Has God Indeed Said - Part 1

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’?”

We will begin a new series today concerning the challenge to God's Word.

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Transcript

Sunday September 5th 2021
Has God Indeed Said
Part 1

1). 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’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; 3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ”4 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.  

We have seen in our study of the spiritual warfare that the field of engagement for this contest over rulership in the 7th Day is God’s Word, ‘Has God indeed said….?’ Whether it would be which tree to eat from in the Garden, found in the foundation, to producing works to the saving of the soul, the same question, challenging God’s Word, continues to be asked.
a). And what is at the heart of this question is the choice to either take God at His Word, ‘God has indeed said’, and go no further, or to do that which seems right in our own eyes, ‘Has God indeed said…?’ So that we might find a way to follow the man of the flesh instead.
b). At the heart of this question is a simple choice but the underlying motivation for asking it is deadly, because the question is underscored with the accompanying lie, ‘You shall not surely die.’
c). Let us be under no illusion, what is at stake is the salvation of our soul, a position as a joint heir with Christ in the 7th Day or death in the 7th Day in a place associated with darkness and shame for the Kingdom age – Mt 25:30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

And it will be how we choose to regard God’s Word that will determine which of these outcomes will be ours – 1 Th 2:13 For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.

The unnatural growth of the mustard seed in the parable of that name from Matthew Chapter 13 could be characterized by this same question ‘Has God indeed said?’. The work of the tares sown among the wheat would have to be founded on this premise. God’s Word had to be challenged in this way if false doctrine was to take hold and it had to be accompanied by the false assurance that ‘death’ was not possible for the Christian. And this would form the basis for the leaven placed in the three measures of meal.
d). And as we look at the Ephesian Church appearing at the Judgment Seat - Re 2:4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

We would realize that in some form the same question and the same false assurance had been put to them and they had decided, ‘no’, God had not said, being enticed to depart from the faith without the fear of consequence. No doubt this is the reason why the writer of Hebrews warns us – Heb 2:1 Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.

This is the reason James tells us – Jas 1:21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

And the reason for Peter’s passion to continually provide a reminder – 
2 Pe 1:12 For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. 13 Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, 14 knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. 15 Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease.

2). Jn 1:1 In [the] beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was [always has been and always will be] God.

As we have previously discovered, the Word is God, God is the Word. To ask the question, ‘Has God indeed said?’ is to challenge the existence and purpose of God Himself. It is to remove the hand of Divine orchestration from the affairs of Man, placing Man within an endless progression of time, placing the destiny of humanity within its own hands. And if this is so, then ‘you surely shall not die’, because there would be no Divine accountability, no Judgment. 
a). And as shocking as it may seem this is exactly the doctrine of demons that was introduced by the false teachers, the tares sown among the wheat, into the three measures of meal at the beginning of this dispensation – 2Pe 3:1 ¶ Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2 that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3 ¶ knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation."

It may seem incredible to us as we study the Scriptures from the vantage point of the Word of the Kingdom, but here is this false teaching found at the beginning of this dispensation. To ask the question, ‘Where is the promise of His coming?’ is in effect, to ask the same question that was asked in the Garden, ‘Has God indeed said?’ 
a). This is a doctrine that declares that time is an endless continuum into which the Kingdom of God, at some undetermined point, will manifest itself through the actions of the church on the earth. Rather than the actions of the Divine will, it will be at the behest of Christians to bring this about, as God has never intervened in the affairs of Man since time began.
b). And with it comes the destructive lie, ‘You shall not surely die.’
c). And directly connected to the challenge to God’s Word concerning Christ’s return is the timing of the resurrection/rapture of the church among those who do look for a literal return of the Lord. These two may at first appear contrary to one another, but they are part of the same deceptive ploy creating confusion, uncertainty and doubt; enticing us to choose for ourselves which of the various options best suits us.
d). Yet as we know all too well, Scripture is neither ambivalent nor ambiguous about these things - Am 3:7 Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.

Either the Word of God revealed to His servants the prophets, is true, or God is a liar – and there is of course no room for doubt as to which of these statements is correct as Scripture provides its own commentary - Nu 23:19 "God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

Consequently, when Jesus Himself, as Prophet, said - Joh 14:3 "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

We cannot take this to mean anything other than exactly what He said.
e).  And the same would be true for what we read in – Ac 1:10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven."

If we then add to that which God has said, that which is found in the types, the timing of the resurrection/rapture of the church is abundantly clear. And the resurrection/rapture of the church cannot be separated from the coming of the Lord.
f). Enoch, the 7th generation from Adam, the foundational type for the church, was taken alive into heaven before Noah, the 10th generation from Adam, and a type for Israel, went through a worldwide flood, typifying the Great Tribulation.
g). Isaac, a type of Christ, married Rebekah, a type of the faithful Christian, before Abraham, a type of God the Father, married Keturah, a type of Israel in repentance.
h). Joseph, another type of Christ, took a Gentile bride, Asenath, before he dealt with his brothers during the seven years of famine.
i). Moses, another type of Christ, also took a Gentile bride, Zipporah, before he returned to deliver Israel from the bondage of Egypt, to take them to the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
j). And if we then turn to the Book of the Revelation, we will find all this in fulfillment as we see the complete church, all Christians, pictured through the 7 churches which are in Asia, appearing before the Lord in Judgment prior to Him opening the first seal on the 7 sealed scroll, the opening of which marks the beginning of the redemption of the inheritance, the time of Jacob’s trouble.

3). And to know the truth of this in the face of the lie can only ever come through the clear evidence of Scripture, for God has indeed said. Scripture must always be allowed to interpret itself. It is through the lens of the Scripture, with the eyes of faith, that we are to understand the time and place in which we live, as we anticipate and look for that which God has set in place for the 7th Day. And that which we are looking for next, is the resurrection/rapture of the church – there is nothing else recorded in the Scriptures that will appear on the prophetic horizon until this event has taken place – 1 Th 4:16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

So, let us look at the conditions that have been created within the Church that have allowed the challenge to God’s Word, ‘Has God indeed said?’ to flourish and accomplish its destructive work.
a). And we can begin with the OT type of the first generation of Israel to come out of Egypt - 1Co 10:6 ¶ Now these things became our examples [types], to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. 7 And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play." 8 Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; 9 nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; 10 nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 Now all these things happened to them as examples [types], and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

Let us remember, by way of reminder, that God had redeemed Israel from the bondage of Egypt for a specific purpose – Ex 6:8 'And I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will give it to you as a heritage: I am the LORD.'"

It was a purpose that the nation both knew and understood. And they had seen God raise up Moses to lead them to it, and they had experienced the power of God through the plagues in Egypt, the night of the Passover and the Red Sea crossing - Ex 24:12 ¶ Then the LORD said to Moses, "Come up to Me on the mountain and be there; and I will give you tablets of stone, and the law and commandments which I have written, that you may teach them." 13 So Moses arose with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up to the mountain of God.

Moses was to go up to the mountain of God to receive the law and the commandments. But before going he issued instructions to those who were to wait behind for his return - Ex 24:14 And he said to the elders, "Wait here for us until we come back to you. Indeed Aaron and Hur are with you. If any man has a difficulty, let him go to them."

They were to wait for his return, to look for it and to expect it, as he had said that he would return. And while he was gone Aaron and Hur, the leaders of the people, had spiritual oversight for them.
b). Moses was gone for a period of forty days and forty nights. Forty is one of the numbers of completion, showing he would be gone, for a complete period of time.  And while Moses was gone for a complete period of time, we find this - Ex 32:1 ¶ Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, "Come, make us gods that shall go before us; for  as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him." [where is the promise of his coming?] 2 And Aaron said to them, "Break off the golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me."3 "So all the people broke off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron. 4 And he received the gold from their hand, and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molded calf. Then they said, "This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!"

Let us note some things here. Because Moses was ‘delayed’ the people were not content to watch and wait as they had been instructed, ‘Has God indeed said?’ Instead, they chose to take matters into their own hands and recreate God for themselves in the image of the world they should have left behind, creating a golden calf. A symbol straight out of their life in Egypt.
c). In verse 4 we read, "This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!" The word used here for god, is ‘Elohim’. What they had made, they called by the same name as the God who had redeemed them. But even though they called it ‘Elohim’ they had turned away from the one true God to idolatry instead.
d). And their idolatry resulted in festivities that Scripture describes as childish - Ex 32:5 So when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, "Tomorrow is a feast to the LORD." 6 Then they rose early on the next day, offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

It is interesting to note that their leader, Aaron, the one who should have kept the people focused on Moses’ return, chose instead to give them exactly what they asked for. And as a result, the people cast off restraint -
Ex 32:25 Now when Moses saw that the people were unrestrained (for Aaron had not restrained them, to their shame among their enemies),

In other words, the people, led by Aaron, followed their own fleshly desires, ‘Has God indeed said?’, rather than waiting faithfully as they had been told to do.
e). In their own minds they had determined they were still serving God in this, but the reality was that they had willingly deceived themselves, doing what was right in their own eyes, ‘You shall not surely die.’ And had turned aside to idolatry.

4). Now, when Moses returned, as he said he would, because of the actions of the people during his absence, judgment came upon them – 
Ex 32:27 And he said to them, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'Let every man put his sword on his side, and go in and out from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and let every man kill his brother, every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.'" 28 So the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And about three thousand men of the people fell that day…..33 And the LORD said to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book. 34 Now therefore, go, lead the people to the place of which I have spoken to you. Behold, My Angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit for punishment, I will visit punishment upon them for their sin.” 35 So the LORD plagued the people because of what they did with the calf which Aaron made.

In v33 is perhaps the most chilling part of this judgment.  We are of course not looking at eternal issues as Israel had been eternally redeemed on the night of Passover. They had passed through the place of death in the Red Sea and could never go back. But rather than eternal issues we are looking at the loss of their inheritance in the land that was promised. Eternally saved yet falling short of the goal of their calling, which will be fully realized during the Millennial Kingdom.
a). And we find almost the same words recorded with respect to Christians in - Re 3:5 "He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

Now, we have also been redeemed for a specific purpose – 
Mt 21:43 "Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you [Israel] and given to a nation [the Church] bearing the fruits of it. 

And Christ, of whom Moses is a type, has left to go to the mountain of God, and He will remain there for a complete period of time – 
Lk 19:12 Therefore He said: “A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return.

Ac 3:20 "and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, 21 "whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.

Ps 110:1 ¶ <<A Psalm of David.>> The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool."

And before the Lord went, He gave instructions to those who were to wait for His return, all Christians from this dispensation – 
Lu 19:13 "So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, 'Do business till I come.'

Mr 13:33 "Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. 34 "It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. 35 "Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming--in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning-- 36 "lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. 37 "And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!"

But what do we find within Christendom generally? Rather than following the instructions the Lord has given, we find the age-old question, ‘Has God indeed said?’ ‘Where is the promise of His coming?’
b). Rather than following the Word of God, God the Word, Christians have generally sat down to eat and drink and have risen up to play, casting off all restraint - Pr 29:18 ¶ Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the law.

2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;

The ‘itching ears’ of the unrestrained Christian provide a direct parallel with the earrings that the Children of Israel used to create something that had the name of God but was no more than idolatry. And there is no shortage of ‘Christian’ teachers to provide a remedy for every form of itching ear.
c). For many Christians, as a result, God has been turned into the genie in the bottle to be conjured up to do their bidding, like the organ grinder’s monkey doing tricks for a price.

5). The God of the universe has become packaged, marketed, and distributed according to the economics of supply and demand.  He has become a multi-million-dollar business with His various man-created forms competing in the marketplace for the greater share of the market value.  
a). And Christian leaders, even from the beginning of the dispensation, the very ones who should keep the people entrusted to their care focused on preparation for the Lord’s return and their appearance at His Judgment Seat when He does, are the very ones responsible for encouraging and perpetuating the idolatry that has come out of asking our foundational question - 2Pe 2:1 ¶ But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, [‘Has God indeed said?’] and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 ¶ By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.

And for ourselves, we must be careful not to let any relationship we may have with those Christians who have cast off restraint, influence the way we see things.  We must rely on the evidence of Scripture alone and see things the way God sees them – Re 3:16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—

With regards to the Word of the Kingdom, Christendom at the end of this dispensation is lukewarm, the very condition in which the leaven flourishes and multiplies, corrupting all in its path.
c). But when Christ leaves the mountain of God, which He will, judgment must follow - 1Pe 4:17 For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?

2Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Jude 1:14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, 15 ¶ "to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him."

‘Has God indeed said?’, ‘Where is the promise of His coming?’, ‘You shall not surely die…’
d). It will be the one who remains steadfast and immovable in the faith, who has looked from this world unto Jesus, who has watched and prayed for the coming of His Kingdom, who has not cast off restraint, whose name will not be blotted out of the Book of Life, a Book that records the names of those faithful Christians who will have life in the Age to come - Ps 24:3 ¶ Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully. 5 He shall receive blessing from the LORD, And righteousness from the God of his salvation.


We will continue next time – if we remain and the Lord is willing, and we have prayed.