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:14)

   What we see at the banks of the river Jordan is the fulfillment of God’s promises to Abraham that these promises still existed by the witness of those twelve stones. We also see that Israel’s Redeemer had come, and a further promise given to both Jew and Gentile that this Lamb of God would take away the sin of the world. The children of Israel KNEW all the rites of sacrifice even in the days of Christ. Their history was a testimony to them of ALL the blood that was shed on God’s altar of sacrifice. But now, a new promise, a promise of complete forgiveness of sin in this divine Lamb of God endowed with the Spirit from on high. His footsteps would at that moment begin His path to the cross of Calvary, the place of the skull, to fulfill ALL righteousness, and before He gave up the Ghost, He commended His Spirit to God the Father.

   The children of Israel, who gathered at the Jordan in the baptism of John, saw the ONE that Israel had been waiting for since the days of Moses. John called out to the whole nation, and to us, in our present time, Behold the Lamb of God. This was not a lamb among many lambs, this was the Unique Lamb, a Lamb of purity within and without. There would be no other before Him or after Him. Everything that He was and IS represents the Almighty God; the Lord Jesus Christ was God’s Lamb. It was there at the Jordan that we have the first statement from the Lord concerning His sacrifice for sin for He had come to fulfill and bring the righteousness of God to man. (Matthew 3:15) In His life, in His walk, in His words, in His Spirit, in His flesh, and in His blood, in His heart, in His soul, and in His mind, He would fulfill ALL the demands of God’s righteousness with the sacrifice of Himself. So that God would be the Sanctifier and Redeemer of things both on earth and things in heaven.

It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. (Hebrews 9:23)

For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: (Hebrews 9:24)

Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; (Hebrews 9:25)

For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. (Hebrews 9:26)

For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; (Colossians 1:19) And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. (Colossians 1:20)

   We should remember that the war of sin began in heaven when Lucifer rebelled against the most high God. As Adam brought sin into the world, Lucifer in his disobedience and rebellion brought sin into heaven.

Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. (Ezekiel 28:15) By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. (Ezekiel 28:16)

Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. (Ezekiel 28:18)

   God’s righteousness demanded that the heavens also should be cleansed and purified because of this sinful rebellious act by Lucifer and his angelic host of rogue angels. The blood of Christ should not only be shed for the sin of man but placed on the Mercy seat in heaven to cleanse and sanctify the heavenly. So, Christ entered in ONCE within the Holy of Holies in the heavens for us.

    We need to understand the fullness of time. We look at time as history, past, present, and future. God sees the entire expanse of time in His plan and purpose in the birth, in the life and in the death of His beloved Son. As time is a definite article to us on earth, God gave time to us to measure the history of man, and it will continue to measure the history of man until there is time no longer. As God is both the beginning and the end, and the end from the beginning, He also beholds the FULLNESS of time as it began in Genesis and will end in Revelation Chapter 22:21. If you consider the message of the Lord Jesus Christ in Revelation Chapter 22, you must conclude that He, who gave the beginning of time, will (through His divine power) end time. Just as Christ is the Author and Finisher of our faith, He is also the beginning and end of time, and within that span He Himself is the FULLNESS of time. He, as the Creator begins time, and as the Redeemer Judge ends time: how much more shall the blood of Christ! This not only shows the POWER of His blood, but the span of His blood through time. 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)

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How Much More Shall the Blood of Christ

How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:14) 

   The Lord Jesus was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world when Abel offered his more excellent sacrifice. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. (Hebrews 11:4) Abel’s sacrifice was much greater than Cain’s sacrifice of disobedience. God had instructed both men in the way of approach to the Almighty. They had to approach God in the blood of another; however, Cain, in unbelief and in disobedience, offered the works of his own hands, thus, bringing the displeasure of God upon Cain, and Cain and his offering was not accepted. However, Abel offered from the firstling of his flock. He offered the blood of the lamb upon the altar which was the stone of Abel. (Remember that nothing is impossible with God even to the point of keeping the stone of Abel (before the flood) as the same stone of Abel after the flood.) This excellent sacrifice of Abel allowed Abel to see into the future when God would provide Himself a sacrifice for sin.

    Consider this man Abel: he was the first man of faith upon the earth. He was the first man in complete obedience to God for he received the righteousness of God in his obedience. He was the first man to receive the righteousness of God. He was the first man to receive eternal life. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. (Hebrews 11:4) He being dead yet speaketh. He was the first man to come under the blood of the cross of Jesus Christ. He was the first man to receive the wisdom of God THROUGH Jesus Christ, and redemption, and sanctification. Abel was the first man to put his faith in the unseen and believe in God and to diligently seek Him. How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God. On the cross, before He gave up the Ghost, He placed His eternal Spirit into His Father’s hands; He commended His Spirit into the care of the FULLNESS of God. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. (Luke 23:46) Now remember this is the same eternal Spirit that He offered Himself, and this is the same Spirit of holiness that raised Him from among the dead.

And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: (Romans 1:4)

For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: (1^st Peter 3:18)

   This is the same eternal Spirit, the Spirit of holiness that placed that holy thing within Mary’s womb. The angel told Mary, the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee. 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) Here we go again . . . . let’s connect the dots. He offered Himself through the eternal Spirit, He was raised by the Spirit of holiness, which is the same eternal Spirit, He commended the Eternal Spirit unto His Father, and He was conceived by the Eternal Spirit when the power of the highest came upon Mary. And to fulfill this, we see the Lamb that was slain in Revelation Chapter 5, and the indelible word of God that fades not away sees the Lamb with seven (7) eyes which are the seven (7) Spirit of God, the FULLNESS of God’s Spirit. And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. (Revelation 5:6) So, the Lord Jesus was raised by the Spirit of holiness, He was conceived by the Spirit that He would be that holy thing, and all this was done by God so that we can say within our hearts, souls and spirit, How much more shall the blood of Christ!

   Again, let us remember that this Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world. Although Adam was not yet created, and although the Lord Jesus Himself laid the foundation of the world, God in His determinate counsels had already drawn up the blueprint for the redemption of man, and God knew that at the foundation of the world, His plan of redemption would begin, and this redemption would be centered on and accomplished by the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.

    In the Old Testament sacrifices, the lamb of sacrifice was placed on the brazen altar, and there his body and soul were completely consumed, but NOT his blood or his spirit. The sacrifice of His soul is confirmed in the book of Isaiah, Chapter 53: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, and, He shall see of the travail of his soul, and he hath poured out his soul unto death.

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)

   Notice that the sacrifice in the book of Leviticus is always said to be his and not it or it’s blood. This one little word his is a personal pronoun and an adjective denoting possession or an object of possession. Thus, the Holy Spirit through the Old Testament sacrifices refers to the sacrifice as his. The following selected references are just a FEW of the many references in the Old Testament that connects the sacrifice with HIS sacrifice in the New Testament.

But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, [to be] a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD. (Leviticus 1:9)

And he shall kill it on the side of the altar northward before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall sprinkle his blood round about upon the altar. (Leviticus 1:11) And he shall cut it into his pieces, with his head and his fat: and the priest shall lay them in order on the wood that [is] on the fire which [is] upon the altar: (Leviticus 1:12)

   The blood was placed on the horns of the altar and poured out around the bottom of the altar. This was done as the sin offering. Once a year was the day of atonement in which the sacrifice was offered for the sins of the whole nation of Israel, and only on THAT day was the blood of the sacrifice taken within the tabernacle and within the holy of holies to be placed on the mercy seat. When the Lord Jesus was on the cross, we are told that the body that God had prepared for Him was offered for sin. We are told that God offered His soul for a sacrifice, and we are told of the Lord Jesus that He Himself saw the travail of His own soul. However, there is no place recorded that His Spirit was offered for sin because He had commended His Spirit to His Father, and this was the Spirit of holiness that would not be contaminated by the sin of the world. The psalmist knew this great truth in Psalm 31:5, Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth. And we, as born-again believers, know this great truth for we have the Eternal Spirit of Christ within us, and He hides us in His own secret place. Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. (Psalm 31:20) The psalmist also knew where the fullness of joy was. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. (Psalm 16:11) And as Job, the sweet psalmist of Israel also knew the truth that He would awake after falling asleep in Jesus with the Lord’s likeness. As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness. (Psalm 17:15)

For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: (Job 19:25) And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: (Job 19:26) Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me. (Job 19:27)

But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. (Job 23:10)

   These men of old, under the guidance of the Spirit of God, had the wisdom of God, and the knowledge of God within them. This is what is lacking today. The world of religion has flooded the world with many variations and rationalizations on the word of God in order to justify their own deceitful and fabricated doctrines. This same world religion has neither knowledge, nor wisdom of the holy, nor do they desire the knowledge and wisdom of God.

And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding. (Job 28:28)

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverb 1:7)

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever. (Psalm 111:10)

But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: (1^st Corinthians 1:30)

   In these four verses we have the separate testimonies of four different men, Job, Solomon, David and Paul: that wisdom comes from God. The Spirit of God draws from these four different books in the Bible to show us that over the course of man’s history that the wisdom of God does not change, and that the wisdom of God is found in the Person of God Himself.

   When Moses spoke to the children of Israel, he exhorted them to follow the words of the Lord with all wisdom, knowledge and holiness. However, we see through Israel’s history their lack of understanding through their disobedience because they would not follow the commandments of the Lord, or the commandments of Moses, or Joshua to read the word of the Lord and meditate therein day and night. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. (Joshua 1:8)

   In Israel’s history they forsook the knowledge of God, and the gravitated toward familiar spirits and soothsayers and mediums and witches, and other gods. They would not heed the warning from Joshua.

And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. (Joshua 24:19)

If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good. (Joshua 24:20)

And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the LORD. (Joshua 24:21)

And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses. (Joshua 24:22)

Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the LORD God of Israel. (Joshua 24:23)

And the people said unto Joshua, The LORD our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey. (Joshua 24:24)

   Those of the nation of Israel had full understanding of commitment and obedience to their God, who is Jehovah. They said that they were witnesses against themselves. Think of this statement: the WHOLE nation was standing before the Lord (for Joshua had gathered all the people), and they had witnessed against themselves as a nation they would be obedient. Now turn in your Bible to the book of Judges, Chapter 2, verses 1 and 2.

And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you. (Revelation 2:1)

And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this? (Judges 2:2)

   Here we see that already Israel, as a nation, was breaking the covenant of the Lord from their side by not following the Lord with a whole heart and making leagues with the nations that were in their land. Their disobedience was so grave that the Lord sent His angel to rebuke them in their waywardness; we all know how the book of Judges ends that everyone did that which was right in their own eyes. In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes. (Judges 21:25) This is the last verse in the book of Judges. Do we see how far the nation of Israel had fallen? It was no more a collective nation, but every man had an opinion of what was right, however, because the heart is desperately wicked and deceitful beyond measure, they had forsaken the one true God for many gods. I want to give you a comparison verse which many have ignored through the last two thousand years, I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. (Revelation 2:16) Do you see that the Lord Jesus has sent His angel to warn and correct the things that men have done in His Church, in His last message to man, He gives us this message in verses 18 and 19, For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: (Revelation 22:18) And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. (Revelation 22:19) In principle, adding or subtracting from the word of God is rebuked by the Lord’s angel in Judges and by His angel in the book of the Revelation showing what disobedience does, and the result of disobedience. This also includes the seven letters to the churches from the Lord Jesus by His seven angels.

   Israel, at the death of Joshua, soon departed from the word of the Lord. This departure from God and His word was also repeated in Church history for even before the deaths of the apostles, they had written those ungodly men had crept in unawares.

   Satan, through the history of mankind, always presents a counterfeit and/or an imposter. The first counterfeit, after Adam and Eve had been driven out of the garden, was Cain. He refused to be obedient to God’s commandment and brought the works of his own hands as an offering unto the Lord, and the Lord would not accept his offering. Then in 1^st John, Chapter 3, we understand that Cain was of that wicked one, the devil. So, we see the devil’s first counterfeit was Cain, going against God’s set order where Abel, the man of faith, the child of God, the obedient servant, obeyed God and it was counted for righteousness. (Hebrews 11:4) Passing on from Cain, when we get to Genesis, Chapter 6, look what Satan’s counterfeit in one man had accomplished: now ALL of mankind did what was right in their own eyes, being disobedient to God. Except for one man, who found grace in the sight of the Lord, because he was a preacher of righteousness. This was Noah. You see what counterfeit’s do. They take the mind, the heart, the spirit, the soul, the flesh and the blood away from God to serve other gods. It is Satan who desires to be God, and he has duped mankind with the same lie, so that man desires to be God over all. Man united with Satan are both still working together today as counterfeits of goodness, and counterfeits of righteousness, and counterfeits of truth. The same counterfeit ploy that Satan used to destroy Israel, he has also used through Church history, and man (religious and nonreligious) still follows the lie of Satan, ye shall be as gods.

For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. (Genesis 3:5)

For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. (Jude 1:4)

   This is what Jude saw in his day: these ungodly men were energized by Satan. You should realize that Satan has many lies. We found this out in the gospel of John, Chapter 8, verse 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. These ungodly men brought the lies of Satan into the Church with the end goal to take away the testimony of God from the Church completely, to substitute another spirit, and another Christ, and another gospel. This was successfully accomplished by building a counterfeit church.

    Here again, we have to return back into history. There is the Constantine connection with this ungodliness. Constantine created the first Church building program, from Rome to Jerusalem and Bethlehem, Constantine decreed and financed scores of buildings labeled ‘holy places of worship.’ There are too many basilicas, churches, and cathedrals to waste time on describing when our primary concern about this emperor was his political need to establish a foot hold into the current religious power that he considered another form of opportunity to gain control over the people through their religiousness. This was the beginning of drawing men to a physical building so that man could SEE with pride and vanity their religiousness represented by a visible building and not the unseen God. The devil excited the flesh with these counterfeits, and gave these buildings as possessions of man, by man and for man while slowly removing the invisible God and the unseen Christ of God from the thoughts of the followers of Christianity. These buildings were an effort to kick out the Spirit of God for the fleshly desires of man, and of course, the old men of renown began to take control of every facet of the Church. Because of Constantine, we are engulfed today with the erroneous concept that a building is a church. The Church is NOT a building. The organization that is the counterfeit church decides what is best (for them) and not God. THEY (the hierarchy of priestdom) became the Nicolaitans and through their evil hearts suppressed the Spirit of Christ in His own Church. Well, how did they do this? Because Scripture tells us that the Nicolaitans first brought in hateful deeds, then they brought damnable doctrines and heresies: one lie after another. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. (Revelation 2:6) Hate is a strong word. However, the Lord is not slack in using this word against the Nicolaitans. And we have a second warning of these ungodly men in Revelation 2:15. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. What this shows us is that under the Nicolaitans, false doctrine was being spread throughout the Church, not only in location, but in time. It was growing as a contaminate, and the Nicolaitan cult had one goal in mind, under the power of Satan, they would take control of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. This became, and is today, the great battle between Satan and God. It is a great conflict over the things that belong to God: His Christ, His blood, His truth, His word, His holiness, and His righteousness. And I will tell everyone that God the Father is Jealous over His Son, and any detraction from the Living Word or the written word will bring from God a just recompense of reward. Take it to heart and fear the Lord when you handle His precious things and speak of His precious Son.

   The counterfeit church quickly spread through Revelation 2:9, 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) Now, we have those of the counterfeit claiming that they are Jews and are not. These evil early church infiltrators grabbed power by returning to the former Old Testament priesthood with all of its ceremonial dress, customs, and observances and abducted that which was for Israel alone. Thus, claiming the priesthood of the past (as Jews) as a foundation to build on. The Church was not to be built on the past, but it was to be built on Christ alone.

In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away. (Hebrews 8:13)

Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved. (Matthew 9:17)

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)

. . . . . and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. (Revelation 2:9) They say, they are Christians, and that they are saved, and they are not. They were liars, and they are still liars today. Always remember the lesson of 1st Kings 13:18, He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him. 1^st Kings 13:18).  This is the counterfeit church that we see all over the world today with one tongue in the Old and the other tongue in the New. God calls them the synagogue of Satan. There has been a lot of confusion about Revelation 2:9, it is simple, in their wickedness and blasphemy, the Lord Jesus would not own them as His people, or the Christian Church, He would not own their great cathedrals, but called them the synagogue of Satan. By using the words Jews and synagogue of Satan shows His complete displeasure with the Church. The Lord Jesus in this early church in Church history refused to call them His Church. 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)

   Here is where the counterfeit, the Church of Satan, became mean and nasty to those who refused to swallow Satan’s lies. They bound themselves to the truth and would not let go, even at the threat of being driven out into the wilderness, or cast into prison, or even life itself. Can the devil cast you into prison for holding the truth? He sure can. Just ask Peter, James, Paul and John, they knew firsthand what the devil was capable of. Remember that this is the same devil that disputed with the angel of God over the body of Moses when Michael, the archangel, told the devil, The Lord rebuke thee. After the threat of imprisonment, then there is the death threat, and then the threat becomes a reality.

   I’m sure every time that Abel offered his more excellent sacrifice to the Lord, that the child of the wicked one came, and at first, made fun, then told Abel not to offer a blood sacrifice, and finally, when nothing else worked, Cain took the lance in his hand and thrust it through the heart of Abel. Yet, Abel speaks still. What began in Abel is still alive through faith in us, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. The Lord gives us this assurance, by His own words, to His precious flock, that he that liveth and believeth in me shall never die, believeth thou this. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. (Revelation 2:11) Those who cling to the Lord and to the truth of His word, and live and obey the Spirit of grace, they are the overcomers through faith, and are not of the counterfeit church. These overcomers will not suffer the second death. They will be exempt from the great white throne judgment because of their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

    As we go on through Church history, we see more of the development of the counterfeit church. Satan began to use the word of God to overthrow the word of God by giving new meanings to words and changing the understanding of verses for his own guile to thrust confusion into the church by using a single verse (without comparing other scriptures) to create an erroneous doctrine. This is why God has told us to take line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little there a little. Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. (Isaiah 28:9) For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: (Isaiah 28:10) Compare Scripture with Scripture. Build the tapestry of your faith on God’s truth and not Satan’s lies.

   As the world was accepted without redemption into the counterfeit church, the counterfeit church grew in number. It was the devil’s man (Constantine) who saw the opportunity to make his kingdom a kingdom of God, however, it was Constantine himself who wanted to be that God. (Just because he said that he saw a cross, and in some writings, he said that his mother saw a cross, believe not what man says for many men have claimed to be of God, and are NOT!) Remember this, not all those who cry, Lord, Lord, know the Lord. Remember in Chapter 13 of 1^st Kings, when a false prophet caused a true prophet of God to disobey the word of God. He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him. (1^st Kings 13:18) It is nothing for men to lie, it is nothing for men to claim to be God’s voice and God’s messenger. Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. (1^st John 4:1) We could say that Constantine was the executor or founder of the world church. And as they increased in number, remember it was at the threat of judgment if the children of God wouldn’t endorse and celebrate with this new world church. If they refused the baptism of Constantine or Rome, they would receive the sword or many other means of death. This whole period of time and place Constantinople became Satan’s seat. 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. (Revelation 2:13) This exact same verse (2:13) number shows up again in the book of the Revelation, however, this time it is reversed. 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) I want you to see the great truth here: in the counterfeit church, the spiritual became political where men held other men in esteem under the authorship and influence of the devil. As the devil entered into Judas, he also entered into the church, established his seat, and began to destroy every element of truth within the Church, even to our current day and age, he has cast out the true word of God. In Revelation Chapter 13, we see the political becoming the religious, however, religion is based on one man, the Beast, and as Constantine, when anyone refuses to take his mark then they will be put to death. When Satan brought his seat, his throne into the church of the world, he not only established his throne, but established a whole city, and a world religion under his diabolical deception for he still holds the iniquity within his own being that he will be God. So in Revelation Chapter 13, the true Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, every believer in Christ has been caught up to God through the translation of the Church, and now Satan shows us in Chapter 13, that he now has complete political control in the Beast, and complete spiritual control in the false prophet, and the call to the men of the world is to worship the Beast upon Satan’s throne: to fulfill the trinity of evil in his own number 6 – 6 – 6. It is the dragon (which is Satan) who gives the Beast power. It is Satan who gives his throne and his seat to the Beast. And it is Satan who gives great authority to the Beast. The Beast has the power to decide who lives and who dies. And we are all so close to this coming day. And as every prophecy of God has been fulfilled to this point, these prophetic words that God has given will be fulfilled. This will come to pass. Constantine baptized with the sword, and the Lord looks at that time period in history in that historical Church age with His sword of judgment not only His word against them, but the sword of His Spirit.

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)

And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; (Revelation 2:12)

   As we see the progression of evil coming into the Church, we must also see the beginning of this evil. I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. (3^rd John 1:9) From the very beginning, Satan raised up men as Diotrephes, who had to have the preeminence over the Church of the Living God which is IN Jesus Christ. As time progressed, ungodly men crept in, the ministers of Satan, and the Church began to turn its back on the Lord Jesus Christ. In the very first Church, the Lord Jesus stated that He would remove their candlestick or the lampstand out of His place except thou repent. We also see that the Church did not repent, and the lampstand was removed, and the churches that followed had no lampstand. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. (Revelation 2:5) The churches that followed embraced the darkness and doctrines of Satan and refused the Light and Life of the Lord Jesus Christ. When we examine the church of Pergamos we see that they no longer HATED the works of the Nicolaitans and their false doctrines like Ephesus. Only the Lord declared of Himself that He hates both the doctrine and the Nicolaitans. Compare these two Scriptures, Revelation 2:15 with Revelation 2:6, But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. (Revelation 2:6) The Ephesian church HATED the deeds of the actions and deeds of the followers of Nicolas, the imposters of priesthood. Compare this with the church at Pergamos, the works of the pretend priesthood become doctrine, and accepted by the church. These works, deeds and doctrines were NOT HATED by this church. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. (Revelation 2:15)

   What the church at Ephesus hated, the church at Pergamos now embraced. One other point I think that we should make concerning Ephesus and their candlestick: the word his in Revelation 2:5 denotes a person, Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. and this is very important because in Exodus we read, And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same. (Exodus 25:31)

   The candlestick was beaten out of one piece of pure gold and notice that the word his is used five (5) times denoting the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ with the number of grace. It also had six branches on both sides from the main stem which also at its top had the knop of an almond like the rest, and here oil was poured in, and a wick was placed in to give light over all of God’s vessels in the tabernacle. The candlestick was considered the Light of God and represented God’s Light to man. Therefore, it was HIS shaft, HIS branches, HIS bowls, HIS knops, and HIS flowers. This all shows the fullness of the Godhead bodily in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is both the Light and the Life of the world. So, we see the direct connection with the candlestick that was placed in Ephesus by the Lord Himself, and by rejecting the Lord’s light, the candlestick was removed because Ephesus did not repent. Thus, the darkness grew deeper and wider as we trudge through Church history. Once the light had gone, then the murderer Cain returns, they of Pergamos refused the truth, and had the spirit of Satan rather than the Spirit of God. They (the church) attacked Antipas, and Antipas was murdered for his love of the truth. Antipas represented many Christians who fell under the wicked hands of the counterfeit church. These Christians who were viciously slaughtered by the church were the faithful overcomers. The darkness progressed even further.

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How Much More Shall the Blood of Christ

How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:14)

  As Constantine built great cathedrals and basilicas, the hierarchy of Satan’s priests and false prophets also grew; the lust and love of money and power also took root. Man was now under the control of Satan, under the control of the world, under the control of the false priesthood and false prophets, under the control of the lust of the flesh; the Spirit of God had been usurped, and now instead of the Holy Spirit of God directing preaching and teaching, men of renown of the flesh became the voice of the counterfeit church. (He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him. 1^st Kings 13:18) As this evil progressed, these so-called church buildings and cathedrals became the only accepted and authorized places that people were allowed to gather as seekers and worshipers of God. Those who refused to gather in these huge mausoleums of spiritual deadness (where the dead worshiped the dead) instead gathered in private homes, fields, and barns. The heavenly people slowly became a worldly people under the tutelage of imposter priests rewarded by the counterfeit cult church. As I previously mentioned, Constantine built temples and basilicas in Jerusalem, Bethlehem and in Constantinople, and when Rome was once more united, they began to build the religious metropolis known today as truly Satan’s seat. Rome became the center of all vile, and unclean beasts to promote and spread the counterfeit church of Satan with their own spirit of death that they spread throughout the whole world. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. In Revelation 2:14, we see the false doctrine of Balaam casting a stumbling block before the Church as he did with Israel. This brought on the lust of the flesh in fornication and lasciviousness within the Church. And as the children of Israel suffered for the things sacrificed unto idols and the lust of their flesh, so also the church, the counterfeit church of Satan, has suffered from the same wickedness of Satan.  Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. Notice in verse 16, that the Lord once again, calls them to repent, however, this time, He will fight against them with the sword of His mouth. The doctrine of Balaam excited the Nicolaitans, for now they could edify the flesh, and their false doctrines could have more power in the flesh because of the absence of the Spirit of God. The doctrine of transubstantiation is one of the most blasphemous doctrines in the world church today. And our verse is very important, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through his eternal Spirit offered himself to God without spot. The blood of Christ is on the Mercy seat in heaven. He entered in ONCE and for ALL. We take the bread and the cup as the remembrance of His sacrifice for our sin on the cross of Calvary. Both the bread and the wine are only symbols of the divine. They do not actually become the Body and the blood of Christ. This is dealt with by the Scriptures in Hebrews 10:29 and 30. 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? (Hebrews 10:29) For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. (Hebrews 10:30)

   Here we have those who trampled underfoot the Lord Jesus and mock His blood and do despite to the Spirit of grace. For this doctrine of transubstantiation has become a counterfeit gate to heaven and it gives a false sense of acceptance with the Lord. These doctrines of the Nicolaitans and the Balaamites and the central counterfeit church have all been denied by God as things that He HATES, and in Revelation 2:16 we see the vengeance of the sword of His mouth. He will fight against them with the sword of His mouth, which is both the Living and written Word of God. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. The overcomers are getting few and fewer as the wickedness progresses so that the Lord tells us that He knows their names, He reminds us that the overcomers are the sheep of His pasture, and their reward will be a new name that CANNOT be changed because the Lord Himself will write their new name in stone with the same finger that He wrote on the two tables of stone in the divine law.

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth [it]. (Revelation 2:17)

Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, [which is] new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and [I will write upon him] my new name. (Revelation 3:12)

   Those who overcome still keep that very first commandment and to love the Lord God, the Lord Jesus Christ with all their heart, with all their soul, and with all their might. We also see an increase of the Lord’s judgment upon the wickedness of the church. When we get to the church in Thyatira, we see the judgement increasing. It is the Son of God who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are as fine brass. And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass; (Revelation 2:18) All is fire and judgment because Jezebel is now brought into the narrative, this is to remind us of the Jezebel of the Old Testament and how wicked she was. Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. (Revelation 2:20) She was both a Zidonian princess and a priestess of Baal.  In her day, she seduced God’s servants, and those with no heart for the Almighty God, worshiped Baal. At that time period in the history of Israel, they had many gods and many idols, and as we read of the counterfeit church it also spiritually paralleled with Israel’s history, and as Israel had been overtaken by numerous pagan cults, so also many of the old-world cults mingled into the counterfeit church of Satan. The ancient goddess of Babylon, Semiramis, and the male god Tammuz were raised again, in many forms. In the history of the first church at Ephesus, lascivious statues of Diana were brought into the church at Ephesus, and along the way in church history Ashtoreth appeared. (When pagan priests surreptitiously infiltrated into the church, they not only brought priestdom with them they also brought in their idol statues, can’t let a good statue go to waste!) Consequently, there had to be a name change. Thus, these stone idols evolved into saint worship and Mariology, the worship of Mary. (Many years ago, as I was traveling through a town in the northeast, many homes had statues of Mary in their front yard. When I pointed this out to a resident who was in the car with me, I realized that they had become blind to this fact of gross idolatry. When I commented on all the idols, the reply was, Where ? . . . what idols? Oh, those aren’t idols, they’re just statues. They refused to believe that this was idolatry because Satan had blinded them to this very fact. When you give the world enough of something that is false, a lie becomes the truth. I was amazed, it was evening, and some of the idols were lighted to make sure that they were seen.) This is the doctrine of Jezebel that came into the church. And the Lord was angry as we see in Revelation 2:21 – 23.

And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. (Revelation 2:21) Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. (Revelation 2:22) And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. (Revelation 2:23)

   This is the first time and only time that He threatens with the penalty of death. He threatens the children of Jezebel with death itself because of the wickedness of this doctrine of idolatry. Jezebel seduced God’s servants, and they ate of the sacrifices that was sacrificed unto idols, and even in this, Satan came in and energized his counterfeit church through lies and blasphemous doctrines, and it grew by leaps and bounds. (He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him. 1^st Kings 13:18). (Within chapters labeled as Chapter 13 we have a hidden message from the Spirit of God.) However, it was only full of tares and goats waiting for the everlasting flames in the second death. The overcomer was now completely outside of the church that Satan had built, and the overcomer found his only refuge in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

   In Revelation 2:22 we have the first mention of tribulation. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. This is a judgment from the Lord Himself. He stated that HE WILL kill the children of Jezebel with death for He has the power of death, as He has the power of life. If we remember in the history of Israel in the Old Testament that He judged His chosen nation with death many times either by the hands of wicked men, or by plagues and famines. Whether it is Israel, or the Church, downhill doctrines and apostasy will move the Lord to judgment. However, even in the conflicts and death, and we can also consider what is referred to as The Holy War Crusades. The counterfeit church became shrouded in darkness and occultly deeper.

   When the Lord Jesus walked on the earth, He stated that at His coming again would He find faith on earth? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:8) He even pointed out that because of the evil heart of man the days would have to be shortened.

And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. (Matthew 24:22)

And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect’s sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. (Mark 13:20)

   Man’s history would have to be curtailed because of the evil doctrines of the world counterfeit church, and the trials of the overcomer increase. The world was now in charge of the church, and the imposter church desired and still desires to rule over the world. The acts of the infamous Borgia family (Pope Callixtus III, Pope Alexander VI, Giovanni Borgia, Cesare Borgia, Lucrezia Borgia, and Francis Borgia) cannot be hidden under the robes of ermine and scarlet. They, however, set the standard of political intrigue within the inner wicked sanctum swathed with fraudulent righteousness. No matter who followed, or who controlled the strings, this counterfeit church could never, would never, and will never return to any semblance of its infant and early church beginnings. Corruption and the quest to acquire power through massive wealth, controlled kings, governments, and nations in both northern and southern hemispheres for a long period of time, and even today, this same counterfeit church still wields a tremendous cultic influence and control over the minds and hearts of people and nations.

   During the period of Thyatira, the overcomer found that their work for the Lord was completely separated from the counterfeit church, and this enraged the counterfeit church to institute their Jesuit army to search and hunt for any who opposed the imposter church. The first goal of this army was to execute and physically annihilate all dissenters and overcomers. There was no form of hideous execution that they did not invent. This is fact: in this point, history has been true because so-called Christians executed whole communities of individuals (whether Christian or not) through all manners of atrocities. These atrocities also played into Satan’s other attack plan by labeling Christianity as murderers. The overcomer had to become as a shadow in Light in the world. And to the overcomer, the Lord said, that the overcomer will rule with a rod of iron and will receive the morning star.

We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: (2^nd Peter 1:19)

I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. (Revelation 22:16)

And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: (Revelation 2:26) And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. (Revelation 2:27) And I will give him the morning star. (Revelation 2:28)

   Now we come to the church at Sardis, and darkness is over the face of the deep. They have a name that they live, but the Lord Jesus tells them that they are dead. And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. (Revelation 3:1) We should consider this, this is not MY testimony of the church, these are the words of the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember that He is the One with the power of life and death. And we saw this in Revelation Chapter 1:18, 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. We now have a division of great importance because the counterfeit church is declared to be dead with NO life. However, the Lord still has a FEW names that have NOT defiled their garments. And He knows them by name, but He proclaims that He only has FEW names. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. (Revelation 3:4) This massive counterfeit church that has grown by leaps and bounds is DEAD. However, the Lord Jesus has reserved to Himself a remnant of the faithful that will not surrender their faith to the wickedness of the world. They will keep their garments unspotted from the world, and their reward will be that they will walk with Him in those garments of righteousness. When you play with familiar spirits of the devil, you shut out life in Jesus Christ. When the world church tries to mix spiritual demons with the things of God there is only death. And what does death mean? Death means that there is nothing left, there is no life, there is nothing in them that God can approve, all is gone in the deep darkness of demonism. In Sardis we have a few names, however, these names are the sheep of His pasture, and they know His voice, and He leads them in and out in the green fields of His work. And so much more do these names embrace the love of God, for they know His name and He knows them each by name. Although they are few, He is still able to do a mighty work in the day of small things. The key to their work is this: Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts, and in the day that their work is finished, they will walk with Him. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. (Revelation 3:4) We see two great truths in the overcomer: while they walk on earth the Lord Jesus will own them by name, and when their work is done because of their faithfulness; He will confess their names before His Father. We have watched the progression of darkness come into the infant church in its first estate of grace and glory and slowly through the centuries it has evolved into an unrecognizable self-seeking and perverse organization. Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing? (Haggai 2:3) The days of small things are not to be despised because nothing is impossible with God. Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This [is] the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. (Zechariah 4:6) For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth. (Zechariah 4:10)

   The imposter and pretender church do not want to hear the truth, neither do they desire to believe, nor see the truth. Everything has become a counterfeit dedicated to the wickedness of man, and the demonic realm of Satan. In the course of the past two thousand plus years, the counterfeit church has attacked the birth of Christ, the walk of Christ, the sacrifice of Christ, the blood of Christ, the resurrection of Christ, the ascension of Christ, and Christ at the right hand of God. And they have attacked the word of God from the beginning to the end. There are Bibles today, let me rephrase that, there are books today that are labeled as Bibles, when in fact, they are the thoughts of evil men who love the lucre of this world. These self-ascribed biblical scholars prepared their hearts to deceive the people with another counterfeit without any regard for their own souls.

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How Much More Shall the Blood of Christ

How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:14)

   And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; (Revelation 3:7)

   I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. (Revelation 3:8)

   Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. (Revelation 3:9)

   Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. (Revelation 3:10)

   Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. (Revelation 3:11)

   Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. (Revelation 3:12)

   He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. (Revelation 3:13) 

   So, now we see how the Lord moves in the church in Philadelphia, He opens the word of God to them. I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. (Revelation 3:8) He brings in His word, and no one can shut that door for it is the 6^th church, and it is the profound message to the church. The 6^th church speaks of the last message to mankind. The sixth hour has come. The battle of the bulge has come. Satan has pulled out all the stops, in religion and politics. Satan desperately wants to rule the whole world in all facets of thought, and knowledge, filling minds with fantasies and evil spirits. The majority of mainstream Hollywood movies have a message of the occult. It is their way of denying God. The monopoly party (the uniparty) of the United States denies God. Well, there are exceptions . . .when they can get more votes, they will mention a god. But believe me, they have no connection or faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We are looking down a long dark tunnel of both political and religious systems. The world is in social slavery with both political and religious wickedness. They control the body, mind, soul and spirit of mankind. They demand in their undertow of darkness complete obedience to their systems, But Philadelphia gives us a flicker of light that at the end of the Church Age God is STILL supplying His own with the truth. The church at Philadelphia has become as the age of Malachi, the last message of God to Israel. Let us read a few verses from the last book in the Old Testament. Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. (Malachi 3:16) We are at this point because history repeats, why does history repeat? Because man is a sinner, and he is subject to sin, and sin drives man to repeat the same wickedness in fact, he repeats his own evil.

A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?(Malachi 1:6)

Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand. (Malachi 1:10)

Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD. (Malachi 1:13)

If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart. (Malachi 2:2)

Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god. (Malachi 2:11)

And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand. (Malachi 2:13)

Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment? (Malachi 2:17)

Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return? (Malachi 3:7)

   Just as in the days of Malachi mankind, as a whole, has forsaken God. There is no nation that has the blessing of God today. Israel is still God’s nation, however, she is still under the judgment of God because of unbelief. He has given His Son and yet they will not come to Him. What more can He do to save His people Israel? When they reach bottom, the bottom of Jacob’s trouble, the Lord Jesus will come again and receive them, and the blessing of the Lord will be upon them once more. But for now, there is neither nation, nor people on earth that are blessed by God except those of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. They have the blessing of eternal life in their Lord. Why is the world this way, and getting worse? Because history repeats because all men repeat their evil.

    In 1945 the world had just emerged from a great conflict, and finally the devil’s man was dead. The reign of Hitler was over and had come to an end. However, behind all of this, the reign of Satan continues on. The prince of this world still has power over peoples and nations. And now, in this day, history repeats once more, evil men and women have come to power, and they are determined to put mankind into slavery of Satan. And the last refuge that mankind has today is the love of the Lord Jesus Christ and man’s love for Christ. We not only call on His name, but we continually search the word of God and build our strength in both the Spirit of Christ, and in the word of His breath. Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. (Malachi 3:16)

   The church at Philadelphia has an open book which is the word of God. This word of God lives forever and will not fade away; it has the complete truth of the word of God within its pages. This book has been opened to the church at Philadelphia and is the living word of God. Once again, as Malachi, we are at the end of an age. They who feared the Lord also reverenced His word, and called on His name, and they will be like the stars in the darkness of space. Notice who comes to Philadelphia, it is He who is holy and true, and has the keys of David. It is Christ who is the Master of His kingdom, and all His sheep will be translated into His kingdom by God the Father. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son. (Colossians 1:13) I want to give you a new thought on John 3:16, man looks at this verse as the love of God toward him. But mankind never values that because of that love, the world and man have a responsibility to God. There was a great price in that love. The world and mankind have not shown respect to that love, and this is why we are in this evil condition today, because man has denied that love. And what do you think God thinks about that? Without faith and belief in the Lord Jesus Christ you will not be a subject of that love. The masses are as the masses in the day of Malachi. They have robbed God, leaving only the rough mountains for the true saints of God, and as we climb the steep faces and traverse the deep crevices Christ is with us, and He has His holy word to comfort us. Remember that it was at His word that the wind and the sea obeyed Him. It was at His voice that the demons fled into the swine and ran into the sea. It was at His voice that the maiden and the son of the widow, and Lazarus came forth. This is the same voice that we hear to the churches in the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. And it is the same voice we hear in Revelation 3:7, these things saith He that is holy; it is the voice of God. Although we live in a day of small things, we live by the power of the word of God.

Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: (Amos 8:11) And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it. (Amos 8:12)

   Amos relates to us (in our age) in the very word of the Lord Jesus Christ that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Just as God breathed life into Adam’s dust, so He breathes His word into us so that we might have life in Him. We know the One who is the manna of life, the Lord Jesus Christ for He claimed this title for Himself. We have that great miracle of feeding five thousand with His Spirit from a few loafs and small fishes. Even in a famine, God will provide for His own especially a famine in the word of God for great is thy faithfulness unto me. It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. (Lamentations 3:22) They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:23) This is a cry from our heart, soul, and spirit for when God fills us with the word of God we are truly filled.

As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: (1^st Peter 2:2) If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. (1^st Peter 2:3)

For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. (Hebrews 5:13) But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Hebrews 5:14)

   One sees progression in the word of God from 1^st Peter 2 to Hebrews 5, in verse 14 of Hebrews Chapter 5 shows the believer that when they are truly exercised by the word of God, they will be able (through the wisdom of God) to discern, to judge and to separate themselves from evil. You should understand that evil has deaf ears so that they cannot hear, they have blind eyes so they cannot see. And this is why we have this wonderful verse in Hebrews 9:14, How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Over all the evil of the world, the blood of Christ is stronger, mightier, and has power over the supernatural; for His blood, His redeeming power has redeemed things in the earth, and in heaven. And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. (Colossians 1:20)

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How Much More Shall the Blood of Christ

How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:14)

   Different experiences that the Lord gives us is to try us and to prove our mettle; you will learn a lot about yourself if you examine your actions and your motives by the word of God. I was a guest speaker ONCE in a church in Lakeland, Florida, and just before I was to speak, I was told not to preach on the blood of Christ. However, God had other plans, and the message came from the Spirit of Christ, I began in Luke 22:20, Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup [is] the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. And from there the Spirit of God let it rip. Even Zipporah would have called me a bloody man, Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast [it] at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband [art] thou to me. (Exodus 4:25) And in closing, after I had finished sprinkling the blood, I quoted Hebrews 9:14, How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? To all who were still present, I said, if you don’t agree with the word of God then rip it out of your Bible for you have no faith. When God sets a foundation stone, no person, no one, even angels can move it for the just will be hidden within that blood and by the power of that stone, however, the wicked will be judged upon that same stone.

To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, (1^st Peter 2:4)

Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. (1^st Peter 2:5)

Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. (1^st Peter 2:6)

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)

   God shows us the foundation stone that cannot be moved, cannot be overturned, and this foundation stone in Jesus Christ is the foundation of His own blood that can cleanse us from all our sin. God has cleansed us in His death, and raised us in His grace and love, when I see the blood, I will pass over which is connected to whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? (John 11:26) What knowledge to hold on to and this knowledge is backed up by faith in the One who laid the foundation of the earth. And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands. (Hebrews 1:10) So, Christ is the true foundation, He is the foundation of God’s grace, He is the foundation of God’s sacrifice. Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them. (Genesis 3:21) . . . . . the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (Revelation 13:8b) Christ is the foundation 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 12:21)

And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: (Genesis 4:4)

By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. (Hebrews 11:4)

   Christ is the foundation of redemption. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself. 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)

Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; (Ephesians 2:19) And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; (Ephesians 2:20) In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: (Ephesians 2:21) In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:22)

   Christ is the foundation of God’s love. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. (John 4:8) We love him, because he first loved us. (1^st John 4:19) For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. (Colossians 2:9) We see in Christ the fullness of God’s love in the Son of His love, and we see that love before the foundation of the earth that Christ IS the foundation of that love.

I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. (John 17:23) Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. (John 17:24)

   What we have here in John Chapter 17 is God’s eternal love, and the foundation of that love in the Lord Jesus Christ. No one of Adam could have ever uttered those words, for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. In the circumference in this great foundation of love let us consider God’s love from Matthew 3:17. And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. (Ephesians 5:2)

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. (Galatians 2:20)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

   This shows us the great aspects of His love and how far reaching this love is. That this love has gone out to the world, and the world needs to respond to this great love for in this great love, Christ is the foundation of God’s righteousness. 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) The Lord Jesus in His own body on the tree fulfilled ALL righteousness. And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. (Philippians 3:9) The Lord Jesus is the foundation of ALL life; He is especially the foundation of man’s life for man was created in the image of God and God breathed into man to make man a living soul. He is the power of life. Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. (Hebrews 7:16)

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:26) So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. (Genesis 1:27) And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (Genesis 1:27)

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 Spirit of life has always been in the Son of God, it is part of the eternal, and according to Romans 8:2, to those of the redeemed, He has once again, breathed that life into them and restored their soul. Our life is His life, His life is our life, we have been created from the dust of sin to be glorified with Him in His Father’s presence. He is the foundation of ALL that is in the will and purpose of God. The apostle Peter through the Spirit of God, sums this up for us in 1^st Peter 2:4, To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious. As the rock that followed the children of Israel in the desert wilderness, He gave them rivers of water, so Christ who is our Rock, our stone of redemption, gives us the water of life in His word. He is the most precious stone, as we see, in the foundation of the heavenly Jerusalem. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; (Revelation 21:19) The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. (Revelation 21:20) In this description of the foundation of the city of our God, we see the shimmer and the glory of Christ, all that makes Him the foundation of our faith is revealed in the mere reflection of His glory, for the Lamb is the Light thereof. The most precious stone gives Light and glory to the stones of the city, and it is His glory that reflects Light and Life into us in this day of our faith. And even these glorious stones and their bright shimmering light is only a reflection of the true foundation which is Christ Himself. And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone. (Ephesians 2:20) When we come to the point in our faith that Christ is ALL in ALL, we feel His presence in everything that we do. It is not for us, but for Him that we serve Him because He is ALL in ALL.

Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. (Colossians 3:11)

And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, (Ephesians 1:22) Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. (Ephesians 1:23)

But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: (1^st Corinthians 1:30) That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. (1^st Corinthians 1:31)

   We see the total work of Him who filleth all in all, the total worth of His glories within us, the total of His glories in heaven, we see the glories in everything that He has done, and we see the glories that IN Him makes up the total foundation whereby we can say, How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:14)

   Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. (2^nd Timothy 2:19) Since we are on the subject of the true foundation of God, we must see by faith, Christ who is the foundation of all in all. You are going to see that it is Christ, NOT the Church, who is the foundation of faith. The Church is His representatives of faith to the earth, but it is Christ Himself who is the true foundation and NOT the Church. I know that the churchaholics will definitely get the shakes over these statements, and so they should, for a body without a Head is useless, a building without a foundation cannot stand, a group without the mind of Christ cannot understand the will of God, nor God’s word.

   The first mention of blood in the Bible is in Genesis 4:10, notice it is NOT the firstling of the flock and its blood, the first mention of blood is the blood of Abel, who was the first in a line of faith, and of the seed of the fullness of time. In that day that Abel was murdered by his brother; his blood cried out from the ground, and even in our day, his blood still speaks.

And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground. (Genesis 4:10)

By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. (Hebrews 11:4)

   So, in our day when the Son of God has been revealed to us, how much more shall the blood of Christ speak from heaven.

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)

   Through faith Abel believed that he was justified in the sacrifices that he presented to God because those sacrifices were figures of the true that was to come through God’s promises that He would fulfill the redemption of mankind in the blood of Christ on the Mercy seat in heaven. Do you see the connection in these verses? In the time of Abel, his faith was in the God of redemption. Abel walked by faith, and he received the righteousness of God, and Abel pleased God. 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) Abel was God’s testimony on earth by his walk and obedience and following the works (the works of sacrifice) that God gave him to do. Abel was hated by Cain, his brother, who was of that wicked one, Satan. 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) Now behind the scenes of history, in the foreknowledge of God, Abel acquired the righteousness of God. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. (Hebrews 11:4) In 1^st John 3:12, we see that the works (the sacrifices) of Abel are called righteous, his obedience to God (in the sacrifice of lambs) was accepted by God as righteous works as a foreshadow of the fulfillment of all righteous by Jesus Christ our Lord. In Hebrews 12, we have the sprinkling of blood which Moses performed when God had finished giving Moses all the instructions from above. Moses sprinkled the people with blood. The whole nation was brought in by this sprinkling of blood. Moses sprinkled all the things of the Tabernacle. He sprinkled the books of The Law, and the two stones with the commandments of God. This was to sanctify the whole nation for God. They were to follow God in true holiness, for the sprinkling of the blood sanctified them in the holiness of God, and all the articles of the Tabernacle and the books of The Law was holiness unto the Lord. This also takes us back to Abel and to his offering. Abel  must have also sprinkled the blood to sanctify himself before God, he must have sprinkled the body of the firstling of the flock, and the stone of Abel, and the wood on the altar, for Abel was obedient unto God in his EXCELLENT sacrifice and in his WORKS, righteousness is applied to both Abel and the WORKS that he performed before the Almighty God.

    As Cain’s works were evil, for Cain had trespassed many times, however, Abel’s WORKS were righteous showing a consistent walk or path of obedience through faith. We should pay close attention to Abel’s faith. Remember that Abel was the first one recorded in God’s book that had faith in Jesus Christ. Abel was the first to shed his own blood because of his faith. Although Cain slew Abel, Abel would not stop his path and his obedience to God and therefore, through Cain’s hatred for his brother, he shed Abel’s blood and even today this blood yet speaketh. Hebrews 11:4, tells us that Abel received the righteousness of God therefore, he received the righteousness which is in Christ Jesus as he also received eternal life in the Son of God. As the Spirit of life was in the prophets of Old in Christ Jesus, as Peter confirms in 1^st Peter 1:10 and 11, Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. So why would not the Spirit of Christ be in Abel? The first man to possess faith also possessed the Spirit of Christ within him. So that Abel moved and spoke through the Spirit of Christ. And consider this: the very testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, to the blood of Abel, and the blood of the prophets, that had been shed through the history of mankind. That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. (Matthew 23:35) Please do not read over this verse. Christ Himself denotes that the blood of Abel and the blood of the prophets was righteous blood. This shows us that these men of the ancients acquired the righteousness of God prior to their death. Abraham is also included in this because of Abraham’s faith he also received the righteousness of God. Now where did this righteousness come from? It came from above. It came from Christ Himself.

   All of these servants of God lived through the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. And as He has made us FREE from The Law of Sin and Death, so they also walked in this same Spirit and were also FREE from The Law of Sin and Death, and they walked by the Spirit of Christ that was in them. 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) So we conclude, Abel and the prophets and all the saints of old were under that same blood of Christ that we are under, and this adds to this phrase, How much more shall the blood of Christ. The saints of old had the Spirit of Christ within them, and they walked by faith. 

By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. (Hebrews 11:5)

And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: (Genesis 5:21)

And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: (Genesis 5:22)

And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: (Genesis 5:23)

And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him. (Genesis 5:24)

   Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him. He was not found. He had simply disappeared into eternity. God translated him out of this world into His presence. Jude tells us that Enoch was a prophet of God, and in Enoch’s prophecy we see the end from the beginning, a phrase you should think about. For time is for man, time records man’s history, time records his past, present and future, however, God is as a cloud floating over the complete history and time of mankind, God sees yesterday as today, and He sees today as yesterday, He sees the future as today, and all time is open there unto His eyes. He has put this same thought into His word, for His word is the same yesterday, today and forever because it speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Possessor of the past, the present and the future. Enoch prophesied of the Lord coming with ten thousand of His saints.

And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, (Jude 1:14)

To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. (Jude 1:15)

These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage. (Jude 1:16)

    Here we have a prophecy given by Enoch (the seventh from Adam) before the flood, speaking of the end to come. Enoch was in the beginning of God’s plan of redemption. Enoch SAW the Lord coming in final judgment upon this world. We also see in the book of Jude that past transgressors will not escape God’s wrath and judgment. In verse 15 of Jude the word ungodly is mentioned four times. This is the only verse in the word of God that has this word ungodly mentioned four (4) times. How devastating was this prophecy by Enoch to the ungodly BEFORE the flood. We see the profound activity and prophecy of the word of God showing us the same truth that we find in Romans Chapter 1, that when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, but they turned to other gods; this was BEFORE the flood. Yet Enoch, as John on the Isle of Patmos, had a door opened in heaven and he told the world the grand finale will be the coming of the Lord with ten thousand of His saints. Then Enoch told them why, to execute judgment on all the ungodly. This is the value of the blood of Christ for He has redeemed us unto God from all our iniquity. Faith and faith in His blood has made us free from The Law of Sin and Death. How much MORE than we can ever tell, from Genesis to Revelation, from the beginning to the end, the value of Christ’s blood is given to us, but now today at the end of the world, God reminds us (the redeemed) of the value of the blood of the Son of His love. How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:14) We cannot turn to the left, nor the right, we will walk the straight line of faith with full confidence in our Savior, and in His blood. As He tells us this is the New Testament IN His blood.

And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. (Luke 22:19) Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. (Luke 22:20)

   It is the blood of Christ that redeemed Abel, and all the prophets, and all the saints of old, it is the blood of Christ that redeemed the apostles, and we have the testimony of some: Peter, James, and John, the apostle Paul and those who came after them, the saints of the New Testament and those today and in the future are all under the blood of Christ. This is not a message of man, it is a message from above, from God Himself, that we should value the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ as part of the ultimate gift of the love of God in the Son of His love. As we close one more time, let’s value the blood of Christ.

How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:14)

Amen and Amen. Selah

© 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. (KJB)