Lesson 1

We are going to begin a new aspect of our search on GREAT SALVATION, and seeing The Truth of Christ crucified. During these past months The Lord has been showing me things in The Body of Christ, and relating them to the scripture. He’s been answering some of the "whys?" I’ve had, and now hopefully He can show us the way to bring forth a manifestation of Christ in The Church. So we are going to look at some problems in The Church, but not with a view to criticize, but rather to look into The Word to see how God dealt with these problems. A Pastor told me once the Church members weren’t getting along, and there was division and problems in the Church. Her solution was to "take them to the beach" - for an outing, so they could have fun and get along! I believe The Holy Spirit can do better than that.

As we’ve discussed "The Truth" and seen the message of the centrality of The Cross and Christ crucified, I realized how little of that is preached and understood by Christians. And I realized how confused most Christians are. We have the same Bible - but different doctrines, different beliefs - and we are tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine. The word that describes many Christians and a lot of "Christianity" is CONFUSION. Now, God is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33), and there has been a grief in my heart for God’s people, and for understanding how The Church got into this state of confusion, and to seek God’s answer for this.

This is not a new problem for The Church, but one that Paul dealt with during his ministry. Galatians 3:1-3 - Believers were bewitched from obeying THE TRUTH; and that is explained by Jesus Christ crucified. They began in The Spirit, but were now in the flesh. * The Galatians were mingling faith with the Law - confusion! God hates mixture, and by The Cross, Jesus fulfilled The Law. Carnality in The Church causes confusion! The Church is not a carnal body, but a SPIRITUAL BODY with only One Head - The Risen Christ! 1 Corinthians 3:1-4 - we are babes, unable to eat the meat of the Word, our carnality causes divisions, envying, strife - we walk as men, following men, quoting men, believing men. And every man has a different message - CONFUSION! But there is only One Word, only One Truth - CHRIST CRUCIFIED! We must lay only that foundation, and be careful that we only build Truth upon that, and build in light of that Truth (vs. 11-15) But The Church has LEFT that foundation, and this has brought confusion. II Timothy 4:1-4 - Believers don’t endure sound doctrine; they heap to themselves teachers, they turn from THE TRUTH and shall be turned unto fables. And much of Christianity today is based on fables. The Bible describes this state of confusion as BABYLON. In the Old Testament it was a physical place (see Genesis 11) where men in their power tried to build a tower so they could reach heaven and make themselves a name. Well, that wasn’t God’s plan to heaven, so God confused their "one tongue" and scattered them. And since then Babylon has described a spiritual condition of confusion and mixture. And where there is man in the flesh, in his religion and self aspirations, there is always confusion.** This is not God’s desire for His people! Revelation 18:1-8 - especially Vs. 4 - Come out of her, MY PEOPLE, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. * Remember this is not a literal place, but speaks of a religious, worldly system that God brings judgment upon.

In these lessons we are going to go back into the Old Testament and see that because of the spiritual condition of God’s people, Israel was taken captive and sent into Babylon, and this was a judgment of God. We are going to look at many aspects of this, and I believe this will help us understand the scripture much better. We will also see God’s method and order of bringing His people out of Babylon, and I pray this will give us insight into God’s move to restore us even today. We have "revival" services for The Church, but are they according to the order God established in The Word for His restoration and revival? I believe as we search The Word in Ezra, Nehemiah and the prophets we will see why most of our "revival" services don’t produce real changes in us. This is a little overview of where we are going in these lessons, but I must state now that we will see that THE CROSS (as a type, and even more so in the reality) must take preeminence and remain as the focal point to God’s people. May we keep in mind the admonition given in Hebrews 2:1-4 - We ought to give the more earnest heed...don’t let them slip (keep them as your constant attention)...every disobedience received a just recompense... HOW SHALL WE ESCAPE (God’s judgment) IF WE NEGLECT SO GREAT SALVATION?

Lesson 2

As we continue to search The Word in regard to our Great Salvation, I can not emphasize enough the NECESSITY of our keeping The Cross, Christ crucified as THE FOUNDATION and THE SUBSTANCE of all things to us. Forsaking the reality of The Cross is why we find ourselves in so many problems and in confusion. Paul knew this.

Galatians 1:6-9 - The early Church was soon removed from HIM unto another gospel, which is NOT another. **There is only ONE Gospel - The "Good News" is CHRIST CRUCIFIED - not prosperity, not me going to heaven. The GOSPEL OF CHRIST CRUCIFIED was being perverted. It was being mixed, and changed with man’s religious traditions and doctrines, and Paul saw the danger in that. Let him be accursed! *The Gospel Paul preached was THE FINISHED WORK OF CHRIST BY THE CROSS = all things of the scripture fulfilled by that. Anything else is perversion and brings God’s people into confusion, and many Christians today are captive in confusion.

In our last lesson we mentioned Babylon as the place where Israel was taken captive because THEY PERVERTED God’s ways and the order of God’s House. From the beginning of God’s dealings with Israel in bringing them out of Egypt He established The Law, The Tabernacle, and the way He would relate to Israel, and God was very specific in the construction and function of this Tabernacle. Exodus 25:8-9,22- Let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. According to all that I shew thee, AFTER THE PATTERN of The Tabernacle... even so shall ye make it. Vs. 22 - And THERE I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee. ** This Tabernacle was to enable God to dwell in their midst, and allow Him to commune with them and have a relationship with Him, but it had to be constructed and kept according to GOD’S PATTERN - not man’s. Why is this so important? Because this Tabernacle and The Temple that would be built were TYPES OF CHRIST and THE CROSS, and a people living in relationship to God through Him. This was not the True Tabernacle, but a type of it under the Old Covenant, and would remain until that which it spoke of came - CHRIST! All the parts, chambers, services etc. all spoke of Christ, and a people united with Him by His death, burial and resurrection. That was why the pattern had to be followed, because it spoke of The Cross of Christ that would perfect this relationship that God desired.

Israel through Moses built that Tabernacle when they came out of Egypt, through the wilderness, but it was a TEMPORARY situation. But through this Tabernacle, and what happened in it and by it, Israel made God known upon the earth. ** THE TABERNACLE WAS THE VISIBLE, TANGIBLE EVIDENCE OF WHO GOD WAS - IN THE MIDST OF HIS PEOPLE.

Now God desired to have a permanent Temple on the earth for His Name, and 480 years after the children of Israel came out of Egypt, Solomon began to build The House of The Lord. He also had to build EVERYTHING according to the pattern and Word that was given to and through his father, David. But the difference in the Temple was that it was to be PERMANENT, and there is a word associated with Solomon’s Temple that is used 8 times - "FINISHED". This house, this pattern, this order speaks of THE FINISHED WORK - not to be moved, not to be changed; what is settled, established, fulfilled.

Even more so is this speaking of CHRIST IN HIS FINISHED WORK BY THE CROSS - enemies subdued, glory fills the house, wisdom, fulness, riches, and the relationship God would have with His people, and those who would honor this place where His Name was. This place was "IN JERUSALEM". ** In the Old Testament this was a physical place, but in the New Testament this is "IN CHRIST", in the heavenlies; this is the TRUE sanctuary, not made with hands. But Israel was moved away from a true obedience to this Temple, and they did not follow the ways of The Lord. And because of that God destroyed that Temple, that City, and led His people into the captivity of Babylon.

2 Chronicles 36: After many kings... Vs. 11-21 - they did that which was evil in the sight of THE LORD... all the priests and people transgressed and polluted the house of The Lord which HE had hallowed IN JERUSALEM... they mocked the messengers of God and despised His words... the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, till there was NO REMEDY... All the vessels of the house of God were brought to Babylon, they burnt the house of God and brake down the wall of Jerusalem... those that escaped the sword were carried away to Babylon where they were servants... to fulfil the word of The Lord until the land had enjoyed her SABBATHS.

God’s people saw God’s House destroyed and they were led away captive BECAUSE they did not honor what God had established in the earth for His own!

Lesson 3

In our last lesson we were looking in 2 Chronicles 36 at the consequences that came upon Israel, The Temple and The City of Jerusalem because God’s people polluted The House of The Lord which He had hallowed in Jerusalem (vs. 14). And they were led away from Jerusalem to Babylon for a time to satisfy God’s judgment against their transgressions.

We want to go back now and look at the significance of Jerusalem and The Temple. When God brought a people out of Egypt (the world, death), Moses spoke of a place. Exodus 15:17-18 - Thou shalt bring them IN, and plant them IN the mountain of thine inheritance, IN THE PLACE, which Thou hast made for Thee to dwell in, IN the sanctuary, O Lord, which Thy hands have ESTABLISHED. The Lord shall reign for ever and ever. ** The word "IN" describes this place in the scripture - not "at", because this is speaking figuratively about a RELATIONSHIP, and not just a physical place. It was God’s plan to have a people "be one with" this place; this place would define them, and He would reign HERE forever. ** We must translate all of this over to the relationship we now have with God IN CHRIST - this is "the place", the mountain, His sanctuary, where He lives and reigns, and what He has established. This is not a "place we are going to when we die", but where He has brought us by the cross. And we are One with Christ in this place, in this relationship. And all the glorious things that are spoken of in the scripture regarding Jerusalem and Zion are fulfilled and real to a people - IN CHRIST! (Ephesians 1:3 - ...blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places IN CHRIST.) He is this place! And it is here, in Christ that we worship God, make offerings, get forgiveness, receive His mercy, His Glory, His Life - in our relationship to Christ.

** God has put HIS NAME in this place, and is One with this place, and He remains faithful to this place. Now we can see why God’s wrath was so severe when Israel did not walk in the good of this place and all that God had established for them. Let us look at a few scriptures pertaining to this place - this City of God, and as we do, ask God to see all this fulfilled IN CHRIST. Psalm 87 - Vs. 1 - His foundation is in this place - holy mountain. (Christ crucified is the only foundation that can be laid.) Vs. 2 - The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. (God’s love was manifested by Christ and His Cross.) Vs. 3 - Glorious things are spoken of thee, O City of God. (All the scriptures testify of Christ and His Work by The Cross.) Vs. 5-6 - This and that man was born in her. (But the Jerusalem which is above is the mother of us all - Galatians 4:26) The highest shall ESTABLISH her. ** The word "establish" is very important to this place.

Isaiah 62:1-7 - God will not rest until the righteousness and Salvation that Jerusalem and Zion speak of go forth and the world sees her glory ... New name... thou shalt be a crown of glory in the hand of The Lord... The Lord delighteth in thee... The watchmen are to give God no rest till he ESTABLISH , till he make Jerusalem a praise IN THE EARTH. ** This is all to be manifested IN THE EARTH by a people who are in relationship with God by Christ and Him crucified. This is NOT when we "get to heaven", but the heavenly, spiritual reality of Christ and The Church manifesting His Life on the earth. We are The City set on a hill which are to shine forth His Light (Matthew 5:14).

This testimony of what God planned for His people was given to them in the pattern of The Tabernacle when they came out of Egypt. It was all hidden then, but remained with them and kept them until God brought them over the Jordan and into Canaan. But it wasn’t until David was King (not Saul, but God’s choice of King recognized by all of Israel) that David took the people to Zion IN Jerusalem, and named it The City of David. ** Now it was time for The Temple (and all that it spoke of) to be ESTABLISHED - IN JERUSALEM. 2 Samuel 7 - David had rest for all the people from their enemies and wanted to build The Lord a house. Vs. 4-8 - God relates what He has done for His people up to this time - walking with them in a tent and in a tabernacle. Vs. 10-12 - I will appoint A PLACE for my people, and will plant them... move NO MORE... no more affliction by enemies ... seed after thee... I will ESTABLISH HIS KINGDOM. Vs. 13-17 - he shall build a house for MY NAME (not man’s - God’s) and I will ESTABLISH the Throne of His Kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son... My mercy shall not depart from him... thine HOUSE and thy KINGDOM shall be ESTABLISHED FOR EVER.

**This is what The Temple that Solomon built represented - The Name, Throne, House of God established forever - in a people, on this earth. This was what Christ brought forth by His Cross! This is THE PLACE God appointed for His people. May we truly find ourselves IN THIS PLACE!

Lesson 4

We are occupied these days in coming to a greater understanding of THE PLACE that God has prepared for His people, and we are looking at the significance of Jerusalem in the scriptures. We know that what was spoken of in the Old Testament was a literal, physical location on the earth in the middle east. But this "place" has been fulfilled by Christ and The Cross - and all that Jerusalem spoke of - not in the natural, but in the SPIRITUAL.

Hebrews 12:22-24 - But ye ARE COME (by Christ, by The Cross) unto Mount Sion, unto the City of The Living God, the heavenly Jerusalem... and to God... and to Jesus the mediator of the New Covenant ... BETTER. ** This place is IN CHRIST, and all scripture pertaining to Jerusalem and God’s plan for that place is fulfilled IN HIM, by a people IN relationship to Him by The Cross.

We saw that Exodus 15:17-18 spoke about this place - Thou shalt bring them IN, and plant them IN the place God established... But the question arises - did Israel come IN to that place, and were they faithful to that place? And what about us - we have been brought forth IN Christ, but are we established IN that place, do we find our life IN that place? And if we are not found IN (as One with) that place - where are we? And how can God deal with us?

Let’s look at what God spoke to Abraham to help us better understand what God requires for His people regarding this "place". Genesis 12:1 - Get thee OUT OF... and FROM... UNTO a land that I will shew thee. **There must be a getting out of and from the first, in order to come into the second. And the first is the realm of the earth, the natural, the flesh; while the second is the heavenly (rule of the heavens - God’s will), spiritual. The first is the realm of the world and death; and the second is the realm of Life.

*Here is one of our beginning problems - we want to get out of our problems, sins, bad things - but not from the whole realm of the first. And you can not live in two places - you must come out from one to go in to the second, and then only find your Life IN the place God will show you. That place is Christ, and You ONLY living IN HIM and BY HIM. Look at what happened to Israel - they were glad to get OUT from Pharaoh’s bondage, but would they enter IN to the place God had for them?

Now, we all know the story: that Israel ended up NOT entering into Canaan, and a whole generation died. Where? IN the wilderness. But we want to look at why that happened, and what was the heart of the people that caused this to happen.

Remember they were brought OUT by the blood of the Lamb, but they never saw THEIR DEATH. The Red Sea was closed to them by the Hand of God, but they always remembered their first life and wanted to return to it. God knew that!

Exodus 13:17-18 - They were to go THROUGH the wilderness - not stay in it. Here they were to reckon themselves dead, and alive by God, and unto God, and be led into the land that God had for them. But the people murmured - what shall WE drink, WE eat? They were still concerned with themselves according to the earthly realm, and failed to be led INTO THE PLACE God would take them. Exodus 16:2-4 Now on the way to the place God had for them God gave them manna, water from the rock, Sabbath, The Law - but they never came to an understanding of God’s plan, and they didn’t believe Him. (All speak of Christ.)

*And because they were concerned with themselves, and maintaining their OWN lives, they even came to loathe the manna and God’s provision for them. (Numbers 21:5) The account in Numbers is very sad - and because of their clinging to their flesh life and refusing to believe God and be led His Way, they could NOT enter in.

** We must understand - their entrance was NOT delayed - they could NOT enter IN. Numbers 14:20-24 They shall not see the land.. Caleb had another spirit with him, hath followed me fully, him will I bring INTO THE LAND. (You can’t come in with the old spirit!) Vs. 26-35 - Ye shall not come into the land... but your little ones will I bring IN, and they shall know THE LAND which ye have despised.

May we seriously take these examples of what happened to Israel (1 Corinthians 10) so that we do not fail to enter IN as they did. God’s place for us is not the wilderness, where we have no understanding, and are seeking to save "our life"; but IN CHRIST, where we live in the fulness of the Land of His Milk and Honey. That’s THE PLACE we are to be found in!

Lesson 5

We are speaking of the reality of our Great Salvation; of our BEING IN CHRIST - in the place which God prepared for His people. Ephesians 1:4 says God has chosen us IN HIM before the foundation of the world. *Note: the emphasis there is not that "we" were chosen, but that God’s choosing is IN CHRIST. He hasn’t chosen anyone to be in a place other than IN CHRIST, where His spiritual blessings are! This is the spiritual relationship of our Salvation - One with Him.

Colossians 1:3 explains this more: HATH delivered us FROM the power of darkness, and HATH translated us INTO the kingdom of His Dear Son. *Note: This HATH been done - by The Work of The Cross. Note: FROM... INTO. We spoke of these two aspects of getting out - and entering in last lesson. Note: our new "place" is The Kingdom of The Son - where He rules, all of Him, by Him.

In our last lesson we saw that even though Israel was delivered from Egypt by God’s mighty hand, because of the condition of their heart they refused to enter in to that place God had for them. Rather than passing "through" the wilderness, and learning Who God was there to them, most died there, and the Bible says this is an example to us today. ** God doesn’t just want to get us out of our troubles, but wants us to enter INTO His Fulness - and walk in Newness of Life - IN CHRIST. 1 Corinthians 10: 1-12 - ALL of Israel were delivered and were given the same provision. (The Work of The Cross is good and available for ALL.) BUT with many of them God was not well pleased. These things were for our examples... not lust after evil things (they still wanted to live a flesh life, and many of us do too)...neither be idolaters...neither commit fornication...neither tempt Christ...neither murmur...these are written for our admonition. *These are very practical situations for us to consider. It was because of this condition of the people’s hearts that they did not enter into God’s fulness, and these same conditions keep us from walking NOW in spiritual fulness.

Psalm 78 gives us a vivid picture of what God did for Israel, and how they reacted in the wilderness, and how He had to deal with them. Vs. 10 - they kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law. Vs. 22 - they believed not in God, and trusted not in his Salvation. Vs. 34-37 - when he slew them, they sought him... they did flatter him with their mouth... for their heart was not right with him. Vs. 54-58 - He brought them... to this mountain, which his right hand had purchased yet they provoked him to anger and jealousy by their graven images. Vs. 67-72 - he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, but chose the tribe of Judah, and he built his sanctuary... He chose David... He fed them according to the integrity of their heart. We can see clearly from Israel’s example that it was THE CONDITION OF THE PEOPLE’S HEART that provoked God - they still wanted to live according to the flesh, rather than believing God and obeying Him, and that is sadly true for many Christians today. And because of that we don’t experience the fulness of His Life. ** Don’t forget this is all to be in a people - HERE - in this earth, but living a Heavenly Life - NOW!

I just want to look briefly at one aspect of Israel’s experience in the wilderness: God giving them the manna to eat, and pray that we can come to a greater understanding of this. What is this manna? Exodus 16 - When the children of Israel came into the wilderness there was no natural food there for them, and they murmured for food lest they die (vs. 2,3) God promised them bread, that ye shall know that I am the Lord your God. (All of the wilderness experiences were so they would know God and depend totally on Him, not on themselves, to fulfil their lusts). Vs. 14-22 - a small round thing lay on the face of the wilderness for them to eat. They called it manna = "what is it?" They didn’t know! They were to gather it everyday as God provided it, and that would sustain them. But what really did that manna signify? This is NOT just God giving us food and what we need to "live". The manna is CHRIST - but Christ coming down from heaven. Jesus tells the Jews this clearly in John 6:31-35 - TRUE bread FROM HEAVEN - He is the TRUE - everything! Vs. 33 - Bread of God is HE which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life to the world. Vs. 58 - He that eateth of THIS BREAD (ME) shall live forever. ** Our first partaking of Christ must be as The True Bread that came from heaven. He came to die, and bring us to our death so that we could live by Him - not unto ourselves, but unto Him. We have to know Him in His death (working death in me DAILY) before we know Him in Newness of Life. **Note: The manna was THE SAME every day. He never changes, The Cross never changes; it is new everyday, but never changes! We want that to change to satisfy our lusts, but it never will. Israel wasn’t satisfied with that - they loathed the manna, and never entered the fulness. My question to us is: Do we truly know Christ as The TRUE BREAD FROM HEAVEN? Has His death done a complete work in us - or do we loathe The Work of The Cross? Only by partaking of His death can we have His Life. What do you think Joshua and Caleb’s attitude was toward the manna? What sustained them those 40 years?

Lesson 6

We are continuing to consider the glorious place of our Salvation that God has prepared for us - IN CHRIST, and we are looking at Israel failing to enter into that place. That place was a physical location for them, but for us it means coming to a spiritual comprehension of where we are - by Christ. Our "journey" is one of understanding, and allowing The Truth of The Cross to be worked in us. We know that God’s place for His people was not in Egypt (in bondage to the world), and it was not in the wilderness. But in the wilderness they were to come to an understanding of what had happened to them, and they were NOT to live as they had in Egypt. They were to begin to live a spiritual life, not an earthly life, being led and sustained by the presence of God in their midst. But in order to do this, the first understanding they had to come to was their death, and that now they were only alive by God, and unto God. They were fed by the manna, the spiritual bread from heaven, and that was to bring them to this understanding; but they loathed that work, and sought over and over again to live in the flesh (what will WE eat, WE drink, WE will die!). And they kept looking back to their old life - not forward to God’s Life for them.

Now, as we keep "the story" of Israel’s journey in the wilderness and their failure to enter in to the land God had prepared for them in our thoughts, let’s consider ourselves in the REALITY OF OUR SALVATION. ** Our first understanding must be the understanding of HIS DEATH and OUR DEATH. 1 Peter 1:18-19 - It starts with our DELIVERANCE. You were not redeemed with corruptible things, but with the precious blood of Christ, as a lamb... His death is the beginning - we must partake of that Lamb (Israel had the Passover). THEREFORE... 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 - Ye are not your own, For ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. As we understand the price that was paid by His death we will know we are not our own - we are HIS. And our reason for being on this earth is to glorify God, not live our own lives, and not living as those who are not redeemed. A true knowledge of His death working in me has redeemed me - from sin, from death, from the world - NOW - not when I die, but because I died WITH HIM. 2 Cor. 5:14-15 - We thus judge, that if one died for all (The Lamb did) then were ALL DEAD, and that He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him who died for them and rose again. Vs. 17 - New Creature - old passed away, all things new.

We can see that Israel never saw themselves dead by The Lamb, and they continued trying to live in their flesh, but God would have none of it!

- 1 Cor. 15:46-50 - Flesh and blood CANNOT inherit the Kingdom of God, neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. (Flesh man doesn’t enter in!)

- Romans 8:5-8 - They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh (that was Israel)... to be carnally minded is DEATH, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Carnal mind is not subject to the law of God... in the flesh cannot please God. Vs. 13- If ye live after the flesh ye shall die (Israel did in the wilderness); but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. ** God wants to bring us through the death into Life.

- Romans 6:5 - If we have been planted together (as One) in the likeness of HIS DEATH, we shall be also in the likeness of HIS resurrection... Vs. 6-8 - our old man IS crucified with Him... he that is dead is free from sin. If we be dead with Christ, we shall also live with Him. * We must see ourselves dead by Him, with Him, to sin - and now only alive by Him and IN Him. ** When we resist His death as our death, we loathe the manna; we seek to keep our own lives, and thereby refuse His Life.

- Luke 17:33 - Whosoever shall seek to save "his" life (old, first) shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. * As we lose "our" life by embracing His death as our own, He gives us His Life - He becomes our Life. This is what Israel refused, and what many of us do.

- Matthew 6: 25-34 - Take no thought for YOUR life, what ye shall eat, drink... Is not THE LIFE more than meat... If God clothes the grass, shall he not MUCH MORE clothe ye? ** THE LIFE is God nurturing us and clothing us with HIMSELF! Vs. 33 - But seek ye first (and only) the Kingdom of God. Our thoughts should not be for our own selves, but for HIS Kingdom, His righteousness, and He will give us His fulness. That is the heart of those who entered in - they were seeking HIS Kingdom, HIS Life - not their own.

The manna as a type of Christ in His death sustained a New generation who then was able to enter into the land, the place God prepared. We too have to partake of His death - in the knowledge that I died with Him; now I live, but it is Christ Who lives in me (Galatians 2:20). We now partake of His death by coming to this understanding. This is not to be a "ceremony" we go through as a ritual, but constantly, daily feeding on Him. 1 Cor. 11:26 - For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup (body and blood of Christ) ye do shew (manifest) the Lord’s death till He come. As we partake of His death, He comes in us - AS LIFE. Always bearing His death, that His Life may come forth in us. Not I, but Christ.

Lesson 7

We are considering the dealings of God with His people Israel in bringing them out of Egypt and leading them to the place He had prepared for them, and we are looking at their time in the wilderness. 1 Corinthians 10 tells us these things happened for our example so that we do not do the same things they did and fail to enter into the good land. * This all has practical application to our walk with the Lord, and we pray The Lord will challenge our hearts during these days, and remove those things IN US that cause us not to be enjoying the fulness of Him.

Deuteronomy 8 - This is Moses giving a history of what happened to Israel in the wilderness and why. The people of Israel (the new generation) were about to go into the land God had promised them, and they were not to forget what God had done for them. Vs. 1 - Observe these commandments that ye may LIVE (abundant Life), and go in and possess (lay hold of) the land the Lord gave you. Vs. 2 - God led thee in the wilderness to humble thee and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou would keep his commandments. *There first must be an emptying of us - our life, our will, testing our obedience to the Lord. We must be obedient to His death before we can be raised in His Life and enjoy His fulness. Vs. 3 - That He might make thee know you don’t live by natural means, but BY HIM, BY His Word, His Life - all in the wilderness spoke of Christ. Vs. 5 - As a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chastens thee. *Israel’s failure was they despised His training - they wanted their food, their life. (Reference Hebrews 12 - you must endure chastening - as sons, that we might be partakers of his holiness.) Vs. 11-18 - Beware when you are full in the good land that your heart be lifted up and you forget the Lord and you say MY power and MY hand has gotten me this wealth. Vs. 16 - to prove thee to do thee good at thy latter end. Vs. 19-20 - If you forget the Lord thy God... ye shall perish.

**It was during the wilderness experience that God provided them with EVERYTHING they needed, and He was teaching them Who He was to them, and trying them - would they live unto themselves, or unto Him?

- They needed food - He sent bread from heaven. (Type of Christ coming to die for them so they could live.) -They needed water - Moses struck the rock (Type of Christ smitten, water of Life came to believers.) - They needed guidance - He was a cloud by day and fire by night (Lo, I will be with you always.) God established the commandments, The Law, the feasts, the priests, Tabernacle, sacrifices and how to worship - all speak of Christ and the Work of The Cross bringing a people to God, and allowing Him to dwell in their midst.

All of these provisions and requirements were types of Christ, and He has fulfilled all of these types by His death, burial and resurrection. That’s why when Israel rebelled against God’s provision God’s judgment upon them was severe, and those that refused could not enter into the land. (Heb. 2 - How shall we escape?) But let’s look at the HEART of these people that God was searching during this time, and how God dealt with them. * We must see this is all their own self ways - against God’s Way, which is Christ. Numbers 11 - They complained about the manna. Vs. 4-6 - They wanted flesh. God gave them flesh as they desired, and Vs. 33 - The Lord smote the people with a great plague. They died because they lusted after the FLESH. Numbers 12 - Miriam and Aaron spoke AGAINST MOSES (type of Christ the Deliverer) Vs. 2 - Hath The Lord spoken only by Moses and not also by us? (Pride and jealousy) Vs. 6-8 - To prophets I will make myself known in a vision or dream, but with Moses I will speak mouth to mouth, and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold. Vs. 10 - Miriam was made leprous - sin exposed, Miriam shut out of camp for seven days. Numbers 14 - Israel REFUSED to enter in to the land. They believed the evil report of the spies rather than believing God. They were afraid for themselves. God said they won’t enter into the land - ONLY Joshua and Caleb and the NEW generation. Numbers 16 - Vs. 3 - Korah and others gathered themselves together against Moses; they accused him of lifting up himself above the congregation. They wanted to be priests (vs. 10), not being content to do the service of the tabernacle (vs. 28-35) Moses showed God’s power to judge - the earth opened up and consumed them, and fire consumed those that offered incense. But still (vs. 41) the people accused Moses of killing the people, and the Lord sent a plague (vs. 49) and 14,700 more people died for rebelling against God’s order in Moses. Numbers 17 - God will settle the matter of the priesthood. Every tribe take a rod (all dead). Vs. 5 - the man’s rod WHOM I SHALL CHOOSE shall blossom. Vs. 8 - The rod of Aaron budded, bloomed blossoms and yielded almonds - FULNESS OF LIFE - ONLY in the Priest God chooses. Only Christ is raised from the dead, and lives! Numbers 21 - Vs. 5 - People spake against God and against Moses - why did you bring us out of Egypt to die? Vs. 6-9 - God sent fiery serpents to bite them and many died. Moses made a fiery serpent and lifted it up on a pole. If a serpent bit a man and he looked at the serpent of brass HE LIVED. God’s answer to the serpent was fulfilled by Christ lifted up on The Cross (John 3). We can see that Israel’s heart was not on The Lord, and God judged them and they died, never entering the land. And without God trying and cleansing our hearts of the same things, we too can not enter into the place (relationship) God has for us - IN CHRIST.

Lesson 8

We are continuing to look at the journey of Israel and relating that to our walk as God’s redeemed people, but I want to look first at a statement Jesus made in John 5:24 - the issue with God is LIFE, not condemnation; and by believing on Christ we ARE PASSED FROM DEATH UNTO LIFE. And this is what The Lord would have us to see in the example of Israel. All the provisions God gave them were all types of Christ (Lamb slain, manna, rock, Law, feasts etc.), and this was how they passed from death (Egypt, old, first, flesh realm) unto life (Canaan, new, second, spirit).

We have noted that the Bible uses the word "THROUGH" the Red Sea and wilderness (Exodus 13:17, 1 Cor. 10:1) because this speaks of them coming through their death so they could enter into His Life. * Remember all of this is dictated by The Cross - death, burial, resurrection. All go into death, but those WHO BELIEVE IN HIM pass through unto LIFE - His resurrection, Spiritual Life, and are dead to the first, but alive only by The Lord, and unto Him. This is why those who would not believe were buried in the wilderness, but a NEW generation entered into the land - representing Life.

But I want to look briefly at two incidents that happened during the time of the wilderness and see their significance for us. We know that Moses was the Deliverer and he represents The Law and The Old Covenant. He represents Christ in this deliverance understanding. We know that part of this deliverance was when God told Moses to smite the rock (Exodus 17:5-7) and the water came forth to sustain them. This is the type of Christ being smitten (His death) so that His Life can come forth for us, in us. But in the wilderness, when God was humbling His people, and trying their hearts, even Moses was tested - and he failed. Numbers 20:1-6 The people murmured against Moses for water. Vs. 7-8 - God told Moses to speak to the rock and it shall give forth his water. ** The rock was already smitten (crucified); it didn’t need to be smitten again. Only speak to it, believe in The Finished Work (reference Hebrews 10:12 - ONE sacrifice for sins for ever). Vs. 9-11 - But Moses exalted himself (flesh was still alive), and this was implying that the rock had to be struck again because once was not good enough, and MAN had to make it good. Vs. 12 - Because of this Moses could not bring Israel into the land God had for them. * We can see here that God judged Moses’ disobedience because it was against the completed Work of The Cross - in type. And we must see that this was the nature of The Law - demanding that man do something, rather than relying on what Christ has already done. But there is a greater issue here - THE LAW (MOSES) CAN NOT BRING US TO FULNESS OF LIFE, REST, COMPLETION. Hebrews 7:19 - For the law made nothing perfect (complete), but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. Moses COULD NOT bring them in, but God raised up Joshua to do that! The law was needful, but was not able to perfect them.

Galatians 3:19 - The law was added because of transgressions TILL the seed should come to whom the promise was made. (That Seed was Christ!) Vs. 23-25 - Before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. The law was our schoolmaster TO BRING US TO CHRIST... after faith (in Christ) is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

** In the land, in the place God prepared for us we do not observe the old letter of the Law, which is the ministration of death (2 Corinthians 3:6-18), but we live by the Law of The Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:2). Christ fulfils The Law and the prophets, and we can here rest in His Finished Work.

The other incident I want us to consider is in Numbers 32 when the children of Israel (the New generation) were getting ready to enter into the land. Remember this "place" was NOT in the wilderness. They would have to pass over the Jordan. Look at the choice some made. Vs. 1-5 - they had cattle (beasts of earth) and where they were was good for cattle. Let "this land" (earth) be given to us, and bring us NOT over Jordan. Moses became angry with them as God was with their fathers. (Vs. 6-15) Vs. 16-24 - They agreed to go armed with the rest of Israel into the land over the Jordan and fight with the rest of Israel until the enemies be subdued and Israel possess the land, BUT they built cities and sheepfolds for themselves on this side of the Jordan. They CHOSE their inheritance still in the world (flesh, first) although they could see the second, spiritual, and were part of the battle to bring everyone into that inheritance.

** For their own good (or what they perceived that to be) they rejected THE PLACE God had for them, and settled down to a worldly existence outside of that place. Isn’t that sadly the heart of many Christians today? The scripture makes a distinction of what is on both sides of the Jordan, and we can choose to stay on this side and keep what is ours, rather than passing over to the other side of Jordan and possessing all that is HIS. Christ by His Cross has enabled us to enter this place, but the question is for us - which place will you choose?

Lesson 9

We are continuing to talk about coming into the land, into the place that God prepared for His people, and we must remember that God did not just bring a people OUT, but He purposed to bring them IN to the place He had for them. In our search in the Old Testament the New generation of Israel is ready to enter in, but we find that when they do, God has certain requirements for them. And we see here God defining this place. Deuteronomy 12:1 - This is what ye are to do IN THE LAND which the Lord God giveth thee TO POSSESS IT, all the days that ye live UPON THE EARTH. ** We will find this phrase describing the land when they go over Jordan - The Lord gave it to you, that you go in TO POSSESS IT. They were not just to go into it like they did the wilderness, but they were to seize it, and make it theirs as their inheritance. And they were to make what the land was good in them; they were to become one with the land. (i.e. - the land was plentiful - they were to be full and satisfied.)

But in order to possess the land, they had to get rid of the inhabitants that were there. God would scatter the enemies, but Israel had to get rid of them, and destroy them - not make covenant with them. Vs. 2-4 - destroy all the places where other gods are worshiped, because in this land, only One God will be worshiped, and only in One Place. Vs. 5-7 - But unto the place which the Lord your God shall choose... to put HIS Name (not your name) there, even unto HIS habitation shall ye seek and come. And THITHER ye shall bring your offerings... and THERE ye shall eat before the Lord. ** Vs. 8 -YE SHALL NOT DO AFTER ALL THE THINGS THAT WE DO HERE THIS DAY, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes (that describes Christianity today!) Vs. 9 - Ye are not as yet come to the REST and to the inheritance which The Lord giveth you. But when you go over Jordan and dwell (permanently) in the land... and when he gives you rest from all your enemies... THEN there shall be a place which the Lord God shall cause His Name to dwell there. **Vs. 13-14 - Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place that thou seest, but IN THE PLACE which The Lord shall choose, and THERE thou shalt do all that I command thee.

The land over Jordan is a place of rest and in that land God will establish a permanent place for their worship, and in that place they are to do all He commands them - NOT in any place they see or anyway they want to. This place is where God will put His Name, and in order to possess the land they had to be faithful to THIS PLACE.

I pray that in our hearts and understanding we are seeing that this "place" is IN CHRIST, and that we sum up all of this IN HIM. But notice - you can’t get to this place UNTIL you come into this land, and you can’t do that UNTIL you go over Jordan. We know that the first generation of Israel that came out and Moses could not go in. That was a first view of Christ - Moses and The Red Sea and the wilderness relates to death and burial. But now a new view of Christ is associated with the Jordan and will bring them in. Joshua and THIS Jordan relates to RESURRECTION LIFE where only The Beloved Son comes forth and is recognized by The Father. (We see this in Jesus’ baptism in Jordan - Reference Matthew 3).

An now - in newness of Life things are different - not like the old. ** Canaan, this land should not be seen as "heaven", but as living "in the heavenlies", where we now live by HIS RESURRECTION LIFE AND POWER, not in our own strength. We pass over this Jordan UNDERSTANDING that we were dead, but now are quickened, raised, and seated IN heavenly places IN Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:5-6), and we are now given this land to possess. But in this place, having passed over this Jordan, you don’t do things like you did in the wilderness or in Egypt - things are changed!

Now - you cross over in view of The Ark of The Covenant (Joshua 3). Before when they traveled The Ark was covered (Numbers 4).

- you are circumcised the second time (Joshua 5:2).

- the manna ceases and you eat of the old corn of the land - the fruit of the land of Canaan (Joshua 5:11-12).

- the captain of the host of the Lord is come in the midst, and He is now to direct them (Joshua 5:13-14).

- you take off your earthly shoes - this place is holy, and in this place you walk in a heavenly understanding (Joshua 5:15).

A new understanding has brought God’s people into this land, and now they are to live and walk in a new, spiritual reality - they are to possess this land, and to allow this land to possess them. This for us is not a physical place, but for us it is CHRIST. May we set our hearts as the Apostle Paul did on knowing HIM (possessing Him) Philippians 3:12 - Not as though I had already attained (full possession) either were already perfect; but I follow after, if that I may apprehend (lay hold of, grasp, and make my own) that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. (He has laid hold of me, and made me His Own) May we come to possess that!

Lesson 10

As we continue to look at Israel’s journey to the land God had prepared for them, may we ask The Lord to apply all of this to us, and make it real in our hearts, and not just Bible stories. And as we consider the passing over Jordan as necessary to entering the land, I want to start with Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 1:17-19 - Paul prayed for the knowledge of God, eyes being enlightened, that YE MAY KNOW what is the hope of His calling, riches of glory of His inheritance, the exceeding greatness of His power to usward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power. ** If we are understanding Canaan to be "the heavenlies", the fulness of Life in Christ, then we can see that KNOWING God’s plan and UNDERSTANDING His Work is the key to entering into this land. Paul would NOT agree with the songwriter that we will know better "by and by"; for he knew the necessity for believers to come to know the TRUTH of The Finished Work of Christ by The Cross NOW! (Reference Romans 6: know ye not...?) Paul’s writings declare the reality of that Finished Work so that believers could walk in the fulness of that Truth.

Colossians 3:1-3 - If ye then be risen with Christ (we are - NOW!)... set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth... For YE ARE DEAD, and your life is hid with Christ in God... Vs. 9. - seeing that YE HAVE PUT OFF the old man with his deeds; and HAVE PUT ON THE NEW MAN, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him - Christ. I believe these are the understandings that are typed in the crossing over Jordan which is necessary to coming to the rest and inheritance which The Lord gave us. (see Deut.12:9-10)

Last lesson we spoke about the change that took place at the Jordan because it was here that The Ark of The Covenant was placed on the shoulders of the priests (Joshua 3) and it was the first view that the people had of The Ark. And as the priests bore The Ark and stepped into Jordan, and rested in the Jordan, the waters stood upon a heap, and Joshua 3:17 - the priests STOOD FIRM on dry ground in the midst (as one with) Jordan, and all Israel passed over. What were they seeing? The Ark of The Covenant symbolized God’s Eternal Plan, a Finished Work bringing forth a New Creation in which God’s Glory dwelt, manifested His mercy, His rest, His presence which would enable His people to be victorious. This was always with Israel, but not seen or understood, but in the passing over Jordan, they passed with the UNDERSTANDING given to them of what God planned, and had done for them.

Joshua 4 - God tells Joshua to memorialize this passing over by making two memorials with stones. This is a recognition for them of what The Lord has done, and we must see that this understanding is associated with The Ark of The Covenant being seen. * Without a seeing of The Ark they could not come to this understanding, and be able to enter the land. This pertains to us today: if we don’t see God’s Finished Work - in Christ by His Cross, we have no knowledge of Him and His Work, and therefore never enter into the fulness of His Life. There must be a priesthood that bears this Truth for others to see so they can come to understand and pass over in that understanding to the fulness of His Life.

Let’s look at these stones - Joshua 4:1-3 - Take 12 stones out of the midst of Jordan, out of THE PLACE where the priests’ feet stood firm (the understanding of The Ark of The Covenant, the assurance of that Finished Work), carry them over with you to THE PLACE you will lodge. ** Something comes out of this understanding - a testimony, a witness of New Life - a people living in the knowledge that it is not I - I died, but it is Christ Who now lives in me. With this understanding they were supposed to enter the land, and make God known.

- But there was another set of 12 stones - Vs. 9 - Joshua set up 12 stones in the midst of Jordan, in THE PLACE where the feet of the priests stood, and they are there unto this day. The judgment brought by The Ark of The Covenant, The Cross remains upon those stones, and the old man, first creation NEVER comes out! The waters returning signifies the completeness of God’s Covenant, and now only what has passed OVER the Jordan has life in the new land. The dead remains buried, but out of the understanding of The Ark of The Covenant comes resurrection Life - a people bearing that understanding. These now are types of the "lively stones" which make up God’s House - He is able to build upon this understanding, and bring a people to fulness.

You will notice as you continue to read the Old Testament that The Ark of The Covenant now is involved in the people’s lives, and This Finished Work is what ensures them of victory. In Joshua 6 at the conquest of Jericho, I believe we mistakenly put the emphasis upon "the people" marching around the city that brought the victory, but when you read that carefully you see that they compassed the city with THE ARK OF THE COVENANT. That was their strength and assurance for victory - not in what they could do, but what God’s Finished Work had already done for them. May God open our eyes to see that is where our victory lies also!

Lesson 11

We have been considering God’s people entering into the land that He had prepared for them. Joshua 1:11 They were to go in to possess the land, which the Lord your God giveth you to possess it. This was their inheritance, what God would give them. Vs. 3 - wherever they placed their feet. And we are seeing that the key factor in their "passing over" this Jordan was The Ark of The Covenant: that was there for all to see, and this Ark becomes more and more important to Israel and God’s dealings with them. Hopefully we are seeing that this is a type of The Finished Work of Christ in His people, and that the KNOWLEDGE and UNDERSTANDING of this is what is required in this New land.

Let’s relate this to us as The New Creation in Ephesians 1 - as those who have been blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ (vs. 1) Vs. 9-12 - HAVING MADE KNOWN unto us the mystery of His will ( what was hidden is now made known/ The Ark revealed/ Christ crucified)... all things gathered in Him: In Whom (He’s the land) we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will. ** All things in this land work after the counsel of His own will - not ours. His will, His purpose, His pleasure, His counsel was all in that Ark, and is the deciding factor in this land. God’s people are to be governed by this: that’s why it was always in their midst, but when they entered the land of their inheritance, the fulness of God’s plan, they could see it and it began to work for them. Romans 8:28-29 - And we KNOW that all things work together for good (His will, pleasure is good - not what you want) to them... who are called according to HIS PURPOSE. We are predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son. ** As we take possession of Christ, and He possesses us, we are changed into His image - this is the vessel that The Ark of The Covenant signifies.

But now back to Israel in entering the land. They had never been here before, and they knew that enemies were in the land. What do you think gave them the confidence and assurance to enter in? What gave them the courage to go against Jericho? They had SEEN The Ark of The Covenant - it went with them as that assurance, and they came to realize that God’s victory would not be by their might or power, but that God would fight for them, and they would be victorious as they walked in the light and the knowledge of that ARK. That Ark became their victory, and they only had to walk true to it.

2 Corinthians 2:14 says "Now thanks be unto God, which ALWAYS causeth us to triumph IN CHRIST, and maketh manifest the savor of his knowledge by us in every place." This was what God planned for Israel because God’s victory was already determined by The Ark. ** They didn’t have to battle FOR victory, but only had to battle IN His Victory! Seeing The Ark was their assurance, and because so many Christians have not "seen The Ark", have not "seen The Finished Work", they are battling FOR victory; but the victory is The Lord’s and He HAS triumphed over all the powers! Where? AT THE CROSS! Colossians 2:14-15 says He spoiled principalities and made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them by The Cross. We see this clearly in the many times Israel’s enemies were scattered or confused or destroyed themselves, and Israel didn’t even have to fight.

There, in the land, Israel only had to OBEY, and God’s plan and purpose would work for them, and bring them the victory over all the enemies. But the seeing of The Ark, and walking in the knowledge of God’s plan also was to be WORKING IN THEM, and they were defeated when they tried to walk contrary to that work. Right after the mighty conquest of Jericho - Joshua 7 - (They had been told NOT to take anything from the accursed city of Jericho lest they make themselves accursed -Joshua 6:18). Vs. 1 - Achan took of the accursed thing, and they were smitten (vs. 5) by the men of Ai, who were but few. Vs. 6 - Joshua falls on his face before The Ark of The Lord, and pleads with God (vs. 7-9). Vs. 10-15 - God says, Get thee up; Israel has sinned, they have taken of the accursed thing; you can not stand before your enemies until you take away the accursed thing from you. Vs. 15 - ** He that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire because he hath transgressed the covenant of The Lord, and because he hath wrought folly in Israel. And the "hidden things" were found and Achan destroyed.

The lesson here for Israel and for us is that we cannot transgress the covenant of the Lord. God has given us the victory in Christ, and we are not to covet the accursed things of this earth and expect to walk in His Victory, His Fulness, His Life. It is in the SEEING of all that God hath planned and fulfilled in Christ that even those hidden things in our hearts are revealed and destroyed so that we can truly possess only HIM!

LESSON 12

Last lesson we were talking about God’s purpose, towards which He is always working being seen in His people, and relating that to them entering into the land of Canaan. ** We must realize that God’s purpose was NOT fully realized just when Israel came out of Egypt, or when they journeyed in the wilderness, but now that He has a people in the land, His purpose can be reached, and His actions are towards this realization. Anything less than this falls short of what God planned for a people. ** God’s plan is NOT just that we "go to heaven", or have our sins forgiven - but unfortunately this is what many Christians preach as the end of God’s plan of Salvation. God’s purpose is MUCH MORE than that!

Deuteronomy 12:9-11 - You must go over Jordan (to get to the rest and inheritance) and dwell in the land... and when He gives you rest from all your enemies, then there shall be A PLACE which The Lord shall choose to cause HIS NAME to dwell there. ** It is in this place, and a people coming to this place (relationship) that is God’s purpose for bringing them out, and bringing them into the land. This place in scripture is Jerusalem, and more specifically Zion - that City where God has put His Name. It is towards this that God now works with His people Israel.

We are looking at the type of this with Israel and Canaan in the Old Testament but let’s look at the fulfillment of this in us - The Church - NOW.

- Ephesians 3: 1-5 - By revelation Paul came to know the mystery of Christ. Vs. 9-12 - to make all men see the fellowship of the mystery, which was hid... that NOW... might be made known BY THE CHURCH the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

**God’s Eternal Purpose is in His Son, and we becoming the vessel of His Life NOW upon this earth, making HIM known, taking His Name and Nature.

This is the essence of Zion - a people taking on HIS NAME, not theirs, HIS NATURE and HIS LIFE, and manifesting that to the world. See, in "this land" (in Christ) we are not to be living in "our names" (according to the flesh), but IN HIS NAME (with His Life, power, strength - Not I, but Christ.) That’s why the food changed in Canaan - no longer manna, but the old corn of the land (Joshua 5:12). New land requires new food - food that will bring forth an increase of itself! And it is this food that will bring a people to maturity. We must grow up in this land. The New Testament speaks a lot about this, but we have to have understanding of what this "growing up" and maturing is - not us, but HIM! And we have to desire this. This is the "possessing" that is typed in Canaan.

1 Peter 2:2 - As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby. ?? What is growth unto?

Ephesians 4:13 - ... unto a perfect man (not MEN), unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of CHRIST... Knowledge causes us to be no more children (vs. 14). Vs. 15 -... Truth (The Cross, Christ crucified) in love, may grow up into HIM in all things, which is the head, even CHRIST.

The book of Hebrews implores believers to "go on" - Let US (in the land it’s US - not me - a collective body)

- Hebrews 4:11 - Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest )the full Sabbath rest of The Finished Work of Christ - not a day, a reality of living)

- Hebrews 6:1 - Let us go on unto perfection (full maturity in Christ) (Hebrews 7:19 - The law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope DID, by the which (Christ as New High Priest) we draw nigh unto God.

- Hebrews 10:22 - Let us draw near with a true heart in FULL ASSURANCE of faith (because of verse 19 - boldness to enter by the blood of Jesus)

- Hebrews 12:1 - Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin... and let us run with patience the race... LOOKING UNTO JESUS... keeping the knowledge of God’s Eternal Plan fulfilled by Christ ever before us.

Why should we do all of this?

- Hebrews 12:22 - Ye ARE COME unto Mount Sion!! This is where His perfection is to be seen - in this place, in a people living in a true relationship with Him by The Cross. And we will see in our study that the people didn’t bring themselves there. Joshua brought them over Jordan and into the land, but David (a new, full view of Christ) brought them to Mount Zion with Him as KING, and they had rest in the land. This is what Christ has done in Truth by His Cross, and this is God’s purpose for us.

Hebrews 13:20-21 - Through the blood of the everlasting covenant (His Will, purpose) make YOU perfect (fully mature) in every good work TO DO HIS WILL (not ours), working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever. Now that we are in this land, and have knowledge of His purpose, let Him bring us to the fulness of Christ: His Life working in us His will, that God will be glorified, and His Name made known.

Lesson 13

We are talking about God’s people coming to the fulness of what He planned for them, and we are seeing that this is what Christ has done for us by His death, burial and resurrection. And we, as The Church - His Body are to manifest this reality in the earth. ** By Christ, we are a HEAVENLY people, but this is to be seen IN THE EARTH.

Let’s look now at a few things in the book of Joshua concerning a people coming into the land, where God’s purpose would be fulfilled and seen. God gave them victories in the land, and then the land was divided among the people - they all got their portion. Joshua 21:43-45 - Notice what GOD GAVE: ALL the land which He sware unto their fathers; The Lord gave them REST round about, according to ALL that he sware to their fathers; the Lord DELIVERED ALL their enemies into their hands; there failed not any good thing which the Lord has spoke to Israel; ALL CAME TO PASS. Note: "ALL" - all good of promises is in THIS LAND, all FULFILLED. This people possessed the land and dwelt here - in fulfillment of ALL the Lord had spoken to Israel. God’s Word to them was made true IN THIS LAND. In the type we know this was physical, natural territory, and in this land God did great things for them; but for us, this land is Christ, and what He gives us is really HIMSELF - all that He is. ** God does not really "give us things" but He gives us HIMSELF, and as we grow up in Him and dwell in Him, and possess Him, all that HE IS works for us and in us.

- 1 Corinthians 1:30 - But of Him are ye IN CHRIST JESUS, who of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. Vs. 31- glory in the Lord. 2 Corinthians 1:20 - For all the promises of God IN HIM are yea, and IN HIM Amen, unto the glory of God BY US. We are to manifest The Truth of His promises. Ephesians 2:14 - He is our peace...

** God’s people should not be looking for anything from God outside of Christ. God’s full Word has been spoken in His Son (reference Hebrews 1:1,2)

Secondly, we have been seeing that God told Israel that in the land (Deut. 12) He would bring them to A PLACE where God would chose to put His Name, and it would be THERE that they would make their offerings and sacrifices. ** This place would unite them as one people, and where He would make Himself known to all nations. This is eventually brought to reality in Solomon’s Temple built in Zion, but we must see here that this principle of THE PLACE of God’s choosing was NOT followed by God’s people. There are many lessons here that we must learn. Joshua 22 - The problem comes from those who WOULD NOT come into the land, but CHOSE to remain on the other side of Jordan. This was the tribes of Reuben, Gad and half of Manassah. They were content on the other side. Vs. 4 - ye return and get ye unto YOUR tents, and the land of YOUR possession. (Note: not the Lord’s, but theirs!) Vs. 8-12 - When they departed from the children of Israel out of Shiloh (= rest, the place of the Tabernacle then in Canaan), THEY built an altar by Jordan, a great altar to see. * Now there would be TWO altars, and this was clearly against what God’s plan was for His people - He would establish ONE PLACE. Vs. 13-20 - The rest of Israel saw this as rebellion against the Lord. They apparently had learned from God’s dealings with them in the land. ** Vs. 19 - If the land of YOUR possession be unclean, then pass ye over unto the land of the possession of THE LORD, where The Lord’s Tabernacle dwells, and take possession among us; but rebel not against the Lord in building YOU an altar beside the altar of The Lord our God.

?? Is not this perhaps the reason for so much of the division in The Church today? We build our "own" altars, rather than passing over into His. The danger is that those who don’t want to "pass over into the land" always want "theirs" - not the Lord’s. They will find a religious form to follow, but refuse to come into the fulness of the land - and this separates us. Vs. 26-29 - Their altar was NOT for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice, but a witness between us and you. Vs. 28 - Behold the PATTERN of the altar of the Lord, which our fathers made, not for burnt offerings, but for a witness. ** Does that sound good? Does it sound "religious"? But what kind of an altar can you have WITHOUT the burnt offering or sacrifice? What kind of a witness is there WITHOUT The Cross? It only separated the people, and caused them NOT to enter the land and the place God had for them. Vs. 33 - And the thing pleased the children of Israel so they did not go to battle against their brethren.

** My question is - do you think that pleased God? Do you think He is satisfied with an altar MAN builds to worship God, but there is NO burnt offering or sacrifice there? And we do this OUTSIDE of THE PLACE that He has prepared for His name to dwell in. Vs. 34 - THEY even named the altar Ed - a witness. There are the subtleties that began to DIVIDE the people of God in the type, and this spirit of rebellious disobedience to God’s will religiously is deceiving many today. May God open our eyes to THE ONLY PLACE God accepts our offerings and sacrifices. That altar is HIS CROSS. May we only worship there!

Lesson 14

As we continue to consider This Great Salvation which God has planned and finished for His People in Christ by His Cross, let us look at this anew in Colossians 1: 9-13 - we are to be FILLED with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, that ye might walk worthy (live daily) of the Lord... being fruitful... and increasing in the knowledge of God... He HAS made us able to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints... Who HATH (Finished Work) delivered us FROM the power of darkness, and HATH (now) translated (us) into the kingdom of His Dear Son. * Interesting - "us" is not in the original.

As we have already said before, God’s plan was not just to get a people out - of sin, the world, death; but to bring us into a NEW place. And in the type of Israel, and in our walk of "growing up into Christ", we must come to understand that we have been brought into the KINGDOM OF GOD’S DEAR SON. *This is where HE rules and reigns - not us! ** This is so very important to us as Christians, because most of us know Him as our Deliverer and our Provider (that’s Who God was to Israel bringing them out of Egypt and through the wilderness), but now, if we are going on to fulness, we must know Him as KING, as LORD - IN ALL THINGS. And it is by us coming to God’s understanding, seeing His plan by His Cross, that we will allow HIM to rule and reign - in us. (Jesus told the Pharisees (Luke 17:20,21) that the Kingdom of God is not outward, but is within you!) 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 - Judgment = one died for all; all dead... they which live (by Him, in His Resurrection) should NOT henceforth live unto themselves, but unto HIM.

We now come to understand that IN HIS KINGDOM - He rules, and I live here only BY HIM, and UNTO HIM - not by myself, and unto myself - but unto HIM. So, "in the land" now comes the question of Who rules, Who is in charge? And as we consider Zion as that High Thought of God, and that now God’s working is to bring us to this place, let us see clearly WHO and WHAT God associated in His heart with Zion. Psalm 2:6-12 - Yet have I set (established - forever) My King, upon My holy hill of Zion. Who is this King? MY SON!... Kiss The Son... blessed are they that put their trust IN HIM. ** Our focus must not be on "us" having come to Zion, but that Zion is where THE SON is established as KING, and HE now is to rule in us, as THE ONE God set in His Holy Place, and as His Holy Place. It is out of this established Throne that God now speaks and rules.

We can see this progression very clearly in Israel’s journey in Canaan through Joshua, the book of Judges and then into the books of Samuel which clearly brings the issue of KING into view.

Now we have said much about The Ark of The Covenant coming to be seen to Israel when they crossed over Jordan, and this typifying that God’s Finished Work was seen in their midst, and worked for them. *It is very interesting that in the book of Judges, The Ark is mentioned 30 times, but in the book of Judges it is only mentioned once, and in the book of Judges we see Israel’s FAILURE to be obedient to the Lord after Joshua’s death. ** When The Ark is not preeminent, man does not remain faithful to The Lord, and Israel went after other gods.

Judges 2:7 - The people served the Lord all the days of Joshua... who had SEEN all the great works of The Lord for Israel. Vs. 10 - another generation arose who knew not the Lord nor the works He HAD DONE for Israel. Vs. 12-15 - they forsook The Lord and God delivered them into the hands of their enemies. Vs. 16-19 = The Lord raised up judges, which delivered them because the Lord was with the judge but when the judge was dead they corrupted themselves, they ceased not from THEIR OWN DOINGS, nor from their stubborn way. Vs. 20-23 - God left the enemy nations there that through them He could prove Israel, to see whether or not they would keep the way of The Lord.

And in the book of Judges is recorded 7 apostasies (turning away from God), 7 servitudes to 7 heathen nations, and 7 deliverances. During this time God raises up 13 men to deliver Israel, and this is over the course of 300 years. And although we see mighty deliverances by these Judges, showing the Mighty Hand of God to bring His people back to Him, this book is full of confusion, jealousy and strife, and we see God’s people following after other gods, and living defeated - even though they were "in the land".

So - the question is - why? The answer is given in the last verse of the book: Judges 21:25 - In those days there was NO KING IN ISRAEL; every man did that which was right IN HIS OWN EYES. Can we not see that this is the problem in the Church today, and the reason why so many of us are in such strife and confusion? In this land, and in God’s Holy Hill, He has set HIS KING there - to rule and reign in His Kingdom. We now must come to know Him as Lord and King over ALL THINGS to us. When He rules there is peace and rest in the land!

We are speaking of God’s people coming to live in the fulness of His thought for them, and key to this is the issue of God’s King. (It is so important to note in the type of Israel that only when they ALL made DAVID King over them that he took them to Zion.) * They didn’t get to Zion and THEN make him King; they had to acknowledge him as King first. In our last lesson we saw in Judges 21:25 that in those days there was NO KING in Israel; every man did that which was right in his own eyes, and because of this there was strife and confusion, and no unity or true victory for Israel. ** This was all because of the condition of the heart of the people, and through the troubles this caused, God was trying their hearts to see if they would really serve Him. Now, they would "worship Him" with their mouths, and go through their religious activities, but God knew their hearts were far from Him (see Isaiah 29:13), and even today this is God’s concern for us. COMING TO HIS FULNESS REQUIRES OUR HEARTS TO TURN TO HIM!

This is the difference between the Old and New Covenants, and this is what the Lord is ever working IN US to bring us to. God would have us go on to the ministration of the Spirit, which is more glorious, and we read of this in 2 Corinthians 3:6-18. The first administration by Moses which was written in stones was glorious, but it was a ministration of death, and that glory was to be done away. Now - in Christ, by Christ, by His Cross, there is a ministration of righteousness which excels - and REMAINS. (The first always is done away, and the second is to remain.) In Christ the vail is done away (by The Cross), but (Vs. 16) when the heart turns to the Lord (to Him as King, in the power of His Resurrection), the vail is taken away - in us. This is how we are changed from the glory of the first (the Law, natural understanding) to the second (the glorious liberty of Life in Christ.) He is our glory!

And it is this continuing conflict between the first and the second, and the condition of the heart that we see dramatically in the scripture concerning the establishing of God’s King. * We see a vivid contrast of this in the beginning of the book of 1 Samuel and this is all leading up to God’s King who will rule over His people, and unite them as one. * Note - there is an exposing of the heart here, and we see this vividly between Hannah, the mother of Samuel who eventually will anoint David as King, and Eli the Priest.

* It is interesting that this is not written with Eli first, telling us of his failings, but

1 Samuel 1 begins with Hannah and the despair of her heart because she was BARREN. Vs. 2-6 - Note: the worship at this time was in Shiloh - not Jerusalem, and Israel was going through all of their religious duties and rituals, and coming to this place. But these religious observances were not sufficient for Hannah. She longed to be fruitful and to fulfil her role as a wife, which was to bring forth a child. ** This is a beautiful type of The Church, Who is married to the Lord, and receives His benefits, but longs to manifest HIS LIFE. And often in the Old Testament we see women barren, who cry to the Lord, and HE opens their womb, and HE brings forth Life (Sarah, Rachel). ** But, this desire is NOT for themselves, but for the glory of God!

1 Samuel 1:10-11 - She longs for fulfilment, and that only comes from God, and must go back to glorify God and serve His purposes - not ours. (Vs. 27-28).

1 Samuel 1:12-19 - Eli did not have this heart, neither could he recognize this heart’s desire in her. He was religiously going through the motions of God’s worship, but he and his sons took advantage of their position as priests to squander the benefits on their own flesh. (1 Samuel 2:12-17)- They abhorred the offering of The Lord. This is speaking of Christ and His sacrifice by The Cross.

Now with Samuel born out of the travail of Hannah’s soul, and growing up before the Lord, God pronounces judgment upon Eli and his sons for their ways and refusal to be faithful to God’s ways (vs. 22-26), and God will use Samuel to pronounce this judgment. God had already warned Eli. 1 Samuel 2:27-36 - Eli honored his sons before God and made themselves fat with the offerings. Therefore God would cut them all off (they would all die) and Vs. 34-35 - I will raise me up (out of death, a new one!) A faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in MINE HEART and in mine mind; and I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before mine anointed forever. This was fully realized by The Lord Jesus Who would manifest God’s heart and mind, and fulfil God’s plan for His people, as High Priest and King. May we seriously consider that not only were Eli and his sons destroyed, but the Ark of the Covenant was taken by the Philistines at this time (1 Samuel 4:11,18-22). The very glory of God was departed from Israel, and was taken by the enemy. Why? Because THEIR HEARTS were not right before God, and they sought to prosper for their own selves in the things of God. And the Ark never was recovered UNTIL DAVID BECAME KING, and then he brings the Ark back. And David was a man of God’s own heart!

Lesson 16

We are continuing to consider God’s King for Israel and how necessary that was to bringing God’s people to THE PLACE He had for them. And we must see this all totally fulfilled IN CHRIST BY HIS CROSS. This was the knowledge that Paul prayed the saints would come to. Ephesians 1:17-23 - God’s mighty power raised Christ from the dead, and set HIM at His own right hand, and established HIM over all powers... and gave HIM (to be) the head over all things to the Church, which is HIS Body. ** Christ in Resurrection is King; His rule is in ALL THINGS to The Church. He is the source, life, power, strength of His Own Body, The Church. Now all things for them are out from Him, by Him, and are all to Him. He is all in His Body, and He is filling His Body with all that He is!

**Note: He was raised (out from ) the dead. This King and His Body is NOT of the earth realm, not flesh. Man is NOT the head of HIS Church - HE is, but this is Christ in the power of His Resurrection - in Spirit and Truth. * Man today has made himself head of man’s churches, and that’s why we have the earthly organizations we have today, with all the failures. And this is the issue that we see with Israel when they wanted a King.

1 Samuel 8:1-6 - Samuel’s sons were judges over Israel, but they walked by the flesh (took bribes, perverted judgement) so Israel asked for a King, but their motivation (their heart) displeased God. * Vs. 5 - Make us a king to judge us like all the nations. (See also Vs. 20) * They were NOT to be like other nations, but God was to rule them and guide them, and fight for them, so they could make Him known. ( Reference 1 Peter 2:9 - But ye are a chosen generation... a peculiar (special) people; that ye should shew forth the praises of HIM who called you...) But this would require a constant walk of faith and obedience to God, and Israel would rather walk by sight, by the flesh - and often so do we. And by this they rejected God’s rule over them. 1 Samuel 8:7, and their king of flesh would rule over them according to the flesh (read Vs. 8-18).

** That which is flesh is flesh, and that which is spirit is Spirit. If we let flesh rule over us, we can only expect the works of the flesh, and we must see that this is the cause of so much of the confusion and division that is in The Church today. We want to be like everybody else, and let man rule over us - rather than allowing God to be ALL to us! And that requires HIS KING to rule! Now we know from the scripture that God let Israel have "their" King, even though that wasn’t what God wanted for them, and I just want to consider one aspect of Saul, "their" King, and that is DISOBEDIENCE, and this is always in the flesh.

1 Samuel 13 - Even though they had "their " King, the Philistines gathered together mightily against Israel, and the people were distressed (vs. 1-7). They could only hide themselves, and they followed Saul trembling. Saul is also afraid - for his own life, and so he offers a burnt offering (Vs. 8-10), which was NOT his job to do. * There is ONLY ONE King who is also a Priest, and that is The Lord Jesus! Saul was doing a "religious" thing, but it was not according to God’s plan, and therefore Samuel comes and announces the end of his rule (vs. 11-14). The Lord had sought a man after his own heart... you have not kept what the Lord commanded thee.

We see Saul’s incomplete disobedience in 1 Samuel 15, where Saul would not kill the enemy King and destroy all the spoils. And his argument was that they would sacrifice the animals to The Lord! He thought his way was better than God’s command. *Vs. 22-23 - Samuel pronounces God’s heart about obedience: to obey is better than sacrifices... rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected thee from being King.

But God had His choice for King ready to be anointed, and this would be a man after his own heart. 1 Samuel 16:1-13. And IN OBEDIENCE David is anointed King by Samuel, but we must see that before he is, ALL seven of his brothers (complete work) are brought before the Lord - and they are REJECTED. Why? They are not "bad". But they were not THE ONE GOD CHOSE, and even though they looked like they should be King, God rejected them. ** There is ONLY ONE Whom God has chosen to be His King - not by outward appearance, but by God’s plan, and everyone else must be rejected.

Now we know that David was speaking of Christ, and He is THE OBEDIENT ONE. He didn’t fear for His Life, but offered Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of The Cross (Philippians 2). This King is the One Who is The Head of His Church, His Body, and as we acknowledge Him, and let him rule IN US, His obedience will function in His Body. Let us acknowledge Him as God’s King! Let us allow This King to rule and reign in us!

I want to go back and look in the scriptures at David being anointed as God’s King, and relate that to the work of God in us. In 1 Samuel 16:1 God said, "I have provided me a King among his sons." * This is God’s choosing within the father’s house, and this is where the King is first declared. But the King is NOT KNOWN until The Father REVEALS HIM. Vs. 12 - And THE LORD said, Arise, anoint him; for THIS IS HE. ** God must reveal His Son - as King, in His Household first, and except God reveal Him, He is not known, and flesh will claim to be King. But God has rejected all but This Son. Notice verse 11 tells us he is the last son, and he keeps the sheep. This is God’s King.

We must take this "revealing" into Paul’s statements in Galatians 1:15,16 - But when it pleased God, who separated me... TO REVEAL HIS SON IN ME, that I might preach HIM... This is the fulfillment of what David’s first anointing was a type of. * Christ, The Son, as King, as Lord, must be revealed IN US by The Father. It is the pleasure of The Father to do this. And God revealed His Son so that we might preach HIM.

* The "gospel" is not us; THE GOSPEL IS CHRIST. Vs. 11 - Paul’s gospel was not after man; he was taught it by the revelation of Jesus Christ. This is not revelationS (plural) of things, but THE revelation of THE SON. And when you have had Him revealed, you will only preach Him. Why? Because He is everything, and you know that in HIM only is The Father well pleased. He is God’s King! And we are His Kingdom. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:5, "For we preach NOT ourselves, but Christ Jesus The Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake."

*But without the revealing of The Son as King, as Lord, we will preach ourselves, and don’t want to serve each other, but we will want to exalt ourselves. Out of this revealing comes the understanding of Galatians 2:20 - not I, but CHRIST, and this is the ministry that God is after: not "us" doing "our" things "for the Lord’ but Christ being all in us. So this is the first revealing of The Son as King - all others rejected, and He and He only as The King God chose. This takes place in our hearts, and must be settled before He can rules in our lives.

Now at that time Saul was recognized as The King in Israel, and what followed was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David, and the rule of the flesh will always cause division. Why? Because the flesh doesn’t want to submit to the rule of God’s King. ** This war happens IN US - "we" want to rule, have "my life", "my kingdom". (Reference Romans 8 - carnal mind is enmity against God, not subject to the law of God.)