John
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Q: God took only the rib,"And made he a woman." Does it mean the flesh was all yet of another?"
A: Not necessarily. For Adam claims as we read, "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh:" (Ge.2:22-23) His certainty is from his position as the Son.("All things were made by him."- John 1:3-4). This supplies 'the bone' of his bones. The flesh is yet another. "All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men."(1 Co.15:19). Glory of this flesh is same for Adam and Eve since sin of one affected the other equally. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."(Ro.3:23)
This makes Eve was represented in the unseen world and when God framed the worlds by his word the glory of the woman was made to appear. It is thus we approach the sister/spouse conundrum.(He.11:3)
It is for this reason faith is called as the pure speech. The words may over the time become corrupted and the argot among thieves may pass around 'limited atonement', total depravity and ecumenism nevertheless duds. "For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent." (Ze.3:9) For this reason we have St Paul say, "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son," and of this word made flesh we reckon glory and faith as two sides of the single coin.
Thanks again for your thoughtful reply! I really appreciate the depth of your insights and your commitment to finding the Truth.
1. Earth's Age:
I totally get your skepticism about both the 6,000-year and 4.54 billion-year views. Science uses methods like radiometric dating to estimate the Earth's age, but it's always evolving. On the other hand, religious interpretations vary, with some seeing the creation story as symbolic. I think science explains "how" things work, while religion covers the "why."
2. Isaiah 40:21-22 - The Circle of the Earth:
You mentioned Isaiah saying God "sits upon the circle of the earth." Whether that's literal or poetic, the key takeaway for me is that God's perspective is way bigger than ours-like we're tiny grasshoppers in comparison.
3. John 17:4-5 - Jesus' Existence Before Creation:
Jesus' prayer about being glorified with the Father before the world began highlights His eternal nature. He was there from the start, making everything through Him ( John 1:3). It's a powerful reminder of His divine role in creation.
4. John 1:18 - No One Has Seen God:
This verse points to Jesus as the way we understand God. Even though no one has seen God, Jesus, who is one with the Father, makes Him known to us. It shows how Jesus bridges the gap between us and the divine.
5. The Search for Truth:
I agree with you that Truth is the most important thing. When Pilate asked "What is truth?" ( John 18:38), Jesus answered it in John 14:6: "I am the way, the truth, and the life." For me, that's the ultimate truth-everything else helps us get closer to understanding that.
Thanks again for the great discussion! I look forward to hearing more of your thoughts.
Q: "In the everlasting covenant man is created 'after our image and our likeness" This being the template and established by Law of the Spirit" in 5:3 we have the order apparently changed. "And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, and after his image; and called his name Seth."
A:Adam is the son of God because he is the living soul. Soul is set there after a similitude. In the Father Son relation the similitude in heaven is followed after on the Earth. His soul is as unique as our iris scan or gait recognition. No man can possess or kill it. It is divine breath which which He garnished the heaven and every thing else in it." "By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth."(Ps.33:6). The same word is obeyed,"That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it? It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment."( Job 38:13-14)
So what is our image in the case of God? Take the attribute of light as Holiness of God. After our image sets God as the Father of light. Since Jesus Christ who was the Word made flesh, he is qualified as the true Light. After our likeness is word-based so In the Gospel of John we read "In him was life; and the life was the light of men.."( John 1:4) The Law of the Spirit sets life synonymous with light.
Adam possesses soul 'in his image' so the representational aspect of Jesus and Adam can be brought into stark relief. "for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."Ge.1:17. Adam sinned and came under the law of sin. So he shall be called to account for his sin. In his image is not in our image. What made Seth step in place of Abel when he was created in the image of Adam a fallen man? He had faith as well as works to be counted 'After our likeness. (God)" said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel."4:25)
"No where in the Bible we read God named Adam by his personal name. "In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;"However in the next verse the Spirit explains it by "Male and female created he them; and blessed them and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created." Is it not curious having to life the entire context of their creation from Ge.1:28?"
A: In the Genealogy of Jesus Christ he is recorded as the son of God (in small letter) to distinguish from Jesus Christ. The word as a sign was already sent out ("And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins."(Matt.1:21;Is.7:14; Luke 3:38)
The Law of the Spirit has already settled the name and his role and his fullness which requires no afterthought. The Law is perfect.
For this reason on day Six God sets out His Will and it is fulfilled in his Son, in vv.26-28. As mentioned earlier Law is perfect. His gifts and calling are irrevocable. "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth./So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them./And God blessed them." Male and female he created them refers to the holiness of God where Power is male and wisdom is of female principle. "Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars." Cannot the Law set the fulness of God in his Son as amny pillars as stated here. The Command number Seven refers to the Law of the Spirit. The red dragon has seven heads but ten hors inform us the Law of sin invented by the son of God is already judged. (1 John 1:8)
The Spirit also sets the idea of the Bride of Christ here. It is Adam who names Eve.
Q:
In John 1:29 Jesus is made manifet to take away the sin,-notice here the word "sin" is singular. This is the penalty of sin! Death. Separation from God." Did not Satan sin? Sin of pride I can cite. Adam's sin was in disobedience and God speaks of death. What determines sin?
A: "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law./And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin." The Law mentioned here is the Law of the Spirit. The Spirit gives the Law a face, for the simple reason:"For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell:(Col.1:19)
"In Jesus Christ was no sin. He was the Word made flesh, and was the emblem in the divine Will as the slain Lamb. So all the requirement for remedying sin was in the world unseen, and in the world made to appear, John the Baptist testified him as the Lamb of God. So all that fuss about the Law of Moses and animal sacrifices is mere smoke and mirrors as imposter churches make a case for supporting Israel in a war that is not from God. Little do they know of Scripture; nor do they want to be corrected. The Law of the Spirit sent Jesus as the fulfilment of the Law.
" He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil."( 1 John 3:8)."The purpose is stated clearly, It is not to support Israel or any other ungodly nation.
God knew precisely who are His and who are of the devil. In Amos we have God dealing with Israel and their humbug.:Though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down:
3And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them:"(Amos:9-2-4)
Q: "God's requirement of what must be believed is based on the amount of revelation He has given mankind up to that time. Salvation is by faith in the crucifixion of Christ./ The knowledge we have is what already happened and we believe and have faith in that. It's hindsight! Od Testament saints did not have that knowledge. Does God reveals complete or in piecemeal?"
A:
In the beginning God created heaven and the earth. Ge.1:1. God a Spirit formed these worlds by the word of God. (He.11:3) This Word is God and was with God. So Jesus was with the Word which is the Law in the beginning, ( John 1:1)."All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." and we have this verse: Jesus Christ the same yesterday and forever' was in the divine Will and it was made to appear in the fulness of time. So crucifixion of Jesus or when is not the issue. It is faith with which God made the worlds to appear.
God formed all hearts alike and breathing into the nostrils of man makes every one equal before the Law of the Spirit. This Spiritual understanding requires no other revelation outside faith and the Bible. We have been foreknown and blessed before the worlds began. So it complete if faith makes you believe in his Son.
Everlasting covenant between God and Man also gives access to man before Law of the Spirit time and space is of no consequence, "The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:/Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you."( Luke 17:20-21). Faith gives you place in the kingdom and it is 'Abide in me' life and your works meet the requirement of the Law. It takes you all the way to the beginning and is a life from everlasting to everlasting. There is nothing in between. Salvation is complete revelation to be spiritually discerned.
The basis of salvation has always been the death of Christ.
No one, either prior to the cross or since the cross, would ever be saved without that singular event.
Christ's death paid the penalty for past sins of Old Testament saints and future sins of New Testament saints.
The requirement for salvation has always been faith. The object of one's faith for salvation has always been God.
Ww look back in history and by faith, believe what is written.
God's requirement of what must be believed is based on the amount of revelation He has given mankind up to that time.
Adam believed the promise God gave in Genesis 3:15 that the Seed of the woman would conquer Satan. Adam believed Him, demonstrated by the name he gave Eve verse 20. ( The mother of all living )
The Lord indicated His acceptance immediately by covering them with coats of skin verse21. At that point that is all Adam knew, but he believed it.
Those coats of skin "from a sacrifice made by God" pointed ahead to Christ sacrifice that takes away the sin of the whole world.
John 1:29.
You notice here the word "sin" is singular. This is the penalty of sin! Death. Separation from God.
Jesus came to redeem what was lost.
Read Romans 5:12-21.
God bless.
The Christian should come to the light, which is the Word of God. It reveals our sin, but it also shows us the remedy. The blood of Christ is still potent, and it is the basis of forgiveness for the sins of a child of God.
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)
The believer who walks in the light and discovers sin in his life knows that the blood of Christ keeps on cleansing him from sin; consequently, he goes in confession to Him.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
Immediately, fellowship is restored for the sinning saint. The family fellowship is resumed and confidence and assurance are restored. You see, the child of God is always disturbed by sin in his life, as he knows it breaks fellowship with God. In fact, the line of demarcation is drawn at this point between God's children and the devil's offspring:
In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth [practices] not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. ( 1 John 3:10)
Deliberate and continual sinning, without remorse or without repentance, is a clear indication that one has not come into the place of sonship. The child of God is distressed, disturbed, and distraught by the presence of sin. He hates the sin in his life and longs to be delivered from it. The presence of sin robs him of his assurance. The legitimate child of God can never compromise with the sin in his life.
See Part 7.
( 1 Thessalonians 1:5)
The gospel that produces changed lives comes in much assurance. Many who lack assurance are sincere, but they have actually never been born again.
Emotionalism..
Some depend upon an emotional experience, and they do not have the knowledge of their salvation. The gospel has not been given to them accurately, and they merely rest upon an emotional upheaval. If the experience was significant, then they fall back upon it to fortify their faith. When the emotional experience wears thin and there is not much to rest upon, then doubts and uncertainty creep in to make the heart disturbed. Many of these people do not know the assurance that there is in the gospel:
That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ. ( Colossians 2:2)
Sin.
Unconfessed sin in the life of a believer is the greatest single factor in robbing one of the assurance of salvation. God wants us to have the full assurance of faith; this comes experientially through fellowship with God. Sin breaks our fellowship, and this, in time, sets up a chain reaction that breaks our assurance.
If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth. (1 John 1:6)
We can bluff our way through before others by putting up a front that all is well. But underneath, doubts begin to gnaw like little foxes at the fringe of our faith, and we actually feel that we are not really God's children. We dread the light because it makes us more conscious of our doubts. God is still our Father nonetheless, and a conviction of sin is pretty good evidence. We have lost our fellowship - not our salvation.
See Part 6.
God is offering eternal life - everlasting life - to those who believe in Christ. It is not temporary or uncertain. It is not paid for on the installment plan. It is a gift the moment one believes, but for longer than a moment - for eternity.
You may or you may not have the assurance of this salvation that God offers as everlasting life. An anomalous situation exists today. Some Christians believe in the security of the believer but do not themselves have the assurance of their salvation; "My brethren, these things ought not so to be" ( James 3:10), but they do exist.
God wants you to know that you are His child through faith in Jesus Christ:
But as many as received him, to them gave he power [the right] to become the children of God, even to them that believe on his name; who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. ( John 1:12, 13)
It is not honoring to Him for you to have misgivings, doubts, and a lack of assurance. "Maybe" and "perhaps" should not be in the vocabulary of a born-again Christian when the matter of salvation is the subject. It is not a "hope so" but a "know so" salvation that God offers. It is always described as everlasting or eternal life; it is not temporary or conditional. Listen to God and be assured:
He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 1 John 5:12-13
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:22.
This is not the language of uncertainty. There is a remarkable passage in this connection expressed in Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.
See part 4.
"Darkness was upon the deep"
What is darkness? It is the absence of the light and we are here discussing it in spiritual terms. The natural light from the sun, moon and the stars belong to the world made to appear by the word of God. We shall keep this part aside while we discuss the unseen aspects of his Will. Darkness explains the state where the light of knowledge arising from the word is zero. It is a condition but not permanent. According to the word of God the Spirit moving upon the face of the waters separates one state from the other. God commanded and there was light. Just as He named it Day, he names the darkness, as Night.(vv.4-5). So in terms of light and darkness both are both alike to him. (Ps.139:12) So it is a matter of first and the last in theological term Matt.20:16. This quote is to be understood in this sense, "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee."(Is.60:1)
Th word of God however spoken is beyond recall. The sign for the earthly ministry of Jesus was made manifest, for God made it known. "The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up./From that time Jesus began to preach."(Matt.4:16-17;Ro.1:19-20). How did the nation of Israel respond to it? When in that awful night Jesus was seized for a malefactor Jesus put the finger on the spot,"When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness."( Luke 22:53). Literally in the cover of darkness they went about without a fair trial to judge him. The power of darkness stamped them as sons of perdition. John's Gospel sums it up, " In him was life; and the life was the light of men./And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not."( John 1:4-5). The nation had the Law of Moses but that did not work with them. ( John 3:19-20)
"And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left."
Jesus Christ compares nations not subject to the Law of the Spirit as unfit to his purpose. In his woe to ye discourse he tells the nation of Israel, "Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets./ Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers./ Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?" Against the generation of Jesus we have several generations each under the law of sin fulfilling the measure of their fathers. So much so God asks,"To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord,"(Is.1:11) God well knew their heart was astray and when He made Ezekiel his watchman he forewarned him,"But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are impudent and hardhearted." (Ez.3:7) Yet his role was to warn them, "And go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord God; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear."(v.11). God sent His only begotten Son and he was rejected for the simple reason there was no place for the word of God in their heart. They belonged to the devil, which was a murderer. They represented darkness so the Gospel says, " In him was life; and the life was the light of men./And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not."( John 1:4-5) God is just and merciful."If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9).
God instituted animal sacrifices "For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins." Without true repentance what was it but mere outward observance? "But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.:(He.10:3-4)
Because God made the promises in Scripture they will be fulfilled. He cannot lie nor deceive in anyway. And because Jesus is God in the flesh He not only fulfills what God had promised, He shows that God is faithful to His promises, thus He is the "Yes" in these two ways. Jesus is the Truth. He cannot lie or deceive because He is God in the flesh. Therefore, we can trust what God has revealed in Scripture because Jesus IS the Word of God and was with God in the beginning and IS God. ( John 1:1-3)
The only Being in the universe Who is completely true to His Word is God. The Father is true to His revealed word, the Son is true to His divine nature, never sinning and able to fulfill all that He came to do for us to the glory of God, and the Holy Spirit is true because, as God, He knows all concerning the nature of God and whatever He reveals to man, it is always true and reliable.
So, we can be confident that we serve a God who is altogether, faithful, truthful, unwavering (not yes and no about the same promise), unchanging in what He has decreed, and all powerful to ensure that all that He has determined to do will come to pass.
Jesus is God's Yes and Amen to us. He carries to completion all that God wills. He is God's guarantee of salvation, sanctification, and glorification to all who has been elected before creation. No one who is elected to salvation will not come to God in Christ.
God's election never fails. The Father draws the elect to Christ. The Son came as God in the flesh to fulfill the plan of redemption, and the Holy Spirit seals us for eternity. None that are elected will ever be cast out from God.
This truth of Jesus being the Yes and Amen of God demonstrates the unity of the three Persons of the Godhead in all things. There is absolute harmony between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They always will the same things and always bring to fruition all that is willed. No plan or purpose of God will ever fail or go unfulfilled.
"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:/Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." ( John 1:12-13)
Mode of inversion sets their salvation according to the Law of the Spirit. This unseen world made to appear in a believer can only be settled by his faith. "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." How did a believer bridged the gap? They died to the flesh and to the law of sin."For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live./For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God./For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father./The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God."(Ro.8:13-16)
The Law was God in the beginning which shall explain the mode of inversion as a spiritual template for the two worlds framed by the word of God. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Law of the Spirit explain the unseen aspect of God which was made to appear. The Word was with God sets the seen aspects in the emblem of the slain Lamb as well as the Word made flesh, contemporaneous with the everlasting covenant. ( John 1:1;Ge.1:1) In the fulness of time has nothing to do with the Law of the Spirit or the holiness of God but fulness of time is the seen aspects of the Word become flesh that is 'After our likeness' shall manifest. The Holy Spirit in expressing the sovereignty of God from both aspects of the Word, eternally settled in the heavens and also the world made appear, organises both divine Will and its fulfilment as a mode. As with command numbers and phrases, 'unto this day' and 'in that day' is given a chiastic structure. "So the last shall be first, and the first last." (Matt.20:16a)
God called into the fellowship of God with Man for whom after the human likeness allots time. For this reason Jesus as his time for departing from the world says, "For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end."( Luke 22:37). As after our likness God has given him authority. "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."( John 6:37-39) This resonates with those who received him. His simplicity so he came to do the will of his Father than of his own, is a virtue but for the proud in spirit they shall detest self abnegation. So St Paul says, "And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:/That no flesh should glory in his presence. "(1 Co.1:28-29)
"And speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord God; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear."
Law is equal before all men. Nations would mean well but law of sin in man makes law and justice a mockery often. "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:/That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."(Ro.8:3-4). In the beginning which refers to God and the Word implies that Jesus Christ was present. (Ge.1:1; John 1:1) Jesus therefore could declare, "I am before Abraham was" The Law of the Spirit also implies grace of God was made manifest in the works of God set forth in the everlasting covenant, both divine Will and its operation,- "And it was so" is clearly set down. (Ge.1:9)
Holiness of God sets the Law equally accessible to man. It is also Person specific, considering the the third beast has the face of man. The Laws of nature derives from the Law and it gives an aspect of divine Providence in the manner His creation is provided for. "Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them"(Matt.6:26) Jesus Christ is the fulfilment of the Law. Thus grace of God is a manifestation of divine favour. "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men."(Ti.2:11). This is what Law of the Spirit has done, So when John says "And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace./For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." ( John 1:17-18) we need look past Moses when the Word was God. God called all to salvation. Law of the Spirit is not to blame if man refuses it.The v.10 explains what the prophet has to do first:"(all my words) Receive in thine heart, 2) and Hear with thine ears.
"Thou tellest my wanderings: Put thou my tears into thy bottle: Are they not in thy book? When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: This I know; for God is for me. In God will I praise his word: In the LORD will I praise his word."
Tears are not what the everlasting covenant between God and Man have set out as a blessings. Without God what is the portion of man? "My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?"(Ps.42:3)
David understood where his wretchedness came from. Over his adultery he realises that his iniquity had soiled the entire landscape so he prays, "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." (Ps.51:10) The only cleanser is the blood of Jesus, "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."(1 John 1:7) It can blot out 'all' sin.
The element of sin did not come from man's own but from the law of sin that referred to the the angels that did not keep their first estate, ("And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation,-Jude v.6). In the covenant God blessed man and woman, "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth." After their fall we have God warning the woman as to the perils of conception and pangs of labour. "Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee." (Ge.3:16;1:28) This taint of disobedience places their heart not entirely level with the the intent of the covenant. Man who shall enter into the Fellowship of God with Man has a bad consciousness. It is for this reason David pleads for a clean heart.
my question if we are forgiven why would you have to go before a judgement seat?
Here we have a pictorial representation of John 1:1"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
The Word is represented by v.5 " And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: Three entities so the word is a sign (lightening) sound(thundering) and the Word become flesh is the Gospel articulated, implying Jesus Christ as the true Light. Throne of glory or grace is explained in terms of colours which we are not considering as the blood red of the carnelian stone or the pure green light thrown by emerald. Instead the two stones mentioned in v.3 "And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald," we shall infer the Power and Wisdom principle of God casts His glory as a rainbow. Here again the glory as we read in He.1:3 is about the Son.
Coming back to v.5 we have the seven spirits of God in relation to the throne while what we see in Ch.5 are the seven spirits in terms of the Lamb in whom is the fulness of God. Instead of lamps we have the seven eyes to signify the unity of the Spirit. Whereas here the lamps are more in keeping with the word and the Gospel of God
We have Trinity represented in heaven God, a Spirit, the body(Four and twenty elders and four beasts and the rainbow signifies the soul, indicating the direction the will of God is leading to. The unseen aspects of God made to appear is by the word of God, and the glory of the light of the Lamb sums up the earthly ministry of the true Light, the colours of precious stones that make up the twelve foundations on which the holy city of God stands.
" For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live./For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God."
What does it mean to be hid in Christ in heavenly places? " For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God."(Col.3:3) No man has seen God, as John says,"No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him."( John 1:18). The word spoken to us is the truth and 'thy word is truth' makes the testimony of Jesus Christ as first hand account of heavenly realities. Being hid in Christ therefore is total trust in the Apostle sent from heaven. So the only way we can do is follow his example and it as real as being led by the Spirit. "Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample." Works is in the manner our faith strives to make this as natural and from our heart so there is no room for inconvenient pursuits. As a cartoonist for newspapers my world view centred on observing the quirks in others which is inconvenient in a chid of God. So I let it go. Similarly my growth led by the Spirit has been slow and with experience more easy and I believe his grace has filled in wherever gaps wer, So our Christian Living is not a single linear advancement. Main thing is to stay the course, and quit me as a man, trusting in my Saviour.
Jesus laid down the principle of Association. Matt.10:40;Luke10:16) Up and Down it moves as Jesus is the Lord from heaven; we becoming Christ-like so faithwith works move across. It mirrors heavenly placein the sight of God a Spirit. "For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:/Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself."Ph.3:17
"That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."
What is the righteousness of the law bur Christ Jesus? If we abide in him we walk the way as he set an example. 'Thy word is truth' and his promise to send the Spirit was to guide us and having the indwelling Spirit how can we run with the hounds and preach on Sundays as a hare? We are dead to the world. Our sufficiency is of God, "But of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." (2 Co.3:6)
"For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged./But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world."(1 Co.11:31-32). The Spirit is the arbiter and it means walk circumspectly,"not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil."(Ep.5:15-17)
" But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." Our sufficiency is of the Man who signed on our behalf and the everlasting covenant bears the blood of the Lamb, for which reason when he walked the earth the Spirit gave him a sign, "And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!"( John 1:38) John did not have to know what he was in the divine Will, the slain Lamb before the foundation of the world in his humanity walked and he was there to testify. That was his role. Later John judging him from his own lifestyle questioned, "Do we look for another?' It elicited a summation of his role in the kingdom of God from the Word become flesh. "Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he".(Matt.11:11) That the scripture might be fulfilled explains the Messenger aspect linking him but in his failure it is the Man who settled the matter.
"For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh"
Jesus in his humanity has a purpose; so has his deity which sets him right in the bosom of his Father. It is to the twelve he explains what he was there for. "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you."(John16:7). The everlasting covenant set the two worlds framed by the word of God where the world made to appear was void and without form at first shall decidedly shall become a city on a hill that cannot be missed. It speaks of his Alpha aspect and the female principle Wisdom crying out in the streets is the covenant sets up in seven days, the House where the Father has many mansions. The Jews rejected him, the true Light so in the Book of Jeremiah we have the prophet referring for the wicked and adulterous nation a bleak picture, 4:21-31. "I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light." It is how Jesus Christ shall be and through the day decreed for the Son runs its course. Their wickedness shut out the true Light because they were ever held in thrall by the devil. So law of sin made the Law of Moses to none effect."The life was the light of men./And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." ( John 1:4-5). It is thus the Spirit put the words in the mouth of Jeremiah. The passage quoted above runs to the day of wrath and a point of time they shall see and mourn for their folly. "Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him."(Re.1:7)
Outpouring of the Spirit is fulfillment of the everlasting covenant. 'Male and female created he them'. (Ge.1:28)
John 3:21 - But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
But he that does truth, literally the one who practices the truth is continually coming to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are worked in God.
The one who has a heart for the Lord comes to the light and basically says show me what is of me, and what is of God. I just want to do the things of God. What's the truth? I don't want to hide, just manifest to me the truth. Two different kinds of people!
And from this text, I can say to you, and it answers all the questions and problems that we have about preaching the Gospel. What about those people that never hear? What about the people that can't read?
What about those who don't have a Bible? They have never heard the Gospel message before. According to Jesus, everybody is going to be judged by how they responded to the light. That's it!
In John 1:9, we read in the Logos Hymn that the light enlightens every person coming into the world. So, it is not words. At some point and some time, God's Spirit as a Spiritual light manifests Himself to a person's heart or spirit. And that person will either be receptive to the light, or they are going to want to get away from the light. It won't involve words. It won't be because of the English language or Greek or Hebrew or anything else. It's the light!
When He shines His light into our darkness, how do we respond? We are either drawn to the light, or we want to get away from the light. That's based on a heart condition, not on what I believe or don't believe in my head. It's the light!
The blood of the Lamb cleanseth us from all sin. This cleansing depends on the first commandment, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." This is where the nation of Israel failed. Instead of full commitment they tried to observe the tradition of their father which meant they still were under the law of sin.
The everlasting covenant is made between God and Man and sealed by the blood of the Lam. This is what made the Lamb of God and it came from John the Baptist. The Spirit of God revealed to him. "And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him."( John 1:36-38). The Spirit of Christ adds another element cancelling the law of sin, another aspect of the blessing under the covenant: Law of the Spirit.
This Spirit is unseen as the ten stones that covered the covering cherub in his iniquity. So the beast is called the son of perdition. he is born of that spirit of pride. Recent news had the former POTUS crowing before the Penn. crowd that he was more beautiful than his political opponent. Of what spirit is that?
Economic is not an exact science. Supply meets demand is its foundation. But in market economy these never meet but determined by unseen forces. So come pandemic and from did it come, no one knows. In the post-pandemic world the super rich are 300 time richer than before. All those economic pundits have been misled and so are policy makers of nations. They have no clue. It is thus ungodly nations go by insufficient evidence pulling wool over simple souls. Yet they root for the fools who cover their real intent by glib talk. Under the light of the Lamb we have 12 foundations laid with precious stones. This is what gospel of salvation does. Glory of it was not the high priest under the Law of Moses could qiet match.
John 1:41 - He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
Andrew leaves and he goes to find his brother Simon Peter. And he says, we have found the Messiah. And the word found is the word HEUREESKO which is why this section is called the EUREKA, the I found you section. And he finds his own brother, and says we found the Messiah, which is been interpreted the Christ.
John 1:47 - Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
The word guile is deceit.
John 2:6 - And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.
A firkin is a skin of an animal that's been shaped to hold liquid. A firkin, or two or three firkins, there is one measure, or firkin, because that's what the Greek word says. It says measure, and one measure equals 10 gallons. So, each one carries either 20 or 30 gallons each, which means at a maximum there is 180 gallons total that these six water pots could hold.
John 2:11 - This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.
The word glory is the Greek word DOKSAH, and it comes from the Hebrew word KAVODH that basically means substance.
So, the glory of God is His presence, the very substance of His person, His Spirit. Christ is manifesting that He is God in the flesh as He has manifested Himself.
John 1:18 - No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, and again the word begotten means unique. The only one who is in human form that represents God, the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. Quite a statement!
It is the relationship of the Word to the representative of God to man. First of all, nobody has ever seen God at any time. Nobody! The only one, the only unique one who has come from God, who is in the Father's bosom, another word of equality, He and the Father are one, as he's going to say in John Chapter 10 Verse 31.
He, that is Jesus Christ, He has declared God. The word for declared is EXEGESITO. That is where we get our word exegesis from. An exegete is somebody who takes something apart and declares in detail the facts about a subject.
So here are the three principles: in existence, and in equality, and in essence.
The only begotten Son Existed in the bosom of the Father.
Equality - bosom of the Father means that He is one with him.
And thirdly, Essence - God in human form.
In other words, if anybody wants to know about God, they go to Jesus Christ. He is not just a prophet. He's not just a rabbi. In the Christian faith and Biblical Christianity, He is God in the flesh, 100% God, 100% man!
John 1:23 - He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
Esaias is the Greek transliteration of the word Isaiah in Greek.
John 1:3 - All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
All things were made by him. Now the word "made" designates to us that the Greek word means to create or to come into existence. He is talking about creation, something that was not in existence before. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.
John 1:13 - Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Which were born, not of blood, in fact in the Greek text that is plural, not of bloods. You cannot be born into a Christian family. You cannot be born into salvation. It is not part of a family line. Nor of the will of the flesh, human desire, nor of the will of man, and the word man in Greek denotes the husband or the head of the family.
The head of the family can't decide "Okay, all you kids are to be Christians. You are all going to be saved. So next Sunday we are all going up to the altar and you are all going to get saved." It is not the will of the husband. But notice at the end, and this goes with the first three words of the verse, which were born of God. The word "of" means "out of as a source."
Those that received Him experienced a spiritual birth that comes from God, and we get that in detail in Chapter 3 in the interview with Nicodemus.
John 1:16 - And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
In other words, we are recipients of this grace that comes from the Word. And the phrase "grace for grace" in the Greek text, it depicts like the waves of the sea.
Grace succeeding grace like the waves of the sea. God's grace just pours through one after the other. And John says of His fullness we've received and grace after grace, like the waves of the sea.
John (Part 1):
John 1:1 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Notice the three words "was." As I shared with you earlier, that has to do with the continuous existence in the past. That is what the Greek word represents. And notice the three different segments. In the beginning was the word. Secondly, the word was with God. And thirdly, the word was God.
In the beginning, and literally in the Greek text, there is no definite article "the." It is just EN ARCHAE, in beginning. There's a reason for that. It is because Genesis Chapter 1 Verse 1, in the Hebrew as well as the Greek translation, it reads "In beginning God created the heavens and the earth."
There is no word "the" in Genesis 1:1 either because it was not "the beginning," it was just beginning. And in the language of both Hebrew and Greek, that is a designation of at the time of creation.
So, in beginning, that is, at Genesis 1:1, was the Word. And again, the word "was" shows continuous existence and the word "Word" is the word LOGOS.
The LOGOS, the great thinker behind the universe was already in existence at the time of physical creation. That is, the creation of physical things as we know it. He was always in existence.
Secondly, and the word was with God. The word "with" represents a Greek phrase that means face-to-face with. And it is the Greek term for equality. To be face-to-face, eye-to-eye, shows equality.
And the word was God. Interesting that some people take these phrases and try to make something out of it that actually twists it away from its original intent. It says the word was God.
Notice our three principles:
Existence - at creation the word existed already.
Equality - and the word was with God, that is face-to-face equal to God.
And thirdly, and the word was God - Essence, nature, the very nature of God Himself.
Good conversation going on here.
I agree with you that Adam and Eve being naked before they sinned has deeper meaning than just the shame we may feel with physical nakedness.
I think that them being naked means:
1) They were not clothed with Christ prior to their sinning
2) Their nakedness shows that they were vulnerable to temptation and to sin because they did not have the wherewithal to prevail against temptation as Jesus did.
Jesus was the divine Son was made flesh ( John 1:14) who , Adam was a son of God but strictly human. The first Adam in Eden was without the sword of the Word of God, the second Adam, Jesus, WAS the Word of God. The first Adam did not know waht evil was but the second Adam, Jesus, knew all about Satab's rebellion and sin and the evil that ensued. The first Adam, in Eden, was able to sin; the second Adam, Jesus was unable to sin because His divine nature and person can never sin. These differences show us that man alone in his faculties, cannot resist temptation and sin. He will fall as Adam did. This is why we need a divine Savior who could not sin and who possessed everything necessary to defeat Satan and evil. In the Garden, satan defeated Adam, but in the Garden of Gethsemane Satan was defeated because Jesus chose the Father's will and not His own human will.
In the Eden, with all it possessed to keep Adam completely satisfied, the temptation to disobey prevailed because Adam wanted more than what God had provided and ordained, he preferred to "become like God" rather than to prefer God alone. In the wilderness temptation, Jesus was hungry in a place of desolation but He defeated Satan and his temptations because He preferred to become human in order to save mankind, not thinking that equality with God was something to be grasped from God, but humbled himself in becoming human for the purposes of the God. At the cross, Jesus triumphed over Satan, despoiling him and his power to deceive the whole world anymore.