EphremHagos
May 27th 2009, 12:43 AM
ROAD SIGNS TO THE RESURRECTION
Introduction
“The hard way and narrow gate to life” (Matt. 7: 13-14) is marked off by major road signs posted in the books of Moses and in the writings of the prophets. According to the following three important sources, it is actually difficult, if not impossible, to know firsthand and personally Christ and the power of his resurrection, without some prior knowledge of these signs. The sources say:
1. “They still did not understand the scripture which said that he must rise from death.” John 20:9
2. “How foolish you are, how slow you are to believe everything the prophets said! Was it not necessary for the Messiah to suffer these things and then to enter his glory? And Jesus explained to them what was said about himself in all the Scriptures beginning with the books of Moses and the writings of the prophets.” Luke 24: 25-27
3. “I passed on to you what I received , which is of the greatest importance: that Christ died for our sins, as is written in the Scriptures; that he was buried and that he was raised to life three days later, as written in Scriptures.” 1 Cor. 15: 3-4
Therefore, what is called for here is fine-drawing of the “the death of Jesus Christ on the cross” with what is defined, developed and promised in the books of Moses and in the writings of the prophets. Otherwise, it is very easy to miss the parallels to the high stakes of Jesus’ absolute authority over death and life at his crucifixion!
Books of Moses
• “The tree of life”: the first type of the cross of Christ (Gen. 2:9);
• “The bush on fire but not burning up”: self-sufficient fire/life, “I Am Who I Am”: a name for ever, one promised to be made known by Jesus Christ as his own at his crucifixion and death (Ex. 3: 1-15; John 8: 21-28);
• “The bronze snake on a tree”: another type of the cross of Christ with power to heal anyone bitten by snake; foreshadowing the power of Christ to give new lives to “people who look at him whom they pierced” (Num. 21: 4-9; John 3: 1-21; 19:37);
• “The Law concerning unsolved murders”: predicting the mysterious death of Christ acknowledged even by a Gentile, Pilate (Deut. 21: 1-9; Matt. 27:24);
• “The Law of same-day burial of a body hanging on a post”: predicting Christ’s victory over death (rule of out-of-sight, out-of-mind) acknowledged by Joseph and Nicodemus (Deut. 21: 22; John 19: 38-42).
Writings of the Prophets
• The terms of the “new covenant”: writing of God’s law within the hearts of people; firsthand and personal knowledge of God by all without human intermediaries; and general forgiveness of sins (Jer. 31: 31-34).
• The “seal” of the “new covenant”: “my blood poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matt. 26:28)
The Absolute Authority of Jesus Christ
• Authority over death
The evidence includes fixing the day of his death (Matt. 26: 1-5); fixing the hour of his death (John 12: 27);identifying himself for arrest (John 18: 1-9); self-surrender for arrest (John 18: 5-11); self-incrimination for death-sentence (Matt. 26: 57-68; John 18: 19-24); waiver of right of appeal (John 19: 8-16); the “blood” pouring out from his pierced side signifying death exclusively by his own free will and authority by giving a lour cry, breathing his last and unleashing remote control power to tear the curtain hanging in the Temple in two from top to bottom, to shake the earth, to split rocks apart, to break open graves, to recall to this side of life many of God’s people who had died, etc. (Matt. 27: 50-54)
• Authority over life
The evidence includes the “water” pouring out from the pierced side of Jesus signifying the timely outpouring of the Holy Spirit, for our baptism by the “Son of the living God” (John 14: 15-21; 16: 5-15; 19: 30-37; Matt. 26-29) producing visions of God’s self-revelation as predicted on the “last day” (Joel 2: 28-32) as promised repeatedly by Jesus (John 6:39-40, 44, 54; 7: 37-39; 12:48); and as quoted in Peter’s message (Acts 2: 16-21). The advance beneficiaries of this life-transforming Spirit-baptism included the wife of Zebedee and her two sons, and the woman from Bethany. The Premiere beneficiaries of this life-transforming Spirit-baptism included an army officer, some women, Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus and the writer of the fourth Gospel. Secondary beneficiaries included 120 believers, most of the Apostles including Peter. Tertiary beneficiaries included Paul of Tarsus. The list of other beneficiaries is open!
• Authority over All Religions
Last but not least, mention should be made of the abolition of all religions through the freedom to worship God, as he is, i.e., in Spirit and truth issuing from the anticipated self-revelation of God at the death of Jesus Christ on the cross as declared to the Samaritan woman (John 4: 21-24); as can be traced in the pages of the Quran (Sura 4: 157-159) and in the universal representation of the “tree of life” in many of the cultures of the world!
Conclusion
Therefore, by the light of Scriptures, under the witness of the timely Holy Spirit and the universal incidence of the “tree of life”, all the road signs or applications of the “life-giving Spirit” completely independent of extinct “man’s power” or matter and flesh (John 6:63) lead to the infallible evidence of open-visions of God’s self-revelation in the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, or resurrection proper, as seat of “God’s powerful weapons” capable of destroying strongholds, false arguments and proud obstacles raised against the knowledge of God (1 Cor. 1: 18-31; 2 Cor. 10: 4-6)!
Introduction
“The hard way and narrow gate to life” (Matt. 7: 13-14) is marked off by major road signs posted in the books of Moses and in the writings of the prophets. According to the following three important sources, it is actually difficult, if not impossible, to know firsthand and personally Christ and the power of his resurrection, without some prior knowledge of these signs. The sources say:
1. “They still did not understand the scripture which said that he must rise from death.” John 20:9
2. “How foolish you are, how slow you are to believe everything the prophets said! Was it not necessary for the Messiah to suffer these things and then to enter his glory? And Jesus explained to them what was said about himself in all the Scriptures beginning with the books of Moses and the writings of the prophets.” Luke 24: 25-27
3. “I passed on to you what I received , which is of the greatest importance: that Christ died for our sins, as is written in the Scriptures; that he was buried and that he was raised to life three days later, as written in Scriptures.” 1 Cor. 15: 3-4
Therefore, what is called for here is fine-drawing of the “the death of Jesus Christ on the cross” with what is defined, developed and promised in the books of Moses and in the writings of the prophets. Otherwise, it is very easy to miss the parallels to the high stakes of Jesus’ absolute authority over death and life at his crucifixion!
Books of Moses
• “The tree of life”: the first type of the cross of Christ (Gen. 2:9);
• “The bush on fire but not burning up”: self-sufficient fire/life, “I Am Who I Am”: a name for ever, one promised to be made known by Jesus Christ as his own at his crucifixion and death (Ex. 3: 1-15; John 8: 21-28);
• “The bronze snake on a tree”: another type of the cross of Christ with power to heal anyone bitten by snake; foreshadowing the power of Christ to give new lives to “people who look at him whom they pierced” (Num. 21: 4-9; John 3: 1-21; 19:37);
• “The Law concerning unsolved murders”: predicting the mysterious death of Christ acknowledged even by a Gentile, Pilate (Deut. 21: 1-9; Matt. 27:24);
• “The Law of same-day burial of a body hanging on a post”: predicting Christ’s victory over death (rule of out-of-sight, out-of-mind) acknowledged by Joseph and Nicodemus (Deut. 21: 22; John 19: 38-42).
Writings of the Prophets
• The terms of the “new covenant”: writing of God’s law within the hearts of people; firsthand and personal knowledge of God by all without human intermediaries; and general forgiveness of sins (Jer. 31: 31-34).
• The “seal” of the “new covenant”: “my blood poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matt. 26:28)
The Absolute Authority of Jesus Christ
• Authority over death
The evidence includes fixing the day of his death (Matt. 26: 1-5); fixing the hour of his death (John 12: 27);identifying himself for arrest (John 18: 1-9); self-surrender for arrest (John 18: 5-11); self-incrimination for death-sentence (Matt. 26: 57-68; John 18: 19-24); waiver of right of appeal (John 19: 8-16); the “blood” pouring out from his pierced side signifying death exclusively by his own free will and authority by giving a lour cry, breathing his last and unleashing remote control power to tear the curtain hanging in the Temple in two from top to bottom, to shake the earth, to split rocks apart, to break open graves, to recall to this side of life many of God’s people who had died, etc. (Matt. 27: 50-54)
• Authority over life
The evidence includes the “water” pouring out from the pierced side of Jesus signifying the timely outpouring of the Holy Spirit, for our baptism by the “Son of the living God” (John 14: 15-21; 16: 5-15; 19: 30-37; Matt. 26-29) producing visions of God’s self-revelation as predicted on the “last day” (Joel 2: 28-32) as promised repeatedly by Jesus (John 6:39-40, 44, 54; 7: 37-39; 12:48); and as quoted in Peter’s message (Acts 2: 16-21). The advance beneficiaries of this life-transforming Spirit-baptism included the wife of Zebedee and her two sons, and the woman from Bethany. The Premiere beneficiaries of this life-transforming Spirit-baptism included an army officer, some women, Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus and the writer of the fourth Gospel. Secondary beneficiaries included 120 believers, most of the Apostles including Peter. Tertiary beneficiaries included Paul of Tarsus. The list of other beneficiaries is open!
• Authority over All Religions
Last but not least, mention should be made of the abolition of all religions through the freedom to worship God, as he is, i.e., in Spirit and truth issuing from the anticipated self-revelation of God at the death of Jesus Christ on the cross as declared to the Samaritan woman (John 4: 21-24); as can be traced in the pages of the Quran (Sura 4: 157-159) and in the universal representation of the “tree of life” in many of the cultures of the world!
Conclusion
Therefore, by the light of Scriptures, under the witness of the timely Holy Spirit and the universal incidence of the “tree of life”, all the road signs or applications of the “life-giving Spirit” completely independent of extinct “man’s power” or matter and flesh (John 6:63) lead to the infallible evidence of open-visions of God’s self-revelation in the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, or resurrection proper, as seat of “God’s powerful weapons” capable of destroying strongholds, false arguments and proud obstacles raised against the knowledge of God (1 Cor. 1: 18-31; 2 Cor. 10: 4-6)!