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When the Lord came in time, we.
Had.
Whatever.
It is.
And.
You ought to read from verse 12. We might have gone over it a little bit.
Verse 12 Where Wherefore I will not be negligent, but you always in remembrance of these things, though you know them, and be established in the present truth. Yeah, I think it meet as long as I'm in this Tabernacle to stir, go up by putting you in remembrance, knowing that shortly I must put off this my Tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ has showed me. Moreover, I will endeavor that he may be at may be able, after my decease, to have these things always in rememberance.
Where we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
But were eyewitnesses of His Majesty, For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory. This is my beloved Son, and whom I am well pleased. This voice which came from heaven, we heard when we were with him in the holy Mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy, For until you do well that you take heed and unto a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts.
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Knowing this first that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation where the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, the holy men of God spake, as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
You know, this whole book is a book to call Remembrance, but we have, I think that the Ministry of our Grace, the last meeting was.
Was good to conform to this reading of this whole book.
The second chapters, not just something added to it, is to call the remembrance of the grace of God what's going to take place on the earth in the last days.
The third chapter talk some more about bringing in to remembrance.
So we need to be stirred up by the remembrance of the grace of God, opposition He's placed us in through the blood of the Lord Jesus.
The Apostle Peter is about to give us a.
A good and an eyewitness report.
On that precious experience that he and two other disciples had.
On the mount of Transfiguration.
But before he gives it, he makes an interesting statement. We have not followed cunningly devised fables.
The world is full of cunningly devised fables.
That is, men have made-up.
All sorts of.
Ideas and stories about God and about creation and so on. And they have made them up out of their own imagination and some of them do pretty good job because they have detailed minds and can imagine all sorts of things.
But I'll share with you something that's very precious to me.
And that is 1 Servant of the Lord, speaking about the life and work of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Said this.
It would have taken a Jesus to have invented a Jesus.
The story of our Lord Jesus Christ is so precious and so.
For the display of God.
That no human person could ever have imagined such a wonderful character.
Now some folks like fiction.
And they like to read love stories and all that kind of thing. And they like to read about heroes and heroines.
And so on.
And authors are quite capable of imagining very nice people in their stories.
But it would have taken a Jesus.
To have invented a Jesus, no one could have imagined such a wonderful person.
As the Lord Jesus Christ, who in every detail of his life and all his words and ways.
Where so intricately good.
And consistent with the glory of God and the revelation that God had given to man.
That no human being could have invented such a story or such a hero.
As he but there are many cunningly devised fables.
You and I possess the word of God.
And I would like to quote for you.
A poem? I guess it's not out of place to quote a poem in a Bible reading.
But this is a good one, and this came from the pen of an old English writer.
One of the Old English poets whose name was John Dryden.
I believe Mr. Greydon lived in the 1600s and he said this.
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As he commented on the word of God.
Whence but from heaven?
Could men unskilled in arts?
In several ages, born in several parts.
Weave such agreeing truths or how?
Or why could each conspire to cheat us?
With a lie. Those are profound words from one of our Old English poets.
And it's utterly impossible to think that the precious word of God that you and I hold in our hands is the product of man's imagination.
This is the revelation of God, and to read it is to understand it.
To be solved, but the world has rejected.
The Word of God.
In some parts that as some have rejected it, thank God you have not.
And thank God, by the grace of God, I have not. I accept this precious book as the holy word of the living God, and it's the book that speaks to my soul. But this poor world that doesn't want God's revelation.
Has invented cunningly devised fables. There's the fable of evolution.
And the best comment I've seen upon it in the last month is the bumper sticker I read.
Which that evolutionists make monkeys out of themselves.
Well, that's a pretty good comment on evolution. It's a cunningly devised fable. And then there are the scientists that tell us that the world all started in a Big Bang and suddenly somewhere, somehow, there was a Big Bang.
And things kept going and going and going. And where are the results? Well, I don't know how you can believe that.
And then one dear young brother was telling me just before the meeting that now they've come up with a new idea.
And Mark Rogers was talking to me about it and.
What did you call that, mark, this new idea?
Ah, think of that. It's the theory of uniformity, and that is that everything is just been going on as it always has.
Wow. Got to be a little dense to accept that one. But there are a lot of cunningly devised fables, and I've only cited just a few of them, but there are many. My father-in-law, as you well know, Brother Dan Anderson, labored for the Lord in Africa, and he tried to help those natives understand that God had given a book that reveals himself and his ways, and he took that book to the dark parts of Africa and he talked to the natives and.
My father-in-law said to the natives, where did you come from?
Well, they said.
We just like the trees. We just grew.
So even in Africa they have their cunningly devised fables, so wherever you go on Earth, you'll find them.
And when man gives up the light, he ends up with darkness.
Precious book that we have in our hand is the Light and the beloved brethren. We have not followed cunningly devised fables.
And this book will stand every test that man can give it.
Thank God for it. Thank God we have such a resting place for our souls. God has spoken and here we have His word in our hands, and we can rest the destiny of our souls upon it.
In respect to cunning the device fables, I would like to read for us all the 4th chapter of the Epistle to the Ephesians, and I'm going to read it for Mr. Darby's translation, because it gives us the character of some of these fables and the purpose for which they are created.
I'm reading chapter 4.
Of Ephesians.
After it has pointed up the purpose.
For which God has given, or Christ really the ascended, glorified head of the assembly has given gifts to the assembly. Verse 14.
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In order that we may no longer be babes tossed and carried about by every wind of that teaching which is in the slate of men, in unprincipled cunning, with a view to systematize error. Now there you have the character, and the purpose of what man has created and introduced into the House of God that Peter refers to as cunningly devised fables.
They are stories with a moral point that lead men away from the truth.
And refused to allow men to be brought as to their conscience into the presence of God, and have that conscience wrought upon by the word of God.
And so it results in a vast system of error that our brother has very rightly described as darkness. Man has gone back to that darkness. Christ brought the light. The assembly is to be shining his lights in the world. But when it opened its arms and heart to the world early in her history, the light that was in her became darkness. And now there is every kind of a moral made story with a moral maid that keeps men out of the presence of God and keeps the word of God from acting upon their conscience.
The mine produces these things.
Apart from the spirit of God, and I believe we have to be very much on our guard that we do not approach any subject.
Merely by human intellect we have to have the help of the Spirit of God to give us understanding. The natural mind is darkened and we.
Needs divine help and the only way that we can even understand this book.
That is before us is that the Spirit of God opens it up to us, and we have to approach this in humility and ask for that divine help to open its pages to us. Cunningly devised fables as a result of the mind.
Undisciplined minds.
Trying to solve problems searching out things, not utilizing.
The help that God himself is willing to give. Left to himself they will produce more darkness.
Now indeed, brethren, to let the precious truth of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ sink into our souls, I really find for myself it's a tremendous challenge. We talk about the Lord's coming, and we can have it all straight as a doctrine, but if it doesn't affect our hearts and our souls, brethren, this is what it seems to me that comes so strongly before me in this.
Passage. These are not cunningly devised fables.
He says that we made known unto you, and we made known the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We were eyewitnesses of His Majesty. These things are real. They're going to happen.
And I must say in my own mind that I find I tend.
Dealing with the truth of the Lord's coming, my mind is some distant future out there.
The brethren, it could happen this afternoon that we're going to be caught into the Lord's presence, and what he speaks of here is really the coming Kingdom that will happen at the end of the tribulation period. That what it speaks of that everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, That.
Is going to be introduced in glory in this world. We too are going to be eyewitnesses of the introduction of the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus into this world. It's going to come with power and glory. We're going to accompany him. We're going to be eyewitnesses.
As by the word of his mouth he is going to smite before him the great armies of this earth, he is going to take the rod of his.
Justice. And he is going to reign supreme from sea to sea. These are real things, brethren. Sometimes I must have to say I confess that it almost seems too good to be true. But, brethren, if it's not true.
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Nothing's true. It's all true, brethren, and these things we need to get a glimpse of the glory. It's getting a glimpse of the glory that it's going to have an effect on our lives. Here, the Apostle Paul got a glimpse of the glory. He was caught up there as well, and he saw that glory. And from that time on, the Apostle Paul was a ruined man as far as worldly glory was concerned.
The apostle Peter got a glimpse of the glory along with two others, and.
They too were not interested in anything.
Short of that coming glory of the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And we need a glimpse of it, brethren, and let the reality of it. These are real things. They're going to take place.
They are not fables. Peter, James and John were eyewitnesses in a preview of the Kingdom on the Mount of Transfiguration. The Lord Jesus was here in this world, Oh brethren, just to let the weight of the truth of this fact. Jesus is coming again. Praise God. He's coming again. When we see the confusion of this world, the awful misery, we have so little concept of it in this nation.
Millions of people in Africa in danger of starving to death. We have no concept of that.
The misery of this world, oh brethren, it should make us long for his coming again. Not only is the rapture the hope of the believer, but the appearing of the Lord Jesus is the hope of the believer looking for that blessed hope. That's the rapture and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ.
We get a glimpse of that, dear brethren. Let it sink into our souls. It's going to have an effect on our lives and avoid them.
Keep our lives, our light shining, until they come up and says in the in the first John every man has had this hope in him, purified himself even as he is pure. So we need to keep in mind that if we were expecting some some famous person to come to our house to visit, we want to keep everything cleaned up and everything in order where we ought to be when we look for the coming of the Lord.
Not to let down.
Anyway.
I think it would be profitable and suitable for us to read Matthew's Gospel, chapter 17.
Where we have the account of this.
The thing that Peter is talking about.
Yeah, thank you. I was going to do that, and we're going to sneak it in. But good. I'm glad you confirmed that. Thought I had Matthew's Gospel, chapter 16 and verse 28.
Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here which shall not taste of death, until they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.
That's a very important thing to note.
The Son of man coming in his Kingdom. Now when was that going to happen?
What happens in the next chapter? So let's read on.
And after six days, Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up.
Into an high mountain apart and was transfigured before them, and his face did shine as the sun.
And his raiment was white as the light. Behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him and.
Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here.
If thou wilt, let us make here 3 tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
While he yet spake, behold a bright cloud overshadowed them.
And behold, a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.
Hear ye him? When the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.
And Jesus came and touched them, and said, arise and be not afraid. When they lifted up their eyes, they saw no man save Jesus only.
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And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying television.
To no man until the son of man be risen again from the dead.
Well, it's quite interesting that these three disciples were told not to relate this vision until the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. So Peter in our chapter does that very thing, doesn't he? With the Lord Jesus Christ ascended as the glorified man to heaven. Now Peter can tell the story, and you and I have read the story in Matthew's Gospel, chapter 16 and 17. We've read of that. Wonderful.
A thing that happened to Peter and he says.
We've made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now I would like to say that.
There's another key for us.
We ended the meeting this morning. We talked about a key.
That gave us to open the chapter. Now we're going to get a key that helps us to understand the experience on the Mount of Transfiguration. What's it all about? Here's the key. It's the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
That's what it's all about. It's a little preview of that day when the Lord Jesus Christ is going to come back and he's going to have a people in heaven and he's going to have a people on earth. So Peter gives us the key.
To understand what that vision was all about, South, I suggest that you look closely in the word of God.
14 And here is another one. And so if we are going to understand properly what happened on the mount of Transfiguration.
We will want to use this key and say, ah, that's a little preview.
Of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ when he will appear in glory.
And you have a heavenly people represented by Moses and Elijah.
Later to come back to earth, did they? But they were there to enjoy His glory. But he'll have an earthly people represented by the three disciples on earth, and the Lord Jesus will be the center of both of those groups.
For his own glory and the glory of God, and the blessing of both the heavenly company and the earthly company. So we do thank Peter for not holding back on us.
But after the resurrection said, I just can't wait to tell you what it's all about. And that's what we've got in our chapter. It's very important to realize the progression that Peter gives us here, because everything that our brethren have said as to the coming glory is absolutely settled in the heavens and will occur. But notice it says that it was not following the imagination of men's minds.
When we made known to you the power and coming of the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, we read in the 4th chapter of Hebrews as to the common salvation. And the principle is the same as to the Kingdom which was first spoken unto us by the Lord and confirmed to us by those who heard him, the Lord Jesus Christ, in Matthew 5-6 and seven.
Set forth the principles of his Kingdom, and in Matthew 8 through 12 went about to demonstrate the power of his Kingdom present for the blessing of his people.
So when Peter says that, he gave to these Jewish believers.
The power of the Kingdom. That is what we see demonstrated in the Acts of the Apostles.
The power of the Kingdom translated into their life for the blessing of those around them.
And the hope of his coming in order that, as our brother pointed out, that their lives might be affected.
In the 12Th of Luke, when the unprofitable servant sat in his heart.
My Lord Delayeth his coming. He began to eat and drink with a drunken.
And beat the maid servants and the men servants, and we know the end of that man's history cast into outer darkness. But the point is when the church or when we as individual believers.
Realize or fail to realize that.
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Present hope of the immediate coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our behavior as children of God is going to deteriorate.
Now, as to the power of his Kingdom, what is it? It is to prove?
That God is going to overcome evil with good. And so you and I, when we translate the power of that Kingdom into daily experience with God, we are able to let a man smite on one cheek and turn the other. We're able to go 2 miles instead of the one. We're able to let a man have our coat and our cloak when we're sued. That is the power of the Kingdom that's coming, brought into our life as an expression of the grace of God that has brought us to himself.
What's your thoughts that the disciples, I don't think really understood this vision that they saw in the mouth at this particular time when they witnessed it and but after the Spirit was come, then they benefited from this. And we see even the disciples on the road to Emmaus. What was the distress?
They thought that he was the one that would set up the Kingdom, and the Lord had to rebuke them, that they were slow to believe all that the prophets had said. And Peter in his first epistle said that the prophet spoke of the sufferings of Christ and the glory which was to follow, and they wanted the glory without the sufferings. But I'm sure I'm not going to find saying that he didn't understand.
What was taking place at the time when they witnessed it? And the Lord doesn't want them to relate anything that they do not understand. And so after the Spirit was come, they were able to realize why the Lord gave them that vision. And why did he do? Because he didn't want them to be shaken in their faith. Here is a Jew. They had all their hopes and expectations.
Centered in the coming Kingdom, the son of David would sit on David throne and reign over the nations and now they were not going to realize that. But the Lord is giving them this view on the mound to make sure that they would not doubt the word of prophecy. And they have now confirmed the prophecy that were given in the Old Testament men about that coming glory and.
We take a great interest, do we not, in that coming glory. And you know, in Second Thessalonians, and even in the first epistle, we see that we will have part in this when you read in first Thessalonians 3 the last verse.
The Apostle Paul says to the end.
That He may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His Saints.
And then in the second Episcopal, so we will be there when he comes the second epistle.
The first chapter verse 7.
And to you.
Who are troubled? Rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels. For are we going to have a wonderful company? We will be accompanied by the mighty angels. The armies that have come out of heaven with the Lord Jesus will not be asked. Only us. All the Saints, also the holy angels will come with him. And in. Matthew 30 Matthew 2531.
We also have reference made to him coming back in power and glory, and the angels I mentioned there also, but then also in verse ten of first Thessalonians one listen to this, when he shall come to be glorified in His Saints.
And to be admired in all them that believe because our testimony among you was believed in that day, that also refers to that coming back with him. It's not bringing any glory to us, because he will be glorified in the Saints, and he will be admired in all them that have believed. They will see the grace of God that has made us to be what we are.
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All the grace of God and he will be admired. It will be all for his glory.
I would like to request.
More information on what is meant by verse 19. We have also a more sure word of prophecy.
I would like to have more said on that to help us understand what it means. What does it mean when it says we have also a more sure word of prophecy or we have the word of prophecy confirmed? What? What is the meaning of that?
The Darby letter that we have the prophetic word made sure.
How did that happen? Now will you allow this thought?
That Peter may have learned something from the Apostle Paul that confirmed the prophetic scope.
What is meant by that? We have the prophetic scripture confirmed? When did it happen and how did it happen? What does it mean?
The vision confirmed it.
Or the vision. The vision confirmed the vision confirmed it. I think so.
That confirmed and made more sure what the prophets had spoken of, made it clear to them to understand that this Kingdom that had been prophesied would in fact take place. Are you saying then that?
The vision or the amount of Transfiguration was a confirmation of the Old Testament prophecies. Is that what you're saying?
Thank you.
I've always pondered that and wondered what it meant, and if that's what it meant, that's good. I'm glad to learn that that this vision confirmed the Old Testament prophecies. There is a word in Revelation 1910 that says the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy or the spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus. And when we hear in our chapter that.
He received from God the Father, honor and glory.
There is another one of your keys, brother. It exhausts the Lord Jesus Christ. And anytime we take up a subject, a deal of a prophetic nature, and we miss the testimony of the exaltation of God's beloved Son, we go in real danger of creating some of those fables that we've been talking about.
A little thing that might be added here that's been helpful to me and that is in Exodus 24.
That you have Moses and the elders gathered together, and they.
They see the body of heaven in its clearness, and it says, and they saw God and did eat and drink. Now I'm sure that the effect of that upon Moses and the elders of Israel was never forgotten as long as they lived. And that Moses writes, after he has this glimpse into the Kingdom of God. Now in the Old Testament there are little revelations of the Kingdom of God in different ways.
But when it comes to this revelation on the Mount, that was the most glorious thing that mortal eyes have ever seen.
Because there we see the sovereign of the Kingdom of God transformed, transfigured before them, and something that the apostles, the three apostles that sought, they never forgot and were deeply affected by it. Now as we look on, we think of the great tribulation coming on, and here the man of sin is to be revealed. And what does he do? Why, he sets forth great signs and wonders that people look at.
And they're awed by it, and they're drawn to it, and they're deceived by it, and they're go into everlasting darkness. But to think of the Revelation when the Kingdom of God is manifested in the coming day, as it's been read in Thessalonians, and to think of men on the earth with mortal eye beholding that scene of glory, granted, there is going to be the judgment.
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And sin is going to be judged. But think of the transforming power of that Kingdom upon men on the earth as they look at it, and their hearts are changed. And here they have been, staggering under deception and Satan's harshness, and bringing men into *******. And at the end of that great tribulation you wonder how there could ever be any healing that men could rise up and even enjoy a Millennium.
But I think it gives us to realize the glory and the power of that Kingdom will transform men, and they will rise up.
And they will enter into peace and equity. And so it's that real, beloved brethren, and it's been encouraged to have a sight of that Kingdom now. And it's going to transform our lives too, and give us a divine sense of values as we await His coming.
Washington says that in all things he might have the preeminence in Ephesians, God's eternal purposes.
That he might gather together in one all things in Christ.
Things in heaven and things in earth, even in him, the Lord Jesus is the preeminent 1.
This is to be reflected in our lives even today as we view that coming Kingdom when God is going to bring it out in a manifest way.
Here in this world, it's interesting in this 17th verse of our chapter.
It quotes what was said the voice of the Father on that holy mount. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. What provoked that voice to say that thing, brethren?
You remember in the story that was read in Matthew that Peter?
Makes the suggestion it's good for us to be here.
Let us make 3 tabernacles, one for thee, one for Moses, one for Elijah, and without realizing that he put the Lord Jesus on the same plane as two of those mighty servants from the Old Testament.
And immediately those two servants disappear from view that Jesus alone might be seen.
And that voice comes out of the cloud. This is my beloved son.
In whom I am well pleased. Here eve him, O brethren, God. His eternal purpose is the glory of his Son. And if any mere servant gets in the way of our vision to see Christ, God may have to allow them to disappear from view that we might see Christ and Christ alone. How often that happens in our lives down here, dear brother.
And God is jealous. He wants Christ. He will have Christ.
To have the preeminent place of justice looking at the book of Isaiah and I'd just like to read a few verses in the second chapter of Isaiah that bring this out in such a.
Remarkable way which really referred to that coming Kingdom.
The second chapter of Isaiah and the 10th verse. I'd just like to read a few verses there.
Enter into the rock and hide thee in the dust.
For fear of the Lord, and for the glory of His Majesty, the lofty looks of man shall be humble, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.
For the day of the Lord of host shall be upon everyone that is proud and lofty.
And upon everyone that is lifted up, and he shall be brought low, and upon all the Cedars of Lebanon.
That are high lifted up, and upon all the oaks of basin, upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up.
And upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall, and upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures, and the loftiness of man shall be bowed down in the haughtiness of men shall be made low, and the Lord alone.
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Shall be exalted in that day. What a picture, brethren, what a picture. Does that have any effect on us now as we view that coming Kingdom, brethren, may the Lord give us.
To be willing to be made low.
We've had exhortation as humility. The day is near when all the loftiness of men, in whatever way it takes place, even in religious way, Brethren, that my heart is susceptible to any loftiness is going to be made low. And as we view that coming Kingdom, we're getting so close now.
And God brethren, will allow.
Any smear servant that we might have our eyes on to disappear from view.
That Christ, and Christ alone may be exalted in his that day. Oh brethren, may that voice reach our hearts. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
That is most significant, beloved, that the Lord Jesus Christ is here owned as the Son.
God has committed all judgment to the Son. He is given all judgment because he is the Son of Man. When he took his place in public service, he was owned of God, his Son. When he was born into this world, that holy thing which should be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And here in that Kingdom it is the Son who is going to be supreme.
Now.
He received honor from the Father. John 5 again tells us that the same honor with which God is honored should be paid unto the Son. And so it is here that it is the beloved Son who is the sovereign in his Kingdom. Nathaniel said it Thou art the Son of God, Thou art the king of Israel. And here we have it, beloved, in our chapter.
I'd like to bring out something.
Paul's.
Experience we cannot low akin to the eye of faith, see that we have been talking about and the wonderfulness of His coming and of the transfiguration on the mount. But we can through the eye of faith see God and see the Lord Jesus, even though we're born as Paul out of due season.
We can see that, and if we ever get a real glimpse of the Lord in glory like Paul did, we can go through just as much sorrow and sufferings and persecution as Paul did too. But we must have that seed, that Lord in the glory and realize.
What Paul did to carry him through all the sufferings that he did go through during his this scene of Paul's life, I'd like to add Brother Ton.
Was saying this thought. Yet it is especially important to see that God is testimony to the Lord Jesus to be the Son of God, because we know when he comes in power and glory that is connected with him being the Son of Man like we have in Hebrews chapter two. He has not in verse 6.
He has not put in subjection the world to come.
We often speak to angels. What is man that thou art mindful of him? The man of God's counsel is going to be the one to whom the world will be subjected. But this man is not just a man. And just like we had in the last verse of chapter 16 in Matthew, him mentioned to be the Son of man coming in the Kingdom. But the testimony that the Father gives to him is.
He is my son. He's the son of God. He's more than a mere man. I think that's beautiful to lay hold of. Yet when he comes in power and glory, when he takes dominion, it is as the Son of Man.
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The man of God's counsel. All was lost in the first man, but all will be established on a firm foundation in the second man, the man of God's counsel. But this person is more than a man. He is God's son.
The Lord Jesus Christ. Beautiful.
I wonder if there's not an application here. In verse 19 we have also a more sure word of prophecy where until you do well that you take heed. Would I be wrong in saying that Peter is bringing before us here the fact we need to trust in the word of God more than we trust in our experience? Peter had this enormous experience of seeing Christ in glory, yet he knew that there was more to the future Kingdom, the knowledge of it, than just his experience on the mouth.
And so he brings out here that we have a more, more sure word of prophecy. That is, I can look.
Beyond what Peter saw on the mount of Transfiguration into the Prophets especially.
And see, like a brother, Bob read what's going to happen when the Lord Jesus comes back.
To show his power and glory. It's tremendous. And that's where I've learned and enjoyed so much about the Kingdom myself, as in the prophets. What? What is it going to be like when we come back with the Lord Jesus? What's going to happen on this earth? And I believe there's hundreds if not thousands of scriptures in the prophets and in the Gospels too, regarding the manifestation of Christ's power and our association with him. What am I going to see in the way of events on this earth, how the mountains are going to?
Rundown. The valleys are going to be filled, the deserts are going to blossom as a rose, All the nations will be brought into subjection to Christ, and all the kings of this earth are going to bow the knee and think of the enormous changes in the ecology of the earth and the whole economy of the earth. There's hundreds of scriptures that we get in the prophetic scriptures do tell us about this coming Kingdom. I'd like to think that Peter is reminding perhaps himself and me too, that regardless of what my experiences may be.
That I can always trust in the word of God.
Do you see that from what it said?
For unto you do well to take heed. Is that what you're saying to us, That we're encouraged to take heed to the prophecy?
And the rest of the chat drawn down the rest of the cap. He refers to the Old Testament scriptures regarding this subject and I want to encourage myself.
To make sure I read the word of God regarding the future and the Kingdom. I know the Lord is coming, He's going to appear, but what's my involvement in it? And better yet, what am I going to see happen on this earth? Because that is part of my inheritance and I want to know what's going to happen if I can and shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I shall do.
And God has not hidden from us the things that He is going to do in this thousand year Kingdom. There is so much in the Old Testament that has to do with this Kingdom we're talking about.
Good little, no. They're little. Interesting detail in Luke's gospel. You don't have to turn to the 9th chapter where we get the amount of transfiguration told as well. There's a detail there that doesn't appear in the other accounts that the conversation between Moses and Elijah and the Lord Jesus was his decease. You would think that when they saw that glorious display there on the Mount of Transfiguration.
Perhaps they would be discussing the glory, the majesty that was there.
That wasn't the theme, brethren. It was his deceased. The cross. No, Brethren, What a thing to think about through all eternity. The cross is going to be the center. We sing in a hymn of two eternities, look with rapt adoring eyes, onward and back to the cross. Never, never such a display of the blaze of the glory of God.
As in the darkness, those three hours of Calvary.
After Jesus died and shed his blood, none of these things do blessings that we read about.
Today the judge the world could happen until after Calvary, after the death of the sun God.
That's what he came to do, what he accomplished.
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At that Transfiguration, that what were those disciples doing when this enormous event happened? They were asleep.
And I think I've been asleep regarding the Lord's glory. I mean, because I don't know much about this coming Kingdom. And like I said, there's hundreds of Scriptures, if not thousands of them, that have to do with this coming glory. And now, Lord, I want to wake up regarding your glory. And I believe God is reminding us that mount of Transfiguration, that we're very susceptible to fall asleep. The Scriptures tell us who we could be asleep as to the Lord's coming. The Bible tells us we could be asleep as to the Lord's word.
Ephesians 5 tells us we could be asleep as to the Lord's holiness in Acts 20 tells us we could be asleep to Paul's ministry. I think we're a sleeping church, but I'm glad that Peter's reminded us that if we open the Bible and read these prophetic scriptures, I believe it'll wake us up. Well, there's some great things that we got to look forward to and I'm glad I can see in the Bible some of what's going to happen.
In which way does this give life to you and me?
And how will it help us who are still in this dark place? The light shines in that dark place. It shows me, and it chose all of us, that all the efforts of man to try to write things in the world and to bring in that utopia that man is looking for, are in vain.
And it helps me to understand there is no hope for this world.
Until death, Blessed One comes back in power and glory, and he's going to deal with all the inequities and injustices in this world. And I am not going to waste my energies in a futile effort to try to straighten out this mess in the world. The best of men can't do it.
It will be straightened out when this Lord Jesus comes. And it helps me to understand why it is my responsibility to walk as a pilgrimage stranger here, and that I patiently weighed until He comes whose right it is and he will write and everything. And that's why it is important to understand prophecy, to understand dispensational truth.
And then Peter refers that there is no scripture of private interpretation. In other words, we have to interpret Scripture with Scripture, not by our imagination. Scripture interprets Scripture. If you have to depend on my explanation of a certain passage of Scripture that I cannot back up with, Scripture, don't accept it. Scripture interprets Scripture.
No scriptures of private interpretation. It's like a big crossword puzzle or like.
Something that has to fit all together, you know, if you remove one.
Syllable, one letter, the whole thing is messed up and all the truth of God is all one solid union, union, or unity. And we cannot attack any aspect of the truth of God without causing confusion as to every aspect of it.
So Scripture interprets Scripture, brethren, and holy men of God.
Pent down the truth of God and that poem that our brother gave of this Englishman. How beautiful it is.
Here written by so many writers at different times.
In the history of man, yet it is one complete, whole, beautiful, and you know we have only scratched the surface. There's so much yet that we have to come to understand. But how thankful can we be that God in his goodness has given us to understand some of the things sufficient to help us to know that we are not looking in vain to any man?
We're looking to the man of God's counsels, and it helps us to walk intelligently, patiently waiting for that day.
The details of our brother brought before us that is recorded in Luke's Gospel is valuable to us in this respect. It shows us that the establishment of all that we have been speaking about is consequent upon the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Israel.
Send away and forfeited every right to the Kingdom promised them. But Caiaphas being high priest that year prophesied it is expedient that one man die for the nation that the nation perish not. And so based on the grace of God and the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ Israel is going to be restored and the king of the Jews is going to be universal Lord and they will then be the head and no longer the tail of nations.
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So what man has?
Sinned away and forfeited as to write to anything God has established. And His Son Jesus Christ became the minister of the Circumcision. That is, he became that one man to die for that nation in order to confirm the promises to the fathers and extend that blessing to the whole world. So it's all grace of God just like. And that's reason beloved. Excuse me for adding a thought here, but that is the reason for the vast confusion that Christendom has allowed.
To this Kingdom and as to the assembly, because their blessings are both based on the same death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. So they do not read with discernment these things of a word of prophecy that's been pointed up, but the coming Kingdom is the based on the same.
Principle of God's grace to the nation, that is, that we enjoy today. God's grace to us.
Is no not only because it follows the first that is new and that it has a completely different character. The old covenant of Sinai was based on men obtaining the promises on the basis of their faithfulness. The new covenant that he will establish with both the houses of Israel.
Based upon the principle of grace and based upon the work of the Lord Jesus, that's the New Covenant. And even when we read there in Hebrews that he will put their laws into their hearts, that's not Christianity. That's what refers to what will be true in the Kingdom for Israel. For us, in Christianity, it is not the law that is put into our heart. That is Christ that is put there. That's Christianity.
That's beautiful to see. And they're coming down. That's why Moses and Elias are on that mount of Transfiguration. You know, he was the lawgiver, and Elias brought the people back to the law. And so you can see it is going to be realized by that people in that coming day. The law will be in their heart, and they will, from the heart obey the word of God.
I'd like to say with that that the.
Gospel of Mark. We noticed that Elijah is mentioned before Moses.
That's only peculiar to Mark, because Mark is the Gospel of Restoration. And to me that's a great comfort as I look upon my brethren and I see that some are death and some are wounded. We may have children that do not respond spiritually, and we have a sense that they're saved, that they're not living for the Lord. And just to think of that coming day of glory, that everyone.
Is going to be in their place and there will not be 1 tarnish or anything. And brethren, won't that be a wonderful day, everyone restored to his glory. And so if we didn't have that consolation, our hearts would be broken and we just would feel like it isn't worth going on. But we look on to that day when Paul is restored and in keeping with the heart of God and Christ.
I was thinking too of a second Corinthians 4 where it says for God who commanded the light.
To shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ in creation.
While it had become without form and void, And God says let there be light, light introduced to darkness.
In the glory of the law there was a glory, a very great glory. But what does it tell us? We had it in Hebrews chapter 12, just a part of a verse There it tells us.
The end of verse 18.
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A mountain that could be touched, burned with fire, black darkness, Tempest. But there was a great glory to the law, but the glory of grace.
Excels, doesn't it? It has a much more excellent glory. If you touch them out, we get thrust through with the dark. Now we go to the mount of Transfiguration. Is it blackness and darkness and Tempest? When man introduces a thought, let us make 3 tabernacles.
In what way is man's thought shut off? Not by darkness.
But by a cloud of light, a cloud of glory of brightness.
And I believe in the chapter here. Notice in verse 19.
Light that China in a dark place. Now God is introducing light in a dark place. And the previous verses we've had. The reason these fruits of the spirit are sought to be brought forth in us is He's got only us on earth to introduce light into a dark place and.
The chief example? Think of the Lord Jesus as he set his face as a Flint.
The God of Jerusalem to accomplish his deceased eternal counsel ran all wrapped up in the the light was going to shine in a dark place, and the word of prophecy is made sure.
But mouth that glory cloud, oh the grace, my blackness, and darkness.
Is going to cause, Peters thought, to come to nothing but a cloud of glory that blocks out everything.
Saw no man say to Jesus.
Oh, what a glory it is. Then, in the last chapter. This is physical. It's just One Burger 2 by.
Verse Chapter 3.
Verse 12.
Looking for and tasting.
Under the coming of the day of God.
We can, by this light that God has introduced into our darkened hearts, hasten the day of God if we walk good as these truths can.
Shall we sing #260 two 160?
And we will not sing all the verses.
But that.
The first, the third, the 5th and the 7th. That means the odd numbered verses only.
Of #260.
God, Lord, to make ourselves free.
Oh.
Lord.
They grow.
God will save my love.
Where was I?
Always stands.
Lord Jesus fall.
Lord gave us God.
Where I was feeling our souls.
May love whatever.