#279 Kingdom: Divinity Concealed in Humanity
EX 30:1 “Moreover, you shall make an altar as a place for burning incense; you shall make it of acacia wood. [2] “Its length shall be a cubit, and its width a cubit, it shall be square, and its height shall be two cubits; its horns shall be of one piece with it. [3] “And you shall overlay it with pure gold, its top and its sides all around, and its horns; and you shall make a gold molding all around for it. [4] “And you shall make two gold rings for it under its molding; you shall make them on its two side walls--on opposite sides--and they shall be holders for poles with which to carry it.
Wood = humanity overlaid with Gold = Divinity! The picture is “us in Christ.”
One of the mysteries that has been hidden from many past generations is the Mystery of “Christ In Us.” That is Divinity dwelling in humanity. Col 1: 25] Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, [26] that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations; but has now been manifested to His saints, [27] to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
We may create various kinds of religion or philosophies of Christianity or order of church services but if Christ is not dwelling within us we are not yet “Christian.” Without “Christ in us” there is NO hope of glory. It is not clear what “accepting Jesus as your personal Savior” will supply in our life if He doesn’t indwell us.
2 Cor 13: 5] Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test? [6] But I trust that you will realize that we ourselves do not fail the test.
This is another key verse to identifying the Kingdom of Christ. Where Jesus Christ IS there is the Kingdom. The fact is we cannot experience the Kingdom without Christ first dwelling in us. If Jesus Christ dwells in you then the Kingdom is also within you. We cannot separate the King and His Kingdom. Where the King is there IS the Kingdom. The Kingdom is within the King.
If Jesus Christ, the King, dwells in you then the Kingdom is within you. This seems too obvious, however, it is not the presence of the King and His Kingdom that makes us partakers of the Kingdom. Clearly, obedience to the Laws of the Kingdom that are guiding our life under His government is the substance and the essence of the “practical Kingdom.” Without obedience the Kingdom just becomes another cliche.
Each of us has internal wayward and corrupt passions and attitudes that can easily get out of control. These are destructive forces that are working against our manifesting the Kingdom. Even with all the outward religion and our knowledge of scripture these passions and destructive forces are free to erupt in moments of temptation. It is for that reason that the Kingdom government of God must be a subjective Kingdom with inward laws, statutes and ordinances. It is also for that reason that the Holy Spirit has come to indwell us to cause us to walk in His ways so we are careful to keep, observe and obey His Laws, statutes and ordinances and do them.
To try to live without the King and His Kingdom as the active government within our central guidance system is called “religion.” Regardless of the name given to the religion the result is the same, an outward form but no inward Life. Trying to substitute a modified natural life for the Zoe- Life of God as our inward motivating force is the hallmark of religion. Learning from the Author of Life, subjectively, is the source of the Holy Place Life and ministry.
No Outer Court teaching will prepare us for this Holy Place ministry.
No natural satisfaction in outward ministry [Outer Court] can substitute for this Priesthood ministry after the order of Melchizedek. This “wandering in the wilderness of the Outer Court” follows a human path after human plans to satisfy a human desire but with severe human limitations and a false spirituality. Whether “Christ is in us or not,” we can still do the human thing with human limitations but the result is religion. Even if we speak in tongues we can still minister in the flesh with human limitations. All this may produce a “natural satisfaction” for the natural man but it produces no eternal fruit that remains. A “natural man” standing in the pulpit speaking about natural things, but using the scriptures, is not uncommon. The problem is the natural man cannot stand before the Lord, minister to the Lord and burn Incense. A transformation must precede this ministry.
It is my opinion that this inner desire to experience the “abiding union” with Christ will soon become the central focus of our life. We have assumed that John 15 union was automatic for all who had accepted Jesus as personal Savior. If this were true then multitudes would be bringing forth the “fruit that remains” and the Father would be pruning the branches so they would bear more fruit. When we observe the casualness of the visible church we wonder where the fruit has gone and why so little pruning is taking place.
No one can come to the Father except through Jesus. It may be a valid request to ask Jesus to take us the Father. This one simple prayer has so many facets because for Jesus to take us to the Father requires very much inner work to be done and so much more preparation. We would have to pass from the Outer Court through the second Veil and into the Holy Place. Since only the High Priest and His sons can participate in that realm, our prayer would require us to become sons of God. Even though our physical presence in the Most Holy Place [in the Father’s manifest Presence and Glory] must wait for the fulfillment of the Feast of the Day of Atonement, we must begin our “perfection” in this time frame.
Our High Priest has already entered into that dimension and taken His seat at the right hand of the majesty in the heavens. He has purchased eternal salvation and sprinkled the Mercy Seat with His own blood and opened the way for us. Now if He is going to bring us to that same place, think of all the drastic changes and developments that must take place in our person to permit us to just stand in that Holy and Glorious place.
While it is certainly true that the Ark of the Covenant is wood overlaid with Gold, and we come there “In Christ” it is also true that the Mercy Seat is made of pure Gold. This indicates that those who sit with Him on that throne [the Mercy Seat] must be pure Gold of the measure of the stature that belongs to the fulness of Christ. This level of “perfection” is necessary for Christ to bring us to that place in the Father.
John 17: 20] “I do not ask in behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; [21] that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me. [22] “And the glory which Thou hast given Me I have given to them; that they may be one, just as We are one; [23] I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, that the world may know that Thou didst send Me, and didst love them, even as Thou didst love Me. [24] “Father, I desire that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am, in order that they may behold My glory, which Thou hast given Me; for Thou didst love Me before the foundation of the world. [25] “O righteous Father, although the world has not known Thee, yet I have known Thee; and these have known that Thou didst send Me; [26] and I have made Thy name known to them, and will make it known; that the love wherewith Thou didst love Me may be in them, and I in them.”
It is one thing that the Father has given us to Jesus. It is quite another thing to be with Him where He is and behold His glory. Various ministries have assumed that if the Father has given us to Jesus that we will automatically be with Him where He is. Once the Kingdom begins to open to us, we begin to see the demands and requirements of the Kingdom and soon realize that not all who have accepted Jesus as personal Savior [if there even is such a thing] will be sitting with Him in eternity! This place is reserved for the “overcomers” who have escaped from them selves and their fallen humanity to be found “in Christ.” [wood overlaid with gold].
For us to be “in Him” and for He and the Holy Spirit and the Father to be “in us” is of another dimension of “pure Gold” where a “merger” has taken place. To “rule with Him” out of that “perfection of Life” then is reasonable because we would rule in His same Nature and Character.
When human plans or religious activities or personal agendas interfere with this high calling of God then we must die to all but this revelation of God’s eternal purpose. It is so easy to get side tracked by human plans and religious activities of the Outer Court that hold us in bondage to natural light. If our giving ourselves to God as a living sacrifice has been actual and effective the transition should not be too traumatic. After all this IS the plan and purpose of God so all we can or need to do is totally surrender in full Consecration.
If we understood that there can be no “Union” in the Outer Court, because this is only preparation, we would clearly see that this deep desire for union requires us to make the transition to the Holy Place Life and ministry!
The furniture in the Outer Court is made of brass. The Altar of Sacrifice is wood overlaid with brass. The Laver is all brass. Brass speaks of judgement or being delivered from judgement through the sacrifice of Christ. The laver has no wood ,only brass, because we are not baptized into humanity but into Christ Jesus and into His death. This is preparation for us to be immersed into Christ, the Gold, in the Holy Place! If we try to retain our former humanity, our own plans, our agendas and religious activities we will be caught in the bondage of the Outer Court like multitudes of “Christians.” Escaping from the natural light will soon become the first priority of those who have insight.
I am guessing that this zig zag course and erratic forward motion into the deeper things of God is what is frustrating so many who are traveling from one “spiritual leader” to another trying to find reality. Some are running full speed with no goal in sight or even someone to point them in the right direction. Some are running after their own selfish desires that they expect to increase and satisfy by their faith. Trying to occupy ourselves with various activities produces no inner satisfaction or peace or rest. Outward pleasure brings no inner satisfaction and just results in more frustration. Desire for His inward Presence draws us to the Father.
The King Eternal is dwelling within our spirit in those whom have completely given themselves to Him. We may accept that doctrinally but are we aware of His Presence experientially? We should be able to sense His Presence as His laws are revealed to us inwardly. If He is reigning as the supreme King from the throne within, He should be sensed in our spirit. He dwells there in such a hidden way that we are seldom aware of His guidance. When the Bridegroom comes out of His chambers He is happy to reveal himself to us. Of course I am speculating about this because I have no first hand knowledge. Although we are sure He abides there we may not always perceive His Presence.
I am guessing that He will test our faithfulness and commitment to seeking only Him by certain trials and suffering before He comes out of His chambers. He may first respond to us in the form of “our cross” that we might fellowship His sufferings. God humbled Israel in the wilderness. It seems that we only attain true humility after we discover our many defects, spots and blemishes. Psalms 45:13 The King’s daughter is all glorious within; Her clothing is interwoven with gold. [14] She will be led to the King in embroidered work; The virgins, her companions who follow her, Will be brought to Thee. [15] They will be led forth with gladness and rejoicing; They will enter into the King’s palace.
In the high calling of God we must have both inward beauty as well as outward beauty. One is an inward glory and the other is by the garments that she has woven by her life. Her clothing interwoven with Gold is also seen in the garments of the High Priest.
Exo 39:2 And he made the ephod of gold, and of blue and purple and scarlet material, and fine twisted linen. [3] Then they hammered out gold sheets and cut them into threads to be woven in with the blue and the purple and the scarlet material, and the fine linen, the work of a skillful workman.
These are only the two places in scripture that speaks of the garments being interwoven with Gold which speaks of the Divine character. The character of Christ is woven in as part of her outward beauty and reflects a small portion of the garments of our High Priest.
Even though we are painfully aware of our internal and external imperfections, our confidence is that He has begun a good work in us and He will surely finish it if we continue in full surrender and submission to Him. As we recognize the magnitude of the work yet to be accomplished in us we understand that trying to change ourselves is too impossible. Therefore, we are eager to surrender more and more that the work will be accomplished before the day of Christ. We are really the only hindrance to the work being accomplished in us. Self-help programs only waste precious time in our preparations.
In proper society there are obvious natural virtues and politeness that is erroneously thought to be spirituality and the manifestation of Christian Life. Even though this is not wrong it is not eternal and not of the new creation work of God. We fail to recognize that which is only natural as a spiritual defect because it is accepted by society and by the church as an asset. These attributes of the soul appear to be spiritual growth but often hide the real condition of the soul. The fact that we are a good fellow does not make us spiritual. I am speculating that these things will be exposed by the illumination of the Lampstand.
If we can speculate further, we could say that God must cleanse us of everything that is opposite of His own purity in both character and attitudes. Therefore, He must perfect His bride in Himself. We may reluctantly give up the good that we might receive God’s best.
The death that He is working in us will not weaken us in the spirit because the death only works in those things that are not like Him and are not of Him. As they are removed we become stronger in the spirit. The self-centered and selfish may appear to be spiritual but they are still controlled by their own will. God cannot accept that “defect” in His Kingdom. Therefore, everyone in His Kingdom must be converted to do His will.