THE ARK OF THE COVENANT:
REVELATION OF THE KINGDOM IN SYMBOL
February 5, 2009
SPIRIT & TRUTH CONFERENCE
MF Blume
THE MOST OFT-QUOTED
OT VERSE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT IS THIS: (DEALING WITH JESUS AND THE THRONE.)
Because of it being most oft quoted, considering we do not hear much of
it in sermons, there is A REVELATION to receive in all of this.
Note the ARK of the Covenant
Exodus 25:10 KJV And they shall make an ark of shittim wood:
two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a
half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.
Exodus 25:17-22 KJV And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure
gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit
and a half the breadth thereof. (18) And thou shalt make
two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two
ends of the mercy seat. (19) And make one cherub on the one
end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat
shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof. (20)
And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the
mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another;
toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.
(21) And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in
the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.
(22) And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with
thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which
are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee
in commandment unto the children of Israel.
Exodus 30:10 KJV And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns
of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements:
once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your
generations: it is most holy unto the LORD.
Leviticus 16:14 KJV And he shall take of the blood of the
bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward;
and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his
finger seven times.
The ark received blood of atonement on its mercyseat.
- On the mercyseat the blood was sprinkled seven times and
then also upon the golden altar outside the veil.
This Atonement for which this blood was sprinkled on the ark is best
described in the following verse:
Leviticus 1:4 KJV And he shall put his hand upon the head of the
burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for
him.
Leviticus 1:4 BBE And he is to put his hand on the head of the
burned offering and it will be taken for him, to take away his sin.
The sacrifice would be accepted in his room and stead.
- The sacrifice represented his own person.
- The blood was proof presented on the ark of death caused due
to sin.
- The sacrificial death was HIS DEATH he owed due to his sin.
This all foreshadowed Jesus Christ.
Christ presented Himself to God alive from the dead - showing His death
had occurred.
- He provided the necessary payment for sin in His death.
- For Him to walk into the throne room and to be seated there,
after He died SHOWED HE CONQUERED DEATH.
- He defeated it.
- HE HAS DOMINION!
This concept is very important.
SITUATING PSALM 110
Psalms 110:1 KJV <A Psalm of David.> The LORD said unto my
Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy
footstool.
The New Testament situated this prophecy in time after the resurrection
and ascension of Jesus occurred according to Hebrews.
Hebrews 10:12-14 KJV But this man, after he had offered one
sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
(13) From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his
footstool. (14) For by one offering he hath perfected for
ever them that are sanctified.
Peter said this occurred after His resurrection as well.
Acts 2:29-33 KJV Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you
of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his
sepulchre is with us unto this day. (30) Therefore being a
prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of
the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up
Christ to sit on his throne; (31) He seeing this before
spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in
hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. (32) This Jesus
hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. (33)
Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received
of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this,
which ye now see and hear.
And he said the resulting Holy Ghost baptism was SHED FORTH by Jesus
due to that seating on the throne of God. So, IT AFFECTED US.
PRESENTING TO GOD OUR RESURRECTION
The bible speaks as though We must make this same presentation to God
as being alive from the dead - but IT IS TIED INTO THE KINGDOM CONCEPT.
- For, as with Jesus, that PRESENTATION puts us in a place of
active dominion.
Romans 6:8-13 KJV Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that
we shall also live with him: (9) Knowing that Christ being
raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over
him. (10) For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but
in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. (11) Likewise reckon
ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God
through Jesus Christ our Lord. (12) Let not sin therefore
reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts
thereof. (13) Neither yield ye your members as instruments
of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those
that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of
righteousness unto God.
God knows we are alive from the dead, but it seems there is the need
for us to know that in order to approach the throne of God, itself!
WE HAVE TO THINK THE WAY THE BIBLE SAYS TO THINK ABOUT IT.
- WE HAVE TO RENEW OUR MINDS TO THINK THIS WAY.
- WE HAVE TO REALLY SEE OURSELVES IN THIS LIGHT.
As High Priest as well as sacrifice, He entered BY HIS OWN BLOOD,
Hebrews 9:12 KJV Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by
his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained
eternal redemption for us.
Blood on the mercyseat for atonement proved that death had occurred and
the price was paid, and this foreshadowed the need for Christ to pay
the price of death.
- Jesus died and SHED ALL HIS BLOOD OUT OF HIS VEINS IN DEATH,
AND resurrected, proving he conquered death.
- Sacrifice was a way of CONQUERING SIN AND THE DEATH SIN
BROUGHT.
He CONQUERED the thing that became man's punishment. - Death.
He entered BY HIS OWN BLOOD. BY SHEDDING HIS OWN BLOOD out of His
veins.
- DYING.
- And after having died, he arose and proved he conquered
death, and presented Himself as having accomplished that.
And we also go in by the same blood HE SHED.
- THE DEATH, in other words.
Hebrews 10:19-22 KJV Having therefore, brethren, boldness to
enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, (20) By a new
and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil,
that is to say, his flesh; (21) And having an high priest
over the house of God; (22) Let us draw near with a true
heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an
evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
He indicated proof of His death to enter this holiest - this conquest
under his belt.
- Like Adam was thrown into death and death ruled.
Romans 5:14 KJV Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses,
even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's
transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
He had to topple the kingdom of the one who ruled due to Adam's sin.
Romans 5:21 KJV That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so
might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus
Christ our Lord.
But we are told to likewise enter in by the same blood.
- He entered by his blood and we enter by his blood.
- Since HIS DEATH stands as our deaths, therefore, HIS VICTORY
over death means we have victory over death.
- Our entrance BY HIS SAME BLOOD is indication of OUR DEATHS
AND CONQUEST OVER DEATH through SUBSTITUTION.
- Jesus STOOD AS US.
- He did not manifest in flesh as a man in order to get
jollies out of conquering death for Himself.
- He came down and made a place where we could UNITE TO HIM in
SUPERNATURAL UNION in his death, and rose from that death and conquered
it SO WE COULD CLAIM CONQUEST OVER THIS POWER.
So showing ourselves alive from the dead is a very important note.
- If we can get this into our heads, it is a picture of
SHOWING GOD WE UNDERSTAND THIS.
- We would not present ourselves as alive from the dead if we
did not believe it.
- And many do not!
- But God is actually telling us to present ourselves as alive
from the dead.
- When you approach God, KNOW IT IS IN A STATE OF DOMINION.
- You have DOMINION all over you due to vital union to Jesus.
- Realize that when God sees you, HE IS LOOKING AT SOMEONE WHO
CONQUERED DEATH, due to union.
- THAT IS HOW GOD SEES YOU.
- We must show ourselves in a state of being victorious over
death.
- This resurrection concept is a POWER concept.
- It is KINGDOM related.
HEB 10:19's note of boldly approaching the throne IS PRESENTING
OURSELVES ALIVE UNTO GOD as Rom 6:13 says.
- Heb 10 says Our hearts are sprinkled from an evil conscience
because we died and now are alive again - death removes old life.
- BAPTISM is alluded to here,(BODIES WASHED /W PURE WATER)
-- connecting this entrance to the cause of uniting to Jesus in
HIS DEATH.
Note that Jesus entered past the veil and we are to follow, where the
ark of the covenant was.
- And we know Jesus actually went to the throne.
Hebrews 6:19-20 KJV Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul,
both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the
veil; (20) Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even
Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
{Psalm 110 mentioned this throne and the priesthood of Melchisedek. -
Heb had Psalm 110 in mind again here!}
We were dead in sin, but that old man was killed THROUGH UNION TO
CHRIST'S KILLING, and now being resurrected THROUGH HIS RESURRECTION
and free from sin we are fit to enter THE HOLIEST!
AT-ONE.
- Atonement is coming into oneness with the sacrifice.
- Death is the penalty for the sinner, so God provided a way
for the sinner to be counted as the sacrifice, and the death of the
sacrifice was as though the sinner died, himself, to pay the penalty.
- This atonement is the only answer to why we can say we were
buried and risen with Him and able to follow Him into the Holiest.
So union to the sacrifice is everything when you think of ATONEMENT.
- Think of being AT ONE with Jesus when you think of atonement.
- Atonement -- identification of the offerer to be the
sacrifice offered -- is what made the sacrifice effectual.
- The sacrifice had no need to die for itself.
- We had to die.
- Its death stood as our deaths.
- For all intents and purposes, we died.
Jesus is our atonement.
Romans 5:11 KJV And not only so, but we also joy in God through
our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
We received the AT ONE MENT.
AT ONE MENT SHOWN IN ROMANS:
We came into union with Jesus Christ in His death, so as to be able to
say we died.
Romans 6:3 KJV Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized
into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Romans 6:11 KJV Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead
indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
CHERUBIMS EYES AND KNOWING
With the lid or cover of the ark called a mercyseat, having two
cherubim overshadowing it with their wings, with eyes looking down on
the mercyseat, we see the concept of a THRONE OF GOD.
THE KINGDOM and THE THRONE is also associated with the concept of
atonement -- atonement blood went on the mercyseat - the symbol of
God's throne.
KNOWING this truth is so vital for us being able to experience the
power of the Kingdom as a result of atonement. -- This is why Romans
speaks of ATONEMENT UNION to the sacrifice of Jesus and repeatedly says
"KNOW YE NOT?"
- This association of ATONEMENT with the KINGDOM is a key to
understanding how to truly enter into KINGDOM POWER.
- We must UNDERSTAND THIS.
- The eyes of the cherubims looking at the mercyseat EMPHASIZE
UNDERSTANDING.
When you see the ark with the BLOOD on the mercyseat and the EYES of
the cherubims seated up there with God looking down to it, you are
seeing a symbol of the combined concept of KINGDOM and UNDERSTANDING
OUR UNION TO THE DEATH, BURIAL, RES AND SEATING OF JESUS!!
There is a vital revelation of awareness of our union to Christ that is
intrinsically connected to the concept of the KINGDOM and operating in
Kingdom power.
When John saw the throne in Rev 4 he saw four beasts with faces of
lion, man, ox and eagle.
Revelation 4:6-7 KJV And before the throne there was a sea of
glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round
about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and
behind. (7) And the first beast was like a lion, and the
second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and
the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.
FULL OF EYES.
LOTS OF UNDERSTANDING.
Ezekiel said these four faces were on the CHERUBIMS in Ezekiel 10.
Ezekiel 10:12 KJV And their whole body, and their backs, and
their hands, and their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes round
about, even the wheels that they four had.
Ezekiel 10:14 KJV And every one had four faces: the first face
was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man,
and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.
And Rev 5 shows the lamb going to the throne after He had been slain,
and we read:
- CHERUBIMS OR FOUR BEASTS ARE MAKING STATEMENTS THAT
BELIEVERS FULL OF UNDERSTANDING WILL KNOW -- AND CONNECTS IT WITH
DOMINION WITH CHRIST!
Revelation 5:8-10 KJV And when he had taken the book, the four
beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having
every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the
prayers of saints. (9) And they sung a new song, saying,
Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for
thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every
kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; (10) And hast
made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
WHEN THE BLOOD IS MENTIONED, KINGSHIP IS MENTIONED
When the ark has blood on it, it is on the mercy seat WHICH REPRESENTS
GOD'S THRONE!
Revelation 1:5-6 KJV And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful
witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the
kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins
in his own blood, (6) And hath made us kings and priests
unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and
ever. Amen.
They UNDERSTAND what Christ's approach to the THRONE after His
resurrection meant.
We just read in Rev 3
Revelation 3:21 KJV To him that overcometh will I grant to sit
with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my
Father in his throne.
Jesus sat down with His Father in his throne.
- CO-SEATING.
- That is why we read of THE THRONE OF GOD AND THE LAMB in Rev
22.
- AND NOW WE LEARN WE CAN SIT WITH HIM IF WE OVERCOME.
Overcome the way JESUS DID.
Revelation 5:5 KJV And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not:
behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath
prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
PREVAILED means a battle was fought and won.
And Jesus did it by His DEATH.
(HEB 2:14)
Hebrews 2:14 KJV Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of
flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that
through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that
is, the devil;
2 Timothy 1:10 KJV But is now made manifest by the appearing of
our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought
life and immortality to light through the gospel:
When he shed the blood out of his veins and died, and stood back up and
passed the veil into heaven, HE WAS SAYING HE OVERCAME!
- He overcame DEATH!
- DEATH RULED OVER MAN, but HE OVERCAME DEATH, AND HE RULES
NOW!
- THE GATES OF THE GRAVE COULD NOT PREVAIL AGAINST HIM.
- BUT HE SAID THAT OF THE CHURCH AS WELL!
- The gates of hell shall not prevail against His church.
No wonder he proceeded to talk of his death at Jerusalem after he noted
this to Peter and the others (Matt 16).
After reading of this note to overcome as He did in Rev 3 to the
Laodicaeans to sit with him on the throne, ch 5 shows him having
OVERCOME DEATH.
Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my
throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his
throne.
His resurrection proves death knocked him down and could do no more to
Him, and HE JUST GOT BACK UP, OVERCOMING THE BEST DEATH COULD DO --
KILL HIM!
So after reading of US sitting on the throne with Jesus if we overcome
the way he did In Rev 3, and then reading Jesus overcame death by
resurrection in Rev 5, we then read THE BEASTS (with eyes all over
them) CLAIM THEY CAN RULE ON EARTH.
Revelation 5:9-10 KJV And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art
worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast
slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred,
and tongue, and people, and nation; (10) And hast made us
unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
That means they must have overcome!
- If we can rule by sitting on His throne with Him due to
overcoming, and these say they will rule, (and yet we read of no
personal overcoming they accomplished), then THEY KNEW His overcoming
counted as their overcoming.
- THEY KNEW IT.
- NOW WE NEED TO KNOW IT.
- They personally fought no battle, except in believing this
concept.
- But they knew his overcoming was their own!
- They KNEW this concept.
- And this explains how we overcome!
- WE HAVE FAITH in THE UNION with Jesus that overcame death!
- And we know so much about this union that when we see Jesus
risen from dead, having overcome it, we know our union to Him is real
and we therefore know this is all that was required for us to say we
ALSO OVERCAME death.
- BY HIM THROUGH HIM AND IN HIM.
It's like watching Jesus overcome something, and then going to God and
saying "I OVERCAME THAT."
- Whatever you see Jesus overcome, you know YOU overcame it!
- It becomes THE INSTANT CONCLUSION in your mind everytime you
see Jesus has overcome something.
Throws whole new light on "HIS WILL DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN"
-- is like reading Rev where Jesus went to the throne and sits on
the throne IN HEAVEN, and we overcame WITH HIM SO WE RULE ON EARTH!
- THE BEASTS UNDERSTOOD THAT!
They got the revelation.
They represent the church element that gets this revelation.
Rev 12 shows they overcame the devil by the blood of the lamb!
Revelation 12:11 KJV And they overcame him by the blood of the
Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their
lives unto the death.
They represent the OVERCOMERS!
Entering the holiest is done with the same blood Jesus entered in by --
His own!
- And we find we also overcame WITH THAT BLOOD.
- WITH THAT DEATH, in other words.
FORERUNNER
Heb 6 tells us to enter the holiest because it is ours for the taking,
and it calls Jesus our forerunner because ATONEMENT UNION means WE CAN
ENTER,.
- If He is ATONEMENT, then anywhere He goes is always Him
going as FORERUNNER.
- His entrance into ANYTHING MEANS WE CAN LIKEWISE ENTER.
- We can enter his throne and he is forerunner to the throne,
due to ATONEMENT.
- We are in union with Him.
The ark had a throne in the form of the mercyseat.
- With cherubims over the mercyseat, we see an identical
representation of the throne of God in Isaiah's vision with seraphims
over it.
Isaiah 6:1-2 KJV In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the
Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled
the temple. (2) Above it stood the seraphims: each one had
six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered
his feet, and with twain he did fly.
The New Testament associates the throne of God with mercy as the
seating is called the MERCYSEAT on the ark!
Hebrews 4:16 KJV Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of
grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
This passage is surrounded by verses that speak of Christ as the High
Priest who offered atonement blood on the mercyseat.
His throne is one of mercy, since the atonement blood was sprinkled on
this depiction of the throne in order for our sins to be atoned for,
and the opportunity for us to come into oneness with Him.
- It's not our efforts, but sheer mercy of God that allows us
to claim His victory as our own.
But we are told we can approach the throne, whereas the model of this
throne was beyond an impassible barrier behind which no person aside
from the High Priest could come -- the veil over the holiest.
The throne of God is that upon which Jesus Christ ascended and was
seated.
The most oft quoted Old Testament verse found in the New is one that is
associated with the throne of God in the most holy place, of which the
ark and holiest of holies in the temple represented.
Psalms 110:1-2 KJV <A Psalm of David.> The LORD said unto
my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy
footstool. (2) The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength
out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.
If the ark pictures this, then the ark of the covenant is the most
important SYMBOL in light of our Christianity!
- It symbolizes the most oft quoted truth in the NT.
This reference to seating at the right hand of God is speaking of the
time Christ sat on the throne, and has been leading the Kingdom of God.
It is what Paul quoted in telling us what he was praying for so that we
might see the power towards us.
CHERUBIMS EYES -- SEE -- UNDERSTANDING.
Ephesians 1:18-21 KJV The eyes of your understanding being
enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what
the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
(19) And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward
who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
(20) Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the
dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
(21) Far above all principality, and power, and might, and
dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but
also in that which is to come:
By the way, this veil blocking this throne had cherubims with eyes
embroidered in it, and hinted UNDERSTANDING gets us past the veil.
Hebrews 10 speaks of it.
1 Cor 15 - resurrection chapter -- speaks of it
Visions of it are found in Revelation 5.
All of this depicts the KINGDOM OF GOD in which we now are situated.
Jesus Christ is said to have ascended to the throne as high priest to
not only make atonement as high priest, but also to RULE.
Zechariah 6:13 KJV Even he shall build the temple of the LORD;
and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne;
and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace
shall be between them both.
Between KINGSHIP and PRIESTHOOD the counsel of peace would stand.
- His kingship and priesthood together create a peace towards
us.
- Both are required for this peace.
- Futurism sees Him as only Priest now and King only over the
church.
- However, Ep 1 says He is over all powers in this world and
the world to come.
PRIEST shows his UNION TO THE PEOPLE. THERE FOR THE PEOPLE.
- ON THE THRONE HE IS PRIEST.
- ON THE THRONE HE STANDS AS PEOPLE.
If he is priest now, he must be king, because he will be High Priest
while on the throne.
And all of His Kingly status and seating is pictured in the ark of the
covenant which involves the concept of atonement - which is precisely
the reason why we read:
Ephesians 2:5-6 KJV Even when we were dead in sins, hath
quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
(6) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in
heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
And going to the throne in Revelation 5 caused the praisers to sing
these words:
Revelation 5:10 KJV And hast made us unto our God kings and
priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
The bible is trying to tell us that we are included as being seated
with Christ on this throne, the throne depicted by the mercyseat
on the ark of the covenant behind the veil in the most holy place of
the temple.
Oh, what a message this gives to us of our inclusion in to the kingdom.
- We all know we were translated into the Kingdom, but God is
trying to open our eyes, as Paul prayed, so we can see we are on the
throne WITH CHRIST in this Kingdom.
So the throne depicts a position of having overcome.
- He overcame death!
- When we read He prevailed, and also that he was seen as
though alive from the dead, we realize he overcame death.
- And that is also why there is atonement BLOOD on the
mercyseat that depicts His throne.
THE ARK IS A PERFECT SYMBOL FOR ALL THE TRUTH REGARDING ATONEMENT
COMBINED WITH POWER IN THE KINGDOM, and people thought we just got
freed from hell.
The HOLIEST OF HOLIES in the temple and Tabernacle was a place no one
could enter except the high priest only one day a year, called the day
of ATONEMENT.
- That place is a model of a real spiritual place.
MOSES AND JOSHUA
Moses first experienced holy ground, as though he entered the most holy
place.
And look at how UNION TO GOD was demonstrated to him.
Exodus 3:2-5 KJV And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a
flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold,
the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
(3) And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great
sight, why the bush is not burnt. (4) And when the LORD saw
that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of
the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.
(5) And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off
thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
Of all the words God spoke to Moses, we see the concept of UNION TO
GOD, or ATONEMENT involved.
He saw a burning bush that would sort of be in place of the ark of the
covenant in the holiest, showing us a message about the message of the
ark.
The bush was not burning.
- God spoke from that bush as He spoke later from between the
cherubims on the mercyseat.
- A bush is comprised of multiple branches.
- What is the message?
Moses tried serving God as Exodus leader forty years earlier and failed.
- At that time he had no concept of UNION TO GOD.
- He attempted to deliver Israel in his own human strength
outside of reliance and dependence upon God.
This time, the message of deliverance and how it would occur was given
to Moses:
Exodus 3:8 KJV And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand
of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good
land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the
place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the
Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
Each time He went back to speak with God, he went to that bush:
7 "I wills" of God.
Exodus 6:6-8 KJV Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am
the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the
Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem
you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: (7)
And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and
ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from
under the burdens of the Egyptians. (8) And I will bring
you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to
Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an
heritage: I am the LORD.
God would do the delivering, using MOSES.
John 14:10 KJV Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and
the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of
myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
Moses would learn that burning out was due to his independent attempt.
- But if he could learn the concept of being a branch
connected to the vine, with all God's people as branches, like the
picture of the bush, he would burn in fiery anointing and NOT BURN OUT
like he did before.
- Even the youth shall faint, but if we understand our need
for UNION to God, this God who does not faint will give POWER to us,
and we shall run and not faint.
Isaiah 40:28-31 KJV Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard,
that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the
earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his
understanding. (29) He giveth power to the faint; and to
them that have no might he increaseth strength. (30) Even
the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly
fall: (31) But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew
their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall
run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
IF GOD DOES NOT FAINT, AND IF YOUTH FAINT, AND IF WE NOT FAINT, God
must give us HIS POWER.
Union to God requires us to understand we need to tap into His power
and not run on our own.
- Isaiah 40 is emphasizing union to God for power.
- It is revealing what we can experience if we acknowledge our
union by atonement, and operate in KINGDOM POWER.
God spoke from BETWEEN CHERUBIMS ON ARK.
- In the burning bush, GOD ALSO SPOKE from between the
BRANCHES of the bush that did not burn out.
- His WORD cried out to Moses about the message of union.
Cherubim were made from one solid piece of gold that mercyseat was made
from.
- We're molded into this throne.
- We're so united to this power, we're molded OUT OF IT.
The same thing happened with JOSHUA.
Joshua 5:13-6:3 KJV And it came to pass, when Joshua was by
Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there
stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and
Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our
adversaries? (14) And he said, Nay; but as captain of the
host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the
earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his
servant? (15) And the captain of the LORD'S host said unto
Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou
standest is holy. And Joshua did so. (6:1) Now Jericho was
straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and
none came in. (2) And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I
have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the
mighty men of valour. (3) And ye shall compass the city,
all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do
six days. Joshua 6:4 KJV And seven priests shall bear
before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day ye
shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the
trumpets.
Joshua entered the HOLIEST, and God told him to remove his shoes as He
told Moses.
- And what God said to Joshua was also the concept of Joshua's
need of UNION to God to accomplish the task.
- Joshua was not going to add this captain to his army, nor
was this captain for the enemy.
- Joshua had to join the CAPTAIN'S ranks and be directed by
the captain!
- Moses tried in his own effort and failed.
- God told Him God would do the delivering using Moses.
- Now Joshua was told to follow God's direction and not
attempt anything in his own power.
- And it involved the ark, the symbol of this UNION by
ATONEMENT.
MOSES was told UNION.
JOSHUA WAS TOLD POWER IN UNION AT EDGE OF THE KINGDOM LAND.
Both these men experienced this after 40 years when previously failure
occurred.
- Forty years before, Moses failed in leading Israel in human
power.
- Forty years before Joshua, Israel was faced with entrance
into Canaan and doubted they could handle it through thinking in terms
of self power and self ability.
- Joshua had it right forty years earlier when he explained
these words to the doubting Israelites:
Numbers 14:6-9 KJV And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son
of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their
clothes: (7) And they spake unto all the company of the
children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search
it, is an exceeding good land. (8) If the LORD delight in
us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which
floweth with milk and honey. (9) Only rebel not ye against
the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread
for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us:
fear them not.
Joshua had the concept of atonement when he said they could take the
land FOR THE LORD IS WITH US.
Atonement means GOD IS WITH US.
It was like he upheld the ark and cried I AM ONE WITH GOD, and so are
you, due to the blood sprinkled on this mercyseat.
- We're on the throne that this ark depicts, with God.
- We have the power THROUGH HIM.
This is what they did later and what God told them to do later with the
ark in Jordan.
- It's what they did with the ark around Jericho.
And the same walls they feared 40 years earlier due to know
acknowledging God was WITH THEM, were specifically thrown down in
Jericho when the ark was marched around the city for seven days!
The concept of GOD IS WITH US, and we are ON THE THRONE WITH HIM must
be understood.
- We must act according to THAT truth and then with FAITH he
is WITH US, we will see Him honour that faith and empower us.
JOHN 12 and THE KING/ ISAIAH 6
This is in fact noted in the very chapter in the New Testament when
Jesus rode into Jerusalem as HER KING, and John wrote:
John 12:12-15 KJV On the next day much people that were come to
the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,
(13) Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and
cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name
of the Lord. (14) And Jesus, when he had found a young ass,
sat thereon; as it is written, (15) Fear not, daughter of
Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt.
He spoke of HIS DEATH.
John 12:24 KJV Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of
wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it
bringeth forth much fruit.
Then of AT ONE MENT:
John 12:31-33 KJV Now is the judgment of this world: now shall
the prince of this world be cast out. (32) And I, if I be
lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. (33)
This he said, signifying what death he should die.
And John commented that Isaiah's prophecy of HIS GLORY -- Him on the
throne with seraphims overhead -- notes at the end of Isaiah 6 the
words describing Israel's unbelief for their King.
John 12:39-41 KJV Therefore they could not believe, because that
Esaias said again, (40) He hath blinded their eyes, and
hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor
understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal
them. (41) These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory,
and spake of him.
WHEN HE SAW GLORY FIXING TO BURST FROM HIS THRONE into the world.
- Jesus was fixing to GO TO THIS THRONE AND burst FORTH glory
from HIS THRONE at this time.
Isaiah 6:8-10 KJV Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying,
Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send
me. (9) And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye
indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.
(10) Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears
heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear
with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be
healed.
John said Isaiah said this when he saw JESUS' GLORY.
- When we read Isaiah 6 we read of Jesus HIGH AND LIFTED UP
with seraphims overhead.
- John called it HIS GLORY.
- THE ARK OF THE COVENANT was called the GLORY OF GOD, when
Ichabod was born after the ark was taken, and the mother said it was
because the glory had departed
- The ARK had departed.
1 Samuel 4:21 KJV And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The
glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and
because of her father in law and her husband.
GLORY WAS COMING BACK!
Just as Isaiah saw the GLORY of Jesus in his 6th chapter, it was like
seeing the ark since the ark was patterned after that very picture.
And if you follow it through, just as Ezekiel saw the GLORY with
cherubims leave the temple and go to the EAST MOUNTAIN.
Ezek 10 shows the glory going to the east door, and chapter 11 speaks
of men who devise mischief and give wicked counsel... and God says the
city shall be her caldron...
- Then God says He would do a work and gather his people from
afar and make a new covenant with them and put His Spirit in them.
Ezekiel 11:22-23 KJV Then did the cherubims lift up their wings,
and the wheels beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel was over
them above. (23) And the glory of the LORD went up from the
midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the east
side of the city.
The very thing Jesus did after he was rejected in Jerusalem.
Matthew 24:1,3 KJV And Jesus went out, and departed from the
temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of
the temple.
(3) And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came
unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and
what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
THE MOUNT OF OLIVES IS THE EAST MOUNTAIN BESIDE THE CITY!
Ezekiel was seeing a vision of the GREAT fulfillment of all this in the
time of JESUS WHO CAME AS KING TO THE CITY JERUSALEM!
BUT LATER The same prophet sees the GLORY RETURN TO THE TEMPLE'S EAST
GATE:
Ezekiel 43:1-4 KJV Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the
gate that looketh toward the east: (2) And, behold, the
glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice
was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his
glory. (3) And it was according to the appearance of the
vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came
to destroy the city: and the visions were like the vision that I saw by
the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face. (4) And the
glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate whose
prospect is toward the east.
And then a RIVER flowing from the temple's east door.
Ezekiel 47:1 KJV Afterward he brought me again unto the door of
the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of
the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the
east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the
house, at the south side of the altar.
Ezekiel 47:12 KJV And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this
side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall
not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring
forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they
issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat,
and the leaf thereof for medicine.
ISAIAH AND EZEKIEL SEE SAME EVENT
And this is a parallel and COMPLIMENTARY vision to what ISAIAH saw in
chapter 6.
- Both accounts speak of GOD'S GLORY.
- This is what the ark was called.
- It was what John said Isaiah saw.
- The ark looked like the scene Isaiah 6 shows us.
- And the SERAPHIMS were crying aloud of His glory!
- Ready to bust out at the threshhold of the house.
Isaiah 6:3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy,
holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
(4) And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that
cried, and the house was filled with smoke.
And Ezekiel saw it COME OUT!
Isiah saw the SOURCING.
And when we come to the end of Revelation in ch 22, we see the same
picture Ezekiel saw - PULLING TOGETHER BOTH ISAIAH'S VISION AND
REVELATION'S VISION.
Revelation 22:1-2 KJV And he shewed me a pure river of water of
life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the
Lamb. (ISAIAH 6) (2) In the midst of the street of it, and
on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare
twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the
leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (Ezekiel 47)
Here, the throne is called the throne of the COMBINATION OF God
and the Lamb.
- GOD WITH OUR REPRESENTATIVE MAN.
This throne is in a city that is foursquare, with length, height and
breadth as long as each other.
Revelation 21:16 KJV And the city lieth foursquare, and the
length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the
reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the
height of it are equal.
The only other place that was cube shaped was the holiest of holies in
which the ark of the covenant sat.
1 Kings 6:20 KJV And the oracle in the forepart was twenty cubits
in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the
height thereof: and he overlaid it with pure gold; and so covered the
altar which was of cedar.
And from the throne comes a river of life.
- This river is associated with ministering to a woman at a
well in John 4.
- Jesus spoke of rivers of living water.
- He said He could give it to her.
- And this river flows from the throne of the combination of
God and the Lamb.
- Ministry flows from this combination.
John 14:12 KJV Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth
on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than
these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
Notice Jesus associated greater works IN OUR LIVES with going to the
Father, which was fulfilled when He sat down on the throne with the
Father.
- So, His seating on the throne has to do with feats that we
can accomplish.
- We are tied into His seating on the throne.
- Going to the Father simply refers to sitting on the throne
with the Father.
Doing something in this world is was it emphasized.
- The Kingdom message is that we must do something in this
world.
- And our view of prophecy is so vital because most views
promote an escapist mentality.
- "Get us out of this world."
- "Raise red heifers so the end will come when high priests
are again ordained to offer sacrifices so as to cause temple sacrifice
to begin and recommence the 70th week of Daniel."
Jesus prayed we remain in the world and be kept while in it.
- Paul decided that it was better to remain with the church
than to be absent from his mortal body to be present with the Lord.
- And futurism concentrates on getting out of the world.
Something must happen.
Christ was raised to the throne so we would do greater works.
- think about it -- His seating there would cause us to do
greater works.
- We're connected to Him and He is on the throne.
- His power is connected to us.
- We can do great feats because His power on that throne is
connected to us.
- We're in atonement with Him.
And not only was Christ said to be seated there, but we were raised
with Him and seated with Him over all powers.
- Christ's presence there stands for our presence there, too.
- So it is a picture of MANKIND redeemed and in union to God.
- And it all focuses on what the ark represents -- the throne
of God.
- Wherever He is, we are.
We became inseparably united to Him in union at the point of when He
died.
Adam was meant to rule with God, so you could say Adam and God were
meant to be seated together.
- But Adam failed.
- Therefore, Jesus, the last man Adam, succeeded and now sits
with God.
- And we are seated with Him.
- So we see a picture of ministry flowing from the throne to
the world.
The Kingdom is represented by the fact that we need union to God
through Christ and then sit on the throne and minister to the world.
- We need to believe in our connection to Christ who is on the
throne, and thereby believe Him for greater works to come forth from
our lives.
- The ark shows the throne and atonement, the two elements
stressed in the Kingdom.
- Man must unite to God in true atonement.
- We must UNDERSTAND or SEE this to benefit from the Kingdom
position we have in Christ
This is the message of Romans 6.
- Religion taught Paul to try his human best to work for God.
- The goal was good works.
- But Paul failed every time.
- He learned that he lacked the key of union to God in order
to truly be able to work.
And Paul said this must be first KNOWN, then RECKONED to oneself and
then we must finally act on that and present ourselves to God.
KNOWING means UNDERSTANDING.
- We have to SEE this truth.
- SEEING THIS will lead to reckoning to be true about us,
which will bring action.
Romans 6's notes about Christ's death into which we are baptized is
actually showing atonement.
- The sacrifice's relevance or purpose was to stand in the
place of the offerer.
- The offerer's sins were cast onto the sacrifice so that when
it died, the person was considered to have died and paid the penalty
for sin.
Doing everything through effort of solely using flesh sees us fail and
not progress.
God wants to rip off the top of the ceiling of our progress by granting
a revelation of Kingdom Seating with Christ concerning union to Him and
experience what atonement truly achieved for us to experience.
The two trees show the difference.
John 6:57 KJV As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by
the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
LIKE FRUIT OF LIFE.
This is living by this Life.
- The reason Paul spoke as one failing, to teach what and what
not to do, in Romans 7 was because he described failing by living
through human life alone.
- You can have the life of God in you but not live by it.
- Living by the Lord's life takes some understanding and
learning.
- You cannot do it without having been taught how.
Notice that Jesus said we eat Him so as to live by Him.
- This means that eating the fruit of Life represents living
by Jesus.
- If we have not learned to live by Jesus, then we have never
actually feasted on the fruit of Life.
- Living by our natural man and natural mind is eating of the
fruit of the knowledge of good and evil.
- Paul concentrated so much upon good and evil and acquiring
that knowledge in order to live right, that he was eating of the fruit
of the knowledge of good and evil.
- Paul said he did not know evil and sin except but by the law.
- This is the knowledge of evil.
- Adam did not know he was naked until he ate of the forbidden
fruit.
When the word goes into our hearts, we will not sin.
Psalms 119:11 KJV Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might
not sin against thee.
ARK HAD LAW INSIDE.
Hebrews 8:7-12 KJV For if that first covenant had been faultless,
then should no place have been sought for the second. (8)
For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the
Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with
the house of Judah: (9) Not according to the covenant that
I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to
lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my
covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. (10) For
this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after
those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and
write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall
be to me a people: (11) And they shall not teach every man
his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for
all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. (12) For
I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their
iniquities will I remember no more.
This is the SEED OF THE WORD entering into the HEART (NOT BRAIN) of a
person so as to reproduce GOOD WORKS like fruit from a branch and
children from a wife.
- Both the seed of a man and the sap from a tree's vine causes
LIFE to enter the believer.
- LIFE is not knowledge.
- It is not living.
The ark had the LAW placed within itself.
This is like the heart of man where Jesus rules.
- The throne is the heart of man.
- It has God's law in it.
- It shows the thought of the law written in the heart.
It had a branch inside that thrived after being dead, and represented
high priesthood.
- HE IS VINE AND WE BRANCHES.
- This is resurrection, as well as the branch concept of
receiving life from the vine.
- Moses learned the lesson of being branches when he saw the
bush burning with fire and the bush not being consumed.
- Man will run and not be weary and walk and not faint if he
can learn to live by another life.
- MOSES BURNT OUT.
- Wait on the Lord and do not run on ahead on our own
independence.
- Youth finally do faint.
- But relying on the LIFE of God is waiting on the Lord, so we
never faint and get weary, since we're empowered by divine steam...
eternal life that does not die nor get tired.
The veil on the holiest and the ark with cherubims GAZING at the
mercyseat emphasized UNDERSTANDING since the cherubims were there with
eyes all over them.
Kingdom realm.
- Most holy place.
- Garden Room.
- Wings as eagles are attached to the cherubims.
Manna in the ark shows the principle as well.
- Jesus said He was manna from heaven.
- In the same chapter he spoke of eating his flesh and
drinking his blood.
- Same chapter he multiplied bread and fishes.
- Christ is multiplied.
- More union understanding.
- Through His cross He is multiplied.
He emphasized having everlasting life in John 6.
John 6:53 says without his blood we have no life in us.
John 6:49-53 KJV Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness,
and are dead. (50) This is the bread which cometh down from
heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. (51) I am
the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this
bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my
flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. (52)
The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man
give us his flesh to eat? (53) Then Jesus said unto them,
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of
man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.