Here we sit completely helpless and, like Jacob of old, the hollow of our thigh has been touched where we can no longer walk in our own strength. No more schemes to try save ourselves from our vengeful brothers, no more ideas of religious effort. Life in Tabernacles has a way of working us into a corner where we can’t go backward or forward, the only way we can look is up. God is determined to change our nature so the Spirit of God wrestles with our soul through long nights of darkness wherein He INWORKS a change in us. He changes us from one who has been grasping, pushing our own way through life, to one who has become completely dependent on God's strength.
We no longer walk in our own religious strength, but have taken hold of God’s promise through the night and will not let go until we get His blessing. Now there has been a breaking of day for those with the day star within. Yes, within their being, the long dark night of soulish activity is coming to an end, and the light of day has come. God has given us the spirit of sonship that is key in taking confident hold of the Lord Jesus Christ. We will not let go until the full intended blessing has been answered for EVERY groaning heart.
Jacob was renamed Israel to be a Prince of God, a prince with God in men’s eyes. That name change was a type of what happens as God writes His new name in the hearts of conquering ones to give them place as SONS OF GOD:
“The one who is conquering, him will I be making a pillar in the temple of My God, and he may be coming out nevermore, and I will be writing on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which is descending out of heaven from My God, and My new name.” Revelation 3:12 concordant
As His new spiritual creation, we have power with God and with men to prevail over every enemy that ever comes against us. God has changed our nature from one who lies and is deceitful to one who stands in the Lord’s battles. We are learning to walk in COMPLETE DEPENDENCY ON OUR REGENERATED INNER SPIRITUAL MAN who, having been quickened by Christ, makes us alive to God as our Father.
To believers at Ephesus, Paul declared we are to be a HABITATION OF GOD through the Spirit, the spirit of sonship that even now we enjoy as a divine allotment:
“Yet now, in Christ Jesus, you, who once are far off, are become near by the blood of Christ. For He is our Peace, Who makes both one, and razes the central wall of the barrier (the enmity in His flesh), nullifying the law of precepts in decrees, that He should be creating the two, in Himself, into one new humanity, making peace; and should be reconciling both in one body to God through the cross, killing the enmity in it. And, coming, He brings the evangel of peace to you, those afar, and peace to those near for through Him we both have had the access, in one spirit, to the Father.
Consequently, then, no longer are you guests and sojourners, but are fellow-citizens of the saints and belong to God's family, being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, the capstone of the corner being Christ Jesus Himself, in Whom the entire building, being connected together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; in Whom you, also, are being built together for God's dwelling place, in spirit.” Ephesians 2:19-22 concordant
"For you did not get slavery's spirit to fear again, but you got the spirit of sonship, in which we are crying, ‘Abba Father!’ The spirit itself is testifying together with our spirit that we are children of God. Yet if children, enjoyers also of an allotment, enjoyers, indeed, of an allotment from God, yet joint enjoyers of Christ's allotment, if so be that we are suffering together, that we should be glorified together also." Romans 8:15-17 concordant
Those who would relegate the promises and blessings of God to be a blessing on their natural life seem to have forgotten that it is those who SUFFER WITH CHRIST that shall also reign with Him. The natural minded man is as blind today as the Jews who would not have THIS MAN to reign over them and said:
“His blood be on us, and on our children.” Matthew 27:25
Little wonder that Jesus said unto them,
“‘Therefore I say unto you, the kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.’ And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard His parables, they perceived that He spoke of them.” Matthew 21:43,45
There definitely has been a better covenant made to a nation born of the seed of Christ. His seed is a spiritual people gathered out of all nations. Their spirit was born (awakened), and taught by the renewing of the Holy Ghost to sanctify them by the writing of His Word of regeneration within their inner spiritual man. Through this they are made precious and elect. God has made a great multitude of people to which heaven belongs:
“I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one is coming to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 concordant
He who climbs up by claiming God’s blessing in their natural life as good workers in the church is a thief and a robber. INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP AND VITAL UNION WITH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IS ALL THAT COUNTS WITH THE FATHER. And that’s all that ever will count throughout all time:
“He who has the Son has the life; he who has not the Son of God has not the life.” I John 5:12 concordant
The one who suffers with Christ by working out a change of nature within their spirit shall also reign with Him throughout the ages. He who is of faith, the same is the seed of Abraham, the heir of God’s true blessings. It’s just that simple. Alas, for the rich man of the church order was wealthy, having many things to enhance his splendor. The purple, the fine linen, the sumptuous fare, the seats at the front, the salutations in the market places, works done to glorify an earthly image of God’s great people — all are highly valued. The point in the scriptural record for rich men is in the Laodicean church, when He states that they are:
“…saying that ‘Rich am I! and Rich have I become, and of nothing have I need!’ and you are not aware that you are wretched and forlorn and poor and blind and naked, I am advising you to buy of Me gold refined by the fire, that you should be rich, and white garments, that you may be clothed and the shame of your nakedness may not be made manifest, and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may be observing.” Revelation 3:17-18 concordant
The parable of Jesus about the rich man and poor man of Lazarus and Abraham should teach us about God’s true Kingdom in Heaven. What a reversal is coming for most men!
“Now the poor man came to die and he is carried away by the messengers into Abraham's bosom. Now the rich man also died, and was entombed. And in the unseen, lifting up his eyes, existing in torments, he is seeing Abraham from afar, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he, shouting, said, ‘Father Abraham, be merciful to me, and send Lazarus that he should be dipping the tip of his finger in water and cooling my tongue for I am pained in this flame.’” Luke 16:22-24 concordant
What a rude awakening! Here the rich had thought himself to have a ticket straight to glory. But he was wrong! The poor, despised, insignificant Lazarus, whom he even considered a dog on earth, was now at the place of honor afar off with Abraham, where he thought he would be. This parable speaks of the house of Judah, yet it fits all those rich Christians steeped in the religious fare of the candlestick of Laodicea. These are the LORD’S OWN PEOPLE:
"Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'" Revelation 3:19-22 NASB
Certain rich men are destined to see the New Testament covenant fulfilled in other people, a poor people of humble spirit possessing the promises while most others are still afar off. This inner enviousness is the constant devastation within the rich man:
"Therefore say I [Jesus] unto you, [chief priests and the elders of the people] ‘The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.’" Matthew 21:43
“Many shall come from east and west and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of heaven, but your children shall be cast out into outer darkness…” Matthew 8:11-12
Cast out! This is a shocking realization for the mind of the rich man. Ah, the WORD OF THE KINGDOM brought by Jesus and His brethren has always angered, enraged, and infuriated the religious leaders! It provokes an indignation beyond explanation, at which the rich man’s mouth becomes completely dry, his tongue virtually drying up to cleave to the roof of his mouth, and he cannot even moisten his lips. In mental anguish and with fright, the rich man calls out for Lazarus to at least “dip his finger in water” and cool his Pharisaic TONGUE (religious doctrine), for he is TORMENTED in this flame!
“Would that you were cool or zealous! Thus, seeing that you are indifferent, and are neither zealous nor cool, I am about to spew you out of My mouth.” Revelation 3:16 concordant
As Christians have become rich men in the Laodicean church order, their destiny is to be tormented in the flames of watching OTHERS be the Lord’s mouthpiece in the Day of the Lord. Lazarus (those poor in spirit) is in Abraham’s bosom (the seed of faith), having their GENUINENESS AND QUALITY verified by God. This in reality is speaking for Himself because from the beginning was the Word, and the WORD WAS GOD. Truly, OUR GOD’S WORD IS A CONSUMING FIRE!
“Now Abraham said, ‘Child, be reminded that you got your good things in your life, and Lazarus likewise evil things. Yet now here he is being consoled, yet you are in pain. And in all this, between us and you a great chasm (gulf) has been established, so that those wanting to cross hence to you may not be able, nor yet those thence may be ferrying to us.’” Luke 16:25-26 concordant
Abraham could not cross that abyss, nor could Lazarus. There is no denying life and death. But the facts must not warp our minds to assertion that no one can cross it, or that it can never be crossed, for that would be limiting God’s sovereignty and Christ’s power. Carefully note that if inability to cross the gulf of life and death is taught, as it certainly is recorded, it is an inability in man’s mind and not God’s. God FIXED THE GREAT GULF which severs those in torment from those now blessed from a heavenly realm. It is utterly impassable EXCEPT for a proper spirit, sealed as OVERCOMING the rich man’s attitudes. This is no limit for Jesus:
“I am the First and the Last, and the Living One: and I became dead, and 'lo'! living am I for the eons of the eons. (Amen!) And I have the keys of death and of the unseen.” Revelation 1:18 concordant
“Now this is saying the True, the Holy One, Who has the key of David, and Who is opening and no one shall be locking, and locking and no one shall be opening: l am aware of your acts. Lo! Before you have I granted an open door, which not one is able to lock for you have a little power, and you keep My word and you do not disown My name.” Revelation 3:7-8 concordant
Thus He spoke to the Philadelphian church, the church of brotherly love. Who are we to say that the gulfs between the seen and the unseen that are impassable to man cannot be passed by Jesus Christ? Can He not bring the last prisoner safely back, even out of the lowest darkest prison? We might argue that because the Ethiopian cannot change the color of his skin, or the leopard his spots, that evil men can never make themselves good. But is it impossible for GOD to ever change them? The spiritual work done in Jesus, the Firstfruit who now stands on spiritual Mt. Zion, is proof of what God can do and what He intends for all.
Abraham said that there is a great gulf fixed, so they which would pass from hence may not be able and that none may cross over from thence to us. Abraham said that, Jesus Christ did not. Abraham is right, man cannot bridge it, they do not have the keys! BUT JESUS CHRIST CAN CROSS HEAVEN TO GOLF THE LOWEST HELL, SO THAT HE MAY FILL ALL THINGS. God’s mediator IS THE BRIDGE FOR EVERYONE!
It is no use talking nonsense, saying that the gulf between heaven and hell cannot be bridged. It was not bridged at the time Jesus told that story, but when He arose, He grasped the keys of death and of hell. He made the way for all the banished family and even prodigals to return. The Gulf still exists in the consciousness of natural minded people, but in Jesus Christ’s consciousness, it is bridged. Even now:
“Verily, verily, I am saying to you that coming is an hour, and now is, when the dead shall be hearing the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear shall be living.” John 5:25 concordant
“Whosoever will, let him come and take of the water of life freely.” Revelation 22:17
The barriers in death have been bridged by Jesus Christ, and there is not ANY gulf that He cannot bridge. Thank God a greater than Abraham has come! He bridges the gulf between heaven and earth and between life and death, until correct confession will be made by all:
“That at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:10-11
Weymouth translation of this text is:
“That in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of beings in the highest heavens, of those on the earth, and of those in the underworld, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Every knee, every tongue, every being certainly includes all that represents the religiously rich as well as all the poor in spirit whom Lazarus represents. To the same Jews in whose hearing Jesus gave the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, He also said:
“You shall not see Me henceforth, till you say, ‘Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord.’” Matthew 23:39
Until or “till” recalls that divine grace will not hide His face forever, only UNTL. Jesus left the Jewish nation unto them desolate. He still disperses them into the outer darkness of a dead religion, into flames of torment where His face is hid. His presence, His favor, His glory is lacking within them UNTIL — not forever, but TILL YOU SAY, ‘BLESSED IS HE THAT COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD’!
“And they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” Matthew 24:30
“Behold, He comes with clouds; and every eye shall see Him.” Revelation 1:7
“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God,” Matthew 5:8
It is better to see by revelation and be clothed with the understanding of His spirit to know God as Father, than to be influenced by preachers of the dead letter of the word. Many who saw Jesus did not really know Him. They saw Jesus, but most knew not the Christ, the Messiah. Many saw His miracles but did not know or understand He was Abraham’s promised seed, the savior of all mankind. Most of the religious leaders rejected Him and some thoroughly hated Him. It took divine illumination to SEE, then say with the Roman centurion:
“Truly this man was the Son of God.” Mark 15:39
Then, men could see Jesus in bodily form, but unless they had purity of heart (understanding), they would not see Christ in Him. The Life of Jesus given to us is the light of pure understanding of His spirit. What He is doing and how He is doing it shall be taught by His Spirit until we KNOW Him, even as we are known by Him.
The time is nigh when the Jewish nation and all Israelite nations shall behold with astonishment the matchless wonder of Jesus coming again to be glorified in His saints:
“…we ourselves glory in you in the ecclesias of God, for your endurance and faith in all your persecutions and the afflictions with which you are bearing, a display of the just judging of God, to deem you worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering also, if so be that it is just of God to repay affliction to those afflicting you, and to you who are being afflicted, ease, with us, at the unveiling of the Lord Jesus from heaven with His powerful messengers, in flaming fire,
dealing out vengeance to those who are not acquainted with God and those who are not obeying the evangel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall incur the justice of eonian extermination from the face of the Lord, and from the glory of His strength whenever He may be coming to be glorified in His saints and to be marveled at in all who believe (seeing that our testimony to you was believed) in that day.” II Thessalonians 1:4-10 concordant
The history of Jewish persecution at the hands of many so-called Christians forms a significant part of the backdrop against which today’s Jews have tended to perceive Jesus. They have not yet seen THE CHRIST in any of the family of Christian churches. They have not yet beheld a face of LOVE, WISDOM, AND GLORY IN HIS SAINTS. Jesus said,
“Lo, left is your house to you desolate. For I am saying to you: 'You may by no means be perceiving Me henceforth, till you should be saying, ‘Blessed is He Who is coming in the name of the Lord!’” Matthew 23:39 concordant
He spoke to the house of Judah that they would see and cry out, “BLESSED IS HE THAT COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!” The Jewish nation has not yet seen to recognize the nature of the Lord IN His people — but they will. ALL creation, even the lowest hell, shall see the wonderful sight of God’s sons coming into their own. These are mature sons and daughters like the firstborn, fashioned into His perfect image, showing the likeness of excellencies in our God's name.
Beholding the Christ in His body shall ravish the nations with the revelation of Christ’s LOVE. God shall anoint and open their eyes with heavenly eye salve, to give understanding of the divine harmony of truth that shall sound from their mouth until men are SPIRITUALLY CAUGHT UP to meet the Lord. These are the best meetings ever!!
“Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord!”
Blessed is the many-membered body of Christ who have the name of the Father written on them. Blessed is the Christ, Head and Body, who is the promised seed destined to connect with and fulfill the promises God made with Abraham, Issac, and Jacob and their seed. The nation today called Israel was formed in 1948, and, regathered in unbelief, they as a people still do not know Christ. The Jewish religion has no great blessings with it and there is no fruit on their fig tree.
But now the hour is at hand for the prophecy of Jesus to be fulfilled, for in the Day of the Lord, Judah will see and accept the body of Christ:
“And thus all Israel shall be saved, according as it is written, ‘Arriving out of Zion shall be the Rescuer.’ He will be turning away irreverence from Jacob. And this is My covenant with them Whenever I should be eliminating their sins.” Romans 1:26-27 concordant
Paul taught us that the nations of Israel will be moved upon by the power of the Holy Spirit, for all Israel shall be saved. Jesus Christ will soon show Himself to the descendants of Israel. Then, the veil shall be lifted from their eyes and they shall SEE HIM IN HIS BODY AS HE IS and shall cry:
“Blessed is HE that comes in the name [nature] of the Lord!”
Thank God, the long night is almost over. He who has the KEYS OF HELL is none other than the blessed Saviour of ALL. The age of His national judgment is even now swiftly drawing to a point. And now, at last,
“ALL Israel shall be saved” Romans 11:26
He who sent the rich man to hellish torment and put in place that ominous gulf of separation from heaven, about Him it is written:
“For God has concluded them all in unbelief, that He might have mercy upon ALL.” Romans 11:32