TIME TO ENTER THE FULLNESS OF CHRIST

May 3, 1998 am
MF Blume



Jesus, in Himself, represents something we must not miss.

The book of Hebrews tells us that the land of Canaan was the REST for the Israelites, after dwelling in a land called Egypt that was only torture and whipping and slavery.

The Promised Land represents the KINGDOM OF GOD in Jesus Christ.

All that Israel would ever need would be in that land.

Go into the fulness of what God has for you.

They had been 430 years in EGYPT.

They left Egypt and 3 months later arrived at Canaan's border, Kadesh-Barnea.

Between the Old and New Testament there was 400 years.

AT JESUS, people divide themselves, as at the border of the Land of Canaan.

Israel celebrated the FEAST OF TABERNACLES every year in Jerusalem. This was the feast of Tabernacles. A feast they celebrated in thanks that they came out of Egypt, dwelt in a wilderness in tabernacles or tents and finally came to the Land of Canaan.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES:

Why not go all the way with Jesus and enter into the FULNESS OF CHRIST? Why disbelieve and doubt?

OUTER COURT

HOLY PLACE

HOLIEST OF HOLIES

During the time of doubting they could enter Canaan, God told Moses that they would die in the wilderness.


The Amalekites defeated them and they could not enter.

In the Old Testament, Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu (Lev. 10), tried going into the Holiest of Holies without being properly consecrated, like Israel trying to get into the land after God said no.

Notice they would not enter because it was God's will for them to enter, but because they were told they would die in the wilderness.

Because Israel doubted, and as a result they would die forty years later.

Jesus wept.

It is uncanny that Jesus began preaching 430 years after God spoke to Malachi, exactly the same amount of years that Israel was in Egypt until they left and came to Canaan (3 months in the wilderness). And then when they came to the border and doubted, God said 40 years later they would die and the younger would enter. Exactly 40 years after Jesus wept for them, Rome's armies came to Jerusalem and destroyed the city, and the Jews never returned to Israel until 1948.

Do not come for fear of hell, but to obey God -- for the right reason.

If you had known this day

69 weeks of years, not days.

Three possible decrees to rebuild the City are in the Bible.

  1. 536 B.C. - In Kings
  2. 457 B.C. - In Ezra
  3. 445 B.C. - In Nehemiah
Nehemiah's reference fit the bill:

Let us compare this with Luke's account. Luke wrote the Gospel with a very clear and historically accurate mindset as stated in the start of the Gospel.

Luke excellent historian.

When was this day?

  1. Year of Inauguration.
  2. Year of Popularity.
  3. Year of Opposition.