THE RIVER THAT MAKES ALL THINGS NEW
(Continued from this morning) May 2, 2004 pm John 7:38-39 (38) He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (39) (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) Not until Jesus is glorified would this river flow.
(30) When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. He dies on the cross and says IT IS FINISHED. He resurrects from the dead: John 20:17 (17) Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. He says He is going to ascend. And then ... Act 1:4 (4) And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. Act 1:9 (9) And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. Act 2:1-4 (1) And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. (2) And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. (3) And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. (4) And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Then Peter explains it all, and it takes us right back to the picture of the RIVER. Act 2:30-33 (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. This morning I preached a sermon entitled SATURATED AND BLESSED BY THE RIVER OF LIFE. We spoke of these verses and realized they are associated with each other... Psalm 1:1-6 (1) Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. (2) But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. (3) And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. (4) The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. (5) Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. (6) For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish. Ezekiel 47:1-12 (1) 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. (3) And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles. (4) Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through; the waters were to the loins. (5) Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over. (6) And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this? Then he brought me, and caused me to return to the brink of the river. (7) Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other. Let's go further with this thought from this morning.
Notice that Ezekiel gets wetter and wetter, while the sinner becomes drier and drier until he blows away like chaff.
The picture of the chaff blown away in the wind remind me of this passage from another vision. Dan 2:34-35 (34) Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. (35) Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. Dan 2:44-45 (44) And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. (45) Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure. The kingdoms of this world crumble and turn to chaff of the summer threshingfloors and are carried away by the wind. Rev 20:11-12 (11) And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. (12) And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. Watch the comparison: --Rev 20: 11 ...from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. --Dan 2:(35) Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: --Psalm 1:(4) The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. There is a white throne judgment in Revelation 20.
Rev 22:1 (1) 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. Psalm 1 speaks of the same river where people are like trees planted by the waters. Jesus said that rivers of living water would flow to all who thirst and come to Him.
(38) He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (39) (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) Not until Jesus is glorified would this river flow.
(30) When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. He dies on the cross and says IT IS FINISHED. He resurrects from the dead: John 20:17 (17) Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. He says He is going to ascend. And then ... Act 1:4 (4) And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. Act 1:9 (9) And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. Act 2:1-4 (1) And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. (2) And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. (3) And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. (4) And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Then Peter explains it all, and it takes us right back to the picture of the RIVER. Act 2:30-33 (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. Peter said that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead and exalted to the RIGHT HAND THRONE OF GOD.
(6) Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. (7) And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? (8) And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? (9) Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, (10) Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, (11) Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. (12) And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this? The entire issue was speaking in tongues. Act 2:14-17 (14) But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: (15) For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. (16) But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; (17) And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: Peter says what they heard and saw -- people speaking in tongues and speaking wonderful works of God -- WAS THE POURING OUT OF GOD'S SPIRIT.
(6) And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. (7) And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. This lamb was mentioned first at the fifth chapter of Revelation.
(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. He overcame and sat down with His Father in His throne! THE ENTIRE REASON HE HAD TO SIT ON THAT THRONE -- THE ENTIRE REASON HE DIED AND RESURRECTED AND WENT TO THE FATHER -- ...was to SHED FORTH THIS RIVER OF LIFE that we read about in the Book of Revelation 20. And this entire purpose all circled around the cross!
Rev 21:5-7 (5) And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. (6) And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. (7) He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. He would make ALL THINGS NEW!
Rev 21:4 (4) And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. Revelation 22 also speaks very similarly.
(17) And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; (18) Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; (19) In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. Rev 22:3-4 (3) And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: (4) And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. No more curse. No more death. And notice what we read here, THEY SHALL SEE HIS FACE AND HIS NAME SHALL BE IN THEIR FOREHEADS.
(18) But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. When you SEE HIS FACE, it is speaking about turning your HEART to Jesus. 2Co 3:15-16 (15) But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. (16) Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. You turn your heart to the Lord and See His face, and are changed into the same image! Remember that the ungodly have all dried up and blown away with the wind by this point.
(5) Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; (6) Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; (7) That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. The Holy Ghost is SHED FORTH, like rivers of life from the throne of God.
Ezekiel 47:9 (9) And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh. All things are made NEW BY THE RIVER.
1Co 12:13 (13) For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. Spirit baptism is considered DRINKING INTO ONE SPIRIT. This world needs preachers that are filled with God's Spirit through whom the river of Flows flows out and washes all over the listeners.
We read of the JUDGMENT THRONE. 2Co 5:10 (10) For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Psalm 1 says Sinners cannot stand this judgment. Then we read in the same chapter. 2Co 5:13-14 (13) For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause. (14) For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: Whether Paul looked crazy or sober, he said whatever the case he was sincere and preached to them this truth that Christ died as you, so that you can be delivered from death. 2Co 5:15 (15) And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. And then, after speaking of the judgment throne, and the death of Christ, we read words we find in Revelation's vision that we have studied. 2Co 5:17 (17) Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. Rev 21:5 (5) And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. THE ONE ON THE THRONE SAYS THIS.... Because the RIVER THAT MAKES THINGS NEW AND REMOVES DEATH FLOWS FROM THAT THRONE! You see, the one on the throne does the JUDGING, but actually HAS THE REMEDY SO YOU ARE NOT CAUGHT IN IT ALL AND BLOWN AWAY LIKE CHAFF IN THE WIND TO NOTHINGNESS. Let God's RIVER OF LIFE, the HOLY GHOST BAPTISM, make you new and take you out of this world one day into another world of eternal life!
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