Angelic Conflict part 143: Human history (Sabbath) – Heb 3-4; 1Ti 6:3-10; Phi 4:10-13; Exo 16:22-30.

Title: Angelic Conflict part 143: Human history (Sabbath) – Heb 3-4; 1Ti 6:3-10; Phi 4:10-13; Exo 16:22-30.

 

As we pursue this course of conflict in human history we will see the underlying effect of those who have and evil and unbelieving heart towards God. When they, and I mean “they” as a group, revolt against God and heaven, they inevitably attempt to establish their own substitute for the things of God, no doubt guided by satan and his fallen minions. Heaven on earth, redemption of man from man, man taking the place of God or the creature over and above the Creator. I quote from the book Earthly Powers by Michael Burleigh.

 

“Like the Christians they [philosophers of the Enlightenment] also wanted a happy ending, but could not believe in a transcendental heaven. In the new religion of humanity, heaven would be the perfect future state that a regenerated mankind would create through his own volition. The ultimate arbiter would no longer be a divine judge, but rather future generations of happier mankind vaguely defined as ‘posterity’. Self-fulfillment became a form of atonement, love of humanity a substitute for love of God.”

 

This sentiment of 18th century England and France is a tidal wave over our own nation today.

 

 

Heb 3:12 Take care [beware], brethren, lest there should be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart, in falling away [revolting] from the living God.

 

Heb 3:13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

 

Heb 3:14 For we have become partakers [partners] of Christ, if we hold fast [katecho] the beginning of our assurance firm until the end;

 

The same verb is used as in verse 6 – to hold fast or to secure possession of or to have in full:

 

Heb 3:6 but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end [faithful son as opposed to unfaithful].

 

Verse 6: “hold fast confidence” – parrhesia = all outspokenness.

Verse 14: “hold fast assurance” – hupostasis = stand under.

 

grace_and_truth_7: Heb 3:14 For we have become partakers [partners] of Christ, if we hold fast [katecho] the beginning of our assurance firm until the end;

grace_and_truth_7: 2 Co11:3 But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.

 

No one ever sold himself out to the devil and got anything but trouble, and that includes his world system.

 

In eternity past God provided for you, and He provided X number of things to keep you alive. That is simple grace or logistical grace. And, by the way, with these should you be content and if you are not, then you can conclude with certainty that you do not have the capacity for the blessings that stagger the imagination. Many Christians don’t think they exist because so few actually enjoy them because so many have earthly based souls that are never contented with the logistical grace blessings of life.

 

All believers should be content with the blessings that God gives that simply keep them alive, 1Ti 6:8.

 

One cannot say he possesses God’s rest and at that exact time lack contentment.

 

1Ti 6:3 If anyone advocates a different doctrine, and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness [to be very devout],

 

1Ti 6:4 he is conceited [lit. to wrap in smoke: all smoke and no fire] and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions,

 

1Ti 6:5 and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth [opposers of the truth always come in conflict with one another], who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.

 

They profess a godliness or pure devotion but are underneath only devoted to riches and power.

 

2Ti 3:1-5

But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; and avoid such men as these.

 

1Ti 6:6 But godliness actually is a means of great gain, when accompanied by contentment.

 

Being content means that I’m not after riches, and in fact, I’m not after anything and am purely devoted to the plan of God for my life.

 

Those who are very devoted [eusebeia] to the plan of God will be guided, blessed, overcomers, mature, etc. and they know it. That is God’s rest!

 

1Ti 6:7 For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.

 

1Ti 6:8 And if we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.

 

1Ti 6:9 But those who want to get rich [not content] fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction.

 

They’re dumb and they hurt themselves and if continued, they will be ruined and destroyed.

 

1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away [they always go astray; Heb 3:10] from the faith, and pierced themselves with many a pang.

 

Phi 4:10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity.

 

Paul rejoiced because this financial gift was a manifestation of the spiritual growth of the Philippians in that they cared more for the ministry of the gospel than their own comfort.

 

Phi 4:11 Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.

 

Phi 4:12 I know how to get along with humble means [to be brought low or abased], and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.

 

Phi 4:13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

 

So, in eternity past God provided for you, and He provided X number of things to keep you alive. Then He provided for you X number of blessings whereby you would enjoy life and put the devil right back on his angelic ear. That is the super-grace area or the result of you exploiting grace. The first factor doesn’t depend on anything, God is keeping you alive whether you like it or not. The second factor does depend on your attitude toward doctrine — a non-meritorious attitude, that is always the way of grace, it never changes. Therefore, we must retain our assurance in His ability and stand under His character and so increase in our priesthood rather than denying it. Your true essence is that of a royal priest. Stand under that priesthood.

 

The writer now repeats Psa 95 but with a repetition that thoroughly emphasizes the unbelief of those who were delivered from the bondage of Egypt.

 

Heb 3:15 while it is said,

"Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts, as when they provoked Me."

 

This is a hardening after hearing the word of God. The rejection of doctrine leads to scar tissue on the soul and the more scar tissue there is the harder the heart becomes and the conscience becomes seared. A seared or cauterized conscience losses sensitivity to God’s voice, the things of God, and the people of God.

 

1Ti 4:1-2

But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron,

 

Spiritual manna, or Bible doctrine, is the daily food. If it is eaten the cup grows that indicates capacity for blessing, and when God blesses, that cup overflows.

 

Satan’s world system has a bunch of stumbling blocks already in place designed to make the believer fear that the daily manna isn’t enough and that God will not take them to the Promised Land as He promised; that God will not provide and that He will forsake. Those who fall into these pits without recovery desire more than manna and want to go back to Egypt.

 

Heb 3:16 For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses?

 

Heb 3:17 And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?

 

Heb 3:18 And to whom did He swear that they should not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient?

 

Heb 3:19 And so we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.

 

It was not because God discriminated but because of their unbelief.

 

Heb 4:1 Therefore, let us fear lest, while a promise remains [left behind] of entering His rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it.


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