The Supernatural Man – Part vii
For This Cause
Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. (John 18:37)
To determine beforehand a destination or act to be performed especially when there are many elements involved becomes a pure supernatural miracle. To stand or sit before a judgment seat of death and knowing the outcome of that judgment beforehand can only be related to our supernatural Man.
For This Cause:
To Be a King on Earth
‘For this cause’ can be applied many times to the life of the Lord Jesus. ‘For this cause’ He was born in Bethlehem to fulfill the prophetic word. ‘For this cause’ He was born of the seed of David. ‘For this cause’ He was the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. And now from our text, His whole supernatural life from His birth till now was ‘for this cause.’ Pilate asked Him if He was a king. He had come to be the King of Israel. He had come unto His own, and His own received Him not. He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. This did not hinder or stop the determinate counsels of God. In Isaiah 53 we read that He was taken from prison, He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, He was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and He was cut off from the land of the living for the transgression of my people was He stricken.
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.(Isaiah 53:7)
He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. (Isaiah 53:8)
For This Cause:
To Reveal a Kingdom in Another Realm
The Lord Jesus revealed Himself as the King of Israel, and yet, He was rejected by man. While He stood before Pilate He took us to another world, for He claimed a kingdom that is not of this world. Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. (John 18:36) The heavenly kingdom is now before Him. This is the kingdom that they cannot deny Him for He will take it with all His power and the determinate counsels of God. In divine history Jerusalem had already been passed by. When the Lord Jesus stood over Jerusalem He cried out, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! (Matthew 23:37) This was not an appeal, but a rejection of their opportunity. (Luke 13:35) Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, this verse describes the result of their rejection of the Son of God; we realize that was not the total description of the judgment that fell upon the nation of Israel.
For This Cause:
To Take A People Out of This World
The kingdom of heaven is larger and more complex then any kingdom of the earth or all the kingdoms of the earth. ‘For this cause’ the Lord Jesus came into the world to take a people out of the world to reign over dominions of justified souls who He would justify with His own blood. Israel was not worthy of His kingship. They had rejected Him because they were in a corrupt condition of soul, in fact, the entire world was not worthy of His kingship. The flesh, under sin, was in a contemptible condition and they would not have this man to rule over them. Our view of all these actions leading up to the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ is very narrow because of man’s vanity. Truly, people in authority, and mankind as a whole, do not want to believe that the heart of man can be so vile that they would crucify the Prince of life. Yet, in every man (from his birth) we have this seed of enmity against the Almighty God. It is difficult for man to see the fullness, the goodness, and the greatness of the glory of his own Creator. Even the creation itself gets little of our attention unless we are motivated by the ways of man. We fail to see the stepping stones that God has placed (to reveal Himself) on the path to Him. He is the Creator of all things, and He has cast out His net of revelation over the whole earth. God stepped into His own creation as the creation of God. This was the Man Jesus Christ.
And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: (Ephesians 3:9)
All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:3)
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: (Colossians 1:16)
But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. (1 Corinthians 8:6)
For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: (Philippians 3:20)
Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. (Philippians 3:21)
And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;(Revelation 3:14)
As the Spirit of God walks us through the creatorial power of the Lord Jesus Christ each one of these verses declares His supernatural power over and in the creation. Things that are seen and things that are not seen are completely in His power. The principalities and powers are met with His power of government. He changes the very heads of state, and therefore, it is a wonderful thing that He came into the world to take a people out of the world for Himself. In Revelation 3:14 we read the beginning of the creation of God, this seems more of a title than His actual work in creation. He speaks this of Himself to the church of the Laodiceans that we might see that it is this One, the Lord of glory, who is over all creation. The creation of God could be seen as a title, as we see the title King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. ‘For this cause’ the Creator of all things came into the world to create a generation within Himself. It would be the generation of Jesus Christ. (Matthew 1:1)
The Lord Jesus came into the world to take us who believe in Him out of this world. To attach us to a kingdom that is ruled by the Man in heaven above, Jesus Christ the Son of God. When He stated to Pilate that His kingdom was not of this world He expressed to Pilate (and to the world) that He had a kingdom, and therefore, He was a King. He reigns over the kingdom of heaven. He bears the title, The King of heaven. And this is where we need divine understanding, and not the understanding of man.
And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. (Revelation 19:10) In this section of Scripture we see the prophecy of the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, this prophecy is revealed by the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Spirit of prophecy. The King of Kings and Lord of Lords is a title that He will bear when He comes to take His kingdom. The Lord Jesus said to Pilate that His kingdom was not of this world. He related this fact to Pilate that He was King and that He had a kingdom that was not of this world. In Revelation, Chapter 19 He comes out of heaven, He wears the crown of heaven and the crown of earth. He is King of Kings, for He rules over the entire creation in heaven and on earth. In His heavenly rule He brings the armies of heaven with Him. These are His subjects in His heavenly realm. He has purchased these subjects with His precious blood, and He has taken them out of the world, and these subjects are His loyal dependents, and they are part of the kingdom of heaven. At present He rules and reigns in the kingdom of heaven. He reigns with a scepter of righteousness (Hebrews 1:8) He is sitting upon His righteous throne. (Revelation 4:2-4) The throne sitter is the King of righteousness, But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. (Hebrews 1:8) Here is One who has called a people out of the world. In heaven they gather around and worship Him who had redeemed them by His blood. At the same time His kingdom stretches into the hearts of man on earth, each and every one who has cried out in His name for salvation has been translated into His kingdom, the kingdom of God’s dear Son. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:(Colossians 1:13) The world of creation (Romans 8) is waiting for the glorious millennial kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ.
For This Cause:
To Declare His Divine Kingship
We cannot deny His reign at this present time that exists in the kingdom of heaven. In Psalm 2, the prophecy gives us a King who will reign on Mount Zion. This is a future prophecy of the millennial kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the study of Christ’s kingship we have many titles relating to the Son of God as King.
-
The Kingdom of heaven (Daniel 4:37; 4:34)
The King of glory (Psalm 24:7, 8)
My King and my God (Psalm 2) (Psalm 44:4)
The King of righteousness and peace (Hebrews 7:1-3)
The King (Isaiah 33:17) (Luke 19:38) (Song of Solomon 1:4)
The King of saints (Revelation 15:3, 4)
The King over all the earth (Psalm 4:2, 7)
The King of nations (Jeremiah 10:7)
The King of the Jews (Matthew 2:2)
The King of Israel (John 1:47 -49)
The King eternal (1 Timothy 1:17)
The King of Kings (Revelation 19:12-16)
In this short list of His divine kingship we see many qualities of the King who reigns over all of creation, even the span of eternity. All these kingly titles are jewels in His many crowns. We are dealing with the Creator of all things. We are dealing with the manifestation of the supernatural Man from heaven who was specifically sent into the world to call a people out of the world for Himself.
In the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ Chapter 4, verse 3 we see the throne sitter. Every eye in heaven is upon Him. In Revelation 19 we see the One who has come to claim the throne of the earth, and He will truly be seen by the eyes of the whole world. Each one of His crowns, or each one of His titles as King, relates to the scepter of righteousness that He holds as the power of His throne. There has never been a scepter of righteousness upon any throne of earth. His throne upon the earth will be the first earthly throne to be ruled in the righteousness of God. In all these kingdom titles each one is upheld by the word of His power. In His rule as King we see one Sovereign, one Power, and one Creator. There is no way that any man can evaluate the greatness of God’s power in the Lord Jesus Christ. All power has been given unto Him, and without contradiction all power is by Him. When a star goes dark it is at His command. He is the One who extinguishes the light, as He is the One who gives the light. In the natural realm of events, He is working by the word of His power. He stops the proud waves, and at times gives them command to overlap their boundaries. This is the Man in heaven for us. All power is within His Being, even the gravity of the earth is given by divine decree; too much gravity would have devastating effects on all living things. It is amazing that there is just enough gravity to hold everything in place; the moon, and the sun stay within their boundaries, the planets also fulfill their courses according to the power that sits on the throne of heaven above. Gravity controls the spin of the earth, its axis is put in place by divine design, the flow of all the rivers move by gravity reaching to the oceans and then melting within them. Gravity has a large part in controlling the climate of the earth; when we hear about climate change it is usually by an instrument with one string; a one string instrument is a very poor instrument indeed. We should remember that science (falsely so called) depends largely on political grants, and money has a lot to do with scientific opinion. Science actually creates things that have no reality so that they can get more government grants. Science is not beneath lying to bring about its own end goal. Politics and science are companions for they have both sculpted some of the most preposterous lies that man has ever heard. When it rains or snows, I will tell you that there is a climate change. When the four seasons change their courses (under divine direction by God) I will show you the evidence of climate change. God’s climate is not based on scientific theories, it is based on His divine power. God’s supernatural Man, Jesus Christ, enacts all changes in the climate of the earth. He has done so in the past with Israel, He sent droughts and famine; also, in the days of Noah He sent the great flood as a judgment over all flesh, and because of the righteous prayer of a man called Elijah God held back the rain for 3 years and 6 months. I would say that God has all climate change in His divine power. In the book of the Revelation we have many divine prophecies that will effect the earth and its climate in divine judgment against the wickedness of man. From Revelation Chapter 6 onward the earth will experience real climate change. This climate change will be at God’s hand and not caused by man. I am sure that there will still be echoes of science, but they will just be a blip in the history of man. Even though these judgments will come man will cry out, saying, Where is the God of judgment? Having eyes to see they will not see the real evidence of the storm around them. They will not believe that God has the right to judge them. This same philosophy has permeated the church. Week after week people sit in pews believing that God has no right to judge them. Even though He has given His Son they still will not believe. Having ears to hear, they will not take the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to heart and soul, they will not repent of their sins for God has no right to judge them. In Revelation Chapter 6 we have every class structure of humanity hiding themselves in dens and caves, crying out for the rocks to fall upon them to hide them from the face of God, and the wrath of the Lamb. Even in their bitter pain they will reject God’s Christ.
And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; (Revelation 6:15)
And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: (Revelation 6:16)
For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? (Revelation 6:17)
The United States has just experienced two of the biggest storms in its history, Hurricane Harvey, and Hurricane Irma. Of course, the scientists say, Where is the God of judgment? They rationalize the intensity of these storms in relationship to their false theory of global warming. Whether we like it or not, God judges mankind using the natural forces of His creation to judge and to bring man to repentance for his sin. They will say, How can God judge in this way? How can you deny what Christ accomplished on the cross of Calvary in giving Himself for the sin of the whole world. Keep throwing your sin in God’s face without repentance and believe me you will see greater things. The world is brooding with the same attitude as described in Revelation 6:15-17.
For This Cause:
To Declare His Divine Kingdom a Present Reality
What a view the Christians gets from outside of this world. Each and every child of God has been translated into the kingdom of God’s dear Son, the Son of His love. In the kingdom we have a King, He sits upon the throne of heaven, yes, you cannot see this kingdom from the earth with the natural eye. The eye has to be opened by the Spirit of God, and only the soul and spirit can feel the reality of this kingdom. When the Lord Jesus told Pilate that His kingdom was not of this world, each and every child of God heard these words from the lips of our Savior. He came into the world to take us out of the world, and to translate us into His kingdom. The Spirit of Christ speaks expressly in Colossians 1:13, Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:. In this verse the first aspect of our redemption is that we have been delivered, and we have been delivered from the kingdom or the domain of darkness. We accept this as a present reality, we don’t question our deliverance, why should we question where we have been delivered to? In this verse we have these two words ‘and hath,’ this is not a futuristic view by the Spirit of Christ, it is a present reality for every born again Christian that we have been translated into the kingdom of the Son of God’s love. We have a kingdom that is ruled by our divine King, and one day every knee shall bow to this King, and one day throughout the entire creation the name of the Lord Jesus Christ will be proclaimed by every creature. His kingdom is a present reality today. (John 18:36) Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. Isn’t it a wonderful thing that this kingdom that we belong to, and the King that we belong to is separated from this world. Man cannot touch it, tarnish it, or destroy it, and this is so wonderful and comforting to the soul that loves the Lord Jesus Christ.
From the beginning of this world man in Adam has failed. Man has shown himself incompetent to rule his own kingdom. Adam failed in the rule of the first dominion which was a garden. He gave up all that God had given to him in exchange for sin and death. In his failure his dominion of peace, goodness, and life was broken and now he was under the dominion of sin and in the dominion of darkness. Since then, we have had heads of clans, heads of tribes, tyrants, dictators, kings of all sorts, princes, presidents, czars, and queens, deceivers and despots, and in some cases the very ambassadors of Satan himself (who God has judged). We could go on and on, there is only One who is worthy of divine rule, and as He rules in heaven now He will come in His second advent and rule over the earth as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. In the multiple aspects of this King we have the rule of heaven, and the rule of earth, and we also have a King of righteousness and a King of peace. The closest that any man or men came to fulfilling this divine position of king and kingdom was David and Josiah, however, they both proved that they were but men; for they fell to sin and revealed themselves as the children of Adam. All the kingdoms of this world are but temporal; they have their beginning, they have their peaks, and they all come to their end. In most cases these kingdoms end in total anarchy because of man’s sin. From time to time God makes His presence known to preserve both His creation and to stop man from destroying himself. God must fulfill every jot and tittle in His determinate counsels.
Once again let me state that man has a huge cloud of witnesses around him, the very creation speaks of the glory, the majesty, the power, and the grace of God. We have the witness of God’s holy word. We have the witness of the lives of the children of men being supernaturally changed in a relationship of divine love to God; and yet, Adam will believe the lies of the devil, he will deny the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ and embrace the kingdoms of men. The Man in heaven is the divine Creator of all things. He is the power of both heaven and earth. He is the One who has dominion in both relationship and power in heaven and on earth. He has power over the things seen and those things that are unseen. As we dwell upon the earth our eyes are opened to the visible creation around us, these same eyes are shut to the unseen world. Angels travel throughout our sphere unseen and undetected; they minister to the heirs of salvation as they intervene in governments, and municipalities. We know this from our study in the book of Daniel, we also learn that these heavenly angels created by God are at the beckon call of the Lord Jesus Christ war against the evils of this world.
Now let’s journey to heaven and all the saints who have gone before us gathered around His throne; their eyes are open to all the things of heaven and shut to the things of earth. We have the example that the Lord gave us in the rich man and Lazarus; this was given by the Lord Jesus for our learning and for our understanding of the great division between a world of sin and a heaven of pure righteousness.
But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. (Luke 16:25)
And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. (Luke 16:26)
This is a tremendous witness of the power of the Man in heaven for us, the supernatural Man to those who have passed from this life heaven is a reality for the children of God. Those who have passed from this life without Christ the torments of hell are a reality. In heaven they glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, in hell the unrepentant (the unsaved) feel the weight of the suffering and the pain of their past sins. It is a present reality to them. For us on earth who know the Man in heaven, we have the present reality of our salvation by the witness of the Spirit of Christ within us. Heaven is the dominion of God’s righteousness, and earth is the dominion of sin. Although sin was judged at the cross it’s final demise (the end of sin) will come for the elements shall melt, the earth will pass away, heaven will be removed, and God will create a new heaven and a new earth wherein righteousness will dwell. The earth of sin will be no more, the dwelling of the righteous will be in a new land, a new dominion, and in this new dominion the King eternal will dwell with them. Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Timothy 1:17)
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: (Ephesians 1:10)
And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, (Ephesians 1:22) Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.(Ephesians 1:23)
For This Cause:
To Declare All in Subjection to His Power and Kingship
In these Scriptures all has been gathered together (that is, all of creation), and all of the church, all have been gathered together in Jesus Christ. The total creation is under subjection to Him. The smallest particle of dust, or atom, is under subjection to Him. The seen and the unseen are in subjection to the supernatural Man in heaven. Both good and evil are in subjection to Him, for He destroyed the works of Satan on the cross of Calvary. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; (Hebrews 2:14) The farthest star is in subjection to the Lord Jesus Christ. The wind, the rain, the storms upon the earth are in subjection to Him; as the sparrow flies through the air, the sparrow is in subjection to the Lord Jesus Christ, and when the sparrow falls to the ground it has filled its course in its subjection to the power of the Lord. The lilies of the field are in complete subjection to the Lord, their glory and their beauty comes from the Lord.
For This Cause:
To Declare His Divine Rule Over His Church
It is the divine mind of the supernatural Man in heaven, the eternal King who has all power in heaven and in earth. On earth He desires rule over His church for He is head over the church.
And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:18)
And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, (Ephesians 1:22)
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; (Ephesians 4:14)
But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: (Ephesians 4:15)
From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. (Ephesians 4:16)
For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. (Ephesians 5:23)
Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. (Ephesians 5:24)
The first thing that we learn from these Scriptures is that Christ is the supernatural head of the church, and that in all things concerning the church He should have the preeminence, He should have full leadership, His church is not a democracy. Those who love the Lord Jesus have willingly become His bond servants and are in subjection to Him and not to man. We don’t see this subjection in the world church. The world church is not the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a false church ruled by Adam and deceived by the devil. The same deception that the devil used against God in the garden, the same deception the devil used against the Jews when they crucified the Lord Jesus Christ is the same deception that has been successfully used in the world church. For the world church repeats the exact words of the Jews, We will not have this man to rule over us (Luke 19:14); consequently, they chose Barabbas (a thief and a murderer) (John 18:40) a child of the devil, his very name means ‘son of the father.’
We see a world church of religious confusion with divisions bearing the names of men, and ruled by men, but one thing they lack: they do not have Christ. They have many leaders, and their leaders know not the Person of Christ, but the Lord Jesus is still the supernatural Man in heaven. These religious masses have rejected His Person. He still, however, has a relationship with each and every soul who is bought with His blood. In the list of the seven churches in the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ we have the continued declension of the church giving itself to the world and to the systems of the world until the Lord Jesus sends them into captivity. As Israel was taken to Babylon in captivity, so too, the church that men proclaim today has also in like manner been rejected by Christ and is in captivity to the world and its systems. The church has become like minded with the governments of the world. The church embraces these governments, and these governments embrace this church. During the course of this captivity the Spirit of God is prodding and brooding over every born-again believer. This is the action of the Spirit of God to separate believers from Baal and the systems of this world.
In Ephesians 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; we have a powerful voice of the Spirit of God, and the Spirit’s voice is a command, and not a request. We don’t have a vote on verse 14, there is no more a choice between the headship of Adam and the headship of the supernatural Man in heaven. We should understand that we are in the midst of religious raging sea all around us. There are two elements to this storm: one is the wind of every false doctrine, and the other is the raging sea of deception of the occult. It is in this sense the Lord wants us to picture the disciples on the Sea of Galilee when the storm and the wind were raging, and we (as believers) are to be aware of the deadly religious storm around us. In the second element of the storm (the raging sea) we have the occult, and both can only be calmed by the Lord Himself.
In Ephesians 1:14 (That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;) we have the sleight of men, these men deceive by their cunning craftiness, we see the forethought of their craftiness for they lie in wait to deceive. Just as the hunter stalks his prey or waits patiently in a blind, or as the trapper disguises the net or trap, or a fisherman sets the inviting lure on the hook these men of cunning craftiness deceive by their smooth oiled dialogue and their erroneous well thought out preplanned false doctrines luring and deceiving mankind. These cunning men do not have the love of God within them.
In the days of Noah (the preacher of righteousness) he probably listened to the chants of men, How can we all be wrong? The flood answered that question. [Though] hand [join] in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered. (Proverbs 11:21) In the days of Jeremiah, he probably heard the same words, How can we all be wrong? And the whole nation went into captivity. Every one [that is] proud in heart [is] an abomination to the LORD: [though] hand [join] in hand, he shall not be unpunished. (Proverbs 16:5) In the days of the Lord Jesus, the Jews yelled out similar words, We have Moses and the prophets, how can we all be wrong? The sentence that was given by the Lord was Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. Like a barren desert there would not be one grain of spiritual life left in the nation of Israel.
In the last church in Revelation (Laodicea) we see a church embracing the world and the world embracing them. This is completely opposite of those who carry the cross of Christ. We are here to be forsaken of the world, and to forsake the world ourselves. Paul in all seriousness knew that he was crucified unto the world, and the world was crucified unto him. (Galatians 6:14) Why are we to be strangers? Because we are no longer of this world, yet Laodicea tells the Lord Jesus that they have need of nothing (Revelation 3:17). All the world’s treasures are theirs, however, they are totally bankrupt in the things of heaven, and they tell the Lord, We have need of nothing, how can we all be wrong? The disciples on that stormy sea were perplexed, they became desperate, and then they remembered who was in the boat with them. They declared, Master care not that we perish? The supernatural Man spoke to the storm that was all around, to the wind, and to the boisterous waves, He simply declared with all His mighty power, Peace, be still, and there was a great calm, and the boat was steady again. To each and every believer who is in this world, you belong to the body of Christ, you belong to the unseen, you belong to that which is eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God and Jesus Christ, the Son of His love. Many times my boat has been tossed to and fro, and the only calm that I could find was with my Master in the boat, and He calmed and steadied my boat.
For This Cause:
To Call Out the Many
The clouds of false doctrine and the storm of religion is all around us in our world today. Satan is using the systems of the world to overthrow any element of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The religious systems with all its divisions deny faith in the true God of heaven and earth, but Christ is still in the boat, He is still here for those who have His saving faith. He is still in the boat and it is As many as I love this is a plea, and a reality, He desires that those who are entangled in these ungodly systems to come out from among them and be separated unto Him. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, (2 Corinthians 6:17) Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD.(Isaiah 52:11) There has always been a place of separation for the children of God. We have been called out of the world for God’s purpose even though we serve Him in this world we are not part of it, nor are we a part of the world’s religious system.
For This Cause:
To Call Out the One
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20) In the Book of the Revelation the Lord Jesus Christ we hear the call of God from the many to the individual: the overcomer. The call is to this one individual alone in a room contemplating the things of Christ surrounded by a world engulfed by confusion. This individual has a spirit like Nathaniel (Nathanael), as he mused on the things of Christ.
Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. (John 1:48)
Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.(John 1:49)
Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.(John 1:50)
And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.(John 1:51)
Nathanael met the Lord Jesus and through his musing recognized God’s Christ, the King of Israel, the Son of the living God. Through the Spirit’s words in Revelation, Chapter 3, verses 20, the Lord Jesus draws near to the closed door, but behind this shut door there is a precious soul musing on God’s Christ, the Son of God. In the supernatural realm of the Spirit of God, Christ draws near and knocks on the door of the heart. It is up to you to open the door. If any opens that door the supernatural Man from heaven will come in and sup with that child of God. The Holy Spirit is telling that heart to open the door, open it wide for the Christ of God. Let the Man of heaven come in for man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God, and out of the mouth of God’s Christ. He, the Lord of glory, will come in and sup with you, and with me. He will give us manna from heaven. He will reveal to us His spiritual glory to our hearts, souls, and spirits. Notice in Revelation 3:20 Christ listens to our cry, Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. He will sup with me.
For This Cause:
To Dwell With You and In You
For whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: (Ruth 1:16b) We often forget (because of the world around us) that we have a lodging place with the Lord Himself. I often tell people (when they tell me that they are Christians) that I go wherever they go, and they go wherever I go in the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God never sees us as a separated family. He continually sees us as a mystical church united to Christ. We are all part of the bride, and we will all be presented to the Bridegroom along with our toil and trials of earth, consequently, we have a divinely lit room in a dark world. He is always available to come into this room and to sup with us. What greater presence could we ever have when we say in our hearts, It is the Lord. We cast all aside and we open the door, man is gone, and heaven has arrived in Jesus Christ. It is the supernatural Man from heaven, and He has come to make His abode with us. All the manna of heaven is available to us. He opens His word and expounds from its pages all things concerning Himself from Moses and the prophets. He spreads His love through the gospels, then confirms His love in the Acts and in the Epistles. He then finalizes the proof of His love in the final chapters in the book of the Revelation. He ministers to a family that cannot be separated, He sings His praise in the midst of His brethren, He shows His continuous love in the very wounds that He has borne for us. Sadly, we live in a world of false profession, the outward church is engulfed with Adam. Adam’s mob does not understand faith or grace. The Lord, however, is still in the boat. He will still the storm for this writer and for all the children of God who can put their name to 1st John 3:1, 2.
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (1 John 3:1)
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2)
We wait for the call. It is the call from the supernatural Man in heaven when He opens the door and comes to meet us in the air, and then we will be a church, His body undivided, unmolested by the world, and we shall ever be with the Lord. We shall see Him as He is, in all His glory, glory, glory; and we shall be like Him, “glory for me, when by His grace I shall look on His face, Oh that will be glory for me.”
Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. (John 18:36) Amen.
© Copyright 2017, Michael Haigh
Article may be used, but not for gain. Freely ye have received, freely give.
All Scripture references are from the Authorized King James Bible. (KJV)