Steps in cultivating a tree (part two)

 

 

3. The third step in cultivating of a tree is proper nutrients to sustain its growth

 Naturally, plants require a continuous supply of oxygen and water to sustain itself: and needs to draw nutrients from other sources of inorganic matter. Even the other corruptible seed which we grow, that is our fleshly human body requires oxygen, water and food to sustain itself. The incorruptible seed which we are now cultivating is of no exception, for thus says the Giver and Sustainer of the incorruptible seed; "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down from heaven --- not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever" (John 6:53-58).

From all indications the sustenance and growth of the incorruptible seed is by far more important than that of the corruptible seed, for we have been duly admonished saying; “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him." And, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh [the corruptible seed] will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit [the incorruptible seed] will of the Spirit reap everlasting life” (John 6:27; Galatians 6:7-8).

4. The fourth step in cultivating a tree is the enrichment of the soil

Soils normally gets depleted and required some form of enrichment by the use of manure or fertilizers in order to enhance the growth and productivity of the tree, similarly with the incorruptible seed the soil needs to be enriched to enhance the plant’s growth and productivity. Therefore, according to the apostle Paul; “For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light” (Colossians 1:9-12).

The new incorruptible seed that we are cultivating requires a different soil than the one on which the corruptible tree grows, and therefore we have been instructed saying; “But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.” The knowledge of Christ is what we need to enrich the mind and the heart so that God’s divine nature can grow in us, therefore we are to “grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (Colossians 3:8-10; 2Peter 3:18).

And in addition, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, we are to put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave us, so we also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also we were called in one body; and be thankful.

We also are to let the word of Christ dwell in us richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord. And whatever we do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:12-17).

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To be continued 

Lucius Joseph

Steps in cultivating a tree

 

Let us look at the basic steps that are required in cultivating a tree.

1.      The first step in cultivating a tree whether good or evil is to prepare the soil for the planting of the seed.

The crux of the matter is, the soil has been prepared for the planting of the new seed as it is written; “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them” (Ezekiel 36:25-27).

According to the terms of the New Covenant which Jesus Christ instituted on the night of His death and became effective after His death the soil has already been prepared, for thus states the terms of the New Covenant; “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." In that He says, "A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away” (Hebrews 8:10-13).

Now contrary to what many people have been taught and believe with regards to the laws of God, the rationale for having the laws placed in our mind it is for us to keep them in remembrance and having them written on our hearts it is for us to love them.

2. The second step in cultivating a tree is to sow the seed

The good seed has been sowed, for it is written; “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, because "All flesh [the other tree, the physical life] is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers and its flower falls away, but the word of the Lord endures forever"(1Peter 1:23).

This incorruptible seed was planted according to; “God’s abundant mercy Who has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for us, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this we greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, we have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of our faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen we love. Though now we do not see Him, yet believing, we rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of our faith --- the salvation of our souls” (1Peter 1:3-5).

Because of this incorruptible seed which is now planted in us, it is required of us that we put off, concerning our former conduct, the old man (the bad tree our sinful nature) which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of our mind, and that we put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4: 22-24).

Now to put on the new man it is to put on the nature of Jesus Christ which is one of righteousness and holiness and there is an ordained formula by which this status can be attained and maintained.

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To be continued

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

The price of our upward calling

The Prize of our Upward Calling

What is the prize of our upward calling! What is the goal or aim of a believer? We have been admonished saying; “For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God --- and righteousness and sanctification and redemption ---that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the Lord" (1Corinthians 1:26-31).

The fundamental issue here is, why are we in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and who became our righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption? The reason why Jesus Christ became all these things to us is for us to fulfill our upward calling of God in Christ Jesus which is; “To be partakers of God’s divine nature”.

The apostle Paul wrote; “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind” (Philippians 3:12-14).

With regards to the prize for our upward call of God in Christ Jesus the apostle Paul wrote; “Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all his house” (Hebrews 3:1-2).

According to the apostle Peter the reason why we are to give serious consideration to the Apostle and High Priest of our confession it is because, “Grace and peace be multiplied to us in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these we may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2Peter 1:2-4).

So then, how do we become partakers of God’s divine nature? Let us use the growth of a tree as an example: Jesus said; "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit” (Matthew 12:33).

Naturally we stem from a tree which is considered to be deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, but have now been grafted to a tree which is holy, so how can we partake of its holiness?

To be continued

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

The better hope by which we are to draw near to the Father

 

The better hope by which we draw near to the Father

And so let me reiterate that, the better hope through which we can draw near to God the Father in the inner court is by:

1)      A greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.

For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. Because the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing” (Hebrews 9:8).

2)       A greater and perfect sacrifice which can present the worshiper perfect, holy and sinless before God.

Previously, what was offered was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices were offered which could not make him who performed the service perfect in regards to the conscience, neither could present the worshiper perfect before God. They were concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.

But the time of reformation has come; Jesus Christ now enters the Heavenly Sanctuary, “Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption and has left the cup of blessings (the wine) which He blessed on the night before His crucifixion to represent His blood of the New Covenant: For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?' (Hebrews 8:9-14)

And for this reason He is the Mediator of the New Covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.” The New Covenant which Jesus Christ is the Mediator is the one He instituted when He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to the disciples saying; “Drink from it, all of you, for this is My blood of the New Covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” And this New Covenant became effective after His death because, a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives (Hebrews 9:12-15; Matthew 26:27-28).

3)      We have a perfect High Priest who continues forever, and has an unchangeable priesthood

Therefore Jesus Christ is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He ever lives to make intercession for them, hence the reason Jesus Christ said to Thomas; “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (Hebrews 7:4-26; John 14:6).

The way is through His flesh as confirmed by the apostle Paul who wrote; “by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh;” Now His flesh is represented by the unleavened bread because, in establishing the New Covenant, Jesus Christ took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."

The truth is the Word of God Who is Jesus Christ Himself, for in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He now intercedes on our behalf as our High Priest and this is again confirmed by the apostle Paul who wrote; “and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

The life is the blood of Jesus Christ which cleanses us from our sins, for as it is written; “for the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.' And the apostle Paul again confirmed this by saying; “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus” (Leviticus 17:11; Hebrews 10:19).

 So now, where there is remission, forgiveness (through the cup of the New Covenant), there is no longer an offering for sin but the Lord’s sweet smelling aroma, the food for His offerings we are to be careful to offer to Him at the appointed time and therefore the admonition is; “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep” (1Corinthians 11:28-30).

Let us therefore consider this for a minute, if the improper discernment of the bread and wine which represents the body and blood of Jesus Christ is taken in an unworthy manner is the reason why many are weak, sick and died what if it is taken in a worthy manner as prescribed by the Lord Himself? Some food for thought.

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With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

The appointed time for the food for the Lord's offerings

 

Is there an appointed time to offer to the Lord the food for His offerings?

It is stated quite explicitly that the appointed time for the offering of the Lord's food is, day by day, morning and evening continually, as a regular offering, on the Weekly Sabbath, on New Moons (monthly) and on the appointed feast days of the Lord.

For thus says the Lord; “Now this is what you shall offer on the altar; two lambs of the first year, day by day continually. One lamb you shall offer in the morning and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight”  

The Sabbaths, which God ordained as times of Holy convocation, were ordained specifically to offer to the Lord, the food for His offerings. For thus says the Lord; “These are the feasts of the Lord which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire to the Lord, a burnt offering and a grain offering, a sacrifice and drink offerings, everything on its day...besides the Sabbaths of the Lord, besides your gifts, besides all your vows, and besides all your freewill offerings which you give to the Lord” ( Leviticus 23: 37-38; Numbers chapter 28 and 29).

We ought to always bear in mind that, the food for the Lord’s offerings were not obliterated they were reformed and so, the lamb was a copy and shadow of Jesus Christ the Lamb of God, the grain offering (unleavened bread) was a copy and shadow of the body of Christ and the drink offering (wine) was a copy and shadow of the blood of Jesus Christ and there is an ordained appointed time to offer the Lord the food for His offerings.

The last instructions King David gave the Levites concerning the work of the service of the house of God, was, “To stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord, and likewise at evenings; and at every presentation of a burnt offering to the Lord on the Sabbaths and on the New Moons and on the set feasts, by number according to the ordinance governing them, regularly before the Lord” (1 Chronicles 23:30-31).

The babble of confusion which unfortunately exists with regards to the frequency of this offering is because believers have not understood the Apostle Paul's statement which says; “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.” But this babble of confusion can be averted, and completely avoided, if one would take into consideration the value and significance of this offering, and take God's command, and warning seriously, and recognize that the means of drawing near to God has not been abolished, but has rather been reformed by the new and living way by which we now draw near.

The sad thing is that some people do not want God to tell them when, and how to do things, they rather do things according to the imagination of their own hearts and doing what seems right in their own eyes without realizing that our present disposition is that, “Having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness” (Romans 6:18).

This enslavement is not to perform our good deeds, because all our righteousness is as filthy rags before God. Nor is it from the deeds of the law, because, a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Jesus Christ, and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.

Even Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law: For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. We are enslaved to offer the Lord His food for His offerings, at the appointed time. Let us ponder and reiterate the command once more; “My offering, My food for My offerings made by fire as a sweet aroma to Me, you shall be careful to offer to Me at their appointed time” (Numbers 28:2).

Believers are to God a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that they may proclaim the praises of Him who called them out of darkness into His marvelous light. They as living stones are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. They shall be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God, for they offer the offerings of the Lord made by fire, and the bread of their God; therefore they shall be holy” (1Peter 2:9, 5; Leviticus 21:6).

So now, by the second established will of the Father we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all. Denoting that, once and for all, we now have a perfect offering, and a perfect High priest, that can present the worshiper, perfect before God, and thus fulfilling the will of God. It is sad that many people do not know how to study the word of God, for it is written in a way, which is difficult for the natural mind to understand'

In fact it is said that, “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” but God has revealed it to us through His Spirit. There is also a set pattern by which the word of God can be understood; for it is written; “Whom will He teach knowledge? And whom will He make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts? For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little” (Isaiah 28:9).

I pray that the eyes of our understanding be enlightened, with regards to the food for the Lord's offerings, the one and only acceptable offering that fulfills the will of the Father, His sweet smelling aroma; and that we may know what is the hope of God's calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, and He is now seated at the right hand of the Father, to intercede on our behalf as our faithful and compassionate High Priest. For it is testified; “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” For on one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and un-profitableness, for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.”

And in addition to this it is clearly stated that; “For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this One (Jesus Christ) also have something to offer. (Hebrews 7:17-19; 8:3).

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To be continued, stay tuned

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

The three integral components of the burnt offering

 

 

The three integral components of a burnt offering

There are three integral components of a burnt offering and although burnt offering in the literal sense has been reformed. Nevertheless, the rationale for the burnt offering remains the same and more significantly we now have the reality instead of the copy and shadow of the reality.

And so, a burnt offering is a combination of three integral, inseparable elements:

1. A lamb, ram, or bull without blemish

This was a copy and shadow of the reality and foreshadowed Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world and who takes away the sins of the world and now is seated at the right hand of the Father as our High Priest interceding on our behalf.

2. A Grain/Meal offering

This mixture of fine flour, mixed with oil (Unleavened Bread), was a copy and shadow of the reality and represented the body of Jesus Christ as alluded to by Jesus Himself Who, “ took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body" (Matthew 26:26).

3. A Drink offering

 The wine was the copy and shadow of the reality and represents the blood of Jesus Christ again as alluded to by Jesus Christ Who, took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to His disciples, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:27-28).

It is the combination of all three elements that makes a burnt offering complete. For thus says the Lord; “Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs of the first year, day by day continually. One lamb you shall offer in the morning and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight (between the two evenings). With one lamb shall be one-tenth of an ephah of flour mixed with one fourth of a hin of pressed oil, and one-fourth of a hin of wine as a drink offering. And the other lamb you shall offer at twilight; and you shall offer with it the grain offering and the drink offering, as in the morning, for as a sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to the Lord” (Exodus 29:38-41).

And so in short, the real burnt offering is Jesus Christ Who is our gateway, the new and living way by which one comes to the Father and hence the reason why Jesus quite equivocally stated; “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).

According to the apostle Paul, what gives us the boldness to enter the holiest in the presence of the Father is the blood of Jesus represented by the wine, the truth is Jesus Christ Himself the Word of God Who is now seated at the right hand of the Father interceding on our behalf and the new and living way to the Father is through the flesh of Jesus Christ represented by the unleavened bread and so, this is the medium by which we are to draw near to the Father.

 Now according to the apostle Paul, this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man. For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this One (Jesus Christ) also have something to offer” (Hebrews 8:1-3).

Unfortunately, this is an area where most believers have not fully grasped and have received the grace of God in vain, but these times of ignorance God has overlooked but now commands all men everywhere to repent.

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To be continued, stay tuned

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

What constitutes a burnt offering?

 

What constitutes a Burnt Offering?

From the previous article someone asked the question, what is a burnt offering? Before embarking on what constitutes a burnt offering there are certain things we should first know, understand, believe and take into consideration, things such as;

1. The rituals in the earthly tabernacle were copies and shadow of heavenly things, because remember Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle saying; "See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain" (Hebrews 8:5).
2. If the earthly ritual could present the worshiper perfect before God then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins” (Hebrews 10:1-4).
3. When Jesus Christ came into the world He said; “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. Then I said, 'Behold, I have come --- In the volume of the book it is written of Me --- To do Your will, O God.' Previously saying, "Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them" (which are offered according to the law), then He said, "Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God." He takes away the first that He may establish the second. By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:5-10).
4. What we therefore have is not an abolition but rather a reformation for we have been duly admonished saying; “For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.”
5. The main objective of this offering is the means by which one can draw near to God because; “the Holy Spirit indicating this that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience ---concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.
6. So the real burnt offering is Jesus Christ Who came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:8-14).
7. The apostle Paul’s instruction is; “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:19-25).

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To be continued , stay tuned

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph

Significance of the burnt offering

 

What is the significance of the Burnt Offering?

The significance of the burnt offering is to express one's gratitude to God, and thanksgiving, it serves as a memorial before God, on our behalf. It is the offering that one presents to the Lord for any occasion. Whether as a sin offering, a peace or fellowship offering, or as a daily thanksgiving offering to; “Declare the Lord's loving-kindness in the morning, and His faithfulness every night.” It is exactly what the scriptures says; “My food for My offerings” (Psalms 92:2; Numbers 28:2).

The burnt offering is the offering that one offers to God, on the day of his/her gladness, and at the Lord's appointed feasts. For it is written; “Also in the day of your gladness, in you appointed feasts, and at the beginning of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; and they shall be a memorial for you before your God; I am the Lord your God” (Numbers 10:10).

And thus says the Lord; “These are the feasts of the Lord which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire to the Lord, a burnt offering and a grain offering, a sacrifice an drink offering, everything on its day...besides the Sabbaths of the Lord, besides your gifts, besides all your vows, and besides all your freewill offerings which you give to the Lord” (Leviticus 23:37-38).

As clearly stated, holy convocations were ordained specifically by the Lord, to offer to the Lord His food for His offering: This offering is besides, or in addition to all other gifts, vows, or freewill offerings one gives to the Lord.

The Burnt offering is the fellowship offering that unites all the members of the body of Christ into one body, as alluded to by the apostle Paul who wrote; “I speak as to wise men; judge for your-selves what I say. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion (sharing, fellowship) of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we, being many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread” (1 Corinthians 10:15-17).

The Burnt offering is the offering which the High Priest offers to the Father, as atonement for the sins of the people. “For every High Priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins....Therefore it is necessary that this One [Jesus Christ] also have something to offer.” No wonder the Lord called it “My food for My offerings” (Hebrews 5:1; 8:3 Numbers 28:2).

The burnt offering is the prerequisite, for drawing near to God. As it is written; “This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of meeting before the Lord, where I will meet you to speak with you. And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by My glory” (Exodus 29:42-43).

And in the New testament we have been admonished saying; “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. ...Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:19-25).

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To be continued, stay tuned

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph