Has God Indeed Said - Part 8

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...........

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Transcript

Sunday October 24th 2021
Has God Indeed Said
Part 8



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.”

As we have seen from the beginning of our study, the presence of the serpent in the Garden and his challenge to God’s Word, has one end in view, maintaining his position of rulership by the overthrow of those called to replace him. And his deceptive wiles that have continued ever since, are for the same purpose. And it makes no difference if we are talking about Man before Noah’s flood, Man after the flood, the nation of Israel or the one new man in Christ, deception is his weapon of choice and death is what it brings to those who would receive it – Ge 6:4 There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. 5 Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

2 Co 11:3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!

Ga 1:6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, 7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.

And we have seen that within the context of the Church in these last days the challenge to God’s Word has found a focal point in questioning the promise of Christ’s coming. A challenge that has sought to destroy the foundational structure laid out in the first thirty-four verses of Scripture, verses that reveal in skeleton form, God’s purpose that has been set in place from before the foundation of the world – 1 Pe 1:20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you 21 who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

This is a challenge to God’s Word predicated upon the lie that God has not intervened in the affairs of the earth and its occupants since the earth’s creation and therefore won’t in the future.
a). In other words, this is an attack upon the central message of all of Scripture, the Kingdom in the Seventh Day. And given who is the orchestrator of this attack it is not difficult to understand the motivation for it - Mt 13:24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. 26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.

And then in recent weeks we have seen how the coming of the Lord is to be found everywhere in the Scriptures, beginning in Genesis with the six days of work and the Seventh Day of Rest and then continuing through the rest of Scripture, concluding with His revelation in the Book of that name.
b). And it would be well to note that the promise of His coming has to do with Christ’s second coming, rather than His first advent, although the two are inextricably connected – Heb 9:28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

And it will be through His second advent that all things will be restored, and His Kingdom will be established – Acts 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.

Ro 8: 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

At the Lord’s second advent, the Bride will be taken from the body of Christ at the Judgment Seat, allowing for the promised redemption of the inheritance. A time that will bring ‘great trouble’ on the Jewish people and their land, the time of Jacob’s trouble, a time that will bring national Israel to repentance, fulfilling the types we have seen in both Joseph and Moses.
c). The conclusion of the time of Jacob’s trouble will see the return of Christ to the earth and will result in the complete overthrow of Gentile world power, the bruising of the serpent’s head and the establishment of a new order of rulers in the Kingdom during the Seventh Day.
d). And it is therefore the good news of this ‘coming’ of Christ, because of the Kingdom that attends it, that the enemy seeks to destroy. And part of his deceptive wile in this is to have the Church focus entirely on the Lord’s first advent and His death on the cross without ever placing them within their proper context – Lk 24:25 Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?”

With respect to the foundation seen at the beginning of Genesis, the Lord’s first advent and His death on the cross correspond to the light shining in the darkness on Day One of the restoration of the ruined creation – 
Jn 1:4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

And it brings to fulfillment the foundation for redemption set in Genesis Chapter 3 – Ge 3:21 Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.

The substitutionary death and shed blood that God both provides and accepts, that marks the beginning point for the restoration of ruined Man.
e). Following His Death, the shedding of His blood and His resurrection and ascension, the Lord’s present ministry is as our High Priest – Heb 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

And His work as our High Priest in the heavenly Tabernacle must be seen in conjunction with the sending of the Holy Spirit in accord with the type of Abraham’s oldest servant in Genesis Chapter 24 – Jn 16:13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.

And the work done through the Lord’s High Priestly ministry in conjunction with the Holy Spirit among the eternally saved of this dispensation corresponds to the work done on Days Two though Six in the Genesis account. A work that takes us beyond the free gift of eternal life to the salvation of the soul and life for the age to come. And as this work is brought to its completion, so that seen through the creation of Adam and the Woman on the Sixth Day in Genesis Chapter 1 will be brought to fulfillment as the Bride is taken from the body of Christ at the Judgment Seat, as we have previously seen.
f). And as we move into the Seventh Day, so the third facet of the anointing of the One appointed Prophet, Priest and King comes to fulfillment. The Second Man, the Last Adam, the King of the Jews will rule with His Consort Queen from the heavens in the place of Satan and his angels during the Millennial Kingdom – Eph 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. 11 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…….

And it is so interesting to note that it is the Lord’s second advent, that which Satan, through the ‘scoffers’ has sought to deny, that is the subject of two eyewitness accounts recorded in the Scriptures. Firstly, the mount of transfiguration in Matthew Chapter 17 – Mt 17:1 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.

And secondly, the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ – Re 1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, 2 who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. 3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.

And as we had noted last time, what was seen and recorded by these eyewitnesses in both accounts was neither a vision nor a dream but the actual event itself, presented succinctly in Matthew and in detail in the Revelation – 2 Pe 1:16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.

The Lord’s second advent is witnessed to be certain, only awaiting its manifestation in time – Ecc 3:15 That which is has already been, And what is to be has already been; And God requires an account of what is past. 

The promise of His coming cannot be any more certain than the fact that it has already taken place but is waiting to be seen within the boundaries of time. It is therefore, without doubt.

2). It is also interesting to note that the Lord chose the Apostle John to write about His revelation in the Book by that name, the same John who was on the mount of transfiguration with Peter and James.
a). And it is the same John whose Gospel begins with the identical foundational structure given to Moses in Genesis, Six Days of work and a Seventh Day of Rest – Jn 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. [Day 1]

Jn 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! [Day 2]

Jn 1:35 Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. 36 And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!” [Day 3]

Jn 1:43 The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, [Day 4]

Jn 2:1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. [ The 3rd day following the previous 4 days = Day 7]

The Genesis account dealt with the restoration of the ruined material creation with a view to rulership in the Seventh Day, and John deals with the restoration of ruined Man leading to the fulfillment of rulership in the Seventh Day, with a specific focus on the nation of Israel. John’s Gospel was written during the time covered by the Book of Acts, when the Kingdom of the Heavens was being re-offered to the same generation of eternally saved Jews by the one new man in Christ.
b). Because that seen at the beginning of John directly parallels that seen in the beginning of Genesis, John should be placed as the first Gospel as it provides the foundation for what follows in the three synoptic Gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke, the Book of Acts, and the Epistles, including those in The Revelation.
c). We can imagine the chaos if Genesis was not the first Book of the OT. And a similar chaos comes from John not being the first Gospel.
d). And I am sure it has been a common experience for us all, that following our eternal salvation we were directed to go and read the Book of John, the one Book we were told, that explains how the eternally lost become eternally saved.
e). Of course, John, as with the other NT Books, makes reference to eternal salvation but this is not what this Book, or any other for that matter, is about at all. And to totally corrupt the subject matter of John by forcing it to fit where it cannot possibly go, into issues of eternally lost or saved, destroys all that follows.
f). So, is it a coincidence do you think, that the Gospel written by John, who was an eyewitness to Christ coming in His Kingdom on the mount of transfiguration, to whom the Lord would give witness of His unveiling, beginning with the resurrection/rapture of the Church, a Gospel that deals with Christ’s Kingdom within the framework of seven days, has been so devastatingly corrupted? Of course not, it is all part of the attempt to do away with the promise of His coming.
g). And just as the types presented in the OT are largely rejected in the study of Scripture, so the signs in John’s Gospel are completely misunderstood.
h). Let’s remember what another eyewitness wrote about this very thing – 2 Pe 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, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.

It is then, not just the content of the Scriptures, the Word of the Kingdom, that has been corrupted but also the God given way of understanding it that is also corrupted.

3). And if we should still need more proof of the promise of His coming, we can see that Jesus Himself spoke of it in the parables – 
Lu 19:12 Therefore He said: "A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. 13 "So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, 'Do business till I come.' 14 "But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We will not have this man to reign over us.' 15 "And so it was that when he returned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.

Mt 25:14 ¶ "For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them…19 "After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.

Mt 25:1 ¶ "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 "Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 "Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 "but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 "But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 6 "And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!'

Mt 13:47 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, 48 "which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away. 49 "So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, 50 "and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth."

And Jesus also spoke of it directly – Jn 14:1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 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.

Mr 8:38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”

There was testimony to His coming at His ascension - Ac 1:11…."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."

The whole of that recorded in the Book of Revelation testifies of His coming - Re 22:16 "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star." 17 And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!"

And Scripture ends, just as it began, with the promise of His coming – 
Re 22:20 ¶ He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

And with the promise of His coming also comes the promise of judgment  
1 Pe 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?

This verse takes us to the Judgment Seat of Christ, following the resurrection/rapture of the Church, where those Christians who have been faithful will be revealed as the Bride of Christ. And the question that Peter asked at the end of this verse, particularly with respect to the false teachers, both Peter and Jude provided an answer for by pointing to past events that are examples of what is to be expected in that Day for the false teachers and their masters - 2Pe 2:6 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; 7 ¶ and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked 8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds) -- 9 then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, 10 ¶ and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority.

Jude 1:5 But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; 7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

And yet, despite the clear teaching of the Scriptures, the lie begun in the Garden continues to be readily received, ‘You will not surely die.’
a). And this finds itself most obviously through the teaching that entering the Kingdom and eternal salvation are one and the same, or that every Christian is automatically part of the Bride of Christ, or even that the God of the OT is not the same as the God of the NT.
b). We may be truly thankful that we are not ignorant of the devil’s devices but nonetheless we must maintain the whole armor of God so that we can stand against his deceptive wiles and not become casual or careless in our handling of the Scriptures.
c). And as this series ends, let’s take encouragement from the words that Paul, under inspiration of the Spirit, wrote to the Church in Thessalonica – 1 Th 2:9 For you remember, brethren, our labor and toil; for laboring night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God. 10 You are witnesses, and God also, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe; 11 as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, 12 that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.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…………. 19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? 20 For you are our glory and joy.

If we remain and the Lord is willing, and we have prayed, there will be more next time.