Giants and Grasshoppers - Part Five

Ro 8:13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

We will continue to look at the connection between the man of the flesh and the spiritual warfare.

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Transcript

Sunday May 16th 2021
Giants and Grasshoppers
Part Five

1). Ex 17:11 And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 

The battle with Amalek at Rephidim was an historical event involving the army of the Amalekites and the Jews, fighting under Joshua’s leadership. Within this historical account, however, is a type that provides profound spiritual truth for those determined to enter the heavenly land promised to the spiritual descendants of Abraham, by faith.
a). We have seen that through the Amalekites’ association with Esau, Amalek forms a type of the man of the flesh, who must be defeated if entrance into the land is to be accomplished.
b). In the type given in Exodus Chapter 17, Amalek is defeated by Joshua only when Moses, on the top of the hill, ‘held up his hand’. And there is a duality to that presented in this. Both Moses and Joshua here can be seen as a type of Christ, and put together, Moses with the rod of God lifted up on the top of the hill and Joshua with the sword, show us that the defeat of the man of the flesh in the antitype can only be accomplished spiritually, through having a mature understanding of our positional standing ‘in Christ’ as it relates to the coming Kingdom on the one hand, and the application of the Word of the Kingdom in our daily lives in relation to this, on the other. This combination of a Kingdom focus and the application of the Word of the Kingdom is what we have seen in – Col 3:1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. 5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth……

With further commentary in – Ro 8:13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Our determination must be on seeking ‘those things which are above’ and our mind must be set on them. And the things above are found ‘where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.’ This is Christ in the place of power, waiting for His enemies to be made His footstool, waiting to bring many sons to glory; waiting to realize the joy set before Him and all is regal – this is seen in Moses with his hand holding the rod of God, picturing the scepter of rulership, lifted high – Eph 6:10b…..be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

To put to death the deeds of the body, to kill Amalek, can only be done ‘by the Spirit’, and the Scriptures and the Spirit are synonymous – 
2 Ti 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God [Lit. is God breathed, His breath, His Spirit], and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

And it is with the Spirit, through the God breathed Word, that we are to be continually filled – Eph 5:8 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be [continually] filled with the Spirit…

And we can add the companion verse to this from Colossians –
 Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom…..

So then, to bring all of this together, it is the Word of Christ, the Word concerning the Christ and His Kingdom, the gospel of the glory of Christ, the Word of the Kingdom, with which we must be continually filled. And it is through the exercise of the faith that we have because of this Word, by the Spirit, that the deeds of the body, the man of the flesh, is put to death. This is seen in Joshua defeating Amalek by the edge of the sword – Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God….

And we had seen last time, through the type of Saul, that if Amalek, the man of the flesh, is not killed on a consistent basis in the Christian life, then he will be responsible for the Christian losing his soul/life for the age to come at the Judgment Seat. And this we had seen is the substance of the warning given to the Church in Philadelphia, the only Church of the seven presented in Chapters 2 and 3 of the Revelation that received only commendation from the Lord – Re 3:11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. 12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.13 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’ 

The Church in Philadelphia pictures all those Christians throughout this dispensation who hear the Word of the Kingdom and are found on good ground, producing fruit, some a hundred, some sixty, some thirty as seen in the fourth part of the parable of the sower in Matthew Chapter 13.
c). And these Christians are in possession of an extraordinary promise because of it – Re 3:8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.

There is an open door set before these Christians that ‘no one can shut’, an abundant entrance into the Kingdom, and this is provided because they will have kept His Word [the Word of the Kingdom] and not denied His name. They will have held fast to what they have. And that which they are to hold fast to is the Word of the Kingdom, the good news of the coming Day of Christ’s glory, their heavenly calling, their hope – all things which are to be found above where Christ is, at the right hand of the Father. And these things must be held fast so that the man of the flesh, always in opposition to the man of spirit, may not take their crown. These things must be held fast otherwise the Christian’s gaze could return to things on the earth, he might come down from the mountain; he might pitch his tent as far as Sodom – Heb 2:1 Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation….

1 Co 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

Hold fast the things you have. That no one may take your crown.

2). At Rephidim then, Amalek was defeated, providing the type for us, showing how we are to defeat the man of the flesh. Although the physical battle with Amalek was won by Israel, that pictured in it was not – 
Nu 14:1 So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. 2 And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! 3 Why has the LORD brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” 4 So they said to one another, “Let us select a leader and return to Egypt.”

The decision made at Kadesh Barnea to ‘return to Egypt’, came entirely from the man of the flesh. This was not a spiritual decision it was a carnal decision. And it is right here, in a figurative sense, that we can see the Amalekite, the man of the flesh, taking the crown from the head of this first generation of Israel.
a). And the same is true for the parallel to this event, seen at the Lord’s first advent – Mt 12:23 And all the multitudes were amazed and said, “Could this be the Son of David?” 24 Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.”

This statement by the Pharisees, endorsed by the multitudes, being one of a plethora of rejections of the King and His Kingdom, came from only one place, the man of the flesh. And as a result, the Amalekite, the man of the flesh, took the crown from this generation of Jews with regards to the Kingdom of the Heavens – Mt 21:43 “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.

At Kadesh Barnea, and at Jerusalem at the Lord’s first advent, Satan had executed a strategic plan that’s sole purpose was to stop those whom God had chosen taking the scepter of rulership from him. And on both occasions, following the pattern set in the Garden, it is deception that is used to bring about Israel’s downfall – Nu 13:32 And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. 33 There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”

Here is the deception. Who was in the land, why they were there and what they looked like was of no importance but ten of the spies, and ultimately the rest of the generation through the report of the ten, were deceived by what they saw. The truth of the situation was expressed by Caleb and Joshua – Nu 13:30 Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.”

Joshua and Caleb saw exactly the same land with the same inhabitants as the other ten, but what they saw was God’s promise to go before them, overthrow their enemies and give them the land. They saw that the battle was to belong to the Lord.
b). Now, here is the thing that we should realize, it is the man of the flesh who receives and acts upon deception, not the man of the spirit. The spirit man, brought forth from above, who is continually renewed in ‘epignosis’ knowledge ‘according to the image of Him who created him’ cannot be deceived – 1 Jn 5:18 We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.

But the man of the flesh, through his association with the god of this world is not only open to deception, but he will also embrace it with open arms.
c). I would suggest that this is the reason why chronologically, the battle with Amalek is seen prior to Israel’s arrival at Kadesh. It is to teach us that the man of the flesh must be consistently killed if we are not to be deceived, so that we can enter the land of our calling and receive our inheritance.
d). Let’s return for a moment to the subject of territory and jurisdiction we had looked at as we began this series – Eph 3:10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, 11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord……

So that we might understand the significance of these verses we can give them some context. We will remember that God restored His ruined creation with one purpose in mind – Ge 1:26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion [rule]

God made this statement before He created the Man and the Woman and repeated it again after their creation – Ge 1:28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion [rule]

This was neither hidden nor secret but openly declared, eliciting an immediate response from the incumbent ruler – Ge 3:1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”

Deception with a view to overthrowing God’s purpose for Man is introduced in foundation – 2 Co 2:11b…for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Then with respect to the earthly realm of the Kingdom, still in line with God’s purpose for creating Man, God stated – Ex 4:22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Israel is My son, My firstborn.

Again, this was neither hidden nor secret but openly declared. And the declaration elicited a response from the incumbent ruler with regards to Israel that continues to this present day.
e). When the Kingdom of the Heavens was taken from national Israel, as we have already seen today, the Church, the new creation in Christ was brought into existence to receive that which Israel had rejected. And, according to the verses we read from Ephesians Chapter 3 
Eph 3:10 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, 11 according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord……

It is the existence of the Church, the new creation in Christ in possession of a heavenly calling, that is declaring the manifold wisdom of God to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places with respect to God’s eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
f). And God’s purpose in the short term, so to speak, is the fulfillment of Man’s rule with Christ from His throne in the Kingdom of the Heavens in the place of Satan and his angels, that which Satan has been trying to prevent since the Garden.
g). And in the long term, beyond the Millennial Kingdom, into the endless ages of what we call eternity, those who had been seated with Christ on His throne during the Millennial Kingdom will then move into positions of rulership throughout the expanse of the universe, exercising that universal rule that Satan had sought for himself through his rebellion. Because of this, those Christians with a mind set upon the Kingdom of the Heavens will find themselves doubly hated by the enemy of their souls, who will do all that he can to bring about their individual overthrow.
h). And as we have seen, from the types we have looked at, this he will try to accomplish through the man of the flesh in conjunction with deception. And so, the spiritual warfare is engaged.
i). And of course, we are not looking at an historical generation of Jews anymore, the spiritual warfare is ours. In a figurative sense, we are standing at the borders of Kadesh Barnea. The land of our calling is before us, and it is inhabited by our enemy who would have us all to perish in the wilderness. There can be no intellectual detachment from this, rather this is up front and in your face.

3). Eph 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

This is the verse that introduces the spiritual warfare and the instructions for being successful in it. And it is interesting to note that it was the Church to whom these instructions were given that is seen at the beginning of this dispensation to have left their first love – 
Re 2:4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.

And the reason why they would leave their first love had been prophesied by Paul when he met with the elders of the Church at Miletus Acts 20: 28 Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, [hold fast what you have] among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. 29 For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.  

Note particularly v30, men would ‘rise up’ speaking perverse things. These would be the tares from the parable of the wheat and tares in Matthew Chapter 13, those who introduced the leaven into the 3 measures of meal. In other words, introducing a message contrary to the Word of the Kingdom, founded in deception, that would seduce the man of the flesh, unless he was put to death, unless those in Ephesus held fast to the things they had. And given what the Revelation records concerning Ephesus, ‘Amalek’ was alive and well among them and their grip was loosened.
a). And if we go back to the start of Ephesians 6:10, we will have no doubt noticed the word ‘finally’, which begins the introduction of the spiritual warfare – Eph 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Now, this word is important for us to see because it is only after having done something beforehand that we could ‘finally’ be strong in the Lord and the power of His might. And then only with that which comes beforehand in place, resulting in the right spiritual focus, could we then put on the whole armor of God; something that must take place if we are going to stand against the wiles of the devil.
b). To view this in reverse, the Christian cannot stand against the wiles of the devil, Satan’s systematic plans, and schemes to take the crown from the Christian’s head, unless the Christian has on the whole armor of God. And he cannot put on the whole armor of God unless he has the mature understanding that he is to be strong in the Lord and the power of His might, and he cannot have this understanding unless something has taken place beforehand that would make this possible.
c). With respect to the Ephesian Church in history, we would have to conclude that at some point those individual Christians in this particular location were sufficiently deceived to have not been able to put on the armor or sufficiently deceived that they failed to keep it in place.
d). This is a sobering thought as we consider ourselves here at the end of this dispensation – Ro 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

That which led Paul to be able to write the word ‘finally’ has been laid out in the Chapters of Ephesians that come before it.

But this will have to wait until next time – if we remain and the Lord is willing.