God, A Covenant and a Contradiction
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· 101 viewsSermon by Kenneth Copeland at Holy Ghost Meeting 2020
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Introduction
Introduction
Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
Without Christ . . . Strangers from the covenants . . . having no hope . . . without God in the world!
Strangers from the covenants - not covenant minded at all!
In our Western society we have been raised with no knowledge about covenants! We think in terms of contracts and contracts, even the best of them, can be broken - with little to no consequences.
(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
The Covenant
The Covenant
And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
Gen 15
After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him . . . Notice, - not he talked with God! Abram kept his mouth shut and listened!
As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
AS FOR ME . . . MY COVENANT IS WITH YOU!
Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.
There is a name change! ABRAM to ABRAHAM. Abra HA m! The “HA” in the middle of Abram is the name of God! God placed His name in the middle of Abram’s name! What happened when you got born again?
For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
Eph 3
When you got born-again there was a name changing ceremony - in heaven! I took His name and He took mine!
Excerpt from E. W. Kenyon, “The Blood Covenant.”
Two men wish to cut the covenant [the root word for covenant means “to cut.” - suggesting an incision where blood flows]; they come together with their friends and a priest. (1) First, they exchange gifts. By this exchange of gifts they indicate that all that one has the other owns if necessary. (2) After the exchange of gifts, they bring a cup of wine, the priest makes an incision in the arm of one man and the blood drips into the wine. An incision is made in the other man’s arm and his blood drips into the same cup [this is what happened between Jonathan and David ()]. Then the wine is stirred and the bloods are mised. (3) Then the cup is handed to one man and he drinks part of it, then hands it to the other man and he drinks the rest of it. When they have drunk it, ofttimes they will put their wrists together so that their bloods mingle, or they will touch their tongues to each other’s wounds. Now, they have become blood brothers.
This is a blood covenant - which can only be broken by death! Remember what God said to Abram in ? He said, “As for Me . . .” My covenant is with you! Why did Jesus have to die? Because God had to have blood to seal the covenant! He made a covenant between Himself - God the Father - and God the Son! That covenant was sealed with the blood of Jesus!
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
This is My blood . . . drink you all of it! This is what is going on between Abram [Abraham] and Almighty God - El Shaddai!
This is what is going on between Abram [Abraham] and Almighty God - El Shaddai!
And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.
Now, watch this . . .
And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Wow! Verse 29 is an if/then clause. If I do this, then I will be this! If I be Christ’s is a conditional clause! I am Christ’s; therefore, (then) I am Abraham’s seed! I am a blood-covenant partner with Almighty God!
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Another if/then clause! If I am a child of God; then I am an heir! I am an heir of God and a joint-heir with Jesus Christ!.
The Contradiction
The Contradiction
If I am a child of God; then I am an heir! I am an heir of God and a joint-heir with Jesus Christ!
In both Abraham’s and Sarah’s body there was a direct contradiction to what God had said. They were past child-bearing age. How did Abraham reconcile those two things - he didn’t! He didn’t try to reconcile the contradiction. He believed God - and it was counted to him as righteousness.
And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb:
For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Isaac was born. Sarah died. Abraham remarried and had six more sons (). He lived to be 175 years old.
He remarried . .
Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah. And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.
Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah. And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.
And these are the days of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen years. Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people.
Then he died . . .
Then he died . . .
And these are the days of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen years. Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people.
This faith stuff works! Abraham was fully persuaded!
And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
It isn’t good enough to just stagger not! You must also be fully persuaded! It worked for Abraham! It will work for me!
Think About This . . .
When Jesus said . . .
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
. . . that statement is a blood backed statement! The statement stands- now it’s up to me to stagger not and be fully persuaded that what He promised He is able to perform! Praise Him until something happens! I am a blood-covenant partner with Jesus Christ! Recall the excerpt from E. W. Kenyon’s book . . .
we are to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and then all these things would be added to us,” that was a blood-covenent backed statement!
First, they exchange gifts. By this exchange they indicate that all one has the other owns if necessary!
Think about that! I am in a blood-covenant relationship with Jesus Christ; therefore, all that He owns is mine! Consider not my own body - consider Him! Be fully persuaded!
Consider not my own body - consider Him!
Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;
Consider not my own body! Consider Jesus Christ! Consider the Apostle and High Priest of my confession - the Anointed Jesus!
Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.
Jesus is the faithful El Shaddai in the flesh!
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
The writer to the Hebrews has been writing about the patriarchs of faith - now he is writing to us! Now we are in the fight! We are the ones who are to be holding on to a word from God! It is time for me to do what these patriarchs of faith did! Stand by and hold fast to my faith! Stand by and hold fast to the word that God has given me! It's now my turn and all these patriarchs of faith are in the stands cheering me on! I am surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses!
The KEY is here . . .
Looking unto Jesus!
He is the Author and the Finisher [developer] of my faith! And HE IS FAITHFUL!
Say this!
I confess that I live a life of obedience! Sin, bad habits, negative attitudes, and fear have no influence in my life. Because I am free of these things, I am able to run my race of faith without any hindrances caused by my own actions. Because I want to please God, I do not tolerate things in my life that make it difficult for me to walk by faith or to please God. Absolutely nothing is more important to me than knowing God’s will and doing it in a way that brings pleasure to the Lord! I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!
He doesn’t stop there . . .
For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
Consider Him lest you be wearied and faint in your minds! Consider Him when you wake up in the middle of the night and are unable to get back to sleep! Consider Him! Look unto Jesus!
The Seven Names of God in the Old Testament . . . I AM . . .
Jehovah-Nissi - God is My Refuge (Eodus 17:11)
Jehovah-Jireh - God will provide ()
Jehovah-Rapha - God heals ()
Jehovah-Shalom - God our peace ()
Jehovah-Raah - God our way and shepherd ()
Jehovah Tsidkenu - God of righteousness ()
Jehovah-Shammah - God is there.ever-present ()
He is still all of these! If any were to have passed away, He would have had to change His name!
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
In the little book of Malachi where they talk about tithing - it says “saith the Lord of Hosts [Yahweh Tsebaoth]” 22 times! Jehovah - God of the angelic armies of God! Think about that. In this same book He also said, “prove me now herewith!” Watch this from . . .
Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be meat in mine house, And prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts (Jehovah Tsebaoth], If I will not open you the windows of heaven, And pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of Hosts (Jehovah Tsebaoth).
Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse,
That there may be meat in mine house,
And prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts,
If I will not open you the windows of heaven,
And pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be meat in mine house,
Prove me - Who said that? Jehovah Tsebaoth - the Lord of Hosts! Watch this - it’s another IF/THEN clause!
IF . . . you will
Prove me now herewith . . .
And prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, If I will not open you the windows of heaven,And pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
THEN . . . The Lord of Hosts [Jehovah Tsebaoth] says . . .
I will open up the windows of heaven;
I will pour you out a blessing; that there will not be room enough to receive it; AND
That there will not be room enough to receive it; AND
I will rebuke the devourer
Well . . . Do I stagger not with this promise? Am I fully persuaded? Who said it? Jehovah-Tsebaoth [The Lord of Hosts!]
Yahweh Tsebaoth
Yahweh Tsebaoth
The first occurance of the name Yahweh Tsebaoth in Scripture is by the boy David after killing the giant Philistine in . Remember the story? The great and terrible Israelite army led by King Saul had gone into hiding, copletely intimidated by a loud-mouthed giant. When young David heard Goliath mocking almighty God, he boldly faced him. Displaying not only courage but also faith, David said, “I come against you in the name of Yahweh Tsaboath!”
I can picture Goliath looking at David and seeing a host of heavenly warriors behind him. I need to remember that it is the same for me - and you if you are IN CHRIST JESUS. When the enemy of our souls looks at us, he sees that we are covered by Yahweh Tsebaoth, “a God so magnificent that all of creation serves His purpose.” (Names of God Bible, p. 368).
(https://whoistheiam.wordpress.com/2012/01/11/yahweh-tsebaoth-lord-almighty-the-lord-of-armies-the-lord-of-hosts/)