Our Joy Now and Forever

[WordSword]

Let us continue to be encouraged by using our permanent union with God and His “work” (Phl 2:13) in us to be our primary sources of supplies for enduring patiently (Heb 6:15; 1Pe 2:20). Since He, for us, “works everything together for good,” it’s always just a matter of waiting out our trials! The growing level of one’s maturity in Christ (Eph 4:15) will be commensurate with the level of “patience” applied in our lifestyle (Luk 21:19; Rom 2:7). 
NC

 

 

 

 

Our Joy Now and Forever

“For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty” (2 Pe 1:16).

We have the warrant of Peter, an eyewitness, for saying that the scene on the Mount of Transfiguration represents to us the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; and this is what we wait for. Our souls are not really in a healthy state unless we are waiting for God’s Son from heaven. The Church is not well regulated in its hopes by the Word and Spirit of God, unless it is looking for His return from heaven (1Co 1:7; 1Th 1:10; 2Ti 4:8; Phl 3:20; Tit 2:13; Heb 9:28).

Our purpose is to consider what light the Transfiguration scene affords us on the nature of that joy we shall inherit at and from the coming our Lord at the Rapture (e.g. translation - Heb 11:5—NC). Other Scriptures, such as the promises to those who overcome in Revelation 2 and 3, and the description of the heavenly city in Revelation 21 and 22, give us instruction on the same subject; but let us now particularly look at the scene on the holy mount.

“And it came to pass about eight days after these sayings, He took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray. And as He prayed, the fashion of His countenance was altered, and His raiment was white and glistering” (Luk 9:28, 29). It was when the Lord Jesus was in the acknowledgement of dependence—“as He prayed”—that this change took place. This, then, is the first thing we have here—a change such as will pass upon the living saints when the Lord Jesus comes (1Co 15:52; Phl 3:21).

“And, behold, there talked with Him two men, which were Moses and Elias” (Luk 9:30). They were with Him, and this will be our joy; we shall ever be with the Lord Jesus. In 1 Thessalonians 4: 16, 17, after stating the order in which the resurrection of the sleeping, and the change of the living saints will take place, and that we shall both be “caught up together . . . to meet the Lord in the air,” all that the Apostle says as to what shall ensue is, “and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” “There talked with Him two men.”

It is not that He talked with them, though that was no doubt true, but that might have been, and they be at a distance. But when we read that they talked with Him, we get the idea of the most free and personal communion. Peter and the others knew what it was to have such fellowship with the Lord Jesus in His humiliation; and what joy must it have been to have this proof that such conversation with Him would be enjoyed in glory! They share in the same glory as that in which He was manifested.

So as to us, “When Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall we also appear with Him in glory” (Col 3:4). “The glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me” (Jhn 17:22, 23).

But there is another thing still. We are not only told that they were with Him, that they talked with Him, and appeared in glory with Him, but we are also privileged to know the subject of their conversation. They “spoke of His decease which He should accomplish on the Cross at Jerusalem” (Luk 9:31). It was the Cross which was the theme of their conversation in the glory—the sufferings of Christ which He had to accomplish at Jerusalem. And surely this will be our joy throughout eternity, when in glory with the Lord Jesus—to dwell upon this subject, His decease accomplished on the Cross at Jerusalem. 

“While He thus spoke, there came a cloud and overshadowed them; and they feared as they entered into the cloud. And there came a voice out of the cloud saying, This is My beloved Son; hear Him” (Luk 9:34). Peter tells us that this voice came from the excellent glory. “For He received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to Him from the excellent glory: This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (2Pe 1:17).

Now Peter and the others had entered into the cloud; and thus we get this wonderful fact that in the glory, from which the voice comes, saints are privileged to stand, and there in that glory, share the delight of the Father in His beloved Son. Not only are we called to the fellowship of the Father’s Son, Jesus Christ, but we are called to have fellowship with the Father. We are admitted of God the Father to partake of His satisfaction in His beloved Son.

“And when the voice was passed, Jesus was found alone” (Luk 9:36). The vision is gone—the cloud, the voice, the glory, Moses and Elias—but the Lord Jesus was left, and they were left to go on their way with Him, knowing Him now in the light of those scenes of glory which they beheld (2Co 5:16—NC); and this is the use to us of those vivid apprehensions of spiritual things which we may sometimes realize.

It is not that we can be always enjoying them and nothing else. But when for the season they have passed away, like this vision on the Mount, they leave us alone with the Lord Jesus, to pursue the path of our pilgrimage with Him in spirit now (Christ presently in union with our spirit via the Holy Spirit—NC), and with Him the light and power of the deepening acquaintance with Him, and fellowship of the Father’s joy in Him, that we have got on the Mount; and thus to wait for the moment of His return for us, when all this, and more than our hearts can think of, shall be fulfilled to us forever.

—J N Darby (1800-1882)

 

 

 

MJS daily devotional for March 17

“Romans Seven describes the experience of the believer who has been shown by the law principle the terrible consequences of his position in Adam. Romans Eight describes the experience of the believer who knows what it is to be “in Christ,” and who is being made free experientially from “the law of sin and death” by “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.”” –Miles J Stanford

“It is of immense importance for every Christian to know that ‘our old man’ has been fully judged and ended before God. Not changed or forgiven but utterly condemned in the death of the Lord Jesus. ‘God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh’ (Rom. 8:3). Where sin brought us, love brought the Lord Jesus—even to death; and His death is the end before God of all that we were as children of Adam—men in the flesh.” –C A Coats (1862-1945)
http://www.abideabove.com/hungry-heart/day/2022/03/17/

[AdHoc]

9 hours ago, WordSword said:

Let us continue to be encouraged by using our permanent union with God and His “work” (Phl 2:13) in us to be our primary sources of supplies for enduring patiently (Heb 6:15; 1Pe 2:20). Since He, for us, “works everything together for good,” it’s always just a matter of waiting out our trials! The growing level of one’s maturity in Christ (Eph 4:15) will be commensurate with the level of “patience” applied in our lifestyle (Luk 21:19; Rom 2:7). 
NC

 

 

 

 

Our Joy Now and Forever

“For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty” (2 Pe 1:16).

We have the warrant of Peter, an eyewitness, for saying that the scene on the Mount of Transfiguration represents to us the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; and this is what we wait for. Our souls are not really in a healthy state unless we are waiting for God’s Son from heaven. The Church is not well regulated in its hopes by the Word and Spirit of God, unless it is looking for His return from heaven (1Co 1:7; 1Th 1:10; 2Ti 4:8; Phl 3:20; Tit 2:13; Heb 9:28).

Our purpose is to consider what light the Transfiguration scene affords us on the nature of that joy we shall inherit at and from the coming our Lord at the Rapture (e.g. translation - Heb 11:5—NC). Other Scriptures, such as the promises to those who overcome in Revelation 2 and 3, and the description of the heavenly city in Revelation 21 and 22, give us instruction on the same subject; but let us now particularly look at the scene on the holy mount.

“And it came to pass about eight days after these sayings, He took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray. And as He prayed, the fashion of His countenance was altered, and His raiment was white and glistering” (Luk 9:28, 29). It was when the Lord Jesus was in the acknowledgement of dependence—“as He prayed”—that this change took place. This, then, is the first thing we have here—a change such as will pass upon the living saints when the Lord Jesus comes (1Co 15:52; Phl 3:21).

“And, behold, there talked with Him two men, which were Moses and Elias” (Luk 9:30). They were with Him, and this will be our joy; we shall ever be with the Lord Jesus. In 1 Thessalonians 4: 16, 17, after stating the order in which the resurrection of the sleeping, and the change of the living saints will take place, and that we shall both be “caught up together . . . to meet the Lord in the air,” all that the Apostle says as to what shall ensue is, “and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” “There talked with Him two men.”

It is not that He talked with them, though that was no doubt true, but that might have been, and they be at a distance. But when we read that they talked with Him, we get the idea of the most free and personal communion. Peter and the others knew what it was to have such fellowship with the Lord Jesus in His humiliation; and what joy must it have been to have this proof that such conversation with Him would be enjoyed in glory! They share in the same glory as that in which He was manifested.

So as to us, “When Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall we also appear with Him in glory” (Col 3:4). “The glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me” (Jhn 17:22, 23).

But there is another thing still. We are not only told that they were with Him, that they talked with Him, and appeared in glory with Him, but we are also privileged to know the subject of their conversation. They “spoke of His decease which He should accomplish on the Cross at Jerusalem” (Luk 9:31). It was the Cross which was the theme of their conversation in the glory—the sufferings of Christ which He had to accomplish at Jerusalem. And surely this will be our joy throughout eternity, when in glory with the Lord Jesus—to dwell upon this subject, His decease accomplished on the Cross at Jerusalem. 

“While He thus spoke, there came a cloud and overshadowed them; and they feared as they entered into the cloud. And there came a voice out of the cloud saying, This is My beloved Son; hear Him” (Luk 9:34). Peter tells us that this voice came from the excellent glory. “For He received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to Him from the excellent glory: This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (2Pe 1:17).

Now Peter and the others had entered into the cloud; and thus we get this wonderful fact that in the glory, from which the voice comes, saints are privileged to stand, and there in that glory, share the delight of the Father in His beloved Son. Not only are we called to the fellowship of the Father’s Son, Jesus Christ, but we are called to have fellowship with the Father. We are admitted of God the Father to partake of His satisfaction in His beloved Son.

“And when the voice was passed, Jesus was found alone” (Luk 9:36). The vision is gone—the cloud, the voice, the glory, Moses and Elias—but the Lord Jesus was left, and they were left to go on their way with Him, knowing Him now in the light of those scenes of glory which they beheld (2Co 5:16—NC); and this is the use to us of those vivid apprehensions of spiritual things which we may sometimes realize.

It is not that we can be always enjoying them and nothing else. But when for the season they have passed away, like this vision on the Mount, they leave us alone with the Lord Jesus, to pursue the path of our pilgrimage with Him in spirit now (Christ presently in union with our spirit via the Holy Spirit—NC), and with Him the light and power of the deepening acquaintance with Him, and fellowship of the Father’s joy in Him, that we have got on the Mount; and thus to wait for the moment of His return for us, when all this, and more than our hearts can think of, shall be fulfilled to us forever.

—J N Darby (1800-1882)

 

 

 

MJS daily devotional for March 17

“Romans Seven describes the experience of the believer who has been shown by the law principle the terrible consequences of his position in Adam. Romans Eight describes the experience of the believer who knows what it is to be “in Christ,” and who is being made free experientially from “the law of sin and death” by “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.”” –Miles J Stanford

“It is of immense importance for every Christian to know that ‘our old man’ has been fully judged and ended before God. Not changed or forgiven but utterly condemned in the death of the Lord Jesus. ‘God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh’ (Rom. 8:3). Where sin brought us, love brought the Lord Jesus—even to death; and His death is the end before God of all that we were as children of Adam—men in the flesh.” –C A Coats (1862-1945)
http://www.abideabove.com/hungry-heart/day/2022/03/17/

It is no small task to add to Mr. Darby. I would venture to add a few points to this excerpt, which, no doubt, Mr. Darby dealt with in another place of his "Collected Writings".

The subject is, as nearly always is, THE KINGDOM. The Kingdom of God (which alludes to Whose Kingdom it is), and the Kingdom of Heaven (which alludes to its origin, nature and type of rule) was the main subject of both John Baptist and our Lord Jesus' ministry. A Kingdom is a sphere where a certain king lives and exercises his authority. While Jesus was on earth He possessed power over angels, demons, men and nature and could say that the "Kingdom was upon men" (Lk.11:20). But a time came rather quickly when the King was rejected by His people and those few who embraced Him by faith had the King living INSIDE them (Lk.17:21). And before He departed this world He gave His faith "the keys of the kingdom" so we find the Church is the only sphere on earth where His authority is exercised (Rev.1:9). With these "Kingdoms" LIMITED by circumstance, the only kingdom that would ultimately encompass the whole earth is that one predicted by Daniel to a Gentile king in Daniel 2 - an everlasting Kingdom over the WHOLE EARTH after He dashes the last Gentile world power to dust.

It is this Kingdom that our Lord addresses and displays of the mount. But why a "Mountain"? To show it is (i) high, and (ii) it is heavenly. All important things from God came to Mountains. The water that watered Israel came from Mt. Hermon. The behavior of Israel is given at Mt. Sinai. Jerusalem is subject to Mt. Zion. It is the "Sermon on the mount" that regulates the Christian's behavior and New Jerusalem is revealed on a very high mountain. So, the high point of Jesus the King is revealed on a high mountain.

When is this Kingdom revealed? At once a problem arises. Matthew and Mark give it "after SIX days" while Luke gives it "after EIGHT days". Some would set the Bible aside for such an anomaly. But it has its reasons - very good ones.

• Matthew reveals that the King and His Kingdom must wait six, 1,000-years days (2nd Pet.3:8). In six days without a man in place to rule, the earth is prepared for man to rule. He is revealed late on the sixth day and rules on the SEVENTH which is "AFTER" the six.
• Mark reveals the Servant of God. He takes the lowly position of servant to all and serves men for 6,000 years. But "AFTER" the sixth He takes His place as King of the earth
• Luke reveals the King as a Man - seed of the woman. While this King is sinless, His birth to the Adamic race places Him in the Old Creation. He must reign in RESURRECTION. Resurrection day was the "morrow after the Sabbath" - that is, the eighth.

Now we must ask why Elijah and Moses. They are there as REPRESENTATIVE. The meeting with the King is HIGH - in the air - after rapture (1st Thess.4:17). Who will be there? (i) The LIVING who are still alive at Christ's Coming, and (ii) the DEAD and RESURRECTED, who "TOGETHER" with the living, are taken up to the air and clouds. Elijah has not yet died and speaks for the living and raptured, and Moses, dead but newly resurrected, speaks for those who have fallen asleep in Christ.

But now we come to a somber part of the narrative. Why only THREE of TWELVE disciples??? The reason is that the preamble to the Transfiguration shows a CONDITION for gaining the Kingdom - the loss of the soul life. The Christian is called to a life of training, discipline and chastisement. He must be prepared for "the loss of all things to gain Christ". He must undergo a rigorous training to be a co-king with Christ. He must set aside earthly pleasures for obedience's sake. He must crucify the flesh with its lusts. And NOT ALL DISCIPLES WILL DO THIS! You know some slothful Christians, and I do too. In Matthew 24:45 there is a diligent servant who serves faithfully. But in verse 48 "THAT servant" turns to evil because of the delay of "HIS Lord". He is still a servant, but he grew cold and indifferent to his Master and his Fellow-Servants. Does he lose his status as servant? NO! It is not his rebirth that is endangered, but whether "he will rule over ALL his Master's goods". ALL disciples are "CALLED" but only a FEW will be CHOSEN at the Judgment Seat of Christ when He returns.

The THREE disciples speak for the Overcoming Christians. The NINE who are LEFT stay in the LOW Part and cannot overcome a demon. Are they still called disciples? YES! Are they friends of the LORD? YES! But the Lord leaves then in the lowlands. They are disciples, but they are not part of the Kingdom.

Finally, we must return to Elijah and Moses. For what do they stand? The answer is; "THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS". And how are they to influence the Kingdom Life? NOT A WIT!!! In Deuteronomy 18 Moses predicts Jesus (v.18) and pointedly says that Israel should "HEAR HIM". The Law and the Prophets are until JOHN (Baptist)(Matt.11:13). From then on the KINGDOM is preached. The children who would reign with Christ must HEAR HIM. Romans 7 tells of the catastrophic results of man trying to keep the Law of Moses. It brings sin and death because of the man's weakness. What is the solution then? Romans 8 tells. He who is LED by the Spirit is a SON of God. And it is a SON who inherits! The disciples are awed by Moses who gave the Law, and Elijah who was "jealous for the Covenant of Law". Did they not both do well? YES - but with John Baptist God's economy changed. NO MORE must they HEAR MOSES, but the voice from heaven thunders - HEAR HIM ONLY (JESUS)!

[Guest]

12 hours ago, AdHoc said:

It is no small task to add to Mr. Darby. I would venture to add a few points to this excerpt, which, no doubt, Mr. Darby dealt with in another place of his "Collected Writings".

Lots to look at, but much of the Kingdom doctrines are difficult to confirm concerning differentiating between Kingdoms. My understanding is that the New Earth will be for the dwelling of God's people the Jews who believe in God but not yet in His Son, until they see Him, but too late for the "blessing" of being children of God (Jn 20:29) but remain a people of God; and the New Heaven dwelling for the Christians ruling over them with Christ.

Of course, eschatological doctrine does not effect salvific doctrine, and I believe Scripture is highly unclear of Israel's eschatology.

[AdHoc]

9 hours ago, WordSword said:

Lots to look at, but much of the Kingdom doctrines are difficult to confirm concerning differentiating between Kingdoms. My understanding is that the New Earth will be for the dwelling of God's people the Jews who believe in God but not yet in His Son, until they see Him, but too late for the "blessing" of being children of God (Jn 20:29) but remain a people of God; and the New Heaven dwelling for the Christians ruling over them with Christ.

Of course, eschatological doctrine does not effect salvific doctrine, and I believe Scripture is highly unclear of Israel's eschatology.

The main hindrance to the Kingdom in Christianity is that in the back of a majority's mind is that the Kingdom is IN heaven. Ask the next dozen Christians you meet what they have been saved for and you'll get at least 11 telling you it is to go to heaven. Then ask them another question. Why is every mention of inheriting or entering the Kingdom attached to works? You'll get a blank stare and they might shuffle away and say that you have missed the whole matter. This is because Pastors, who mostly earn their living from the congregation, cannot afford to teach anything that causes upheaval. And if a teacher comes along who teaches that a man is SAVED from his sins, born again by FAITH, and is baptized FOR the purpose of being a co-king with Christ ON EARTH when He sets up His Kingdom after His return, that teacher will cause unrest. Why?

Because every allusion to gaining, entering and/or inheriting a position as co-king with Jesus is bound with three WORKS. They are (i) an intimate walk with Jesus, (ii) your righteousness (Rev.19:7-8), and (iii) your transformation from a man who is dictated to by his flesh to a man who is OBEDIENT to his spirit (in which God lives). The Kingdom is the main theme of the four gospels and thus much is said about, so it looks complicated. But the basic way to define the Kingdom you happen to be reading about, is to find the king and his subjects. Is the King casting out demons? Then He has overcome the Prince of the power of the air. But is He casting out the Romans. NO? Then He is still not in the Kingdom that Daniel predicted in Daniel 2 because that Kingdom fills the whole earth and trashed GENTILE RULE Is He boss of the Church? Yes! then John can rightly say in Revelation 1:9 that he is in the kingdom of Christ.

But he modifies it as the "kingdom and patience" because while Christ rules the Church John must wait till Armageddon for Christ to rule the earth. The best way to get ahead with the various kingdoms is to draw four lines down a page and title the five columns as: (i) Sphere of rule, (ii) present ruler, (iii) to whom is it promised, (iv) when does He rule, and (v) how does he rule. Let's then insert under (i) ISRAEL (as sphere). (ii) Present ruler is a democracy (iron and clay mixed). (iii) To Whom promised - Emmanuel, Jesus, seed of David. (iv) When does He rule? - After the Church is complete (Act.15:14-16). (v) How does He rule? - By a New Covenant of Law (Jer.31:31-33 etc).

But now let us write Rome in point (i). This leads to point (ii) Who rules presently? Answer; An occult theocracy under the High Priest of the sun-god - Pontifex Maximus, who sits in the east with the sun-burst behind his head (Vatican). (iii) To whom promised? - Total annihilation. (iv) When? When the then reigning Beast, a Roman, is defeated at Armageddon. (v) Type of rule that exist over her subjects after the change? - The rue of the rod of iron (Rev.19:15)

Then try (i) Heaven? (ii) Present ruler? Jehovah. (iii) To whom promised? Jehovah. (iv) When? since its creation. (v) How? Unbending obedience to His words. Heaven is His THRONE. He reigns as Sovereign Theocratic Ruler. So Jesus may pray; "Thy will be done ON EARTH (where certain spheres still have to be subdued) as it is in heaven. That is, may God's rules that dictate life in heaven be ushered onto the earth. When that happens it will be (i) The Kingdom of God, and (ii) The Kingdom OUT OF Heaven.

The problem with Israel's future is that Bible students see from multiple scriptures that Israel never BELIEVES. In Romans Chapter 11 it specifically states that Israel's hardness remain till the Gentiles are ousted. The trouble with that is that Jesus, to fight at Armageddon, FIRST bursts through the clouds over Jerusalem and is SEEN. And Hebrews 11:1 defines Faith in connection with what is NOT SEEN. Israel SEE Jesus but then it is too late for FAITH to operate unto salvation. The solution of some students is then to concoct a theory that somehow Israel will believe - but cannot bring a single scripture for that. On what basis then will Israel (i) have their sins put away, and (ii) be restored? Both answers are bound up with the work of Christ - NOT THROUGH THEIR FAITH, BUT BECAUSE OF GOD'S PROMISES AND COVENANTS.

It is a grand subject because God's honor hangs in the balance. God gave one Covenant where He PROMISED things (to Abraham and his seed), and God, 430 years later, gives another Covenant that drives this same seed, Israel, out of the promises - a Covenant of LAW. Israel have paid, and still pay, the penalties of the Covenant of Law. How can God restore Israel to the PROMISES when He equally must enforce the curses of the Law? By (i) Promising that He would put their sins away, and (ii) judicially meeting the righteous requirements of the Law by a Perfect Substitute who dies, not only for the believers sins, BUT ALL SINS (Jn.1:29, 1st Jn.2.2). This gives God total freedom to "have mercy on whom He will" (Rom 9, 11). He has no Covenant with the Gentiles so they have no right to forgiveness. So, for them, God sets FAITH in Jesus as the requirement (which only few apply). He has no Covenant with the Church, but they apply FAITH. And Israel reject Jesus to the end but are saved as a Nation by Covenant and the work of Jesus. Israel's recovery is a PURE ACT OF GOD using Jesus' accomplishments to keep His promises made by Covenant.

I'll stop here because if this is new, you've got a lot to consider. Take care.