The Spirit and the Body

Bonhoeffer- 'Here we encounter the office and work of the Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit who brings Christ to each several member (Eph. 3:17; 1 Cor. 12:3), who builds up the Church by gathering the individual members together, although the whole building is already complete in Christ (Eph. 2:22; 4:12; Col 2.2) He creates the fellowship (2 Cor. 13:14) of the members of the Body (Rom. 15:30; 5:5; Col. 1:8; Eph. 4:3) The Lord is the Spirit (2 Cor. 3:17). The Church of Christ is the presence of Christ through the Holy Spirit. In this way the life of the Body of Christ becomes our own life. In Christ we no longer live our own lives, but he lives his life in us. The life of the faithful in the Church is indeed the Life of Christ in them (Gal 2:20; Rom 8:10; 2 Cor 13:5; 1 John 4:15)'

Eph 3:16  That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man
Eph 3:17  That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love

1Co 12:3  Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

Eph 2:22  In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Eph 4:12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ

Col 2:2  That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ

2Co 13:14  The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen...

Rom 15:30  Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me

Rom 5:5  And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Col 1:8  Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.

Eph 4:3  Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

2Co 3:17  Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

Gal 2:20  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.

Rom 8:10  And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

2Co 13:5  Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

1Jn 4:15  Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

In the fellowship of the crucified and glorified body of Christ we participate in his suffering and glory. His cross is the burden which is laid on his Body, the Church. All its sufferings borne beneath this cross are the sufferings of Christ himself. This suffering first takes the form of the baptismal death, and after that the daily dying of the Christians (1 Cor. 15:31)...1Co 15:31  I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

…  in the power of their baptism.

But there is a far greater form of suffering than this, one which bears an ineffable promise. For while it is true that only the suffering of Christ himself can atone for sin, and that his suffering and triumph took place "for  us," yet to some, who are not ashamed of their fellowship in his body, he vouchsafes the immeasurable grace and privilege of suffering "for him," as he did for them. No greater glory could he have granted to his own, no higher privilege can the Christian enjoy, than to suffer "for Christ." When that happens, something comes to pass which is inconceivable under the law. For according to the law we can only be punished for our own sins. Under the law there is nothing that a man can suffer for his own good, still less for the good of another, and least of all for the good of Christ. The Body of Christ, which was given for us, which suffered the punishment of our sins, makes us free to take our share of suffering and death "for Christ." Now we may work and suffer for Christ, for the sake of him who did everything possible for us. This is the miracle of grace we enjoy in our fellowship in the Body of Christ  (Phil. 1:25-

Php 1:25  And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith;

...Phil 2:17… Php 2:17  Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.

...Rom. 8:35...Rom 8:35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

…1 Cor. 4:10...1Co 4:10  We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.

2 Cor 4:10...2Co 4:10  Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

2 Cor 5:20...2Co 5:20  Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

2 Cor 13:9...2Co 13:9  For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection. )

Although Christ has fulfilled all the vicarious suffering necessary for our redemption, his suffering on earth is not finished yet. He has, in his grace, left a residue of suffering for his Church to fulfill in the interval before his Second Coming (Col 1:24-Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church) This suffering is allowed to benefit the Body of Christ, the Church. Whether we have any right to assume that this suffering has power to atone for sin . (1 Pet. 4:1 -1Pe 4:1  Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin) ' ...we have no means of knowing but we do at least know that the man who suffers in the power of the body of Christ suffers in a representative capacity "for" the church, the Body of Christ, being privileged to endure himself what others are spared . '

My thoughts-

Through the Holy Spirit we live in Christ, and there is NO other way for us to live in Christ, none! Christ promised this--

Joh 14:16  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Joh 14:17  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
Joh 14:18  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
Joh 14:19  Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.

The Spirit of truth living IN US!

This is truth having TRUTH.

We can't ignore this -  'the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him'

Do we believe this?! Do we?!

It is so incredibly easy to toss aside the TRUTH in favor of ear pleasing fables and so many people do this and call it good.

This...is...fact…

Mat 7:21  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Many are going to do all sorts of things in the name of Jesus- believing they are doing His work! But in truth, He doesn't know them. Why doesn't He know them? Because they do NOT do ALL that He tells them.  Could it be they pick and choose the things they want to do, and leave undone all those that they deem too difficult, or not important?

Truthfully we know people by their fruits, and those fruits reveal whether or not they are truly listening to, and living in Christ!

We suffer, we are to die daily, and we live in the Spirit of our Lord!

More tomorrow by the grace of God!

Christ is the Head of the Body

Chapter 29 - The Body of Christ

Rom 12:4  For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
Rom 12:5  So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

1Co 12:12  For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
1Co 12:13  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
1Co 12:14  For the body is not one member, but many.

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

Col 1:18  And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Col 2:19  And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.

Bonhoeffer- 'When we have recognized the unity between Christ and his Body, the Church, we must also hold fast to the complementary truth of Christ's Lordship over the Body. That is why St. Paul, as he comes to develop the theme of the Body of Christ, calls him the Head of the Body. 

This assertion symbolizes and preserves the truth that Christ stands over against his Church. The historical fact in the story of our redemption which makes this truth essential, and rules out any idea of a mystical fusion between Christ and his Church, is the Ascension of Christ (and his Second Coming).  The same Christ who is present in his Church will also come again. It is the same Lord and the same Church in both places, and it is one and the same Body, whether we think of his presence on earth or of his coming again on the clouds of heaven. But it makes a great deal of difference whether we are here or there. So it is necessary to give due weight both to the unity of Christ and his Church and to their distinction.

The Church is one man; it is the Body of Christ. But it is also many, a fellowship of members.

Since the Church is a body made up of many members, no separate member, such as hand or eye or foot, can transcend its own individuality. That is the meaning of St. Paul's analogy of the body. The hand can never take the place of the eye, or the eye the place of the ear. Each preserves its separate identity and function. On the other hand, they all preserve that identity and function only as members of the one body, as a fellowship united in service. It is the unity of the whole Church which makes each member what he is and the fellowship what it is, just as it is Christ and his Body which make the Church what it is.'

My thoughts-  Again I have to stress that I do not believe there is any one organized Church that is truly following Christ and all His truth.  I do believe there are many small organized groups that are doing so, some with the name Such and Such Church, but they are not joined with any large organized group. We know Biblically that FEW will find the narrow path and that alone should sound off warning bells in our minds about large groups claiming to be 'THE CHURCH'. 

I'm not sure where Bonhoeffer is going with all this. I know I don't agree with all his insights, not by a long shot, but it could be simply He was not subjected to the truth to follow, but followed all the truth He did encounter.  We are only accountable for the truth presented to us, and whether or not we accept or reject it. No one will be accountable for rejecting any truth that was never presented to them to make that decision.

We cannot judge any one's eternal life, we dare not even begin to try to do so.

I believe Bonhoeffer has a tremendous insight in to a lot of things of Christ, and so I continue on with the study.

--

Truthfully, Christ is the Head of the Body- the Church- His people.  There is no doubt at all that our Lord and Savior is our God and we worship HIM as being supreme in all things! Our Creator!  Can there be any more reason to worship, than the truth of HIS being our CREATOR?!  People will dispute this, they do it all the time, but there is no disputing the facts. The truth of God's Holy Word as it has been given to us and proven time and time again to predict our future.  Truth!  Yet so many choose blindness over truth, so called science over faith, theories and traditions over reality.  Clinging to falsehoods many are going to be lost, they will NOT be a part of the Church- God's people, the Body.

Medically if we cut off the head of a person they have NO chance of living, none, it's over.  And yet many people cut of the Head of the Church- JESUS CHRIST. They put in its place another head and like Frankenstein's monster they believe the head is alive and giving their body life. They've put up so many different heads and often times people will try to replace the Head, Christ, with their own head believing they know best.  They create all sorts of things distorting the truth to suit them and then they get their followers to listen to them, all the while telling those followers they are following Christ. They are liars, self-deceived even, but allowing themselves to be so. NO ONE is deceived without their consent to the deception!  Taking their eyes off Christ and all His truth, they choose to listen to the fables of man, and they take their easy religion, their feel-good worship, their lies the multitudes call truth, and they believe. 

Do we WANT truth? 

It is ONLY FOUND IN CHRIST!

And the truth is that CHRIST must be the Head of our fellowship in Him, or we are caught up in a fabrication of Satan's, skillfully, artfully, woven fallacy that soothes the conscience, eases the nerves.

Christ and all the TRUTH of Christ must be examined. We cannot pick and choose which parts of the truth we want to follow. Any truths we discard become the building blocks of lies we erect building our own body that has Satan as its head, not Christ.

Please, LORD, please help us to keep YOU as the Head of the Body we belong to as YOUR followers, Your church!

Keep us in YOU LORD in all things!

Satan would have us, save us, LORD! Save us from ourselves! We have no power of our own, none!

By Your GRACE Lord!   In Your LOVE and MERCY Lord! Know us! Save us!

Afflict our souls

This last WWN article- on the eternal truths is of particular importance to me.



What ARE we to be doing in the last remnant of time? 



There WILL be a people who are ALIVE in the last days, a people who will NOT see death ever!  These people will go through the seven last plagues - untouched. These people will go through a time of trouble such as never was. These people will be viciously attacked by Satan as he unleashes all his power to try and ensnare them. These people will be commandment keepers! These people will have the testimony of Jesus!  These people will have the Holy Spirit speaking through them!

This is all BIBLICAL- not made up fantasy, but truth!



So when we read about the Atonements, the final atonement our Savior is making for us, a cleansing atonement, we have to realize that there truly is a part we have in it all. The people on the day of atonement were to be afflict their souls.



Lev 16:29  ...ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you:

Lev 16:30  For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.

Lev 16:31  It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls…



Afflict our souls, realize our need of a Savior to save us in all ways! 



We truly do need to be empty of self… this song is truly relevant- if you can, listen to it on youtube.



He will empty us, only He can.



Empty Me- Lyrics - (Chris Sligh)



I've had just enough of the spotlight when it burns bright

To see how it gets in the blood

And I've tasted my share of the sweet life and the wild ride

And found a little is not quite enough

I know how I can stray

And how fast my heart could change

Empty me of the selfishness inside

Every vain ambition and the poison of my pride

And any foolish thing my heart holds to

Lord empty me of me so I can be filled with You

I've seen just enough of the quick buys of the best lies

To know how prodigals can be drawn away

I know how I can stray

And how fast my heart could change

Empty me of the selfishness inside

Every vain ambition and the poison of my pride

And any foolish thing my heart holds to

Lord empty me of me so I can be filled with You

'Cause everything is a lesser thing

Compared to You, compared to You

'Cause everything is a lesser thing

Compared to You so why surrender all?

Empty me of the selfishness inside

Every vain ambition and the poison of my pride

Empty me of the selfishness inside

Every vain ambition and the poison of my pride

And any foolish thing my heart holds to

Lord empty me of me so I can be

Lord empty me of me so I can be filled with You

Oh, filled with You, empty me



Pasted from



WWN 1998 Jun -- XXXI -- 6(98) -- ETERNAL VERITIES -- Part 5 -- THE ATONEMENT -- Part 2 --



Editor's Preface -- With this issue of WWN we conclude the series on the Eternal Verities. The discussion of the Atonement centers on the unique perception in Adventism of the significance of the typical Day of Atonement as assigned by God in the Hebrew sacrificial system. The reason why the pioneers of Adventism believed that the atonement on the tenth day of the seventh month was the only atonement, and that no atonement was involved with Calvary is discussed. Inasmuch as the "new" theology permeating the thinking in Adventism today rejects the atonement involving the final ministry of Christ as High Priest in the sanctuary above, and centers the atonement emphasis at the Cross, we do well to seek to understand just what the Scriptures reveal about the final atonement. The implications and demands implied in a final atonement have been the basis of various aberrant movements in our history. Either we jettison the sanctuary teaching with its implications, or we find an answer. In the process there will be things to learn and things to unlearn.



 --THE ATONEMENT #2 -- The concept of a final atonement is based in the typology of the sanctuary services associated with the tenth day of the seventh month - Yom Kippur.



In the Old Testament this day is noted as the Day of Atonements, plural. Leviticus 23:27 reads - "On the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonements."



Actually, only one atonement was made on this day, an atonement for cleansing (Lev. 16:30).



Lev 16:30  For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.



The Septuagint in translating Leviticus 23:27 uses the singular, exilasomoV, for the Hebrew plural, which adds support to the position that the majestic plural was used to designate the typical Day of Atonement.



This being the case, then the atonement of the tenth day of the seventh month was considered of greater significance than the atonement ministered by the common priests in the daily sin offerings brought to the sanctuary.



This background also helps one to understand why our pioneers in their writings placed the emphasis as they did on the antitypical Day of Atonement, even denying that an atonement was ever made on Calvary. (See 0. R. L. Crosier, The Sanctuary, Day Star Extra, 1846; Reproduced in Facsimiles of the Two Earliest S. D.A. Periodicals).



With the change of emphasis today in mainline Adventism, placing the atonement of the Cross as the one atonement, and the down-play of the final atonement, even to the point of denial, there needs to be a rebalancing of the study of the atonement which reflects the whole of Scripture.



If it requires a learning process, or an unlearning process, so let it be. (See Testimonies to Ministers, p.30) A thoughtful rereading of Leviticus 16 would so indicate such a process.



Traditionally, we have perceived that the High Priest went only once into the Most Holy Place on the Day of Atonement.



A careful study of Leviticus 16 indicates that he entered three times on that day.



First the High Priest took in a censer "full of burning coals from off the altar before the Lord, and his hands full of sweet incense" (v.12).



Next, he was instructed to take "the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat" (v.14).



Finally, he was to kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail" (v.15).



Traditionally, we have pictured the ministry of Jesus in the Most Holy Place as a High Priest standing before the Ark of the Covenant, robed in the pontifical attire like that worn by the typical high priest. The clothing worn by the High Priest on the Day of Atonement in the typical services are described as "the holy linen coat" with "linen breeches upon his flesh," and "girded with a linen girdle," and wearing "the linen mitre." These are declared to be the "holy garments" (v.4). Conforming to the traditional concept, we have lost much in our perception of the vision of Ezekiel 9. Three times in the vision given to Ezekiel, the One with the "writer's inkhorn by his side" is described as "clothed in linen" (vs. 2, 3, 11).



This links the sealing as associated with the work of Heaven in connection with the antitypical Day of Atonement.



Traditionally, we have literalized the offering of the bullock as an atonement made by the High Priest for his immediate family, failing to consider that the High Priest typified the coming great High Priest in all aspects of the services on the typical day.



In fact, the introduction in the book of Hebrews to the sanctuary typology is based on this concept of the house of Moses, of which Aaron was High Priest, and the house of Christ, of which He Himself is the High Priest. (See Heb. 3:1-6)



Heb 3:1  Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;

Heb 3:2  Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.

Heb 3:3  For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.

Heb 3:4  For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.

Heb 3:5  And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;

Heb 3:6  But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.



The contrast of the two houses is prefaced with the admonition - "Consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus" (v.1).



As the bullock was provided by the High Priest, so Christ offered Himself, as well as being the "Lord's goat" taken from the congregation... (Deut, 18:15, 18)



Deu 18:15  The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken



Deu 18:18  I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.



..., as the offering of God.



For the bullock no confession was made, and its blood was taken first into the most holy place following the pouring of the incense upon the coals of fire. While in the Old Testament, the ministry of the sanctuary was limited to the tribe of Levi, and the priesthood to the house of Aaron, the New Testament pictures the ones who believe in Jesus "as lively stones"   "being built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood" even "a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people" (I Peter 2:5, 9).



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



1Pe 2:9  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light



In its entirety, the new Israel was to be a kingdom of priests.



This is the "house" of Christ, "whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end" (Heb. 3:6).



Traditionally, we have limited the ministry of Jesus as High Priest on the antitypical Day of Atonement and restricted it to the Most Holy Place.



The type does not warrant such a conclusion. In the services as outlined in Leviticus 16, there is a progression beginning in the Most Holy (called "the holy"), and passing to the Holy Place (called "the tabernacle"), and then to the Altar of the Court, noted as "the altar before the Lord." [There is also implied movement in the vision of Ezekiel 9, from "the cherub, where upon He was" to the "threshold of the house" to give commands to those standing "beside the brazen altar," among whom was "the man clothed with linen"].



In the outline of the typical service of the Day of Atonement, it is stated that the atonement was necessary for two reasons:



 1)    "the uncleanness of the children of Israel" and

 2)    "because of their transgressions in all their sins" (Lev. 16:16).



These reasons could be summarized as the record of sin, and the cause for the record of the sins - "their uncleanness." The record is kept in "books" (Daniel 7:10); the confession of those sins were recorded typically on the altars of the sanctuary (Leviticus 4). In the services of the typical Day of Atonements, the uncleanness is not noted as cleansed until the third phase, the cleansing at the brazen altar (16:19). For that phase, the blood of the bullock and the blood of the Lord's goat were mingled (v. 18). This gives some suggestion of how Heaven views the final atonement, and the magnitude of what God purposes to accomplish through the "Surety" of the better covenant.



How can this be related to the prophetic picture of Daniel 7?



First, one must recognize a basic premise. Sin began with a covering cherub in the very presence of God (Eze. 28:14-15).



The first point of reference for the final eradication of sin must be where sin began and the issue involved which sparked the rebellion.



At this point, the statements of Scripture and the revelation found in the Writings must be combined. Man, created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26), was to be only "a little while inferior to the angels" (Heb. 2:7, margin).



[The Greek of this verse is bracu ti. Thayer observes that here Paul "transfers to time what the LXX in Ps. 8:6 says of rank." (p.105) In the context of this verse, the same wording is used of Jesus (2:9). In His condescension, time not rank was the factor. (See Heb. 1:4; Phil. 2:9)]



From the Writings we learn that "human beings were a new and distinct order" (Review & Herald, Feb. 11,1902), and "designed to be a counterpart of God" (Review & Herald, June 18, 1895).



Further, we are informed that "when God said to His Son, Let us make man in our image, Satan was jealous of Jesus. He wished to be consulted concerning the formation of man" (Spiritual Gifts, Vol.1, p. 17). This sparked the rebellion in Heaven. The whole angelic host became involved, and each made a decision.



It is with the angelic host that the scene of judgment in Daniel 7 begins.



All are assembled.



God who changes not desires that His original plan be activated. Will the angels of heaven accept the exaltation of the redeemed? The picture is far different now than when first suggested. The books are opened, and there is recorded the dark history of man's continual transgression and uncleanness. Will the angels consent that these who have sinned be placed above themselves who have never sinned? What plea can God make? Here the significance of the service of the Day of Atonement enters.



First, Jesus who gave Himself, typified as the high priest who provided his own bullock, asks, "Did I give enough?"



Across the minds of the angelic hosts races the recall of the agonies of Gethsemane and Calvary. Then God, who placed His co-Equal in the channel of human inheritance, and gave Him for the fallen race, asks, "Have I given enough?"



The angels recall those hours of darkness when God Himself suffered in inexplicable anguish at the Cross. Yes, they assent, the purpose of God may proceed, and they will join in the final work for man.



Three angels go forth with the final call of the Everlasting Gospel, announcing first the setting in which it is being given - "The hour of the judgment of Him is come" (Lit.). Worship Him; "Be ye reconciled to God." Cease in rebellion; keep His commandments. The man "clothed in linen" completes His work, and returns to the Throne, declaring, "I have done as thou has commanded me" (Eze. 9:11).



This is the second time He has uttered these words. Once before He prayed - "I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do" (John 17:4).



But this time instead of from the cross the cry, "It is finished," there will come from the temple of heaven, from the throne "a great voice" declaring, "It is done" (Rev. 16:17).



In the symbolism of Daniel, the Son of man comes to the Ancient of days to receive His kingdom - His "house" for which He has given so much. The at-one-ment is completed. "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ" (Rev. 11:15).



While the "house" is not limited to the last generation, but includes all who have availed themselves of "the redemption in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 3:24), there is a uniqueness in regard to the last generation which one dares not over look.



This distinction is clearly defined in Paul's discussion of the resurrection in I Corinthians 15. All the redeemed "shall be changed" (v.51).



While those who have been corrupted by death, are raised to incorruption (afqarsia), those alive at the event put on immortality (aqanasia)  (v.53).



It is this latter word, which emphasizes the uniqueness of the final generation. It is used three times in the New Testament, all in the writings of Paul; twice in I Corinthians 15:53, and once in I Timothy 6:16. In this latter reference, it declares that "the King of kings and Lord of lords ... only hath immortality." It is evident that to the victors who do not taste death, God shares a unique part of Himself, they in reality become a "counterpart of God."



This then raises the question of when the commission of sin ceases. Those who go to the grave can by faith in the Surety, who is still interceding in the sanctuary above, claim the promise of victory (I Cor. 15:57). But what about those who are alive when the intercession of the One "clothed in linen" ceases? Sin will also have had to cease in their lives. When and how will this be realized?



[The book of Revelation is clear that there is a period of time between the cessation of the priestly ministry of Jesus Christ, and His coming as King of kings and Lord of lords. (15:8, 19:11)]



Rev 15:8  And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.



Rev 19:11  And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.



Seeking the answer to this question has been the basis of various aberrant movements within Adventism as well as divisions of thought resulting from the introduction of what is called "the new theology." One movement at the turn of the last century received encouragement from the preaching of A. F. Ballenger at the camp meetings of 1898.



He said -    "You and I can afford to resist unto blood, striving against sin; but we cannot afford to sin. It is too late to sin in thought, word, or action; for it is time to receive the Holy Ghost in all of its fullness, - time to receive the seal of God." (Review & Herald, October 18,1898, p.671; emphasis his)    He couched his message in the motif of the typical Day of Atonement. In another report on a campmeeting in Indiana, Ballenger wrote:      When I am conscious that I am not clean, I cannot preach with power, neither can I preach with "unwonted power" when I know my people are not clean. Cleanse the Seventh-day Adventist Church of all uncleanness, I will promise the loudest cry of the loud cry the same day. (ibid., Nov. 8, 1898, p.720)



The next year the Holy Flesh Movement began in Indiana. While the excesses of the Movement were unacceptable, and some of its major theological positions untenable, one cannot condemn the sincerity of the men of Indiana who sought to realize the "vision" of what the end will be. The illusive "how" escaped them. They wanted "trans-lation faith." They did not want to go to heaven on "the under-ground railroad" - the grave. The message preached they termed the "cleansing message."



In the 1960s another Movement began in Adventism led by Robert Brinsmead. In his "constitutional" publication, God's Eternal Purpose, he sets forth his perceptions and the basis for them, as well as the objective which he believed was the purpose of the final atonement. He wrote:      Through Christ's ministry in the holy of holies, humanity is to be fully united (married) to divinity. Hence the significance of the final atonement - at-one-ment. ... When his faith reaches to the last supreme act of the atonement, he will be fully united (married) to divinity for eternity. Then he will be as sinless in the flesh as Christ was sinless in the flesh. [A diagram of the relationship between Christ and the Christian is inserted at this point]



Christ's perfect humanity is the standard which His true followers must possess to pass through the last scenes of earth's history. God must have, and will have a people to reveal the full stature of Christ. All those who work in harmony with Christ in the cleansing of the sanctuary will reach this standard. (p.199)



In this, Brinsmead was simply trying to answer the same question which concerned the men of Indiana, albeit in a different setting, and free from the emotional extravaganza which marked the Holy Flesh Movement. His appeal was directly related to the study of the sanctuary. The typical service of the sanctuary on the Day of Atonement demands that the question involving the cleansing - both from the record of sin, and the uncleanness of the individual which is the source of sinning - be answered. The answer is not in the abandonment of the sanctuary teaching, for if done, as is being done, Adventism loses its uniqueness.



Actually, the position of Brinsmead as noted above is basically the position of most of those who perceive of themselves as "historic" Adventists.



The fact remains; we are still here and the evidences of fulfilling prophecy tells us that God is not going to delay the end much longer. The answer must be found. The answers being set forth focus on "the latter rain."



This is a nebulous concept from the Judean harvest but with significance in the light of Peter's call to repentance to those assembled on Solomon's porch of the Temple area (Acts 3:19). [This text, Brinsmead used with emphasis]



The Writings indicate that the objective of "the latter rain" is to bring "the seed to perfection" (Testimonies to Ministers, p.506).



In the same chapter, "Pray for the Latter Rain," is found the suggestion that this experience is involved with the reception of the advancing light of truth: - "Only those who are living up to the light they have, will receive greater light" (p.507).



The result is clearly written - "We are to be wholly transformed into the likeness of Christ" (p.506)



The "how" is also defined - "It is God who began the work, and He will finish His work, making man complete in Jesus Christ" (p.507).



Paul wrote that in Christ "dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him" (Col. 2:9-10).



This returns us again to the "in Him" concept of the Pauline epistles, and that Christ is the "Surety of a better covenant." We are His "house," the new house of Israel, a people of the covenant, and the promise is - "He shall save His people from their sins."



With all the failures of the past century to find the answer which the typical service of the Day of Atonement demands, one hesitates to even offer a suggestion as to what the answer might be. However, we would do well to consider a suggestion found in the Writings which reads - "Zechariah's vision of Joshua and the Angel [Chapter 3] applies with peculiar force to the experience of God's people in the closing of the great day of atonement" (Testimonies for the Church, Vol. V, p.472).



In analyzing this vision, the first revelation is that Satan will resist every effort not only to understand the final atonement, but also its realization.



Joshua, the ministering high priest in the days of Zechariah, is seen standing before the Lord, and "Satan standing at his right hand to resist Him" (v.1).



Satan is just as envious and just as set in his opposition to the plan of God for man as when God first suggested it in the beginning. He seeks to set himself at "the right hand" for power and control. In the vision the Lord first rebukes Satan before turning His attention to Joshua. "Is not this a brand plucked out of the fire," He asks. Joshua has no means to escape - his clothes are flammable - "filthy garments" ripe for the fire. Then the Lord commands those who stood before Him - those who have assented for God to carry out His original intent for man - "Take away the filthy garments from him" (v.4).



Here is the first test to those who would be cleansed. They can either yield their "filthy" garments, and become naked before whom they stand, or they can hold to them so as to cover their nakedness. This is the critical test self is involved. It is embarrassing to have to admit that all the "righteousnesses" which sustain our egos are nothing but "filthy rags" (Isa. 64:6).



 But unless we are willing for this to happen, the next step cannot be taken. The Lord will not put His righteousness over our righteousnesses. He alone is righteous and He does not intend to share that righteousness in which there is not a thread of human devising with the fig-leaf devising of men.



When Joshua yielded up his filthy garments - the angels of the Lord will remove them if we permit - the Lord declares - "Behold I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with a change of raiment" (v.4).



The emphasis is on what God can and will do, not on what man can do, for his is only to surrender so that it can be done for him.



On the typical Day of Atonement, it was the high priest alone who accomplished the atonement.



The recipients were to afflict their souls and do no work (Ex. 23; 29-30).



Soul affliction - how few understand what this is all about.



Self denial - and this does not mean in material things of life - but the actual emptying of self even as He did, whose mind we are suppose to accept (Phil. 2:5-7 RSV).



Php 2:5  Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Php 2:6  who, being in the form of God, counted it not a prize to be on an equality with God,

Php 2:7  but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men



How painful to those who profess they can keep the commandments of God, and tell the Lord, "All these have I kept from my youth up, what lack I yet?"



After being clothed with the garments provided and a fair mitre being set on his head, the messenger of the Lord solemnly affirmed the intent of the Lord of hosts - "Thus saith the Lord of hosts: If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by" (v.7).



The result - "Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at" (Heb. "men of wonder"). Through the bestowal of the final outpouring of God's grace, *  human beings still closed in flesh of sin, will fully reflect the image of Christ, for God will bring forth His servant, the BRANCH in each - "Christ in you the hope of glory."



The final atonement will have been accomplished. "For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith" (Gal. 5:5).



* -- "Divine grace is needed at the beginning, divine grace at every step of advance, and divine grace alone can complete the work." (Testimonies to Ministers, p.508)



*******



All glory to GOD, by HIS GRACE! HIS LOVE! HIS MERCY! HIS FORGIVENESS! HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS! HIS WHITE ROBE!

Study truth

2Ti_2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

1998 May -- XXXI -- 5(98) --ETERNAL VERITIES -- Part 5 -- THE ATONEMENT -- Part 1 --

Editor's Preface -- The article on the Atonement is the first of two on the final "Eternal Verity" which we have been discussing in this series of studies. This study deals with the theological aspects of the Atonement emphasizing in sanctuary context that Jesus was announced as the Savior of "His people from their sins." The second study will discuss the historical background of the concept of "Atonement" in Adventist thinking.

 THE ATONEMENT -- Part 1 -- Reduced to its simplest terms, the Atonement was stated by the Angel Gabriel in his announcement to Joseph regarding the name by which the son of Mary was to be called - "Thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins" (Matt. 1:21).

Sin had separated man from God (Isa. 59:1-2).

Isa 59:1  Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
Isa 59:2  But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

Separation from sin restores at-one-ment with God.

In a sense, "sin" is a compound word involving not only the acts, but the cause for the acts. Full at-one-ment cannot be realized until both of these two aspects of sin are abrogated.

The atonement is God's initiative.

The Gospel of Matthew indicates that the coming of Jesus was in fulfillment of the prophetic promise to Isaiah, that a virgin would conceive and bear a son whose name would be called "Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us" (1:23).

God became us so that in Him by becoming us could be restored the lost oneness caused by sin.

This means that Jesus is the sole source by which the atonement was and is to be accomplished.

He restored in Himself the lost oneness with God, and by His mediation, He will return "His people" to their lost oneness with God.

In Hebrews, Jesus is declared to be a "surety of a better covenant" (7:22). The word translated "surety," egguoV, is used only this one time in the New Testament. However, in legal and other documents of the period the word appears frequently. Moulton & Milligan in their reference work, The Vocabulary of the Greek New Testament, cite various incidents of its use. For example - "The father consents to the marriage and is surety for the payment of the aforesaid dowry." Again - "I hold your surety until you pay me the value of the claims" (p.179). The surety of Jesus under this better covenant, "established upon better promises" (Heb 8:6), is His own word and accomplishment both as priest and sacrifice.

This unique word usage in Hebrews suggests another covenant and another surety.

At Mount Sinai a covenant was confirmed with Israel on the promises of the people to perform it. At the command of God, Moses read to the whole congregation "the judgments" which God gave to him (Exodus 21:1 - 23:33). In this covenant, there was no provision for mercy. It was obey:live; disobey:die (23:20-21).

Exo 23:20  Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.
Exo 23:21  Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.

After hearing read to them this book of the covenant, "All the people answered with one voice and said, All the words which the Lord hath said will we do" (24:3). It lasted less than forty days.

While Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving from God the Ten Commandments engraved in stone, as well as instructions for the building of the sanctuary, the congregation of Israel pressed Aaron to make the golden calf god of the Egyptians, and worship it as the one who had brought them forth from Egypt (Ex. 32:1-7). Coming down from the mount and seeing the naked revelry of the people before the golden calf, Moses sensed the enormity and significance of the rebellion. Israel was a lost cause. Into the breach, Moses stepped. Admitting the magnitude of their sin, he pled with God - "Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if Thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of Thy book which Thou hast written" (Ex. 32:31-32). To the pleadings of Moses, God responded - "Write thou these words: for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel" (Ex. 34:27). Moses became the "surety," a mediator of this covenant which could be called a "type" covenant. Under it the sanctuary was erected and functioned. It prefigured Jesus, the "surety" of a better covenant.

It is this understanding of the covenant with Israel, which makes more meaningful the appearance of Moses on the Mount of Transfiguration. The record in Luke reads that as Jesus prayed in a mountain, even as Moses had so prayed, "behold there talked with Him two men, which were Moses and Elias (Elijah)." These "spake" to Him "of His decease (exodoV) which He should accomplish at Jerusalem" (9:28-31). Jesus provided the "way out" - the meaning of the word, "exodos" - beginning in Jerusalem, thus He became the surety, a mediator of a better covenant. The "exodos" from Egypt was not complete until Israel was secured in the Land of Promise. Our "exodos" will not be complete until we stand on the Sea of Glass before the Throne of God. Before that Throne now stands the Lamb as it had been slain, the "Surety" of the better covenant (Rev. 5:6). The entire at-one-ment is in Him and through Him.

All of this leads to another important concept in regard to the atonement. In the Old Testament the word, "atonement" is used for both the objective achieved in the daily ritual as well as the special service on the Day of Atonement. There is a dual atonement. In Leviticus 4, in each instance where the KJV uses the word, "atonement" (verses 20, 26, 31, 35), the Hebrew verb, kipher, is used. Likewise, the same word is found in Leviticus 16 (verses 16,17,18,24,32,33). In Leviticus 16, the infinitive form, kapher, is also used (verses 17,20,30,33,34). In Leviticus 23, the noun form in the plural, kiphurim, is used as well as the infinitive. This data is cited so as to relate the use of the word to the New Testament as well as to consider how it is translated in the Septuagint (LXX), the Bible of the Apostolic Church.

The word, atonement, as found in Leviticus 4 & 16 (KJV), is translated in the LXX by the Greek word, exilaskomai, or exilaskomai, and in Leviticus 23 by exilasomoV, a noun in the singular for the Hebrew plural. These words do not appear in the Greek New Testament. However, a similar word is used. Two times the word 'ilaskomai (hilaskomai), a verb, is used. In Luke 18:13 it is translated, "merciful,"and in Heb. 2:17 as "reconciliation." The noun form, 'ilasmoV (hilasmos) is used twice in John 2:2; 4:10, and is translated, "propitiation." Another word from the same root is used two times - 'ilasthrion (hilasteron). In Romans 3:25 without the article It is translated, "propitiation," and with the article in Hebrews 9:5 as "the mercy seat."

You may ask why these words from the same root are given different translations; why, not always as "atonement"? The Greek word in the OT for atonement has the prepositional prefix, ek (ex before vowels) which effects its meaning. For example, the Greek word, ballw means, "I throw," but ekballw means, "I cast out."

What Is all of this telling us? Consider the following factors carefully:
1)    As noted above, the LXX was the "Bible" of the Apostolic Church. It was the Apostles who contributed to the Church, the New Testament.
2)    Every scripture quoted in the book of Hebrews was from the LXX, not the Hebrew text.
3)    Nowhere in the New Testament are the words used which are used in the LXX for the "atonement" in either describing the daily services as outlined in Leviticus 4, or in the outline of the yearly service as found in Leviticus 16.

This permits but a simple conclusion. The concept of "atonement" as emphasized in Adventism was not spelled out In the New Testament. Does this nullify the position of Adventism? No! This fact has both an upside and downside.

First the upside:    This means that in the book of Hebrews, which quotes solely from the LXX, the use of the words used for "atonement" in the LXX were purposely avoided, thus telling the reader, the material presented was not to be understood as speaking of the antitypical Day of Atonement. That "day" was approaching (Heb. 10:25). Jesus had not entered upon His ascension into the ministry depicted by the typical Day of Atonement. Rather, He is presented as a "surety of a better covenant," "as a Son over His own house," and as a priest-king sitting on "the throne of grace" (Heb. 3:5-6; 4:14-16).

Now the downside:     The New Testament does not give the basis for the final atonement which is one of the fundamental pillars of Adventism.

Where does that leave us? To put it very plainly; It leaves us with a theology based on the typology of the wilderness sanctuary services and related to the book of Daniel as it focuses on the closing events of time. This gives significance to the fact that the book of Daniel was set aside - sealed - for the time of the end. Does this diminish in any way the centrality of the Sacrifice of the cross? No, it merely relates the sacrifice of Christ to the dual aspect of the Atonement, the daily service - forgiveness - and the yearly service - cleansing.

Even in the New Testament where the word "atonement" is used once in the KJV (Rom. 5:11), the Greek word is katallagh, meaning "reconciliation," and so translated where the word is used elsewhere in the NT. While it is true that a concept of at-one-ment is embodied in the word reconciliation, it is a reconciliation of "enemies" to God (Rom. 5:10), not the coming to God of an errant child confessing his sin seeking to be again at-one-ment with his Father. Reconciliation is outside the covenant relationship. It brings us into that accord. The atonements were for those already in a covenant relationship with God. It must ever be recognized that the sanctuary type was set up and functioned under the covenant which God made with Moses and with Israel, with Moses as the mediator.

Paul in Romans 5:10-11, is emphasizing who the Reconciler is - "Christ by whom we have received the atonement" (KJV) - "the reconciliation." He also blends two concepts - the death and resurrection of Jesus. We are "reconciled to God by the death of His Son," but having been reconciled, "we shall be saved by His life" who "is able to save to the uttermost all who come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them" (Heb. 7:25). This "saving work" is stated in the context of Christ as "a surety of a better covenant" and as having "an unchangeable priesthood." (See Heb. 7:22, 24)

The covenant concept is an essential concept for us to understand in relationship to the atonement. In the Old Testament, those who accepted the God of Israel as their God are described as taking "hold of My covenant" (Isa. 56:4, 6). The promise to them was that their "sacrifices shall be accepted upon My altar" (ver. 7). In the New Testament there is a "new" Israel. Paul describes the Ephesians as at one time being "Gentiles" and "aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, and having no hope, and without God in the world" (2:11,12). But a "naturalisation" took place. He wrote - "Now in Christ Jesus ye who were sometimes far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ" (ver. 13).

Observe - "in Christ Jesus" there is a new Israel. All that come unto God by Him - for no man cometh to the Father except by Him - are extended hope and the promises of the new covenant. He is the Surety, having accomplished a new exodoV at Jerusalem by the cross. To the foot of the cross - "the highest place to which man can attain" - all must come to receive "the blood of sprinkling" (See Ex. 24:8), and thus come under the covenant of which Christ is both the surety and mediator. These are members of "the general assembly and church of the firstborn" whose names are written in the Lamb's "book of life." To these belong the "atonements" under the covenant (Heb. 12:22-24).

In the Old Testament references describing the services of the sanctuary, the word, "atonement" is used to describe the work done solely by the officiating priest. In Leviticus 4, outlining the sin offerings, the emphasis is that after the offering of the sacrifice brought by the confessor, "the priest shall make an atonement for him" (Lev. 4:26). Again, in the outline of the services on the Day of Atonement, the statement is made - "For on that day shall the [high] priest make an atonement for you" (Lev. 16:30). Further, it is emphasized that "there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when [the high priest] goeth in to make an atonement in the [most] holy" (16:17). The high priest alone accomplished the final atonement. In both instances it was accomplished for a people under the covenant God made with Moses and with Israel. Keep in mind that Jesus was to save His people from their sins.

Perhaps at this point of study, we should recapitulate the salient factors revealed in the typical services of atonement:

1)    The Old Testament sanctuary services prefigured two atonements; one that occurred daily at the Altar in the court, and one yearly that involved the whole of the sanctuary and court, starting in the Most Holy place, and concluded at the Altar in the court (Leviticus 4 & 16).

2)    The plural form is used to describe the yearly atonement. Twice in Leviticus 23:27-28, the plural form, kiphurim, is used - "it is a day of atonements." However, the LXX uses the singular, exilasomoV, to translate the Hebrew plural, indicating that in the judgment of the translators, they perceived the Hebrew use of the plural to indicate the majestic plural. In others words, the yearly day of atonement was primary in importance, the objective to which the daily atonements focused.

3)    Salvation history in the New Testament was not the time of the Atonement of Atonements; thus in the New Testament, the words used in the LXX referring to the Day of Atonement, as well as the daily service, were avoided.

4)    The Gospel message was the gathering of a New Israel into a covenant relationship with God through Jesus Christ, the Surety and Mediator of such a covenant.

While the daily sacrifices in the court at the Brazen Altar prefigured the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, yet Christ was offered without the gate as the Saviour of all who would accept Him. The inscription placed on the Cross was written in three languages; the language of the professed people of God, and in the two world languages of the day, Greek and Latin (John 19:20). It is at the Cross that two objectives meet:   1) the atonement of forgiveness; and   2) the ministry of reconciliation. Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, speaks of the ministry of reconciliation (II Cor. 5:18-20), while John is speaking to those who have been reconciled that they sin not, but "if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous" (I John 2:1).

2Co 5:18  And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
2Co 5:19  To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
2Co 5:20  Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

1Jn 2:1  My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous

This later factor - the continual (daily) atonement - is too often overlooked in the study of the typical sin offerings. All - the high priest, the whole congregation, the ruler, and the common people, the four categories covered in Leviticus 4 - were in covenant relationship with God via the mediator, Moses (Ex. 34:27). When in that covenant relationship, they became conscious of a separating sin, they came with the offering prescribed; confessed, and the officiating priest made atonement for them, and it was forgiven them. Christ, as the Surety of a better covenant, "ever liveth to make intercession for" us (Heb. 7:23,25), who have been reconciled to God, when we stumble and fall.

Heb 7:23  And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death

Heb 7:25  Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

The gospel message of the New Testament seeks to bring all to the foot of the cross, to the brazen altar of the court. The New Testament message is: "Be ye reconciled to God" (II Cor. 5:20), and "If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father" (I John 2:1). The New Testament does not go far beyond this point. Only hints of the coming Atonement of Atonements are given.

To the believer is given the "earnest (arrabwna) of the Spirit" (II Cor. 1:22; 5:5),

2Co 1:22  Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

2Co 5:5  Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.

in other words, the pledge of what is to come. "We through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith" (Gal. 5:5). [ Is it not of significance, that the message of 1888 has come during the time of the final atonement?] Although "as many as are led by the Spirit of God ... are the sons of God" (Rom. 8:14), yet "the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God" (ver. 19, NKJV). To those of New Testament times this expectation was perceived as "the day approaching" (Heb. 10:25). (For significance of "the day," see M. L. Andreasen, The Sanctuary Service, p. 170]       To be Concluded

*******
( M. L. Andreasen, The Sanctuary Service)

'In summing up the work of the daily service in the sanctuary, the following points stand out prominently:

1.  A general, provisional atonement for the nation is provided in the morning and evening sacrifice of the lamb upon the altar of burnt offering. The blood of the lamb both registers the sins committed and provides the atonement for them until such time as the offender brings his individual sacrifice for sin, or, if he fails to do that, until the Day of Atonement. The body of the lamb signifies Israel's consecration to Jehovah, and is typical of Christ who "hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice

p 167 -- to God for a sweet-smelling savor." Eph. 5:2. The sins provided for temporarily and provisionally in the morning and evening sacrifices are, generally speaking, unconfessed sins. These, as well as other sins, defile the tabernacle of the Lord. Num. 19:13, 20.

2.  The individual sacrifices for sin constitute a record of sins forgiven. Each sin has already been recorded by the sprinkling of the blood of the morning and evening burnt offering. The bringing of an individual offering records forgiveness for these same sins. It is as though books were kept and a faithful record made of all sin. Then, as the offender repents of his sin and asks forgiveness, pardon is recorded against his name. TOP

3.  The unconfessed sins are recorded on the altar of burnt offering outside the tabernacle. The confessed sins are recorded in the holy place, or else on the horns of the altar of burnt offering. However, all confessed sins eventually find their way into the sanctuary. As the priests partake of the flesh of the offerings, the blood of which is sprinkled on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, the sins are, through the priests' offerings as well as by the daily offering of the high priest (Heb.7:27), transferred to the holy place. We are therefore warranted in saying that all confessed - and only confessed sins - are in the sanctuary proper. When the Day of Atonement comes, only confessed sins come in review and only such sinners as have by repentance and confession already received forgiveness and have had their sins transferred to the sanctuary, receive the atonement, the blotting out of sins.

Thus day by day, throughout the year, sins were transferred to the sanctuary, defiling it. This, of course, could not continue indefinitely. A day of final reckoning must come, a day of cleansing. Such a day was the Day of Atonement. It was the day of judgment, the high day of the year. To this we shall now give our attention.'


(To Be CONTINUED-  by the GRACE of our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST!) All in HIS LOVE!

Jesus was made to be sin for us

Milk, milk, milk, it's so incredibly easy to drink milk, in fact babies love the mother's milk they receive and are often loathed to be weaned from the breast. The weaning is a process most times, a gradual lessening of the time feeding resulting in less milk received. Filling that emptiness where the milk used to fill the belly to satiation, a mother introduces solid food.  Again, it's a process, not instantaneous, in the ideal situation.  Sometimes however due to circumstances a mother has to quit breast feeding and knowing their child is old enough, they choose to give them a cup for their liquid nourishment and solid food prepared in such a way to make it easy for the child to eat.  This whole process of weaning whether sudden or gradual involves a change. Very RARELY does a child ever give up their venture into solid food and go back to milk as their sole source of nourishment. 

Why is it then, that so many Christ followers believe they should just be allowed to remain on the milk of the word indefinitely? They're content to remain infants, spiritual infants, never truly growing spiritually as they are intended to grow. They want to be bottle fed because it's EASIER, it takes less time, it's less confusing, it's more comfortable and much less taxing. People FEAR confusion that can arise when they begin to eat spiritual meat. Rather than risk their spiritual life they now possess they choose to keep on drinking milk and ignoring the solid food.  They don't realize they are actually killing their spiritual life when they choose to stop growing in Christ.

Why don't they realize? Shouldn't they realize? Can't they look at their spiritual size and tell whether or not they are growing? Would it make a real difference if they and a spiritual gauge attached to them that revealed their progress? The thing is, people know, if they REALLY want the truth as it is found in Christ, they can know whether or not they are growing in Christ.

When a person makes the choice to keep from studying deeply the Word of God, they must comprehend they are putting themselves on a spiritual diet, and NONE of us can afford to be put on a spiritual diet. We need to feast spiritually, every growing.

These current studies taken from Watchmen What of the Night- William Grotheer, are full of solid spiritual food. You might have to chew on a single concept for a long while before fully comprehending it. This food is for those who only choose to GROW in Christ and are willing to invest their TIME, their ENGERGY, their ALL in a deeper comprehension of their Savior!

Please, enjoy your milk, but do NOT expect to exist spiritually upon that milk thinking you do not need more than a superficial understanding of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

By HIS LOVE!

*******
WWN 1998 Apr -- XXXI -- 4(98) -- Eternal Verities -- Part 4 -- THE INCARNATION -- Part 2 -- Editors Preface -- The first article concludes the summation of the second "Eternal Verity" - the Incarnation. We discuss the doctrine as found not only in the Pauline Epistles but also in the Epistles of John. In reviewing the first verses of John's first Epistle, new perceptions of Christ's eternal pre-existence broke into my mind. Using the same preposition as in the prologue of his Gospel - proV - John declares they showed to the believers "that Eternal Life which was with the Father." No inference is suggested that that "Eternal Life" was en (in) the Father and was "begotten" by Him, but rather had been ever "with" the Father. The capsheaf on the nature Christ assumed in accepting humanity is found in the heart of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. He was a male Child who could understand all of our infirmities.

 In the Epistles is to be found a theology of the Incarnation, a theology sufficiently detailed so that it can be determined beyond question whether Christ took upon Himself the nature of Adam prior to the Fall, or the nature after the Fall, or a selected human nature which resembled both the post-Fall and pre-Fall Adamic nature.

Paul, writing to the Church at Corinth, stated that God in "reconciling the world unto Himself," made Christ "to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be the righteousness of God in Him." (II Cor. 5:19,21)

2Co 5:19  To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
2Co 5:21  For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

While the emphasis by Paul in this section of his letter is on reconciliation and its ministry, it cannot be overlooked that basic to this reconciliation is Jesus "made sin."

This could not be unless He incarnated in the fallen nature of man where sin held its dominion. To break the power of "the strong man," Christ had to "first bind the strong man," then He could "spoil his house." ( Matt. 12:29)

Mat 12:29  Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.

We can but dimly comprehend the depths of the condescension to rescue man from the grasp of sin, except as we meditate on the "outer darkness" that enveloped the cross and hear the anguished cry that pierced the Heavens, "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me"? The result  - "we [can] be made the righteousness of God in Him."


As he continued his epistle, Paul noted another aspect of the Incarnation. He wrote - "Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich." (II Cor. 8:9)

This was more than the mere fact that "the Son of man hath not where to lay His head." (Matt. 8:20)

As Alford in his Greek Testament comments - "It was not merely by His renunciation of human riches during His life on earth, but by His exinanition [act of evacuating] of His glory." (Vol. II, p.681)

The force of this aspect of the Incarnation, Paul will pursue in his letter to the Philippian Church. This we will now consider. He wrote:     

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made Himself of no reputation, and took on Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Phil 2:5-8)

Within these verses, four words used by Paul need to be fully understood: "form" (morfh), "fashion" (schma), "no reputation" (kenow), and "likeness" ('omoiwma).

Moulton and Milligan in their work, The Vocabulary of' the Greek New Testament, observe that form "morfh" always signifies a form which truly and fully expresses the being which underlies it." (p.417)

Paul uses it twice to contrast what Jesus was and what He took upon Himself. He was "in the form of God." This is defined as being equal ('isa) with God. The word, 'isa means equal in either "quality or quantity" (Thayer).

In the case of Christ it was both. However, in the incarnation, He took upon Himself, "the form of a servant" (slave, douloV). If this statement were all that was given in the New Testament in regard to the nature that Christ assumed in the flesh, it would be sufficient to settle the question once and for all what Adamic nature He accepted. Not until Adam sinned did he have a slave form.

The second word - fashion "schma" - signifies the outward appearance. His external bearing was "in the likeness of men."

The third word, a verb, no reputation " kenow", in the KJV reads that Christ made Himself of no reputation." The RV translates the same word as "but emptied Himself." Literally translated the text reads - "But Himself, He emptied" (alla 'eauton ekenwsen) - the emphatic sentence structure.

Moulton and Milligan cited above, notes a use of the verb, kenow, in secular literature supporting the RV translation (p.340). Laying aside "the form of God," He took the slave form of man.

John in his Gospel records the prayer of Jesus, requesting of the Father that He be glorified "with the glory which He had with [Him] before the world was" (17:5). Yet John in his gospel declares that when the Logos became flesh He possessed a glory as the unique One of the Father, "full of grace and truth" (1:14). He emptied Himself of the manifest possession of Deity, yet retaining the essential elements of Divinity - grace and truth.

The fourth word, 'omoiwmati (in likeness), is connected with what He became, anqrwpon (of men) - literally "in the likeness of men becoming." The question is, Did Christ really become man, or did He merely give the appearance of being a man? The Bible plainly teaches the reality of the humanness of Jesus. He slept; He hungered; He thirsted; He wept - He was truly a man. The religious leaders who contended with Him had no problem with the fact that He was a man. They said to Him - "For a good work we stone thee not, but ... because that thou being a man, makest thyself God." (John 10:33) This force of the word used by Paul to convey that Jesus was really a man needs to be understood and retained in one's thinking, because elsewhere he uses this same word in defining the nature He assumed in humanity.

We consider this text next. In his letter to the Romans, Paul wrote - "God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh." (Rom. 8:3)

Here is again the same word translated "likeness." Literally, en 'omoiwmati sarkoV 'amartiaV - "in the likeness of a flesh of sin. To understand the word, 'omoiwma, differently here than in Philippians 2:7, is wresting Scripture. God sent His Son in the reality of a flesh of sin.

Paul is not saying that He was sinful, but that He was like all others who were born into the human race having the tendencies and potential to sin.

To emphasize the force of this fact, Paul adds that He condemned sin "in the flesh." If not the reality, the condemnation was only an appearance - the victory a farce.

In his letter to the Galatians, Paul emphasizes that Christ "was born out of woman, born under law." (Gal. 4:4) He came as all other children come, came under the same law of heredity to which all are subject. Since the Fall, there has been no other flesh than the flesh of sin. But because of what Jesus did in that flesh of sin - condemned sin - there is hope that when He comes the second time, He will come "without sin unto salvation." (Heb. 9:28)

The discussion of Jesus as a man, and his relationship to those He came to save, in Hebrews 2:9-18, has been the basis upon which not only the leaders of the Holy Flesh Movement built their Christology, but is also the text used today by those who teach that Christ came born, born again. The assumption drawn from these verses is that while Jesus was "in all things made like unto His brethren" (ver. 17), these "brethren" were "sanctified" (ver. 11). Therefore Jesus did not come in the likeness of sinners, but in the likeness of men redeemed and sanctified. (It is not explained how these "sanctified ones" became sanctified, because if Jesus came only to that level, who made the provision for them to reach the level where they were? Is there an unknown "Saviour"?) This faulty teaching results from a failure to understand what the text actually states in verse 11 - "for both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one." The KJV omits a word from the final phrase - "all of one." The Greek text reads - ex 'enoV panteV - out of one, all. If the preposition, ek (ex before vowels) meaning "out of, were not in the text, then the assumption that all - the sanctified, and the One sanctifying were of one nature, might have merit. This cannot be with the use of the preposition, ek, denoting source or origin. The text indicates a common source - all out of one source. Two possible sources would do no violence to the text:  1)  Out of the Father, or  2)  Out of Adam. The evidence from the context would indicate the latter because it reads - "He took on Him the seed of Abraham" (ver. 16).

This was the interpretation given by A. T. Jones. In a series of talks at the 1895 General Conference session on "The Third Angel's Message, Jones commented on Heb. 2:11 stating:      In His human nature, Christ came from the man from whom we all have come; so that the expression in this verse, "all of one," is the same as "all from one," - all coming forth from one. And the genealogy of Christ, as one of us, runs to Adam. Luke 3:38. (GC Bulletin, p.231)

A closer look at what is written to the Hebrews tells us something. "For as much as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also himself took part of the same;" - for a purpose - "that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil" (ver. 14). We might ask:   Could Adam have died, once created, unless he sinned? We might inquire further; Could Christ if He had taken the nature of unfallen Adam have died, since He did not sin? He took the nature of those He came to save from "the power of death."

Turning now to the Epistles of John, and the book of Revelation which he was commissioned to write, the same position in regard to the Incarnation is reflected as has been noted in the Epistles of Paul. Using the same theme which marks the introduction to his Gospel, John begins his first Epistle declaring -      That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word (logoV) of life. (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifest unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ (I John 1:1-3)

The Word of life which was with God was a reality - they saw, heard, and felt His substance. That "Eternal One" which was from the beginning with the Father was manifest - made flesh (John 1:14) - to them. This One which John had seen and heard declared he unto those to whom he was now writing. It was in that manifestation in flesh - real tangible flesh - that the believer was to have fellowship with the Son, Jesus Christ. He is the Son of God in our flesh, not in some emanating spirit form. "Unto us a son is given" in our flesh and blood. On this point a warning is sounded in his epistles:      Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist (I John 4:1-3)

In his second Epistle, the warning is again sounded:      For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist (II John 7)

While John's emphasis is clearly centered on the reality of God in the flesh, and not that Jesus Christ was only an appearance, it cannot be side-stepped that He came in the flesh, the same as those to whom He was manifest, who both saw, heard, and handled Him. They lived with Him; ate with Him, dwelt with Him. He was not different from them. John uses only one word to describe His reality as a man - the Word was made flesh, and the only flesh he knew was that which he himself possessed.

At the very heart of the Unveiling (apokalaluyiV) of Jesus Christ is the visionary manifestation of Jesus as "a Man-child" (Rev.12:5). The Greek text reads - kai eteken uion, arsen - literally, "and she brought forth a son, a male." The emphasis is that this Son was a male, not a eunuch. He was not bereft of the forces which surge through human beings; He understood the "feelings of our infirmities" (Heb. 4:15). In the next scene of the vision, as a warfare between Michael and the dragon, "the Man-child" conquered. "The dragon ... prevailed not." From heaven - to which the Man-child was taken - came "a loud voice" declaring, "Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ (Messiah); for the accuser of our brethren is cast down" (Rev.12:10).

Herein lies the hope of those who place their trust in Him - "the Man-child." He is "to rule all nations with a rod of iron" because He ruled the flesh He took with the same rod. It is declared of those who exercise their privilege to become "sons of God" (John 1:12), brothers of "the Man-child," that they, too, "overcame him [the dragon] by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto death" (Rev.12:11).

In the heart of this Apocalypse to John is to be found in symbolism the victory over sin at its very fountainhead - the flesh. The Word (Logos) came to be flesh - "a Man-child." Accepting "a flesh of sin," He condemned sin in that flesh, that we might overcome "through the blood of the Lamb" to which we have contributed nothing, yet are enabled to testify to its saving power, willingly following the blood stained path to Calvary, loving not our lives even unto death.      (To Be Continued) --


By the GRACE and MERCY of our GOD!

Jesus - IS - God with us

Mat 1:23  Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

WWN 1998 Mar -- XXXI -- 3(98) --Eternal Verities -- Part 3 -- The Incarnation

The first promise after man sinned involved the incarnation.
This Protevangelium reads:      And I [the Lord God] will put enmity between thee the serpent and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: He shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heal. (Gen. 3:15, Heb)

All the Biblical revelation that follows merely enlarges and confirms the basic elements of this first promise.

Observe that it states - "the seed of the woman" - not "the seed of the man."

Further, the head of the serpent would be bruised, while it would also cost the Seed, His heel would be bruised.

The first element - "the seed of the woman" - has two factors:

1)   It was the seed after the Fall. The only nature the woman could give would be the fallen nature resultant from sin. It could not be otherwise, as there was no need of a Saviour until after the fall. The unfallen nature needed no Redeemer.

And 

2)   No human father would be involved. It was not the seed of Adam. This introduces the basic mystery - how can a woman not impregnated by a man have a child? This Is the very question that Mary asked of Gabriel - "How shall this thing be, seeing I know not a man?" (Luke 1:34)

Both the serpent and the Seed would be "bruised."

Does it matter where a venomous serpent bites you?

"The sting of death is sin" (I Cor. 15:56). This promise indicates the extent of the condescension. He would be made "sin for us who knew no sin" (II Cor. 5:21). To destroy the power of sin at its head - would cost God; His heel would be bruised.

Before leaving this original promise, we need to note how it was perceived by the one whose mind had been influenced to sin. Upon the birth of Cain, Eve declared - "I have gotten a man, the Lord" (Gen. 4:1, Heb). Some translations read - "I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord," thus translating the sign of the direct object (eth) which precedes "Lord" as "with His help." The text plainly states - "Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived." There is no question as to who the father of Cain was. This is simply the evidence of the difficulty of the human mind, perverted by sin, to understand divine revelation. It also indicates the human attitude toward God's promises; man can accomplish them. The element of faith is lacking; is there anything too hard for the Lord?

Further it says in essence that man can create God. This blasphemy is still with us, and is basic in the Eucharistic contentions. Thus from the very beginning we find the seeds of a misconception of the Incarnation, a salvation by works mentality, and base presumption. Well might we tremble as we seek to understand truth with six thousand years of warped thinking behind us. We need to tremble at His Word.

*

There is in the book of Genesis another revelation of the coming incarnation. Through the dream given to Jacob, the first night of his being away from home in his sixty years of life, God reveals to him where his consolation can be. Pause in your reading and take time to review the experience as recorded in Genesis 28:10-13.

Gen 28:10  And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran.
Gen 28:11  And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.
Gen 28:12  And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.
Gen 28:13  And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed

The first thing Jacob saw was "a ladder set up on the earth." Its base was on the earth, not dangling a rung or two above the earth. The redemption of man was not to be a "chopper" rescue mission, something let down from heaven; but it was to be a mission beginning where sin began, and which would bridge the gulf - the top of it "reached to heaven." Communication was restored; he saw "angels of God ascending and descending on it."

That ladder was declared by Jesus to be Himself (John 1:51).

Joh 1:51  And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

 Nathaniel saw in Him "the Son of God, ... the King of Israel" (v.49). Jesus identified Himself as "the Son man" who would create the ladder. Clearly He was God manifest in the flesh of man - the Word made flesh. Further, Jesus did not set up "three ladders" to heaven - just ONE! There are not three ways to understand the Incarnation; just one.

Various revelations of the Incarnation come from the record of the Exodus movement. First the "burning bush" which inaugurated it (Exodus 3:2-3.8).

Exo 3:2  And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
Exo 3:3  And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.

Exo 3:8  And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

Moses was doing his menial task of tending for his father-in-law's flock which he had taken to the vicinity of Horeb, described as "the mountain of God." Here he saw a bush glowing with fire but not consumed. Turning aside to see this unusual sight, God spoke to him, telling him that having seen the bondage of Israel, He was "come down to deliver them." Again the emphasis is that human redemption would not be accomplished from a remote distance, but God would dwell even in a form represented by a desert shrine. However, His glory as a burning fire would not consume the form of man but would draw man unto it, even as Moses was attracted to the manifestation of God. It would be God manifest in the flesh, which had become as a thorny desert shrub. He revealed his name to Moses as I AM THAT I AM (3:14). Gesenius, the Hebrew lexicographer, translates the Hebrew as reading, "I shall be what I am," in other words, the Unchangeable, the Eternal One.

The sanctuary, built by Israel in the desert of Sinai, very near to the place where God had revealed Himself to Moses, was but an enlargement of the revelation of the burning bush. It was to be a place in which God would dwell among them (Ex. 25:8).

Exo 25:8  And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.

Its outward appearance contrasted with its interior glory. Covered with "rams' skins dyed red, and a covering above of badger's skins" (26:14), its interior appointments - furniture, and walls - were overlaid with gold (25:10-11; 23-24, 31; 26:29). John catches the significance of the sanctuary and declares that "the Word came to be (egeneto) flesh and tabernacled (eskhnwsen) among us, and we beheld His glory, the

p 3 -- glory of the unique one (monogenouV) of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John l:14). To all outward appearances, Jesus was only a man, "a desert shrub," but that form veiled an inward glory of God - the fullness of grace and truth.

The final revelation of the exodus from Egypt, came as they neared the end of the forty years of wilderness wanderings. "The soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way" (Numbers 21:4). They spoke against both God and Moses. God responded with "fiery serpents" and "much people of Israel died" (v.6). In response to Moses' intercession, God said:      Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. (ver. 8)

All the elements of the extent of the condescension and resulting redemption are found in this one symbolism. He "who knew no sin" was "made to be sin for us" (II Cor. 5:21).

He was lifted "upon a pole" that all who would look might live.

The New Testament is clear as to the significance of this symbolism.

Jesus told Nicodemus that as Moses lifted up the serpent, so must He be lifted up (John 3:14).

The book of Revelation translates the very language into the Greek, and applies it to Satan. It Is the puroV drakwn (fiery dragon), or serpent (Rev. 12:3, 9), who contends with Michael, but Michael entering into the strong man's house (Matt. 12:29), and binding the strong man by condemning sin in the flesh, brings "salvation" (12:10).

It is ours to look, believe, and live.

No understanding of the Incarnation which destroys this symbolism has any validity.

Isaiah, the gospel prophet, emphasizing the first gospel promise, wrote:      Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel. Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. (7:14-15 KJV)

Three points should be noted:   1)   "a virgin;"   2)   "His name;"   and 3)   the freedom to choose.

While the KJV uses the word, "virgin," other translations simply state, "woman" (REV & RSV). The Hebrew word is alma, which is used to describe a woman of marriageable age. The Hebrew word for virgin is bethulah and is used five times by Isaiah, but he chose not to use it here. The promised one is to be "the seed of the woman." Paul also makes this emphasis - "God sent forth His Son, made of a woman" (Gal. 4:4).

His name was to be Immanuel, "God with us" (Matt. 1:23). The child of the woman was God who came to be as us with us. He was "as us" through the woman; He was with us because He was God manifest In the flesh.

The third point needs clarification. Literally this part of the text reads - "Butter and honey he doth eat, when he knoweth to refuse evil, and to fix on good." (Young's Literal Translation of the Holy Bible) The concept of "when" would indicate that there would be a time when as all normal earth children, he would not know to choose - he would develop. He learned obedience (Heb. 5:8). He would be endowed with the power of choice - He would be a free moral agent.

Heb 5:8  Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered

Isaiah prophesies further that He would not only be "a tender plant" but He would also be "as a root out of a dry ground." What a contrast is herein expressed! Then to emphasize the conflicting contrast he added - "He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him" (Isa. 53:2). Well would His life represent the "tabernacle" of the wilderness. His would be a life whose glory of the fullness of grace and truth would be veiled to the eyes of men and only perceived by those who would come to believe on and in Him.

In the New Testament       In the fullness of time, God was manifest in the flesh.

In Bethlehem, a name which means "house of bread," the Bread of Life was born and cradled in a feeding trough for cattle. The contrasts prophesied by Isaiah were seen from God's first entry into flesh. The first invitation to behold Him was to shepherds, and His humiliation was emphasized as a signature of His Divine Identity. The angels proclaimed over the hills of Bethlehem - "Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger" (Luke 2:11-12).

This detailed description of the birth of Jesus dare not be overlooked. Paul wrote that when this uniquely begotten One was brought into the world, God declared - "Let all the angels of God worship Him" (Heb. 1:6). The baby Jesus was God in the flesh. The contrast widens as we perceive the significance of Isaiah's prophecy. This child is "the Father of eternity" (Isa. 9:6 Heb. KJV- "the everlasting Father"). Well did Paul wrote - "Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness" (I Tim. 3:16). We need to remove our shoes, for the ground whereon we walk is holy ground.

The Gospels reveal Jesus as the Son of man experiencing all the feelings of our humanity. "He hungered" (Matt. 21:18). He who as the God of Israel neither slumbered nor slept (Ps. 121:3-4), as a man became so wearied that he slept "in the hinder part of a boat...on a pillow" in the midst of "a great storm" until awakened by His thoroughly frightened disciples (Mark 4:37-38). He manifest "anger" due to the hardness of human hearts because they refused to make judgments based in truth (Mark 3:1-5). "Jesus wept" as He saw disbelief mingled with human

p 4 -- sorrow (John 11:35). He saw talent covered with selfish desire, yet "loved" the individual and offered him the way to true success (Mark 10:21). He "suffered" being tempted with the temptations common to man (Heb. 2:18; 4:15). He was in "agony" as He wrestled to accept the
penalty of sins which were not His, even sweating "as it were great drops of blood" (Luke 22:44).

Before considering the Incarnation as set forth in the Epistles, we need to take another look at the announcement of Gabriel to Mary. It reads - "The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy [thing] which shall be born of thee  SHALL BE CALLED the Son of God" (Luke 1:35).

The word, "thing" (KJV) is supplied by the translators.

The preceding word, "holy" ('agion) is an adjective and requires an object.

The supplied word would be more accurate if it read - "spirit."

The Holy Spirit could only beget Itself.

 "A divine Spirit dwelt in a temple of flesh" (YI, Dec.20, 1900). This uniqueness, in contrast to every other human being, dare not be overlooked.

Our identity is the result of father and mother; Jesus' Identity was pre-existent of the Eternal Spirit.

It was the Logos who was with God (proV ton qeon), and who became flesh ('o logoV sarx egeneto).

In this there is both difference and likeness. He was different - He was God; yet likeness - He became flesh, even our flesh through Mary.

This is why He was and is monogenhV, the One of a Kind (John 1:18).       To Be Continued

*******

By the grace of God may we continue to study HIS word, may we seek to understand the Incarnation-  God made flesh. 

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