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Oh my God.
I'm more of it from heaven.
And the world.
Love of God.
Oh, my gracious work from.
God.
Alone.
Three days in heaven? Is there any seriousness? You're the only one. You're the only one who's only one of the boys standing against the way and everything.
00:05:00
All sides all right.
Talk Satisfied are here.
Why did you are coming around?
Good, I pray.
That corners. Oh dear.
Oh my God, tell what is feeling all over everything?
All right.
Where it seems like it's not really.
No highlights of grace as high as the glory.
Curse way.
In between us having abolished in his flush the enmity.
Even the law of commandments contained in ordinances.
Or to making himself obtain 1 Newman, so making peace.
And that he might reconcile both unto God and one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby, and came and preached peace to you which were far off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by 1 Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the Saints and of the household of God, and are built upon the foundation.
Of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone.
In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord.
And whom ye also are builded together for inhabitation of God through the Spirit?
Take the match of those two words in the 13th verse, often found in Paul's ministry. But now, because we know that when Peter went to preach in the House of Cornelius, he said it's not lawful for a Jew to eat with a Gentile, he didn't at that point know that the middle wall of partition in Christianity was to be broken down.
00:10:00
And he had to learn that. And so I believe here what God has foreordained that we should walk in them. We need to know where God has placed us so that we can walk in the light of His word, but especially in the light of Christianity, in the light of that which has been revealed now through the ministry of the Apostle Paul, who was caught up to the third heavens. And so he is bringing them.
Jew and Gentiles into enjoy this precious truth that there is one body.
And that they wouldn't any longer hold those old prejudices that might have existed but learn that God had a path now different from the Old Testament. It was right that the Jew couldn't eat with a Gentile, couldn't eat certain foods and so on, offered sacrifices. We know when Paul went up to Jerusalem, they wanted him to shave his head and offer a sacrifice. Well, that would have been right in the Jewish law, but now there's Christianity.
And it's good for us. I believe it's important that we realize that Christianity is not a mixture of two systems.
Now that seems to be sometimes the danger that we see in Christendom the next the two systems, the Old Testament, where there was a physical building, there was an ordained priesthood and all that. But now in Christianity, it's not a physical building, it's a spiritual one.
It's not an ordained priesthood. Every believer is a priest to OfferUp spiritual sacrifices. And as it's been remarked, in the Old Testament there was Jew and Gentile. Now there are three. There's Jew and Gentile. Unsaved Jews remain Jews, unsaved Gentiles remain Gentiles. But when we are saved, why then we're part of the Church of God, giving none offense either to the Jew or to the Gentile of the Church of God.
Well, I just mentioned this because I believe this is what the Apostle by the Spirit is developing here. The position that we have now a Jew and Gentile brought together, made one in Christ a spiritual building, and able to enjoy all the fruits of that glorious work the Lord Jesus has accomplished by the Spirit of God who indwells us and who also dwells in the body in the church.
The middle wall of petition, Dennis. The law. Right. And ordinances. Yes, an ordinance is. So by this the Jew was separated from the Gentiles, but that is now broken down, and he now deals with all alike, whether they're Jew or Gentiles. The grace of God is offered to all and then there is a new thing. But it seems when we look into the book of Acts.
That take the took a long time for God to get the Jewish believers to see that truth, and it's marvelous to see the patience of God forbearing with them. But then Paul is used to write the Epistle to the Hebrews, and that then separates them, brings them out. And at the end of that Epistle of Hebrews we read we have an altar of which they have no right to eat, that served the Tabernacle.
Yet even in Acts, when Paul came to Jerusalem with the vow upon him, he's told, you see how many thousands of the Jews believe and are zealous for the law. You know, they were really not yet in their hearts, loosened from that system, they were still associating to quite an extent with Jerusalem and the Temple, although the work already had been accomplished. You know the basis.
Tearing down this petition, some evidently understood Christian liberty. Even Peter you know, and he's rebuked by Paul. Although he understood Christian liberty, he in a hypocritical way, withdraws from the Gentiles in Galatians, 2 although he understood and lived in Christian liberty. So I think we can learn from that. I believe that when we deal with souls that come from a legal system.
You know that we give them opportunity to learn the truth and learn to understand Christian liberty, and that we do not try to force them into compliance and wait on the Lord to show them things that it takes time for them to learn. And although we cannot really use the same excuse for any Gentile that gets saved, because the law was never given to the Gentiles. But.
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There are many systems even in the Christian religion.
That are legalistic, you know, and they're really under principle of the law and people like that need to be delivered from that and it might take time before they do get delivered.
I believe the difference is that.
These systems are systems that men have set up.
But the Jewish order of things was something that God had set up, and it took time for them to see at the same person who had set up that which was only a type and a shadow, as we read in Hebrews, the law having a shadow of good things to come. So it's now set aside by God himself.
And so a Jew could say, well, I can show you a verse of Scripture where I'm to do this. This is what God said. And it took time for them to see that. But now that the same Blessed One who had given all that instruction in the Old Testament now speaks from heaven, I believe if we turn to that in Hebrews chapter 12, we see that point brought out.
The 12Th verse of Hebrews 12 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh verse 25 of Hebrews 12 And for if they escape not, who refused him that spake on earth? Much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven. So how tiny I was on earth? It was a place God spoke. And Moses said, I fear him Quite the law was given there.
But now we have the voice of a glorified Christ speaking from heaven, and it was a solemn thing to turn away from the voice that spoke on earth. But he said it was more serious to turn away from the voice of a glorified Christ, who had fulfilled all the types and shadows of Judaism, and was now a glorified man, and wanted every believer, Hebrews or Jews or Gentiles, all to enter into the glorious results of the work of Christ.
And what characterizes that present time is the Holy Ghost come down from heaven?
And here upon earth, as we have in the end of our chapter, build it together for inhabitation of God through the Spirit. I just mentioned this because I believe that this is what he is seeking to lead the Saints into the enjoyment of in our chapter, first saved by grace and then the place that we're brought into in Christianity. And then it's a remarkable thing too, that the Old Testament we don't say well.
Everything is new now, so we can just discard the Old Testament. Because First Corinthians 1011 Says now all these things happened unto them for in samples, and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come or the ages are coming, so we can see the wonderful secrets that were hidden in the Old Testament. This is a miracle beyond words, isn't it? To think that we can see those beautiful.
Pictures all through the Old Testament of the truth. We don't learn the truth Christianity from the Old Testament, but we can certainly see the illustrations. Don't you think, brother, that we benefit more from the things in the Old Testament, the offerings, than a Jew ever enjoyed? Because we see crimes. They didn't see Christ in these things. So I believe we can say that we benefit more from these things.
Than a Jew in the Old Testament ever did, and the illustrations are.
Larger than sometimes the text of the New Testament. So we learn those beautiful pictures as we look at them. But we must get the key for the New Testament and that opens the meaning of the types.
Is it? Is it so that here for he is our peace, has the sense of he is our peace offering?
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Well, it certainly is. I had thought of it more in connection with peace between Jew and Gentiles, because it speaks about having slain the enmity thereby. That is, there was a real enmity produced by these law of commandments and the Gentile. The Jews actually looked upon the Gentiles of dogs. And now it's all changed in Christianity, for when a Jew gets saved, a Gentile gets saved. They meet together on one common ground.
And peace has been made. Now of course we have peace with God, but that was the way I had thought it was introduced in this chapter. He is our peace who hath made both one and has broken down the middle wall of partition between us. So making peace in the at the end of verse 15, that is making peace between the Jew and the Gentiles. To me it is a special thrill when I meet a Jewish believer.
That is a special thrill. The enmity is done away with. You know, we benefit when we go to a Muslim country by people knowing that we are Germans because they think that they associate enmity or animosity against the Jews with the Germans. But poor believer, what a thrill to see a brother in Christ in one that has been saved from this guilty nation stands on the same ground before God that we stand on beautiful to say that.
And you know, we should not in any way share any of these feelings that still.
Manifest themselves in the world, you know, it's a wonderful thing. Even the fact that they come from the people that are the people of God, you know, before we ever were considered by him. And then to see them as guilty as they were, received the grace of God reaching out to them first.
Beginning in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, the uttermost part of the Europe is the grace of God reaches out first to those most guilty. But then us too. You know we were enemies. We hated God and God, and His grace has brought us nigh and reconciled us to himself.
That was the most difficult barrier to break down the Jew and Gentiles and bring peace between them.
But they first have to be in Christ, the more they can even realize it. But we have that barrier broken down all the time between enemies and for instance, Philemon, Paul says.
Omestimus, your slaves, who's a fugitive who did you harm, is now not a slave. He's a brother for love. Yes, Wonderful it is. And Andesthemus was received in the assembly.
At his master's house, that master could have put him to death as an example to the other slaves. There's no question about that. But the barrier was broken down, and it's broken down and every time that happens. But this was the hardest barrier of all, and that's why it's brought out so strongly here. I believe if you look at Acts 15 now, even when they're saved, they have this problem. Yet this is a book of transition, that's why.
What a certain men which came down. I'm an active team. Certain men which came down from Judea caught the brethren, except he be circumcised after the banner of Moses. You cannot be saved well without getting into this whole discourse and the work. Notice Peter's ending in verse 11. This is the Peter. But we believe that through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We Jews shall be saved even as the Gentiles. Isn't that lovely? That took a real work of God. I mean the proud Jew to be saying we have to be saved by the justice. And I'd like to ask a question about this matter of the enmity. When you meet an Orthodox Jew and he finds out you're a believer, that you find out the enemy's still there and it comes on real strong. But you made the point, Bob, the fact that when they are believers in Christ.
Then the then the enmity is gone. But don't believe that it's gone yet with the others.
Let me tell you something that we experienced in Brazil, Brother John Racing German. John and I went down to Brazil to help transfer the literature work from the KLC Brother to our brethren because Jim Kelfub didn't know either German or Portuguese. So the two of us went down and here we meet in the home of the printer, a German Jew.
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Say involved in Christian literature work. You know he had been in concentration camp in Germany.
And the Lord spared his life, you know, when he came face to face with those two Gerberts, you know, sitting there in the same living room? You know, it took a little bit to overcome that. But what a wonderful thing that we could sit down and talk about the distribution of gospel work. There was no more animosity. The grace of God had saved him as well as us, and we had interest in the Lord's work. Isn't it marvelous?
You know man that had suffered so much and I don't know of how many of his family died in concentration camp yet built transfer. The printer was able to lead him to the law and he loved the Lord and was zealous and get the gospel to others. It's the grace of God.
Part of what it was made it difficult for the Jews was what we have in Hebrews 6. It says here in Hebrews 6, verse one. I'm going to read it as it is in the margin and also in the new translation. Therefore leaving the word of the beginning of Christ, let us go on under perfection.
That is, the Jews could say to Paul, but the Lord Jesus himself said, the Pharisees said in Moses seat all, therefore that they bid you observe that observe and do They could say we have the authority of the Lord himself to go on with this Jewish system.
But now he says that same blessed Jesus has been crucified and now he's up on high.
A glorified man, the head of the body, the Church, and everything is new now.
But it was hard for those Jewish believers to leave that system of things which we might say even the Lord Himself told him to go on with. Nor would it have been right for them to have left the system until the work was accomplished.
Because everything was ordered in that system as a type of shadow of what was still to be accomplished. But when it was accomplished, the type was all fulfilled. The man who did it, God's beloved Son, was at the right hand of God. But now everything is changed. Well, I just mentioned this because I.
Believe it helps us to understand what we have in our chapter and also the burden of the one who wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews.
Very lovely as going over these two verses 14 and 15 that is he is our peace isn't. Here is a man, the person of the Christ. Here's a true man. He's he's been on the cross, he's been in the tomb. He's now seated at God's right hand and he is our peace. And just just noticing how having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the last commandments contained in ordinance of order to make in himself.
Obtain 1 Newman Soul, making peace so precious, isn't it to see that and how that his desire is that our hearts might enter into this and see the truth of it, and be occupied with that blessed man who gave himself for us.
Bore it on the cross that there might be that peace. Apart from that, there is none, There is none.
That veil in the Tabernacle stood, and as it were kept Israel from being utterly destroyed, because the presence of God was right in that Tabernacle. And that very veil that made two rooms, that, as Hebrews 10 tells us, is the flesh of the Lord Jesus who died on the cross, and that veil has been rented from top to bottom. God can come out and we can go in now, but it's the veil which is His flesh. How beautiful to see.
That it was necessary for blessed Lord Jesus to die in order to break that.
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Barrier between Jew and Gentile.
You should remember where we are tomorrow morning as you're bringing it out right in the very holiest, the holiest, in the presence of a twice holy God and our standing. Our standing is Christ himself. And that's beautiful. I didn't think about it. We ought to have that in mind when we come. I almost feel like removing our shoes on Holy Grail. We are on Holy Grail.
From the high priest where at the end there were 12 loaves on the table representing the 12 tribes of Israel.
But now the veil is read. There's just one loaf on the table. That's what it brings before us here, isn't it? That he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross. And so there we sit, Jew or Gentile, if been brought to the Lord by the Holy Spirit, as by 1 Spirit. We're all baptized into one body. Whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, have been all made to drink into one Spirit. What a blessed thing.
Well, that every Christian Son enjoyed that. That's the way it was on the day of Pentecost. They were all, it says, with one accord in one place. The Spirit of God came down. They were all filled with the Spirit. The enemy has succeeded in almost sewing up that veil again and keeping mad at a distance, keeping him from enjoying that blessed truth, that there is one body. But God has revealed these things to us, rather than he would have us to walk in the good and the enjoyment of them, not in the legal way.
What is the most holy and wonderful privilege given to us?
I love to tell of the fact on the Day of Atonement.
As the all the nation of Israel confessed their sins and and Aaron went in right into the holiest of all with blood and he was in there for some time and all the people would be standing outside the Tabernacle waiting for Aaron to appear. And if he didn't appear why there would be consternation because they would realize that their maybe their sins hadn't been forgiven.
So when he appeared, then they were satisfied. But our blessed Lord Jesus is our high Priest and he has gone into the glory present His blood, and he has never come out. So how do we know that we are accepted?
Well, we realize that there is through the Holy Spirit having come down, and he tells us that we are accepted inability, and not only so, but Ephesians in our chapter tells us.
That we are now seated in Christ. Not only the Holy Spirit has told us we have access, but He sees us as seated there already.
Boldly answered. That is, without fear. Why? Because we have a first conscience and we have no more conscience of sin. If that wouldn't be for that, how would we dare come? Now we know the same question is settled, we'll never be raised.
By one offering, he has put away sin. By the sacrifice of himself, and that question is settled. That's why we can come boldly. We don't have to fear the presence of a holy God because we have come under the blood. We're cleansed, We're cleansed, perched worshippers. And this, beloved, is what gives us boldness, and what a wonderful fact that is. You know, if anybody would tremble.
At the thought of coming into God's presence, that means he has not come to find peace, you know, and our brother Bill mentioned the peace offering. I think that might well be applied to that statement. Don't you think so in verse 17?
And he came and preached peace.
You know, there it seems to be more than just between you and Gentiles. But we don't have to fear holy God, you know, We can be boldly in His presence, with peace in our soul, rejoicing as redeemed worshippers.
It's interesting also that umm.
Nate Ebb and Abihu.
They sought to approach and fire came out and consumed.
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Well, in the time of the cross, when the bail was rent from top to bottom, where's the fire? There's no fire comes out.
That side of Christ's work is that not related to propitiation. The fire is not lost, the door is open now, and God can say to anyone come.
There was another fire on the at the entrance to the Tabernacle, and that was under the bronze, the brazen altar, and that's put out too, that Christ has suffered and God has emptied out a cup of wrath over his head.
And as we were mentioning, God's only opportunity to show the fullness of his love was at Calvary when he gave his son.
And God's only opportunity to show his the fullness of His wrath against sin. His Holiness was at Calvary also. Only there could He pour out the whole cup. All fell on the Lord Jesus Christ if we've said it before, if if everyone were throwing a lake of fire, he still wouldn't have the opportunity to show his hatred of sin. He never exhausts the fire, but it was put out on Christ. He He suffered the whole thing.
And there, at the cross, is where we see these things God manifests to us.
It's good for the young people and all of us to lay hold of what we're talking about. Boldness tomorrow morning when we're at that table. That's a marvelous spot. That's in Hebrews 10. I like this 17th and 19th person.
17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more, 19 having therefore brethren.
Boldness to enter into the holiness by the blood of Jesus.
By a new and living wave, which he hath consecrated for us through the veil.
It is to say his pledge let us draw near 22. You know the young people are the children may wonder why we're always so at ease. We are at ease when we're there and have happiness in our faces. It ought to be, and I believe it is. But we have No Fear.
No Fear at all to be realized that the Lord Himself is in our midst.
The creator of this world. That's a marvelous thing. Now if you turn to 1St John in chapter 4, you'll see the real reason why.
It's based on verse 8, the last three words. Of course God is love. I'll turn to 17, and I'll have to read the marginal reading for two words. Herein Is love with us made perfect that we may have bold nuts in the Day of Judgment.
Because as he is, so are we in this world. There is No Fear in love. But perfect love castes out fear. Now, as he is, so are we now in this world.
So we have No Fear of judgment because God has committed all judgment to thought, and we're one with him. And as I put it up on the right side of the bench at the Gray white throne, and I would never want to be on the other side, never. Who has No Fear. We we are with the judge, one with him at that awful time, and you know they'll see him as a lion, as a solemn thought is that those that are to be judged.
Will see that judge as the Lamb, but they'll fear for the wrath of the Lamb of the rest of the land. But I believe they'll be reminded of fresh and afresh that we came to die for them too. But they would not have it. I wonder if.
Someone could give us a little thought that the question comes up sometimes.
About a purged conscience. That is, the believer today has a purged conscience. And when you raise this, sometimes there's many questions raised. I wonder if somebody could give us a little thought on that.
What I enjoy is this that that 22nd verse is an illustration of the first two articles inside the gate of the Tabernacle. The first one is the brazen altar. What was there?
Blood. Then the priest only had access into the Holy Place, The priests I should say, when their hands and feet had been washed at the next object, and that was the labor and that was water. So we have blood and water. So we find it right here in this verse. Blood and water this giving us perfect access.
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Right. And through the veil. What do we find inside the veil? Jesus Christ.
Well, the children of Israel did not have a purged conscience, did they? Their sacrifices had to be repeated.
But does our sacrifice need repeating? Never. He completed the work once and once for all on the cross, and God has accepted him back there. And so I just wondered if we couldn't get a little bit more on that. Well, look at look at Hebrews 10 on that and verse one, Hebrews 10 and verse one and two.
For the law, having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers there unto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered. That is, if there was an offering brought that could make the comers perfect before God, then they wouldn't have continued to offer the offerings. But the repeated offering shows that none of them.
Accomplished eternal redemption because that the worshippers once purged, should have had no more conscience of sins. That is, the sin question would have been settled once and for all, never to be repeated. And we get that in verse 10.
Verse 12 But this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, comma.
Forever sat down on the right hand of God. They put the comma in the wrong place there.
Verse 14 For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. So that means that the the the offer, the worshipper has a perfectly purged conscience. The sin question forever settled, no more offering for sin. This is what makes the the sacrifice of the Mass so so wrong is it is a it is a repetition, they say.
A repeat sacrifice of the sacrifice of Christ that denies the eternal efficacy of the once for all never to be repeated. Sacrifice which took place on the cross. So that's a very blasphemous departure from the perfection of the finished work of Christ. He pronounced as a divine person on the cross upon his own work. He said it is finished and he knew when it was finished, He knew when.
The last.
Bit of wrath against sin had been expended.
And as was said on the cross, the sacrifice consumed the fire. There's no more judgment.
I like to mention, too, that when it is a question of the Lord Jesus entering the holiest of all for us, and is not with the blood, and it is by virtue of the blood that he has entered, that is, by virtue of a finished work of redemption, it has Arabian circulated among Gren.
That atonement was not accomplished until he ascended to glory, because he was not a priest on earth, so he had to present his own blood.
But it is by virtue of the blood that He has entered, and we too enter by virtue of that blood. But like you have said, Doctor Norman, what a comfort it is to know that we are not only there by virtue of the blood, but that the Lord Jesus as the minister of the sanctuary is there, and that he assist us in our feebleness and in our weakness, and he assists us in presenting that which we feebly present here.
Perfectly before God. You know, many times we make statements which are not quite correct, but what a comfort. The Lord Jesus is there as the minister of the sanctuary. We are not there alone in that holy presence. He is there with us. You can see how important it is that we are where he is.
That he assists, that people worship of the Saints and dear young people get ahold of this. There is no such a thing as a building that has a sanctuary.
00:45:03
That's Jewish.
When we enter on Lord's Day Morning, we enter into the holiest of all, and by faith we are where the Lord Jesus is now.
That is a truth that came out along with many other aspects of the truth of God. There is no such a thing as a corner in a church building. That is the sanctuary, you know, that is Jewish. But how wonderful. By faith we enter where the Lord Jesus now is and he is there to assist us. No wonder we can be there without fear. I'd like to read from Hebrews 9 another passage. I'm reading it from Darby's translation because it.
I want to read a note as well Hebrews 9 and verse 11. But Christ being come High Priest of the good things to come.
By a better and more perfect Tabernacle, now that by that word by he has this note, Dia here gives the character of his coming. He came in the power of and characterized by these things.
You get the same construction in first John five. It says this water and blood not by water only, but by water and blood. He came characterized not only by water, but by blood, not only by cleansing, but by expiation. And this is what it says here a high priest. But Christ being come high priest. Of the good things to come by the better and more perfect Tabernacle not made with hand, that is to say, not of this creation.
Nor by the blood of ghosts. Same word by the blood of goats and cats. He didn't come characterized by the blood of goats and calves, but he came characterized by his own blood, in contrast with that of the goats and cats. Having so come, he has now entered in to the holiest.
Having found an eternal redemption, but it's his coming, the character of his coming that is emphasized here. And then he enters. Having completed the work on the cross, he didn't have to enter to complete it and present blood there. He completed it on the cross and then in the virtue of that the value of that he enters. But that that's the whole number. Read that Mister Darby's translation with the notes very helpful in that point.
What did the Lord mean when he said to Mary?
After he'd been raised, touch me not, for I have not yet ascended unto my father.
It's a question of relationship. She wanted the Lord Jesus back in the same relationship that she had before the cross. And the Lord Jesus has to make her understand that she cannot have him the way she had him before, that There is a new relationship now, and he makes her the messenger of that true. I ascended to my God, your God, my father, your Father, and then connect that with.
Corinthians.
We know no man after the flesh. Even if we have known Christ Jesus after the flesh, we don't know Him in that way anymore. There is a new creation. So even those who were in relationship with the Lord Jesus as the Messiah when he was here on earth, there is now a new relationship. Mary has to understand that these things have changed. She cannot have him in the same way that she had him before and when it comes later on in the chapter, when it is a question of doubt.
With Thomas, put thy finger, you know. Then he's permitted to touch the Lord because it is there, not a question of relationship, but it's a question of removing His doubt and convincing him that this person standing before him is the living risen Savior.
I think that verse that you mentioned in Two Corinthians helps to explain it, doesn't you? Yeah, it all. We have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we Him no more. We don't know him as the one who is Israel's Messiah in Christianity, we know him as the beginning, the head of new creation. And so if any man be in Christ, there he is a new preacher or there is a new creation. And so it's an entirely new thing.
I just like to say too in connection with the word atonement, because I think that is misunderstood. It is never used in the New Testament. There is one place in Romans 5 where our translation mentions atonement, but if you have a margin, in many Bibles, at least it says by whom not we have received the atonement, but we have received the reconciliation because the word atonement comes from the Hebrew word to cover and we don't have to cover sin anymore.
00:50:18
The sacrifices were accepted to make an atonement or to make a covering. So God looked at the sacrifice and he looked on to the time when his beloved Son was going to complete that work, and there was a covering for the time present. But now there's no covering because sin is taken away during the cover, something when it's gone, and so now there is no covering. It says he has put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
I say that because it's often spoken of in the religious world. Atonement means at one month. It has no thought like that at all. In the scripture it has the thought of a covering that has to do with Israels position that God provided that for the time present in view of the time.
When it would be put away by one offering, it perfected forever them that are sanctifying, these are these are good things to bring up because there are many young people that some gathered that I've known and these are questions that they have and sometimes we don't always have all the answers. So I think it's well to go into this summer somewhat. This is another question in regard to this.
What?
Was behind the veil at the time of the crucifixion.
We find that in Ezekiel the glory of the Lord had left the chair at me, and it was not as it was in its original character. I'd like to have explained. Perhaps it would be a help to man, perhaps to the younger ones, what now existed behind the veil, that it was so valuable?
That we find that we could now approach through the veil, because it's not true that the glory of the Lord had left what was there.
Photos Empty, wasn't it?
The ark had been lost, and so the arc is gone. And the Lord said that your house is left unto you desolate. But I believe in type, isn't it, that it still stands as far as our understanding of it, That veil that blocked the entrance into God's very presence has been removed. So we we see it, I believe, as a as a beautiful still, a fulfillment of the Old Testament.
That failed the Old Testament then saying that we're we're viewing it essentially as it was in its original character.
That's the way Hebrews presents it. Hebrews. Now let's look at it once. Why you raise the question in Hebrews 9, it says.
There was a Tabernacle, verse two made the first, wherein was the Candlestick and the table and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary.
That was the first compartment, and after the second veil, that's the one that we're talking about. The Tabernacle, which is called the holiest of all, which had the golden sensor in the Ark of the Covenant overlaid roundabout with gold. Wherein was the golden pot that had mana, and Aaron's rod that buttered, and the tables of the covenant, and over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercy seat of which we cannot now speak, particularly now. When these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first Tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.
But into the second went the High Priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the errors of the people, the Holy Ghost, this signifying that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first Tabernacle was yet standing.
Which was a figure for that time then present in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices that could not make him that did the service.
Perfect as pertaining to the conscience. That's what you were talking about Charles before now. Once that when that was rent, that was an indication that everything was accomplished for God's glory. And now the way into his presence was opened and the worshipper has a perfect conscience now, no more conscience of sins. So the way Hebrews presents it, the ark's still there even though it wasn't. And that's what it represents, that inner veil. It's the presence of God.
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But we suggest that the Tabernacle was more a pattern of things in the heavens.
For us, when the temple was built, it brings before us the time when the Lord Jesus will reign.
And everything will be set up, and he will occupy that place of King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And so the temple has more to do with the thought of the Kingdom and a picture of the time when righteousness will reign. So you have Ezekiel temple brought before us.
But the Tabernacle, which was a passing thing going through the wilderness, is more a pattern of heavenly things.
And so he in Epistle to the Hebrews, he doesn't really talk about the Temple. He talks about the Tabernacle, doesn't he? Because that was the pattern of heavenly things fulfilled in the Lord Jesus in himself and in the work that he accomplished and his sacrifice. Even we as Christians are seen, and to Christian Jews, the believing Jews are seen as on a pilgrimage journey. And so we find that also in Hebrews 11 in the beginning, do we not?
Just like they were looking.
So we as Christians and the Jewish believers are looking for a city. And so this is beautiful to see. It's a wilderness book. But while we're on this wilderness journey, we go outside the camp because we go into the holiest. That's a beautiful thing. We are apart from the religious systems which have been patterned after the Jewish system. We are outside the camps.
But we're in the holiest of all. We enter into that of which the Tabernacle was a picture.
When you ask a question about the Holy Temple in verse 21.
Which is really connected with the present time, in whom all the buildings fitly framed together, grow up under unfolding temple and the Lord. This is the assembly as well.
Yes, but they thought in the Tabernacle is more the thought of access. Whereas of course the temple does bring before us a spiritual building. The Lord said on this rock I will build my church, there are living stones and so on. It's another side of things that isn't so much the thought of approach, but rather what we are now. We are building together the holy temple for inhabitation of God through the Spirit.
We could say that that that 21St verse is like the first chapter and the 22nd verse of the second chapter.
I'd like to make a few comments trying to connect some of these thoughts. I must say I feel a little bit sorry for the young people trying to follow us. We're going all over the place and it's not too easy to follow our line of thought. The what we had in John 20 was mentioned where the Lord says touch me, not Mary. I have not yet ascended to my father. Go to my brethren and tell them I ascend unto my father and to your Father, to my God, and to your God.
And he didn't ascend until 10 days after his resurrection. 40 days after his resurrection he was on earth all that in Acts one. And then he ascended. And then ten days later he sent down the Holy Spirit. Now we don't read of the Holy Spirit forming in this chapter the one body, but we do read in verse 15 of Ephesians 2 The last part of the verse for to make him himself of Twain.
Of Jew and Gentile 1 Newman So making peace now, who constitutes that new man? The new man is Christ the head. And the Jew and Gentile, as members of his one body, united to Christ in glory in the next chapter. That's called the Unity of the Spirit. It's the Spirit of God that has united us to one another and to Christ in heaven, called here. 1 Newman.
It's something that never existed before. And the Spirit of God is mentioned in our chapter in verse 18. It says for through him we both have access by 1 Spirit unto the Father, and in verse 22 The habitation of God through the Spirit. So the Spirit of God unites us to one another and to Christ in glory. That's the one body truth. And then he also inhabits the House of God.
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The House of God is the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. So these two figures are used in this chapter. The one body and they're both. They're both connected with the Spirit of God. Spirit of God forms the one body. We're baptized by 1 Spirit into one body and united to the head in heaven. He is the connecting link. The Spirit of God is the one who forms that unity and that union. And then he also inhabits the house. He dwells in the house.
And these are two thoughts in the chapter. We also have the family mentioned in verse 19. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the Saints and of the household of God. So we're part of the household of God, as well as being members of the one body, as well as being the habitation of God by the Spirit Now. And this is a holy temple which is growing, growing to completion.
And it's not finished yet, but it is his habitation now on earth. He dwells here in this, in the in the house, which is the all the Saints. Oh, it's really all professing Christendom. It is really, and for the Spirit of God loves today.
It fits into Acts chapter 2, doesn't it? Also because when the Holy Spirit came down, he baptized all believers.
But also he filled the house. So we see the boat there, don't we? As you were pointing out. I believe that's the introduction of that. When the Holy Spirit came down, that precious truth was developed right there.
Connection with the Tabernacle. We were Speaking of it as our position here while we're still in this world, waiting for the Lord Jesus to come. But in Ephesians we're looked at as seated in the heavenlies, and it's not a temporary thing.
It says as of the heavenly city, and I saw no temple or in for the Lord, God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. So there is the thought of the temple in connection with the heavenly city. But when we talk about our worship now and where we are by we, we're going through the wilderness.
In Ephesians it's growing unto an holy temple. In the Lord, I think we see the two lines of truth brought before us. But in Ephesians it's particularly where God has placed us through the work of Christ, not the thought of access as we have in Hebrews.
And I mean in the present time, but Peter, how you bring now, Peter the second chapter in there you have the house right? And there you have worship right. So that brings a side out and connected with the House of God that speaks of worship similar to what you have in Hebrews, right?
Well, yeah, Estonia doesn't speak of within the veil or something, it just speaks of thee. But the Lord said on this rock, I will build my church.
So we are living stones in the house where we as priests.
OfferUp that is fully free. OfferUp spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. I have sometimes tried to put it this way that when it ever speaks of the House of God, it seems his portion is in view. You know it's his dwelling place or receiving worship from his own. When it comes to the body of Christ, there seems to be our blessing, our portion.
Our edification, encouragement, and comfort all building ourselves up in love, That seems to be the predominant thought, and we always tend to think of that side of things because we're selfish creatures even in spiritual things. But when it comes to the House of God, it's his holy habitation, and he dwells there. Holiness becomes his House of God forever, and he receives in that house worship from his own holy priests.
We must have more of an exercise that God receives.
That from his people that he is looking for.
Even in Peter it says he's begotten us again unto a living culture to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled. And the fate is not a way reserved in heaven for you.
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In First Corinthians chapter 6 verse 19.
But know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which you have of God, and you're not your own. That is the individual indwelling of the Spirit for each believer.
And in chapter 3 it's the collective. It says in chapter three of First Corinthians it says Know ye not verse 16, that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. That's collective.
6 chapters individual, isn't it?
We sing hymn #57.
On the left of the door.
Thank you. Could we stand?