Genesis 3:19 KJV 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. Genesis 3:24 KJV So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. Matthew 16:18 KJV And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
In Jesus Christ's words to Peter, we read that there are GATES OF HELL attempting to prevail, and a ROCK upon which Jesus would build the church.
So picture a Mountain -- rock -- where God wants to build His church.
We know the church is not a building, as so many mistakenly think it is.
Now, Peter said this very thing! 1 Peter 2:3-10 KJV If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. (4) To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, (5) Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. (6) Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. (7) Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, (8) And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. (9) But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: (10) Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Peter should know what the rock is upon which the church is to be built if anyone would know!
And Paul said this about it: 1 Corinthians 3:11 KJV For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. And the thought of "HELL" here is very important.
So picture DEATH as a HINDRANCE to keep people away from this ROCK and THIS PLACE where Jesus wants to build the church. This is exactly what we read in Genesis 3!
The devil was wise.
Genesis 3:24 KJV So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. He placed this GATE there in the way. But Satan knew he would, so he had man play into his hands so as to get GOD to put this GATE of death there.
So the GATES OF HELL would NOT prevail against the church being built on the rock.
Now, note as well that it is a ROCK upon which the church is built.
Did you know that the GARDEN was on a mountain? Ezekiel 28:13-14 KJV Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. (14) Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Eden was a district. Genesis 2:8 KJV And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. "IN EDEN" means EDEN was a larger region. And then there was the MOUNTAIN in the GARDEN. Like a temple -- outer court was Eden, holy place was the garden and the most holy was the MOUNTAIN. And picture a RIVER flowing down in four parts from this mountain to all the world! The bible speaks of the MOUNTAIN OF GOD. Psalms 48:1-2 KJV Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. (2) Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. Notice that A CITY is associated with this MOUNTAIN, and the MOUNTAIN IS ZION. (More on that later). Notice that Adam was created from DUST OUTSIDE THE GARDEN. Genesis 2:7-8 KJV And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (8) And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. And when Adam would DIE, God put him OUT of the Garden to return to the DUST OUTSIDE where he came from. Genesis 3:19 KJV 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. Genesis 3:23 KJV Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So OUTSIDE the Garden is DEATH.
In the story of Abraham and Isaac, God told Abraham that ISAAC must die.
Genesis 22:1-2 KJV And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. (2) And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. God would show him a place. Genesis 22:4 KJV Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. After the ordeal we read: Genesis 22:14 KJV And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen. We know it WAS A MOUNTAIN, due to the information in that verse. MARGIN REFERENCE SAYS: "it shall be seen: “In the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” The meaning is, that God, in the greatest difficulties, when all human assistance is vain, will make a suitable provision for the deliverance of those who trust in Him." Moriah means "SEEN OF GOD." We know that Abram was threatened by facing the death of his only son!
Hebrews 11:17-19 KJV By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, (18) Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: (19) Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure. Abraham did not know how, but he knew Isaac would come back from the dead. FAITH IN RESURRECTION!!! Genesis 22:5 KJV And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. RESURRECTION POWER defeats the very hindering powers of the GATE!!! Genesis 22:10-13 KJV And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. (11) And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. (12) And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. (13) And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. And this episode of the ram being substituted as Isaac was described by Paul as Abraham receiving Isaac from the dead IN A FIGURE.
On THAT MOUNTAIN is where the HOUSE OF GOD WOULD BE BUILT!
Recall 1 Chron 21 when David was about to see Jerusalem die because of f his sin.
He cried to be taken instead.
1 Chronicles 21:18 KJV Then the angel of the LORD commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up, and set up an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite. GO ON UP, DAVID! You passed the GATE! You passed the TEST! And God allowed another life to be taken instead of David's! In BOTH CASES, DEATH, LIKE GATES, could not prevail against one.
Abraham loved God! David Loved God! Romans 8:28 KJV And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. And recall Jesus said he would build his church on this rock.
In Exodus 24, God told Moses to COME UP and receive tablets of stone written on both sides (Ex 32:15).
Exodus 24:1 KJV And he said unto Moses, Come up unto the LORD, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye afar off. Exodus 24:12 KJV And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them. Revelation 4:1 KJV After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. But John was stopped at the door.
He saw all sorts of sights at the doorway. Revelation 5:1-3 KJV And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. (2) And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? (3) And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. But he could not get in! 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. BUT ONE PREVAILED! JESUS!!!! And this mountain was where the THRONE WAS. John saw the CITY coming down... Revelation 21:2 KJV And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Revelation 21:9-10 KJV And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. (10) And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, And the angel took John to a HIGH MOUNTAIN to show him this city.
Revelation 22:1 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. THE THRONE OF GOD IS IN IT! Now this was the THRONE in Revelation 4!
In Moses' day MOUNT SINAI also showed the same picture. Hebrews 12:18 KJV For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, Only MOSES could go up Hebrews 12:20 KJV (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: But we read that THE MOUNT ZION, HEAVENLY JERUSALEM and CHURCH are all interchangeable titles for a PLACE WE HAVE COME TO! Hebrews 12:22-23 KJV But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, (23) To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, John was caught up to MOUNT ZION in heaven in John 4.
How could it be a mountain where we "are come" if it is in heaven?
Revelation 5:5-6 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. (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. HE PREVAILED AGAINST DEATH BECAUSE HE STOOD AS HE HAD BEEN SLAIN! And just as in Isaac and David's day on Mount Moriah, THE TRUTH OF ANOTHER'S DEATH COUNTING AS OUR OWN DEATHS CAUSES US TO SAY WE PREVAILED AGAINST DEATH! We went beyond this hindering gate of death WITH A FAITH THAT BELIEVES IN RESURRECTION WITH JESUS.
Hebrews 2:14-15 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; (15) And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Abraham had a faith in resurrection, though he did not understand just how it would occur.
And anything else that might HOLD YOU BACK is simply lesser than death.
You need to know about RESURRECTION.
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