The Lord’s Work – Part 15
Carnal ordinances, carnal things, and carnal man himself, are (like) shadows.
Hebrews 8:4 For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:
In other words, if Jesus was earthly, carnal… If His ministry was according to the flesh, if His sacrifice/atonement/service was earthly instead of heavenly, He should not be a high priest… Because God already had earthly high priests. High priests…
Hebrews 8:5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
The things of the law – earthly things – are the example and shadow of heavenly things.
This is what man’s good works are: unto examples and shadows of heavenly things.
This is what the whole world serves unto: examples and shadows of heavenly things.
When man does a good work, it is according to a pattern, an example shown to him. A shadow shown to him. Maybe shown by God, maybe shown by their father the devil, or maybe by other men (Adam?).
Moses built the tabernacle according to a pattern shown to him in the mount. A mere description of the form of the true tabernacle.
Israel was working according to a pattern shown to them in the mount: the ten commandments. A mere description of the form of a perfect man. A shadow of a perfect man!
Man’s good works are unto an example. Unto a shadow. And as long as they are carnal works in carnal things, which things are done unto (to look like) an example given to us, they are a shadow.
All of man’s works are attempts to do what can only be truly done, or build what can only be truly built, or look like what can only be truly observed in the Spirit, and in the truth. We’ve seen shadows of good things, and we try to do those same things shown to us. We pattern ourselves after those works. We are acting like true men, because we are spies, and we have been shown a pattern. But our works are reprobate.
Our works are unto a good pattern. It’s a good pattern. Nothing is wrong with the pattern. But it is JUST a patter. We’ve been told what a good man looks like, and we build ourselves according to that pattern. We tell ourselves, “God says a good man must be righteous, and love, give, and don’t lie, and don’t steal, don’t hate your neighbor, don’t commit adultery, don’t sin. So, we will establish ourselves as that! We will build ourselves according to that pattern!” We go here:
Psalms 15:1-5 … LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? 2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. 3 He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour. 4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not. 5 He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
Here are the things! Here are the doings. Here is the pattern, the shadow! Here is the outline of a true man. Here are the markings of a perfect man!
Psalms 37:37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.
A perfect man will have peace. He will ascend to heaven. Man says, “Aha, here I have marked his pattern. I will establish myself as that!”
But you have not seen a true perfect man. You’ve only seen his shadow. You’ve marked the shadow!
You say, “I will establish myself as a perfect man!” But you can’t be that!
Ecclesiastes 7:20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
You can mark that perfect man’s shadow, but with your eyes you have not marked a true perfect man.
You cannot be a true perfect man. You cannot NOT sin.
Now, man can work according to that shadow, and according to that pattern. But man can’t do these things IN truth. You can’t do the pattern perfectly, without iniquity.
You cannot perfectly emulate a perfect man.
And even if you could, even if you stopped sinning and only did good things… you would STILL only be established as the shadow of a perfect man. You would not be a true perfect man. You would just have a similar shadow! One shadow can look like another, but that does not mean the true things that control the shadows are identical.
Job was called a “perfect man”, but I must believe it was only in shadow, under whatever carnal ordinances / law was given to him for the time then present. According to the shadow, he was a perfect and upright man. I have to believe that because there is only one true perfect man, but He is not upon earth:
–
Ephesians 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
He and His body are the perfect man. We, by knowledge of Him and faith in Him, will one day, in flesh as in spirit, dwell in Him and BE that man. That man will forever be the ONLY perfect man. You must live in Him, or you are not a true perfect man.
We’ve marked His shadow, but there is only one way to be a perfect man: to be IN Christ Jesus.
Colossians 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
You cannot be perfect outside of Jesus. But you CAN be outside of Him and serve unto the shadow of that perfect man.
Men are working to build fake (shadows of) good works. Man brings forth fake fruit. Shadows of real good fruit.
Even the high priests serving the Lord in Israel were not doing true good things. They were doing a shadow of good things. They were serving unto a shadow of the true heavenly things.
Hebrews 8:5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, …
Is there a better carnal work than that? Is there a better vocation? If being a minister of God is not true good, then what carnal work/vocation is? If making offerings and sprinkling blood to cleanse the house of God is not true good, then what offering is? If entering in to the most holy place once a year to atone for the sins of others was not true good, then what carnal work/vocation is? None! If those things were not true good, then there is no true good in this world. They are ALL fake – at best, goodly looking shadows!
Hebrews 9:19-21 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, 20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. 21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.
What things did He sprinkle with blood? He sprinkled the people, and all the things of the service of the Lord. All the good things. Those are the very best of the good things that this world offers!
Hebrews 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. 23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens [that is, the things on the Earth] should be purified with these [carnal sacrifices]; but the heavenly things themselves [the true things] with better sacrifices than these [i.e., heavenly things]. 24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
Jesus Christ was the true high priest who entered into the true tabernacle in heaven with His own pure spiritual blood. If his sacrifice was carnal (a shadow), it would not have profited in heavenly places.
There is (rather was) a way to be clean, under the law. BLOOD and water. Jesus came, not by water only, but by water and blood. Without blood and water, there is no remission of sins.
These carnal sacrifices under the law cleansed one’s flesh, but could not clean one’s spirit. One was still guilty. One was still alive in the flesh, and dead in sins. One’s nature was unchanged. One’s conscience was unchanged as well. After an OT sacrifice, one was still completely carnal.
If all Jesus did was an earthly sacrifice, death, and resurrection, we would have no eternal life. Those are the shadows, the figures of the true. He needed to do the true! He needed to atone for sins in the true tabernacle in heaven itself! That was required to atone for sins in truth! That is the only way a soul could be cleansed, spiritually: by a spiritual, heavenly sacrifice.
There is a cleanliness that can be achieved, there is good that can be done… under the law! But those things are not the true. Those are the figures of the true. Carnal things, carnal works are the shadows, figures of the true. The things made with hands are figures, shadows, of the true. Moses’ tabernacle. Solomon’s temple. Jerusalem. The giving of the law, the good works of the law. All shadows.
The things we do, the good things man works in this world, are shadows, figures.
The best that man can work is a figure of the true. Talk about idolatry! The good things that we work are idolatry.
—
The law is good. But the law is not TRUE good. At least, it does not give man the ability to work true good. The best that a man can work under the law is a shadow, a pattern of righteousness.
Galatians 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
If the natural/carnal laws could give eternal life, righteousness would have been by the law.
If righteousness were by the law, we would be able to make ourselves righteous by obeying the law.
If a man can work true good, he IS good, and he will have eternal life.
If a single work of the law was TRUE good, we would be able to do it and thus have TRUE righteousness.
And we could save ourselves with our righteousness! With our true good works!
But the law does not have true good, it only has a shadow of true good, and thus true righteousness – God’s righteousness, eternal life – is not by the law.
There is a righteousness which is of the law, but it is “mine own righteousness, which is of the law” and the Bible says “all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags”. So the righteousness of the law is a shadow, made of filthy rags. It is not true righteousness. The law was a shadow of true good, and not the very true good itself.
Galatians 3:15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.
Yes it was given by God, written by His hand. But it was OF man, FOR man, to be seen of MEN. It was fleshly, worldly. It stood in carnal things. It stood in carnal, fleshly sacrifices. Thus, it was temporary, and thus it was WEAK!
Romans 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
Obeying the law does not constitute true good. But this is man’s hope. This is his justification. This is his proof. Carnal works. Weak carnal laws. There is weakness in his hope! Man is trusting a shadow, that will flee away when the sun rises. A flower that will wither, a vapour that will vanish when the heat of the Son comes on that day.
Figures
Man’s works are fake!
FAKE? How are they fake? What are they, if not true?
They are figures.. figures of the true!
Hebrews 9:23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens [that is, the things on the Earth] should be purified with these [carnal sacrifices]; but the heavenly things themselves [the true things] with better sacrifices than these [heavenly things]. 24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
“Heavenly things” are the true things, and earthly things are the figures.
Things made with hands are the figures of the true!!!!
You saw these 2 of 3 occurrences of “heavenly things”:
Hebrews 9:23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
Hebrews 8:5 … Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things …
There are “heavenly things” which are the true things, and there are earthly things which are figures.
Heavenly things are the true good things. Earthly things, man-made things, things made with hands, man’s works, our good works, our good things, they are examples and shadows of the true good things; they are patterns of the heavenly things.
Earthly things are a shadow of heavenly things. Earthly things are not THE TRUE.
And this is the 3rd and ONLY other instance of “heavenly things” in the Bible.
John 3:6-12 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 … Ye must be born again. … 12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
Whatsoever things are born of flesh, are not the true things.
It is the spiritual things that are the true things. One must be born spiritually to be accepted as a true man, and not a spy.
—
Heavenly things are “the true”, and earthly things …
Hebrews 9:24 … are the figures of the true; …
Let’s talk about “THE TRUE”. (14 times) Those things under the law were figures of THE TRUE. But there is one body, one vine, one building, one tabernacle that is THE TRUE.
Hebrews 8:2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
THE TRUE is what the Lord builds (works), and not man. Nothing we work is THE TRUE. No matter how accurate the pattern! Heavenly things are THE TRUE, and earthly things are NOT the true. THE TRUE must be built spiritually IN HEAVEN. New Jerusalem is THE TRUE temple.
Luke 16:11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
The saved souls of mankind, and the substance that feeds them in eternity, are THE TRUE riches.
In this world, people are the real riches are they not? Possessions can be replaced, but not people. Power, Money, Fame will not make you happy. People, friends, family, are what we should, and often do, most value.
Has anyone ever gotten to the end of their lives and said, “Man, I just had too many children… I had too big of a family”? “I just spent too much time with my family.”
To man, people are the true riches. People are what really has true value.
And yet, carnal, unrighteous mankind are not THE TRUE riches. True riches are spiritual people. God’s family, His friends, His loved ones.
“The True” is spiritual!
John 6:31-32 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. 32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.
The Scripture was not wrong. God indeed gave them bread from heaven (angel’s food)… so how can Jesus say that He did not?!?!
Because carnal things are not THE TRUE. Moses truly gave them bread from heaven, but Moses did NOT give Israel THE TRUE bread from heaven. That bread was a shadow, a figure of the true. That bread was corruptible. To eat that bread did not give eternal life, and to eat that bread did not count as having eaten THE TRUE bread from heaven. Moses gave them water out of a rock. But Moses did not give them THE TRUE water out of the Rock. Having drunk of that Rock, as long as the water was carnal and not spiritual, did not count as having drunk THE TRUE living water from the Rock.
Carnal things are not the true. The true is the spiritual. The true is the body of Christ. True good works must be done in THE TRUE. Do your works in THE TRUE. Work good in THE TRUE! How??
John 15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. … 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Jesus is the true. Only in that vine – THE TRUE vine can one produce good fruit. Abide in that vine, or there is no ability to work TRUE good. Without (outside of) Christ, ye do NOTHING. Unsaved, natural man, abiding outside of THE TRUE vine, can do nothing!!
This is where we must draw the line! Your works are in the flesh or in the Holy Spirit. Divide! Flesh vs. Spirit. The True vs. the figure of the true.
The law is light the Bible says… but that light was like a little candle in darkness…
It, the law itself, as it stood in carnal, natural things, was a shadow; a figure.
It could guide you. It could keep you near to where the Lord wanted you to be, it could keep you humble and prepare you to hear the truth. But the law was a temporary candle. A figure of the true. The law was not THE TRUE light of God.
1 John 2:8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.
The Gospel is the TRUE light. Jesus is THE TRUE. Jesus is the only way for us to do THE TRUE.
Jesus is the only way for us to do the true will of God.
Jesus is the only way for us to do the true works of the Lord.
Jesus is the only way for us to do the true good works.
Jesus is the only way for us to bring forth the true good fruit.
Nov 1 2020
The Lord’s Work – Part 15
Downloadable Word document:
The Lord’s Work – Part 15
The Lord’s Work – Part 15
Carnal ordinances, carnal things, and carnal man himself, are (like) shadows.
Hebrews 8:4 For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:
In other words, if Jesus was earthly, carnal… If His ministry was according to the flesh, if His sacrifice/atonement/service was earthly instead of heavenly, He should not be a high priest… Because God already had earthly high priests. High priests…
Hebrews 8:5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
The things of the law – earthly things – are the example and shadow of heavenly things.
This is what man’s good works are: unto examples and shadows of heavenly things.
This is what the whole world serves unto: examples and shadows of heavenly things.
When man does a good work, it is according to a pattern, an example shown to him. A shadow shown to him. Maybe shown by God, maybe shown by their father the devil, or maybe by other men (Adam?).
Moses built the tabernacle according to a pattern shown to him in the mount. A mere description of the form of the true tabernacle.
Israel was working according to a pattern shown to them in the mount: the ten commandments. A mere description of the form of a perfect man. A shadow of a perfect man!
Man’s good works are unto an example. Unto a shadow. And as long as they are carnal works in carnal things, which things are done unto (to look like) an example given to us, they are a shadow.
All of man’s works are attempts to do what can only be truly done, or build what can only be truly built, or look like what can only be truly observed in the Spirit, and in the truth. We’ve seen shadows of good things, and we try to do those same things shown to us. We pattern ourselves after those works. We are acting like true men, because we are spies, and we have been shown a pattern. But our works are reprobate.
Our works are unto a good pattern. It’s a good pattern. Nothing is wrong with the pattern. But it is JUST a patter. We’ve been told what a good man looks like, and we build ourselves according to that pattern. We tell ourselves, “God says a good man must be righteous, and love, give, and don’t lie, and don’t steal, don’t hate your neighbor, don’t commit adultery, don’t sin. So, we will establish ourselves as that! We will build ourselves according to that pattern!” We go here:
Psalms 15:1-5 … LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? 2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. 3 He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour. 4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not. 5 He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
Here are the things! Here are the doings. Here is the pattern, the shadow! Here is the outline of a true man. Here are the markings of a perfect man!
Psalms 37:37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.
A perfect man will have peace. He will ascend to heaven. Man says, “Aha, here I have marked his pattern. I will establish myself as that!”
But you have not seen a true perfect man. You’ve only seen his shadow. You’ve marked the shadow!
You say, “I will establish myself as a perfect man!” But you can’t be that!
Ecclesiastes 7:20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
You can mark that perfect man’s shadow, but with your eyes you have not marked a true perfect man.
You cannot be a true perfect man. You cannot NOT sin.
Now, man can work according to that shadow, and according to that pattern. But man can’t do these things IN truth. You can’t do the pattern perfectly, without iniquity.
You cannot perfectly emulate a perfect man.
And even if you could, even if you stopped sinning and only did good things… you would STILL only be established as the shadow of a perfect man. You would not be a true perfect man. You would just have a similar shadow! One shadow can look like another, but that does not mean the true things that control the shadows are identical.
Job was called a “perfect man”, but I must believe it was only in shadow, under whatever carnal ordinances / law was given to him for the time then present. According to the shadow, he was a perfect and upright man. I have to believe that because there is only one true perfect man, but He is not upon earth:
–
Ephesians 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
He and His body are the perfect man. We, by knowledge of Him and faith in Him, will one day, in flesh as in spirit, dwell in Him and BE that man. That man will forever be the ONLY perfect man. You must live in Him, or you are not a true perfect man.
We’ve marked His shadow, but there is only one way to be a perfect man: to be IN Christ Jesus.
Colossians 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
You cannot be perfect outside of Jesus. But you CAN be outside of Him and serve unto the shadow of that perfect man.
Men are working to build fake (shadows of) good works. Man brings forth fake fruit. Shadows of real good fruit.
Even the high priests serving the Lord in Israel were not doing true good things. They were doing a shadow of good things. They were serving unto a shadow of the true heavenly things.
Hebrews 8:5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, …
Is there a better carnal work than that? Is there a better vocation? If being a minister of God is not true good, then what carnal work/vocation is? If making offerings and sprinkling blood to cleanse the house of God is not true good, then what offering is? If entering in to the most holy place once a year to atone for the sins of others was not true good, then what carnal work/vocation is? None! If those things were not true good, then there is no true good in this world. They are ALL fake – at best, goodly looking shadows!
Hebrews 9:19-21 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, 20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. 21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.
What things did He sprinkle with blood? He sprinkled the people, and all the things of the service of the Lord. All the good things. Those are the very best of the good things that this world offers!
Hebrews 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. 23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens [that is, the things on the Earth] should be purified with these [carnal sacrifices]; but the heavenly things themselves [the true things] with better sacrifices than these [i.e., heavenly things]. 24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
Jesus Christ was the true high priest who entered into the true tabernacle in heaven with His own pure spiritual blood. If his sacrifice was carnal (a shadow), it would not have profited in heavenly places.
There is (rather was) a way to be clean, under the law. BLOOD and water. Jesus came, not by water only, but by water and blood. Without blood and water, there is no remission of sins.
These carnal sacrifices under the law cleansed one’s flesh, but could not clean one’s spirit. One was still guilty. One was still alive in the flesh, and dead in sins. One’s nature was unchanged. One’s conscience was unchanged as well. After an OT sacrifice, one was still completely carnal.
If all Jesus did was an earthly sacrifice, death, and resurrection, we would have no eternal life. Those are the shadows, the figures of the true. He needed to do the true! He needed to atone for sins in the true tabernacle in heaven itself! That was required to atone for sins in truth! That is the only way a soul could be cleansed, spiritually: by a spiritual, heavenly sacrifice.
There is a cleanliness that can be achieved, there is good that can be done… under the law! But those things are not the true. Those are the figures of the true. Carnal things, carnal works are the shadows, figures of the true. The things made with hands are figures, shadows, of the true. Moses’ tabernacle. Solomon’s temple. Jerusalem. The giving of the law, the good works of the law. All shadows.
The things we do, the good things man works in this world, are shadows, figures.
The best that man can work is a figure of the true. Talk about idolatry! The good things that we work are idolatry.
—
The law is good. But the law is not TRUE good. At least, it does not give man the ability to work true good. The best that a man can work under the law is a shadow, a pattern of righteousness.
Galatians 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
If the natural/carnal laws could give eternal life, righteousness would have been by the law.
If righteousness were by the law, we would be able to make ourselves righteous by obeying the law.
If a man can work true good, he IS good, and he will have eternal life.
If a single work of the law was TRUE good, we would be able to do it and thus have TRUE righteousness.
And we could save ourselves with our righteousness! With our true good works!
But the law does not have true good, it only has a shadow of true good, and thus true righteousness – God’s righteousness, eternal life – is not by the law.
There is a righteousness which is of the law, but it is “mine own righteousness, which is of the law” and the Bible says “all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags”. So the righteousness of the law is a shadow, made of filthy rags. It is not true righteousness. The law was a shadow of true good, and not the very true good itself.
Galatians 3:15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.
Yes it was given by God, written by His hand. But it was OF man, FOR man, to be seen of MEN. It was fleshly, worldly. It stood in carnal things. It stood in carnal, fleshly sacrifices. Thus, it was temporary, and thus it was WEAK!
Romans 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
Obeying the law does not constitute true good. But this is man’s hope. This is his justification. This is his proof. Carnal works. Weak carnal laws. There is weakness in his hope! Man is trusting a shadow, that will flee away when the sun rises. A flower that will wither, a vapour that will vanish when the heat of the Son comes on that day.
Figures
Man’s works are fake!
FAKE? How are they fake? What are they, if not true?
They are figures.. figures of the true!
Hebrews 9:23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens [that is, the things on the Earth] should be purified with these [carnal sacrifices]; but the heavenly things themselves [the true things] with better sacrifices than these [heavenly things]. 24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
“Heavenly things” are the true things, and earthly things are the figures.
Things made with hands are the figures of the true!!!!
You saw these 2 of 3 occurrences of “heavenly things”:
Hebrews 9:23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
Hebrews 8:5 … Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things …
There are “heavenly things” which are the true things, and there are earthly things which are figures.
Heavenly things are the true good things. Earthly things, man-made things, things made with hands, man’s works, our good works, our good things, they are examples and shadows of the true good things; they are patterns of the heavenly things.
Earthly things are a shadow of heavenly things. Earthly things are not THE TRUE.
And this is the 3rd and ONLY other instance of “heavenly things” in the Bible.
John 3:6-12 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 … Ye must be born again. … 12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
Whatsoever things are born of flesh, are not the true things.
It is the spiritual things that are the true things. One must be born spiritually to be accepted as a true man, and not a spy.
—
Heavenly things are “the true”, and earthly things …
Hebrews 9:24 … are the figures of the true; …
Let’s talk about “THE TRUE”. (14 times) Those things under the law were figures of THE TRUE. But there is one body, one vine, one building, one tabernacle that is THE TRUE.
Hebrews 8:2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
THE TRUE is what the Lord builds (works), and not man. Nothing we work is THE TRUE. No matter how accurate the pattern! Heavenly things are THE TRUE, and earthly things are NOT the true. THE TRUE must be built spiritually IN HEAVEN. New Jerusalem is THE TRUE temple.
Luke 16:11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
The saved souls of mankind, and the substance that feeds them in eternity, are THE TRUE riches.
In this world, people are the real riches are they not? Possessions can be replaced, but not people. Power, Money, Fame will not make you happy. People, friends, family, are what we should, and often do, most value.
Has anyone ever gotten to the end of their lives and said, “Man, I just had too many children… I had too big of a family”? “I just spent too much time with my family.”
To man, people are the true riches. People are what really has true value.
And yet, carnal, unrighteous mankind are not THE TRUE riches. True riches are spiritual people. God’s family, His friends, His loved ones.
“The True” is spiritual!
John 6:31-32 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. 32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.
The Scripture was not wrong. God indeed gave them bread from heaven (angel’s food)… so how can Jesus say that He did not?!?!
Because carnal things are not THE TRUE. Moses truly gave them bread from heaven, but Moses did NOT give Israel THE TRUE bread from heaven. That bread was a shadow, a figure of the true. That bread was corruptible. To eat that bread did not give eternal life, and to eat that bread did not count as having eaten THE TRUE bread from heaven. Moses gave them water out of a rock. But Moses did not give them THE TRUE water out of the Rock. Having drunk of that Rock, as long as the water was carnal and not spiritual, did not count as having drunk THE TRUE living water from the Rock.
Carnal things are not the true. The true is the spiritual. The true is the body of Christ. True good works must be done in THE TRUE. Do your works in THE TRUE. Work good in THE TRUE! How??
John 15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. … 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Jesus is the true. Only in that vine – THE TRUE vine can one produce good fruit. Abide in that vine, or there is no ability to work TRUE good. Without (outside of) Christ, ye do NOTHING. Unsaved, natural man, abiding outside of THE TRUE vine, can do nothing!!
This is where we must draw the line! Your works are in the flesh or in the Holy Spirit. Divide! Flesh vs. Spirit. The True vs. the figure of the true.
The law is light the Bible says… but that light was like a little candle in darkness…
It, the law itself, as it stood in carnal, natural things, was a shadow; a figure.
It could guide you. It could keep you near to where the Lord wanted you to be, it could keep you humble and prepare you to hear the truth. But the law was a temporary candle. A figure of the true. The law was not THE TRUE light of God.
1 John 2:8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.
The Gospel is the TRUE light. Jesus is THE TRUE. Jesus is the only way for us to do THE TRUE.
Jesus is the only way for us to do the true will of God.
Jesus is the only way for us to do the true works of the Lord.
Jesus is the only way for us to do the true good works.
Jesus is the only way for us to bring forth the true good fruit.
By Pastor • Salvation • 0