JESUS  

“For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?” [John 5:46,47] 

The Old and New Testament books are together one Book, called the Bible. It was written by men inspired by the Holy Spirit for God to reveal His mysterious purposes in Jesus Christ. 

“And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:…” [Ephesians 2:9-11] 

The overall main theme of the Bible, from Genesis through Revelation, is about the eternal purposes of God, wrought in the First and Second Comings of the Messiah Jesus Christ. Whereas in the prophesied First Coming, He was manifest in the course of God’s timing as the Son of God and Son of man.  He was the suffering Righteous Servant, exampled in Genesis 3:15 and Isaiah chapter 53 wherein God’s “manifold wisdom” amazingly displays that sacrificial “suffering” capacitates and reveals. And that in Christ’s ultimate self-sacrificing suffering; then ultimate things must follow. Those *ultimate things now to be revealed in Him being God’s own nature and character, what true ministry is, what death and resurrection is, and what glory is.   

It is in the mysterious revealing, purifying light of these “ultimate things” that regenerated and determined Christ followers discover they are marvelously called to. They discover they are strongly exhorted to attain unto a certain overcoming righteousness, that they might be found worthy to be among the first resurrected, as chosen kings and priests in His Kingdom at His Second Coming. Then being not just the “Lamb”, but the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, and the Victorious King of Kings and Lord of Lords. [Revelation 3:21, 19:11-16, and 20:6 with Luke 20:35] 

 “That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.” [1Timothy 6:14-16 with 1st John 3:1-3] 

* ultimate meaning  (a) being or happening at the end of a process; final: (b) being the best or most extreme example of its kind (c) basic or fundamental} 

—————————————————————————————-  

In the light of these preceding and forthcoming Scriptural understandings, all must harmonize naturally without being either dogmatically wrested by either a literal or spiritualizing interpretation. All Scripture exegesis is considered literal unless it explains itself otherwise, or if it is absurd to take it literally. 

  1. 1. Who is He? He is deity, preeminent, and has always been and by Him all things were created. [Colossians 1:13-20]
  1. He is the only BEGOTTEN, and that into the position of the Son. [Psalm 2:7 Hebrews 1:4-8] Begotten being a distinct term used in Scripture to distinguish His uniqueness from ordinary men, angels, and other creatures in that He was not created but came out from God, as both God and Man. In that He both descended from David and also was divine; supernaturally originating from God. [John 3:16,18] He is distinguished from the Father and Holy Spirit in the Godhead (Elohim being plural) as the logos, the Word that became flesh. [John 1] Colossians 2:9 declares: “For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.”
  1. He is the express image/perfect expression of God (Hebrews 1:3) as opposed to the likeness of God/Elohim that man was created in. “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…?
  1. He is the Son of man as well as Son of God. “Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death even the death of the cross.” [Philippians 2:6-8] 
  1. Jesus’ faultless life and death on the cross was the opening of the door for God’s Salvation plan through His Son’s Atonement. The fullness of the word atonement means: Redemption, Ransom, Propitiation and Reconciliation. “And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must — receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” [Acts 3:20,21]
  1. Jesus was/is yet Israel’s Messiah “The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken….. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.” [Deuteronomy 18:15,19] (This speaks to the current cause and condition of Israel of which we will have more to say later.) “….God…spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son.…” [Hebrews 1:1,2] An example being at the Transfiguration:“Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.” The statement was intended for the removing of any dependence upon past religious understandings. Examples: Matthew chapters 6 & 7 record Jesus Christ giving commandments in His Name. “Ye have heard that it hath been said……But I say unto you…” And the Book of Hebrews chapter 3 specifically contrasts Jesus with Moses. The entire Book is an explanation of the transition from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant in Jesus Christ.
  1. Jesus was raised up from among the dead. “Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.” [Acts 2:22-36] Jesus was the First Begotten from among the dead. Revelation 1:4 says, “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead…” And Romans 8:28,29 says, “For whom he did foreknow, (those that love Him) he also did predestinate (foreordain) to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”

The predetermined goal of God’s Salvation for man, did not stop with a repentant man’s regeneration. But those whom God foreknew that would love Him, is stated to be conformity (súmmorphos [G4832]) to the image (eikṓn [G1504]) of God’s Son. The stated purpose of this task is that the Son might be (eis tó eínai [eis {G1519}, unto, for; tó {G3588}, the; eínai {G1511}, to be], in order to be) the firstborn among many brothers. First Begotten (Prōtótokos) presents Christ as the preeminent or ranking First Born Son of those additional sons who are to follow Him. 

The Resurrected Image of the Second Adam (unto which the new man creation is to be patterned) is at first, by faith, and while alive, to be patterned after His temporal earthly image, by following Him by the spirit/Spirit. With the promise to those loving faithful of His eternal and glorious heavenly image upon their resurrection, to be “a glorified spiritual Man”, which is the final result of a spirit–controlled living soul. [Ephesians 2:15 with 2 Corinthians 5:17 and Galatians 6:15] The first man, Adam, was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.” [1st Corinthians 15:45]  That is to say, as the Son of Man, Jesus, became after resurrection the firstborn begotten, the first fruits from the dead. The first heavenly Man/Son to be quickened from Hades. But more men are foreordained to be conformed into this His heavenly image. Who now is Spiritual Man—He being found the first “man” worthy of having His spirit (now Glory–filled) returned unto Him by the Father. [Luke 23:46]  And “…afterward they that are Christ’s (worthy, additional *first fruits) at his coming.”  [1st Corinthians 15:20-52] 

  1. Jesus is the High Priest after the order of Melchizedek. He represented in type what Christ came to be; this understanding is being explained by the Author of the Book of Hebrews. See Hebrews 5:6,10; 6:20 and all of Hebrews 7. Melchizedek was the king of Salem (Jerusalem) and a patriarchal priest of Yahweh, contemporary with Abraham (See Genesis 14:17-20). The meaning of the name is interpreted for us in Hebrews 7:2 as “King of righteousness.” Melchizedek reigned as king of Salem, which means peace. He, being the type of Jesus Christ, Who is the Great King of righteousness and peace. And, as Melchizedek, combines in Himself both Kingly and Priestly offices represented in the words righteousness and peace. The continuing order of this Priesthood is above and beyond that of Aaron, in that it is a Priestly order not after earthly ancestral lineage with its limitations, but a heavenly order. And being Heavenly, in that this Priesthood is eternally established by God’s oath, it thereby haves no defects inherent to human priesthood.

The Anti-type, as in the type, being the possessor of righteousness and peace.  Melchizedek was able to impart unto victorious Abraham a royal bounty. In that Abraham was made aware of a city and country not of this earth, and in this he blesses/gives unto Abraham, and Abraham gives unto him.  [Genesis 14:18-20 and  Hebrews 11:10]  All this has in view Jesus Christ, the eternal King and High Priest of the Heavens and Earth, Who shall bless the victorious Believer with that mysterious heavenly inheritance/that heavenly Bread and Wine. And he sacrificially gives unto his High Priest and takes unto himself nothing which is of the World.  

Now our High Priest, in the power of His own Blood, is found in Character as the Lamb of God, sitting at the Father’s side, in the true and now Cleansed Sanctuary. As the High Priest, He is now making intercession in the House of God for His Body of Believers. And that being to be victorious, in the most excellent ministry of a promised better covenant, wherein is now found a greater work, that work of the Word and Holy Spirit unto the conforming to Christ’s image. That work being foremost internal/within. And a laboring ministry work of our Lord, in a encouraged spirit against the carnal flesh. [Hebrews 4:11-16, chapters 8,9, 10:21 and Romans chapter 8] 

The Throne on which He sits, and the Time until His Return, has been rightly called the Dispensation of Mercy and Grace. [Hebrews 4:16] It’s the 2000 year period wherein the Atonement of Jesus Christ has provided the fulfilling promise of the gift of the power of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. [John 7:37-39; Acts 2] The Holy Spirit now works to bring out a special people for His Name, the new man creation, primarily from among the Gentiles. [Acts 15:14 with 1st Peter 2:9,10] “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.” 

  1. At the appointed time, Scripture declares Jesus will Return: “…when the fullness of the Gentiles come in…” [Romans 11:25] And “…until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” [Luke 21:24] These two prophetic spiritual dynamics, yet to be fulfilled, today are working along side one another. One having to do with completing the Body/Church of Jesus Christ, and the other having to do with the prophetic lease of authority taken from Israel and given to the Gentile nations starting with Nebuchadnezzar.  These two great revealing prophetic happenings bring us unto and into the End Time Tribulation Period. At which time Christ returns from the 3rd Heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2-4; Acts 1:9-11) initially to the unseen first heaven above. This first heaven is that heaven related to the earth, the heaven in which satan, the prince of the power of the air, the god of this World now rules from. It is there where He receives His investiture (Revelation chapter 5). Thereby, in the full view of all previously conquered foes, it is uncontested and determined that He is the only Worthy to systematically open the Book of  7 seals of Judgment upon the World, the fallen heavenly hosts, the contrary rulers and rebellious men of the earth.   

Jesus coming to a Judgment Throne that will be set up at that appointed time of His Investiture which precedes the 70th week of Daniel, that last 7 years of prophecy yet to be fulfilled. [Revelation 4:2 12:7-9; Daniel 7:9] He shall superintend as the Judgments proceed from that unseen heavenly realm associated with the Earth, and the corresponding prophesies of promise to believers to be fulfilled during that time frame. These being…. 

  1. The Rapture, First Resurrection, Marriage of the Lamb, Restoration of the Jews.
  2. After the Great Tribulation, Jesus the Messiah of Israel shall reign as King of kings. He and His Bride shall rule in His Millennial Kingdom, the Age of righteousness. [Revelation 3:21, 17:14 Revelation 20:4]
  3. In the New Heavens and New Earth, the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb rule from the Temple in New Jerusalem. [Revelation 21:22]

(More details about all these things later.)