The Image – Hebrews 10:1 –

The Image

Hebrews 10:1

For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. (Hebrews 10:1)

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God Revealed Himself

   Under the Law of First Mention, we must begin with the first mention of the word image in the KJB (King James Bible). 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) God created Adam in His own image, and then reafirms that in the image of God He created him. In the pristine of Adam’s creation, he looked upon His Creator and saw an image as unto himself. Adam was the reflection of the image of God. This was solely the outward image. This was Christ outwardly revealing His image to man that one day would be manifested to ALL men in the fullness of time. Adam was only the outward image of God. It is quite evident God did not create Adam to be equal with Himself. Adam was NOT the God of creation; he was part of God’s creation that would fulfill in the history of mankind the determinate counsels and foreknowledge of God. God’s plan of redemption would begin with one man given to sin and would end with One Man of perfection who consumed and bore the sin of all men upon Himself so that the righteousness of God would be revealed to us by God’s dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Man HAD TO fulfill his trail of sin through the history of this world to the very end which will be his own destruction.

   Christ came in the fullness of time to be obedient to God’s will and be separated from sin and to become the great sacrifice to bear the sin of the whole world. Put aside all of your individual thoughts for the God of creation needs no counsel. No man can counsel God for man is that inferior to God that man is just a small grain of sand in the creation of the Almighty God. God counsels within Himself: Father, Son and Holy Ghost, and His will is determined by His holiness and His divine righteousness is perfect; it cannot be broken by sin or man’s iniquity as we see in Ephesians 1. In Ephesians 1 we begin with the will of God, verse 1. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus. This determines the spread of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ by those who He has chosen. He finds us all on the Road of Damascus and He brings us into His counsel by His own will. We have the pleasure of His will in Ephesians 1:5. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will. We have the mystery of His will in Ephesians 1:9, and we have the counsel of His will in Ephesians 1:11, Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself. If you put all these verses together, you come to God’s perfect will which He reveals in the book of Romans Chapter 12, verse 2. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. We have in the word perfect that the will of God is without flaws. It is pure, and it is total perfection. This is the only time in the word of God that the perfect will of God is introduced to mankind, and it is directed to the redeemed of God who will one day by conformed to the image of Christ. However, God tells those, the redeemed, that His determinate counsels, His will of perfection is that His children should NOT be conformed to this present evil world. If we are to be conformed to the image of Christ then we MUST separate ourselves from this present evil world. The apostle tells us that Christ in us is the hope of glory. The Spirit of Christ within us manifests Himself through us into this present evil world by the mere fact that we refuse in all our actions and in all our spiritual welfare to be conformed to this present evil world.

   Christ came in the fullness of time that same image that Adam looked upon, that same image was manifested to man. The invisible God revealed Himself as Jesus Christ: manifested before the children of men as Emmanuel, God with us. And to what end? God is with us and His Spirit is IN us to create a new man in Himself; and a new thing in the hearts, souls and spirits of man, and to make up His Body, the Church in His own image. In the image of God He will fulfill what He accomplished on the cross according to the determinate counsels of God. He has created and will create His children which God has given unto Him.

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The Spirit of God and the spirit of man

   In the creation of Adam, Adam received the spirit of man. In the new creation, those who are born again receive the Spirit of Christ.  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. (Romans 8:9) 

And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. (Galatians 4:6) Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. (Galatians 4:7)

   We see a marked difference between the Adam of Genesis Chapter 1 and the sons of the Father with the Spirit of Christ in Galatians 4:6 and 7. God, the Father, in His power of creation placed the Spirit of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, the image of the invisible God, in our hearts as new born creatures in Christ. In Chapter 2 of Genesis, verse 7, what is missing? 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. We know that the Lord Jesus took the dust of the earth and formed an image as unto Himself, but the dust had no life. In Genesis 2, verse 7 we have the breath of God entering into Adam, which is the breath of life. However, it was NOT the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2) In the creation of Adam, the dust with the breath of life became a living soul. At this point in time, God leaves OUT the Spirit for a reason. Did Adam have a spirit? Yes, he had the spirit of man which is confirmed in 1^st Corinthians Chapter 2, verses 11 – 16.

For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. (1^st Corinthians 2:11)

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. (1^st Corinthians 2:12)

Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. (1^st Corinthians 2:13)

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1^st Corinthians 2:14)

But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. (1^st Corinthians 2:15)

For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. (1^st Corinthians 2:16)

   We see the reason expounded by God the Spirit in 1^st Corinthians 2 that there is a difference between the spirit of man and the Spirit of the Almighty God. These little read verses in 1^st Corinthians Chapter 2 expose the spirit of man in Adam. Remember, I make this point that God DOES NOT mention any spirit in Genesis 2:7. The first mention of Spirit is the Spirit of the God of creation, the Almighty, the same Creator who created man in His own image. The first mention of Spirit is in Genesis 1:2, And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. Now God’s Spirit moved over the face of the deep. It traveled over the face of darkness, and God does not mention His Spirit again or any spirit until Genesis 6:3, And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. Here we have a great revelation that God’s Spirit will not always strive with mankind, for the spirit of man was in conflict and rebellion and enmity against the Almighty God. It is sin from Genesis 3 that brought mankind to the point of almost complete annihilation in Genesis Chapter 6. God’s Spirit was not dwelling in the individuals of the ill-fated men of Genesis Chapter 6. There is NO mention of ANY spirit in the sons of Cain, or the sons of Seth. This is the reason that all men are in conflict with God because of sin which is explained in1st Corinthians Chapter 2. Only the indwelling Spirit of Christ gives us life out of death and sin.

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The Son of God and the sons of God

   Remember that God is addressing man (mankind) in Genesis Chapter 6. And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, (Genesis 6:1) That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. (Genesis 6:2) It was MAN who denied God and, by sin was completely corrupted except for Noah, the preacher of righteousness, who was pure in his generations. So where do we get the description of the sons of God and the daughters of men in the Bible? Romans Chapter 1, verses 18 – 21 gives us a complete description of the men and women of Genesis Chapter 6.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; (Romans 1:18)

Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. (Romans 1:19)

For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: (Romans 1:20)

Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. (Romans 1:21)

   Compare Romans 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. with Genesis 6:5, And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Pay attention to the word imaginations for this word is the key to both Romans 1:21 and Genesis 6:5. This imagination led mankind to deny their very Creator and deny the word of God for Noah was preaching righteousness and along with righteousness MUSTS come repentance. It was MANKIND (man) in Genesis Chapter 6 NOT ANGELS who refused both righteousness and repentance. There is NO mention of angels in Genesis Chapter 6, or in Romans Chapter 1. Understand that in Genesis Chapter 3, verse 24, God had no trouble mentioning the Cherubim, the angels that protected the earthly paradise of God. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. To clarify the imagination of evil men, we have that same imagination in the men of renown today. These men of renown have (in our day and for a great many days) DISTORTED Genesis Chapter 6 through their devious minds and imagination by introducing and inserting angels into this Chapter and removed the sons of God and man from the narrative.

  Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. 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 1:4, 5) Notice the simplicity, how God separated the angels from the Son of God, for God has never called an angel a Son, this title has forever been reserved for Christ and the children which God has given unto Him.

For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. (Hebrews 2:10)

For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, (Hebrews 2:11)

Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. (Hebrews 2:12)

And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. (Hebrews 2:13)

Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; (Hebrews 2:14)

And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (Hebrews 2:15)

For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. (Hebrews 2:16)

Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. (Hebrews 2:17)

For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted. (Hebrews 2:18)

   The idea that the sons of God were angels in Genesis 6 is the foundation of the demonic ministers of Satan in their conspiracy against the word of God both Living and written and is  based on Job 1:6 and 2:1. Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. (Job 1:6) Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD. Here we have the gathering of the sons of faith, these are NOT angels, these are like Abel, the children of faith. No one that I have ever heard or read even considers the upper room when Christ revealed the betrayer in Judas. Satan was in the room and entered into Judas. And all the others that were gathered there with Christ were sons except for Judas. The apostle John, who rested his head upon the bosom of his own Creator, confirms a great truth to us in 1^st John 3:1-3.

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

   The deception of these ministers of Satan through their false teaching of Genesis 6 is to affect us, those who are born of the Spirit of Christ, bringing a doubt of our sonship as the children of God by our new birth. By bringing Satan and his angels (as sons of God) into Job Chapters 1 and 2, these ministers of Satan desire to disrupt and destroy the path of faith from Abel to this present time. Even before John wrote his first epistle, the Spirit of God confirmed our sonship in John Chapter 1: 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: (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) Notice the progression in verse 12, as those that believe and receive the Lord Jesus Christ become the sons of God. They have no natural ties for they are born again by the Spirit of God which is confirmed in verse 13. Now Abel, in his faith and by his offering a more excellent sacrifice, obtained 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) Let’s consider those in our day who are born again BY the more excellent sacrifice which is the Lord Jesus Christ for on the cross of Calvary He took twain and made one new man in Himself. Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; (Ephesians 2:15) And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby. (Ephesians 2:16) Now the question is, if Abel a man of faith had obtained the righteousness of God, and therefore, according to the scripture he obtained the righteousness of God then Abel was child of God and MUST have experienced the quickening of the Spirit of God making Abel a new man. Those today who are born again are NOT born of themselves, they have been quickened by the Spirit of God according to the faith which is IN Jesus Christ. It is at the name of Jesus that every heart of the child of God bows. And by the Spirit of God creating a NEW CREATION IN Christ then IT IS CHRIST who is made unto us, through the new birth, as Abel, wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification and redemption, and I am sure that Abel gloried in the Lord Jesus Christ. 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) The Gift of God which is Jesus Christ is Himself made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. All these assets are in our new birth; Abel also had these particular assets, all made unto him by Christ Jesus our Lord who is the fulfillment of ALL of God’s wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. NO OTHER has these divine gifts that He, the Lord Jesus, bestows upon man through the faith which is IN Him and given unto man as the Author and Finisher of man’s faith which He fulfilled for ALL eternity on the cross of Calvary. 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)

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The Image of Adam No Longer Reflected the Image of God

and

The Image of Mankind No Longer Reflects the Creation of Adam

  In Genesis Chapter 6, it is ALL about MANKIND. IT IS NOT ABOUT ANGELS! Notice that the word men is mentioned in three verses for a total of five times and the word man is mentioned in five verses for a total of six times. Together both the words men and man are mentioned in eight verses for a total of eleven times. The underlying message through the unseen numbers is that God through the destruction of the old world will begin (new beginning – the number eight) with a new order at a level less (the number eleven) than His perfect order (the number twelve).

   According to the days of Noah, and the preaching of Noah God was long suffering to these men of Genesis Chapter 6. And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. (Genesis 6:3) There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. (Genesis 6:4) And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Genesis 6:5) This section is full of God’s arithmetic: in these three verses we have the Almighty God looking upon mankind in man’s condition and yet still in His character of mercy in His longsuffering. It is interesting that Noah had found grace in God’s sight, therefore, through faith, Noah was preaching the righteousness of God and proclaiming the very judgment that was to come upon the WHOLE EARTH. God was waiting for man to repent, His Spirit, God’s Spirit as today was striving with ALL of mankind. But we are told, even today, even 1^st Thessalonians that as in Genesis 6, God’s Spirit will not always strive with mankind. But in fact, in the last days, He who will let, will be taken out of the way. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [will let], until he be taken out of the way.(2^nd Thessalonians 2:7) We should also notice in Genesis 6 that these men and women were NOT of the Spirit of God, neither were they of the spirit nor nature of angels, but they were of the spirit of their father, the devil, who had changed the image of God into a corruptible image. (Romans 1) Since man lost the image of God at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, man’s image has been progressively evolving into more of the image of a beast of the field than the image of Adam after Adam’s first sin. Mankind not only lost the image of God but he also lost the image of Adam. Genesis Chapter 6 is the proof of evil metastasizing. Not only had the glory of God departed from man both inwardly and outwardly but man became a brute beast and because of sin within he would act as a beast and go further and further into the darkness of the prince of this world, the old serpent, the devil, for as we read in John Chapter 3, men love darkness. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:18) And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. (John 3:19)

  We have to realize that Satan, the old serpent the devil, became Adam’s master because of sin and death. Thereby, Adam and all of his descendants would be under the bondage of both sin and death. Adam would receive his direction from the sin that was within him, and to prove that it was that sin, the outcome was death.

And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. (Hebrews 2:13) Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; (Hebrews 2:14) And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (Hebrews 2:15)

   Notice that this bondage, which is slavery, was to sin and death. Think of an entire world under this bondage of sin and death, and you have the complete history of mankind under Adam. There is no way that man could acquire righteousness. There was no way that man could acquire grace. There was no way that man could acquire redemption except through faith which is IN the Son of God.

 Mankind, through his lust, has a desire to commit sin. How many beings commit sin joyfully without any conscience of its end which is death. How many tempt God (in our world today) with their foolish acts of sin thinking that nothing will ever harm them? They put themselves in harm’s way deliberately through sin and THEN when things go wrong they NEVER see that it was their sin that brought them to their low estate either through drugs, alcohol, the sins of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. They never see the cause, they only cry over the end result. After the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, when Adam was in the land of thorns and thistles, Satan would prod man until man became a murderer in Cain. Cain was only reflecting the mind and heart of his father, the devil, for he was of that wicked one. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous. (1^st John 3:12) After the murder of Abel, Cain had proved his obedience to his father the devil, and through murders and wars mankind has proven himself a child of the devil. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. (John 8:43) Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. (John 8:44) And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. (John 8:45)

   Now let’s bring this up to date. We DO NOT LIVE in the days of the Lord Jesus Christ, BUT we do live in the same present evil world. If you take any politician and verbally express John 8:44 to their face, they will not hear your words or the word of God. Just as the religious Pharisees and the religious men of today and the world of politicians DENY God and DENY the word of God, they also deny that they are children of the devil. And yet they walk in his image, speak with his words, and act over the sons of men through the sin of the devil which is in them. They have no value on life, either it is abortion or war, or preplanned plagues cast upon the children of the world, they are truly of their father, the devil, and he was always a murderer from the beginning.

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The Three Transformations of Man

Adam – Glory Removed

Abel – Faith Imparted

Cain  – Stature Changed

   God began in His creation as the great Divider. He divided the light from the darkness: the day from the night. He expressed goodness over his entire creation until Adam stood at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and was given the fruit of the tree by his help mate Eve. He partook of that fruit and sin came into the world. Sin divided man from God. God, through His divine righteousness, divided mankind from Himself because God could not abide sin; therefore, Adam was cast out of the garden.

  When Cain was judged for the murder of Abel, God placed a MARK on Cain. And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him. (Genesis 4:15) God transformed Cain’s stature. This first murderer was transformed into an individual with an enormous unnatural height far above the children of Seth in order to create an obvious visible division between the children of Seth and the children of Cain. Man could identify Cain (and later his children) from a distance because of his stature. You could say of Cain that he was the first giant in the earth, and the first man of renown for Cain was the completion of sin for it was Cain who brought the first death into the world by murdering his brother Abel.

   It was at this point of God’s judgment upon Cain that man had gone through three transformations: the first transformation was at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil when God removed His glory (image) from Adam; the second transformation came later in the land of thorns and thistles when Abel went through the transformation of faith which gave him life although he was dead. God had established a new separation with the children of faith from the children of Lucifer. Just as God had transformed Abel through faith, the third transformation was when Cain was changed to an enormous size for the giants in the earth were out of Cain. Since Cain’s sin was the sin of the flesh so God judged Cain’s flesh by transforming him into a giant upon the earth. And through the course of time, out of Cain, came many giants with physical power, and death continued at the doorstep in the line of Cain. The genealogy of Cain in Genesis Chapter 4 is very short; however, we see in Lamech the same murderous spirit that came from Lucifer. (Genesis 4:23) We also see that there is no mention of repentance, although in both Cain and Lamech they both realized that judgment hung over them because of their wickedness, but they would not repent for they loved darkness more than the light.

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Judgment of the Ungodly in Heaven and the Ungodly on Earth

   In Genesis Chapter 6, God could not bear to look upon mankind any longer. He had given them space to repent. God’s long suffering is obvious (most likely well over thousands of years from the days of Enoch) since Enoch walked with God and gave the prophecy of God’s judgment that the Lord would come with ten thousands of His saints as we see in the book of Jude, 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) In the book of Jude in the first three verses we have the benevolence and mercies of God to those who are preserved in Jesus Christ and called. It is these saints which should earnestly contend for the faith which was ONCE delivered unto the saints beginning with Abel.

   Now, from verse 4 to verse 19 it is the JUDGMENT of God upon angels which kept not their first estate. And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. (Jude 1:6) Their first estate (their natural place) that they were specifically created for was their service to God, yet rather than serve their Creator, one third of the angels chose to leave their service to God and to serve and follow Lucifer instead.

   Then JUDGMENT fell upon Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities of the plain for they had given themselves over to fornication, flesh perverting flesh and not only did the defile their flesh among them but went after strange flesh in the beasts of the fields. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. (Jude 1:7) They also left their first estate as creatures of a natural world but chose instead to do those things that were not natural to mankind: unnatural, and perverse. They were destroyed by the flaming fires of God from heaven, and those fires from heaven were an example of the suffering, the vengeance of the eternal fires of God. In verse 10 we read these words; but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. The word naturally reveals that in ALL men they have the wickedness and sin that beguile them, they act, and God says this by the Holy Spirit, that they act as brute beasts and, in those things, they corrupt, pollute and degrade themselves. They have gone in the way of Cain. Since Cain was of that wicked one as John tells us in 1^st John 3:12, then they are also of that wicked one. They have the propensity to run and lust after great gain and power and popularity among the children of men in Adam. Today they rebel verbally, openly, and through actions against the Almighty God as the sons of Korah. In verse 12 what is Jude telling us?

   These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; (Jude 1:12) Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. (Jude 1:13) What was on that sign that I drove by? ‘Come Worship with Us.’ The sign says ‘All devils out there, Come on in because we are your brethren. Join us in our feasts of charity.’ The ungodly cannot worship. God can only accept worship according to His Word, the Living Word and the written word. There is a place for worship and a place for  gospel. 

   This whole list of reprobate men will endure the darkness and blackness forever. Now when Enoch prophesied, notice that God in verse 14 documents that Enoch was the seventh from Adam. And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints. When God looked upon Enoch and his prophesy, He saw that it was good and God took Enoch for he walked with God. We could say of Enoch that he diligently sought after God and God rewarded him for his walk before the Lord.

   Enoch’s prophecy was that the Lord is coming to execute JUDGMENT, and I don’t want to hear a pew warmer tell me, ‘Judge not lest ye be judged.’ What is God going to judge? He is going to judge them to convince all who are ungodly of all their ungodly deeds that the ungodly committed in their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against the Almighty, the Lord Jesus Christ. 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) (Note that the word ungodly is documented FOUR times in this one verse . . . and four is the Earth number.) 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) Oh, they love great swelling words. They love to tangle their words between the languages of English, Greek and Hebrew with a dash of the Aramaic, and some salt and pepper of Latin: all to confuse and keep in check the ungodly sinners under their dominion of their ungodly pulpits. When you read through the book of Jude, you will see our present day in the political religious system where professional pretenders pretend that they are the servants of God, but who are truly the servants of Satan. From their diseased mouths flow great swelling words because they desire position and popularity and because they are obsessed by their need to be admired and to rule over their flock.

   Remember that through the gospels, the book of Acts, all the epistles of Paul, James, Peter and John that we have been told that mockers will come in the last times walking after their own ungodly lusts. They will separate themselves sensually for they have not the Spirit of Christ. Jude explains every facet of our life in this present age whether it is political or religious is under the control of the children of the devil.

   In Genesis 6, it was the spirit of man in Lucifer, the ungodly sinners, who God judged. Noah had been preaching for most likely hundreds of years, yet they did not stop the sins of the flesh. We see all this in Romans Chapter 1 that the men and women in the age of Noah were beyond repentance. Their hearts were hardened to the point that GOD GAVE THEM UP and JUDGED the whole world. The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. (Psalm 24:1) It is God’s right to judge for God holds the title deeds to the earth.

   Since ALL flesh had been corrupted, God JUDGED ALL flesh. Man having spilled man’s blood upon the earth, God had to wash the earth clean, and the earth had to be made anew. Because of sin, the flood consumed ALL: all except Noah and his wife, and his three sons and their wives. Through these eight souls, the DNA, the genes of the great giants came through the flood. Follow the line of Ham: Noah, through the Spirit of God, chose Ham (because of Ham’s sin against his father Noah) to be the father in the line of the first curse in this new world. It was through the sons of Ham that this curse was pronounced. And he said, Cursed [be] Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. (Genesis 9:25) And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan. (Genesis 10:6) From each of the four sons of Ham rebellion against God troubled the world. Out of Ham came Nimrod, and Nimrod was a mighty hunter as Lamech of old. Nimrod was a man of renown right out of the pages of Genesis Chapter 6. Ham had taken a wife from the daughters of men, and later in the scripture we have the Spirit of God telling us that there were giants in the land and these giants were the descendants of Ham. Since giants where in the earth in Chapter 6 of Genesis, the DNA and genes of Cain came through the universal flood and after millenniums still exists in our age although corrupted from its purist and original form. Every once in a while we see someone who is enormous in height, his head above all the heads of the children of man, yes, there are still giants in the earth as a proof of the very DNA and genes of Cain still is within mankind. And this takes us back to Genesis Chapter 4 and the outcome of Genesis 4 in Genesis 6 where God’s Spirit would no longer strive with man because of the abomination that man had become. As in Romans Chapter 1, God gave them up. And He reminds us of Genesis Chapter 4 with the words there were giants in the earth.

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Heaven and Earth Subject to the Image of God

   Let us return to the Spirit of God; the very first mention was the Spirit moving upon darkness in Genesis 1:2, And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. In the entire book of Genesis, the word spirit is mentioned FIVE times. Each time of the five mentions we see different applications of the Spirit. The first application was God moving upon the face of the deep. This is moving through total darkness of the upheaval that had taken place because of the sin of Lucifer in heaven. Lucifer was cast down and Lucifer brought his darkness with him. The great destroyer confounded the creation, and there was darkness on the face of the deep. But God, the Creator of all things, will NOT allow a rogue angel to dictate the will and purpose of God. God returns to the creation and God creates light and separates the darkness with His light. We need to understand that this was the first initial battle upon the earth and upon the face of the deep that Light came into the world to deliberately divide the darkness of the corruption of Satan with the Light of God. And what happened after the Light comes into the world? After Light God brings LIFE into the world, and this is repeated when Christ comes into the world in John Chapter 1:4, In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

   In Genesis when God brought Light into the world, it was both a battle of the elements and a spiritual battle of the separation of good and evil which would later be magnified by the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. What does God say about the Light in Genesis 1:3 and 4? And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. God’s only comment was that the Light was good. There was no designation of the darkness which would be fulfilled at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil where the great division of physical and spiritual was divided by sin coming into the world through Adam.

   In John Chapter 1, it is Christ AGAIN, the Creator of all things who divides the light from the darkness. And just as in Genesis we see the Creator giving life, Christ brings LIFE in His light to mankind, to man who abiding in darkness. In John Chapter 3, the Lord Jesus divides the light from the darkness by the divine supernatural work of His Spirit in the NEW creation of a man being born again. Not of his mother’s womb, not by the will of blood, nor the will of the flesh, nor the will of man, but being BORN AGAIN out of the divine will of God that Christ came into the world to bring LIGHT and LIFE unto the children of men to change them into the sons of God by belief and faith IN the Son of God. For without faith, it is impossible to please God. For he that cometh to God MUST believe that God IS. For by the name that has been given amongst men, the name of Jesus Christ, by HIM were all things created both in heaven and in the earth. All things are in subject to His divine will and purpose, and as that first Light divided the darkness, so God throughout the whole complete history of mankind has been dividing the children of faith and light from the children of Lucifer and darkness. On earth up to Genesis Chapter 6, God’s Spirit was so upset that He could no longer strive with the spirit of man in man’s relationship with the darkness of Lucifer; so, God would destroy ALL things. Man had corrupted the earth through sin and man (through sin) brought a curse upon the earth with the thorns and thistles. At the very tree where sin came into the world, the great transformation of sin brought a curse from God on the WHOLE earth. Compare Genesis 1:29 – 31 with Genesis 3: 17 -19, and Romans 8:19 -23.

And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. (Genesis 1:29) And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. (Genesis 1:30) And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. (Genesis 1:31)

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And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; (Genesis 3:17) Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; (Genesis 3:18) In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. (Genesis 3:19)  

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For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. (Romans 8:19) For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, (Romans 8:20) Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. (Romans 8:21) For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. (Romans 8:22) And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. (Romans 8:23)

   Do you see the great transformation that sin brought into the world? That which was good in the pristine creation now is under a curse. Not just the ground, but even the beasts of the field was placed in subjection to death. And most of all, Adam and the children of man went from a paradise to a cursed earth full of darkness and sin until God had enough in Genesis Chapter 6. We cannot boast of our spirituality for we have seen a Church that was given the KEY of paradise IN Jesus Christ leave her first love.  Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.(Revelation 2:4) In the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, in Chapter 2, the Lord Jesus tells the Church of Ephesus to REPENT or He will take the lamp of life and light away from them. This church of Ephesus (in the outward form) REFUSED to repent. 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) But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. (Revelation 2:6)

   In Revelation Chapter 2 and 3, the Lord instructs the churches SEVEN times to REPENT. (Rev. 2:5, 16, 21, 22; 3:3, 19) They refused each unction to repent. The first mention of repentance is Revelation 2:5 and the word repent is mentioned twice. 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. In Revelation 2:16, this verse begins with the word repent. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. What is the reason for this? It is God’s priority that they should REPENT. We also see the word repent in Revelation 2:21 and 22. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. In Chapter 3, verse 3, we again have the word repent. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

  For those who are familiar with numbers in Scripture, in the duplication of the number three, we see the Godhead (in the number three) desiring in the FULLNESS of the Godhead that they would repent. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. And in Revelation 3:19 we have the last mention of repentance to an ill-fated church who (because of their sin) had lost their testimony to a dying world. Their lampstand and light of life had been gone for a long time. The church that once had the key to paradise was now NAKED once again before the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. As in Romans Chapter 1:26 – 28 God gave up the collective gathering of false professors and Christ deniers into the darkness of the world.

For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: (Romans 1:26) And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. (Romans 1:27) And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; (Romans 1:28)

   In Revelation 3:20, it is no longer the collective, but the individual, the overcomer, it is those who have returned to the preaching of Noah and the righteousness of God. 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. As Noah looked over the darkness of humanity and preached out of the depth of his soul that they should repent and cast themselves on the Almighty God, so also, today we look on a Church covered in filthy rags, and as Noah from the depth of our soul, we cry out to the Church to repent, and to cast itself on the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ used the word repent SEVEN times to the Church. It is the overcomer who sits down with God as in the Church of Ephesus. It is the overcomer who has the key to paradise in the Lord Jesus Christ, and it is the overcomer who will partake of the fruit of the tree of life in Jesus Christ.

  As we look over Genesis Chapter 6, we see why God had to destroy ALL the ground, the beasts, and man because MAN HAD CORRUPTED ALL that God had created. Since we live in a mirror of the days of Noah it has become evident to many that once again man has rejected ALL the benevolence, all the love, all the mercies, and all the grace that God has given IN His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

   ALL had to be destroyed in Genesis Chapter 6. This would bring forth a NEW earth, and a new beginning for God had washed the whole earth. ALL the dirty rags of mankind were gone except for eight souls. The sin that Adam brought into the world was so strong that there stood only ONE man of faith left upon the face of the earth. As Abel was the first man of faith in his day, so Noah was the last man of faith in his day BEFORE the judgment of God. Because of his faith, he had found grace in God’s sight, and God had committed unto him God’s righteousness for his faith. Noah preached that faith and righteousness was in God; therefore, God allowed Noah’s family to come through the flood so that the new world would be replenished by the children of man. However, it was ONLY Noah who was pure in his generations.

   There had been a crimson thread from Seth who had replaced Abel in the line of faith all the way through the genealogy of the sons of God to the LAST man of faith, Noah. Now every one of the names in the genealogy of Genesis Chapter 5 had sons and daughters, and they were also considered the sons of God; yet the crimson thread was not woven in their souls. They were corrupted by the sin of Adam and were not the children of faith. Most likely all the sons of Noah were corrupted by the old world for it was Noah who was the LAST man of faith in the old world, and when he came forth into the new world, out of the four men in this new world, it was ONLY Noah who built an altar and communed with God and offered the sacrifice that took him back all the way to that first sacrifice in the land of thorns and thistles by Abel. And Noah was accepted in the new earth. Now, God had exercised His mercy in allowing the descendants of Noah to come forth through the flood. This is not unusual in the Bible because God is a God of mercy. If we fast forward in time, we see the same in Lot (in a future age when the judgment came upon Sodom and the cities of the plains), God allowed Lot to take his wife and his two daughters with him, and these three, all of them were children of corruption. Only Lot is called righteous later in 2^nd Peter 2:6 – 9.

And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; (2^nd Peter 2:6) And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (2^nd Peter 2:7) (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) (2^nd Peter 2:8) The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: (2^nd Peter 2:9)

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The Image and the Glory of God Revealed

   The sons of Noah are never seen at God’s altar. Not one of them has been recorded in building an altar to God and sacrificing to God. The descendants of the three sons of Noah most likely built altars to false gods but refused the altar and the sacrifice of the Almighty God. How do I know this? Because of the call of Abraham. God would do a NEW thing in the call of Abraham. The world had become COMPLETELY CORRUPTED AGAIN with the idolatry and darkness of Nimrod and the tower of Babel. God called Abraham OUT of that darkness of idolatry in the land of Mesopotamia. It was Stephen, a man FILLED with the Spirit of God who gives us the fullness of Abraham’s call in Acts Chapter SEVEN.

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) And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee. (Acts 7:3) Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell. (Acts 7:4)

   Notice that it was The God of glory who appeared to Abraham. Here we have the IMAGE and the GLORY of God, the transfigured Christ APPEARED to Abraham, and Abraham saw the GLORY OF GOD in the face of Jesus Christ. 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. The call of Abraham was a personal CALL and a personal EXPERIENCE. He saw THE GLORY of the Almighty in the express image of God IN Jesus Christ. Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness and on the strength of THAT call, Abraham would proceed to a land that he knew not of. When he arrived in the unknown land, he built a NEW altar of sacrifice, and offered and worshiped God. The altar of sacrifice was renewed in the land that God had promised Abraham at his calling. But NOW God was fulfilling and showing Abraham His determinate counsels that out of this ONE man (Abraham) God would bring forth a people, as the sands of the sea, and God would bring forth a people as the stars of heaven. Out of Abraham would come a people blessed of God, and a heavenly people redeemed of God.

Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. (Romans 4:9)

How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. (Romans 4:10)

And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: (Romans 4:11)

And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised. (Romans 4:12)

For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. (Romans 4:13)

For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: (Romans 4:14)

Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. (Romans 4:15)

Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,  (Romans 4:16)

   Out of Abraham would also come the Messiah, the Christ which is confirmed to us in Hebrews 2:16, For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. This is a great confirmation that the promises that God made to Abraham will endure for all eternity. Long after this world is gone, those promises will still be fulfilled in the new heavens and in the new earth. The image of the invisible God will be faithful to His word and the word as it is written will be faithful to His will and purpose as Christ began the creation according to the will and purpose of the Godhead, and the Sovereign God of all things. Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: (Ephesians 1:9)

And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:  (Ephesians 3:9) To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, (Ephesians 3:10) According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: (Ephesians 3:11)

  This is the mystery, which has been hidden from the foundation of the world and even back further than the foundation of the world, that God’s eternal purpose is IN Christ and THROUGH Christ. Christ is the sole object of heaven. Christ is the sole object of creation. Christ is the sole object of God’s determinate counsels. Christ is the sole object of redemption. Christ is the sole object of the Father’s love. And in this there is only one name given among men whereby we MUST be saved, at the name of Jesus the anointed Christ of God, that He being the sole object of God’s love would draw all men through the death of Himself to a knowledge of divine forgiveness and promise of an endless life through belief in Himself, the Son of God.

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The Image of God in the Face of Jesus Christ Through His Times

  As Christ placed the sun in the sky with the moon at night, He began His time for time belongs to Him . . . Which in his times he shall shew. He will fulfill EVERY second with His divine will for time belongs to Him as we see in 1^st Timothy 6: 15 and 16. Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen. I want you to see that the purpose of time, His time, is a record of the history of the sons of man.

   We have the beginning of time in the 1^st Chapter of Genesis, we have the first day, then in the history of man we have the fullness of time in Galatians 4:4. But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, And then we have the end of time in Revelation 10:6, when there will be time no longer. And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer. I want you to notice in this Chapter that time is part of the mysteries of God for when time is no longer, the mysteries of God are finished, and all His determinate counsels are complete from everlasting to everlasting. But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets. (Revelation 10:7)

  Until the eyes of my understanding were opened, I wanted to put the whole book of Revelation into sequential order until the Lord showed me that Revelation is a book with many windows: some windows are sequential, and others are seemingly out of sequence, and some, as Chapter 10, stand all by itself. And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not. (Revelation 10:4) Then John was handed a book and told to eat the book. And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey. (Revelation 10:9) And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. (Revelation 10:10) Through Chapter 2, verse 10 of the book of Ezekiel we can understand the reason for the bitterness in John’s mouth, for written therein are lamentations, mourning, and woe. Ezekiel had experienced the dreadfulness of man’s sin and judgment. And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe.

   Chapter 10 has no relationship to Chapter 9 or to Chapter 11. Chapter 10 stands by itself isolated, and as a Chapter unto itself when the mystery of God should be finished. This shows us that it is at the end of all things for time will be no longer. And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth, (Revelation 10:2) Also notice in this Chapter the angel of God, His angel has one foot on the sea, and the other on the land showing the complete sovereignty of God, that it was the words of God Himself which uttered the seven thunders, it was God who spoke and it was God who ordered the thunders and what was said to be sealed for in THAT time when time shall be no longer, the mysteries of God shall be finished. For He who created ALL things in the image of the invisible God and BY Him ALL things consist who is the brightness of God’s glory and the express image of His Person. It is Christ who will finish the Father’s work which God the Father committed to His Son. The mystery of the everlasting God will be complete in His time and the abiding words from the cross of Calvary concerning the fullness of time, the length, the breadth and the end when He will again proclaim, IT IS FINISHED.

    In Revelation Chapter 10 the words of the seven thunders were not recorded. The declaration was given to John to seal up the words that the seven thunders had uttered. He would keep these words in his own bosom for the rest of his life. God works in this way many times throughout the history of mankind. Even in our day He sometimes gives His servants words and thoughts that are only for them in their particular time to enrich their own personal being in the things of Christ, and to encourage them in the divine thoughts from above. John was told to seal those words up, however, he could fall back on his memory of the seven thunders.

   In John Chapter 12, God spoke to His beloved Son concerning His Son’s glorification, yet the people heard only thunder, their ears were deaf to the words of God.

If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour. (John 12:26)

Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. (John 12:27)

Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. (John 12:28)

The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him. (John 12:29)

Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes. (John 12:30)

Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. (John 12:31)

And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. (John 12:32)

This he said, signifying what death he should die. (John 12:33)

   The voice of God the Father was thunder to the sons of Adam, but this was not unusual. When God gives a message through the Spirit of God, there are those who hear it as thunder, and many get upset at the truth, nevertheless, no matter who they are, no matter what station in life, no matter what power they have over the sons of Adam, the truth is more powerful than all the thoughts and actions of man.

   The children of Israel at mount Sinai, the holy mount of God, did not want to hear the thunder of God’s voice, they were frightened because of truth. They were frightened because of the Almighty God speaking from His holy mount. Even Moses, when he ascended into the mountain to speak with God, feared and quaked. Would not every man in the presence of God fear and quake? Remember when the apostle John (while on the Isle of Patmos) turned and saw the image of the Son of man and fell on his face as though he were dead. And what about Paul while on the Damascus Road, when the brightness of the Lord’s glory came upon him, and he heard those fearful words, Saul, Saul. He fell at the feet of the glory of God and could no longer see for the brightness of the glory of God had sealed his vision until a later date when Christ would finish the work in the heart of Paul and remove the scales of blindness from his eyes.

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The Invisible Image of God Breathes Life

  We have the image of the invisible God revealed in many forms as He revealed Himself to Adam as the Creator God of both heaven and earth. He expressed to Adam, through His creatorial power, that He was Adam’s Creator. It was Jesus Christ who formed Adam out of the dust of the ground to the image of Christ Himself who is the image of the invisible God. As the dust was gathered grain by grain the Creator of all things made an image out of dust that resembled His own image, however, the dust stood before Him as a lifeless image, it was but dust formed into an image with NO life.

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)

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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 2:7)

   Consider this: this was dust, how often have you seen small particles of dust? They are not cohesive, they do not easily stick to each other, a little breeze, or even out of the breath of your mouth, this dust quickly flees away. This lifeless image was NOT carved from a solid oak, neither chiseled from stone, nor poured out of the molten pot, it was but dust. God’s Christ BREATHED into dust and that dust became Adam. The breath of life was given by the Beholder of all life, for in Christ is the very existence of life. Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. (Hebrews 7:16) In him was life; and the life was the light of men. (John 1:4)

  Since that very day when Adam received that first breathe of life from His Creator, every man who has been born into this world has received that same breath of life. The miracle was not in the dust, the miracle was in the breath of the Creator, and each one of us on this planet today received that same breath of life at our birth. That first gulp of air is a supernatural breathe that gives life to the dust. When we are born again of the Spirit of God, there is a great transformation in our body, soul, and spirit. Christ breathes new life into us and this restores our soul as we see in Psalm 23. It is God who restores our soul. God the Father sends the Spirit of His Son into my heart, into all of the hearts of the supernatural born children of God. Each one who is born again is a partaker of the divine nature in Jesus Christ. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (2^nd Peter 1:4)

   When Christ appeared to His brethren after His resurrection, He breathed upon them and they received the Spirit of Christ within them. This was the breath of the new life in Jesus Christ. This breath restored their souls. We find this in the gospel of John, which is the gospel of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.

Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. (John 20:19)

And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. (John 20:20)

Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. (John 20:21)

And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: (John 20:22)

   At this point the Lord Jesus breathed upon them, and they received the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. They were given the divine nature within and the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus freed them from the Law of Sin and Death. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2) The transaction of being born again is that all the children of God are breathed upon by the Spirit of Christ and in this action that miracle of new birth that breathe imparts the divine nature within the child of God.

   The image of the invisible God has taken upon Himself to call out many sons for His own glory. He calls them holy brethren and they are partakers of His heavenly calling. Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus. (Hebrews 3:1) It is God who has called us. He has called us through His word, through His voice, and through His Spirit, and we are to be conformed into the image of Christ. The invisible God is building us every moment of our spiritual life to be conformed to the image of His Son. Just as the Lord Jesus has appeared MANY times throughout the scriptures, He has presented Himself in MANY forms. These appearances are known as theophanies. God refers to His appearances as sundry times and diverse manners. God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets. (Hebrews 1:1)

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The Image of God in the Mystery of God

  Whether it is the Old Testament or the New Testament, the Lord Jesus is presented in different ways. 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. Think of it, in Luke 1:35 He is presented to us as that holy thing from heaven, no shape nor form, just that holy thing from heaven.

   Then later, while as a babe in a manger His power held the sun in the sky and the moon and stars in the night. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:11) And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. (Luke 2:12)

    Then eight (the number of a new beginning) days after His birth, this infant child appears in the temple in Jerusalem and is proclaimed by Simeon to be the salvation of God to both Jew and Gentile.

And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. (Luke 2:25) And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. (Luke 2:26) And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, (Luke 2:27) Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, (Luke 2:28) Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: (Luke 2:29) For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, (Luke 2:30) Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; (Luke 2:31) A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. (Luke 2:32)

   He is presented to us as a young boy at twelve years of age at the temple, and those who heard Him were astounded at His wisdom. And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. (Luke 2:32)

And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. (Luke 2:46) And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. (Luke 2:47)

    We see Him (as a man) performing miracles that no man had ever done throughout Adam’s history. He had power over disease, He had power over sickness, He had power over death, He had power over wind and over the sea, He had power over the demons and the devil. He was transfigured on the holy mount; He was able to pass through the multitude who were attempting to stone Him without being seen. We see Him as a Savior in the shadow of death on the cross, and as a Man of resurrection with a new image. We see the Lord Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and we see the glorious image of the Son of man in Revelation Chapter 1. All these images and all that are presented of God concerning His Son we believe for the word of God have sealed these truths for us who are born of the Spirit of God. All these things that I have shown you come out of the New Testament, but what about the Old Testament? Man has a problem with this because he refuses to believe in a preexistent Christ. The same throne Sitter in Revelation 4 is the same throne Sitter in Isaiah 6:1. The Christ of the New Testament is the same Christ of the Old Testament. The same God of the Old Testament is the same God of the New Testament.

In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. (Isaiah 6:1)

And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. (Revelation 4:2) And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. (Revelation 4:3)

   Let’s see the mind of the Spirit. Could it be that Isaiah is a comparative book to the New Testament book, the Revelation of Jesus Christ? Is it a strange thing that God, in His determinate counsels, has given us sixty-six books in His revelation to us in the KJB. Was it the purpose of God in His foreknowledge to give the book of Isaiah sixty-six chapters? The revelation of Isaiah fills in the pieces of the New Testament book, the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Those who feel that the Old Testament was just for the Jews of their time are foolish, and that is why many who lack a background in the Old Testament do not understand the great mystery of God and the divine reason for the manifestation of His Son in the fullness of time.

   Now in Revelation Chapter 10, verse 7, we have the mystery of God should be finished, COMPLETE, from the beginning to the end. But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets. When God spoke the worlds into existence through Jesus Christ, this was still part of the mystery of God. When the Spirit of God said Amen in Revelation 22, this was still part of the mystery of God. The mystery of God will be completely finished from the beginning to the end, and we see this same mystery throughout the prophets, and especially in the book of Isaiah Chapter 9, verses 6 and 7.

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) Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. (Isaiah 9:7)

   We have the mystery of God in these five names: Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. We have the whole Godhead revealed to us in FIVE supernatural names. It is not the names themselves, but what is contained within these names: the image of the invisible God. The whole Godhead is placed before us. It describes not only His Being, but the POWER of the complete GODHEAD. These names in one Being are beyond the reasoning of man. This collection of names can only be filled in the fullness of time by the FULLNESS of the Godhead bodily in Jesus Christ and can only be known by divine revelation. The eye of the heart must see through faith the reality of the things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen. These five names fill the scriptures with divine truth that a Being so magnificent in might and power could and would send Himself to the death of the cross for the condemned souls of mankind.

Wonderful

   And so, the very image of God in Jesus Christ is WONDERFUL. Let’s turn to the book of Judges and consider Chapter 6 and Chapter 13. Here we behold the Angel of the Lord, which when searched out, we see that it is the Lord Himself. Both Gideon and Manoah and Manoah’s wife had seen God. And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God. (Judges 13:22) And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord GOD! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face. (Judges 6:22)

   In verse 18 of Chapter 13, the Angel of the Lord declared that His name is secret for the mystery of God was NOT yet fully revealed. And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret? (Judges 13:18) Now, I ask you, since the first of the names revealed to us in Isaiah 9 is WONDERFUL (a very uncommon name for I have never met anyone named Wonderful) could not this word and name Wonderful  hold many secrets?

   Think of all the wonderful things that are revealed in Jesus Christ that was veiled in secret in times past, but is NOW revealed unto us, the sons of God in our day. The revelation of Jesus Christ is more than one book. It is a collection of many books (66 books) and the wonders of this One is within all the pages from Genesis Chapter 1 to Revelation Chapter 22 is forever settled in heaven. Isn’t this wonderful? As He told them that His name was secret, so we see all the secrets of God fulfilled in the name Wonderful. Within this name is revealed the name of Jesus Christ, and this name is wonderfully above every name.

Counsellor

   Then we move onto Counsellor. God through His entire word is the Counselor. Christ is the Counselor of divine truth and the Fulfiller of the determinate counsels and foreknowledge of God. He is the Counselor of all His redeemed. It is His Spirit within that has cleaned the conscience, and allowed us to hear His voice, and be moved by line upon line, and precept upon precept, as we listen to His words that are full of Spirit and Life.

The mighty God

   The mighty God before the history of mankind, before time, the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ through the word of His power spoke the worlds into existence was and is The mighty God. 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) Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. (Hebrews 11:3)

  In Hebrews 1:3, the Person identified with the word of His power is the same Person identified who has purged our sin and who is sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high. That same Person, the same Son of God, spoke the worlds into existence by the Word of His power. Why did God use that phrase, the word of His power? Man would turn it around to the ‘power of His word,’ But that is NOT what God is telling us. God is showing us that within the depth of HIS Being, that HIS breathe gives power to His word, and His Word performs the power unlike the words of men. The divine Word is the supernatural power within the Almighty God. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. (Revelation 19:13) The Son of God is mighty in power, and mighty in deed. In His resurrection glory, in that Body that was raised from the dead, ALL power in heaven and in earth was given unto the Son of the most high God.

The everlasting Father

   The everlasting Father, a Being without end, a Being who has no beginning, a Being who has no end, a Being who is the First, and a Being who is the Last, a Being who is self-existent, a Being who needs NO outside energy or influence for all His energy and power is within Himself. And He is the everlasting Father, not only of the Son of God, but of ALL those who have been called and purged by the blood of Christ. He calls His children sons and they call Him, Abba, Father. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. (Galatians 4:6) God declared Himself from everlasting to everlasting THREE times in the Bible and all in the book of Psalms. This dovetails with the everlasting Father, the everlasting Son and the everlasting Spirit that All are seen in the fullness of the Godhead bodily in Jesus Christ. 

1. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou [art] God. (Psalm 90:2)
2. But the mercy of the LORD [is] from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children; (Psalm 103:17)
3. Blessed [be] the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the LORD. (Psalm 106:48)

   Christ told Phillip that if you have seen me you have seen the Father. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? (John 14:9) Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. (John 14:10)　

   Paul writing to the Colossians confronted the traditions of man and the rudiments of the world for the Colossians could not accept the FULLNESS of the deity of Christ. So, Paul, through the revelation of the Spirit of God, revealed to the Colossians the uniqueness of Christ that He was and is the FULLNESS of the Godhead bodily. That without question the manifestation of God as Jesus Christ was the FULLNESS of the Godhead IN bodily form. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. (Colossians 2:9) And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: (Colossians 2:10 )

   The Lord Jesus revealed the same truth in the gospel of John Chapter 3, in verse 11 the Lord Jesus began with Verily, verily, truly, truly. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. He wants to get our attention because He is about to declare to us a divine truth that we can only receive through revelation from God. THREE times, in this one verse, He used the word ‘we,‘ showing the very fullness of the Godhead. WE speak, (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) and that WE do know the determinate counsels and foreknowledge of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and WE testify that WE have seen from the very first moment of creation to our present day and into the future that God has seen the beginning to the end, and the end from the beginning. Then after the Lord Jesus revealed this divine truth, He declared, ye receive not our witness; thus, bringing in the WHOLE GODHEAD as witness to man and man refuses their witness.

   In verse 12 of Chapter 3, the Lord Jesus told of earthly things, and they believed not. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not. In Romans Chapter 1, the GODHEAD is revealed through the creation, and many received it not. Then the Lord Jesus continues on, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? If you won’t believe the earthly things, how are you going to believe the heavenly things? And then in verse 13, Christ opens the heavens to us in His own Person. He reveals His omniscient presence both in heaven and on earth as the Son of man, AND man won’t believe it. And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

   As the children of God, we believe through divine revelation from the Spirit of God. However, is it not still a mystery beyond our comprehension? These divine mysteries have been revealed to us to settle our hearts in the Person of Christ. To have full confidence in the word of God, to meditate, consume and digest every word, line upon line and precept upon precept. If God had not told us these things, we would still be of all men most miserable, but God has opened our eyes, unstopped our ears, and spoken to our hearts BY His Spirit to reveal Christ within us. Man’s intellectual power is weak at best for man in all his reasoning cannot obtain the knowledge of God without divine intervention and revelation from God.

The Prince of Peace

   And lastly, we have The Prince of Peace. He brought peace through the blood of His cross. He defeated the prince of this world, the old serpent, the devil. He has given life through His death and brought peace to the heart of all His redeemed. The Prince is the King of peace, He is the King of righteousness, and He will manifest Himself as THAT when He reveals Himself a second time to this ungodly world as the King of kings and Lord of lords.

   Consider the Angel of His Presence in Isaiah 63:9, In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old. Here we have a Redeemer and Savior. This is the One who went before Israel leading them in the wilderness. This is the One who manifested Himself as a cloud by day and a fire by night. This is the One who opened the Rock for He was the very Rock of their existence and gave rivers of water in the desert for the thirsty to drink. In the book of Isaiah, Chapter 43, verse 11, He declared that He is the ONLY Savior. I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour. In verse 12, He is the ONLY God, I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God. In verse 15, the Lord Jesus is the holy one, the Creator of Israel and their King, I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King. In verse 25, it is the great I AM. He declared that I am He who blotteth out transgressions, and He will not remember their sins. I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. In Chapter 44, verse 6, this verse connects the Lord Jesus with the Son of man in Revelation 1:17. He is the First and He is the Last and besides Him there is no other God. Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God. (Isaiah 44:6)

And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: (Revelation 1:17)

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. (Revelation 22:13)

   All these things from the book of Isaiah show us that the Angel of His presence in Isaiah 63 is the One and the SAME Jesus Christ who created all things.

And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: (Ephesians 3:9)

To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, (Ephesians 3:10)

According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: (Ephesians 3:11)

In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. (Ephesians 3:12)

   When Lord Jesus closed the canon of scripture, He identified Himself when He stated mine angel, in Revelation 22:16, 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. Here the Lord Jesus gives us four divine facts by the revelation of Himself to us. One, He is His Angel; two, He IS the ROOT of David BEFORE David was, I am; and three, the Lord Jesus IS the fulfillment and OFFSPRING of the promise of a great King, the Lord of lords and King of kings; and four, He IS the Creator of all things.

   He begins with THAT star, the bright and morning star. It must have pleased Him in all the stars above, to place as an image of Himself THAT bright and morning STAR. The STAR that announces a new day, as the sun peeks its eyes over the horizon, the morning STAR becomes the brightest of them all. And it is Christ who is the Light Giver, and through His Light all life of things in heaven and things on earth exist. He exposes and reveals all things through His Light as He separated light from darkness, He now burns in our hearts as our Light and Life. The very image of the invisible God is the full radiance, the full and complete effulgence of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

   To His Wonderful Person I say Amen. To the Counsellor I say, Amen. To The mighty God, I say, Amen. To The everlasting Father, I say, Amen. To The Prince of Peace, I say, Amen. To the King of kings and Lord of lords, I say, Amen.

   Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; (1^st Timothy 6:15) Who only hath immortality. Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen. (1^st Timothy 6:16) And to all those who are bought with the precious blood of the Lord Jesus, He who is the express image of the invisible God, permit me to bow in my Amen.

So shall it be Amen and Amen.

© Copyright 2023, 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)