February 1, 2009

• Hebrews 11:8-10 by Pastor Don

  Still going through Hebrews, what a wonderful book of the Bible!  There is something to be said about savoring the Word of God.

  Hebrews 11:8-10 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

  Hebrews offers examples of people who have lived faith successfully.  If they could successfully do it, so can we.

  To find out more about Abraham we then looked back at his story in Genesis 12. God is going to tell Abraham to leave his country and travel to an unknown destination that God would reveal in due time.  We are not like Abraham.  When we get a job or choose a college we tend to explore the area and get to know it before we make a decision to move, then we pack and move. 

  Abraham receives a clear word from God, loads up everything and everybody and says, “Let’s do this.”  That took a tremendous amount of faith. 1,500 mules and camels and walking. They had to take everything because they did not know what they would need to survive.  This could mean months of travel so they had to pack well. Most of us could not survive if we did not have a house or a hotel, for we are not trained to live off the land. 

  Abraham had a waking vision.  Genesis 12:1 Now the LORD had said to Abram:  “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you.

  Pastor Don told us that Abraham was not perfect, he just obeyed and trusted God and that made him righteous.  He acted in faith and took the steps God told him to.  That is what made him holy.  So often we pray to God to bless our mess, but God also wants obedience from us.

  Genesis 12:2-3 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great;  and you shall be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

  Because of Abraham’s obedience, we are blessed for we are part of ALL the families of the earth. This is one of the steps to completing the Messianic prophesy that was given in Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”

  All the families of earth were blessed, Messiah will come.  The coming of Messiah also blesses the cursed, for they can turn back from their ways and choose to know the truth. God makes all things evident and clear. 

  Pastor Don told us that when he wasn’t living right it was a blessing to know what right living is. For those under the Old Covenant, the ultimate salvation was to say that they were happy and blessed.  Under the New Covenant some take the Old Covenant scriptures and twist them, misinterpreting them.  Yet all the families of the earth are blessed. One such scripture is used to imply in error that all will be saved, even satan.

  1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

  THe false teaching states that this is the ultimate salvation – every human is a son of Adam, and in Christ we shall all be made alive.  ALL means ALL. Everyone is made alive and forgiven and can be with the Lord IN CHRIST.  Christ is the Savior of all.

  Some people want to say that Jesus is so merciful and kind that He will condemn nobody, everyone will be saved. But we can’t read the above verse in isolation.  There will be those who are saved and those who are unsaved.  Whosoever WILL – we are given free will.  Some think that there is no free will, that God predestines everything, and all made alive in Christ. 

  TO READ A PASSAGE IN CONTEXT – we need to read ahead and behind the verse in question.  So we looked at 1 Corinthians 15:20  But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.  Christ is the firstfruits of those who died, and those who died will be raised again and given full resurrection bodies. 1Corithians 15:21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead Jesus came to earth fully human and fully divine, and through Him came the resurrection of the dead.  1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. Sons of Adam (whom we all are) will all experience death, and it is only in Christ that All will be made alive. When and what is Paul talking about:  1 Corinthians 15:23  But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. There is an order in which we are resurrected in Christ.  All will die and all will be made alive, but in a particular order.

  We see more of what will happen by reading Revelation 19-20

  Revelation 19:5-7 Then a voice came from the throne, saying, “Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!” And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”  This speaks of the Bride of Christ and the Rapture.

  Revelation 19:9,11 Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”…(11) Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.

  This is during or after the wedding feast of the lamb.

  Revelation 19:14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. riding down to earth.

  Revelation 19:15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. Strike the nations, this is the culmination.

  Revelation 19:17-18 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, “Come and gather together for the supper of the great God, that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great.”  People are dying and the ravaging birds are gathering – at their supper.

  Revelation 19:19-21 And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh. Armageddon is a battle that is NOT fought, it is over before it really begins.  The beast and false prophets are all cast into the lake of fire, and the rest are killed with the sword. (Jesus’ sword is the Word of God.)

  Revelation 20 covers the 1000 year reign and satan is in the bottomless pit.

  Revelation 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

  There will be judgment, and it will be in the order in which the dead were raised.  First the Bride of Christ, then the Dead through the Tribulation.

  Revelation 20:7 Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison 

  Satan is released.

  Revelation 20:9-10 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

  The devil was cast into the lake of fire where the beast and the false prophet are.

  Revelation 20:11-12  Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.

  Then comes the Great White Throne Judgment, the dead which have not been resurrected IN CHRIST, are resurrected and they are judged according to works.

  Revelation 20:13-14 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

  Christ judges and anyone whose name was not written in the book of life will face a second death in the lake of fire for eternity.

  Revelation 20:15  And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

  1 Corinthians 15:23-24 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.

  Each one in order, and then the dead.  Christ raises all the rest of the dead, those not in Christ, and judges, then Christ delivers the Kingdom to God.

  1 Corinthians 15:25-27  For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. For “He has put all things under His feet.” But when He says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted.

  The last enemy destroyed is death.  Death and hades are raised and all are cast into the lake of fire.

  When we read this scripture 1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.  in context we see that it does NOT say that all will be made alive and forgiven.  All will be raised in Christ, in a set order, and there will be judgment. 

  Scripture cannot contradict scripture.  Some will try to trap and deceive you by altering scripture, and that can only be effective if you are 1. unprepared or 2 willing to be deceived.

  Pastor Don told us that our moral questions have to be answered and the best thing to do is ask ourselves, “What did God say?”  We may want a different answer but we have to defer to God. We may want it to be “yes” but we must do what God says. Also we need to tell the truth about our weaknesses  and not pretend that we are what we are not.  God deals with us differently if we are honest about our sin than when we try to call the shots.

  We then went back to look more at Abraham, and I will continue that tomorrow.

  Hoping you are enjoying the Super Bowl.

  Heather

  • 7:06 pm
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