Throughout my youth, the stories of the patriarchs of our faith have been branded in my heart and mind. As God chose a people through Abraham’s faith and that adoption became a birthright for Isaac, Jacob and Joseph; the stories of their journey laid the foundation that has become our heritage in Christ. There were fourteen generations from Abraham to David; fourteen generations from David to the Babylonian Captivity and fourteen generations from the Babylonian captivity to Jesus Christ.
Matthew 1:17 ESV So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.
The number seven has been profoundly important to God in that He rested on the seventh day of creation and the Sabbath was instituted as a commanded observance for all mankind for ever! That means eternity! God does not play with words. The Almighty God means what He says!
There were six cycles of seven generations from Abraham until Christ. Then the LORD of the Sabbath came on the seen to give the people rest. Jesus brought to us a rest from our sinful nature and history. As a balm from Gilead, Jesus came to heal the sin-sick soul, as the song says:
There is a balm in Gilead
To make the wounded whole;
There is a balm in Gilead
To heal the sin-sick soul.
Jesus became the remedy for sin’s death and a healing for its scourge! The enemy has been defeated! Sin, whose author is the devil, along with it penalty of death and its destructive power to suck the vitality out of life; sin has been defeated. The words of the prophet Isaiah have come true and are our hallmark promise to claim in Christ! No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper! This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD and our righteousness is of the LORD! Christ has assured us the victory!
Isaiah 54:17 KJV No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.
1 Corinthians 15:57 KJV But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God who was slain from the foundation of the world and died to give us the victory by redeeming us from sin's jaws of death while we were yet sinners; before we were ever even conceived. Life can be tough and at times it seems like there is no way out and that we can’t go on. While writing this, a good friend just found out that her mother died in her sleep last night. She was in perfect health and so this is so unexpected. We all need to say a prayer for my friend Kathy and her family at this shocking loss. Our lives can be turned upside down and inside out without any notice.
It was less than five months ago that my wife called an ambulance for me; rushed to the hospital in a life threatening condition that was expected to claim my life. My life was plummeted into a fiery trial that has lasted from April until now. Two full months were spent in the hospital and full recovery still eludes me. A very serious breathing condition could become life threatening without any warning; but God is good and I thank Jesus Christ that he has allowed me to resume my writing, and teaching/preaching ministry. As with the Apostle Paul, “the LORD’s grace is enough.”
We see through human eyes when we lean upon our own understanding; but Jesus has paved the way for us to have His power through the Holy Ghost to see with divine eyes. When trials hit and we find ourselves in the fire with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; we must remember that there was a fourth in the fire with them; that was Jesus Christ. The LORD is also always with us and He knows the end from the beginning. In the end WE WIN! Knowing the final outcome of all things; we need to see through the divine eyes that Christ has given us.
Isaiah 46:9-10 KJV Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, (10) Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
The Holy Ghost is in all who have surrendered to Jesus Christ and have been baptized in His name; but it is up to us to yield to the Holy Ghost. That promised gift has applied the blood of Jesus Christ to our lives in adoption; making us blood relatives and heirs together with Abraham. The power is in us now. The heritage of Abraham empowers us now as it did in ancient times to live by faith in the spirit and to arise out of the depths of destruction and sinful worldliness; into the marvelous light of the Kingdom of God. As ambassadors for Christ, we have the Kingdom with us presently and need to live in its reality now!
No comments:
Post a Comment