I was dead, but look! I am alive forever and ever!
And I hold the keys to Death and Sheol.”
Revelation 1:17-18
Preface
Christ Jesus alone is the only One capable of being our King, High Priest, and our Prophet. These three callings and ministries of the Lord forever provide the Body of Christ with many blessings and disciplines that we all can display a goodwill offering to our culture at present.
Today’s blog post on the eve of Passover 2020 is my latest spiritual manna offering to the Body of Christ in an effort to encourage each of us while revealing seven blessings and seven spiritual practices that we may offer to the hurting world at present.
Our High Priest is our Ultimate Security
Who but the Lord our God as our High Priest, our intimate pastor, and lifetime shepherd is our faithful, eternal protector throughout our spiritual journey? As our High Priest, He is currently with each of us during these times of tribulations, for He is with us in the future.
Matter of fact, He is our only future, for He alone guarantees “real Hope” regardless of what our Heavenly Father permits for us to experience within our lives to date.
In perhaps one of God’s greatest mysteries in all the world over, there was only one who would be worthy enough to fulfill all of the moral, ethical and prophetic requirements of a Holy God, in an effort at redeeming lost souls and His earth, back to Himself, not by brute strength or might, but through willful obedience even to death!
The record states that all who come after Him who died but is alive forever, now are spiritually empowered, called, and commissioned as His disciples are made alive in Him, to be willing to become [Christ-like] as His witnesses [martyr] in this current evil age.
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20
Seven Blessings of Faithful disciples of The Risen Messiah
Gleaned from various references in Revelation
- They are blessed who reads the Words of God’s divine prophecy while hearing and remaining obedient to the Living Word of God, for we are living in perilous times. [1:13]
- Those who have transitioned from this life in the Lord, they will eternally rest form their toils and labor, as their respective fruits and deeds will follow them. [14:13]
- Blessed are the watchful faithful disciples who are sober and ever alert while dressed in full armor and never are naked nor exposed to hypocrisy or shame. [16:15]
- Blessed are those faithful followers of the Messiah who are invited to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb of God! [19:9]
- Blessed and glorified are those faithful followers of the Messiah who will share in the first resurrection! These are highly favored in that the second death is devoured of its power, for these are called the ‘Priest of God and of Christ’, forever ruling with Him. [20:6]
- Blessed are each disciple of the Master, who actively remain faithful as witnesses and obedient to the Word of Truth, until the return of our Lord soon! [22:7]
- How blessed are those who are pure of heart as they appear in the presence of the Holy One-for they will inherit the right to the Tree of Life and will enter the city where the Lord’s face is like the sun shining in full strength? [22:14]
Seven spiritual disciplines that we may offer this dying culture.
The Body of Christ when healthy and is spiritually controlled, has Christ’s blessing and authority to demonstrate to all of the Nations of the world, seven richly, and heavenly gifts/offerings during this age.
- Love
- Suffering
- Truth
- Holiness
- Authenticity
- Mission
- Wholeheartedness
For this blog post, I decided just to list and not define these spiritual virtues and qualities. Instead, I choose to note that each of them is made possible through the Holy Spirit that raised our Lord and Savior from death and the tomb.
These seven virtues my friend, are the essential visible manifestation of the New Creation within the redeemed souls of the first fruits of the dead on earth as it is in the heavens. 1 Corinthians 15:20.
The Slain Lamb of God: The New Symbol of Conquest
If in fact our lives are centered in God, these blessings and qualities are just some examples of just how we are to live. We are to worship God by essentially serving others biblically.
God the Creator reigns and is worthy of our complete devotion, as is the slain Lamb of God. As a bible student, there appears to be a contradiction in the reality of God’s sovereignty, power, honor, and glory, [all of which commands ultimate reverence and worship by all.]
Yet, God has shared His Glory with the Lamb of God not in power, but in weakness!
Within God’s spiritual design, He overcomes the world not through a show of force but through the suffering and death of the Anointed One from above, the only Faithful Witness of God!
Throughout the Holy Scriptures, this image of Jesus from Nazareth, as the suffering Son of Man is visible for all eyes to see. He is the:
- Passover Lamb [Exodus 12]
- The Suffering Servant of God led like a Lamb to the slaughter. [Isa. 53:7; cf. Jer. 11:19]
- The Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Root of David as the Lamb standing, as if slain. [Rev. 5:5-6]
The Messiah successfully prophetically fulfilled two required messianic titles of being the actual Lion of the Tribe of Judah and coming from the Root of David. Both of these titles embody conquest, strong militaristic and nationalism which destroys enemies of God’s people.
However, sin makes all of us enemies of God and separates all of humanity from His presence and His Kingdom. John in the Book of Revelation sees the Lamb of God whose sacrificial death has redeemed people from all nations in heaven!
Let us all rejoice that in the Kingdom of God, a sacrificial death is the New symbol of Conquest. Amen
The Messiah’s power [conquering] has been manifested, not in power or might of a Lion, but in the Power of Faithfulness to death, which was required by God in order to ransom us as His Royal and Priestly people from every Nations of the World.
In closure,
I submit this anonymous quote:
“The Sea of Galilee receives but does not keep the River Jordan. For every drop that flows into it, another drop flows out. The giving and receiving go on, equal in measure.
The other sea is shrewder, hoarding income jealously. It will not be tempted into any generous impulse. Every drop it gets, it keeps.
The Sea of Galilee gives and lives. This other sea gives nothing. It is named-the Dead!”
Brother Alonzo
Blog post researched material: Book, Reading Revelation Responsibly by, Michael J. Gorman. Bibles: Complete Jewish Bible and the New American Standard. Word Study: Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary.