Jesus Part Two E-Book

Riaan Engelbrecht

• Herausgeber: Riaan Engelbrecht
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

Who is Jesus? A mere historical figure? A man with a vision? A prophet? A teacher? A philosopher? It is simple. Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus is God Himself. He is our Saviour, Redeemer, Master, the King of kings, Lord of Lords, our Teacher, our Messiah, our Hope, the Way, the Truth, the alpha and the omega, the one worthy to open the scrolls, and He is the Lamb that was slain before the foundation of the world was laid and He is the Lion that returns in all His Glory! Jesus is the most important person in the whole Bible. He's the most important person ever to walk this earth. He's the most important person for you to know. He's the King our world needs, the hero all our stories reveal we long for, and the Saviour we desperately need. He is the bread of life. He is the door to our salvation. He is the good shepherd. He is the resurrection and the life. He is the way and the truth and the life. He is the true vine. He is the Son of David, the Righteous King. He is the Word. He is the Balm of Gilead. Hs Blood still saves, heals, delivers and redeems! He is the author and finisher of our faith and unto Him comes all the praise and honour, indeed, unto Him comes hosanna in the highest.

Leseprobe

Series of work by the same author:

––––––––

Perilous Times

In Pursuit of God

The Holy Spirit

The Disciple of God

Deliverance

Crossroads to Freedom

The Kingdom of God

The Prophetic

Apologetics

The Vine

End-Time Remnant

Table of Contents

Title Page

Jesus Part Two

Life is in the Blood of Jesus

Life is in the firstfruit and the firstborn

Intimate fellowship with Jesus

It is all about Christ and the simple Gospel

Jesus sheds His blood outside of the city

Justification, sanctification, and glorification in Jesus

The Cross and the Blood’s absorption of wormwood

The Cross and the Crown

The Word of truth and wisdom hidden in our hearts

Walking in the true light of Jesus

Walking in Shalom, Sabbath Rest and Shekinah Glory

Walking in the righteousness of Jesus

The Balm of Gilead, a cure for all

Serving a supernatural Jesus

True liberty is only found in Christ

Made alive in Christ

May we worship and adore Jesus

On a collision course with Jesus, the Cornerstone

Jesus and the One Man and the New Creation

Return to simplicity of serving Jesus

The wonderful promise of Immanuel

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About the Author

Jesus Part Two

This is a distributed edition from Avishua Ministries.

The author’s intellectual property rights are protected by international Copyright law. You are licensed to use this digital copy strictly for your personal enjoyment only: it must not be redistributed or offered for sale in any form.

Scriptures quotes from the New Kings James Bible, Amplified, and the New International Version.

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Table of Contents

Life is in the Blood of Jesus

Life is in the firstfruit and the firstborn

Intimate fellowship with Jesus

It is all about Christ and the simple Gospel

Jesus sheds His blood outside of the city

Justification, sanctification, and glorification in Jesus

The Cross and the Blood’s absorption of wormwood

The Cross and the Crown

The Word of truth and wisdom hidden in our hearts

Walking in the true light of Jesus

Walking in Shalom, Sabbath Rest and Shekinah Glory

Walking in the righteousness of Jesus

The Balm of Gilead, a cure for all

Serving a supernatural Jesus

True liberty is only found in Christ

Made alive in Christ

May we worship and adore Jesus

On a collision course with Jesus, the Cornerstone

Jesus and the One Man and the New Creation

Return to simplicity of serving Jesus

The wonderful promise of Immanuel

Life is in the Blood of Jesus

Ephesians 1 makes it clear we have been bought and redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb! Leviticus 17:14 says “because the life of every creature is its blood. That is why I have said to the Israelites, ‘You must not eat the blood of any creature, because the life of every creature is its blood; anyone who eats it must be cut off’. Life is indeed in the Blood. And because we have been redeemed by the Blood of the Lord, we have been redeemed with Life, thus we have been granted not only eternal life but life in abundance while on earth.

Psalm 85 says, “2 You forgave the iniquity of your people and covered all their sins. 3 You set aside all your wrath and turned from your fierce anger.” And also “Psalm 32: 5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin.”

Only the Lord can truly forgive our sins and cover them with His Blood. Thus only the Lord can grant us eternal life, and also life in abundance here on earth. There is no real or true life beyond the Blood of the Lord. It says in “Proverbs 28:13 Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” To prosper means being well, healthy and alive in spirit, soul and body. We can only prosper when the Blood of Life covers our sins for it brings us under the Covenant of Grace and Life. There is no prosperity without the Blood of Jesus, thus no life.

Peter tells us that "love covers a multitude of sins" (1Peter 4:8). He echoes the proverb, "hatred stirs up strife but love covers all sins" (Proverbs 10:12). The only love that can cover sin is the love of Jesus Christ. His love led Him to the cross, where he shed his blood that sins repented of might be blotted out (Matthew 26:28, John 3:16, Acts 3:18-19, Revelation 7:14).

Mankind has no power to blot out sin, no matter how much we love it. We cannot even modify the conditions under which any person's sin may be forgiven. Only the Blood of Jesus can blot out sin, thus only the Blood of Jesus can give us life in abundance. Those who continue to sin without repentance or remorse will continue to be enslaved by sin and thus death.

For this reason, Paul cried out in "1 Corinthians 15:55: Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" There is life in the Blood of Jesus for the Blood sets us free from the wages of sin, from the eternal damnation of a tormented soul and from our own fallen ways. Right from the beginning of mankind, the Lord wanted mankind to understand life is in the blood.  This principle of blood laid down in this first sacrifice runs like a scarlet line all through the Scriptures.

In Genesis 4 Cain and Abel bring a sacrifice each. One is accepted, the other rejected simply because Cain presented no blood while Abel did. In Genesis 9, Noah sheds the blood of the clean animals and so God makes a covenant of grace with him. In Genesis 22, Abraham sacrifices a ram caught in the bushes in Isaac's stead and the blood of the substitute spares the sinner (this was of course pointing towards the sacrifice of Jesus). In Exodus, we also have the introduction of the Passover Lamb to save Israel from the angel of death. This was of course prophetic of Jesus who would become the Passover Lamb for all mankind, by taking sin upon Himself so that we would even defeat death through eternal life.

Blood sacrifices continued under the Law of Moses, which we read about extensively in Leviticus. We, for example, have the Tabernacle sacrifices with steams of blood, and once again, these sacrifices would point one day to Jesus who tabernacles with mankind through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. "Hebrews 5 (NIV): 1 Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. 3 This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people. 4 And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was. 5 In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him, “You are my Son;  today I have become your Father.” 6 And he says in another place, “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” 7 During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8 Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him 10 and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.”

Jesus came to give us life through His own blood.  He was God's gift to the sinner, He died in the place of others and it was by the shedding of His own precious blood that we are redeemed. Through the shedding of His own Blood and laying down His life, He granted us life. It says in "John 15: 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. Great love covers a multitude of sins, and there is no greater love than a perfect man who takes sin upon Himself, and also death, so that the sinner might be saved and live."

Jesus said He is the Way, Truth and Life (John 14:6). His blood paves the way for our redemption and eternal glory. He is the truth by which all lies and strongholds are shattered. He is the Life to our spirit, soul and body. Yes, there can be no life without blood, and no true spiritual life without the Blood of Jesus! In the human body, blood is fluid and mobile, that is, it is not limited to one part of the body but is free to move throughout the entire body and touch every other fixed cell as it supplies it with nourishment and carries off waste products and the ashes of cell activity which we call metabolism. In the human body, there are about five pints of this fluid, and this blood pumped by the heart circulates through the system about every twenty-three seconds so that every cell in the body is constantly supplied and cleansed and at the same time is in constant communication and touch with every other cell in that body. This blood is the most mysterious of all tissues, being composed of scores of elements and compounds and strange chemical bodies, whose function is not yet fully understood, but all of which have to do with the mystery of life for the "life is in the blood." Once the blood fails to reach the cells and members of the body, they promptly die and no man ever dies until his blood ceases to circulate. Life is in the blood.

If the Blood of the Lord does not pump in the spiritual veins of the believer then there is no life. He is our nourishment, our strength, our provider, our healer and our hope. Remember, the church of Jesus Christ is called His body and we are members of His body. In this body, Jesus Christ is the head and all believers are the members. These members are related by the blood of Christ. The life of each member depends on His blood and is dependent solely for life, nourishment, cleansing and growth upon the blood of the Lamb of God for "the life is in the blood." Every born-again believer is a member of that body and lives the common life of every other member by the one thing which unites them and makes them relatives and brothers, even the blood of Christ.

Jesus sad that He is the true vine (John 15:1, 5). This statement in the Gospel of John emphasises the sustaining power of Christ. We are the branches, and He is the vine. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit unless it is joined in vital union with the vine, only those who are joined to Christ and receive their power from Him produce fruit in the Christian life.

We can assume Jesus was talking about a grapevine (considering the parables also of the new wine). Like other flowering angiosperms, a grapevine has a solid, woody stem, which supports the plant and carries water and nutrients from the anchoring roots. Just as the vine supplies the nourishment to the branches, our spiritual nourishment comes to us through the Saviour. Both individually and as a church, if we do not abide in Him, we can do nothing—nothing, that is, that would be fruitful for us or the world in terms of helping people return to Heavenly Father and become what He desires us to become. Such a vine also provides water to the branches. Jesus Christ is the living water. Our souls are refreshed and enlivened by Him. Without Him, we would wither spiritually (see also Psalm 1 about planted by a river).  Oh yes, our spiritual growth is possible only through Jesus Christ, whose grace holds us up when we are weak. He is also our source of hope.

The verb fructify means making (something) fruitful or productive. When we abide in Christ, we begin to bear the fruit of Christ, therefore we grow and reflect the image of Christ. And such fruits is of course highlighted in “Galatians 5: 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” As we abide in Christ, we bring forth the fruits of the gospel - Christlike attributes in our lives, service to our fellowmen, peace and joy in our hearts, the preaching of the gospel, repentance and conversion in ourselves and others, sacred covenants with God, happiness in our families and communities, and much more.

As we yield and submit to the ‘vine’, we also allow ourselves to be pruned. When grapevines are properly tended and pruned, the bunches that form on the branches have large and numerous grapes. We need to allow God to mould us. We need to become like the clay in the potter’s hands (Jeremiah 18:6). We need God to shape our spiritual lives to His glory.

The Lord throughout the Scriptures proved His authority when it comes to granting life, while the devil has since his fall been busy trying with a counterfeit move to lead people to death. And so we need to understand, when one talks about life, it is life in the spirit, soul and body. It is about life in the spirit that manifests into salvation and thus eternal life. It is about life in the soul that manifests into the wellness of the mind, heart and emotions. It is about life in the flesh that manifests into the wellness of the body and walking in the health of the Lord. If we truly wish to enjoy life in abundance – in spirit, soul and body – there is no room for compromise, and there is no room for the world to infest and corrupt us. We must surrender completely to the Lord, for Jesus is the Resurrection and Life (John 11:25).

We need to teach and preach that we must be born again (John 3) and that one is lost unless one has been truly washed in the precious blood of Christ.  There is no life beyond the Blood of Jesus – thus we need to be covered under His Blood through submitting to His glory and perfect will. This is why John 15 is so important for all believers. It speaks about abiding in the Lord, meaning abiding in the Blood of Jesus for life is in the blood. Want to live? Then abide in the life of the Lord! Abide in His Truth, in His Presence and Spirit!

It is important to also remember all men are related by the blood of Adam, sinful and polluted blood, thus dead in trespasses and in sins. It says in Acts 17:26 that all men have a common origin from Adam. It is Adam's blood which courses in every man's veins whether white or black, Jew or Gentile, pagan or cultured.  This blood carries the sentence of death because of Adam’s sin and for this reason all men die a common death, with no exceptions. Now remember that life is in the blood, and so if a man must die it is because there is death in the blood. Whatever the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil was, eating of it caused “blood poisoning” and resulted in death. So potent was this poison that six thousand years after all who are related to Adam by human birth still succumbs to that poison of sin which is transmitted through the blood.

We are told that God formed man out of the dust of the earth. Up to this, Adam was a lifeless clump of clay. Materially he was just so much dust, and merely moulded into the shape of a man, but without life, he was a mere dummy. Then the record tells us that (Genesis 2:7) the breath of God put something in man that made him alive. That something was blood. Then man sinned and ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and he died spiritually and, ultimately, physically. Sin affected the blood of man. For this very reason, sin is not in the flesh but in the blood and flesh can only be called "sinful" flesh because it is nourished and fed and sustained by sinful blood. Sin is transmitted through the blood and since God "hath made of one blood all nations," the sin is transmitted to all of Adam's progeny. For in that one sinned, all have sinned.

It is because sin is in the Blood that generational curses can and do exist, for the curse is passed on through the blood. A curse is nothing more than a death sentence. The answer for any sin or curse (which breeds death) is the sinless blood of our Lord Jesus. Want to be free and prosperous? Get under the Blood of Jesus! Also, consider because sin is in the blood, it was thus necessary for the virgin birth of Christ. If He was to be a son of Adam and yet a sinless man He needed to be born without Adam’s sinful blood in His veins.

Christ thus could partake of Adam’s flesh which is not inherently sinful, but He could not partake of Adam’s blood which was completely impregnated with sin. God found a way by which Jesus "born of a woman" (not man) could be a perfect human being because He had not a drop of Adam’s sin in His veins. It says in “1 Corinthians 15: 45 So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. And also verse 20: But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ, all will be made alive.” And also, “Romans 5: 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.”

Since sin is in the blood, and it follows that if sin is to be atoned for, sinless blood must be provided by someone who is totally unaffected by Adam's sin and yet belong to the human race.  The history of man tells us that instead of realising that sin needs not covering (as done by Adam and Eve, and also by Cain trying to hide the murder) but atonement, man has ever after been trying to save himself by the work of his own hands and by garments of his own manufacture (trying to cover his sin).

So mankind weaves the flimsy fig leaf garment of morality, culture, good works, religion, education and reformation and a social gospel, repeating the error of Adam and Eve when they tried to save themselves by the work of their own hands.

In the first record of sacrifice in Genesis, we read three things about this act of God which was a preview of the whole plan of redemption. Genesis 3 says, “21 The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. 22 And the LORD God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” 23 So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. 24 After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.”

First, Adam's sin called for God's intervention. It must be God's work and not man's. God made the coat of skin. Salvation must be from the Lord. Second, salvation must be by the death of an innocent substitute. Since these coats were made of skin and animals first had to die to provide the covering so a poor substitute (probably a little lamb) had to die that Adam might be saved. Third, it must be by the shedding of blood, for the animal must be killed to give its skin and in this sacrifice, its blood must be shed. Without shedding blood is no remission. Therefore, we cannot atone for our own sins, or even find life by our own works unless we abide in the Lord.

Life thus only comes from God, not man. Only when we abide in God’s perfect plan and purpose shall we find life and life in abundance? In the Law of Moses, Blood played an important role in the sin and trespass offerings. The sin and trespass offerings mended the relationship between God and the penitent, which sin had interrupted.

In making a sin offering, for example, the penitent took his sacrifice, which could range from a turtle dove to a bullock, to the officiating priest. According to Jewish scholars, the Israelite laid his hands on the sacrifice, symbolically transferring his sins to the animal.

The Israelites truly understood the warning that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), for when he sinned and repented, a sacrificial animal died in his place. Leviticus 19:22 states, “The priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering before the Lord for his sin which he hath done.” Because Jesus is the second Adam of life, it is important to understand the importance of birth the incarnation and death on the cross. At the point of incarnation, Jesus took on the form of the physical body of Adam to atone for mankind, but not the infected blood of the line of Adam. He was therefore sinless. On the cross, the sinless blood was shed for all mankind so that our broken bodies and souls may be restored unto God! Hebrews 9:22: Indeed, under the law, almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

Indeed, Jesus’ miraculous conception paved the way for His selfless death on the cross, so that when He shed His blood for mankind it was the Blood of purity. There was no sin in His Blood. His flesh died, but His Spirit lived on so that we by the Blood of the Lamb may truly live! Praise the Lord. There is indeed mighty power and life in the Blood of our Lord! His Blood covers all sins and sets us free from the curse of death, from the wages of sin and the separation from God. And so, it is sad these days, that there is a tendency to preach a gospel that we no longer need the Blood of Jesus. There is no life without Blood. A gospel without the preaching of the Blood of Christ is a lifeless gospel!

This false doctrine states that the Blood was provided once to save us from our sins and is therefore no longer required. It is it seems offensive to talk about the blood of Christ! The problem with this doctrine is that we continually sin, and therefore we need to be continually washed clean, and secondly, we continuously face sickness, famine, plague and danger in this world. We thus need the Blood of Jesus to protect us, sustain us and deliver us from a fallen world! If we say we don’t need the Blood, then we might as well say there is no power in the Blood.

Only the Blood of the Lamb cleanses us from all unrighteousness as it covers from the darkness of this world. We should never stop preaching about the Blood! Jesus is our Passover Lamb and He still protects us from disease, from danger, from eternal death and from the manifestations of death! He protects and delivers us because we have a Covenant with the Lord sealed by Blood. And in the Blood is power, for life is power, for true love is power, for healing is power! Praise the Lord. He heals. He delivers. He saves. All because of the Blood.

As in the days of the Jewish Passover, the Blood symbolised the Blood of our Lord for it is the Blood that gives life. Death simply passed by the houses that carried the mark of the Lord. Again, we have to realise that death comes in many forms – eternal death (spiritual impoverishment), sickness, famine, impoverishment of the soul (fear, anxiety, worry, stress), and financial impoverishment. Yet if we remain under the Blood of Jesus, therefore under the Covenant of the Lord, we shall be protected from the ways of the world and we shall prosper in spirit, soul and body.

Revelation 7 says, “1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given the power to harm the land and the sea: 3 “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” Those who will stand with the Lord, will surely have the mark of the Lord upon them. And just as death passed the houses of the Israelites that carried the mark of the lamb, just so death passes those who carry the mark of the slain lamb! That is the power of the Blood. And in such Blood is life. Yet for those, as mentioned in Revelation 13, who do not carry the mark of the Lord, but carry the mark of the beast, they will surely know that there is no true life in this world but death.

The wonderful news is the following: The value and worth of the blood of Jesus stay priceless, constant and consistent, and it remains and will forever remain the most valuable commodity that never fades or depreciates! All things in life depreciate, but the Blood of Jesus remains a King’s ransom so that everyone who calls on the Name of Jesus might be saved (John 3:16). Praise the Lord for He is a God of value and worth eternally for all time! The power in the Blood never depreciates or wanes. There is always the ultimate power to heal and to deliver and save. He is the Glory and the Splendour of all Creation and we His children are redeemed from the clutches of darkness. Our hope and our faith in Him shall never fade for He never abandons or forsakes us. Hallelujah!

The Blood of Jesus is not shaken by tremors, it is not troubled by floods, it is not delayed by traffic, it is not derailed by global recessions, and it is not crippled by wars, by famine, by violence, by revolutions or by bankruptcy. Praise the Lord, the Blood of Jesus is not shaken and shall not be shaken!

Indeed, a bullet cannot destroy the Blood of Jesus.

A flood cannot wash the Blood of Jesus away.

Tyrannical political leaders cannot enslave the Blood of Jesus.

The twisted philosophies of the world cannot outthink the Blood of Jesus.

The supposed wisest of the wise of scientists cannot outclass the Blood of Jesus.

The bravest soldier and the most courageous poet cannot be more heroic than the Blood of Jesus.

What is the worth and value of The Blood of the Lamb? Priceless!  The Blood of Jesus is wisdom unto the perishing and the spiritually lost.  The Blood of Jesus is the Power unto the weak and the fearful. The Blood of Jesus is the comfort to the mournful ones and the spiritual captives.

Sickness cannot touch it.

Famine cannot starve it.

Satan’s forces cannot battle it.

Money cannot buy it.

Wealth cannot purchase it.

The Blood of Jesus is that one commodity that will outlast all! The Blood of Jesus is that one commodity that will outshine all other materials, all other possessions and all other material treasures. Why then seek the treasures of this world that hold no power or true value?  For this reason, the Lord said to seek the treasures of heaven, for surely no rust can touch it, no moth can come close to it, and surely it cannot be broken, stolen, destroyed or corrupted. Glory to God! What power in the Blood! It is the power of the untainted, of the incorruptible and of the imperishable.

What is The Blood worth? My life. Your life. All our lives.  That is the worth of The Blood – life! Eternal life. It speaks of purpose. It speaks of meaning. It is redemption. It is salvation. It is deliverance. It is healing. It is hope. It is joy. It is the eternal treasure that makes all treasures seem like dust.

Oh, there is nothing more precious and beautiful than the Blood of Jesus – there is nothing more beautiful, more wonderful and more glorious! No painting, no musical score and no engineering feat come close to the magnificence of the Blood of Jesus.

By the Blood, we are saved.

By the Blood, we are redeemed.

By the Blood, we come in the Presence of the Lord to be filled by His fullness and by His Spirit.

By the Blood, we find peace, joy, and hope and we are content.

What else can compare to this?

So while the world places its hope and strength and joy and future in volatile and uncertain value and worth of currencies and commodities and stocks, we as the children of the Living God can place our hope and strength in the fixed value, power and worth of the Blood!

It says in Isaiah 11:10: “And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, Who shall stand as a banner to the people; For the Gentiles shall seek Him, And His resting place shall be glorious.”

A banner speaks of an emblem and it speaks of something around which one gathers and rallies. Jesus is still that banner of hope, of glory and of eternal life. He is after all the Resurrection and Life. The physical manifestation of the banner is the Cross at Golgotha, where The Blood was spilt and by which we are saved and redeemed. It is still the Cross that is our only true and eternal hope in a troubled world and it is still the Cross that will lead us through the storms. Indeed, the Cross will stand until the coming of the King, and it is still the true banner that calls us all home to gather around it!

Isaiah 18: 3 All inhabitants of the world and dwellers on the earth: When he lifts up a banner on the mountains, you see it; And when he blows a trumpet, you hear it. 4 For so the LORD said to me, “ I will take My rest,  And I will look from My dwelling place Like clear heat in sunshine,  Like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.”

Indeed, this banner has been raised on the mountain. It is the banner of Jesus. It is the banner of The Blood of Jesus. And all the nations are called to find their refuge and their hope in The Blood, for kingdoms will rise and fall and our earthly treasures may rust, but God is still enthroned and will forever be King! It says in “Isaiah 5:25 For all this His anger is not turned away, But His hand is stretched out still. 26 He will lift up a banner to the nations from afar, and will whistle to them from the end of the earth; Surely they shall come with speed, swiftly.” Still today, the Lord whistles to the nations to come the banner of Jesus. Still, we are called by the Name above all names, for only in the Name of Jesus is our deliverance and freedom. Oh, how precious is not the Blood of Jesus, and how precious is how the Lord calls the needy and the exhausted to come and find their strength in Him!

Today, the banner that stands tall and everlasting across the world is the Living God - Jesus. In Jesus is our life, and so it says in “Job 33:4 The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”

For we are called to raise the banner of our Lord, for in the Sacrifice of Jesus by the Blood we are His anointed and we are saved and we have access to the throne room of the Lord!  How we need to lift this banner across the world, in our lives, in our homes, and in our workplaces and let everyone know that Jesus is the Lord and His Blood is worth our sacrifice and our complete and utter dedication and devotion. Praise Him indeed! Praise Him for The Blood. Let our hope be in nothing else but in Jesus, who is the Banner of Light, Life and Love.

Life is in the firstfruit and the firstborn

When it comes to seeking life in the Lord and understanding such life, we have to comprehend the importance of Christ being the firstfruit and also the firstborn. There is after all great significance in the firstfruit and the firstborn, and how it holds power and how such power is the power of life.

Let us then study the concept of firstborn and also the firstfruit, and how this pertains to us as believers. To understand the importance of Jesus being the firstfruit, we need to understand the significance of the first born within the Judaic context. It says in Deuteronomy 21:17 But he shall acknowledge the son of the unloved wife as the firstborn by giving him a double portion of all that he has, for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his.

Thus, the firstborn or firstborn son is an important concept in Judaism. The role of firstborn son carries significance in the redemption of the firstborn son, in the allocation of a double portion of the inheritance, and in the prophetic application of "firstborn" to the nation of Israel. So the firstborn has to do with inheritance, and strength. According to the Law of Moses, the firstborn may be either the firstborn of his father, who is entitled to receive a double portion of his father's inheritance (compared to the other siblings, or the firstborn of his mother. Deuteronomy 21:15-17 provides inheritance rules preventing the husband with more than one wife from leaving property to the son of the favoured wife).

There are many early accounts of primogeniture (the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn legitimate son to inherit his parent's entire or main estate), such as in Genesis 25 of Isaac's son, Esau, being born first and entitled to the "birthright", but eventually selling it to Isaac's second son, Jacob, for a small amount of food (Genesis 25:31-34). A similar transfer is shown by the writer of 1 Chronicles 5:1-2 where, although the tribe of Judah prevailed above their brethren, nevertheless the "birthright", the double portion of two tribal allotments, was Joseph's.

"Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity and the excellency of power." So says Jacob to his son Reuben in Genesis 49:3. In ancient Israel, the firstborn child in every family was thus considered to be extra-special. This apparent favouritism within each family was not just a Hebrew tradition, it was thus a set of rules given to them by God through Moses.

Even before the time of the Exodus, the Israelites were thus accustomed to give special treatment to their firstborn. As mentioned, this is apparent from the book of Genesis in the stories of Esau and Jacob, Rachel and Leah, Reuben and Joseph, and Ephraim and Manasseh. Take note also how God identifies Israel as His firstborn in "Exodus 4: 22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Israel is My son, My firstborn. 23 So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn.” This is prophetically attached to Ephraim, the Northern Kingdom of Israel. In Jeremiah 31:9  Ephraim is described as the firstborn. Thus, keeping in mind the significance of the firstborn, we see how important Israel is in the eyes of God. Firstborn speaks of strength, yet it also says in “1 Samuel 15:29: And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor relent. For He is not a man, that He should relent.” So God is the strength of Israel, who must be strong for the sake of the world. And so it says in Romans 11: 12 Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!

Let us consider the story of Abraham and his descendants. Abraham received a covenant from God to become the father of many, to establish a special heritage and blessing for the people of God. However, Abraham's firstborn, Ishmael, did not receive the blessing. Instead, Isaac, the son born through Sarah received the blessing. Isaac's firstborn son, Esau, did not receive the blessing. Instead, Jacob received the blessing. Jacob's firstborn son, Reuben, did not receive the blessing. Instead, Joseph received the blessing. Joseph's firstborn son, Manasseh, did not receive the blessing. Instead, Ephraim received the blessing from the hand of Jacob. And still further, when the tribes were numbered, God declared the Levites to be the firstborn of Israel.

This may all seem strange, but take a look at what the Apostle Paul said in Romans 9: 6 But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, 7 nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.” 8 That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.

So why was Isaac the firstborn over Ishmael? Isaac was the promised son through Sarah. Why was Jacob over Esau? Jacob was the prophesied son through Rebekah.  Why was Joseph over Reuben? Joseph was the favored (chosen) son of Jacob because of his love for Rachel.  Why was Ephraim over Manasseh? Ephraim was the adopted son elevated to the level of being a son of Israel. Why was Levi chosen over the physical, natural firstborns that follow? Because Levi was the priesthood who drew near to the Lord. So the blessing of the firstborn is not about being the firstborn physically. It is about God's promises, prophecies, choices, adoption, and those who draw near to Him.

We read of Jesus as being the only begotten son (John 1:18, 3:16) but it also says that He is the firstborn Son of God among many brothers (Romans 8:29, John 20:17, Hebrews. 2:11). Also take note of “Romans 8: 28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” So, let us keep this all in mind as we study the matter of the firstfruits, and how Jesus is  the firstborn and how in Him we find our life.

We read of the law of the first born in Exodus 13: 11 “And it shall be, when the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as He swore to you and your fathers, and gives it to you, 12 that you shall set apart to the Lord all that open the womb, that is, every firstborn that comes from an animal which you have; the males shall be the Lord’s. 13 But every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. And all the firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. 14 So it shall be, when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ that you shall say to him, ‘By strength of hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 15 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, that the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all males that open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’ 16 It shall be as a sign on your hand and as frontlets between your eyes, for by strength of hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt.”

We find the law of the firstborn has to do with the remembrance of God’s deliverance, especially how He set them free from the bondage of slavery. Thus the feast of firstfruit during Passover is in commemoration of such deliverance and God’s hand that moved them from slavery to liberty. This is important, keeping in mind Jesus is the firstfruit and what Jesus did for us on the cross.

After all, by His Blood, we were moved from slavery to liberty. Everything Jesus did was a prophetic action, and just so we will find Jesus being the firstfruit fulfilling a prophetic action of Him declaring Himself the first born of God who is being sacrificed. And such sacrifice speaks of deliverance, for by the Blood we are redeemed, and such sacrifice was of course made during the Passover so that we may walk in life. Yet because of Jesus being the Son of God, He is no ordinary sacrifice as the firstfruit, He is the incorruptible seed (1 Corinthians 15). And from that incorruptible seed will come forth the great harvest of all those who believe and follow Him.

Now take note in Exodus 13 the word redeem means "buy back." If a family's firstborn donkey was critical to their livelihood, they could buy it back from God by offering a lamb in its place. Of course, God did not demand that His people offer their firstborn children as literal human sacrifices. They, too, were to be bought back using a lamb sacrifice. This is of course where the sacrifice of Jesus comes in as the sacrificial lamb.

The relationship between the firstborn and the Feast of Unleavened Bread is repeated in Exodus 34:18-20: The Feast of Unleavened Bread you shall keep. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, in the appointed time of the month of Abib; for in the month of Abib you came out from Egypt. All that open the womb are Mine, and every male firstling among your livestock, whether of ox or sheep. But the firstling of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb. And if you will not redeem him, then you shall break his neck. All the firstborn of your sons you shall redeem. And none shall appear before Me empty-handed.

This is of course important as to why Jesus, the firstborn, died during the Passover, a time when the Feast of Unleavened Bread was being celebrated. Jesus as the firstborn came to be the redeeming lamb for all so that we are the firstfruits of the harvest made possible by the New Covenant.

God gives additional instructions in "Exodus 22: 29 You shall not delay to offer the first of your ripe produce and your juices. The firstborn of your sons you shall give to Me. 30 Likewise you shall do with your oxen and your sheep. It shall be with its mother seven days; on the eighth day you shall give it to Me."

God tells the Israelites that their firstborn cattle and sheep must be offered to Him on the eighth day of life. Likewise, the firstborn of the Israelite children—or rather the redeeming sacrificial lambs with which the parents bought back their newborn babies from God—must be offered on the babies' eighth day of life. In the case of a boy, this coincides with the day of his circumcision. The baby was "presented" to God at this time, and, although the parents had redeemed the baby, God still claimed the firstborn as being special to Him and still belonging to Him.

Thus, on the eighth day, a baby boy is to be both circumcised and redeemed. Later, another offering is to be given. It says in Leviticus 12:4-6

She shall then continue in the blood of her purification for thirty-three days. She shall not touch any hollowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary until the days of her purification are fulfilled. But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean two weeks as in her customary impurity, and she shall continue in the blood of her purification sixty-six days. When the days of her purification are fulfilled, whether for a son or a daughter, she shall bring to the priest a lamb of the first year as a burnt offering, and a young pigeon or a turtledove as a sin offering, to the door of the tabernacle of meeting.

Originally, it appears that God set apart all firstborn children as His to be used in His service. When He instituted the Levitical priesthood, however, He substituted Levite priests for His service in place of the firstborn of the other tribes. Now behold, I Myself have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the children of Israel. Therefore the Levites shall be mine, because all the firstborn are Mine. On the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast. They shall be Mine: I am the Lord. (Numbers 3:12-13)

Additional instruction appears in Numbers 18:15: Everything that first opens the womb of all flesh, which they bring to the Lord, whether man or beast, shall be yours [the Levitical priesthood's]; nevertheless the firstborn of man you shall surely redeem, and the firstborn of unclean animals you shall redeem. It appears that even after the institution of the Levitical priesthood, God still claimed all the firstborn of Israel as His own and as special to Him. Later, after the Jews' return from captivity in Babylon, they reinstituted ordinances "to bring the firstborn of our sons and our cattle, as it is written in the Law, and the firstlings of our herds and our flocks, to the house of our God, to the priests who minister in the house of our God" (Nehemiah 10:36).

And with time, God's rules regarding the firstborn were still upheld among the remnant of the Jews. Now Jesus Christ, who had just come into the world as a firstborn—both of His heavenly Father and of His physical mother, Mary—was about to begin a life of obedience to His own laws: Luke 2:7 NKJV: 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 21 And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.

On Jesus' eighth day of life, He was circumcised, and, as a firstborn, He was dedicated to God's service. It is interesting that Luke makes no mention of Mary and Joseph offering a lamb as a redeeming sacrifice, though he does record the sin and burnt offerings that they presented later on the fortieth day of His human life: Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord") and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, "A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons." (Luke 2:22-24)

Jesus Himself was thus to become the redeeming sacrifice to which all other redeeming sacrifices had pointed since Moses' time; His physical life was now completely dedicated to God, as had been pictured by all the other firstborn since Moses' time; and He was not to be redeemed from a life of total service to God, neither by the offering of a lamb nor by the service of the Levitical priesthood. The imperfect Levitical priesthood was soon to be set aside, and His own priesthood (after the order of Melchizedek; see Hebrews 6:20) would be reinstated.

And so, Jesus as the firstborn, becomes the culmination and fulfillment of God’s promise to bless all the nations through the offspring of Abraham (Galatians 3:7). Jesus fulfills the intended role as God’s faithful firstborn son in his perfect life and sacrificial death, and he is vindicated by God in his glorious resurrection.

Take a look at what it says in Psalm 89: “I have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn to My servant David: 4 ‘Your seed I will establish forever, And build up your throne to all generations.’ ” It is of course not David who will reign forever, but Jesus, who sits on the throne of David, and whose rule will be forever. And because of Jesus being the firstborn, birthed out a nation regarded as the firstborn in the eyes of God, you will find a great harvest of souls that spring forth from the imperishable seed of Jesus, destined to rule and reign without corruption or defilement. Thus ruling and reigning in life.

Jesus thus came to fulfill the prophecy given to David in 2 Corinthians 7: 12 “When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men. 15 But My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.” ’ ”

So indeed, Jesus, who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. (Colossians 1:15), died for our sins and yet rose from the grave so that all those who believe in Him may live forever for He is the seed to bring forth the great harvest of adopted sons and daughters of the Lord. It says in Acts 26:23 NKJV ... that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”

Romans 11: 16 For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches.

So, therefore, Jesus being the firstfruit and who is Holy, we are then made holy by the Blood of the Lamb. Romans 5: 12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— 13 (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. 16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. 17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)

Considering thus the importance of the firstborn concept in Judaism, we see therefore the great significance of Jesus being the firstborn, and not just the firstborn, but the only born of God, thus the only true Son. And thus unto Him belong all dominion and power by inheritance. It is also written in Colossians 1: 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. 19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

In Him we find our life, for He is the Way, Truth and Life. In Him we find our inheritance. The Bible is full of references to the inheritance believers have in Christ. Ephesians 1:11 says: " In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.”. Other passages that mention a believer’s inheritance include Colossians 3:24 and Hebrews 9:15. Our inheritance is, in a word, heaven. It is the sum total of all God has promised us in salvation. Words related to inheritance in Scripture are portion and heritage.

Romans 8: 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

We serve an awesome and amazing God. Also, take note of "Hebrews 1: 1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. 5 For to which of the angels did He ever say: “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You”? And again: “I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son”? 6 But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: “Let all the angels of God worship Him.”

We have this wonderful promise of an inheritance and that we are now sons and daughters of the Most High because our belief in the firstborn – Jesus. Since Jesus is the firstborn all the inheritance belongs to Him, and thus to us who are as believers are part of the harvest of the firstfruit, which is also Jesus. Of the Lord we read in Revelation 4: “You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.”

We exist because of God, and based on our belief in the Lord, we shall continue to exist, and thus enjoy a great inheritance of life along with the firstborn of God. Remember, by the Blood we are ADOPTED sons and daughters, for Jesus is the only begotten Son. 1 Peter 1:4 describes this inheritance further, saying “an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.”

This reminds of 1 Corinthians 15 which says from verse 42, "So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. 43 It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 45 And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit."

Also, our inheritance in Christ is unspoiled. What we have in Christ is free from anything that would deform, debase, or degrade. Christ is truly perfect. He is “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens (Hebrews 7:26)”, and our inheritance in Him is also holy, blameless, exalted, and pure. No earthly corruption or weakness can touch what God has bestowed. Revelation 21:27 says that "nothing impure will ever enter [the New Jerusalem], nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful."