Saturday, October 20, 2018

Abraham's Promised Possession Could Only Come Through the Resurrection Part 5

By John Foll, written between 8/11/2017 and 8/13/2017, 9/14/2018 - 9/25/2018.
© Copyright 2018 John Foll

List of Articles

If you have not read Part 1, we recommend that you read it first: Abraham's Promised Possession Could Only Come Through the Resurrection Part 1

Abraham’s Promised Possession Fulfilled:

We declare to you that ‘the everlasting possession’ made to Abraham, is an ‘everlasting possession,’ possessed only by those who live forever. Everything we have discussed and brought up thus far is to bring us now to this point: this is the great focal point of human history, in the Bible! Everything prophesied in the Bible eventually moves us to this point: God’s plan to save the world and restore it back to its former state in the Garden of Eden, that He promised to Abraham! Yes God promised to save the world through Abraham’s offspring, but Abraham did not have all of the details of this plan. Oh what a joy it is to serve God! Oh what a privilege! Abraham will indeed have a very rich reward in Heaven for all of the souls he helped to get there! God is so wonderful!

Now let’s examine the evidence for Abraham’s promised ‘everlasting possession’ from the book of Hebrews, and we will then proceed to what it means: By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. 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.” Hebrews 11:8-10 NASB. Or ‘whose builder and maker is God,’ as the KJV puts it. From this we learn that Abraham didn’t receive it in his lifetime since it says:by going to a place he was to receive for an inheritance,” and because it says “he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land.” He was living in the land promised to him and his offspring by faith, believing that God would carry out His promise to him. Isaac and Jacob did not receive this promise in their days either, because they were ‘strangers’ too, and because they were also ‘fellow heirs of the same promise.’ This means that in all of Abraham’s days he himself did not have this land as an ‘everlasting possession,’ that was promised to him, because he was a foreigner in the land. And none of his posterity would get any of it for 400 years when they were slaves in Egypt either. So the only way God could keep His promise to Abraham, to give him his everlasting possession in the land of Canaan, was through the Resurrection, when Abraham would be raised from the dead, with all of his descendants who were true to God! Furthermore, our above passage in Hebrews declares that Abraham was looking for ‘the city whose architect and builder is God.’ This is the New Jerusalem of Heaven! Because this is the inheritance of God’s people only after * the Resurrection, and it is built by God, not man.
* We will not go into the proof of this here: that the righteous saints go to Heaven after the Resurrection, not before. We have articles on this in our How To Please God Blog, but hope to add more articles on this too.

How do we know that the New Jerusalem was the city that the book of Hebrews declared that Abraham was looking for, and not the old Jerusalem built by man, or the modern day Jerusalem in the modern state of Israel, or some other city? Because it says in Revelation 21:1-4, that we will list below, that after God brings the New Jerusalem down to earth, then He will wipe away every tear from every eye, because He will *destroy death for all time! And because its architect and builder is God. This can ONLY happen after the Resurrection, and the New Jerusalem can only be fully the everlasting possession of Abraham and his offspring, after death is finally destroyed in the Lake of Fire!

The New Jerusalem is clearly built by God, not man – therefore it is the only possible city whose maker and builder is God, and it is the only city whose entrance depends on the Resurrection, or by translation to Heaven without seeing death by the righteous, who are alive at Jesus’ Second Coming. God’s promise to Abraham, which was for an ‘everlasting possession’, could only be had by someone who is righteous and lives forever.  – The only place this can happen is in Heaven and on the Earth made new! This is the great focal point of human history - all of human history moves towards this point in time. Thus the New Jerusalem in Heaven, which is brought down to earth, is the only city which could be Abraham and his seed’s everlasting possession, including His ‘spiritual seed’ - Gentile Christians.

Yes, the New Jerusalem will come down out of Heaven, which was built by God, not man, then Abraham and his offspring will inherit it forever! In this land there will be no sin, suffering or death! Just life everlasting, joy without end, love without end, and hope without end!
* We have already written articles, and posted articles by another writer, on our How To Please God Blog on how God will destroy death for all time, and related truths, under different title names than this topic. We are still running part of this series.

The Revelation of John: The New Jerusalem:


Then I [John] saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.’” Revelation 21:1-4 NASB.

On this day, Abraham and his offspring finally receive their promise that God made to him fully, through the Resurrection! Then they will walk on the streets of gold in the New Jerusalem, and have it for their eternal, everlasting possession! Then they will never die and never lose it! God always keeps His promises! Amen!

Since God declared that all nations of this earth would be blessed through Abraham’s seed (which is Jesus Christ), therefore it seems obvious that the blessings given to Abraham will also be extended to faithful Gentile Christians as well; they share in the blessings that God promised Abraham! So the promise of the New Jerusalem is also for faithful Christians as well! We will show the evidence below that the New Jerusalem will be for both Israelites and Gentile Christians.

Let us catch a glimpse of Heaven here, where Revelation reveals to us that the kingdom of Heaven will be made up of both Jews and Gentiles alike, when it talks about the twelve tribes and the twelve apostles. Read John’s description of the New Jerusalem:

And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper. It had a great and high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names were written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. There were three gates on the east and three gates on the north and three gates on the south and three gates on the west. And the wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” Revelation 21:10-14 NASB.

So the New Jerusalem has 12 gates on its surrounding wall: one for each of the tribes of the sons of Israel, and it has 12 foundation stones, with the names of the 12 Apostles of Jesus written on them.
This makes it clear that the saved in the New Jerusalem will be made up of the faithful children of Israel (the offspring of Abraham), and the 12 Apostles, with their spiritual children: faithful Gentile Christians. Together they all make up the nations of the saved!

The Earth is burned with fire: Every trace of sin on the Earth, man-made or not, will be destroyed by fire. Peter declares, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” 2 Peter 3:10 KJV. Peter makes it clear that: 1) ‘The heavens shall pass away with a great noise’, 2) ‘the elements shall melt with fervent heat’, 3) the earth shall be burned up, and 4) “The works therein shall be burned up.”We think this covers all that is on the Earth, don’t you? What could be left? Even the elements are burned up!

The New Jerusalem comes down out of Heaven and settles where the current Jerusalem is, but it will be much bigger! Based on the name Revelation gives it, we think it is obvious God will put it where the old Jerusalem was. Then why is it called the New Jerusalem? Because God makes all things new!And He who sits on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ And He said, ‘Write, for these words are faithful and true.’” Revelation 21:5 NASB. By making all things ‘new,’ this would also include Jerusalem as well, so the Jerusalem on the Earth made new must necessarily be the New Jerusalem, for it cannot be the old one, which was man-made, or contain any trace of sin in it! These words are faithful and true, as God said! “Then I [John] saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.” Revelation 21:1 NASB. So not only is it a new Earth that the saints will inherit, they will also inherit the New Jerusalem as well.

Sin, suffering and death will be destroyed, and God will wipe away every tear! Revelation 7:17; 21:4; 20:14-15; 21:8. The book of Hebrews refers to the city that Abraham was searching for, as the city ‘whose builder and maker is God,’ Hebrews 11:10 KJV, which we discovered is the same city. So this is the city which God built, but it is new to the Earth when He moves it there. God makes all things new, and replaces the old, man-made earthly Jerusalem with the New Jerusalem from Heaven, built by God! Ever since David made this city his royal city, the city of his royal residence, it has figured into the beliefs of Israel, and then later into Christianity, as being symbolic for God’s people. Nearby is the hill where Jesus was crucified. The Bible has much to say about Jerusalem and Zion, and with so much associated with this city of Jerusalem and mount Zion, it seems like the probable location of the New Jerusalem. So God moves the New Jerusalem from Heaven to earth, and He and Jesus will dwell with the redeemed of mankind forever! The New Jerusalem will be Their new temple or throne! For more on this, see the ‘For Further Study’ section, after the conclusion of this article.

Abrahams Everlasting Possession, the New Jerusalem, will be a massive city of 1500 miles wide by 1500 miles deep, or 2.25 million square miles! Wow!
We think that it is safe to say there has never been a city this big on Earth of this size in any of its recorded history! “The city [the New Jerusalem] is laid out as a square, and its length is as great as the width; and he measured the city with the rod, fifteen hundred miles; its length and width and height are equal.” Revelation 21:16 NASB. Did Abraham ever dream that his everlasting possession for himself and his offspring, both physical and spiritual, would be a massive city of 2.25 million square miles? We think not! To give you an idea how big the New Jerusalem will be, consider that the * circumference of this earth is 3,963 miles at the equator. So a city 1500 miles in width or depth would be 0.385 times the circumference of the equator! Wow! That’s a really big city! Quite big enough to house the nations of the saved!
* https://www.space.com/17638-how-big-is-earth.html

And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.” Revelation 21:21-27 KJV.

This is wonderful news! This gives us a glimpse of the wonder of Heaven! God will dwell with His people! There will be no more night! No more tears! That city will have no need of the sun, for the glory of God will lighten it! And the Lamb of God will also lighten it as well! They love everyone so much! And they have finally brought their children home! Home forever to be with Them! No more sin! No more suffering! No more death! No more saying goodbye to loved ones! No more hungering and thirsting for God, all who are thirsty and hungry will on that day be satisfied with the fullness and goodness of God and His Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit! Jesus shall look at the travail of His soul, for the death that He died for all who made it there, and be satisfied! Isaiah 53:10-12. His death paid the price for the sins of His people, and the Holy Spirit changed their hearts, so that they were able to love Him and the Father with all their heart, mind and soul, and to live a righteous life for Them! Now they will be with Him and the Father forever, to share in everlasting joy! And share in the eternal possession of Abraham!

This will be the most wonderful day in all of human history! Abraham will be there! His faithful offspring will be there! The nations of the saved will be there! People from every nation, kindred and tongue will be there! “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou [Jesus] art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;” Revelation 5:9 KJV. The Gentiles who accept the invitation from God to be saved, given by Jesus’ disciples, the offspring of Abraham, and by the Gentile preachers and evangelists who came after them, will also share in the promise that God made to Abraham, and will receive an ‘everlasting possession’ with them in Heaven too! There is room enough for all! The New Jerusalem is big enough for all, who would accept God’s invitation to join faithful Abraham and his faithful descendants!

There is room enough for all who accept God’s wonderful salvation in Heaven and on the Earth made new! No reason for anyone to not be there, it has been provided by God for all! Won’t you come and go with me to that bright and fair land? Amen.

And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.” Genesis 13:14-16 KJV. Yes, God has kept His promise to Abraham! All the land promised to him is finally his! And he is alive to see it and enjoy it, with his children, children’s children, and great, great, grand children, etc. forever! It’s no longer just a promise, it is now finally his! To the north, south, east and west! All his and for all his offspring forever! His offspring will be a numberless multitude, the nations of the saved! Way too many to count! The massive multitude of the saved of Israel and Gentiles!After this I [John] beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.” Revelation 7:9-10 KJV.

And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And He saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And He saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.” Revelation 19:5-9 KJV.

Yes! You can believe that God will keep His promise to Abraham! God always keeps His promises! God’s promise to Abraham for the ‘everlasting possession,’ was the promise of the Resurrection to him, eternal life in the New Jerusalem! And God’s promise to Abraham is also for all who are his spiritual offspring as well, faithful Israelites and Gentile Christians! Amen.


Oh Water of Life,
Fill us with Your sweet Presence!
I love You!

Please help all who read this
Know the wonder of Your love,
And the wonder of Your ways.

How pure, righteous, kind and loving you are!
How perfect are Your plans,
How just are Your ways!
Oh how I love You!
You always keep your promises!

Please fill us with the Water of Life,
And give us life everlasting!
And take us to our everlasting possession
That you promised Abraham,
And to all those faithful to You
In the New Jerusalem,
On the Earth made new,
For the Bride of Christ.

Amen!


May the grace of God, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all! Amen.

To Be Continued…


The song for the day:
Therefore the redeemed of the Lord:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pdVtpYTKXI
 
Therefore the Redeemed (Isaiah 51:11):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVcwk0o45g0



Blog Edited by John Foll.

List of Articles




From the Editor: The Everlasting Covenanthas had a very great impact on my life! These articles, with its stories from the Bible, led me to fall in love with God, there is no other way of putting it. The thing I was needing the most in my life was given to me after I learned how much He loved me in “The Everlasting Covenant” by E. J. Waggoner.

It is my prayer, dear reader, that God will richly bless you, as you learn more and more about His great love for you as presented by E. J. Waggoner in “The Everlasting Covenant, as we continue to present more articles from it.

May the grace of God, and the priceless, precious fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you, as you go down this journey of falling totally in love with God! Riches beyond measure await you, if you will just get to know Him and His great love for you!


Listen to these articles at:  http://www.whiteraimentevangelism.com/recommended.


Watchword:

“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our abode with him.'” John 14:23 NASB.

White Raiment Evangelism Revelation 3:18:

In Revelation 3:18 Jesus said, "I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, and white raiment, and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest be clothed, that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear, and that thou mayest see." (Paraphrase of the KJV.)


#Faith #Abraham #Promise #Fulfilled #Heaven #Earth #New #Jerusalem #God #Everlasting #Possession #Joy #Resurrection #No #Tears #Death #Life #Nations #Saved #Lamb

No comments:

Post a Comment