7 Foundations – (7.4) – Consecration Offering – Zion: Place of God's Rest
Let us Press on to Enter that Rest
The Antithesis – Unbelief = Disobedience = No Rest
Mount Zion and Zion and the Key Word: Obedience
Leo Fenton (January 2019)
In the Scriptures the term “Zion” is used as the people of God and also of God’s resting Place.
Mount Zion speaks about the Throne Room of God. The Center of God’s Government. Also about God’s Resting Place forever.
Mount Zion is also the Highest Place in Heaven.
It is also the Highest Calling for the Christian.
The New Jerusalem is the Home of the Bride of Christ and the Place of God’s Kingdom Government.
The Law (of the Kingdom) will go forth from Zion but the Word of the Lord will go forth from Jerusalem!
Psalm 132:8-9
8 Arise, O LORD, to Thy resting place; Thou and the Ark of Thy strength.
9 Let Thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let Thy godly ones sing for joy.
Psalm 132:13-16
13 For the LORD has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His habitation.
14 "This is My resting place forever; Here I will dwell, for I have desired it.
15 "I will abundantly bless her provision; I will satisfy her needy with bread.
16 "Her priests also I will clothe with salvation; and her godly ones will sing aloud for joy.
Hebrews 4:1-2
1 Therefore, let us fear lest, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it.
2 For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the Word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.
The “Good News” is the” Gospel” focusing upon His Rest and His Resting Place.
However, we also know for certain that the Gospel is focused upon the Kingdom of God.
Here we see the Gospel is focused upon Zion and Zion is the place of His Rest.
Then which way is it?
Is the Gospel, the Good News, of Zion or is it the Gospel of the Kingdom or is it entering His Rest?
We need to understand that God refers to His Ultimate Goal for man by several different terms that are not always so isolated nor are they clearly defined.
For that reason they escape the casual seeker.
Nevertheless, preaching another happy sermon on entering His Rest on Sunday will be another big waste of time. Why?
“Let us fear lest, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it.”
Does this mean we might fail to arrive at a Church building for a Sunday Sabbath?
This is obviously something beyond the concept of an earthly Sabbath rest.
Why is that true?
How could we come short of it or why should we be fearful if we missed it?
Fearing that any one of US might fail to enter His Rest presents us with a tremendous challenge! Why?
This at least implies that this is a requirement but it indicates there is a strong possibility of failure.
Most will just preach another encouraging message that “we are all mature sons of God, Jesus is that rest, we have accepted Him so we have already entered His rest.”
If we even suggested that this warning about NOT personally entering His Rest is for the church today, it would be condemned as another negative and legalistic message.
What other Book in the New Testament presents this High Calling into His Rest as a DEMAND in such clarity and precision?
“But Brother, this does not apply to us because we are already ‘saved.’”
Well, consider this; “For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also;” but is it possible that God is just as angry with us, who lack faith or obedience, as He was with Israel.
How can we ask that?
Because that is exactly what these five warnings in the Book of Hebrews is all about.
If the concept that “We are already saved” excuses us from any eternal concern, why should we then FEAR that we might come short of it?
At least some of us should stop all this foolishness of seeing the Christian Life through rose colored glasses by the preaching of the “Gospel of the Half-Price Sale, the Gospel of the Bargins.”
That counterfeit gospel assumes that “grace and saved” excuses us from all the demands of the Kingdom.
Rev 3:17 Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.
I was in a meeting recently where the dumbest things were being preached and the great majority did not even know they were hearing garbage.
They were happy to be there and it was evident they did not even consider the possibility that: “you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.” Why?
The preacher was telling them they were all the mature sons of God.
In effect, this preacher was assuring them that they were rich, and had become wealthy, and had need of nothing, "so let all of us stand and make that proclamation together, through the blood.”
One translation, says let us tremble with fear that some might fail to get there.
I looked up the word and this is how they come up with that translation;
G5399 phobeō fob-eh'-o to frighten, that is, (passively) to be alarmed; by analogy to be in awe of, that is, revere: - be sore afraid, fear (exceedingly), reverence.
To tremble with fear suggests that there is a real possibility that some are not going to make it into His Rest and that presents a very serious problem.
To fail to enter into His Rest must be catastrophic in the eternal sense or this warning would be irrelevant.
When we look at the total context of the Book of Hebrews we wonder why there is a chapter division between chapter and 3 and chapter 4.
This is surely a mystery. Why?
Chapter 3 ends with this:
Hebrews 3:10-19
10 "Therefore I was angry with this generation, and said, 'they always go astray in their heart; and they did not know My Ways';
11 As I swore in my wrath, 'they shall not enter My Rest.'"
12 Take care, brethren, lest there should be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart, in falling away from the Living God.
13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," lest anyone of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
14 For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end;
15 while it is said, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME."
16 For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses?
17 And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?
18 And to whom did He swear that they should not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient?
19 And so we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.
Hebrews 4:1 Therefore, let us fear lest, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard. 3 For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said, "AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST," although His works were finished from the foundation of the world.
Hebrews 4:4 For He has thus said somewhere concerning the seventh day, "AND GOD RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY FROM ALL HIS WORKS"; 5 and again in this passage, "THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST."
Hebrews 4:6 Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, 7 He again fixes a certain day, "Today," saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS." 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that.
Hebrews 4:9 There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God. 10 For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. 11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall through following the same example of disobedience.
Anyone with eyes that can read should see that this is spoken to those “brethren” that were “saved.”
Therefore, we conclude that this warning is for “saved” people and definitely refers to the church where some good “believers” could be excluded from ever entering into His Rest.
While God swore in His wrath that Israel would never enter into His rest, the exact same warning is now given to the “church!”
It is for THAT reason that we should search out this “mystery” to see if there is something we need to do or to experience in order to refocus or correct our viewpoint of entering into this greater dimension of His Rest.
In other words knowing the doctrine of Rest is quite different than having the experience of entering His Rest.
In Hebrews 3:18 and 19 it is very clear that unbelief and disobedience are the same thing and are evaluated as synonymous.
Either one or both will prevent us from entering into His Rest.
We should be aware that His Rest is not just a doctrine, a feeling or a philosophy but is “An Eternal PLACE.”
We are identifying that “PLACE” as Mount Zion.
We want to emphasize that “entering” is not automatic when we “accept Jesus,” neither is it guaranteed because we are “believers” and it is quite obvious that some will “fall short of entering.”
These are NOT “unbelievers” as is foolishly taught even though it refers to disobedience and unbelief.
These are definitely “believers” who are disobedient and do not believe what God has said “through His Son.”
But who are those who “fall short of it?”
These are those who fail to press on to the “perfection of Zion” which is “one of the” qualification for entering His Rest.
It is the Good News (Gospel) that reveals this “place of Rest.”
It seems obvious that Jesus has entered into that Rest.
It reveals that Jesus passed through the heavens and has taken His seat at the Right Hand of God.
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.
It is obvious that all these scriptures are speaking to” the church” who are saved.
This speaks about who fail to enter that promised rest.
But this IS Zion!
Still, the Lord defines that “place” even with more detail.
Psalm 50:1-3
1 The Mighty One, God, the LORD, has spoken, and summoned the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God has shone forth.
3 May our God come and not keep silence; Fire devours before Him, And it is very tempestuous around Him.
Hebrews 6:17-20
17 In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the Promise the unchangeableness of His Purpose, interposed with an Oath,
18 in order that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have strong encouragement, we who have fled for refuge in laying hold of the hope set before us.
19 This Hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a Hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the Veil,
20 where Jesus has entered as a Forerunner for us, having become a High Priest forever according to the Order of Melchizedek.
It is revealed that God entered that Place of Rest after He finished the creation or the restoration of the Earth in Genesis 1.
This was on the Seventh Day when He Entered that “PLACE OF REST,” Mount Zion.
Maybe another controversial thing about Zion is that this is related to the Priesthood after the Order of Melchizedek.
That Priesthood now also functions THROUGH THE VEIL or behind the veil in the Holy Place. Jesus, our High Priest, after the Order of Melchizedek, is busy teaching the Lampstand Church in Revelation 2 & 3.
Privately, we are evaluating whether this place of Rest, ZION, is integrally linked to a functioning Priesthood in the Holy Place dimension within this dispensation of the church age.
“But, Brother, how can we actually know if we are functioning in that Place of Rest, behind the second Veil and within the Priesthood after the Order of Melchizedek?”
Let us be very candid and say it would be quite unusual today if any of us WERE FUNCTIONING IN THAT REALM.
The obvious and popular doctrine is that anyone who has ceased from his own labor to enter into salvation by faith is now in Sabbath Rest.
Of course that is true IF WE HAVE REALLY CEASED FROM OUR OWN LABOR AND ENTERED INTO HIS ETERNAL WORK.
This can be a fact or just another cliché or just another Christian fantasy.
It can be something that we may “confess and make proclamation” but is still simply not true in our experience.
“But, Brother, does that mean that God’s Rest indicates that He no longer shows up for work each day in this dispensation and no longer punches a time clock?”
“Resting and Work” must be seen now in the next and invisible dimension and in a direct relationship to Mount Zion.
We must be careful in identifying this “ceasing from work” as beginning at Calvary, {some preachers preach that God is resting and now He is working through His Son}, because God entered His Rest from the very beginning on the Seventh Day.
Hebrews 4:6-11
6 Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience,
7 He again fixes a certain day, "Today," saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS."
8 For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that.
9 There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God.
10 For the one who has entered His Rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.
11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that Rest, lest anyone fall through following the same example of disobedience.
It seems obvious that within God’s Eternal Purpose, He has always intended for His people to enter into His Rest. Disobedience or Unbelief are the things that keep us from entering into God’s Rest.
It is also obvious that Israel never achieved that Rest.
Hebrews 4:3 For we who have believed enter that Rest, just as He has said, "AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST," although His Works were finished from the foundation of the world.
Here, once again, we see this problem of “conflicting Scriptures” within the same context.
On the one hand we must persevere and be diligent to enter that rest which is a future goal presented in the future tense.
The opposite truth in the past / present tense seems to be true also!
However, on the other hand it is taught that if we just believe we enter into that Rest in the present tense.
“Well, Brother, we are believers so we have already entered into that Rest, so what is your point?”
Some groups will focus upon one verse and another group will focus upon the other.
Then which way is it?
We will attempt to confuse the issue even more by introducing the personal Reality of Zion to determine what this Eternal Truth really is.
On the one hand God has already entered into His Rest in the past tense and we must be currently entering into His Rest in the present tense.
This is NOT a once for all time entering into His Rest but is a continual entering into His Rest.
Or we might say; “This is a LIFE of Rest” or a “Living Rest” related to an eternal realm where there is “no time” period to determine a Sabbath Day of “REST.”
Our focus, now, will be away from a “day of rest” to focus a “Place of Rest.”
It is also quite apparent that God is still working His Purpose out in this earth dimension “while He is Resting.”
For this reason “work” and “resting” require different interpretations than are normal in our earthly dictionaries or our current concepts.
That specific Eternal Place of REST is on Mount Zion, the Throne of God, and in the functioning Priesthood after the Order of Melchizedek.
It is also noted that God WORKED for six days BEFORE He rested.
It might be good advice if we WORKED for six days BEFORE we rest.
There is a popular cliché, when asked about the outward activity, that says “I am just resting in the Lord” which implies I am doing nothing because I have entered into His Rest.
For that reason we must redefine the word “WORK” to relate to “the Place of Rest” rather than to picture “work” with a pick and shovel.
To define this “Rest” as just related to heaven, “where we will be on an eternal holiday”, misses the whole point about “His Rest.”
Israel didn’t fail to enter by not going to heaven so we have to reject that foolish notion that “heaven is the rest.”
The anxious uncertainty about entering into His Rest is created because of the time in which we live!
Why? Hebrews One tells us that before the New Covenant God spoke to His people and to Israel through angels and through prophets but NOW has spoken to us in His Son.
“Has spoken to us in His Son” increases the authority and the severity of ignoring His Voice!
Therefore, “TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE” brings this warning into the very present tense and applies to those who are saved in the church age.
To dismiss this as not for us who are saved but just for Israel, is really stupid.
This document will focus upon the necessity for us to study and understand the Book of Hebrews because it is a totally unique Book among all the Books of the New Testament.
The emphasis we are making to “His Rest” relates to the unique message today “if you hear His Voice.”
Therefore, this current message should investigate the degree in which we are living in that realm of “ZION” or “Mount Zion” today.
This is because these last six Restorations of the church have been more or less completed.
These series of seven (7) restorations (Foundations) of the visible church began in the 1400's through priests who preached Repentance to te existing church. In 1517 Marten Luther preach Salvation by Faith in Calvary. Next came the Holiness Groups that preached removing the old Garments. In the 1600's the Anti-Baptists preached Water Baptism. Then in 1906 the Pentecostal Groups preached the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. The Charismatic continued that message in healing, teaching and preaching unity. That movement ended in 1985 because of flesh. They attempted to lay the 6th Foundation but failed to finish it. Now is the time to Preach the 7th Foundation. But since 1985 no one has recognized that message of the in filling by the Holy Spirit ( in fullness) must come into our actual experience.
The Seventh restoration, the Consecration Offering, is approaching us in this time period of “today.”
This series of seven (7) Restorations is following the preparations of the Priests in the Tabernacle of Moses! These 7 preparations (foundations) were to equip them to participate in the priesthood after the Order of Aaron.
We are being prepared by these 7 foundations or preparations to be able to complete the Christian Life. The Christian Life is seen in these Outer Court Preparations. These Foundations are also preparations to participate in the New Covenant Priesthood after the Order of Melchizedek. This Priesthood begins in the Holy Place but the preparations happen in the Outer Court dimension of the Tabernacle of God.
God took Moses to the top of Mount Sinai and showed the True Tabernacle in Heaven which is the Tabernacle of God. Moses was told to make an earthly tabernacle LIKE the one he saw in heaven.
It is for that reason that this Book of Hebrews is the key and the hallmark of the transition to God’s Eternal Purpose and the Tabernacle of God (Revelation 21: 1 to 4) that is upon us today. Why?
That is because it is the Book of Hebrews that ties these two Covenants together by type and shadow with the reality and experience of preparing this New Covenant Priesthood after the Order of Melchizedek.
Our universal calling is to complete and fulfill this Eternal Purpose which will certainly involve our personal preparation for the Priesthood after the Order of Melchizedek.
In addition to entering His Rest, each of us should also FEAR lest we fall short of that calling to participate in His Eternal Priesthood after the Order of Melchizedek. Why?
God will gather His Priests to Zion but the ONLY Priesthood that can qualify for that “Place” is after the Order of Melchizedek.
Psalm 48:12-14
12 Walk about Zion, and go around her; Count her towers;
13 Consider her ramparts; Go through her palaces; that you may tell it to the next generation.
14 For such is God, Our God forever and ever; He will guide us until death.
Isaiah 4:3-6
3 And it will come about that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy - everyone who is recorded for life in Jerusalem.
4 When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purged the bloodshed of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning,
5 then the LORD will create over the whole area of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, even smoke, and the brightness of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory will be a canopy.
6 And there will be a shelter to give shade from the heat by day, and refuge and protection from the storm and the rain.
Isaiah 10:12-14
12 So it will be that when the Lord has completed all His work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, He will say, "I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the pomp of his haughtiness."
13 For he has said, "By the power of my hand and by my wisdom I did this, for I have understanding; and I removed the boundaries of the peoples, and plundered their treasures, and like a mighty man I brought down their inhabitants,
14 And my hand reached to the riches of the peoples like a nest, and as one gathers abandoned eggs, I gathered all the earth; and there was not one that flapped its wing or opened its beak or chirped."
Isaiah 24:21-23
21 So it will happen in that day, that the LORD will punish the host of heaven, on high, and the kings of the earth, on earth.
22 And they will be gathered together like prisoners in the dungeon, and will be confined in prison; And after many days they will be punished.
23 Then the moon will be abashed and the sun ashamed, for the LORD of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and His glory will be before His elders.
Psalm 50:1-6
1 The Mighty One, God, the LORD, has spoken, and summoned the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.
2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God has shone forth.
3 May our God come and not keep silence; Fire devours before Him, and it is very tempestuous around Him.
4 He summons the heavens above, and the earth, to judge His people:
5 "Gather My godly ones to Me, Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice."
6 And the heavens declare His righteousness, for God Himself is Judge.
It may be too much of a stretch to relate this “covenant by sacrifice” to our personal Consecration Offering but because of the time in which we are living I will point out that very strong possibility. Why?
Because this seventh preparation was the “consecration offering!”
These “Foundations” were essential to the Ordination of the Priests after the Order of Aaron.
Is that the only reason?
No! That is because there will be no casual, apathetic or unconsecrated believers in the next dimension of function. That dimension will be the Holy Place realm of experience.
This dimension is the Pure Gold Lampstand Church AFTER the Second Veil has been entered.
“Well, Brother, why don’t we just stand and make proclamation that we are already there and God is blessing us?
Why not just confess that we are already the Lampstand Church and make that proclamation.”
That would be because that is another big lie and liars are excluded from that realm of function.
The Second Veil is Truth or the Reality of our having the actual EXPERIENCE.
For that reason:
· hypocrisy,
· pretending,
· lies and
· phony religious theater
are forbidden in that next dimension of function.
Just making foolish proclamations is off limits where actual reality is required.
Joel 2:30-32
30 "And I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth, blood, fire, and columns of smoke.
31 "The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.
32 "And it will come about that whoever calls on the name of the LORD will be delivered; For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, as the LORD has said, even among the survivors whom the LORD calls.
Obadiah 1:21 The deliverers will ascend Mount Zion to judge the mountain of Esau, and the Kingdom will be the LORD'S.
Micah 4:6-7
6 "In that day," declares the LORD, "I will assemble the lame, and gather the outcasts, even those whom I have afflicted.
7 "I will make the lame a remnant, and the outcasts a strong nation, and the LORD will reign over them in Mount Zion from now on and forever.
While this is a very limited vision of Mount Zion, these Scriptures reveal that Zion is the place of His Throne and He will reign over the nations from Mount Zion.
It also reveals that there will be a terrible time on the earth but there will be those who have escaped that are on Mount Zion.
There will be survivors and priests and His chosen ones who will dwell on Zion and this is directly related to God’s Absolute Sovereignty within the Kingdom Government of God.
In other words, Universal Acceptance is ruled out because there are several qualifications required just to dwell in Jerusalem or to advance to Mount Zion. .
Just because “We are Saved” does NOT qualify us for participation in Mount Zion.
Some of these who escape are called “My elders.”
It appears that God is, at this present time, building up Zion and the New Jerusalem and when that essential work for eternity is completed He will begin the punishment of His adversaries.
Our thesis is that since Mount Zion is the place of His Rest and it remains for some to enter into His Rest, that this can only apply to the church age.
It seems clear that participating in Mount Zion is our Highest Calling which relates to the Kingly Priesthood. Why? That Priesthood is a combined function of a Priest / King after the Order of Melchizedek. He is the Eternal Holy Spirit who comes to earth as the King of Peace and as a Priest of the Most High God.
Mount Zion is the Throne of God and it is also clear that only the Overcomers will sit with Him on His Throne.
We know for certain that at least SOME believers will make it to Zion.
Now, why should we personally be with fear and with trembling that we might fall short of that tremendous calling?
What a great dereliction of duty it is for any ministry to accept a position of leadership in a group and fail to inform the believers of their High Calling (Jerusalem) and inform them of their Highest Calling (Mount Zion) ! .
What words could we use to describe what a terrible loss it would be to be called to such a glorious place and then fail to be informed or that we neglect to be qualified?
How could we tremble with fear if we didn’t know such a place existed or this calling was the ultimate reality and an integral part of the Gospel of the Kingdom, the Good News?
By what standard could we use to describe our “so great a Salvation” if we ignore the total design revealed by God and our destiny of attaining to the perfection of Zion?
Our “so Great a Salvation” is directly related to this continuing revelation of God’s Eternal Purpose found in this wonderful Book of Hebrews.
“But, Brother, why do you always have to make everything so difficult?
What about the simplicity of the Gospel?
Why can’t you just hold to the modern concept of “KISS?” {Keep It Simple, Stupid?}”
2 Corinthians 11:2-4
2 For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.
3 But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.
4 For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully.
We should point out that many Christian clichés depart from the Word of God in some way.
It is NOT the “simplicity of the Gospel” but is the “simplicity and the purity of DEVOTION TO CHRIST.”
The Gospel itself is VERY complicated to the natural man and beyond his realm of understanding.
“But why can’t you just simplify the Gospel so he CAN understand it?”
That is because God has no plan for the natural man except death and burial. The Real Gospel is:
· The Gospel of Zion,
· the Kingdom of God,
· the New Covenant Priesthood,
1 the Eternal Purpose,
2 the Promise, and
3 the Oath
these are ONLY designed for the new creation man because he is the only one who CAN understand it or be qualified in order to participate in it.
Those who insist upon holding to this doctrine of preaching a very simple gospel must limit it to the unsaved and natural man so he can understand. Why?
This concept of just conveying “KISS” from the pulpit can only apply to the natural man.
However, this Adam man is only relevant to the Old Covenant and is barred from the New Covenant dimension. The Old Covenant was OUTWARD but the New Covenant is INWARD.
Therefore, preaching or teaching for the benefit of the natural man is a big waste of time EXCEPT to get him converted!
For any New Covenant Ministry that is cooperating with Christ Jesus in building His Church, the natural man is excluded from that realm and from that message!
It is for that reason that the natural man must be converted (by death and burial of every thing about Adam) to become a new inner man of the New Covenant species! The old man, after Adam, is excluded from participation.
Of course having only this Adam life applies to a large portion of the visible church today!
Entering His Rest is related to coming to the Perfection of Zion.
Therefore, going on to perfection is not an option if we intend to enter into His Rest.
The Superiority of EVERYTHING related to the New Covenant is the reason we can and must go on by growing up to this perfection of Zion.
If God had not provided for these Superior Provisions in the New Covenant we could NOT have achieved that necessary perfection.
However, with “the clear revelation of the Book of Hebrews” we have no excuse left to us for our failure to enter.
Let us therefore, FEAR!
This is why our new cliché “Embrace the Inner Change or Stagnate” is true.
It is precisely because of all the tremendous and superior provisions that God has made available to us that He is entirely JUSTIFIED in demanding perfection in those He will bring to Mount Zion and to the New Jerusalem.
Why is this important?
That is because in the Eternal Purpose of God He has determined that His priests will rule with Him from Mount Zion and His Word will go forth from the New Jerusalem.
Jesus is the FIRST of this new species of man that is qualified to be our High Priest of this Eternal Order! That is after the King / Priest Order of Melchizedek.
The Book of Hebrews is clear, Christ Jesus has come to that Perfection and He has been declared to be the Great High Priest over the House of God.
As such, He has become the Mediator of the New Covenant and holds His King / Priesthood FOREVER.
This is astounding enough but then we discover that God’s Plan is to have a whole Kingdom of Priests.
Then, as if this wasn’t totally awesome, He says He will bring His priests (plural) to Mount Zion and establish them there.
The “Beauty of Zion, and its Perfection” is then made complete.
It is a fact that Christ Jesus was God’s First Born Son and is, therefore, the logical and legal Heir of ALL THINGS.
Nevertheless, we are also heirs of the same Promise if we Qualify for the Kingdom.
How could that possibly be true?
Is Christ Jesus, our Great High Priest, the appointed Heir of all things? Certainly.
Then how can we participate in that exclusive promise?
By becoming a member of the Body of our Great High Priest and by sitting with Him on His Throne.
Psalm 2:6-7
6 "But as for Me, I have installed My King upon Zion, My Holy Mountain."
7 "I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, 'Thou art My Son, Today I have begotten Thee.”
Isaiah 56:4-7
4 For thus says the LORD, "To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, and choose what pleases Me, and hold fast My Covenant,
5 To them I will give in My house and within My walls a memorial, and a name better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name which will not be cut off.
6 "Also the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to Him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be His servants, everyone who keeps from profaning the Sabbath, and holds fast My Covenant;
7 Even those I will bring to My Holy Mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar; for My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples."
This destroys the doctrine that God loves all His children the same! It is not true that all of heaven will be share and share alike and everyone will fair exactly the same fr eternity.
Some add; but some may receive “rewards” or “crowns” if they have done the Will of God or served Him.
Of course in Revelation 4 it says “they will cast their crowns before the throne” so then everyone will be equal.
The Kingdom is NOT a democracy where everyone has a vote and all are functioning in the same eternal realm.
The equality of heaven doctrine has overstepped the Scriptures and created a “no one is greater than another” concept.
Just a casual investigation of Mount Zion will lay that doctrine to rest and so will the Gospel of the Kingdom or the perfection and transparency of the New Jerusalem. The New Earth doctrine is not equal to the New Jerusalem doctrine.
Sitting down and counting the true cost is related to these greater things in the greater Life and transparency of the New Jerusalem.
When we assemble all the facts about entering His Rest or keeping His Sabbaths it suggests that this is neither automatic nor easy and some (many) will fall short of it.
It is for that reason that the “hard message” is acceptable and necessary for all those who are Kingdom of God Seekers.
While some will be offended (that is natural) those who have insight will recognize the reality of these Scriptures and the knowledge that each one must qualify for the Kingdom.
It is for that reason that we are presenting the
“Introduction to the Seventh Outer Court Experience” – The Consecration Offering.
We are relating “Consecration” to entering His Rest and keeping His Sabbaths.
This is in the New Covenant sense of Obeying God’s Laws of the Kingdom Government. The Kingdom is God’s Government and He has many New Covenant Laws.
Since this Seventh Foundation is the last Foundation in the Outer Court Preparation it is essential that we not only investigate the magnitude of this life-altering event but to be certain that we are actually experiencing its magnitude.
This is another example where the down payment dimension of consecration is ineffective in altering our life to achieve the goal of entering of His Rest.
It is for that reason that we are relating “entering into His Rest” with our participation as functioning members in the Body of our Great High Priest. Why is that practical?
That is because every member of the Body of our High Priest ONLY does the Will of the Head.
In this way each member must cease from their own labor to enter into His Eternal Work.
At this point in our search for reality I want to address this question of why am I always presenting the negative side of things and preaching fear.
While we are disgusted with the evangelism by fear in which people “accept Jesus” out of the fear of hell rather that because the Holy Spirit has drawn and convicted them, there is a logic of presenting “FEAR” as a motivating factor in the Christian’s life.
There is a certain “aspect of fear” that is connected to each of the final goals of fulfilling God’s Eternal Purpose!
That is the fear of falling short of reaching that Divine goal.
Hebrews 4:1-2
1 Therefore, let us fear lest, while a promise remains of entering His Rest, anyone of you should seem to have come short of it.
2 For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.
The Greek would permit us to interpret this as “LET US BE TERRIFIED” lest we fall short of it.
Many of us pay our taxes because we fear the IRS.
This “fear” is actively promoted by our government as a motivating factor to pay our taxes.
We are inundated by commercials that present the fear of the dollar losing its value and inflation taking our savings.
They say the solution is to start buying gold and silver as a hedge of protection.
These commercials run several times a day and the recurring idea behind them is fear.
2 Corinthians 7:1 Therefore, having these Promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
While evangelism by fear is generally ineffective, presenting “a message of fear” is acceptable when it is applied to “going on” to completing the goals for which we were saved, sanctified or “set apart to complete.”
The word “fear” is used 68 times in the New Testament.
Sometimes it is used as “do not fear” as well as “to fear.”
Therefore, I am not offended by any criticism when I preach “fear” of coming short of the goals God has set for us out of His Absolute Sovereignty.
Jesus said “do not fear those who can kill the body.”
Mat 10:28 "And do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him Who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Most of the time we fear the wrong thing or the wrong person or we fear of losing our eternal security.
Very few, it seems, fear of falling short of fulfilling God’s Eternal Purpose or of living in a way that does not glorify God. Why is that so common?
“Because we are already saved so we need not worry about that.”
The apathy that false concept has caused within the church is generally ignored but the result is clearly seen by the pitiful condition of the visible church.
Let us fear the casual church system that has become the standard for the new normal Christian life and message!
That is easily seen when we read the scriptures on fulfilling God’s Eternal Purpose. That means our preparation for entering into Mount Zion or our preparation of entering into the New Jerusalem.
Most of the visible outward Church is just preparing people for the New Earth or to enter the New Heaven. They are not preaching the Qualification for Mount Zion or the Qualification for entering into the New Jerusalem.
Revelation 21 explains the transparency and the purity of the City of New Jerusalem which has become the Wife of the Lamb. She is now become one with Him. In Revelation 19 she is the Bride of Christ and returns to the existing earth to rule with Him for 1000 years. That is ONE DAY according to God’s time. Then the final battle comes and then the Judgement of the Church is established by the Lord Jesus. Some will qualify for only the New Earth, and some will Qualify for the New Heaven. Some will Qualify for the New Jerusalem.
Jesus will then remove 144,00o souls from the New Jerusalem and take them to Mount Zion and they stand with Him on Mount Zion. Why? They have come to the perfection of Mount Zion and will sit with Him on His Throne to rule over the New Heaven and the New Earth. Then the Law will go forth from Zion and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
This is how the Eternal Kingdom is managed from the New Jerusalem and from Mount Zion.
This Kingdom will rule over the New Heaven and over the New Earth and all the work of His Hands and that Government remains forever.
Obtaining the New Jerusalem and the Mount Zion is the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus.