GOODNEWSLETTER
Number 376 June 15, 2011
LIFTING UP BELIEVERS
"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Myself," John 12:32.
Scripture infoms us that, until Jesus was lifted up, all Spiritual Laws remained unfulfilled. When we think this idea through, it's conclusion is: "Before anyone can be lifted up, including our Lord Jesus, all payment for sin had to be made. And, thank the Lord, it was! On Calvary, Jesus paid it all.
Sin separates, keeping man from God. That's clear. Man cannot serve spiritually until sin is paid and removed. The Bible records that the innocent has to make the payment on behalf of the guilty. And, the Book records much about sacrificial offerings. The first is found in Genesis 3; where an animal was offered to cover Adam and Eve's nakedness. Sacrifices continued, until Jesus paid the final one, dying on the cross.
Before Jesus died, we read of many animals that gave their innocent life in order that Israel could serve the Lord. And, there are all those special days - Passover Day, Day of Atonement and other special Holy Days - where required offerings had to be made; even, daily. Without the proper offering, no service was allowed. Blood was necessary before the Lord could be approached.
What we must see in these days of offerings (besides the fact that man was yet in sin) is the fulfillment of them - the day that a sacrifice would no longer be needed. It was a glorious day when the end came and we ought to rejoice in this fact. There, on the cross, when Jesus died, mankind is no longer separated. The death of Jesus is for all men who long to be free from sin (Adam's and, the one that you committed).
Clearly, sin payment had to be made. Even before Jesus could be lifted up, the payment for sin had to be made. Scripture tells us that there is no lifting up until sin is removed. Further, the Books says that man broke the Law of God and man must make the payment, himself.
But again, man had to be without sin, innocent of any guilty act. Of course, that's what the animals pictured, in TYPE. And, while animals served for a time, their sacrifices could not remove sin. Remember, man had to pay, himself. Is wasn't animals that sinned. They were innocent. It was man who broke the Law.
Fortunately, God had it all planned out for us, even from the beginning of time. Jesus would leave His position as the only Son of God and lower Himself into our lives. As a man, the final payment for sin would be made. When I read and dwell upon this act of love, I realize that Jesus is the only perfect man; one without sin. Of course, the Bible attests to His life; explaining how it came about, telling us about the payment for man's sin. It is recorded that Jesus was born of a virgin and "Took upon flesh." (Flesh is an interesting subject. Get out the concordance and check out what it meant to be born a Jew. Notice, how Jesus erased the flesh, too! It's glorious.)
Imagine, all the writings from the Old Covenant that covered the necessary work that the Messiah would accomplish. How, in the world, did Israel miss this? Afterall, the Jewish hope was in the coming of their Messiah.
Jewish fathers wrote about Jesus being their hope many times. Well, they TYPED it many times. The fathers knew well of their great leader, Moses. They missed the fulfillment when Jesus appeared, however. The father's very important High Priest office that Aaron held was fulfilled by Jesus; but, the Jews missed that fulfillment, too.
But, the greatest TYPE that the Jews missed was the TYPE of the LAMB that was offered to pay for their sins. The Jews missed Jesus, who became the Lamb of God that was offered to wash away their sins. John, the Baptist didn't, however. He gladly said, "Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world," John 1:29.
In the book of Hebrews, we are given many of the TYPES that Jesus fulfilled; finally, becoming man, in order to save man. Hebrews points out that Jesus "...had to be made like unto His brethren in all things, that He might become a merciful and faithful High Priest...to make propitiation for the sins of the people...He was Faithful to Him that appointed Him, as Moses was...since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens...let us therefore draw near with confidence' (Hebrews 2:17a, 17b; 3:2; 4:14, 16).
Hebrews goes on to explain that after Jesus was made like unto us and fulfilling the types of Aaron & Moses, He is now passed through the heavens. He was LIFTED UP by His Father.
TYPES become very pointed. To appreciate the work of Jesus, we have to learn all we can about the meaning of TYPES. But, as Jesus told Nicodemus, TYPES were not received by the Jewish majority; especially, the leaders. That problem remains today; not only with the Jews, either. While, the Bible is one book of TYPES; showing the fulfillment of those TYPES in Jesus, man doesn't put them together. Of course, the meaning of all the Bible is Spiritual; which, requires the leading of the Holy Spirit. However, let us all read the Book and ask for understanding. We shall always find that God is always gracious.
Concerning the Jews and their attitude, listen to the conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus. "If I tell you of earthly things and you do not believe, how shall you believe if I tell you of heavenly things?" (Jn 3:12). The two go together! Earthly TYPES explains heavenly TRUTHS. They match, giving man the needed truth about sin and, more importantly, about the Savior. Types always matches truth. The two are always consistently portrayed.
TYPES show us that Moses was a type of Jesus as a leader of Israel. Also, Aaron,the High Preist, was a type. However, since the Jews did not believe the earthly things - even though they wrote about them, they could not fathom the heavenly things that were represented in the TYPES. The Jews missed their Savior.
Because of the blindness of the Jewish nation, God turned to the Gentiles. In this wonderfull and gracious act, Gentiles have to seize the time at hand and trust in all that Jesus has done on behalf of mankind. He is our Savior, the Head of the Church and, He is coming again to take us to the kingdom of His Father.
Yes! There's a lot more that being saved from Hell, merely. Time to get with it! We don't see a lot of time remaining until the SECOND COMING of our Savior; so, let's dig in and put it all together. Study, Study and, Study some more, during these last days, Brother!