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DAY OF ATONEMENT
Fred Coulter - October 9, 2000
This is for the Day of Atonement, the year 2000. And time is going
forward, events are happening as we have seen, and God’s plan is right on
schedule and we’re going ahead with the things that God wants us to do, and
now we come to the Day of Atonement. The Day of Atonement is a special
day, a holy day, a day in which we fast.
So let’s go to Leviticus 23 and let’s begin right here in verse 26.
“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Also on the tenth day of this
seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy
convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering
made by fire unto the LORD.” And we’re going to see a little later
that afflicting means to afflict your soul with fasting. And that
means to drink no water, and eat no food.
To offer an offering made by fire we don’t give animal offerings today so
we do take up an offering. And in taking up an offering we just need
to understand and realize that God’s way is right and good and that in
taking up the offering we’re following the principle here of offering an
offering made by fire, so it is a command by God. Today we don’t do
the animal sacrifices as you know. So at this time we’ll just pause
and we’ll go ahead and take up the offering.
(Pause)
Now let’s continue on with the instructions that we have here in Leviticus
23. We’re going to see that this is a special day where He emphasizes
no work, or not any work several times. Verse 28, “And ye shall do no
work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an
atonement for you before the LORD your God. For whatsoever soul it
be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off
from among his people” (vs. 28-29). Meaning today, that you will lose
contact with God. And I’ve seen that. I’ve seen that. In
the 40 years that I’ve been in Church I’ve learned one lesson from the Feast
of Unleavened Bread which happens all the time. A little leaven
leavens the whole lump.
Now there was a group of people who decided that since Christ fulfilled the
Day of Atonement, which He has not completely fulfilled the Day of
Atonement, as we will see when we understand it, therefore they didn’t fast
and they actually had coffee and cake on the Day of Atonement. Well,
they were just given over to demons after that. God is not going to be
mocked. Men are not going to enforce their will upon God. Or
their Bible interpretations upon God. Now that doesn’t mean that we do
everything perfect. But when we get to those things which directly
violate the laws and commands of God then we’re going to be in trouble.
And that’s what happened to them. So when you are cut off from among
your people that means you are cut off from God.
“And whatsoever soul it be
that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among
his people.” Now there are many ways also to destroy a person. That
doesn’t mean that you are instantly killed. It just means that you are
going to have a life that is going to be contrary to God, and that is going
to end up destroying you. “Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall
be
a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. It
shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls:
in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye
celebrate [or keep] your sabbath” (vs. 30-31). Now this is very
important because that is the key thing that everyone could look to as to
when the day began. Now you might have a difference of opinion if
it’s, “Well, when is noon and when the sun is starting to go down?”
You might have a difference of opinion, “Well, where is it exactly at three
o’clock in the afternoon?” But when you see the sun dip below the
horizon you have no question whatsoever that it is sunset. And “at
even” means “at sunset”.
Now let’s notice what He says here, “…You shall celebrate your sabbath…”
It’s very interesting in the Septuagint in the Greek where we’ve covered
part of it, but I want to reiterate it here. And it is that “you shall
keep this sabbath”, “you shall keep your sabbaths” rather. And in the
Greek it is sabbatise ite and then it does something very important
here. It uses the plural of sabbath. The singular of sabbath in
the Greek is ton sabbaton. The plural is ta sabbata,
so this is inserted right in there showing that all sabbaths are to be kept
from sundown to sundown, not just the Day of Atonement. But God didn’t
want us to be in doubt whatsoever so He said from the ninth day of the month
from even to the tenth day of the month at even shall you keep or celebrate
your sabbath. And in this case plural. So this is inserted in
there for all the sabbaths that we find here in the book of Leviticus.
And everyone of the holy days are sabbath days. Every single one is.
That’s why it starts out at the beginning with the weekly Sabbath.
Now let’s look concerning fasting. Let’s come to Psalm 35:13 and
let’s see that fasting is something that you do to draw close to God.
Now on fasting on the Day of Atonement, and we know that the meaning of the
Day of Atonement part of it is that you will be at one with God. Not
only to forgive your sins, but to be at one with God, and for us who have
our sins covered through the sacrifice of Christ as pictured by the
Passover. Then the Day of Atonement for us pictures more being at one
with God because what’s going to happen with the Day of Atonement is when
God applies that in it’s actual application like He did with Passover, then
it’s going to apply to Israel and to the world to make atonement for them.
So that will be a very important thing to take place.
And also as we will see that the author of sin is going to be removed.
Because it just doesn’t matter how perfect you may have things all around
you. It doesn’t matter how much knowledge you may have. It
doesn’t matter who you are or what you have been, or who your parents have
been. Because if Satan is there, there is still going to be sin
because he is the author of sin. Look what happened with Adam and Eve.
When Satan came, immediately there was sin. But were they right there
with God? Yes. Did they know the truth of God? Yes.
Did God instruct them? Yes. But Satan brings the sin and
he brings the sinful nature to human beings. So he has to be removed.
And the truth is you can never be at one with God totally, spiritually
speaking, unless Satan is removed because he’s the adversary to divide from
God.
Now here in Psalm 35, and this is also a prophecy of Jesus as well as
something that happened to David. Verse 11, “False witnesses did rise
up; they laid to my charge things
that I knew not. They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling
of my soul. But as for me, when they sere sick, my clothing was
sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting…” So it says you shall afflict
your soul, that means to humble yourself with fasting. “…And my prayer
returned into mine own bosom” (Psa. 35:11-13). Now in difficult cases
we find back in the account of Jesus and the casting out of the demon where
the disciples couldn’t do it, He said that this kind comes out by nothing
but by prayer and fasting.
Now let’s go to Luke 4 and let’s see the tremendous spiritual battle that
Jesus had with Satan the devil. Because Jesus, when He came in the
flesh, had to overcome Satan the devil in a one to one, head to head, knock
down bruising spiritual battle. Now, Christ as God could defeat Satan
at any time. Christ by using the power of God can defeat Satan at any
time. But now Jesus fasted 40 days and 40 nights so that He would have
to fight and resist Satan only through the power of the Spirit of God within
Him. And by using the word of God correctly. And to also do it
in the weakest physical condition that He could possibly be in to show that
it’s not by might, not by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord.
Now let’s begin in the book of Luke 4:1. “And Jesus being full of the
Holy [Spirit] Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the
wilderness, being forty days tempted of the devil.” Now I don’t think
that any of us have ever endured the kind of thing that Jesus did.
“And in those days He did eat nothing: and when they were ended, He
afterward hungered. And the devil said unto Him, If Thou be the Son of
God, command this stone that it be made bread” (Luke 4:1-3). And Jesus
could do that. But you see, if He would have done it He would have
disobeyed the Father, and would have obeyed Satan the devil instead.
So He didn’t do it.
Notice how He answered. “And Jesus answered him, saying, It is
written, That man…” Now here’s God Who’s man. So He’s applying
this not only to Himself but to all of mankind in general, but particularly
to Himself in these circumstances where He’s fighting Satan the devil. “That
man shall not live by bread alone…” Now let’s understand, not only by
food but and also this means not only by the physical things around you.
You have to live by every word of God. That’s what He says here.
“…But by every word of God” (vs. 4). And as it says in Deuteronomy 8:3
where this quote is taken from, it says “…that proceeds out of the mouth of
God…” And the whole story of the Bible can be reduced to three words.
“Obey My voice.” So that’s exactly the whole sum of the Bible.
If you want a three word summation of the Bible there you have it. And
if you obey His voice you will be at one with God.
Now then, He had to be tested whether He would want to seize and grasp
controlling the world before the time came that God would give it to Him.
Verse 5, “And the devil, taking Him up into an high mountain, shewed unto
Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.” Just sort of a
kaleidoscope of history passing before His eyes. “And the devil said
unto Him, All this power [yes, all this authority] will I give Thee, and the
glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I
give it.” Now we’re going to talk about the will of Satan, the will of
God, the will of men in just a little bit. But here Satan says to
whomsoever I will, he gives it. So Satan has a will and we will
see what that is a little later. “If Thou therefore wilt worship me,
all shall be Thine” (vs. 5-7). And then we would have had no Messiah
if He would have done that.
Now this also tells us those who control the world are those who worship
Satan the devil. And that’s just the way that it is, whether they do
it overtly or whether they do it secretly, whether they do it because they
are controlled who others who are direct Satan worshippers, they are the
ones who rule this world. The rich, the elite, the establishment
worldwide.
Verse 8, “And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind Me, Satan:
for it is written…” That is for man. Now what He’s doing, He’s
not saying Satan will worship God because Satan won’t worship God, because
Satan wants to be worshipped as God. So he won’t worship God. He
will rebel against God. He’s the adversary. But Jesus is quoting
the scripture, “You shall worship the LORD your God and Him only shall you
serve.” And Jesus as a man was quoting that scripture.
“And he brought Him to Jerusalem, and set Him on a pinnacle of the temple,
and said unto Him, If Thou be the Son of God, cast Thyself down from
hence:…” And can you imagine what would have happened? If He
would have landed on His feet safely and securely right in the middle of the
priests and scribes and the Pharisees and Sadducees, Satan would have said,
“See, here is your savior. Yes here is your savior.” Because
Jesus would have obeyed Satan. Would have rejected the will of God.
Now Satan also quotes scripture so you have to be very careful about people
who quote scripture and sound spiritual because they may not be from God.
So he says, “For it is written, He shall give His angels charge over Thee,
to keep Thee: And in their hands they shall bear Thee up, lest at any
time Thou dash Thy foot against a stone” (vs. 9-11). And that is an
absolute correct quote.
Now Jesus said here verse 12, “And Jesus answering said unto him, It is
said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” So you need to
understand that. If you take the scriptures and misapply them, are you
tempting God? I think this is what it’s saying here. So Jesus
had to endure all these temptations in order to be our Savior. And He
had to endure all of this for 40 days and 40 nights when He was fasting,
when He was not eating food or drinking any water, and He was yielding
Himself to God totally being full of the Holy Spirit.
Now notice, “And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed
from Him for a season” (vs. 13). And then it says in the book of
Matthew that angels came to minister to Him to feed Him because He was so
weak. So that’s what Jesus Christ did. That’s how we know.
Now we also…let’s come back here to the book of Ezra and let’s see where
then fasting is without any water and without any food.
Let’s come back here to Ezra 10, that way we can made it absolutely clear
as to what fasting really consists of. Verse 6, “Then Ezra rose up
from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son
of Eliashib: and when he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink
water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been
carried away [and for the sins which they had done].” So fasting is
without food and without water.
Now let’s come to Leviticus 16. Let’s see what was to be done on this
Day of Atonement in Israel. Now let’s understand something very
important that not all analogies or symbolism is necessarily completely
accurate, as we will see here in just a little bit. That the goat for
Azazel is let off into the wilderness and then Satan is put into the abyss.
Well the wilderness is the closest in an analogy and a ritual that you could
come to to an abyss. And so that’s why it’s that way. It doesn’t
mean that one necessarily offsets and fights the other. We’ll see that
here in just a minute.
Now on the Day of Atonement was a special day because that was the day that
the High Priest went into the temple One day that he went not only into the
temple but into the Holy of Holies. And the first part of it it shows
how he would prepare himself, and the offerings that he would make.
Let’s begin here in verse 5. “And he shall take of the congregation
of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one
ram for a burnt offering. And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin
offering, which is
for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house. And
he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD…” Now
this is the only sacrifice that this was ever done with. It was not
done with any other sacrifice. All other sacrifices were to be as
specified without blemish. Here he was to take “…and present them
before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation”
(Lev. 16:5-7). Then something very different was done with these.
Now the reason that this was done was because God had to make the choice.
Because in order to understand who the true sacrifice of God is, being
Christ, and who the false messiah is, human beings of and by themselves
cannot know without the intervention of God to call them and open their
minds to it. So likewise here, in order to understand which goat was
for Azazel…and Azazel is another name for Satan, another name for the
unclean spirit that inhabited the wilderness just like the abyss that Satan
is going to inhabit in which there are demons right there now, which is
called the prison.
“…And [he shall] present them before the LORD at the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation. And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two
goats [that is so God would make the decision]; one lot for the LORD, and
the other lot for the scapegoat [or Azazel]” (vs. 7-8). Now this does
not picture Christ. Now I’ve gone through that several times, because
people want to rely just on the Old Testament and not put it together with
the New Testament properly. Some people say that the second goat is
also for Christ. No, as we will see, the sacrifice of Christ as
pictured by the goat which was sacrificed for sin and atonement is the
sacrifice for sin. And once that is done then the sins have been
forgiven. But as I have mentioned at the beginning, as long as Satan
the devil is around there will be the author of sin and you can never be at
one with God or have complete atonement until that is done. And we’ll
see how that is accomplished here.
“And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD’S lot fell, and offer
him for a sin offering.” Now a sin offering is a sin offering,
correct? Yes. “But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the
scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement
[over] with him…” Or not with him. Satan does not become an
atoning part of what God has done, but the removal of him finishes the
atoning. So He is going to complete the atonement with him. “…And
to let him go for a scapegoat [or Azazel] into the wilderness” (vs. 9-10).
And then it shows that Aaron was to bring all the sacrifices to cleanse the
temple and the altar and everything.
Now verse 15, “Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is
for the people…” Now if you have a sin offering for the people and
that is accepted of God to make an atonement for them for all their sins and
transgressions, have their sins been forgiven? They answer is yes.
“…And bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with
the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before
the mercy seat: and he shall make an atonement [now this is a complete
atonement] for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the
children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins…”
Meaning that this sin offering, as pictured by the sacrifice of Christ,
atones for all of their transgressions in all their sins. “…So shall
he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in
the midst of their uncleanness” (vs. 15-16).
“And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he
goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out,
and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all
the congregation of Israel.” So that shows that the atonement was
accomplished with what Aaron did with the sacrifices for himself and the
sacrifice for the sin offering of the goat for the LORD. “And shall go
out unto the altar that is before the LORD, and make an atonement for
it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the
goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about [that’s the
altar of burnt offering]. And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it
with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the
uncleanness of the children of Israel [but is in all of their sins]” (vs.
17-19).
“And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the
tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat”
(vs. 20). Now here is a very strange ceremony. The only one of
its kind. Now, whenever someone brought an offering to be offered,
whether it’s a burnt offering, he would lay his hands on the head of the
animal and then slit it’s throat. When he would bring a sin offering
he would do the same thing. The offerer would lay his hand on it,
confess his sins over it, and then slit the throat of the animal. Now
here we have something entirely different. Aaron does the whole
thing.
Notice, “And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat,
and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel…”
Now why would he do that when they were already forgiven? Well he does
it because this goat represents Azazel and is putting back upon Satan his
own responsibility for his own sins that he may bear them, because he won’t
repent. That’s why this goat is not sacrificed. That’s why this
goat does not represent Christ because Christ bore our sins and then He was
slain. Complete difference. Now here we have it, this one is
having the sins confessed after the goat for the sin offering was
already accepted of God. So what is happening here, this is showing
that Satan is responsible for all the sins of the whole world.
Remember Ephesians 2, that you are dead in your sins and trespasses because
of the prince of the power of the air - that spirit which now works within
the children of disobedience among whom we also all had our conduct in the
past time.
Now let’s continue on here, “…putting them upon the head of the goat
[because he’s responsible], and shall send him away by the hand of a
fit man…” Now this “fit man”, as we will see, is a type of an angel
who removes Satan the devil. “And the goat shall bear upon him all
their iniquities unto a land not inhabited [or in the wilderness]…” So
that’s as close as you can come to the abyss. “…And he shall let go
the goat in the wilderness. And Aaron shall come into the tabernacle
of the congregation…” (vs. 21-23). Then he shall wash his garments and
everything and then finish off the sin offering.
Now let’s pick it up here in verse 27. “And the bullock for
the sin offering, and the goat for
the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to made atonement in the holy
place, shall one carry forth without the camp; and they shall
burn in the fire their skins, and their flesh, and their dung.” So all
sin offerings were to be wholly burnt, wholly consumed. Why? To
show that they were completely removed. And also to show that there
was to be no further participation in it, that’s why they did not eat the
sacrifices of the sin offering. Whereas they could eat the sacrifices
of the burnt offering, the sacrifice of the peace offering, the sacrifice of
the thank offering. They could eat all of those, but not this.
“And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in
water, and afterward he shall come into the camp” (vs. 28). And back
here to verse 26, “And he that let go the goat for the scapegoat shall wash
his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward come into the
camp.”
Now notice verse 29. “And
this shall be a stature for ever unto you: that in the seventh
month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your should,
and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a
stranger that sojourneth among you: for on that day shall the priest
make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from
all your sins before the LORD. It shall be a sabbath of rest
unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever” (vs.
29-31). So there it is concerning the Day of Atonement.
Now let’s look at something here concerning how the sacrifice of Christ is
applied to us by His sacrifice through the words which He spoke, which
applies to the Church. As I said, the Day of Atonement will be the
application of the sacrifice of Christ to Israel and to the world. But
let’s come here to John 15 and let’s see what Jesus said showing that our
sins are covered by the Passover. Our sins are not covered by the
atonement but by the Passover.
Now here in John 15:1 He says, “I AM the true vine, and My Father is the
husbandman. Every branch in Me that beareth not fruit He taketh away…”
And we’re seeing that God is doing that now. He’s taking a lot away.
Because people are not staying at one with God. They are not doing the
things of God. They are cutting themselves off from God. And I
know in talking to many people that we do all we can to help restore, but
even at that there are some who just don’t want to be restored. They
want to join the ranks of Satan the devil and be unrepentant and go do their
own thing. And there will be some people like that. And as we
have seen, as what has happened to the Churches of God, there are some
people who have just given up on God. And their lives have changed and
their minds have changed and their whole countenance and visage has changed
because they have been cut off from among the people of God. Now God
the Father is the one Who’s doing that. “…And every branch that
beareth fruit, He purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit” (John
15:1-2). So all the trials and difficulties we go through, and to
successfully go through that means that God wants us to bear more fruit.
Now notice verse 3, “ Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken
unto you.” So we have the Passover applied to us. In God’s great
plan He’s going to apply the sacrifice of Christ to the world on the Day of
Atonement. Then they will keep the Passover after that.
Now let’s continue on here and see the fulfillment of this. Let’s
come to Revelation 20 and see the fulfillment of Leviticus 16 and putting
away Satan the devil. Now he’s going to be put away temporarily.
Now you’ll have to come to the service of the Last Great Day to understand
why Satan is released for a short season.
Let’s pick it up here in Revelation 20:1. “And I saw an angel come
down from heaven, having the key of the [abyss] bottomless pit and a great
chain in his hand.” Now hold your place here and come back to
Revelation 9 and let’s understand something. Verse 1, “And the fifth
angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him
was given the key of the bottomless pit [or that is the abyss]. And he
opened the [abyss] bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit,
as the smoke of a great furnace:…” (Rev. 20:1-2). The demons are let
loose, so right at this time with the sounding of the fifth trumpet the
demons that are right now are in prison are loosed on this world.
Now let’s come over here to verse 11. It says, “And they had a king
over them, which is
the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is
Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon [which are
names for Satan the devil].” So Satan is…that’s his abode. Now
he’s allowed to come out of there now. The demons, more demons will be
allowed to come out during that time when the fifth trumpet is sounded.
But when Christ comes back to the earth, as we saw there picturing the Feast
of Trumpets, and we ended the Feast of Trumpets with Revelation 19.
Now let’s come back to Revelation 20 and continue on. Then Satan is
removed, the demons are removed and whatever happens to Satan then also
happens to all the demons in this particular case. Verse 2, “And [the
angel] he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and
Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the [abyss]
bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should
deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled:
and after that he must be loosed a little season” (Rev. 20:2-3). So
this day pictures the binding of Satan when Jesus Christ returns.
Now also it pictures being at one with God. And that was the whole
purpose, the whole meaning of why Christ came. So let’s apply, first
of all, the day of atonement to us concerning being at one with God.
And then we will look at the will of God, we will look at self-will, and we
will look at Satan’s will, and several combinations thereof to see whether
we really want to do the will of God and be with Him - at one with Him.
Now you cannot be at one with God until you have Satan removed. You
cannot truly be at one with God until you are born again of the resurrection
into the kingdom of God.
Now let’s go to John 17 because this is where Jesus in His final prayer
about being at one with Him. And this truly was the Lord’s prayer.
His prayer just before He was arrested. Now let’s begin in verse 1.
“These words spake Jesus, and lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said,
Father, the hour is come; glorify Thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify
Thee: as Thou hast given Him [authority] power over all flesh, that He
should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him.” See, so
at this time it has to be that God is the one Who calls and then we are
brought to Christ. “And this is life eternal, that they might know
Thee, the only true God…” Now He said that because Christ was not yet
resurrected from the dead so at that time the only true God still existing
was God the Father, because Christ was not 100% God in the flesh. You
cannot have 100% God in the flesh and 100% God in the Spirit in the same
body because the Spirit body would destroy the physical body. And so
that’s why Jesus, though He was God manifest in the flesh, was not 100% God
as God is God, so He said “the only true God” Who was the Father” at that
time. “…And Jesus Christ, Whom Thou hast sent” (John 17:1-3).
“I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou
gavest Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Thou Me with thine own
self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was.” And
that means “before the world existed.” I have manifested Thy name unto
the men which Thou gavest Me out of the world…” So if you’re brought
out of the world, you’re brought into oneness with God. “…And Thou
gavest them Me; and they have kept Thy word. Now they have known that
all things whatsoever Thou hast given Me are of Thee. For I have given
unto them the words which Thou gavest Me; and they have received them,
and have known surely that I came out from Thee, and they have believed that
Thou didst send Me. I pray for them: I pray not for the world…”
See now’s not the time for the salvation of the world. The time for
the salvation of the world cannot come until Satan is removed and disposed
of and put into the abyss. “…But for them which Thou hast given Me:
for they are Thine” (vs. 4-9).
Now let’s come over here to continue on verse 11. “And now I am no
more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to Thee.
Holy Father keep through Thine own name those whom Thou hast given Me, that
they may be one, as We are.” And that’s what the Day of
Atonement pictures for us, that we are at one with God.
Now let’s come over here to verse 20. “Neither pray I for these
alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word; that
they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in thee, that
they also may be one in Us: that the world may believe that Thou has sent
Me. And the glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them; that they
may be one, even as We are one. I in them, and Thou in Me, that they
may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent
Me, and has loved them, as Thou has loved Me” (vs. 20-23). And so this
is the application of it for us - to be at one with God.
How are we at one with God even in the flesh though Satan is still around.
That’s why we have to have the grace of God to cover us. That’s why we
have to have God fight our battles for us. That’s why we have to be
kept from the evil one.
Now let’s examine the will of God. Let’s first of all come to Matthew
6 and let’s read this prayer, very important prayer. Let’s begin in
verse 9. This gives us a beginning understanding concerning the will
of God. “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in
heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in
earth, as it is in heaven.” Now what we are doing in this
prayer, we are not praying for our will. We’re praying for God’s will.
That’s how you become at one with God. To unite your mind with the
Spirit of God, which He gives to you, with the word of God, which He’s
provided for you, to fill your mind with the word of God, to seek the will
of God, and do as Jesus said, “Not My will but Your will be done” (Matt.
6:9-10). And on earth, that’s in our lives. Now notice verse 13,
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:…” But this
is from the evil one. So that’s how we can be at one with God.
Now let’s focus in on the will of God and see what that is in our lives.
How we are to apply it, how we are to live it, then we know that we’re at
one with God. Let’s come to Ephesians 1 please. And God has made
known His will to us. Brethren, it is something. The knowledge
that God has given us is the secret of God, the will of God, the plan of
God. And yet there are so many people ready and willing to give up on
it, and to start and to do their own things. It is almost
insane. Well, as a matter of fact it is. Anyone who would go
against the will of God. Now we also know this, that if you sin
willfully then you have the lake of fire to look forward to. You will
never be at one with God.
Now Ephesians 1, and let’s see how great that this is here, what God has
done. Let’s pick it up here in verse 3. “Blessed be the
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath blessed us with all
spiritual blessings in heavenly [the heavenly things, as it should read]
places in Christ:” We’re not in the heavenly places yet. We
shall be in the heavenly places when Christ returns and brings it to the
earth. But we’re not there yet. “According as He hath chosen us
in Him…”
Now I want you to, as you’re listening to these words, I want you to apply
them directly to you - that God has chosen you, that the Father has reached
down into your life, that He has made known to you His will and is a great
and a marvelous and a wonderful thing. “…Chosen us in Him before the
foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him
in love: having predestinated us unto the [sonship] adoption of children…”
Now adoption is not correct. Sonship because adoption is this: you
adopt someone who is not of your own kind. Not of our own family.
Not of your own begettal. Not of your own children. However, God
the Father has begotten us unto a lively hope. He has put the seed of
eternal life within us so therefore we are His children. So this
should properly read “sonship of children” “…By Jesus Christ to Himself…”
God the Father is doing this. “…According to the good pleasure of
His will” (Eph. 1:3-5). It is God’s will. Now you need to
understand something. If you go against the will of God and reject
what God has done, please know and understand, there is no salvation.
Now continuing, “…To the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the
glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved.
In Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins,
according to the riches of His grace.” And so that’s a tremendous
thing: having the whole understanding of the will of God. “Wherein He
hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; having made known unto
us the mystery of His will…” That’s how you are at one with God.
By knowing His will. By living His will. By seeking His will.
God does not want you to give up your will. He wants your will to be
converted so that your will and your desire is His will and His desire.
No, God doesn’t want you to be mindless and brainless and unthinking.
He wants you to be totally committed to Him. He’s “…made known unto us
the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath
proposed in Himself:” (vs. 6-9). And all of this is revealed by the
holy days and the word of God, all put together.
You know, isn’t that something. The world doesn’t know where it’s
going. It doesn’t know where it’s heading, but you know the will of
God. Now think on that. To know the will of God. Not
because we’re great. Not because we’re anything special. But
because God has made it so. God has called the weak, God has called
the despised. God has called the rejected. God has called the
brokenhearted. He has called all so that He can just show and prove to
the world that all the might and power of Satan the devil and his great
fantastic society, which he’s developing now, is nothing compared to what
God has and His family, and His kingdom. So that’s tremendous to know
that and understand that.
“That in the dispensation of the fulness of times He might gather together
in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on
earth; even in Him” (vs. 10). And that is making it all at one
with God.
Now let’s come to John 6 and let’s see what Jesus said the will of God is
concerning us. Now we need to understand something while we’re going
here. There is still our own will. That’s why I emphasized that
if you don’t make your will the will of God, your will could carry you away
and cause you to lose salvation. Now it is not God’s will that He
loose any. But if you decide other, then you have used your will and
you have gone against the will of God. And God is not going to force
anyone into the kingdom of God. We’ll either get there because we love
God, because we bow the knee to Christ, because we love Jesus Christ, we
grow in grace and knowledge. We’re not going to get there by our own
will, our own mind, our own power, or any of that.
Now notice the will of God for you. Let’s pick it up here in John
6:38 showing the will of Christ. “For I came down from heaven, not to
do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me.” Did Christ have
self will? Of course He did, because He could choose. Did He
always seek to do the will of God? Yes, we’ll see that again in just a
minute. “And this is the Father’s will which hath sent Me, that of all
which He hath given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again
at the last day. And this is the will of Him that sent Me, that every
one which seeth the Son, and believeth
[so there’s a qualification to that will - you must believe] on Him, may have
everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:38-40).
Now let’s come to James 1 and let’s see what God has done by the will of
God. God has called you. Now don’t let your will reject you.
Let your will become God’s will. Live by every word of God, to let the word
of God dwell in you. To think with the word of God and that becomes
then the most powerful thing that you can do brethren. That’s what God
wants.
Now let’s pick it up here in James 1:17. “Every good gift and every
perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with
Whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of His own will
begat He us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits
of His creatures” (James 1:17-18). That is of the creation through
this process and the resurrection from the dead.
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