God’s Promises

There Are No Obstacles to the Plan of God

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Claiming the Promised Possession

Book of Joshua Chapter 3

Israel had been on this journey from the slavery of Egypt for forty years. All those who were above the age of twenty when they left Egypt had now died off and those that remained were standing before the River Jordan ready to cross over it into Canaan Land.

Why had it taken forty years? Because those who had died did not trust that Jehovah could fulfill His promises.

Why is there so much doubt in the Church today? Because so many in the Church do not believe that the Lord can fulfill His promises.

They get caught up evolution and things such a climate change.

If you are looking for a place where the climate does not ever change, then that place would be the New Heaven.

We must be truly clear; God does not break His promises!

Still, as the armies of Israel and all their families were as prepared as they could be to enter Canaan Land, there was a great obstacle that was before them, and it was the River Jordan at full flood stage.

*Jos 3:1 And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over.

The Promised Land to Israel lie on the other side of the River Jordan, but it just as well be a million miles away with the River Jordan’s flooded waters rushing towards the Dead Sea at least it seemed this way to these people.

They had been taught for hundreds of years that the promise of a national home was on the other side of the River Jordan in Canaan Land.

All these things bothered these people, but they did not seem to bother Joshua.

They were not completely sure of their new leader, but this was about to change.

To Joshua who rose up at daybreak, things were all going according to the plan of God.

It was faith that kept Joshua moving and it was faith that would win the day!

The spies sent out by Joshua had returned the previous day and the plan of God was in motion.

The Promised Land represented a new life for the people of God, a victorious life instead of a life of slavery.

It always seems that as Christians there are things that we must overcome in this world, and this is not going to change, because this world takes care of its citizens, and we are not citizens of this world.

We are seeking our own Promised Land.

Then the command comes to move forward.

The plan of God is always to move forward and never to retreat. There are no obstacles that God cannot overcome, and faith is still the key to pleasing God.

*Jos 3:2 And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the host;
Jos 3:3 And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it.

If we understand that the Ark was a symbol of God’s presence with His people, they were instructed to follow the Ark which would be carried according to the instructions God had given to Moses.

We can just imagine the faith of those lead priests as they took that first step into those flooded waters of the River Jordan.

These people had no choice but to believe and trust in the power of God!

Faith is the key to our relationship with God and trust is putting that faith into action!

The Ark carried within it the Word of God given to Moses and this is a type of the importance of following the Word of God.

These children of Israel had followed a “cloud by day” and “fire by night” for forty years, but an even greater symbol to follow is the Word of God which they would now follow.

They would follow the “Mercy Seat” into the flooding waters, and they would find “Grace”.

The “Mercy Seat” is also the place of “Hope”!

It was the symbolism of these things that taught these children of God a valuable lesson!

Today we have the completed Word of God and as we studied in the Book of Hebrews and all the Bible, we need to listen to what the Lord Jesus Christ has to say about our Christian life.

Heb 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Heb 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Heb 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

He is the brightness of God’s glory to lead us to the true Promised Land!

It was important for this people to keep some space between themselves and the Ark of God.

*Jos 3:4 Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore.

The space that was determined would be about one thousand yards.

There are those that have determined that this was the distance a person could travel on a Sabbath Day, called a Sabbath’s Day Journey and it was determined this day as the children of Israel gave space between themselves and the Ark of God.

It would have been an impressive sight to see the waters of this flooded river cease to flow and that first foot of the priests step down upon dry ground.

We can be sure that when we become the children of God, we will go to places we have never been to before!

We will see things that cannot be described.

The path to Heaven’s Gates is a narrow path.

Mat_7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

We could say that the River Jordan at flood stage could represent the obstacles we face as Christians in our day by day walk with the Lord.

If we do not have enough faith to follow the Lord, then how can we expect to have a good relationship with Him?

How did this trip begin for these children of Israel? They had to sanctify themselves.

*Jos 3:5 And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you.

Just what is “sanctification”?

To sanctify ourselves we must realize that God has given us a purpose and it is not to serve this world!

1Pe 1:15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
1Pe 1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

1Th 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

What must we realize?

Rom 7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
Rom 7:15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.
Rom 7:16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.
Rom 7:17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Rom 7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Rom 7:20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.
Rom 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
Rom 7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Rom 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

How can we begin the sanctification process?

Joh 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

There is no getting around the Word of God!

Those that reject the Word of God, “all the Word of God”, cannot be sanctified!

To reject the Word of God is to reject the truth and to reject the truth is to believe the lies of this wicked and evil world!

Sanctification begins with the Lord Jesus Christ:

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

We must recognize the Our Lord Jesus Christ is God, the God of the Bible:

1Th 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Our Sanctification comes by the sacrifice of our Savior:

Heb 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Our sanctification is by the work of the Holy Spirit:

1Pe 1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

We must recognize the Word of God as the absolute truth and know that to be sanctified takes place by being washed in the Word of God.

Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Eph 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

There is no other means of sanctification. It is between you and God before your death.

For these children of Israel they had the Word of God given to Moses which was inside the Ark of the Testimony and the words that Joshua was speaking to them this day.

They either believed or they could reject the Word of God and die the death of not knowing the truth!

It was time to get moving.

What did God say?

*Jos 3:6 And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.
Jos 3:7 And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.

Jos 3:13 And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.
Jos 3:14 And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people;
Jos 3:15 And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)
Jos 3:16 That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.

I just wonder what these priests were thinking as they were deciding on that very first step into the rushing waters of the River Jordan.

We must remember that it was harvest season and the River Jordan overflowed her banks during this time.

We should also remember God has a reason for everything He does.

1) God wanted to encourage the faith of these people.
2) God wanted to magnify Joshua at this time as He had Moses.
3) For all of us, we can see that God does not allow obstacles to interfere with His plans.

Joshua had told this people that God would make a way for them to cross Jordan.

And we can also see that God will lead the way when danger is all around us.

God instantly created an invisible dam.

If the River Jordan was a picture of problems and difficulties that confront God’s people, then it is by our own faith that we can conquer these things.

1Jn 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
1Jn 5:5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

This miracle came about because of the faith of God’s people.

We see that we can say we have faith, but if we do not put action to that faith, which is trust, we will never overcome the obstacles of life!

So what happened?

The priests were the first ones to take that first step of faith when they obeyed the Word of God given to Joshua and walked forth into those raging waters.

We must understand that when there is no way, even then can God provide a way!

The waters of the Jordan started piling up in a heap and we see that it was noticed all the way to the city of Adam which was about eighteen miles from where this crossing was taking place.

The River Jordan was completely cut off.

This crossing was made because believers chose to trust God rather than turn away and wait till harvest time was over.

We can have courage to do most anything if we have faith in the truth of God!
We can be firm in times of danger.
We can remain calm while others are not.
We can be steadfast when others will turn and run.

We are going to need all these things as we enter into these last days!

There is another song in God’s song book that says “The sea saw it and fled, and Jordan was driven back”

Psa 114:3 The sea saw it, and fled: Jordan was driven back.

This crossing by Israel was in full view of the residents of city of Jericho.

Two things were happening:

1) The children of Israel saw that Jehovah is in charge of our world and all things Spiritual and Natural are under His control.
This one thing gave these children of Israel the confidence they needed in Joshua, as the Lord had said and confidence in the truth of the Word of God but also confidence in the “promises” of God.

2) This thing also showed the people of Jericho that all they had heard of the children of Israel were true. They were the people of God and their God, Jehovah was real.

The children of Israel crossed over the River Jordan on dry ground right in the middle of the flood season.

This was a momentous event for the people of Israel and a thing to be remembered.

This thing should be a warning to all of America that if you want to survive then we must identify with the Lord Jesus Christ!

As Christians we must learn to walk by “faith” and not by sight.

If we walk by sight, then most everything we see will appear to be an obstacle when there are no obstacles to the plan of God.

God’s plan moves forward with every tic of the clock and nothing upon this world can change the outcome or even slow down the plan of God!

God’s plan moves along at God’s own pace!

Amen

A Covenant With God

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

A Better Covenant

Book of Hebrews Chapter 8

By understanding the Old Covenant compared to the New Covenant we can better understand the work that the Lord Jesus Christ has done for our salvation, so we have no work to do, but to believe in the work that Jesus has done for us.

Our faith must be based upon the Lord Jesus Christ!

We should understand that the Old Testament speaks of a Covenant of Works where humans had to do all the work, whereas the New Testament speaks of the Covenant of Grace where the Lord Jesus Christ has already completed all the work necessary for our salvation.

God did make a covenant of works with Adam.

Adam was told to obey God and he was promised eternal life for obedience, and eternal death for disobedience.

Adam failed because of disobedience and death entered the human race! Race meaning all humanity lumped into one group.

The Bible does not speak of any differences in the color of the skin as having any benefit or loss of benefits in the Word of God.

A works doctrine has no chance of pleasing God!

We cannot ever be good enough to enter into Heaven’s Gates!
We cannot ever do enough “good” work to please God!

There is no such thing as “our good” having to outweigh “our bad” before God will allow us in Heaven!

We have no goodness within us to begin with!

Rom 3:12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; “there is none that doeth good, no, not one”.

Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) “dwelleth no good thing”: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

There is no amount of goodness that can reconcile us our Heavenly Father!

God solved this problem with His Covenant of Grace through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ!

The entire world has been under the Covenant of Works which is actually a Covenant of Death since the time of Adam!

Gen 2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
Gen 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof “thou shalt surely die”.
As a result of Adam’s failure, God entered into a Covenant of Grace through which the problem of sin and death would be overcome forever!

God knew there would never be a perfect human!

Only God could provide the solution to this problem because it was God who made that covenant with Adam.

God made this solution because of His promises such as the one He made with Abraham.

Gal 3:17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, “the law”, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, “that it should make the promise of none effect”.
Gal 3:18 For if the inheritance be of the law, “it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise”.

Abraham came before the Law that was given to Moses which was a works covenant.

There is no life at all that can come by a works covenant because a works covenant becomes a covenant of death!

It is only by the “Gospel of Jesus Christ”, that the substance of God’s “Grace” is revealed!

The “Covenant of Works” could only be a “Covenant of Life,” “when obedience is perfect” which is impossible for the human being!

You See, God entered into a covenant with Adam as the head of the human race and it was up to Adam to fulfill his side of the covenant, but Adam failed.

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

The Apostle Paul once a devout Jew realized the truth of this covenant with Adam.

Rom 7:8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
Rom 7:9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
Rom 7:10 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.
Rom 7:11 “For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me”.

You see, without that law being given to Adam, then there would be no death!

Gal 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, “Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them”.
Gal 3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, “The just shall live by faith”.
Gal 3:12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
Gal 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, “being made a curse for us”: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
Gal 3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; “that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith”.

The penalty for disobedience to that covenant of works is stated in the term “die”!

Does God still demand perfect obedience of humans just as He did Adam?

Lev 18:5 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: “which if a man do, he shall live in them”: I am the LORD.

Repeated in the New Testament.

Rom 10:5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, “That the man which doeth those things shall live by them”.

The thing that so many get confused about, is the fact that this obligation of mankind has been fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ!

God made this covenant with His Son before the human race existed!

2Th 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, “because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth”:
2Th 2:14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, “to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ”.

2Ti 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, “which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began”,
2Ti 1:10 “But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ”, “who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel”:

1Pe 1:2 Elect “according to the foreknowledge of God the Father”, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

Our all-knowing God the Father planned our “redemption” before He created the human race.

God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ would provide this “redemption” through His own “atoning” death, through the regenerating and the sealing of each believer which makes salvation according to our own faith and not by works!

Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Eph 1:4 “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world”, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Eph 1:7 In whom “we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace”;
Eph 1:8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
Eph 1:9 “Having made known unto us the mystery of his will”, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
Eph 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, “being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will”:
Eph 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
Eph 1:13 “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth”, “the gospel of your salvation”: in whom also “after that ye believed”, “ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise”,

These things are not so hard to understand if we would just read the Word of God that He has given to us!

God says we must diligently study the Word of God!

Our lesson states:

*Heb 8:1 Now of the things which we have spoken “this is the sum”: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
Heb 8:2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
Heb 8:3 For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.
Heb 8:4 For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:
Heb 8:5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.

We should clearly understand that there are qualifications for any priest, pastor, bishop, Pope or anyone else who stands before God for humanity!

God had certain conditions that had to be met if there were to be the Perfect High Priest!

1) 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.

2) Heb 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
Heb 2:18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

3) Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

4) Heb 7:26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
Heb 7:27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

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

6) Heb 5:5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.
Heb 5:6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

7) Heb 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
Heb 5:10 Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.

8) Heb 6:20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

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

10) 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.

11) Heb 8:1 Now of the things which we have spoken “this is the sum”: “We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
Heb 8:2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man”.

No one, but the Lord Jesus Christ was able to meet all these qualifications!

You see this is the sum of the Book of Hebrews and the sum of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

This is the chief point of the Book of Hebrews and in fact of all the Word of God!

Jesus Christ is the Sovereign Majesty of this universe!

Jesus Christ is the High Priest of the only proper place to worship in this universe!

Jesus Christ is the High Priest of Heaven!

Jesus Christ is the One in Heaven who can also reach each saint of God here upon this earth!

Jesus Christ is not in Heaven selfishly enjoying the great wonders of His creation.
Jesus Christ is not in Heaven soaking up all His glory.

Jesus Christ is in Heaven listening to and hearing the cries of His people and ministering to their needs, just as He always has!

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who is putting to end the murder of innocent babies answering prayers of the many who have prayed for this end.

It is a shame and disgrace that our own government insist on the continuation of the murder of the unborn child.

The EU is even worst in every category of sin and proud of it!

Jesus Christ is actively looking after the true sanctuary in Heaven!

This is the same place where God sits upon His throne!

Isa 41:9 Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away.
Isa 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
Isa 41:11 Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish.

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who offered the ultimate sacrifice, Himself, for our sins!

Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Tit 2:13 “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ”;
Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Tit 2:15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

Jesus Christ was not born to be the High Priest of this world!

He will be King of kings when He returns!

Jesus Christ is the High Priest of Heaven!

Our job is to lead people to Heaven to the true High Priest for only He can save!

No one upon this earth has the power to pronounce you saved, it is a God thing that only Christ Jesus can accomplish!

Heb 11:10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

If we are just looking for a sanctuary upon this earth, then we are not committed to the High Priest of Heaven!

Rev 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Minister of the New Covenant which is a Superior Covenant!

*Heb 8:6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. (The theme of our lesson today)

We see that this is a covenant God was made with His Son and humanity’s one part is to believe! (faith)

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who stands between humanity and the Almighty God, with the Lord Jesus Christ “the express image of God”, our Mediator.

This is why it is called “Grace”!

Jesus the Messiah has negotiated this covenant with His Father without the interference of mankind and it will remain this way!

It is the Almighty God who chose His Son for this role, and it was the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ who fulfilled His role, and is continuing to fulfill His role, as our Mediator and our High Priest.

It is easy to see that this covenant is founded upon better promises!

The Old Covenant (The Law) was a covenant of death because no one could keep all those old laws!

Those old laws could not bring about reconciliation!

The Law cannot make us holy!
The Law cannot make us acceptable to God!
The Law cannot provide a personal experience with the Almighty God!
The Law cannot teach us the love and the mercy of God!

Heb 7:19 For the law “made nothing perfect”, “but the bringing in of a better hope did”; by the which we draw nigh unto God.

Only Jesus Christ can make us perfect in the eyes of a Loving God!

The first covenant, the covenant of Law, was full of faults because it was a covenant of works!

*Heb 8:7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.
Heb 8:8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
Heb 8:9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

The New Covenant eliminates the weaknesses of the Old Covenant!

If we look closely, we can see where God the Holy Spirit begins speaking. (Look for the word “I”).

It is God Himself who points out the weakness of that Old Covenant!

If we cannot believe God, then how can we expect His “Mercy” or His “Grace”!

Note: If the Old Covenant can reveal sin, but does not offer a way remove sin, then that covenant is useless!

Any Covenant that fails to meet the needs of the sinner is a Covenant of Death!

If the Old Covenant could provide a way for forgiveness, then there would have been no need for the Lord Jesus to die!

It is God who decided all these things!

These things make the Word of God gathered together in what we call the Bible the greatest book that could exist!

The New Covenant now becomes the “Good News” to the sinner because the Gospel makes a way for forgiveness because we have a “merciful” and “loving” God who wants each sinner to know this truth!

This is God’s plan of salvation not man’s plan!

The New Covenant is vastly different from the Old Covenant because our death is now just the doorway to eternal life!

Joh 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
Joh 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

We should know that God does not regard anyone who rejects His Covenants!

God’s New Covenant is in effect for the Church but not for Israel at this time though it will be after they see the wrath of God.

Remember Israel is right now blind to the Gospel!

Rom 11:7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded
Rom 11:8 (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.

That “unto this day” would mean the day the Apostle Paul had authored the Book of Romans, and it is still in the future, when they too will believe the “Gospel” of Jesus Christ.

*Heb 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
Heb 8:11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
Heb 8:12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

After those days would be after the Church Age and the seven years of Tribulation which Israel will go through, but not the Church.

We must understand that the New Covenant of God is an inward power that did not exist until the Holy Spirit moved into our heart!

The heart that belongs to the Lord will then, sow righteousness into the mind of the believer!

When the blinders have been removed from Israel, they too can be “Born Again” into the family of God!

This of course is speaking of Israel as a nation and not the individual.

Every individual that hears the Gospel and the Holy Spirit cause conviction can be saved.

Salvation is a work brought about by the work of the Holy Spirit on earth!

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 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

That New Covenant of course is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Joh 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
Joh 1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
Joh 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Joh 1:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

None can be acceptable to God without a new heart and a new mind and again we see the importance of repentance!

Repentance may not be preached in the Church anymore, but it is still a requirement even in this time of “Grace”!

With a new heart and mind comes a desire to follow and obey God!

We will be stirred to show God the same love He has shown to us!

Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

God Himself says He will God to each believer!

We that believe are God’s children which means:

1) We can have fellowship with God.
2) We can pray and know our prayer will be heard.
3) We can call on God because we know of His “Mercy” and His “Grace”.
4) We will have God’s provision and protection.
5) We can have the power of the Holy Spirit to battle temptation and trials and have victory over them.

There is so much more that comes from a personal relationship with our Savior!

Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Rom 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Rom 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Rom 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

There is power in having a personal relationship with God!

There is no need for a human priest to make contact with Heaven!

As the Scripture says: We can boldly go into the throne room of God, we simply better be humble when we get there!

When we get to Heaven, we can know God face to face and live forever!

We can now approach God through His Son Jesus!

We can know, it is not just the nation of Israel, who still wear the blinders, that God will accept us, as He accepts all nations, all races, and all peoples, rich or poor.

As believers we can know the power of “forgiveness”!

The forgiveness of sins is the basis for all the promises of God!

God also directs each of us to be just as forgiving as He is forgiving!

The forgiveness of God is based upon the “mercy” of God!

We are not forgiven because of some law, but we are forgiven by the “Grace” of God, through the Lord Jesus Christ!

We can be saved if we believe the Lord Jesus Christ died in payment for our sins!

Jer 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

When God says He will remember our sins no more He means it!

God has removed our sin as far as the distance from the east to the west which is infinite!

Psa 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

When God says forgiveness, then it is a perfect forgiveness, because He is perfect in all His ways!

When God replaces one covenant with another covenant, then that Old Covenant is ready to vanish away!

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

God would not have made a New Covenant if He intended to keep the Old Covenant!

Does this mean we can tear out the Old Testament from the Bible?

No, all Scripture is for our learning!

2Ti_3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

It is Scripture of the Old Covenant that teaches us what is sin and that we are all guilty of sin.

It is Scripture that teaches us about faith!

Gal 3:22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

The Lord Jesus Christ did not come to destroy the Old Covenant, but He did come to fulfill all of the Old Covenant therefore making it useless.

Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Mat 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

In fact all the Word of God will be fulfilled just as it is written!

Col 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
Col 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Praise God for making a way for us to be near to Him throughout eternity!

Amen

God’s Grace and the Restoration of Israel

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

The Gospel of Grace and Israel’s Restoration

Book of Romans Chapter 11

There is a simple truth we had better understand and it is, that what we believe determines our ability to see things properly.

When we reject the truth, we will believe a lie and the things that go with that lie!

This is the exact reason the government we have in place today is doing its best to influence our children or indoctrinate our children, at every level of our school systems.

Of course they are denying this just as Iran is denying their attempt to make nuclear weapons, but it is still true.

They are both hoping that enough time will pass that these things will be irreversible!

It is not Nuclear weapons that make great nations or even powerful nations, but only foolish nations!

This same thing happened to the Israel of old!

Another thing we had better be clear on, is that God will never abandon this people!

Though the many things they did were wrong, they did preserve the Word of God down through the many generations.

To this, we as Christians owe a great debt, even though we know that God was behind this important thing to make sure it took place.

*Rom 11:1 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? “God forbid”. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

The Word of God does not just stop at the introduction of the Church!

In God’s wisdom, He has blinded the eyes of the Israelites until the fulness of the Church comes in.

The Apostle Paul said that jealousy would provoke them to see the Lord in a unique way.

It was the Jews, in the time of the trial of the Lord Jesus Christ who demanded to see the wrath of God.

Mat 27:25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.
Mat 27:26 Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

God has promised that the Church would not see His wrath.

Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

Eph 5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

These Jews, the children of disobedience, and those who have rejected the Lord Jesus Christ during the Church Age, will see the wrath of God, but not the true Church.

1Th 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
1Th 5:10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

Rom 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

The Church will not see the wrath of God!

The Jews begged to see the wrath of God, so in God’s wisdom He set aside Israel until the fulness of the Church comes in at the “Rapture”, then He will again deal with Israel as He promised Abraham and David, after they witness His wrath which they could have avoided!

God always keeps His promises!

God’s covenants are sincere!

Israel was disobedient to God and turned away the hand of a loving God.

Rom 10:21 But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

They had decided that they did not need to be obedient to the Word of God just as so much of the world has decided today!

Again we should be clear, God has not cast away His people.

Before God removes the blinders from this people, they will see the wrath of God that they had pleaded for at the death of their Deliverer who is the only Deliverer from the wrath of God!

Israel is not saved at this time and to be saved they must come to Jesus and repent.

This does not ever mean there is not a remnant of these Israelites ready to serve the Lord!

There will never be some new way to be reconciled to God, the Father of us all!

Jehovah has blinded the eyes of Israel, but the rest of the world just has no excuse because they have seen the truth of God through eyes that clearly see!

Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

The Apostle Paul was proud of His Jewish heritage, but most proud of his Christian heritage!

We cannot be disobedient to the Word of God and be reconciled to God!

This is something that we just cannot do and expect the “Grace of God”!

Israel is not a saved people at this time even though God will always have a remnant of the Israelites who love Him!

God’s promises are to all people and God will deal with Israel just as His Word has said, and these things are not changeable!

We should clearly understand that God always has a remnant of Jews who love Him and who will serve Him.

The Apostle Paul was part of that remnant in the days of the early Church.

The Apostle Paul could be said to be a true Jew a direct descendant of Abraham through his mother.

In fact, it is the mothers who determine the line of Jews from Abraham just as it was Sarah who determines who is a true Israelite and a descendant of Abraham!

There are many descendants of Abraham who are not part of the family of Israel, such as those from Abraham’s second wife Keturah along with the descendants of Ishmael and of Esau.

God will not cast off the descendants of Abraham by his wife Sarah!

Elijah, as powerful a prophet as he was, fell into this trap thinking that God did not have those who love Him at all times.

*Rom 11:2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,
Rom 11:3 Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.

The Book of Hebrews teaches us that without “faith” it is impossible to please God, because we must believe that He is the God of the Bible and the God of all creation.

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God “must believe that he is”, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Once you have accepted this in your mind, then why would you ever believe He would not be “all-knowing”?

God saves those He knows!

God does not forget those He knows!

The key here is that God knows!

Remember Jesus said to those who hated Him “that He never knew them”.

God only knows those who love Him and are obedient to His Word.

If you understand the Lord Jesus, He does not even know those who do not love Him.

Remember He said, “I never knew you”!

God says you can always tell the ones that He knows by the way they live their lives!

Mat 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
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.
Mat 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Mat 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Mat 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
Mat 7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

God cannot be fooled, or He could not be God!

Rom 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Rom 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

It is a fact that only a remnant of Israel will be saved during the Church Age!

It is also a fact that during the time of Elijah and all the other prophets there was only a remnant that genuinely loved God!

But there is always this remnant!

Elijah felt alone for a moment of his life because he did not see any around him that were trying to be obedient to the Word of God.

Elijah allowed the world (wicked Jezebel) to frighten him, and he became afraid to die and we must not ever be afraid to die for our Savior who died for us.

Luk_9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

The cross is a symbol of death!

We must never believe we are all alone in serving God!

We never will be!

It is a fact that most of this world are disobedient and disloyal to our Creator and certainly disloyal to our Deliverer!(they are One and the Same person)

We should also understand that the image of a nation is determined by the lifestyle of the majority who live in that nation, not by that remnant!

As far as the United States goes, our image is not that of a godly nation, but our image is that of Sodom and Gomorrah just like the European Union and just like all nations of the United Nations that have adopted this wicked and immoral stance.

These are not freedoms; they are just sin against a Holy God!

Most of the rest are corrupt and wicked and self-righteous and seeking power they will never have.

There is a remnant today, but there is also the true Church that lives amongst all these wicked nations.

God will never leave Himself without a witness!

God will never leave His people without brothers and sisters going about the work given to us by Jesus Christ!

We must keep that work going until the Lord takes us home!

There will be a remnant of the Jews in place even when the Church has been removed from this world!

*Rom 11:4 But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.
Rom 11:5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

The Apostle Paul knew there was a remnant of Jews in his day, and we had better know there is a remnant of Jews today who serve the Lord according to the “Grace of God”.

The Holy Spirit is alive and well, working throughout this world according to the “Grace” God has shown to us.

Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Tit 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Tit 2:15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

Since it is by “Grace”, then there is still only the Law of Grace, and not any other law by which we can be saved, no matter where we come from!

*Rom 11:6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

Grace is no longer “Grace” if God allowed a remnant according to those old Laws of Moses.

The Old Testament Saints were saved because they had the “faith of Abraham” which gained their righteousness.

What was the “faith of Abraham”? That God would provide Himself to be the Lamb of God, the Messiah!

No one deserves the “Grace” of God, so all who come to the truth of Jesus Christ are eligible to receive God’s “Grace”!

We must clearly understand that no one will ever get to Heaven who does not have the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ!

There is no one who will ever work their way into Heaven!

God does not bestow His “Grace” upon anyone because we are deserving of it, because none of us are!

It is Jehovah God who placed the blinders upon the Israelites, and it is only Jehovah God who can remove those blinders!

What is said of Israel?

1) Isa 29:10 For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered.

Isa 6:9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.

2) Psa 69:22 Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap.

3) Psa 69:23 Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake.
Psa 69:24 Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them.

They were blind to the truth of the Messiah, and they still are!

*Rom 11:7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded
Rom 11:8 (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.
Rom 11:9 And David saith, Let their “table” be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:
Rom 11:10 Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.

They were blinded.
They were given the Spirit of slumber.
They were given eyes that they should not see.
They were given ears that they should not hear.

That table is their lust for the things of this world rather than the things of God!

Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Rom 8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

Those who reject the truth of God experience judicial blindness and rejection by God!

Those who choose to reject the Lord Jesus Christ and the Gospel of Grace, have chosen for themselves damnation!

God offers His love and salvation freely, but God will not be taken advantage of, and God will not be mocked!

Unbelief only causes more obstinate unbelief!

We had better understand, God will not violate our will nor force His will upon us!

Sin only multiplies as our faith dwindles to nothingness!

Rom 2:5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
Rom 2:6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:

What is the whole truth?

2Co 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
2Co 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

By rejecting the truth of the Gospel, we have placed ourselves in jeopardy and the penalties of Hell!

The Gospel which should feed and strengthen our souls, will become the means of destruction of the unbeliever!

*Rom 11:11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.
Rom 11:12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?

What was the “Gospel Message” to these Jews?

Mar 1:14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
Mar 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

True repentance must always be directed toward Jehovah God!
True repentance must always be for the remission of sins unto salvation!

These must be the desires of our heart!

Another especially important thing to remember is that God can save anyone, at any time and from any place!

Israel stumbled at the message of Jesus Christ!

Will Israel ever accept the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ?

Is the Spiritual fall of Israel to be forever?

The Holy Spirit says God forbids this to happen. Perish the thought of such a thing!

We should understand that the message of the “Gospel” is for the entire world.

God sent His messengers to Israel first, but God’s salvation message is for all people.

The only ones who cannot be saved are those God has turned over to a reprobate mind!

This is a choice they have made, and the Holy Spirit will not strive with those people ever again, because it would not ever change their mind.

It is said that Israel stumbled because there were so many who chose to reject the message of God.

America was once known as a Christian nation because a greater majority of people trusted the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ!

This is no longer the truth!

America is no longer known as a Christian nation because most Americans have abandoned the truth of Jesus Christ!

America is now the nation of Sodom and Gomorrah, along with the European Union and most of the United Nations.

The rest are power hungry nations who will fail because of their arrogance.

When Israel rejected the Gospel Message, God sent His messengers to all the other nations and one by one each nation either becomes a Christian Nation or they become a nation of reprobates by their own choice!

Act 13:46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
Act 13:47 For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.
Act 13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.

The things of this world may have been much better than what we see now, had the Israelites accepted the Word of God as it was given and had been missionaries to the world.

It has now been about two thousand years since Christ returned to Heaven and still the world has not been reached with the Gospel even though there are only a few places left if any now at this time.

We can now also see how our world could be much better had most of the Gentiles have received the truth of the Gospel and believed.

Even though all these things did not take place, God has still worked out all things for the good of those who love Him!

Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

God’s plan cannot be overcome in any way form or fashion!

It is because of these two things that we are left with the world we now have, and God will take care of these two problems during the Millennial reign of Jesus Christ.

Even though people will still be left with a choice, with Satan out of the way there will be no temptation and none of his evil works to try to sway people at least for One Thousand years, where then he would be freed to do his evil for a brief period of time.

It is after this that the Israelites and the Church will be united in one mind and one faith to serve the Living God!

God assures the Church of these promises.
God assures the restoration of Israel.
God assures a restored earth back to the original as it was in the early days of Adam and Eve.

It is the Gospel that has impacted the world to the truth, the world is built upon the lust of the flesh, lies, deception, corruption, wickedness, and the love of money.

We should understand that millions have been saved from the wrath of God.
We should understand that millions have been saved from death and Hell.
We should understand that millions now have the promise of eternal life, and many millions are already living that life.

It is by the Gospel that humanity knows about the moral laws.
It is by the Gospel that morality and purity is preached world-wide.
It is only by the Gospel that we can be saved from the wrath of God on the Children of Disobedience.

The children of disobedience are all those who reject the truth of the Word of God!

Once Israel returns to Jehovah this world will see the blessings of God!

2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
2Ch 7:15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.

The Apostle Paul preached the truth until he was also murdered for preaching the truth to this world!

Rom 11:13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
Rom 11:14 If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.

We should have this same love for all the lost and be obedient servants to the Lord Jesus Christ, the God who loves us enough to die for us that we too might be saved!

Amen

God Will Fulfill His Promises Without Our Help

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Abraham’s Tragic Lapse of Faith

Book of Genesis Chapters 16; 17

We could change the title this lesson to “God Does Not need Our Help to Fulfill His Promises”.

The one most important thing to consider is that God will never fail in keeping His promises!

The second most important thing to consider is that God works according to His own timeline and not ours!

God has a plan and a purpose for each of us who have called upon Jesus Christ to save us.

In Abraham’s day, righteousness came by his faith and faith is still the key to our relationship with our Heavenly Father today.

It can be said that we are our own worst enemy most all the time.

When we believe that God has put all the processes in our world in place and just allows them to run their course, then we are wrong.

If this were true, then our prayers would not bring results.

Certainly, God has put many processes in place, but the fact remains that our Lord also has His hands on all of His creation.

Our Lord God Almighty has His hands on us who believe at all times or He could not be referred as being our Heavenly Father and He would not say we were His children!

The Lord has a perfect plan and has made many promises and God’s plan and His promises will be completed just as He has stated and all we need do is to believe and act according to His perfect Word!

*Gen 16:1 Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.

Today we will see the birth of the Arab nations and why there is so much hatred between the Arab nations and Israel.

If they would acknowledge these things, then there could be a true and lasting peace!

One of our greatest failures come because of our lack of patience.

Patience could be said to be a calm an unruffled temper in which we bear the evils of this life.

Believe me, we need a lot of patience to deal with this evil, corrupt, wicked and evil world!

Our faith tells us that Jehovah will never break a promise. Our lack of patience demands that we see those promises fulfilled in our lifetime.

Every believer knows that we will never die so we are selfish to think God will complete His promises in our lifetime.

God promised Abram a son by his wife Sarai, but Sarai had been barren for 75 years and she just could not believe she could have a child.

She was right in her thinking but wrong in placing limits on the power of God.

His power is unlimited!

In reality this was a lack of faith because the Lord had said Abram (Abraham) would have a child and that child would come by Sarai (Sarah).

Gen 15:4 And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.

We must understand to go against any part of the Word of God, no matter how small, will bring consequences, sometimes severe consequences as in the case of Abram.

Hagar was a slave girl given to Abram and Sarai during the time they spent in Egypt where Abram had made another mistake telling Pharaoh that Sarai was his sister which she was, but she was also his wife.

In the New Testament and in typology, Hagar would be a type of the Old Covenant, the Law and we know that the Law enslaves its followers.

Satan makes slaves. You would think that all who hate slavery would also hate Satan and his ways.

The children of Hagar were born into slavery and so is everyone who put themselves under the Law.

Gal 4:22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
Gal 4:23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.

That promise being salvation by “Grace”. Sarah represents “Grace” and she is a type of Grace in the Bible.

So let us see these things.

*Gen 16:2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.

We should also understand that Sarai had always wanted children and was probably key to Abram bringing Lot with them as they traveled.

We should also realize that Abram was not sure if he were the cause or his wife was the cause of their lack of children.

Why was Sarai barren? If we study the Word of God, we will find that many people lived in certain circumstances so that in the future God could work a great miracle that would not have been believed otherwise.

Listen to Jesus:

Joh 9:1 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
Joh 9:2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
Joh 9:3 Jesus answered, “Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him”.

God still does these things but most of them go unnoticed! Sarah would have fit into this category!

Sarai could not believe that she could have children, but she felt the promise of God to Abram was so important that it needed a little help to be fulfilled.

She gave these thought to her husband and he listened to her, much as Adam did to Eve and they both were proven wrong and their wrong were sin with severe consequences.

In fact she was so wrong it clouded her judgment.

God does not need our help He just commands us to obey, and He always does what He says He will do.

Had Sarai been right then we would not need God nor the Word of God because it would not be believable.

In fact God did not have to do any of these things, He could just have easily have been a tyrant, and voiced His commands.

*Gen 16:3 And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.

We should also notice that Sarai never considered Hagar to be her slave but one of her maids.

Sarai gave Hagar to her husband, which in the eyes of God was also wrong though it was a custom of that day, for a man to have more than one wife.

1) So many today try to do things to help the Lord fulfill His promises and He does not need our help at all to do as He says He will do!
2) So many today try to conform to the customs of the place they live when God’s law is for every where we live. We are never to act upon the laws of the world that go against the Word of God.
3) So many today feel like the end will justify the actions of today, when only one thing will work consistently, and this is obedience to the Word of God and “faith” that God will do as He says. Which He has proven to be true!

The Word of God proves these things to be true, over and over again if we would just show that true “faith”!

We should be very careful before acting upon the suggestions of others, when we are trying to be obedient to the Lord.

What may seem right to many, may actually be wrong by the Word of God.

The world will never lead us to Jesus because the world hates Jesus because Jesus points out sin!

*Gen 16:4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.

When we go against the Word of God bad things happen almost immediately.

Sarai wanted to be a part of God’s plan for her husband, but she began to question God’s promises, something we should never do.

She felt that she and her husband were already past child-bearing years and they were by todays medical standards, but nothing is impossible for God.

Mar 10:27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, “but not with God’: for with God all things are possible.

Luke 1:37 “For with God nothing shall be impossible”.

Heb 6:18 That by two immutable things, in which “it was impossible for God” to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

This is the reason there are no true atheists, they are afraid of the promises of God, but so-called believers just do not always believe the Word of God as commanded!

What we have seen so far is that impatience leads to a collapse of “faith”!

Abram had been walking with the Lord for more than 10 years now and impatience brought temptation because of strong arguments from his wife.

Abram begin to question the Word of God.

Heb 10:35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.
Heb 10:36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

Here we see we need the patience of Job! God “will never” break a promise He has made to us!

*Gen 16:15 And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son’s name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.
Gen 16:16 And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.

Ishmael became the oldest son of Abram when he was born when Abram was 86 years old, but Ishmael was not the son promised of God!

Some of the things said of Ishmael even before he was born.

Verse 12: He will be a wild man. His hand will be against every man and every man’s hand will be against him. He will dwell in the presence of all his brethren.

The one group who fit this description today are the so-called Palestinians!

He was born at Mamre.
He was circumcised at the age of 13.
He grew up a true child of the desert, wild and wayward.
He knew how to insult, and he knew how to mock those around him, for no reason.

All these things happened because of the impatience of Sarah and Abram allowed them to take place.

God came back to Abram to assure him that His promise was real.

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

It was twelve years later that Jehovah returned to Abram with these words.

Abram had lived these 12 years thinking he was in the will of God but not so.

The truth is we all need to walk with God. Not Allah but Jehovah the true God!

Some of us may walk alone while many will walk in groups of others together, preferably all in one accord.

If we do not walk with the Lord, we will never be aware of His presence in our lives!

The Lord does what the Lord does every day, we can be a part of it, or we will be left out entirely!

If we strive to be perfect, our example being the Lord Jesus Christ, then we must walk before the Lord.

In other words we must do all we can do for the “Glory of God”!

We must live moment by moment in the presence of the Lord, aware that He has His loving eyes upon us at all times!

This is walking before the Lord!

We cannot be perfect in this life, but we are obligated to try our best.

Our effort means more to the Lord than the results and our effort works toward God’s “Grace” in our lives!

1Th 4:11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;

Abram had been desperate to achieve what he thought God wanted, but Abram had fallen into the same trap that many may fall into today.

When God says He will do something, then we just need to accept it as fact and trust Him and go one with our lives in peace.

God does not need our help to fulfill some promise He has made!

God made this covenant (contract) with Abram and all Abram had to do was to patiently wait on the Lord!

There was only one thing for Abram to do. Humbly go to the Lord.

*Gen 17:3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
Gen 17:4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.

We may sometimes wonder how God will do as He says and when we do this, we make God to be small with little power, but we serve a Great Big God, and we need to be aware of God’s Awesomeness!

We serve an “AWESOME” God!

If we need to arouse our faith the best place to start is upon our knees!

When we humble ourselves before the Lord, we show Him that He is in charge of our lives, and our only wish is to have His will to be our will!

God reminded Abram that He had made this covenant with him and not to someone else and his age had nothing to do with it.

In fact, if God had given Abram his child at a young age, then Abram would not have felt the power of God to do as He wishes.

We can only give the Lord the sack of dirt that we are! We have nothing else meaningful to give to the Lord!

The covenant God made with Abram was of a “promised seed”. Far beyond that of a human child, but of the Messiah!

This seed included the Messiah.

We must see Jesus throughout all the Old Testament for He is there.

The only way for Abram to see what the Lord was saying was to look through the Lord’s eyes.

It would not hurt for us to do the same thing.

Find a place in the Scriptures and jump in and be one of the characters.

This new covenant would require a name change.

*Gen 17:5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.

The name Abram means “an exalted father”.

The name Abraham means “father of a multitude”.

God told Abraham he would not only be a great father, but he would be a father of a great multitude as the father of all those who have faith in the promises of God.

God also changed the name of Sarai to Sarah.

Sarai means “my princess”.

Sarah means “the princess of a great multitude”. Not just a princess, but the but the mother of the promised child and in this case a type of Mary the mother of Jesus the Christ (Messiah).

*Gen 17:6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
Gen 17:7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
Gen 17:8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

This is not so much an expansion of God’s covenant with Abraham but in reality, God just explaining the meaning of His covenant.

There will be descendants of Abraham upon this earth as long as this earth exists!

We see that Abraham becomes a person that God wants to have a close personal relationship with.

A type of each Christian today.

God established not only the Messiah but His followers as the “promised seed” and He would be God of the “promised seed”.

That “promised seed” is all those who believe the Word of God, and the promises of God, as did Abraham and this belief is accounted to them for righteousness, just as it did Abraham.

This is what the Apostle Paul tried to teach the Jews who rebelled against such teaching.

The Covenant with Abraham is the foundation of our hope from which the riches of God, at the expense of the Lord Jesus Christ, will be fulfilled!

This has been God’s guide in dealing with us since the time of Abraham and will continue until the “Rapture” of the Church and the Millennial Kingdom for the Jews, who could have missed out on the wrath of God if only they had believed as did their patriarch Abraham, this also true for the Arab nations.

God separated the lands of the Jews and the Arab nations and even these would have worked better, if it not been for the descendants of the wild man Ishmael who still causes most of the problems in this area of the world.

Rom 4:13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
Rom 4:14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
Rom 4:15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.

This covenant was sealed with a sign.

*Gen 17:13 He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
Gen 17:14 And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.

Circumcision was a special badge of God’s chosen people Israel, not the Church!

The circumcision of the heart is the sign of God’s chosen people the Church, all believers!

Rom 2:25 For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.
Rom 2:26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?
Rom 2:27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?
Rom 2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
Rom 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Again the Apostle Paul tried to explain these things, but the Jews remain blind to the Word of God as do most all of the world!

We can be sure that God never said that rites, rituals, or ordinances, bestow anything upon anyone, but are only signs of something that has already taken place.

Col 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
Col 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Now God mentions Sarai, (Sarah).

*Gen 17:15 And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.
Gen 17:16 And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.

We must understand to have a personal relationship with the Lord is to change our relationship with our family.

We will never know if Abram blamed Sarai for being childless.

Abraham had already proven he could father a child, so it was Sarai who was barren.

If this was true, then God reassured Abraham that Sarah would be the mother of a multitude.

God gave Sarah a new name and the relationship of Sarah to Abraham was mended.

If Abraham believed all God’s Word, then he would have to believe these words of God!

By the thinking of man this thing was impossible, but nothing is too hard for God!

We should notice that even with all the promises given to Abraham, one of those things was to treat his wife with respect and honor.

Our relationships with our family should be a priority after we come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Savior!

A Christian man must be head of his family, as Jesus Christ is Head of the Church!

Abraham may have had a little problem in believing this thing or he reacted with a laughter of delight, we will never know which one.

Jesus said Abraham acted with great delight.

*Gen 17:17 Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?
Gen 17:18 And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!
Gen 17:19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.

We should believe Jesus!

Joh 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.

We should believe the Apostle Paul.

Rom 4:20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
Rom 4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
Rom 4:22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
Rom 4:23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;
Rom 4:24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;
Rom 4:25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

It brings great joy when we realize God has done something in our lives that we did not expect!

Abraham did show his great love for Ishmael, but it would be the seed of Sarah by Abraham, Isaac, whom God’s covenant would continue through.

It was Abraham who would name his only child by Sarah and his name would be Isaac.

Abraham may have thought his dreams would be fulfilled through Ishmael, but God had already said he would be a wild man, and this would have been out of God’s will.

Those who are wild reject authority!

Abraham would have to pass his heritage down through Isaac as God had commanded.

Ishmael would also be blessed but not the “promised seed” so Islam is a false religion!

Note: We can arouse our “faith” by having a fresh stirring experience with the Lord, a refilling of the Holy Spirit daily, and a true walk before the Lord!

Amen

God’s Promises To This Present World

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

God’s Covenant with the Present World

Book of Genesis Chapter 9

The Noahic Covenant is the promise that God made to Noah and his descendants after the flood which destroyed the world.

This Covenant has several distinguishing features.

First: it is an unconditional covenant.
Second: it was made to Noah and all his descendants (includes us today) as well as “every living creature” and the earth in general (Genesis 9:8-10).
Third: it was sealed with a sign, the rainbow.

The Noahic Covenant is an unconditional covenant since it does not depend upon anything Noah or his descendants, or us today have to do to fulfill the covenant.

We are also the descendants of Noah!

This promise is based upon God’s faithfulness alone!

Because of God’s faithfulness to always do what He says He will do, we can know today with certainty that there will never be another worldwide flood as there was in the days of Noah, no matter how wicked mankind becomes.

Neither the wickedness nor the righteousness of mankind affects this unconditional covenant!

There is no “condition” under which God will renege on His promise!

This does not mean that God will never again destroy the earth, however!

He has promised to one day destroy the earth by fire (2 Peter 3:10, 11; Revelation 20:9, 21:1 ) in the terrible events known as the “day of the Lord.”

After the flood, God promised that He would never again send a worldwide flood to destroy the earth as an act of His divine judgment for sin.

As a sign to remind Noah and his descendants of His covenant promise, God “set the rainbow in the cloud” (Genesis 9:12-13).

The lesson to us is, that when we see a rainbow we should always be reminded of God’s faithfulness and His amazing grace.

We should also be reminded that our God is a holy and righteous! God has a holy hatred for sin, and He will not allow sin to go unpunished forever.
Also, just as God provided a way for Noah and his family to be saved in the Ark, He also has provided a way for us to be saved through Jesus Christ who is my Ark.

Noah and his family were saved from the wrath of God that came in the flood, just as those who are in Christ will be saved from the “wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:10).

*Gen 9:1 And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.

The first thing we see after the flood is over and Noah and his family are free to leave the Ark, is that they receive a blessing from God.

It is from these four couples that all the earth would be established.

They were all still sinners because they inherited the sin nature of Adam just as we still do today!

Noah at this time was the head of the human race and I am sure our DNA can be traced back to Noah!

What we should understand that whatever God established with Noah is still in effect today in the eyes of God!

In blessing Noah, God has blessed us all!

In words used today, a New World Order had truly begun!

The lesson of what God does with sin is a reality.

More important, we now understand God’s mercy and His grace to those who choose righteousness based upon the Word of God.

We see God’s good will and God’s intentions.

We see God’s pleasure and joy in providing for those who love Him.

We see God has great gifts.

Most important, God makes great promises, and we begin to see that God will never break His promises!

All but these eight humans had been completely wiped out, erased, from the face of the earth.

The Apostles clearly understood these things of God.

1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
1Pe 3:19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
1Pe 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

Who did Jesus preach to? He went to preach to the descendants of Seth!

For the Word of God to remain true, then the Earth would need to be filled with humans.

Married couples, one man and one woman, would come together and repopulate this earth.

This could not happen if the world were full of Sodomites or lesbian women.

This is another reason that abortion goes against the Word of God!

God has never withdrawn His command to replenish this earth, and there has always been enough food and the capability to produce enough food for the entire population of this world.

It is so-called politicians and dictators, who cause the world’s food problems

It is evil and wicked humans who do not allow food to reach the poor.

God will not bless our soils until we quit spilling innocent blood!

Reproduction establishes families.

Families establish societies.

Societies establish governments.

In our nation the Democrats want the prisoners to vote.

They want the illegal immigrants to vote.

Yet, they reject those millions of babies murdered each year and they reject those votes.

Are they afraid every newborn will be a Republican?

Babies have been sacrificed since the beginning and every time it has been about false religion!

Their platform has this and another agenda!

Reproduction teaches us that we are all one blood, from one source.

Therefore all races, all people, all nations are to live and work together to subdue the earth and these who brag so much about the climate and the freedoms and constitutions, are the same ones trying to destroy these things because they belong to Satan and they are proud of it.

The animal world would also have to change for the populations of humans to reach out into the world.

*Gen 9:2 And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.

This could be called a New World Order from the days that were before the flood.

God told Adam he was to subdue the earth.

Gen 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Notice the command to subdue the earth was not given to Noah!

Because of sin, mankind no longer has the ability to subdue the earth, so these things are left in God’s hands.

After all Jehovah, Elohim, is the Master of Life.

Man will never be able to control nature no matter how hard they try!

We can do our best to control climate changes, but our work will amount to nothingness!

Man will never be able to produce a pure environment and foolish to try.

Those monies would be better spent to help the poor and those that truly have needs, and not those who refuse to work.

2Th_3:10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

It is our God who is in control all of nature!

Heb 2:7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:

Even in our modern world, we still do not reign supreme over nature nor the animal world.

In fact our answer to things we do not understand is to destroy them!

*Gen 9:3 Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.
Gen 9:4 But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.

Notice that humans were given God’s permission to eat of the animal world.

Before the flood it is never stated that God would allow the consumption of animals. We do know that certain animals were sacrificed to God.

Remember Abel brought the best portions of the animal to sacrifice to Jehovah, but it never says they consumed that was remained even though the skins were used for clothing and probably milk was consumed.

Because of the curse, the vegetables and the herbs and the fruit did not provide the nourishment that it once did because of sin.

The land that had changed after the flood, made the tilling of the ground harder to accomplish.

We should understand that at no time would man be able to completely provide for himself without the help of God.

1Ti 4:4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
1Ti 4:5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

These eight people that remained totally understood the power of God and it was these eight people who were to teach those that came after them the truth of God and that sin has its consequences.

We think about these people from our past as having no law, but we should know that when it came time for Moses to write these things down by the Holy Spirit, many of these laws were observed in the time of Adam and the time of Noah.

There is one exception to the eating of animals. It is never to be consumed raw.

A live animal is not to be eaten, nor dead animals with the blood still in them. The blood needs to be drained from animals!

In fact animals need be killed in a precise manner. Every hunter knows that an animal that suffers until death will damage the flavor of the meat.

A quick kill is important in most all cases.

We know that certain beast prey animals and they start devouring their kill even before they die, and these animals are never good for food even though at the time of Noah all animals were approved because the answer to nourishment comes by prayer!

The answer to nourishment today is that prayer of thanksgiving at the provision of God!

Then God said you need to clearly understand that the murder of your fellow humans will not be tolerated!

*Gen 9:5 And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man’s brother will I require the life of man.
Gen 9:6 Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.

The beginning of policing. The beginning of laws and governments had their start in the time of Noah long before Moses.

To obey this law of God it would require government. To police is the internal regulation of government of a kingdom or state.

As these families of Noah spread out across the earth this commandment was to go with them just as all the Word of God is to be with us at all times.

Today we used the phrase, “Capital Punishment”, when we sentence a murderer to death, but we can see this is a command of God.

Murder is a serious offense in the eyes of God.

It is a fact that today the hardened criminal does not fear our “justice system”!

Our justice system has become a revolving door to the true criminal while the innocent victims are forgotten.

Today the victim of a crime is not even considered!

Example, those who are causing destruction in many cities are allowed to destroy private property, while the justice system stands by and allows it to happen.

Even God teaches us the difference between murder and murder by accident and there is the murder by self-defense.

God calls for those who plan a murder, to be put to death!

Blood for blood and life for life. God requires the death of the murderer!

What does God say about all those who reject “Capital Punishment”?

Psa 10:13 Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it.

It is wickedness to reject the Word of God!

Elsewhere the Bible says you will know them by their works.

If any animal causes the death of any human, then that animal should be put to death.

The human is God’s greatest creation, and the human was created in the image of God and this still does not have anything to do with our looks!

We must understand that when an innocent victim is murdered then his or her purpose is lost to society.

We will never know what good things we have lost to our societies by the murder of all those innocent babies who have been aborted!

The cure to many diseases could be in one of those babies who did not get a chance to live!

God told humans to populate our earth. Every family knows how many children they can provide for which is our job, but this is still not to abort any child that is conceived.

This does not mean to overpopulate the earth it means to produce a people that will follow our Creator!

Psa 127:3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
Psa 127:4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.
Psa 127:5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

Every quiver can hold only so many arrows!

Still we are to obey the commands of God!

*Gen 9:7 And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein.

When God gives this command to Noah, the only ones alive were married couples.

The family, one man and one woman was established by our Heavenly Father!

You cannot have a society without families.

You cannot have government without societies made up of families.

It is the family that is being forgotten by the corruption of our government!

I am not talking about President Trump who does his best to serve the family!

All these things being true then marriage is a sacred institution!

This marriage must be between one man and one woman to be able to obey Gods command to multiply by procreation.

Any and all relationships outside this marriage of one man and one woman, is then a violation to the commandment of God and is only fornication a sin in the eyes of God.

Heb 13:4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

Tit 1:6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.

And God said to Noah, listen to my words and do them!

*Gen 9:8 And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying,
Gen 9:9 And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you;
Gen 9:10 And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth.
Gen 9:11 And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.

Now who did God make this covenant with?

To Noah and his wife.
To all three sons and their wives.
To all the descendants of Noah throughout life upon this earth.

This includes all of us here today.

No matter the color of our skin we are blood relatives of Noah!

This covenant was also made with every animal that had been saved by the Ark.

Remembering the Ark is a type of Christ, just as the water is a type of Christ!

That pitch is a type of the Holy Spirit.

We now begin to understand the promises of God that include us who are here today.

This flood in the days of Noah was the most devastating thing that has happened to this earth we live on.

Every living thing on the face of the earth was erased except the animals that survive in water and many of those died as the flood waters receded and the eight humans and the animals that were on the Ark.

It would have traumatic just to witness these things that happened.

When I was in Vietnam, I witnessed what rain for forty days can do to a small area.

At one time it rained day and night for 45 days and 75 inches of rain was recorded.

Wet weather streams became rivers and rivers became lakes and my platoon were out in this thing with no shelter but the terrain and the poncho.

This does not compare to the time of Noah, but it does have some similarities if you are caught in it.

In the time of Noah the earth changed from one large continent to breaking up into many continents and continued to do so for many years, especially through the days of Peleg.

In fact this earth we call home continuously changes every day, along with the climate.

It happens and most of it is not man-made not man caused!

What did Noah’s family need from the Lord as these days came to an end? They needed God’s assurance.

We must never be fooled, it is our Holy God who has total control of the happenings that take place on our planet earth, just as He does in all His creation.

The rains would come from above instead of from below as they do today, and Jehovah did not want this family of Noah to be frightened every time it came.

Another thing we must realize is, that these eight individuals were in the care of our Holy God until families began to be established again.

We can say that it was God who wrote down the facts of this first covenant!

A normal covenant is between two or more people, but God made this covenant with Himself!

This promise of God would be fulfilled no matter what Noah and his family did.

We can say that covenant was another covenant of Grace, a free gift of God.

This same covenant is still in effect today, since God made this covenant with every living being on this earth!

God said: “this is My Covenant”.
God said: “it is in My Power that these things will be true”
God said: “it is My Desire to keep you safe from ever seeing this thing again”

It is the promises of God that give us assurance.

If the oceans are rising, God did not tell us to build so close to the waters.
If the forests are burning, God did not tell us to not manage our forest in fact God told Adam to manage the forest of the Garden.
If the Amazon is being cleared for others to live, God did not tell us we could not plant new tree for those that are being removed.

Who are we to dictate what other nations are to do! They are also in the hand of God.

If we want to do something productive for this place called earth, we could at least pick up the trash that is thrown down and put a stop to this travesty to our earth, our nations, our cities and our communities.

We cannot say we are serious about the climate until we can stop those who litter!

All of nature is in the hands of God and there are no experts who can teach us how to stop nature or improve on nature.

Noah became the father of all life of the humans and Noah believed the promises of God.

Another thing we should understand is that this earth will exist until God says it will come to an end!

There will be seasons, there will be summer and winter, there will be hot and cold because these are the promises of God until the Lord returns!

Gen 8:22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

God will not break this promise to the descendants of Noah which includes us here today.

We must do what we can to keep our earth beautiful, but the safety of our earth lies in the hands of an All Powerful God who is a God of All Power and cannot be swayed nor defeated in His purposes!

Do not be frightened by those who claim the destruction of climate change, and I do not need some scientist’s approval when I have the Word of God and the promises of God!

Our earth will not be destroyed by floods.
Our earth will not be destroyed by hurricanes.
Our Earth will not be destroyed by volcanoes.
Our earth will not be destroyed by a disaster of any kind, even man-made until the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ when it will be destroyed by fire for the same exact reason God sent the flood, SIN, because we never learn.

Until then we do not have to concern ourselves, knowing we are to be good stewards of the things God shares with us!

This written picture of Noah and the Ark, because of sin, gives us the perfect picture of our salvation by the Lord Jesus Christ.

All those who claim destruction by “climate change” are sinners who reject the truth of God!

All those who trust the Word of God, live in peace that all these things are in God’s hands and God has never broken a promise!

2Ti 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
2Ti 2:20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
2Ti 2:21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.

“And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth”.

Then God gave us a sign to remind us of His promise.

*Gen 9:12 And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
Gen 9:13 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.

It was only Noah and his family that needed God’s assurance at this time, but we see that God knew we would need those same assurances today because sin still abounds.

Just over 5000 years ago God gave this sign to Noah and in the year 2020 we can still see the beautiful sign of the rainbow.

Ezekiel wrote; that the day he had a vision of the Lord, He stood out just as the vision of the rainbow which we get to see at end of almost every rain.

Eze 1:27 And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.
Eze 1:28 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.

The truth is, the rainbow is not just a sign for us to remember the end of the destruction of the flood in Noah’s day also when God sees the rainbow He too will remember what He did because of sin.

Now we cannot say that God remembers His wrath in a bad way because He is righteous in everything that He does!

We also know that nothing that God does in our lives shows His intent to destroy us because everything that God does for us or to us is for our own good.

Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

We need to forget about whether God knows what He is doing because He does, and we need to concentrate on our obedience to Him.

There may stories from false religions about the “Rainbow” but the rainbow was placed in the sky for the reason God states right here in the Scriptures.

Do not get confused by some commentaries. There had never been a rainbow until it was shown to Noah!

A token is something intended to indicate another event!

The rainbow is to assurance, as the blood of the Lamb is to redemption!

*Gen 9:14 And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:
Gen 9:15 And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.
Gen 9:16 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.

We should understand that that this promise is not that the rainbow will be seen whenever God sends the clouds to cover the earth, but that, whenever God sends the clouds and His rainbow is visible, He will remember His covenant.

The wrath of God is a sight to behold but the rainbow reminds the Lord it is not yet time for His wrath to return.

Hab 3:8 Was the LORD displeased against the rivers? was thine anger against the rivers? was thy wrath against the sea, that thou didst ride upon thine horses and thy chariots of salvation?
Hab 3:9 Thy bow was made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word. Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers.
Hab 3:10 The mountains saw thee, and they trembled: the overflowing of the water passed by: the deep uttered his voice, and lifted up his hands on high.
Hab 3:11 The sun and moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of thine arrows they went, and at the shining of thy glittering spear.
Hab 3:12 Thou didst march through the land in indignation, thou didst thresh the heathen in anger.
Hab 3:13 Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for salvation with thine anointed; thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck. Selah.

We should understand that God does not need reminders because He wrote this book called the Bible, and He knows exactly what He is going to do at every moment and why He did these things, so in the end all these things are to teach us the ways of our Savior!

*Gen 9:17 And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.

There is no greater assurance than for the Lord to tell us what He is going to do and the reasons He does these things!

We now have seen what has happened since the time of Noah and things have stood just exactly as the Lord said they would.

So much in fact that scoffers ask; “where is the promise of His coming”.

2Pe 3:4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

Notice these same scoffers are not believers because they have ignored the flood.

Our government is full of scoffers today!

All evolution so-called scientist are scoffers today!

God says they are just ignorant.

2Pe 3:5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
2Pe 3:6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
2Pe 3:7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

We must not be ignorant with them, but have “faith” in the Word of God and just trust that what God says He will cause to happen.

It is not guess work?

It is the truth of our Holy God who can do no wrong.

All those who die by fire will die because they chose it to be that way.

We cannot be ignorant of the truth of God and still say we are Christians!

We cannot be Pro Abortion and still be Christians!

We cannot ordain the marriage of two people unless it is between one man and one woman and still be Christians!

We cannot approve of sodomites and lesbians and still be Christians!

We must believe the virgin birth!
We must believe in the sinless blood of Jesus was shed for our sin!
We must trust in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ to pay our sin debt!

We must love the Lord Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father who sent Him!

We must be filled with God the Holy Spirit or we do not belong to God!

These are the covenants God has given to us!

There are other covenants we need to study!

Amen

God’s Promises

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Promised Rewards

Book of Malachi Chapters 3-4

Have you ever noticed that the Lord comes right to the point, He does not beat around the bush as some say, I praise the Lord that He does this!

This also a great example for every Pastor.

Right is always right and wrong is always wrong and wrong is sin!

Jas_4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

We cannot fool God and it is a terrible sin just to attempt to fool God.

God proves this to us with all these examples in the Old Testament.

God’s ears are always open to what we say.
God’s eyes are always open to see what we do.
God does not look upon the outside of us to judge us, He simply looks into the heart to see if we are real Christians!

When we think we can tell God what to do, we tread on dangerous ground!

We must understand, God is very strict on our behavior!

*****Mal 3:13 Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?
Mal 3:14 Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?
Mal 3:15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.
Mal 3:16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.

Starting at verse 13 we can see, that these are the ways we can tell that the course of this world is not following the will of God.

It is obvious today that our own government has taken the stand that anything spoken in the Word of God is evil because it does not fit into their agenda.

This is the battle our President faces, and we all must stand on the Word of God.

It is not vain to serve the Lord the benefits are immense!

Psa 116:8 For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.
Psa 116:9 I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living.
Psa 116:10 I believed, therefore have I spoken: I was greatly afflicted:
Psa 116:11 I said in my haste, All men are liars.
Psa 116:12 What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me?

We should ask ourselves, how are those so full of pride happy. They are only happy when they are persecuting the people of God!

They tempt God but He is quiet.
They provoke God and God is still silent.
They resist God yet they are still safe.

We should never forget that those that do these things are already sentenced to eternal death so they are not improving their relationship with the Lord at all and why should God say anything when He has already judged them?

God only pays attention to what His children are doing and to what His children are saying because it is God’s children who can put a smile on God’s face, and it is these things that are written in God’s Book of Remembrance.

You see when we speak to one another of our salvation and of the promises of God and that we are only visitors here, because our home is in Heaven and how much we love the Lord, these are the things God wants to hear!

These are the things that are of delight to our God!

*****Mal 3:17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

How precious are God’s people to Him, we are all like precious jewels! We can serve God alone, but we need each and every child of God to serve with us for the Church to do its work!

It is the fear of the Lord that binds, that fear being reverence for our Creator who decided He would save all those who wanted to be with Him and to trust Him.

Every Christian will be saved from the wrath of God.

When we think upon the Lord in the way that He approves, we will be with Him in Glory and this day may not be that far off!

God has promised He will gather all His jewels before He begins to deal again with the children of Israel, and He will gather all those jewels so we will all be together in the New Heaven and the New Jerusalem!

When the children of Israel think upon these same things, then they will return from their backsliding ways to serve the Lord!

*****Mal 3:18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

Those who speak and act against the Lord will not be gathered but will suffer through out eternity.

We must be able to discern between evil and the good.

We must be able to discern between the righteous and the wicked.

We must be able to discern between the Christian and those who are lost.

When we see just how evil this world is, we will certainly know that the Word of God speaks the truth, and this will increase our faith!

There is coming a day of “judgment”, and we should feel a relief that we have already been judged!

Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Rom 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

There is a judgment day coming, for those who reject the Lord Jesus Christ!

*****Mal 4:1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

It amazes me that so many who are lost continue to say that a Loving God would never send anyone to Hell, when it is plainly written in the Word of God, so many times!

It also amazes me that so many who preach the Word of God leave these Scriptures out or never preach on these things when it is so plainly written in the Word of God!

What do we know about the Day of Judgment?

It will be a fiery day that burns as hot as the hottest furnaces!

Look what Malachi says.

Remember a true prophet of God must be exact in his prophecies!

We can just imagine a fiery furnace that is so hot, it will burn even those who come close to it.

Dan 3:22 Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
Dan 3:23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
Dan 3:24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.
Dan 3:25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
Dan 3:26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire.

We should notice this superhot furnace cannot burn the child of God, but only the proud who reject God, and the wicked who go against the Word of God!

If we cannot love our families enough to try to show them these facts of the Bible, then shame on us!

We need to pray with all our heart to our Father in Heaven that He will send Holy Ghost conviction to all our family, all our friends, and anyone else we know that are lost in this dying world. Time will run out when the patience of God runs out.

There is so much difference for those who love the Lord!

*****Mal 4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.

There is only one sun in our solar system though there may be many suns in God’s creation.

The vastness of our sun is enormous, and we can feel more than its heat and its powerful light that removes all darkness.

We know that there is only one Mediator between God and man and He is the Lord of all God’s creation and our sun is just a spec in the path of the Son of God!

You see if we have that reverent fear of God, and a certain fear of His enormous power, then when we cry out to God for His mercy and His “GRACE”, He will hear us.

Remember “GRACE” is God’s Riches At Christ Expense!

What does the phrase, calves in a stall mean?

Psa 92:12 The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
Psa 92:13 Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.
Psa 92:14 They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;
Psa 92:15 To shew that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

What do calves in a stall mean? They just eat grain and drink water and have no worries of what is happening outside the barn.

*****Mal 4:3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.

We can tread down the wicked because having “faith” in the promises of God, then our “faith” can overcome the world.

1Jn_4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

When God burns all the wicked and evil, they will be only ashes under the soles of our feet!

When we by faith overcome the world, when we suppress our corrupt appetites and passions, and when the God of peace bruises Satan under their feet, then we can indeed tread down the wicked.

We will walk with the Lord after we have returned with Him, as He spreads His wrath all around this world!

1Th_4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus “will God bring with him”.

There is only one way to be part of this group and this is to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior before the death of your body on this earth. Those who will return with Christ Jesus are all those whose name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life!

Rev_21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Now most people do not want to hear about “judgment” but God’s judgment is just as true as God’s salvation! plan!

In fact most people do not consider themselves to be a part of God’s judgment, but God has already judged each of us!

Rom 6:20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
Rom 6:21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
Rom 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Once I was saved, I was still a sinner, but I am no longer a servant of sin, I serve Jesus Christ!

God has made another promise to the Jews.

*****Mal 4:4 Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.
Mal 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
Mal 4:6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

What did the prophet Malachi teach these Jews to do until it was time for the Messiah to come, which would happen after the Prophet Elijah returned!

It was easy. Remember the law of Moses and do them!

What is the truth for the Christian? We do not give it much thought, but all the doctrine of God can be found in the first 11 chapters of the Book of Genesis. By adding all the 5 books of Moses, it would just as good for us to follow those.

I know the Laws of Moses were given to the Jews but besides the Law of the Sabbath that we do not observe, As we serve the Day of the Lord, which is Sunday, the remaining laws are good guidelines for everyone!

We should understand that if the Pentateuch fails then all the New Testament will fail!

The writings of the Apostle Paul are based upon the Laws of Moses.

Gal_3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Gal_3:25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

The Lord Jesus referred to the Laws of Moses many times.

If we reject Moses, then we must reject the Lord Jesus Christ!

Deu 4:10 Specially the day that thou stoodest before the LORD thy God in Horeb, when the LORD said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.

Luk 1:50 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.

As far as the Church is concerned there is the great possibility that the Church will be in Heaven before the return of Elijah.

The return of Elijah is a sign for the Jews!

Elijah will come to reconcile the families of the world after the rapture of the Church.

This prophecy is not linked to chapter 3:1 which speaks of John the Baptist preparing the way for the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Prophecy of the return of Elijah is true because he will be one of the two witnesses who will come before the Lord returns.

The other I believe to be Enoch.

Rev 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
Rev 11:4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
Rev 11:4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
Rev 11:5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
Rev 11:6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
Rev 11:7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.
Rev 11:8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.
Rev 11:9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
Rev 11:10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
Rev 11:11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
Rev 11:12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.

If this man is not Elijah, he will be in the power and might of Elijah.

Men like Elijah and John the Baptist would be hard to miss, because they possess what most Christians lack today, “BACKBONES”. They know what job they had to do and came to do those jobs loudly.

To be a forerunner of the Lord Jesus Christ they must be perfectly fearless in this wicked world!

What is the job of this Elijah? To turn the heart of the fathers to the children. In today’s world there are so many families who are without fathers and many of the rest are too occupied with getting an income.

Many children do not know what to do and they fall in the clutches of Satan who will in the end, will destroy them!

If these things do not go as the Lord demands, He will come with a curse.

Now we can accept what the Lord says is true, or we can go on doing as we do now!

God has already told us what He is going to do, and He will not waver until it is done, and He will be King Jesus for 1000 years.

The one thing is certain. There will not be as many as could have been in Heaven!

Isa 24:6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.

We should understand, at the close of Malachi there at least 400 years where Judah and Benjamin were back in Judah and Jerusalem most always under the rule of a foreign power even though they tried their best to remain free.

Many were still dispersed throughout the Persian Empire including the other 10 tribes as the Old Testament closes out and God did not speak to His people for those 400 years.

Part of the prophecy of Daniel was fulfilled then the Lord came the first time and the remaining to be fulfilled when the Lord returns for the second time!

Dan 9:25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
Dan 9:26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
Dan 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

God will do just exactly what He says, when He is ready to do it!

Amen

Let’s pray!

The Kingdom of the Messiah

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

The Kingdom of the Coming Messiah

Book of Isaiah Chapter 11

We have seen Isaiah prophesy of the sign of the Messiah, the Virgin Birth of our Savior.

We next have seen Isaiah prophesy of the Deliverance brought forth by the Messiah.

We next see Isaiah prophesy of the Kingdom of the Messiah.

Notice it is easy to forget about the First Coming of the Messiah and go straight to the Second Coming of the Messiah and this was a great problem for the Jews after the birth of Jesus Christ. They were looking forward to the Kingdom and could not see the Savior who stood before them.

Moses had written of the First Coming of the Messiah:

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. 

The Jews had rejected the Messiah and His message, because they demanded the work first, of what Isaiah had written in these Scriptures.

Isaiah not only dealt with the “reigning” Messiah but he also dealt with the “suffering” Messiah but it was the “suffering” Messiah who was rejected by the Jews but accepted by the Church!

There was only one way for the Jews to enjoy the kingdom blessings:

Jer 30:3  For, lo, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the LORD: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it. 
Jer 30:4  And these are the words that the LORD spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah. 
Jer 30:5  For thus saith the LORD; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. 
Jer 30:6  Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness? 
Jer 30:7  Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.

The Jews had missed the prophecy of the “time of Jacob’s Trouble”! Still in the future.

They had also missed the prophecy of the New Covenant of the Lord. Which is also still in their future.

Jer 31:31  Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 
Jer 31:32  Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: 
Jer 31:33  But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

They had certainly missed the truth of the Messiah’s First Coming.

Mat 26:26  And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. 
Mat 26:27  And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; 
Mat 26:28  For this is my blood of the new testament, “which is shed for many for the remission of sins”. 
Mat 26:29  But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom. 

What did Isaiah prophesy?

*****Isa 11:1  And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

Who was Jesse?

Rth 4:18  Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron, 
Rth 4:19  And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab, 
Rth 4:20  And Amminadab begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon, 
Rth 4:21  And Salmon begat Boaz, and Boaz begat Obed, 
Rth 4:22  And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.

Jesse was the grandson of Ruth the “Gentile Bride” of Boaz and the father of David the second King of Israel!

1Sa 17:12  Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehemjudah, whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man went among men for an old man in the days of Saul. 

All of these were already dead and buried at the time of Isaiah and at this time Hezekiah had already been born(about ten years old) and Hezekiah would rule after his father, evil King Ahaz.

The term “Branch” is a symbol for a king descended from royal ancestors but here it is also written of the Messiah.

Jeremiah says he would be a righteous “Branch”:

Jer 23:5  Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. 
Jer 23:6  In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

Zechariah says this righteous branch would build a Temple:

Zec 6:12  And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD: 
Zec 6:13  Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both. 

We know the Lord has yet to build a physical Temple on this earth but every believer becomes a spiritual “living temple” of the Lord upon accepting the Lord Jesus as our Savior.

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

Notice the Messiah would come from the roots of Jesse, because even the stump of David and all the kings of this line would be cut off by foreign powers as the legitimate rulers of Israel.

The Lord Jesus was adopted by Joseph, of the line of David but it was Rome who ruled the world at the first coming of the Messiah because the Messiah first came as the Redeemer!

Here again we see the Holy Trinity involved in the coming of the Messiah.

Notice also that the word translated “Branch” is in Hebrew “nester” or “netzer” or we would say (Natsoreth=Nazareth). This Messiah would be a Nazarene!

Mat 2:23  And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

The Jews also missed this important point!

Joh 7:52  They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet. 

The scholars of that time should have known all these things!

No one can get all the Scriptures right all the time but God does say for us all to search the Scriptures.

Joh 5:39  Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. 
Joh 5:40  And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. 

The Word of God must be important enough to us, to spend some time in it!

*****Isa 11:2  And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; 
Isa 11:3  And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: 

How could Israel know the Messiah?

1) The Messiah would be filled with fullness of God’s Holy Spirit!

Remember the Messiah first came to destroy the power of Satan, and He began His ministry repeating this Scripture from the Prophet Isaiah.

Luk 4:18  The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 
Luk 4:19  To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 
Luk 4:20  And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 
Luk 4:21  And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. 

How could the Messiah do all these things?

2) The Holy Spirit would supply “God’s wisdom” to God’s Messiah, God’s Son. The Holy Trinity would be involved in everything that the Messiah was sent to accomplish.

The Messiah would need the complete understanding of God’s salvation plan and who better than God Himself?
The Messiah would need the complete understanding of the mind of mankind and who better than the Creator?

The Messiah had the answers to false religion because He is the answer!
The Messiah had the answers for difficulties and doubts in His disciples.
The Messiah had the answers for the Church of the New Covenant.
The Messiah knew the value of the soul to God and how to win those souls to the Lord!

When we have a question we can be sure that the Messiah has the answer and that answer is Jesus the Christ, the Messiah!

3) The Holy Spirit would supply “God’s understanding” to God’s Messiah!

The Messiah would be quick to understand the fear of the Lord!

The Messiah could discern between “glory” and “dishonor”.
The Messiah could discern between “truth” and “disobedience”.
The Messiah was well aware of “sin” and what pleased His Father.
The Messiah was well advised on pride and corruption and hypocrisy.
The Messiah understood all the work of Satan and his lies and his deceit and his twisting of the Scriptures.

AND, Satan knew that he had met his Master! ”

Luk 4:8  And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 

3) The Holy Spirit would supply all the counsel that was needed by the Messiah.

Isaiah said He would be the “Wonderful Counsellor”.

The Messiah would give the wisest counsel in the kindest manner and His advice would suit every case.
The Messiah would counsel the sinner.
The Messiah would counsel the Church.
The Messiah would counsel the Christian warrior on how to preserve the “faith”.

4) Though a “Lamb” in meekness, the Messiah is still the “Lion” of the tribe of Judah.
The Messiah would never tremble or fear at the task that He had.
The Messiah had all the Spirit of the Almighty God and all the understanding of God’s might!

5) In the Messiah dwells “all” knowledge!
The knowledge of Jehovah, the knowledge of His heavenly Father.
The knowledge of the complete “Will of God”.
The knowledge of righteousness.
The knowledge of blessedness.
The knowledge “Mercy and Grace”!

6) In the Messiah was the “fear of the Lord” which is the beginning of all “wisdom”!

Pro 9:10  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. 
Pro 9:11  For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased. 

Psa 25:14  The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.

Some say these are the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit and they are certainly great gifts but the Holy Spirit is also much more than these things in the truth the Messiah, The Lord Jesus Christ was indwelled by all the Godhead, the Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit!

Col 2:8  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 
Col 2:9  For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 

The Lord will never “Judge” after the sight of His eyes because He can only “Judge” with all the knowledge of God!
The Lord will never “reprove”(blame) us of our sin by what someone else says about us, “but only by His own righteousness”!

*****Isa 11:4  But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. 
Isa 11:5  And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.

What will it be like to live under the government of the Lord Jesus Christ?

1) The Kingdom of Christ will be a righteous kingdom!

All things will be done right.
All things will be done morally.
All things will be done legally and according to the Word of God we already have in our possession!

Jesus is perfect, so there will be perfect justice and a perfect government!

To the Jews, a king provided leadership in war and the administration of justice in times of peace.
We already know that in Christ’s Kingdom there will be no more war so His leadership will be at the forefront!

2) We should notice that there will be no more abuse of the meek and the poor of this world.

3) We see that any and all transgression will be met with a rod of iron and any who do wickedness will be destroyed.

“Righteousness” and “faithfulness” will be the strength of the Messiah’s government!

Isa 59:17  For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke. 

Isa 25:1  O LORD, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth. 

How is the Messiah’s Kingdom described? Like the reign of a small child in the midst of animals, who would rather devour one another than be at peace with one another, but a child who has the power of God combined with the innocence of a small child.

What does a personal relationship with the Lord accomplish, it causes us to change!

*****Isa 11:6  The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. 
Isa 11:7  And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 
Isa 11:8  And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den.

Not only will the wild creatures become tame but all animals will agree with each other and will agree with all living things including humans.

And all living creatures will become vegetarian as at the beginning!

Isa 65:25  The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD. 

Eze 34:25  And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. 

Hos 2:18  And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely. 

It should be clear that the human race is much like the wild animals but by God’s “Grace” all humans will also become tame, mild, meek, and humble just as the animals will become!

The ravenous wolves will have worried God’s sheep for the last time!

Jesus had said:

Luk 10:3  Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. 

This will all be over! Why?

*****Isa 11:9  They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. 

It is amazing that when God changes the way we think, it also changes our entire outlook on life!

1Pe 1:13  Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

You see all God’s creation is yearning for all the humans to return to God in a close personal relationship as it was in the days before the sin of Adam where they would walk together in the cool of the day!

Rom 8:18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 
Rom 8:19  For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 
Rom 8:20  For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 
Rom 8:21  Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 
Rom 8:22  For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 

In the time of Noah, this entire earth was covered with water and it was a time of great death and life remained only in 8 humans and most sea creatures.

2Pe 2:5  And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; 

This time, after the destruction by fire, then will this earth be covered by the knowledge of the Lord and life will replace death!

First the Lord will return a Second Time!

Second the government of the Lord will be put in place again!

Third the entire planet will become God’s garden again!

Fourth the hostility of the animal kingdom and mankind will be replaced with peace!

Job 5:22  At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth. 
Job 5:23  For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee. 
Job 5:24  And thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace; and thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt not sin. 

After the “rapture” of the church, which will return with the Lord, After the 7 year Tribulation period, There will be those who are alive and can reproduce and much will required.

Psa 22:27  All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. 
Psa 22:28  For the kingdom is the LORD’S: and he is the governor among the nations. 
Psa 22:29  All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul. 
Psa 22:30  A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. 
Psa 22:31  They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this. 

Now it is impossible for me to have all these things right but we should know that when the ungodly world can only see the devastation of our world, God has much bigger plans!

And for those who reject a First Coming and then a Second Coming of the Lord, then they need to read the Book of Isaiah along with all the Scriptures and just believe!

*****Isa 11:10  And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. 
Isa 11:11  And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.

Notice we have seen the Messiah as the “Rod” that will come forth out of the stem of Jesse.
We have seen the Messiah as the “Branch” that will grow from the roots of Jesse.
Here in this Scripture we see that the Messiah is the “Root” of Jesse.

Rev 5:5  And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. 

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

It is in this office that the Messiah “Shall Stand For An Ensign Of The People”

All people that remain on this earth, will see the Messiah for who He truly is.

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

This time there will be no cross! There will be the “Majesty of God”!

All those who can even say the word “Religion” will see that “Christianity” being “Christ-Like”, has always been the only truth and the Messiah will be chosen even over all the governments of this world!

Psa 22:27  All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. 
Psa 22:28  For the kingdom is the LORD’S: and he is the governor among the nations. 

Mal 3:12  And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts. 

The Messiah will be the only “Authority” in this world! His resting place will be in His Glory!

Psa 132:13  For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation. 
Psa 132:14  This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it. 

The Lord had rescued the Jews from the hand of Pharaoh to form the nation of Israel but it took “faith”.

The Lord had rescued us all from the hands of Satan, the “First Time” He came as a babe born in Bethlehem, but it took “faith” and He was rejected by Israel.

The Lord, the Messiah, has set His hand this “Second Time” to recover the “Remnant” that remain of the Jews and this time they have “faith” in the truth of Jehovah!

No nation upon this earth has had a history as the history of Israel and one more time, still in our future, they will be restored to serve the Lord as promised to Abraham, and as promised to David!

*****Isa 11:12  And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. 

It is a fool, who cannot see that the Jews are visibly separated from all other nations! This is prophecy that is being fulfilled.
It is also the fool, who cannot see that God’s wrath is becoming less and less severe on this people who God has always loved, the nation He formed with His own hands when He pulled Abraham out of Ur and chose Jacob over Esau.

Since they were scattered all over this world they have never claimed any one place to be their home! They have always remained a working people and when in 1948 they were again given back their homeland, “they have been able to purchase again the land that was taken from them”.

It is the nations of this world that try their best to hinder the re-establishment of the Jews in Palestine, when it is really in their best interest to promote the home going of the Jew!

We live in a foolish world!

God has always fought for these people and when you choose to fight against them, you have chosen to lose, because God cannot be defeated by any people, any government nor any military!

God will assemble the outcast of His people, He has already started, it is evident!
God is beginning to gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of this earth, and it is obvious!

Psa 147:2  The LORD doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel. 
Psa 147:3  He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. 

God is going to do exactly what He said He would do!

We must be more like James and less like the world.

Jas 1:1  James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, “greeting”. 

We need to welcome the progress of the true Jew and help them in any way we can!

When the Jews recognize the true Messiah, they will all want to go home!

As the Church, as we see these things develop, we should realize it will not be long before we too will be going home, it’s called having the faith of Abraham.

Rom 4:20  He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 
Rom 4:21  And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 

God will then remove all obstacles that caused the divided kingdom!

*****Isa 11:13  The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim. 

It is obvious that it was “envy” and “vexation” that had separated these people. (vex)

The truth of envy is that it will most always lead to strife, division, hatred, and even murder!

Gal 5:21  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 

To “vex” someone is to cause them to be angry, to provoke, to torment, and to afflict.

It is obvious that two such people, no matter who they are, would never be able to get along.

It is the Messiah who will cause these things to change:

Hos 1:11  Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.

The day of Jezreel is the day that God gathered the children of Israel again into one people.

Jer 32:41  Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul. 
Jer 32:42  For thus saith the LORD; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them. 

Amo 9:15  And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God. 

God will keep every promise He has ever made.
Sadly He will keep the promises He has made to unbelievers.
God will keep every promise He has made to the Church.
God will keep every promise He has ever made to Israel and the Jew!

*****Isa 11:14  But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them. 
Isa 11:15  And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dryshod. 
Isa 11:16  And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.

It should be clear that a united Israel with all the power of God will defeat all her enemies!

The Philistines were and still are the perpetual enemies of the Jews.
We know them now as the Palestinians. The Philistines are called Pulsata or Pulista on the old Egyptian monuments, or Palestinians.

Israel will swoop down like a mighty bird of prey and expel these trouble making foreigners from Israel. This is what the Bible says.
Israel will spoil the efforts of the east altogether. These are all the Arab countries in the eastern desert.
Israel will take control of all that is called the West Bank today and Jordan (Ammon=Jordan) shall obey them.

The world may hate these things now, but that does not mean the world can stop these things from happening and the world does not have to agree for these things to be the truth!

In fact the world needs to stay out of this conflict!

As we have already said, God will remove every obstacle that hinders the return of His people.

The tongue of the Egyptian Sea (The Red Sea) is the Gulf of Suez.

Psa 136:13  To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever: 
Psa 136:14  And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever: 

God will make a highway for His people to return to the Promised Land!

AND, This highway will have a name:

Isa 35:8  And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called “The way of holiness”; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. 
Isa 35:9  No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: 
Isa 35:10  And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. 

The bottom line is no fools will be allowed to walk on God’s highway, the unclean shall not pass over it!

It is a foolish world that ignores the Word of God!

We should notice that nothing mentioned in this entire chapter occurred at First Coming of Christ!

Israel was dispersed after Christ died on Calvary’s cross!

Jesus Christ the Messiah was rejected by His people!

This new earthly kingdom will be set up when Christ Jesus returns for the Second time in all His glory!

This will be a great day for all those who believe the Word of God!

Isa 12:1  And in that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me. 
Isa 12:2  Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. 
Isa 12:3  Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. 
Isa 12:4  And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. 
Isa 12:5  Sing unto the LORD; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth. 
Isa 12:6  Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee. 

Amen!

Questions?

Let’s Pray!