God the Son from Genesis to Revelation

 Jesus Christ the Son of God, one of the three members of the Trinity, the triune Godhead.

 The significance of His birth to become the sacrificial lamb for the sins of man may be remembered by those that he died for.  Are those same people aware that the Son of God has been a part of history since the beginning and will be the catalyst of the End? 

He can be followed from the Beginning to the end.  From Genesis in the Old Testament to His Birth in the New Testament

From His Crucifixion to His return and Second Coming at the End Times.

Glimpses of the Son of God radiate throughout the Bible.  The book cannot be opened without following Him through scripture.

He would be given the name of Jesus at His birth in Bethlehem. Until that time, the Son of God was not only in existence as a member of the Trinity but was involved in the affairs of His Father’s kingdom.

GENESIS

God created the world in Genesis 1 and then said “let’s make man in OUR image”.  Who is the “our”?  The trinity, God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  God the Son was there in Chapter 2. 

After Satan used the serpent to tempt Eve, God stated that it would be crushed by the “seed of the woman”. 

Jesus was that seed…the virgin birth.

After the garden and the fall of man. Satan thought he had it all in his control until God brought the flood to destroy it all with the exception of the righteous man Noah to begin replenishing the earth.  In time, God choose Abraham to be the avenue for which God would bring redemption for mankind.

Through Abraham the promise was given and Abraham not only accepted it but believed in it. Jesus himself in the book of John (8:56)

Stated that “…Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. …”

Abraham “saw” the day of Jesus and it made Abraham glad.  Did he actually physically see that day? Did he just understand it was coming in the way that no man ever did?  What we do know is what is recorded in Genesis 18-19 when Abraham entertained and hosted the divine being at his home. Other than the recorded conversation regarding the eventual birth to come for Sarah and then the events surrounding Sodom and Gomorrah, what conversation went on amongst them?  We often do not consider anything else other than what we have seen documented and recorded for our eyes. 

Abraham had a meal with his guests and spent time together.  There was no need for social conversation regarding stock prices in town or where the best watering holes were, when you are eating dinner with the power that created you and the universe!

Melchizedek

Genesis 14:13-16 Abraham rescues his nephew Lot and is met by Melchizedek who is listed (18-24) as “the priest of the most high God”.  Tithes are given and the priest brought forth bread and wine.  Much has often been made of this man Melchizedek.  He is not Christ or anything more than a mere human.  He however is a genuine “model” of Christ in many ways beyond the scope of this current topic.  Simply to mention the use of the elements that would be instituted by Christ for the Lords Supper shows the understanding by Abraham and Melchizedek of the need for “atonement”. (Luke 22:14-20)

EXODUS

God makes a covenant with Abraham in Genesis 15 that his descendants would number as the stars of the sky (vs 5) and the land that will be theirs (vs 18).  He even foretells the captivity and exodus (vs 13-14) from Egypt and the timeframe for its ending.  Which is confirmed in Exodus 12:41!

It would be hoped that most believers would know the Exodus story and its impact on the theme of scripture.  As part of the last plague that initiates the exodus out of Egypt, blood is spread on the doorposts (chapter 12) and will become remembered and celebrated as Passover.  The sacrificial lamb representative of the perfect lamb sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

In Exodus 3:14, Moses is told that he is to tell the Israelites that “I AM THAT I AM” is who sent Moses to deliver them.

In John 8:58, Jesus who had come to deliver us, told the Jews that He was THE “I AM”

God speaks to the Israelites through Moses.  A nation of millions that must learn to follow a belief in the Creator. Throughout their tenure in the desert, Moses pens the rules (Leviticus – Deuteronomy) that God has provided for them to live by.  The sacrifice of the lamb continues to be their offering to God. Until they reach the land that God promised Abraham and under the leadership of Joshua head in and are to claim the land.

CANAAN

After the Israelites came into the land of Canaan, they were a group of lose knit tribes trying to coexist with one another. Unfortunately, they also tried to coexist with their neighbors which they had been told to stay away from by God. This mingling of culture and belief led to the loss of any spiritual qualities that identified them as separate and unique.  They not only took on the evil practices of pagan gods they also became enticed with being like them and eventually wanted a king. God had foreseen this and provided rules for the king in Deuteronomy 17:14-20.

Samuel was a transition for the Jews from their isolated individual tribes to the point of their unification under a king. God had intended for them to serve Him as the only king but this did not happen.

Samuel “did let none of his words fall to the ground”. (1 Samuel 3:19-20) He only spoke what God told him to say. Giving only advice that was God driven and inspired. He became known as a man in tune with the will of God and not man.

Turning to earthly kings

In 1 Samuel 8, the people rejected God for an earthly king and the history of the nation is changed yet again.  The nation would spend most of the next 500 years going down the path of rule by wisdom of man and not God. 

King DAVID

David was the king that was called a man after God’s own heart.  As with Abraham God made a covenant with David (2 Samuel 7:1-17).

He was promised that his House, Throne, and kingdom would last forever.  It is out of his lineage that the Messiah would come.

David himself wrote many more than the 73 Psalms that have his name on them and many have direct references to the coming Messiah.

Including: Psalms 16:10; 22:13-18; 30:3; 34:20; 41:9-10; 55:12-14; 69:21; 118:17

There were a few kings like David that chose to follow God.  However, the number that chose to turn their back on God greatly outnumbered the Godly.  Each time God would speak to them through men of God called Prophets who were called to remind the king and the people of their need to return to the God of their fathers.

The Prophets

The Prophets all saw the coming of the Messiah.  Many of them also saw visions and were given information concerning the future.  They did not always understand what they were seeing, some seeing the first coming of the Messiah and others seeing His Second Coming.  They were seeing “mountain peaks” in the coming history.  Clarence Larkins has a diagram that depicts this well.   Each seeing different events.

Daniel gave them the exact time of the coming Messiah and his death. Daniel 2:44; 9:25-26

Isaiah and Malachi told of his coming being proceeded by a messenger. Isaiah 40:1-5; Malachi 3:1; 4:5-6

Prophets declared His birth of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14), born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), the massacre of the children (Jeremiah 31:15).

Zechariah the prophet was even told specifically that there was going to be an end of the old covenant and start of a new covenant.  He not only saw the betrayal of Judas but He saw the return of the Messiah at His Second Coming to build the Temple.

Isaiah 53 is very well known as descriptive of the Messiah.

The fulfilled prophecies in scripture regarding Jesus are numerous. How can anyone doubt the prophecies yet to be fulfilled.

THE ARRIVAL OF MESSIAH

The Gospels record the Birth, Death and Resurrection of the Messiah – Jesus.  His fulfillment of prophecy is documented and lineage confirmed by the writers that were there with Him.

Gospel of Matthew does two things.  It begins by documenting the lineage of Christ but it also recounts the words of Jesus in regards to the End Times and what Jesus states in regards to his Second Coming.

The Second Coming of Christ and the Revelation of God

From the words of Jesus himself to the teachings of Paul in Thessalonians; the teaching of the prophets such as Ezekiel and Daniel are reaffirmed.  The end of the book is only the beginning as the Apostle John shares the vision he received from God in the book of Revelation. John elaborates on the foundations established by Daniel.  Daniel laid out the 70 weeks as given to him by God. Daniel detailed the first 69 and John details week 70 as provided to him by God.

The story of the Messiah transcends the length of scripture and time.  God is not limited by our time structure (2 Peter 3:8).  His plan has been there from the beginning to the end.  Both Daniel and John saw God himself and soon we will as well.  Eternity is His domain (Isaiah 57:15) and it is our choice whether or not to be there.

SKILLS NEEDED FOR UNDERSTANDING BIBLE PROPHECY

Do you have trouble understanding passages in the Bible?  Particularly those that may appear to be prophetic in nature?

Let us look at it from how a person may approach other forms of literature.  As a reader, why do you read books that fit into a particular genre, such as horror, mystery or western theme books? Or, do you read items written only by a particular author?  If you do so, why?

You read a particular genre or particular author’s books because you understand his/her style when you read it.  Have you ever noticed that you can tell when your author has not written it and it was written by a ghost writer?  That was because something is different.  The same is true in scripture. You can not pull out the books of Revelations, Daniel or Ezekiel without having read any other books of the Bible.  You will not understand any of it without a total comprehension of the context of the entire Bible.

Another problem occurs attempting to read books you are not capable of understanding.  In that manner, to read particular books of the Bible you need understanding that comes after developing particular skills.

Ten Skills Needed:

You need to be a believer in God.

You need to be a follower of His Son Jesus.

You must believe that they both exist.

You must have a personal relationship and have submitted control of your life to God.

You must be living under submission to God’s authority.

Without submission you cannot accept the truths laid down in scripture as being the word of God.

You must be able to acknowledge that the Bible (as written) is the literal word of God.

You need to have the anointing of the Holy Spirit in your life in order to process the simplicity of His word.

The anointing does not come without the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.  It is the Holy Spirit who gives the discernment and guidance needed when reading the words of God.

You need daily time with God in prayer if you are attempting to understand His Words. If the time is not

spent communicating with Him, how can there be any understanding of what he says?

You need daily time reading of the Bible.  Do you understand any book in which you have read only the first and last pages?  Likewise it is foolish to have the mentally that says to God: “Okay, I have an hour today, what are you going to show me?”  Why waste His time?  Approaching the study of scripture in this manner leads to man inserting his opinion and interpretation into a passage.

You need an open mind and heart.  Be prepared to throw away EVERY preconceived idea, thought and

opinion.  Those are all items that belong only to you and are not the Lord’s.  

The following rules are mandatory requirements in order to understand

ALL SCRIPTURE stands together.  There are no theological debates or interpretations.  His word is what it is.  All scripture is part of the entire package, no one verse stands alone.  If it is not supported by other scripture then it is the idea of man and not God.

God does not need another new revelation of His Word.  It is complete in itself from Genesis (the Beginning) to the end of the story the Book of Revelation.  It can stand alone without man’s extra books of interpretation and self helps.

DO NOT ever attempt to make a passage “fit” into your understanding. If you must try to make or find scriptures to prove a theory or interpret it; then it is just another good theory.  Throw it out!

At some point in history men decided that we must be able to explain things in a manner similar to the way we have for the past 100 years.  This is a fallacy in understanding scripture.  Deciding that something described must be equaled to something today does not have any place in God’s Word.

Example, one writer in the 1960’s wrote that Russia has to be destroyed because the territory they control needs to be broken up. Why write that? Of course he could not imagine the possibility that 30 years later the USSR would fall without a war. 

In order to understand scripture, you must understand that you are not the center of the universe.  God’s Word, centers on a chosen and specific group of people.  This group is to be the focus of His Plans for the past, present and future.  You need to be able to accept the following regarding who the Chosen People are.

The “chosen people” are not Christians. It is not the “church” of any form.  It is the Jews!  Jews are those that are of the seed of Abraham and no one else.  God has had and will always have a special place for the “seed of Abraham”.  The scriptures and all its words are focused/centered on that group of people. All prophecies are focused on or involve them.  You must understand and accept that.  If not you will have trouble understanding anything in the Bible. It is ONLY a privilege that the rest of the world (non Jews) will be allowed to be a small part in the story from beginning to end of the Bible.  How we honor and respect that privilege will determine how we understand it. 

Spiritual Warfare Illustrated by an OLD MAN

Daniel is at least 80 years old; some have listed him as being between 90-100 at the time his fourth vision takes place in Chapter 10 of his book. He spends 21 days in a fast from bread, flesh and wine while seeking understanding and a spiritual break through. After 21 days he is void of all human strength and cannot physically stand when an answer arrives.

The Archangel Gabriel explains to him that “from the FIRST Day that you set your heart to understand….thy words were heard.”  “….but the prince of the kingdom of Persia (one of Satan’s angels) withstood me 21 days…”

Gabriel had come to respond to Daniel’s immediately upon Daniel’s heart being focused.  BUT, it took Gabriel 21 days to get there because of the battle going on in the spirit realm!

21 days of prayer and fasting + 21 days of spiritual warfare = Hundreds of years of pinpoint prophecy in Daniels Fourth vision 

That story may be familiar sermon material on spiritual warfare.

BUT consider what would have happened if Daniel had not pressed on for 21 days? What if he had decided after 7 days (week) that he had enough and called it quitting time?

How about after two weeks of prayer and fasting? Surely that was plenty of time. No, he kept on and on for 21 days UNTIL there was the BREAK THROUGH!

I am not going to recommend fasting for three weeks, but it sure would put a dent in the enemy’s armor. I am going to state that there are not enough sore knees in God’s army. We need to have concern about the outcome of the battles in the spirit realm if NO ONE is praying!

Today’s battle zone is World wide and fiercer than Gabriel dealt with.

IT IS TIME TO QUIT PRAYING “Mother Goose” TYPE PRAYERS that we have learned and start

PRAYING DANIEL TYPE PRAYERS

Pray until it hurts and then keep on praying……