The New Jerusalem Relationship

 From the Apocalyptic Book of Revelation St. John Records for us a Vision of the New Jerusalem using the Highly Symbolic Form of writing which is Call "Apocalyptic Ligature" Which Was Devised by the Jewish People in the Second Century BC and Was Employed by Early Christians.  

"Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more deathor mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!”  Then he said,  “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Rev: 21:1-5

During the time at close of the Old Testament and the writing of the New Testament, Rabbinical Scholars had come to believe that at the end of human history God would restore the very Garden of Eden which they believed had been removed from the Earth by God and taken into Heaven when the Great Flood was sent upon  the Earth in the Days of Noah. They believed that at the end of history the Edenic condition would be restored between God and humanity.

The City of God

St. John , under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit draws upon this concept of the restored Eden when he writes of the New Jerusalem descending out of Heaven from God. 

"Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” he who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Rev: 21:1-5

This city, which we are given a glimpse of, we are told has been sought even from the time of the Patriarchs. Abraham is spoken of as seeking this city.

"By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God." Heb: 11:9-10

The Holy Scriptures even describe the Christian life in Jesus in the terms of this New Jerusalem.

"But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven". Heb: 12:22-23

This New Jerusalem is described within the book of Revelation as it descends to the New Earth from out of Heaven from God. St. John records what the Spirit showed him as he transported in the Spirit to a high mountain by an angle.

"One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God" Rev:21:9-10

 St. John tells us about the Holy City of God, this New Jerusalem, which is described in great detail within the book of Revelation as it descends from Heaven from God to  the New Earth. This Holy City is depicted as being filled with radiance of the glory of the Lord.

"It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long. The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits thick.The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.

I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life"(12-27)

Many Christians see this vision as a literal city, the New Jerusalem in which all redeemed humanity,  in Christ, will dwell in with the great God at the close of human history. 

But is this what the Holy Spirit is really speaking to us?

A Community

In the ancient world, the world in which the Church was founded on the Day of Pentecost, the community was of supreme value and great importance and all the more, to be closely associated with a given community was a thing to be prized and to take pride in. To have one's name written into the role book of a given city as a citizen was highly prized among the people and of great personal and social pride.

Even St. Paul demonstrates this pride in his citizenship and being a a citizen of the city of Tarsus in the Cilicia region of Asia Minor.

  "Paul answered, "I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary" Acts:21:39

Jesus himself alluded to this citizenship as a position to be valued in a conversation with his Disciples as they returned and gave a report on their evangelism tour and the power which was manifested in them.

"but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven." Luke: 10:20b

But what is this community, especially in the ancient world in-which the Church arose out of at the manifesting of the Holy Spirit among and in the lives of the followers of Jesus? 

A community in the ancient world was, and still is, is an extended interdependent relationship among several people all living together in a given place all who are a part of one another's lives and each contributing to that extended relationship as they are able.

Understanding the ancient world's view of a community as an extended relationships to which persons are bound together in , can help us better understand what the Spirit is telling us about the New Jerusalem.

St. John begins his description of the New Jerusalem describing it as having and emitting the very radiance of the glory of God and walls which enclosed the city.

"It shone with the glory of God, and its radiance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal"Rev:21:11

Community In Christ

St. John’s description of this New Jerusalem, this extended community relationship, from the very start points us to the presence of Jesus, the eternal Son of God, the second person of the Holy Trinity as being the very source of and among this community relationship of the redeemed.

The "glory" and "radiance" which St. John sees coming from the New Jerusalem is Jesus himself who we are told is according to the Hebrews Epistle is:

 " The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being" Heb: 1:3

This tells us that Jesus is that glorious perfect representation of what God, the Holy Trinity wants for humanity, which is , what the New Jerusalem expresses for us , a that we should and will live in an extend community bound together thru the person of Jesus, and that this was and is God's purpose even from the very creation.

"let us make man in our image and in our likeness" Gen: 1:26

This community relationship is patterned after God's own "image" and "likeness", for the Holy Trinity is a community relationship which God has within himself. This is why humanity is drawn to live in community with others, because God himself is a community. Living in community with others, is the part of the "image" and "likeness" which God is referring to.

High Walls and Gates

This glorious City of God, this radiant community we are told by St. John has high walls which enclose the community and each of these walls has three gates.

 "It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west"Rev:21:12-13

These gates we are told never shut "On no day will its gates ever be shut (25)" again this speaks of our God's grace and desire that all come to Jesus, he will never turn us away.

In the ancient world walls were needed for security. Wall represented and spoke of safety, a place of refuge and security. The higher and thicker the walls are the more safety there was for those within.

The safety of the Old Covenant Cities of Refuge found throughout Israel are brought to mind. Joshua: 20:1-9. That Jesus is the refuge to which we all can resort to and enter.

These great walls of the New Jerusalem which enclose this community of the redeemed, speak to us all regarding the security of our relationship with our Lord Jesus.

That our relationship with our God is secure, and is secured, by and through Jesus alone. We are assured of God's great love for us and that there is nothing we can do lose his loving grip upon our lives.

"I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand"Jhn:10:28-29

In these great secure walls are found the gates of Pearl thru which the redeemed enter into this community. The gates are found on all side of the city, the north, the south, the east or west, each of these gates bare a name of the tribes of Israel upon them, showing us that Israel was from where the Christ would arise from, for salvation is of the Jews.Jhn:4:22b.

This also tells us that through Jesus people of all nations might be joined with and as part of the promises made to Israel. Eph: 2:21

The Pearl is the message, the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, which has been preached into all the world by the Apostles of our Lord.

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it."Matt:13:45-46

This Gospel message is personified in the person of our Lord Jesus, preached throughout the Earth. The directions also speak of the accessibility of God to any and to all who will but freely receive it.

"Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matt: 28:18-20

Jesus himself tells us that he is the gate through which we enter this holy community and there is no other means.

Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved They will come in and go out, and find pasture."Jhn:10:7-9

What this all tells us is that we have gained access into the redeemed community, this New Jerusalem, when we hear the Gospel proclaimed and come to believe and accept all that Jesus has accomplished for us all.  

"The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long. The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits thick" Rev:21:15-17

The Walls Measured

This city is a place of perfect balance and is in a accordance with word of God.

The rod which St. John sees the angle used to measure the city is the Greek the word where from we derive the word Kanon or Canonical which is used to describe the body of writings which we recognized as inspired by the Holy Spirit, this means that our relationship with God is perfectly framed by the word of God, the Holy Bible.

"The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length, and as wide and high as it is long. The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits thick" Rev:21:15-17

Foundations

St. John directs us now to the foundations of this New Jerusalem, on which the secure walls are built.

The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.Rev:21:14

 This reference to the Apostles reminds us that they were the very first who came to believe that Jesus is the Christ and that they would serve as the start of God work of grace, and the very start of this redeemed community under the tenants of the New Covenant, which gave birth to the Church with Jesus as the very cornerstone of the foundation which hold the rest in place. Matt: 16:17-19

 "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone", Eph:2:19-20

 It is Jesus who holds the New Jerusalem, this extended community relationship, in place as the Cornerstone. This tells us that our secure relationship is built on an unshakeable foundation secured by Jesus himself.

A Royal Priesthood

the foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald,the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst" (19-20)

 The stones which are upon the great foundations speak to us of the Royal Priesthood which all Christians are a part of as believers in Jesus.1Petr:2:9

This Royal Priesthood of believers is from Jesus' own ministry as the High Priest.Heb:4:14-16. The precious stones also call to mind the Stones which adorned the Brest Plate of Israel's High Priest, which Jesus supersedes.

The Golden Way

St. John also sees as the main road of the city a golden street. This would be known in the ancient world as the King's High Way, or The King’s Street it was the main way to the Royal residence, or to the main city of a kingdom. This road was often a toll road and a price needed to be paid to travel it.

This beautiful golden way of gold, is Jesus himself who has paved the way to this New Jerusalem and who paid tole, the price for us all so that we might enter this glorious city. "I am the Way" Jesus tells us.

No Temple

St. John notes the absences of any Temple, he then explained that this is because it is due to the presence of God and Jesus himself.

"I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple"

Those who have entered into this redeemed community now worship in Spirit and in truth and are not bound by locations or building ceremonies. Jhn: 4:19-24

Jesus we are told that he himself is the living restored Temple of God which has resin and from the dead to which we worship the great God in.

"Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” But the temple he had spoken of was his body." Jhn:2:19-20

Citizens From All Nations

We are told in the narrative of Revelation that people of all nations are now apart of this community relationship with the great God, through Jesus. 

"The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life."(26-27)

The Restoration of Eden

St. John give us a little more detail about this extended community relationship which is pictured by the New Jerusalem. St. John again borrows from the Rabbinical belief of a restored Eden, which pictures for us what our God's intent has always been toward humanity.

Eden was a place and condition of rest, beauty, abundance, security, health, peace, joy, and unlimited access and fellowship with the Creator of all things. Eden was a place where humanity was intended to walk among the shade of the trees, along the rivers which flowed and come to know their God. Gen:1-2

Here St. John tells us that God's eternal purpose is now made a reality for all who will believe. St. John gives us a glimpse of what is now made true for any and all who will receive it through Jesus alone, that the Holy Spirit, pictured by the river which flows from the Throne of God, minsters to us everything which the cross of our Lord has accomplished for us.

There is fruitfulness and life, glorious worship and fellowship in union with our God, no more pain no more suffering, our minds filled with merits of our Lord Jesus, no more sorrow not more alienation, no more disenfranchisement a place of belonging where our Lord God is accessible and among and in us all and it even now available to all and can be experienced even now thru the body of the Church, which give us only a foretaste of awaits in eternity.

"Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever."Rev:22:1-5

This Community Relationship pictured by the New Jerusalem is what our God has always intended for each and all of us as being in his "image" and "likeness", even from the very Garden of Eden, to us now, and on into eternity.

Benediction: May we each and all give glory to our God who, through Jesus has brought us into an extended community relationship, which he has always intended for us to live in union with himself and one another, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor 

Topinabee Community Church

Topinabee, Michigan 

If You Would Like to Know More About or to Support the Ministry of Topinabee Community Church You Can go to Our Web Site.

https://topinabeechurch.org/index.html

You Can Follow Topinabee Community Church on Face Book 

https://www.facebook.com/Topinabeecommunitychurch

                    "If It Is Not About Jesus, It Is Not About Anything"

 

 

The Trinity of the Word

 “Out of the Abundance of the Heart the Mouth Speaks” Matt: 12:34

When attempting to speak about things eternal we will often find that human languages are woefully inadequate, especially when we attempt to come to an understanding of the Great God, the Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, yet human languages are the means by which our God has chosen to convey his self-revelation to us.

God has chosen to bless us with a body of writings which Christians can resort to for guidance, comfort and above all, this word to helps us come to a knowing of the person of Jesus Christ, God’s Holy Son as he reveals the Father to us.

This body of writings, the Holy Bible, has been given to us by God not just as an instruction manual or self-help book or an ethical or moral guide, but even more than all of that. It speaks to us about the person of Jesus Christ.

 I Am God

This body of writing itself tells us that the one who is speaking from its pages is the very Creator of all things.

“I Am God” Isa: 42:8-9

“I Am God” Isa: 44:6,8

This truth, which Scripture affirms, behooves us that, if it is the Creator God who is speaking to us from the Bible then we should listen to what he has to say.

What does God have to say to us, what is it that he wants us all to come to know?

From the Heart

Our God speaks to us, and he does so from his very heart, for whatever is in the heart will ultimately proceed forth out of the mouth of God and humanity. Jesus himself tells us this as St. Matthew records.

“Out of the Abundance of the Heart the Mouth Speaks” Matt: 12:34

This means that what has come forth out of the mouth of God is coming from his heart, this is the dearest and most personal of communication, in fact, it goes far beyond just an exchange of ideas or information, it is communion with God.

The writer of the Hebrews Epistle tells us that God has spoken to us now in the era of the incarnation through Jesus.

 “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being” Heb: 1:1-3a

It is through Jesus that the Holy God has come to reveal himself and deliver the message of his divine love for each and all. Jesus has come to reveal the very Father heart of God.

After delivering a discourse regarding the Father St. Phillip asked Jesus to show the Father, he and the other Disciples.

 “Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." Jhn: 14:8

Jesus’ answer to St. Phillip and to us all is of major importance of who Jesus is and why he has come; that when we look upon Jesus, we are seeing the Father, when we hear Jesus’ words we are hearing the Father’s words.

“Jesus replied, “Philip, I have been with you all this time, and still you do not know Me? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” (9)

Jesus has come and proclaimed the Gospel and taught the word of God which proceeds out of the heart of God to show us his Father. It is the revelation of who God is, for and toward us all who will but freely receive it.

The Divine Author

St. Peter writes of the true divine author of the sacred volume which has conveyed the word of God to us down through the ages.

“Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” 2Pet:1:20-21

St. Peter was very much aware that what has been record within the word of God was not penned or arrived at through the mind of man, but that God himself has  given it to us through the person of the Holy Spirit, who is the true divine author of the Scripture.

The Holy Spirit speaks to us about Jesus, through whom the Father has revealed himself as Jesus told his Disciples that the Spirit would speak to them and all believers about Jesus.

 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.” Jhn: 16:12-15

We see in the word of God the Trinity on display, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Some few in the Christian professing world advance the idea that the Holy Spirit is merely the “power” of God or an “impersonal force” and is not like the Father or the Son having person-hood. They cite, that in the Greek the words Jesus has chosen to speak to us , that Greek have masculine or famine gender association regardless of what is being described. Some believe that the noun “he” is merely a gender usesage assigned to the Greek word “Parakletos”, but that is not the complete useage of this word, in the Greek this word “Parakletos”carries with it the implication of person-hood, of having a distinct identity, of being distinct , of being someone, not just power or force.

Trinity of the Word

The word comes forth out of the Father’s heart through Jesus and the Spirit speaks to us about Jesus who in turn reveals the Father.

This means of self-revelation of God to us mirrors the very divine nature of God himself. This divine means of revelation is called by St. Paul as “Theopneutos” which means “God breathed” carrying with it the concept of the breath of life by which God gave life to Adam in Gen:2, implying God is breathing into us life through his word.

“All Scripture is God-breathed” 2Tim: 3:16a

We see in the Bible God presenting himself and his triune nature to us as we read the Bible. All of God is found in his word to us. No “part” of God is being omitted in the word; this is seen in the person of Jesus who is the very Word of God through whom God created all things.

“In the beginning was the Word” Jhn: 1:1

This Word has come among us as one of us in the person of Jesus.

“and the word became flesh” (14)

St. Paul explains that in Jesus we find “all the fullness” of the Godhead in bodily form.

“for in him all the fullness of the God-head dwells in bodily form” Col: 2:9

When we come to Jesus we are coming to “all” of God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Trinity is present in the person of Jesus. When we come to Jesus, we encounter all of God who is being revealed. In the same way, when we take up the word of God, the Bible, the whole of the Trinity is being encountered The Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

As we read the Scriptures, we see that God is in three distinct “persons”. Using the word “persons” when talking about the Great eternal God is very limited, for though a completely personal God, he is beyond the limitations of human persons in every way.

The Greek word for each of the members of the Holy Trinity is; Hypostasis which can be understood as underlying state or underlying substance or essence, each being of one essence, co-essential, co-eternal, yet distinct in full and perfect union each unalienable from the other.

Some have the advanced the concept of a God who is a “committee” of three divine persons who have agreed to eternally “work” together in spite of each as being their own persons. This concept is called Tritheism and dose not capture the fullness of God as One.

We find however that God is, one God in three persons not three persons in one God.

God the Father is the "starting point" for lack of a better way of saying it, from whom the Son is eternally begotten and is eternally proceeding from the Father and it is through the Son that the Holy Spirit is eternally proceeding out of from the Father.

Trinity of the Word

This understanding of the Trinity also is reveals to us how the word of God the Holy Bible has been given us, it comes forth out of the heart of God, through the Son and was inspired by the Holy Spirit and leads us to Jesus who reveals the Father all that we might come to know him and have eternal life.

“and this is eternal life, that they might know you the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” Jhn:17:3

God’s Holy divine nature is found throughout even the “structure” of the Holy Bible revealing to us that just as he is fully with in, the incarnate Word so he is there fully in his written word.

Some ask, if the Holy Spirit is God why do we not encounter him in Scripture in a more overt way? the answer is, that we do, we just do not recognize that we are encountering him; for it is the Holy Spirit who is speaking to us when we read or hear the Bible, so he is always there even when we fail to see him.

The word of God works with power in our lives and transforms us and preforms a great work with in us.

“preforms it’s work in us”1Thess: 2:13

We are blessed to have a God who speaks to us through his Holy word and has insured to us that his word is there for us to give us a self-revelation of who he is and invites us to join him in eternity and live in joyful unity with the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit this is the God of his word.

Benediction: May we each and all ever give thanks to God for his self-revelation to us through his Holy Word, and has spoken from his heart to us today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor 

Topinabee Community Church

Topinabee, Michigan 

If You Would Like to Know More About or to Support the Ministry of Topinabee Community Church You Can go to Our Web Site.

https://topinabeechurch.org/index.html

You Can Follow Topinabee Community Church on Face Book 

https://www.facebook.com/Topinabeecommunitychurch

                    "If It Is Not About Jesus, It Is Not About Anything"

 

The Firstborn's Blessing

 

When we look at the Holy Scriptures through the view of "who Jesus is", and all that Jesus has done on our behalf, and we start from the view that all of Scripture point us to our Lord, even as he himself said, speaking to religious leaders of the day.

“You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me”, Jhn: 5:39,

Jesus mentions this to the Disciples on the road to Emmaus, with whom Jesus walked after his resurrection,

“And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” Lk: 24:27

This, also tells us that when we see Jesus as the Resurrected Savoir, the one who is Fully God and Fully Human, then we can see Jesus in the Scriptures all the more clearly.

That is, we can see Jesus in the entire Bible from cover to cover. He is the way to understand the word of God,  for he is that Word. Jesus stands out, in surprising, and unexpected ways and places, virtually from almost every Scripture. Jesus emerges in unlikely places in ways that we might not first suspect. Reading the Bible through "who Jesus is" opens it to our understanding and the Salvation and blessings we can experience when we come to faith in him.

Jacob

 Look at the account of the Patriarch Jacob, whose name means “tripper or grasps a heel”. This was a Hebrew idiom for “he deceives”, one who obtained what he should not otherwise have. For the sake of brevity, please allow me to give you the story in a short outline. Jacob was the Grandson of the Abraham to whom God had been given great promises. These promises passed to Isaac who had intended to confer them to his favorite and firstborn of two sons Esau, who by all rights, as the firstborn, these blessings truly belonged. Gen: 25:19-28.  

Being the Firstborn was a place of great importance in the culture of that day, it held all the rights and received the primary inheritance.

Now Jacob, as the second son, under the normal traditions of that culture could not really expect to receive the best part of his father’s blessing. However, Jacob was a clever man, and used his cleverness to obtain the “birthright” from his older brother Esau, Gen: 25:29-24. Esau we are told in verse 34 – “Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright.”

Esau did not esteem his birthright it as something to hold on to, that is  he undervalued it, but let Jacob have it for a pot of red stew, a very unfair exchange. Esau then got up and went his way.

Isaac

Now, when Isaac was old and his eyes had become dim, desired to give the blessing to his firstborn son Esau. Isaac calls Esau and tells him of his intentions, but request that Esau first go hunting and bring him some wild game to eat and then he would pass the blessing on to Esau. Gen: 27:1-4

Rebekah

Now Isaac’s wife, Rebekah, who favor was toward Jacob, over heard the conversation between the two men, and while Esau is away in the field, Rebekah devises a plan whereby Jacob can receive what rightfully belonged to Esau who is the firstborn.

Two goat kids are killed, the meat is dressed to resemble wild game. Jacob however, protested that his father will know it is him due to the fact Esau was a hairy man and he is not, and Isaac will know this when he lays hands upon him. The slain goat’s hair is tied to Jacob’s arm and neck, and a robe of Esau’s is placed upon Jacob...Gen: 27:11-17

“Then you shall take it to your father that he may eat it, and that he may bless you before his death.” Gen: 27:5-10

Isaac’s Blindness 

Following Rebeka’s instructions Jacob approached his blind father having put on the robe of his firstborn brother, and goat hair in place, bearing the “offering” of the killed and dressed goats.

“So he went to his father and said, “My father.’ And he said, “Here I am. Who are you, my son?” Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn; I have done just as you told me; please arise, sit  and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me.” But Isaac said to his son, “How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?” And he said, “Because the Lord your God brought it to me.” Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.” So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, and he felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hands; so he blessed him. Then he said, “Are you really my son Esau?” He said, “I am.” He said, “Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son’s game, so that my soul may bless you.” So he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank. Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come near now and kiss me, my son.” And he came near and kissed him; and he smelled the smell of his clothing,” Gen: 27:18-27a

Isaac, in hearing Jacobs’s voice questions who it is that is before him. Isaac request that his "son" come closer that he may touch him. When Jacob drew near Isaac feels the goat hair and smelled the clothing that belong to Esau, and in Isaac’s blindness, he becomes convinced that the one before him is his firstborn son Esau and accepts him as such, and confers upon Jacob all that belong to Esau. All that Esau had rights to was now Jacobs.

 The blessing is given to Jacob.

 “And blessed him and said: “Surely, the smell of my son is like the smell of a field which the Lord has blessed. Therefore may God give you of the dew of heaven, of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and wine. Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be master over your brethren, and let your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be those who bless you!” Gen: 27:27b-29

Jacob then receives what is rightfully Esau’s, not because of who Jacob was, but because of who Esau was, all the blessings were rightfully Esau’s, now Jacob had received the blessings without deserving it or on merits of his own.

Where Is Jesus in This?

Where is Jesus?..... Well, He is there in all of it, and so are we. We could spend a great deal of time expounding on how the living Jesus stands forth from the Scriptures here and throughout the Bible, for that matter, but we are limited in time and space.

You see, Jesus, as Esau was, is that Firstborn to whom all the blessing rightfully belongs. The blessings are Jesus alone by all rights.

“ In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact   representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Heb: 1:1-3

“For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;” Rom: 8:29

(Jesus) “in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation” Col: 1:14-15

It is the Firstborn who receives all from the Father; it belongs to him by all rights. It is the same with Jesus and ourselves, all that Christians receive. We receive the blessings not because of who we are, but because of who Jesus is, on his merits alone.

In the same way all that Jacob received from blind Isaac belonged to his older brother Esau, but Jacob received it due to the fact that their father perceived Jacob as Esau.

We Are All Jacob

We all are just like Jacob, as he was a supplanter and deceptive as he was called, we all used the natural inclinations of our carnal natures to go through life.

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Rom: 3:23

“If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.” 1John: 1:8

“Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worked in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by grace ye are saved;” Eph:2:2-5

These Scriptures speak to all humanity. This is all of us, yet at some point in our lives we heard that message of the Gospel, which encourages us to seek our Father and receive from him all that he has for us.

Rebekah

As Jacob was encouraged by his mother Rebekah, who articulated the way as to how he could receive Esau’s blessing, and to approach the Father, “The church 'is the mother of us all'" Gal: 4:26.

It is the church, our mother, who through the proclamation of the Gospel, which articulates and encourages us to seek from our Father in Heaven all the blessing we might receive in our Christian lives and on into eternity.

Received as the Firstborn

We, as Christians upon hearing the message of who Jesus is Christ and the adoption that is ours through Jesus Christ, it is then that we are dressed in the Firstborn’s Robe.

“clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ”, Rom: 13:14

“for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ” Gal: 3:27.

That means that we, like Jacob put on the Firstborns’ Robe of Righteousness, it is his not ours; it is Jesus’, and dressed as the Firstborn, Jesus, we come into the presence of our Father bearing our “offering” which is not exactly the dish that was wanted but it was prepared in such a way that it was accepted, as imperfect as in truth we all are, yet it receives acceptance as perfect. We are welcomed into the Father’s presences as Jacob was in Isaac’s.

It is our voice that is heard in seek a blessing, as it was Jacobs, but we are perceived as the Firstborn just as Jacob was. That is, God accepts us as if we are his own beloved Firstborn Son Jesus. We are covered by the scarified goats’ hair, which is we being covered by Christ’s sacrifice.

Evan the smell of the robe that Isaac mentions is that familiar smell of the Firstborn even as Jesus is to the great God “and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” Eph:5:2

 Received the Blessing

When Isaac accepted that the one before him was his Firstborn Esau, he then gave to Jacob all a Firstborn should have, he held nothing back it all became Jacobs even though he should by rights have received none of it. This speaks of the grace and full adoption, which is sonship, which is given to us through Jesus.

 “Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.

14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about  your adoption to sonship And by him we cry, “Abba Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs —heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” Rom: 8:12-17

We are coheirs with Jesus we are to share in what is his, but it is not because of who we are but who Jesus is.

Notes About Esau’s Birthright

In Genesis: 25:29-34 Esau sold his birthright, we are told that “despised his birthright” that he did not esteem it as something to be kept, this even speaks to us of Jesus’ willingness to release or to turn lose his birthright so that others could have it, which is to say Jesus is willing to give to us what is rightfully his that is all things.

Even the “Red Stew” for which it was sold speaks to us regarding the price paid that each of us may have this blessing, the very life blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

“in him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace” Eph:1:7

Blessing Not Withdrawn

Even in Esau’s realizing what had occurred after he came in from the field, that what was his has now gone to another, we see the irrevocable nature of God’s blessing upon us, Esau wanted Isaac to recall the blessing and restore it him, but his Father was not able to do so once it was given, it was Jacobs.

“But he said, “Your brother came deceitfully and took your blessing.”

Esau said, “Isn’t he rightly named Jacob? He has deceived me these two times: He took my birthright, and now he’s taken my blessing!” Then he asked, “Haven’t you reserved any blessing for me?”

Isaac answered Esau, “I have made him lord over you and have made all his relatives his servants, and I have sustained him with grain and new wine. So what can I possibly do for you, my son?” Gen: 27:34-37

As it is for us who have received from God through Jesus Christ, by Grace alone all that is Jesus'; except His deity, these blessings will not be recalled by the Father, for once these blessing are bestowed upon us, they are ours.

“for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable” Rom: 11:29

All About Jesus

All this in brief speaks to us that God the Father is “blind” to our brokenness, weakness, limits, sinful state, but because of who Jesus is, and what he has done on our behalf we can have a relationship with the Great God.

Isaac called Jacob Esau’s brother, that is God accepts us in to full sonship as the “brethren” of Jesus, God the Father is including us in who Jesus is, this is accomplished through Jesus taking on our humanity so we might share in all that, as the Firstborn Son, is him relationship and in the life of the Great God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

When we read the Bible through Jesus Christ as our lens, you might say, then by doing so, Jesus Christ emerges in places we may not have thought to look for him, the Bible is far from just book of ethics, morals or history, it is about Jesus and all that he is in revealing the Great God to us that we might be blessed.

We are all Jacob who without meriting or undeserving received from the Father, all the Blessings, all that  our Lord Jesus Christ's who is the Firstborn.

Benediction: May we each and all humbly give gory to our Heavenly Father, who through his Holy Son Jesus looks upon us with favor and grants that great Firstborn blessing to us, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor 

Topinabee Community Church

Topinabee, Michigan 

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                    "If It Is Not About Jesus, It Is Not About Anything"