The City of MY God – Part 2 –

The City of MY God
Part 2

For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. (Hebrews 11:10)
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And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. (Revelation 21:1)
And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (Revelation 21:2)
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My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. (Song of Songs 2:10)
For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; (Song of Songs 2:11)
The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; (Song of Songs 2:12)
The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. (Song of Songs 2:13)

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INTRODUCTION
Abram’s Journey Through
By-Path Meadows, Vanity Fair, the Slough of Despond
and the Giant’s Castle

   As Abraham, we, the children of God today, MUST make the City of God a personal experience through the eyes of FAITH. We MUST see the beauty that is to come and that the everlasting God has prepared for us with the divine decree that God has called us holy brethren. In Chapter 17 of the book of Genesis, we have God’s introduction of Himself as I AM the Almighty God with a theme in Scripture that will take us all the way home to the city of our God. And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. (Revelation 21:22)
   In Revelation 21 we see the SAME ALMIGHTY God as in Genesis 17. He has taken us through time safely to our home. He is BOTH the Lamb and the Temple of our God. By FAITH in the Almighty and the Lamb, ONE and the SAME, we are safe at home. (Thank you Lord Jesus.) Now, let us see the many colors that we will paint this portrait with through both the Living Word and the written word of God.

● In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1) The same was in the beginning with God. (John 1:2)   All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:3) In him was life; and the life was the light of men. (John 1:4)
● LAMED. For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. (Psalm 119:89)

● Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. (Psalm 119:11)

   Have you considered Psalm 119 (LAMED) that verse 89 is directly connected to verse 11, and this connects the heart with heaven and with the Living Word of God? In Galatians 4:6, God the Father sent the Spirit of Christ, the LIVING WORD of God into our hearts to reveal through FAITH ALL the grace and truth within the WORD OF GOD. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
   It is Christ, through His Spirit, who leads us in our pathway to home to the city of our God. Bunyan in his wonderful book Pilgrim’s Progress began with a man called Pilgrim, his soul, heart and spirit were in turmoil. He could not find rest for his heart in his present dwelling place. We could say as the world says, He was not a happy camper. Then, the Spirit of God woke him from the darkness of sin to a life and a journey to the city of God. Pilgrims’ journey reflected the journey of Abraham. There were meadows of distraction (By- Path Meadow), and Vanity Fair, and the Slough of Despond and the Giant’s Castle; yet, Pilgrim moved on through FAITH as Abram moved on from Ur of Chaldees to Haran and then to the land of promise. Famine then led Abram DOWN INTO Egypt, (By-Path Meadow). Next came the conflict of war as Abram fought and defeated the four kings of the East (as they had come out of the evil castle of the adversary of the souls of man). Then in Abraham’s troubled soul in the darkness of despair over his desire to have a son and an heir, The Almighty God was with Abraham through every step and misstep that Abraham took. The Almighty God planted and fulfilled every step that Abram took. Abram became a father of many nations through the divine decree and divine promises of God. God began here in the changing of the name of Abram to the name Abraham as recorded in Genesis 17. This name change from Abram to Abraham was a divine prophetic shadow of the spiritual principle THAT A MAN MUST BE BORN AGAIN.

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The Call and Journey from Abram to Abraham
New Name, New Life and New Birth

   Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3)
   Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? (John 3:4)
   Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (John 3:5)
   That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (John 3:6)
   Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (John 3:7)
   The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. (John 3:8)

  The Lord Jesus gave us the criteria to enter into the kingdom of God to begin our journey through FAITH to the city of the Living God. It is NOT a request, it is a divine condition and under this divine condition of being born AGAIN, a person may enter into the kingdom of God. He is changed, instantaneously by the Spirit of God, and those without the Spirit of God have NO understanding of this change. We see this in verse 9 of John Chapter 3. Nicodemus was baffled when he stated, How can these things be? Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
   Now I want to direct your attention to the fact that THIS was NOT the first time in the gospel of John that we have the THEME of NEW BIRTH. John Chapter 3 is directly connected to John Chapter 1, verses 12 and 13.

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

   Notice that in these verses in John’s gospel, man is left out of the equation. When the Spirit of God said, as many as received him, it was the Lord Jesus who approaches man. The Lord Jesus is the ONE who stands at the door and knocks. As man cannot tell from where the wind comes from, so is the wind of the Spirit of FAITH. The idea and purpose of grace are that man is NOT capable because of the transgression of Adam to save himself from sin. Christ and CHRIST ALONE gave His life on the cross of shame. In this, Christ ALONE defeated death, defeated sin, and defeated the works of the devil. Everything was done by the Prince of Life. In our present world and age today the Spirit of Christ comes on the wings of FAITH for without the divine gift of FAITH there can be NO grace. 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) Each and every child of God is connected to Abraham through FAITH.
    When Abraham was in Ur of Chaldees, he was NOT looking for God, he lived in a land totally consumed with idolatry, he belonged to a lineage of idolatry, his father (Terah) was a man of idolatry, so Abram was NOT looking for God. But, to Abram’s surprise God was looking for him. And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran. (Acts 7:2) Here is a wonderful thing, Abram saw the glory of God. It was GOD and GOD alone who called him out of Ur of Chaldees, which is synonymous with Mesopotamia.
   Examine Abram’s situation: was Abram required to bless himself with holy water in order to be born again? Did he have to squeeze a bunch of beads and pray to a mystic ‘mother Mary,’ in order to be born again? Did Abram have to fight the war of denominationalism? Did he have to be approved by the theological Nicolaitans? Did Abram have to call upon the Jezebel, the evil lesbian, or the Archbishop of Canterbury? Did Abram have to be approved by the political world?
   God separated Abram THAT day from the world, and GOD continued day by day to separate more of the world out of the heart of Abram as Abram began his journey to the city of the Living God. While we are on the call of Abram, the theological world and established religion have a theory that man has a free will. CLICK HERE for more about free will.

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The Journey of the Will of Man

   Let us begin at the beginning. Man was created from the dust of the earth. Where was man’s part in his creation? Man was given ONE LAW by God, and this was The Law of Sin and Death. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2)

And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: (Genesis 2:16)
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. (Genesis 2:17)

   Here is the commandment given by The Almighty to Adam. There is NO leeway, there was no grey zone, Adam had NO input into this commandment. As Adam listened to the word of God by the WORD of God, it was evident that GOD was giving Adam a LAW. Adam was NOT to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God explained to Adam that if he partook of that tree, it would be certain and sure death. As we read the word of God, we see that Adam disobeyed God. Although the woman was found in transgression, IT WAS ADAM, and ONLY ADAM who was responsible to The Law of Sin and Death. (Remember that the woman was bone of Adam’s bone, and flesh of Adam’s flesh.) So Adam received the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil as it was passed to him by Eve.

   When Adam took the flesh of the fruit into his being, he died at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Adam’s spirit that God had breathed into him DIED. Adam’s soul became corrupted. Adam’s heart was defiled and became the seat of evil, and the intent of his heart became wicked.
   All of mankind (his soul, heart, body and mind) is under The Law of Sin and Death. The mind and the mental awareness of man are prone to evil and not to good. Man’s mind has been corrupted by the sin of Adam. Adam stood in the presence of that tree, his glory gone, and they both (Adam and his wife) saw the nakedness of their sin. There at that tree man LOST HIS FREE WILL. He became a slave and a subject of both sin and death. Adam and ALL his descendants would be slaves to sin with NO FREE WILL. Adam had given ALL that he had to both sin and death and from this point onward all of mankind would be under the scrutiny and temptation of the devil and the devil’s environment.
   Today, as we look around the world and examine man’s history, MAN has been obedient to both sin and death and the works of the devil. Man is not prone to seek the God of glory. It is the God of glory, as with Abram, who must intercede on man’s behalf on revealing Himself to man in this desert of sin and death.
   John Chapter 3 and Chapter 1 provides an oasis. The oasis is the Lord Jesus Christ with His Living water of the Spirit of God. In a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, the Spirit of God speaks to the heart of man. He gives man the GIFT, the embryo of FAITH, so that man may be saved. In Hebrews Chapter 11, verse 1, we have the same invisible Spirit of God as the wind in John Chapter 3. FAITH is the EVIDENCE of the Spirit of God in the heart transforming the WHOLE person, the soul, the spirit, the mind, and the heart into a new life in Jesus Christ. A man MUST be born again to enter into the kingdom of God. Then, and only then, we begin our journey of FAITH to the city of our God where The Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple thereof.
    We learn in Isaac that both spirit and the seed of promise was fulfilled. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. (Galatians 4:28) But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. (Galatians 4:29) As the redeemed of God today, we are partakers of BOTH the promises of God and the Spirit of God, as Isaac, through FAITH. Although we are millenniums apart from Isaac, we are joined together in the journey of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to the city of our God. We are NOT as Ishmael, born of the flesh. We are of the Spirit of God. Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:13)

   What are the footprints of FAITH? Begin at Genesis 1:1, and travel through the footprints of FAITH all the way to Revelation 22:21. All the examples of men and women of FAITH are given to YOU so that your footprints will endure forever. We read in the word of God that THOSE of FAITH were rejected by the world. They were rejected because they walked by FAITH. Their eyes and hearts were fixed on The Almighty God and Jesus Christ who is The Temple of His divine Body in the eternal city of God. And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. (Revelation 21:22)
   All who walked and walk the path of FAITH KNOW and BELIEVE that Melchisedec appeared out of heaven. This Melchisedec was both PRIEST and KING of peace in Genesis 14. This is reaffirmed by the Spirit of God to the nay sayers and mockers in Hebrews Chapter 7 which portrayed the Lord Jesus in BOTH His priestly realm (a High Priest forever, past, present, and future) after His Melchisedec Priesthood, NOT only as the High Priest of heaven and eternity, but the KING of peace and KING of KINGS in that same realm. It is ONLY the guile of the devil and the children of despair who attack the divine authority of Christ’s priesthood through the priesthood of Melchisedec.
   In Genesis Chapter 14 we have the title or designation of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth. This title or designation surrounds Melchisedec. (We should remember the communication between Moses [who penned the first five books of Scripture] and God was FACE to FACE. Although Moses wrote about Abram through the power of the Holy Spirit, hundreds of years separated these two individuals. Moses spoke to God FACE to FACE so there would be no doubt of the validity of the words that Moses received from the most high God. ) Through all the writings of Moses that he received from God notice the number of times that we have the present tense, almost as if we are there in time.
   God’s omniscience through His written word is what gives HIS WORD power. In all the books and manuscripts of man there is no spiritual history of man. God in all His writings has a spiritual end to the ways of mankind. No matter if it is in the ancient texts or in the Greek texts or in the divine present text of the KJB. This is God’s LAST WORDS to the present world. The world of religion constantly attempts to destroy this present spiritual text, but they have failed and will continue to fail every time. When a man of FAITH reads the words of God in the KJB, the divine words burn into the heart. To follow the people of FAITH and to walk in the same path of FAITH you MUST HAVE the book of FAITH with the divine words of God. If this angers you, then you need to check your heart, soul and spirit.

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The FULLNESS of THE ALMIGHTY GOD
The Mighty God – The I AM
The Lamb – The Temple – The City of God

   In Genesis Chapter 17, the title the Almighty God is first introduced in verse 1. I AM THE ALMIGHTY GOD. And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. This title of Almighty God is only recorded THREE times in Scripture.

1. And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I [am] the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. (Genesis 17:1)
2. And the sound of the cherubims’ wings was heard [even] to the outer court, as the voice of the Almighty God when he speaketh. (Ezekiel 10:5)
3. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. (Revelation 19:15)

   The word ALMIGHTY is recorded fifty-seven (57) times. We should consider these things for they are under the dominion of the Spirit to lead us on our path of FAITH. In the fifty-seven (57) times we have the number 5 as the number of grace, and the number seven as not only the number of God’s fulfillment but it is also the number of God’s rest which is COMPLETE if you can bear it in God’s grace.

   One more point in the use of the name Almighty: in the book of Job this title is used more than in any other book: it is recorded thirty-two (32) times. Three is the number of Godhead, and two is the number of witness. The Almighty is only mentioned in eleven (11) books, this leaves fifty-five books without this title, and fifty-five is the duplicate of grace.
   Another example is found in Isaiah 9:6, For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. In Isaiah 9:6, we have the prophetic voice of God revealing the Son that He is going to give to mankind to redeem man. Again, we have a list of five names that will be attributed to THAT HOLY THING sent down from heaven with the grace of God.

   Five names that make up a total Savior by His work He is WONDERFUL.  By His knowledge He is the divine COUNSELLOR in the determinate counsels of God. By His POWER and the POWER of His divine word He is THE MIGHTY GOD. By the unity of the everlasting Spirit both He and the Father are ONE, inseparable therefore He bears the name of THE EVERLASTING FATHER. There is NO peace in heaven above or in and on the earth or under the earth without THE PRINCE OF PEACE. My peace I give unto you. (John 14) So, there we have the five names surrounded by grace and truth which came by Jesus Christ.

   Again, in Genesis Chapter 17, remember that repetition is the student of knowledge. In Genesis 17:1, this is the first time that God reveals in His name His omnipotent power and clarifies it with the two words I AM which He uses many times throughout the Old Testament. And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me and be thou perfect. These two words I AM will be a designation in the New Testament that ONLY the Lord Jesus will use of Himself especially in the gospel of John where every element of His ALMIGHTY BEING is first introduced by His own words of I AM.
   As this is the first mention of The Almighty in Genesis 17:1, (And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.) it comes under The Law of First Mention. The path of The Almighty ends in Revelation 21:22. And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. In this verse we have a great truth. The Lord Jesus is BOTH THE ALMIGHTY and THE LAMB, and He is the Temple of God taking us back to the gospel of John Chapter 2, verse 19-21.

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

   We have entered into eternity where our Lord and Savior is both THE ALMIGHTY GOD AND THE LAMB OF GOD. He is enthroned in His eternal POWER and in the POWER of His cross. He has taken away the sin of the whole world (in Adam) to secure His beloved Bride (clothed in white and clean garments of His righteousness) for eternity.

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THE ALMIGHTY GOD
and
His EVERLASTING Covenant

And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I [am] the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. (Genesis 17:1)
And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. (Genesis 17:2)

   Walk before me, and be thou perfect. Here we have the far reaching of God’s love in His grace. This is one of the most important chapters for Israel as a nation. God made a covenant with Abraham, a covenant of circumcision. This covenant is STILL a covenant with the nation of Israel and although they obey, it is done in unbelief, and thus they still place themselves under the covenant of circumcision. It has always been a covenant of national unity for Israel whether it is done in FAITH or done in mere nationalism. They ARE STILL to this day UNDER THE COVENANT OF CIRCUMCISION.
   In verse 2 of Genesis 17, THE ALMIGHTY GOD made a covenant. The words that God used MUST be taken from heaven down to man. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. First, it is GOD’S covenant. Secondly, it is between GOD AND ABRAHAM.
   Remember that this covenant was established AFTER GOD had said, Walk before me, and be thou perfect. The whole character of the nation of Israel can be SEEN in this covenant of circumcision. The word NATION and NATIONS is mentioned many times after verse 2. God also relates to Abraham that this is an EVERLASTING COVENANT. The phrase everlasting covenant is recorded THREE times in Genesis Chapter 17.

1. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. (Genesis 17:7)
2. He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. (Genesis 17:13)
3. And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, [and] with his seed after him. (Genesis 17:19)

   Under this covenant God declared that kings shall come out of thee and kings of people shall be of her.

● And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. (Genesis 17:6)
● And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. (Genesis 17:15)
And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her. (Genesis 17:16)

   In the New Testament in Matthew 1:1 and 6 -10 the promise and prophecy of the everlasting covenant is confirmed through the names of the kings of Judah. The everlasting covenant securely ties both the names of David (God’s anointed king) and Abraham together in affirmation of God’s unbroken eternal covenant. The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. (Matthew 1:1)
   God proclaimed I WILL establish MY COVENANT between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. (Genesis 17:5) And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. (Genesis 17:6) And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. (Genesis 17:7)

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THE POWER of the ALMIGHTY GOD

   And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. (Genesis 17:1) Again, through the numbers we see the gravity of this verse. God the Holy Spirit repeats the number nine TWICE. The time of childbearing was past for both Abraham and Sarai. Yet, the Almighty God revealed HIS POWER OF LIFE. He promised Abram that nations and kings would come out of him. God revealed to Abram NOT only temporal POWER in the Almighty, but POWER over the spirit of man. We hear the voice of the Lord as a voice of thunder, He declared I AM THE AL MIGHTY GOD. This is the possessor of BOTH heaven and earth as we saw in Genesis Chapter 14. Another reminder of earthly possession is found in Psalm 24:1 and 2. The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. (Psalm 24:1) For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. (Psalm 24:2)
   In the first verse of Psalm 24, the Creator of possession is seen. The Almighty did not create the earth and then abandon it without purpose. He continually not only works WITH man but CONTROLS ALL facets of the earth that He had created. He CONTROLS the circuits of the wind, and the waves of the seas. He brings the sun in a new day and then settles it down into darkness. He has given the sun as a light of day and the moon as the light for night. In the heart of man, He has allowed both darkness, the darkness of sin, and light in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. In Psalm 24, ask yourself, Who has clean hands, and a pure heart in verses 3 and 4?

Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? (Psalm 24:3)
He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. (Psalm 24:4)
He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. (Psalm 24:5)
This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah. (Psalm 24:6)

   It is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who ascended into the hill of the Lord and HE as Melchisedec stands in the holy place as God’s Holy Priest. He has perfected salvation to those who seek His face. They who seek His face see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. The redeemed, ALL the redeemed, are the eternal generation of Jesus Christ. The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. (Matthew 1:1)
   These are of the generation of eternity, traveling through time by FAITH to the city of our God. They are bought with the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. They are BORN AGAIN by the Spirit of Christ descending from God the Father into their hearts. It is the Lord Jesus who ascended into the hill of the Lord from the holy mount of His transfiguration to Golgotha, the mount of the cross.
   From revealed glory to scoffing and shame. Yet, He was steadfast, His feet and footsteps unwavering to complete the Father’s will, the God of His salvation. He surrendered His own will in obedience to the Father’s will. Christ DID not boast, as many today, saying, My will be done, but surrendered to God the Father’s PERFECT will that fulfilled and displayed ALL the righteousness of God. This Psalm begins with the God of creation in His ownership of the earth, and over them who dwell therein. This 24th Psalm ends with the glory of the King of righteousness when the gates and the doors will be lifted up and the King of glory shall come in. Just a reminder for the spirit of man today, in verse 8 of Psalm 24, ALL humanity is asked this question, Who is the King of glory? Can you answer from your heart that the Lord Jesus Christ that HE IS THE KING OF GLORY.

Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. (Psalm 24:7)
Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. (Psalm 24:8)
Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. (Psalm 24:9)
Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah. (Psalm 24:10)

   The Lord Jesus Christ is strong and mighty in battle, thus showing ALL the POWER of The Almighty God. Christ and Christ alone defeated both sin and death and destroyed the works of the devil. He is mighty in battle, mighty to save. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord, yet, will I set my King on the holy hill of Zion. Who shall stand in His holy place as He is made higher than the heavens? Again, in the final verse, verse 10, it is the LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.

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THE POWER of The ALMIGHTY GOD
The EVERLASTING COVENANT
and
The EVERLASTING SACRIFICE

   Let us return to Genesis Chapter 17, God revealed to Abram that HE will make an everlasting covenant with him. The very words of the Spirit have a call from the heart of God. God proclaimed that HIS covenant was between me and thee. It was God’s personal covenant between God Himself, the highest Himself, with His servant Abram. What is the importance of this relationship? Abraham will always be connected to God and the everlasting covenant as a FRIEND of God. Three (3) times in Scripture, the Holy Spirit reveals that Abraham was a FRIEND of God. Not once, but THREE times, showing the love of the Father, the love of the Son and the love of the Holy Spirit.

● Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever? (2nd Chronicles 20:7)
● But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend. (Isaiah 41:8)
● And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. (James 2:23)

   Each one of these references of the Spirit of God in the friendship of Abraham is directly connected to the everlasting covenant that God made with Abraham. In the sense that when God said between me and thee it was from the heart of God to the heart of man. It was from the heart of the Lord Jesus when He referred to His disciples as no longer brings servants but now, they were friends. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. (John15:15)
   Now the friendship of Abraham did not end in death. It is an EVERLASTING covenant and along with this everlasting covenant is the EVERLASTING FRIENDSHIP of The Almighty God. Just so the New Testament era will not forget this friendship, the Spirit of God reminds us in James 2:23 of this eternal friendship. And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
   Consider Abram, his age was ninety and nine years, and NOW nations would come out from his loins. He will be a father of kings, and a father of MANY nations. It was THEN by a divine decree that can NEVER be changed nor altered that The Almighty God changed Abram’s name to Abraham. This change established the everlasting covenant between me and thee.
   The word everlasting was used by the Holy Spirit in the word of God ninety-seven (97) times. As nine is the final single digit, so the word everlasting is the final description of eternity. The number seven (7) is the complete number of God’s creation: past, present and future. It is also the number of the rest of God when The Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple in the city of our God, and ALL the redeemed have been brought in through the EVERLASTING covenant.
   The first mention of the word everlasting is found in Genesis 9:16, And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. This was an everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh upon the earth. The condition was as long as the earth remains.

And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. (Genesis 8:20)
And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. (Genesis 8:21)
While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. (Genesis 8:22)

   One point in this covenant that is often missed is the beginning of this covenant begins in Genesis 8:20. It is based on SACRIFICE and the sweet savour of that sacrifice. This covenant was made and KEPT as long as the earth remaineth. Now, let us go to another covenant. It is a covenant SEALED with God’s blood when God offered HIS SOUL as an offering for sin through the SACRIFICE of Jesus Christ upon the cross. 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) This is truly the everlasting SACRIFICE and the everlasting covenant that is far greater than any other covenant ever given. Consider and meditate on Ephesians 5:2. 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. As God has been faithful to the covenant that He made with Noah and with all flesh, the bow is still seen today in the skies above when it rains, thus, holding back the floods of world destruction. They (the waters of destruction) are still there above. It is THAT bow, the sign of God’s mercy that we perish not.
    Just to remind us of the POWER of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ in Revelation 14:6 it is called the everlasting gospel. It has been given to an angel to give the world its final call. And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, (Revelation 14:6)
   The everlasting gospel to save the souls of man is an everlasting covenant. This covenant is not just for today, not just for the future, but travels all the way back to Abel in his most 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) To all those of FAITH, from Abel onward, have been called by the everlasting gospel. Each foot step that they made on earth by FAITH was assured in their hearts in the everlasting gospel. As God is NOT slack as some men count slackness, but He is long suffering to usward for He desires that every person should repent. However, because of the sin of Adam, and that infusion of sin into all of Adam’s descendants, the seed of FAITH is the answer in the everlasting gospel. 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)
   The evidence of this angel preaching the everlasting gospel is the evidence that man has failed, and God now declares for Himself (through this angel and the last two witnesses) a testimony from heaven of the everlasting gospel. This reveals the COMPLETE FAILURE of man and God’s need to intercede, or there would be NO FAITH found on earth. This is the angel of God’s final call to preach the everlasting gospel of the seven angels to the seven churches in Revelation Chapters 2 and 3, to them who dwell upon the earth, to every nation, and kindred, and tongue and people.

And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, (Revelation 14:6)
Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. (Revelation 14:7)

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THE POWER of The ALMIGHTY GOD
The NEW Birth and the NEW Heart

   Now the covenant that God made with Abraham in Genesis Chapter 17 is an everlasting covenant. It is the covenant of circumcision. In the realm of the New Testament when God revealed Himself in grace and truth and shed His own blood on the cross, He brings in the circumcision of the heart: the cutting away of the stony heart and giving new life with a NEW HEART through the circumcision of the everlasting gospel. God NOW circumcises the heart in the NEW BIRTH, and the old heart is cut away.

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)

   Let’s repeat that thought: the written word of God through the Living Word of God, the divine POWER IN Christ, establishes the NEW MAN, the NEW CREATURE. You are no longer of Adam, but you are of Christ. The Living Word of God has cut out the stony heart and given a new heart with the Spirit of Christ. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. (Galatians 4:6)
   The Lord Jesus is HEIR of ALL things. Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; (Hebrews 1:2) This makes Him HEIR of the Kingdom of God. This Kingdom is His rightful possession. Through His sacrifice and His covenant of blood, He has brought us, the sons of God, into joint Heirship in the Kingdom of God.

● For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. (Romans 8:14)
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. (Romans 8:15)
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: (Romans 8:16)
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. (Romans 8:17)
● Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (1st John 3:1)
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (1st John 3:2)
And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. (1st John 3:3)

   In this world today, there are citizens of the world who exist side by side with the citizens of heaven. There is a physical world and a spiritual world. There is a world that is SEEN and another world that is UNSEEN. There is a physical world of sin and death. There is a spiritual world of life and peace. There’s a world of failure and darkness, and a world of light and eternal life in Christ Jesus. Why all this background? Simply because, we, the sons of God, as Abram, are time travelers in our life today. This life will continue in the city of our God. As in 1st John Chapter 3, the Spirit of ALL knowledge and faith tells us that we, the sons of God, will be like Him in the city of our God.

● Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (1st John 3:2)
● And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: (Job 19:26)
● As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness. (Psalm 17:15)

   As the sons of God, God has fulfilled part of the promises to Abraham, and day by day He fulfills the promises in our hearts.
   God gives many bridges of FAITH and one of the bridges is this covenant in Genesis Chapter 17. God proclaimed that this is a covenant between me and thee. But wait . . . there is more . . . and thy seed, and forever this bridge or covenant connects Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. God is not slack, although through time man becomes weary and is left by the wayside in unbelief.
   After 400 hundred years of bondage, God spoke in Egypt to free His people to continue His covenant of promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Moses stood before Pharaoh and declared NINE times, Let my people go. This was the voice of God through Moses in fulfilling His everlasting covenant to Abraham. Moses would lead the children of Abraham out of Egypt. Here again we see the work of the Possessor of heaven and earth, the Almighty God, teaching Moses the wisdom of Egypt for forty years and then, moving in the heart of Moses to forsake Egypt and serve the Living God and teaching him the wisdom of God for another forty years on the back side of the desert. Despite all modern knowledge, and the appointment of instant preachers by man, it took eighty (80) years to prepare a vessel to lead the children of Abraham out of Egypt and break the backbone of Egypt and its leaders.
   It was The Almighty God who destroyed Egypt’s economy. It was The Almighty God who destroyed the lineage of Pharaoh. It was The Almighty God who destroyed the military of Egypt and buried Pharaoh and his hosts in the walls of water, never to be seen again. Egypt lay in ruin, and the children of Abraham, without bow, without arrow, without spear or sword carried the spoils of Egypt, the WEALTH of the entire nation away. When their hearts sunk in despair and anguish, they blamed Moses that he had led them to the place of their annihilation. There at the Red Sea we see the work of The Almighty God planning the route of His people so that He could show His mighty POWER in freeing them from Egypt. The walls of water that God prepared were walls of judgment, not for His people, but prepared for God’s wrath against Pharaoh and his mighty host. God parting the Red Sea opened to them a path on dry ground so that they could travel through between the walls of water, a fearful thing, to say the least. But nevertheless, God put in their spirits to follow Moses on dry ground and every man, woman and child safely passed between the walls of water. It was The Almighty God versus the pride of Pharaoh. God used Pharaoh’s pride to lure him and his mighty army into the deep valley of the waters of death. Those walls of water buried the power of Egypt and both horse and rider were destroyed. The leadership in Pharaoh and all the mighty hosts of Egypt were destroyed, from its mighty towers to its great pyramids. The once mighty and great nation became a weak and fallen nation . . . all by the work of The Almighty God. As time has moved through centuries, those of FAITH see this everlasting epic, one of remembrance, not only to the children of Israel, but also all those who walk by FAITH.

Side Note: THE GREAT WALL OF EGYPT. Many do not know that the northern route that man would have taken out of Egypt was blocked by the Great Wall of Egypt. At equal points there were garrisons manned by Egyptian military. This wall was built to protect the land of Egypt from northern invaders, and to control the trade route to Egypt from other lands. These garrisons were also tax collector points or should we write, the popular word today ‘tariffs.’ This Great Wall of sandstone was constructed from the Mediterranean to the very tongue of the Gulf of Suez. In those ancient times, THE WALL was approximately 75 to 100 miles across Egypt’s territory with garrisons every ten miles. And because it was constructed using sandstone, the sands of the desert and the winds of the desert over centuries melted its strength away. In man’s eyes, you can see that this was another way for God’s divine deliverance. God DID NOT WANT His people trapped between Pharaoh and The Great Wall of Egypt because God had plans for His people. God was able to destroy this Great Wall and allow His people to enter into the land of promise, however, more importantly, God the God glory who had appeared to Abram in Mesopotamia had in His sovereign power mapped out the route of the children of Israel to bring them one and all to the Holy mount, Mt Sinai, where The Almighty had already determined through His determinate counsels to give them the Law and the Commandments. ◆ End of Side Note. CLICK HERE for more about the Great Wall of Egypt. 

♦ Reference to study material on the Great Wall of Shur.

TRUMBALL, H. CLAY, D.D.: Kadesh-Barnea, The importance and probable site with the story of a hunt for it including the studies of the route of the Exodus and the southern boundary of the holy land. New York, Scribner and Sons, 1884. (Excellent reference materials in the index.)

BIBLICAL MAPS, Copyright 1914 by A.J. Holman Co. (#2- The Isthmus of Suez, and the Route of the Exodus)

~

   This Almighty God who appeared unto Abraham when he was ninety and nine and gave the covenant of circumcision that would be with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and the nation of Israel as long as they existed. The Almighty God performed a miracle for the children of Israel that would last throughout the history of mankind. He brought His people to the very end of themselves completely disheartened and knowing that The Red Sea blocked them on one side and Pharaoh was coming with his hosts to destroy them from the other side, but The Almighty stirred the circuits of the winds and parted the Red Sea to the saving of every man, woman and child. Then in complete awe, they safely watched from the other side of the Red Sea as The Almighty God closed the walls of water over the head of Pharaoh and all his hosts of mighty men, and they were no more.

He sent Moses his servant; and Aaron whom he had chosen. (Psalm 105:26)
They shewed his signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham. (Psalm 105:27)
He sent darkness, and made it dark; and they rebelled not against his word. (Psalm 105:28)
He turned their waters into blood, and slew their fish. (Psalm 105:29)
Their land brought forth frogs in abundance, in the chambers of their kings. (Psalm 105:30)
He spake, and there came divers sorts of flies, and lice in all their coasts. (Psalm 105:31)
He gave them hail for rain, and flaming fire in their land. (Psalm 105:32)
He smote their vines also and their fig trees; and brake the trees of their coasts. (Psalm 105:33)
He spake, and the locusts came, and caterpillers, and that without number, (Psalm 105:34)
And did eat up all the herbs in their land, and devoured the fruit of their ground. (Psalm 105:35)
He smote also all the firstborn in their land, the chief of all their strength. (Psalm 105:36)
He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes. (Psalm 105:37)
Egypt was glad when they departed: for the fear of them fell upon them. (Psalm 105:38)
● And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. (Psalm 106:10)
And the waters covered their enemies: there was not one of them left. (Psalm 106:11)
Then believed they his words; they sang his praise. (Psalm 106:12)
● And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. (Exodus 14:27)
And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them. (Exodus 14:28)
But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left. (Exodus 14:29)
Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore. (Exodus 14:30)
And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses. (Exodus 14:31)
● That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth. (Psalm 83:18)
● And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD: (Exodus 6:2)
And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. (Exodus 6:3)
And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers. (Exodus 6:3
● For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. (Romans 9:15)
So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. (Romans 9:16)
For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. (Romans 9:17)
Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. (Romans 9:18)
Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? (Romans 9:19)
Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? (Romans 9:20)
Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? (Romans 9:21)

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The POWER of the GODHEAD
REVEALED THROUGH HIS NAMES

   Man cannot conceive what is contained in the word ALMIGHTY. In this one word, ALL the POWER of GODHEAD is revealed as the Omnipotent God. This carries through to Isaiah 9:6, when among the five titles of God, the title MIGHTY GOD again encompasses the complete GODHEAD. Buckle up . . . and tighten your mind and heart around the massiveness of God’s POWER. The child that was born, and the son that was given WAS and IS THE ALMIGHTY GOD . . . For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given. As you study the Scriptures through the eyes of the Spirit of God, you will see with eyes wide open that our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, is the fullness of the GODHEAD, The Almighty God.

   In Chapter 9 of the book of Romans, verse 22, What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: we see the purpose of God to destroy the vessels of wrath, and their destruction. This was and IS the will of God. In verse 23, we have the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy. And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory. This takes us back to the Red Sea.
   In Exodus Chapter 6 The Almighty God who appeared to Abraham gave the children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob a NEW name to HIS SOVEREIGN BEING to His new nation as a progressive revelation to understand more, and to appreciate more, the POWER of HIS BEING. God ADDED to their understanding that HE would NOW become known to them as JEHOVAH. The name Jehovah means the existing one, and he is, he was.

Then the LORD said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land. (Exodus 6:1)
And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD: (Exodus 6:2)
And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. (Exodus 6:3)

   He would be the GOD of past, present and future; as the same GOD, Jesus the Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.
   These are the derivatives of the name JEHOVAH, and they ALL relate to our great GOD and SAVIOR, the Lord Jesus Christ.
   First: Jehovah jireh, Jehovah will see, the eyes of the Lord go to and fro throughout the whole earth. (John 9) Christ is the light of the world, and He is light to the eyes of the blind man.
   Two: Jehovah nisssi, Jehovah my banner. His banner over me is love. He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me [was] love. (Song of Songs 2:4) The word banner is recorded only THREE times in Scripture. (Psalm 60:4, Song of Songs 2:4, Isaiah 13:2)

   Three: Jehovah rophi, Jehovah healing, and many other miracles did Jesus do that are not written in this book

● And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: (John 20:30)
But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. (John 20:31)
● And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen. (John 21:15)

    Four: Jehovah shalom, Jehovah, the God of peace. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27)
    Five: Jehovah shammah, Jehovah is present. I will never leave you or forsake you.
    Six: Jehovah tsid kenu, Jehovah our righteousness. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: (1st Corinthians 1:30)
   There is much more buried within the wings of the name JEHOVAH. This is the name of the GOD of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to a complete nation (Israel) upon their birth.
   Now to the children of God in this PRESENT DAY: as God has hovered over the centuries and millenniums, today there is a name given among men, and it is the name of Jesus. To this name, God subscribes His love and salvation to ALL who believe. One day, every knee shall bow to Jesus Christ, of those in heaven, and of those on the earth, and even the captives UNDER the earth. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; (Philippines 2:10) And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippines 2:11)
    In Psalm 23, verse 3, we have a wonderful revelation of God. This verse begins with He restoreth my soul, he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness. Notice that the soul HAS TO BE RESTORED before anyone can walk in the paths of righteousness. As we saw in 1st Corinthians Chapter 1, we are made wisdom and righteousness in the Lord Jesus Christ. This verse ends with the plurality of His name, for His name’s sake. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Name’s sake is mentioned nineteen times in the Old Testament and eleven times in the New Testament. Do you think that God is trying to tell us something about the multiplicity of His name. However, the last name that we see in Scripture in the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ is, I, Jesus. The name of Jesus encompasses the complete GODHEAD. You need to look up or study the phrase name’s sake in Scripture, it will reveal much to you about the Person and the actions of The Almighty God.
   The first mention of name’s sake is in 1st Samuel 12:22. It is interesting that God witnesses through numbers to His people that He will not forsake them for His great name’s sake. For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people. The last mention of the phrase name’s sake is in Revelation 2:3, And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. The Lord was speaking to the church at Ephesus and to the overcomer IN Ephesus that they had borne the hatred of the world, and with patience they had fulfilled the command of the gospel of His name’s sake. Again, let me emphasis, as we look in the gospel of Matthew, the Lord gave His disciples a prophecy of how their lives would proceed, And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. (Matthew 10:22) In the 1st century of Church history, the whip and the lash of Satan were against those who labored in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Again, the Lord prophesied of what life would be in service to Him and for His name’s sake after He was parted from them. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. (Matthew 24:9) Ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. This theme of hatred is carried through the gospels of Mark and Luke and John. Also, one of the provisions that God relates to Paul was that he would be shown great things, however, also Paul would suffer for my name’s sake. For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake. (Acts 9:16) This theme of suffering, rejection and hatred for the children of God, the sons of God, has not diminished in our present age and in our present corrupt world.
   As Israel was delivered from Pharaoh and from Egypt and in the light of eternity, we, the children of God have been delivered from sin and death and from the works of the devil. As Israel was not and is not accepted by the world as they went forth in the name of Jehovah, so from Ephesus to today, the children of God are NOT accepted by the nations of the world. God parted our Red Sea in the blood of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. He has sealed all those who have walked by FAITH, both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament in His precious blood. He defeated ALL our enemies, and opened the door of glory to us that we may enter in. Everything that a servant of The Almighty does SHOULD BE for His name’s sake. It is the name of Jesus that shatters sin and death. It is the name of Jesus that destroys ALL the works of the devil. In THIS NAME, JESUS is the path of salvation, the path of God’s righteousness.

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

   As the children of Israel looked back at the Red Sea, they experienced the realization of their salvation and thus, they began a NEW JOURNEY with a NEW NAME and that name was and is JEHOVAH.
   As we, the children of God, have been given NEW LIFE in the Lord Jesus Christ, we have begun our spiritual journey with the name of JESUS upon us. He has given us a heart of FAITH; in this name JESUS is The Almighty God. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6) In these FIVE titles in Isaiah 9:6 we have the God of Peace with the God of the everlasting covenant, and this everlasting covenant is fulfilled in the BLOOD of the Lord Jesus Christ.

● But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; (Hebrews 9:11)
Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. (Hebrews 9:12)
For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: (Hebrews 9:13)
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 for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. (Hebrews 9:15)
● 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)

   FAITH is the footsteps of the heart in belief of the Person of Jesus Christ.

● But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)
● But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; (Romans 10:8)
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (Romans 10:9)
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:10)
For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. (Romans 10:11)
For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. (Romans 10:12)
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13)
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? (Romans 10:14)
And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! (Romans 10:15)
But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? (Romans 10:16)
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17)
But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. (Romans 10:18)
But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. (Romans 10:19)
But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. (Romans 10:20)
But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people. (Romans 10:21)

   In verse 20 of Chapter 10 of the book of Romans, the Lord proclaimed, I was found of them that sought me not. This identifies God’s movement upon the hearts, souls and spirits of mankind. It reveals the truth that when Abram was in Ur of Chaldees he was NOT looking for God. It was GOD who was looking for Abram. Also, in the book of Acts, Chapter 7, verse 2, it was THE GOD OF GLORY who appeared to our father Abraham. And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran. In verse 20 of Romans 10 we have the very LAST words, I was made manifest, that means HE APPEARED unto them who asked not after me . . . I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. It is a marvelous work of the Spirit of God to connect OUR journey of FAITH to Abraham’s journey of FAITH. How God made HIMSELF KNOWN UNTO US when we were not looking for Him and how God manifested HIMSELF to our heart, soul and spirit while we were NOT asking after Him. Too many times people build their religious experience on one or two verses, and are ignorant of the rest of Scripture. The word of God is a GREAT HOUSE of words and thoughts sent down to us by the Holy Spirit of God to magnify THE GOD OF GLORY, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. All the building blocks that make up this GREAT HOUSE has to be placed in their proper order in the mind, in the heart, in the soul and in the spirit of man. Our salvation took a GREAT WORK of God upon the cross of Calvary, and IN our NEW BIRTH, He begins leading us as little children in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. He reveals the mystery of the work of the Spirit of God in our NEW BIRTH. As the mighty wind parted the Red Sea, so the wind of the Spirit came upon us and gave us a NEW BIRTH, a NEW LIFE and a NEW DESTINY.

● Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (John 3:7)
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. (John 3:8)
● As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all. (Ecclesiastes 11:5)

   After the Lord Jesus explained the NEW BIRTH and that it was the ONLY WAY to see the kingdom of God and to enter into that kingdom, Nicodemus replied, How can these things be? The world today still asks this same question, How can these things be?
   The answer rests in Matthew 22:29. Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. (Matthew 22:29) It is heaven’s glory in that it is the Lord Jesus Himself who witnesses to the soul, spirit and the heart. In John Chapter 1, it is those who RECEIVE HIM, and in Hebrews 11, they have to RECEIVE Him by FAITH. These are the steps in the new birth and to becoming the sons of God, then, WE ARE SET on our journey of FAITH, to the city of our God.

—–◆—–
The FOUNDATIONS of The City of God
Built and Made by
The GOD of FAITH – The GOD of GRACE – The GOD of TRUTH

   When we examine the walk of Abraham, we find that many times the Lord appeared to him. Abraham’s steps were counted and when the path became difficult and the journey hard, the Lord appeared to Abram to secure his footsteps through his journey of FAITH. The difference between religion and salvation is that religion is the makeup of an organization; salvation is THROUGH and BY ONE MAN, JESUS CHRIST.
   This is why the Spirit of God gave us Hebrews Chapter 11 that we might study the men and women of FAITH, and see THEIR journey and find COURAGE in our journey by God’s unmeasured GRACE and FAITH to them. Some people miss all the journeys of the Old Testament saints. Hebrews 11 is to take us BACK to their journey; to refresh our memories that THEIR SAME FAITH is OUR FAITH which is centered in the Lord Jesus Christ.
   As you consider the depth and the breadth of Hebrews 11:1, FAITH is the SUBSTANCE, it is THE ROCK of our existence in Jesus Christ. It is the THINGS of HOPE through the determinate counsels and foreknowledge of God. It is the EVIDENCE of things NOT seem: the city of our God. As we are enlightened in FAITH, we see the depth of Hebrews 11:1. We write upon the table of our heart, Christ is the substance, the tangible proof of things hoped for. CHRIST, in His manifestation, is the EVIDENCE of the UNSEEN GODHEAD.

   God sent forth His Son, and He was manifested before men. The UNSEEN Holy Thing became the likeness of sinful flesh WITHOUT sin. Whether in heaven above or in the womb, or as a child, or a man, JESUS, the HOLINESS of God, NEVER changes. He remains the same of His heavenly character: sinless. In His holiness He overcomes ALL temptation, for God cannot be tempted. Christ in John 1:12, makes His presence known unto man through FAITH. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. He stands at the door and knocks. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20)

I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night. (Song of Songs 5:2)

   In Hebrews 12:1 and 2, the Spirit of God reveals that CHRIST is the Author and Finisher of ALL FAITH. Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, (Hebrews 12:1) Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2) Everyone who believes IN HIM is anointed with HIS FAITH by the Spirit of God, and under the gift of FAITH, God anoints us with ALL GRACE. This grace is our oil of gladness from the Lord Jesus Christ.
   In Adam, or any of his descendants, there is NO FAITH. There is no such thing as ‘my faith,’ without the Author and Finisher of FAITH. Man is not capable of Saving FAITH. It has to be delivered by the Spirit of God. Man cannot acquire FAITH through his natural birth. FAITH cannot come from his blood or from the will of flesh, or from the will of man. FAITH COMES as a gift by the Spirit of God through our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. As we have been given the embryo of FAITH, we can grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ.
   That NEW BORN child that comes forth by the Spirit of God is expected to be weaned on the word of God. The word of God becomes our daily bread and substance. If you notice, in the word of God, there are no blank spaces or pages, this is The Living Word who has been given to us by the Spirit of God to reveal ALL the GLORIES of The Living Word, the Lord Jesus Christ. The word of God presents to us the FAITH of Abraham and the FAITH of others (Abel, Moses, David, etc.) to enable us to see living FAITH that is within Jesus Christ.
   In Galatians 2:20, Paul, by the Spirit of God, proclaimed, I LIVE by the FAITH of the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20) Paul revealed the divine FAITH of the Son of God. Now that FAITH is my daily life. My footsteps, my footprints are in that faith. This FAITH of the Son of God is MY eternity IN Him. Again, it is NOT MY FAITH, but a FAITH that was given as the child is born, and a Son was given unto us. So, as many as received Him, as He knocks on the door through FAITH, the heart’s door is opened by the Spirit of God, and to THEM, they become the sons of God. As a child of God, we automatically have an inheritance IN Christ Jesus that CANNOT be taken away. As a son, the Lord Jesus considers YOU . . . holy brethren. Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; (Hebrews 3:1)
   As holy brethren, we have received an heirship, we are joint heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ, who is THE HEIR OF ALL THINGS. Concerning our new birth, when we are born again through FAITH in the Lord Jesus Christ, the number one gift that comes from God the Father above, is the Spirit of Christ sent into our hearts. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. (Galatians 4:6) We should consider that through the wonderful gift of FAITH, we have acquired the grace of God, and we are now the children of God. Only two times do we have the words, my faith mentioned in all of the word of God.

● Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. (James 2:18)
● 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)

   James shows the personal possession of the gift of FAITH through the Lord Jesus Christ. In Revelation 2:13, it is the one who is FAITH that possesses ALL FAITH. It is the Lord Jesus giving HIS FAITH as a gift and a tangible object to the heart. As we have seen in Hebrews 12, that the Lord Jesus is the Author and Finisher of our FAITH, of ALL FAITH, for He is the GOD OF FAITH to the faithful. We have been given the gift of FAITH by Him who is ALL FAITH. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8)

    To see grace in the proper light of His love, we should see the first mention of grace in the gospel of John. In the first Chapter, verse 14, And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. If you take this verse into your heart, you will see that the Lord Jesus is the FULLNESS of grace and also the FULLNESS of truth. He is the faithful and true witness of God. He is the only ONE who possesses all GRACE and possesses all TRUTH. In this we see, that in God’s love the Lord Jesus Christ WAS and IS the GIFT OF GOD, the gift of grace and truth. Again, in verse 16 of John Chapter 1, And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. Verse 16 echoes the words from the book of Zechariah, Chapter 4, Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.

   Grace for grace is only mentioned ONCE in all of Scripture, and in Zechariah, Grace, grace is only mentioned ONCE in all of Scripture, and of course, in both instances, it is the description of the GOD OF GRACE, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is GRACE, and He giveth grace. In verse 17 of John’s gospel, we have the contrast between the burden of The Law of Moses, and the grace of truth that came by Jesus Christ. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. (John 1:17) In these few verses at the beginning of the gospel of John, we have the grace of God mentioned four (4) times. So that the whole world may know that Jesus Christ, His PERSON IS GRACE AND TRUTH. It is the ONLY begotten of the Father in SOLE POSSESSION as the GODMAN that He brings the gift of GRACE to man. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. In Ephesians 2:8, it is the gift of faith coupled with grace. They are inseparable and exist with grace and truth. These are gifts of God IN Jesus Christ. As He brought GRACE and TRUTH and FAITH down to man, He alone is the TRUE GIFT of God, and the true and faithful witness. And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God. (Revelation 3:14)

   There are some lost souls out there who only preach GRACE, but they preach GRACE without TRUTH, and they also leave out FAITH. This is why God in His sovereign mind gave us, by the Spirit of God, Hebrews Chapter 11. By the repetition of the two words BY FAITH, we understand the need and the appointment of FAITH itself in the ministry of the Spirit of God to the saving of the souls of man. This is why Hebrews 11:6 stands out with the FULL AUTHORITY of The Almighty 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. In Hebrews 11:6 we get the duplicate of the number 1 (11) God gives us a DOUBLE WITNESS to the number six (6) which is the number of man. Hebrews 11:6 should be coupled with John 1:12, But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. In Hebrews 11:6 they MUST believe that HE IS, and in John 1:12, it is BELIEVE ON HIS NAME. All of these Scriptures are under the divine cloud of GRACE and TRUTH, FAITH being the spark of LIGHT and LIFE in the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul in his epistle to the Galatians, through the Spirit of God, presents that his present life was IN the FAITH that belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ. When he declared, I LIVE BY THE FAITH of the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me. Paul relates the personal touch of FAITH and how it was connected to the love of God which passeth all understanding. For the very object of God’s love was the first born of the Father. HE, the Lord Jesus, WAS the SON of His love.

Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. (Hebrews 1:4)
For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? (Hebrews 1:5)

   It is there in Hebrews 1:4 and 5 that we see the Father declaring of the Son that He is of the SAME SPIRIT and the POWER of the same GODHEAD. He is the ONLY BEGOTTEN of the Father, so that He would be manifested as BOTH MAN AND GOD. He was NOT of the seed of Adam, but He was the SEED of God that the Father sent down by the Holy Spirit to be THAT HOLY THING in the sheltered nest of a woman’s womb. Christ was the TRUE GODMAN with all the functions of deity, and He bore all the sorrows of man for GRACE and TRUTH and LOVE came by Jesus Christ. In John Chapter 17 the Lord confirmed His great love in verse 23 and 24. 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)
   Here is the great story of God’s love. There is no doubt of the unity of this love between the Father and the Son, for the Father from the foundation of the world had this love for the Son, who is the beginning of the creation of God. And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God. (Revelation 3:14) This divine love within the GODHEAD is displayed to us by the only begotten of the Father. Christ is the UNIQUE ONE in every way, and the fullness of God’s love is in the fullness of the Son.

   This love is bestowed upon every child of God in Jesus Christ. In verse 5 of John Chapter 17 we have a glory that man has never seen. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. (John 17:5) This is the specific GLORY that is shared by the GODHEAD. This is the GLORY that man cannot look upon because sin cannot abide in this GLORY. This again is another witness that IN CHRIST THERE WAS and IS NO SIN and in His life HE did NO SIN. Although He was tempted as we are, He was without sin, AND in His divine nature He was separated from sinners. There was no relationship with the man of the earth (Adam), for JESUS was the MAN from heaven.
   Only the saints of God around His throne can look upon His present GLORY in heaven above with the GLORY He had with God the Father BEFORE the world was. They can sing of the Lamb of their redemption by the blood of the Lamb, by God’s blood.

● Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. (Revelation 5:12)
● 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)

   In our journey to the city of our God, through the word of God, God opens a door to heaven in Revelation Chapter 4. Through FAITH, He beckons us to come up hither to insure us again, in our path of FAITH. We see Him as the CREATOR of all things. In Revelation Chapter 5, He is the LAMB of sacrifice and has redeemed us through His blood. He is the LION out of the tribe of Judah. He is the KING of KINGS and LORD of LORDS. He steps forth as that LION with a great roar of GRACE and TRUTH, who was slain from the foundation of the world. 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)
   Now for the saints in heaven in Revelation 5, I ask this question to the naysayers and to the doubters, Can the love of God for them be broken? Can the love of the Lamb for them be broken? Can the love of the Lion from the tribe of Judah for them be broken? Then why on earth in the minds of man is there such an ungodly theory that the love of God for His children can be broken. Apparently, the minds of some have NOT been separated from the world in Christ Jesus, as He was separated from sinners in Hebrews 7:26. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens. As our Great High Priest, He has separated all the children of God from sinners. In His righteousness and in the love of God for us, He completed our redemption and our song in the words, It is finished. Let us all sing with those already around the throne as we walk the path of faith to the city of my God.

And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; (Revelation 5:11)
Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. (Revelation 5:12)
And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. (Revelation 5:13)
And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever. (Revelation 5:14)

Amen and Amen and Selah

May the Lion out of the tribe of Judah bless you.

© Copyright – Michael Haigh
Published on November 3, 2025 @) 11:40 AM (EST).
Article may be used, but not for gain. Freely ye have received, freely give.
All Scripture references are from the King James Bible. (KJB)