Do take time to read as Pastor continues on New Covenant Realities 4 The Old Testament is a shadow of the New. It means its symbolic and figurative. This refers to the offerings, meals and practices. Jesus taught that the scriptures (then this was Genesis to Malachi) pointed to him. John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. 40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. He further taught His disciples in the same breath upon His Resurrection. Luke 24: 25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. The things refer to events, objects, statements and prophecies. He must have mentioned the foreskins of animals (with blood) which covered Adam and Eve after the fall (Genesis 3:21). He must have let them see Abels offering which stood as his substitute was Christ (Genesis 4:4, Hebrews 11:4). He must have explained how during the flood(which speaks of judgment),the Ark had to be Christ (Hebrews 11:7/, 1 Peter 3:20-22)! How Isaacs replacement on mount Moriah was a lamb which symbolizes Christ. Abraham rightly said so and called God Jireh- the One who sees ahead of time (Genesis 22:8-14). (Hebrews 11: 17-19)For God showed Him Christ and Abraham rejoiced and was glad (John 8: 56)! From the goats, bulls to all slain animals ,then all meals taken that brought deliverance to the Jews, every offering speaks (spoke) of Christ. They were symbols and figures as the time of redemption, heralded with the incarnation and sufferings of Christ hadnt occurred. The ONLY reason for a symbol is the yet to arrive/appear of the essence. Symbols are to be done away with when reality happens. Symbols CAN NEVER replace what they symbolize. Nor should they function side by side! Hebrews 10:1 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 thereunto perfect. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. The Old Testament foreshadows the New. The New is here referred to as the Good things to Come”. The Offerings and Physical practices of the Old can NEVER redeem, save or deliver! They are ONLY to point to salvation and redemption! The book of Hebrews teaches the Better Hebrews 1:4 KJV [4] Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. Hebrews 7:22 KJV [22] By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. Hebrews 8:6 KJV [6] But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. Hebrews 9:23 KJV [23] It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. Better sacrifices ,better covenant ,because the offering is the Son,who is better. Better isnt a comparison here. It speaks of finality ,destination ,fulfillment . It also speaks of Perfect Hebrews 10:1 KJV [1] 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 thereunto perfect. Nothing carnal,be it water,bread,wine or animal blood is perfect ,hence they cant perfect . Hebrews 10:14 KJV [14] For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. We are made perfect ,because the offering is perfect . Hebrews 11:40 KJV [40] God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. The better sacrifice makes a perfect people ! Hebrews 12:23 KJV [23] To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, Now we are in Zion. This is the kingdom,only perfect people are in. They are born again (John 3:3-5) Born of God,Perfect. Just like Jesus,better and perfect ! Why? Hebrews 12:24 KJV [24] And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. It perfect mediation. Better than Abels Animal blood. This blood is eternal. It will grant eternal life. Carnal things have no such power. An example is the Passover. Jesus ate the Passover (as the custom of Jews was before he came). We have given it an alias today. We call it Holy Communion. It’s okay. For the Passover feast was Holy. Because it symbolized Christ. When he took the bread, baked from flour, unleavened bread, He called it His body. Broken for us! When? His body was yet intact when He said that. What he broke was baked bread! Again He took one of the 4 cups on the Passover table and called it the New Testament in His blood! How? Did he transfuse? Was he sounding esoteric or mysterious? NO HE WASNT! This feast was instituted in Egypt upon God’s deliverance of the Jews. He wasnt starting a new custom. He was explaining the reason for it! The bread (unleavened means sinless) was to symbolize His body. All the four cups (each speaking of Christ’s work of deliverance, redemption, sanctification and restoration) spoke of the work of Christ’s blood. (Read Exodus12) When Jesus said this is my body, he was teaching not commanding a new symbolism! Moses bread CAN NEVER be our Passover . Our bread has been broken on the cross . When we receive the message of cross we EAT the bread! 1 Corinthians 5:7 KJV [7] ....For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Nothing baked by man has this power. The Old Testament was for carnal men God used carnal mediums to communicate spiritual truths to men before He gave us the Holy Spirit. Until the Holy Spirit, men had to relate with bread, bulls, goats, wine, water etc. To know God’s mind, they consulted and received from these mediums. Hebrews calls is diverse manners at sundry times Hebrews 1:1 KJV [1] God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, This means types and shadows. Partial revelation. Now, we have the Spirit of Truth. Now we KNOW Christ beyond the shadow. 1 Corinthians 2: 9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which mans wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ. This explains the New Testament mode of Communication. The Carnal man needs the symbols. The Spiritual man-receives THE WORD! We have the MINDSET of Christ. This means the explanation of all things is in Him! Hence we no longer hold baked bread as the broken body of Jesus. We are not waiting for our taste buds to tell us we have shared in His body. We are not relying on our senses to prove to us that when we taste wine we feel forgiven! Now we have the Spirit. The Word. We believe. We speak. IT’S OURS. We look at 1 Peter2:24, Isaiah 53: 4-6, Matthew 8:17. We are healed. We read 1 John 2: 2, Ephesians 1:7, Colossians 1:14, we are forgiven. The Corinthian church grappled with spiritual realities. Their dilemma is common today. They fought over water. Who baptized and with what? They fought over hair covering. They dishonourably continued the Passover and did so with disdain. Yet The Baptizer was Christ. The Water is the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13). The Head (covering) is Christ. The bread and wine-Christ! A carnal Church they were! Paul couldnt speak unto them as unto spiritual but as unto carnal, babes in Christ! The reason for his letter (Corinthians) was taking them from milk to meat. They couldnt receive straight from the Word. They needed water, wine, baked bread etc. Paul couldnt feed them with meat. 1 Corinthians 3:1-2 KJV [1] And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. [2] I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it , neither yet now are ye able. Many are still like this. They still fight over carnal ordinances Meat is the Real diet! I have heard of the mystery of the communion table. When people begin to use such words they go into mysticism, esoteric talk. All mysteries are in Christ revealed! Colossians 1:25-27, Ephesians 1-5- All are written and well-explained in the epistles. Mysteries they were. But thank God for The Spirit, revealed they ARE today! For unto us it is given to KNOW the mysteries of the Kingdom! Mark 4:11. The New Testament has NO symbolism. We have the WORD! We walk by faith. We know. We have. We are in Him. Colossians 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body (reality) is of Christ. Meat or drink refers to meals of the Old Testament. The Passover is one of such. Many ate the meals and took the drinks and died (1Corinthians 10: 1-4)! It wasnt meant to communicate life. They were temporary measures. To us Jesus says, John 6: 51-I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. 52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? 53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. This isnt what they ate at the Passover, this is the New Testament. The Word! In verse 63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. Thats it! Baked unleavened bread/ flour profits NOTHING. Only the Word will give life He was asking them to believe the Word. The Gospel. When you do this, you have taken His body (the bread) and His blood (the wine). The New Testament is the Spirit, not the letter(flesh) that kills(2 Corinthians 3:5-9) We must learn to receive the finished work without doubts. Let’s grow up and stop depending on the feeling of water to know we are baptized, or the feeling of oil that we are anointed, or the taste of flour that we are healed or the wine that we are forgiven. We are men of faith. The new covenant, the Spirit, not of the shadows but the reality, even Christ Jesus- The Word! Blessed? Say all things have been fulfilled in Christ. He is the essence of all things. His life received is the shadows done away with! Jesus is Lord,We win!
Posted on: Thu, 21 Nov 2013 08:17:46 +0000
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