The Sword That Keeps the Way
February 22, 2014
MF Blume
Gen 3:24 KJV So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the
garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way,
to keep the way of the tree of life.
When God cast man out of the Garden of Eden, the way into the Garden --
the pathway -- was given a sword beside cherubim that would KEEP THE
WAY.
- It would PROTECT that way.
- Sinful man could not get in. So, it protected the way from sinners.
- But it also protected it in another manner.
- It has to do with how it kept sinners out.
- It was not a wall.
- It was a cutting device.
- If God wanted mankind out completely then it would have been a wall he erected there.
- But He put a cutting device.
- A sword.
The sword is the WORD OF GOD in the bible.
Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper
than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul
and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the
thoughts and intents of the heart.
The one who builds walls against God's people is the enemy.
- The greatest form of walls from the enemy are walls of unbelief.
- He wanted us out of the Garden, so he tempted mankind to sin and they sinned.
- After man was out, satan wanted to keep man out.
The New Testament tells us in Hebrews 3 through 4 that we have a REST
to enter into just like mankind left the Garden of Eden and we must get
back in.
- In fact this picture of God's people being in a place for them
and leaving with need of getting back in again is in many stories of
the Bible.
- Abraham was actually in the promised land but his descendants had
to leave and go into Egypt when Joseph was there because of famine.
- So later when the people became slaves, God wanted to return them to the promised land.
And when Joshua was ready to take them in, we read this similar picture that reminds us of the Garden and the Sword.
Jos 5:13-15 KJVR And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that
he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over
against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him,
and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? (14) And he
said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And
Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto
him, What saith my lord unto his servant?
Just as Adam was in a Garden where a sword stood at the entrance,
Joshua came to the edge of the promised land where an angel stood with
a sword.
And Hebrews makes a statement about that same EXODUS JOURNEY, and compares it to us entering God's will for us:
Heb 3:16 For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.
Heb 3:17 But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with
them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?
Heb 3:18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?
Heb 3:19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
Heb 4:1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of
entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
Heb 4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them:
but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith
in them that heard it.
And talking about entrance and God's desire to lead us back HOME,
Heb 4:11-12 KJV Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest
any man fall after the same example of unbelief. (12) For the word of
God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword,
piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the
joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of
the heart.
A SWORD is associated with OUR ENTRANCE.
- Just like Adam's entrance to the Garden and Israel's entrance to the promised land, WE HAVE A SWORD TO DEAL WITH.
Putting the EXODUS story together with the GARDEN story, since BOTH had an entrance guarded by a sword, we see something.
THE ENEMY BUILT WALLS TO KEEP US OUT.
- It's like satan managed to tempt man to have God throw us from
the Garden, and after we left the devil set out to erect walls to keep
us out.
The cutting device of the sword would keep sinners out, but not mankind.
- You might think all men are sinners, so how could that be?
- God USES THAT SWORD to CUT AWAY SIN AND UNBELIEF so that we're
freed from what keeps us out of the garden to be able to go back in.
And though satan built walls to keep us out, there is no wall high
enough or thick enough that the devil can build that the SWORD OF GOD
CANNOT DEAL WITH.
Israel faced the walls of Jericho, but God was there with the SWORD.
It was walls that made Israel doubt they could enter decades before.
Num 13:27 And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither
thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is
the fruit of it.
Num 13:28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land,
and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the
children of Anak there.
What did the bible say we must walk by instead of not walking by another manner?
2Co 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
Num 13:33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come
of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we
were in their sight.
Notice they said
Num 13:31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.
The enemy was stronger than this group they called "US." "WE"
Joshua spoke up and talked about this group called "US".
"You know that group you just spoke about that you called 'US'? Well that group has someone with them."
Num 14:8 If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this
land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.
Num 14:9 Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the
people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is
departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.
GOD IS WITH US.
Exo 3:17 And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction
of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the
Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto
a land flowing with milk and honey.
Joshua remembered that word.
It was like a sword cutting away the unbelief when he saw the walls and giants.
Heb 3:18-4:3 KJV And to whom sware he that they should not enter into
his rest, but to them that believed not? (19) So we see that they could
not enter in because of unbelief. (4:1) Let us therefore fear, lest, a
promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem
to come short of it. (2) For unto us was the gospel preached, as well
as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being
mixed with faith in them that heard it. (3) For we which have believed
do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they
shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the
foundation of the world.
If the word is a sword and it needs to be mixed with our faith so we do
not DOUBT to be able to enter the REST, then the sword of the Word
obviously cuts away doubt and unbelief.
It says those who BELIEVE enter and those who LABOUR enter.
Hebrews takes two parts of two different stories from the Old Testament and speaks to Christians today.
- The sword stood at the entrance of both the Garden of Eden and the Land of Canaan in Joshua's day.
And it just so happens that Hebrews 4, when it mentions the sword of
the word, spoke about Israel not entering Canaan due to unbelief forty
years before Joshua finally did lead Israel in.
So, when Israel left Egypt there was a sword ahead of them.
- When they would finally enter Canaan successfully, after ridding
themselves of the doubt that hindered them the first time, a sword
would be there.
Notice what had to be done in order for Israel, and ourselves, to enter our place of promise.
Heb 4:1-2 KJVR Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of
entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. (2)
For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word
preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that
heard it.
There is a MIXING OF THE WORD WITH FAITH that must be accomplished.
Israel failed to do it.
And their failure to do that made them unbelievers and doubters that they could ENTER.
This SAME WORD they had to mix with faith is called a SWORD later on in verse 12.
- And we are told we must labour to ENTER, just as Israel was supposed to ENTER Canaan, for a REASON.
- In other words this LABOUR is going to make us successful.
- We will enter this rest, whatever this rest is, if we commit this labour.
- Now, we were just told in verse 2 that we must mix the Word with faith.
- THE LABOUR IS MIXING THE WORD WITH FAITH.
- That is the labour most of Israel failed to perform.
Heb 4:11-12 KJVR Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest
any man fall after the same example of unbelief. (12) For the word of
God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword,
piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the
joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of
the heart.
And we are told to LABOUR, BECAUSE, or FOR, the word of God is sharper than any other sword.
- Labour because the word you mix with faith, or the sword you mix
with faith, IN THIS LABOUR, is sharper than any other sword and pierces
to even divide soul and spirit!
- Swords CUT.
- Why would we want a sword to CUT us?
- If the labour is mixing the word/sword with faith, then there is a cutting associated with OUR FAITH that must occur.
- So why would CUTTING be associated with faith as a solid and sure reason we should commit the labour of CUTTING?
- IT IS BECAUSE IT CUTS AWAY UNBELIEF.
Mixing the sword with what faith we have CUTS AWAY UNBELIEF THAT IS THERE.
When God's word instructs us,we learn and the sword cuts away unbelief.
That is unbelief that keeps us out,
So, use that SWORD and mix it with faith, because that SWORD is the WORD that CUTS AWAY UNBELIEF.
When you read of the man with sword, next chapter continues and he speaks as God. And says this...
Jos 6:4-5 KJVR And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven
trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city
seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. (5) And it
shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's
horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall
shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down
flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.
THE WALLS -- the very things that made Israel DOUBT beforehand -- WOULD FALL FLAT.
How would you like to see the things that you fear and that keep you from getting into God's perfect will FALL FLAT BEFORE YOU?
And after Hebrews mentions about entering A REST by mixing the WORD
with faith TO CUT AWAY OUR UNBELIEF that would otherwise cause us to
not enter, we read about a certain TEACHING and UNDERSTANDING
associated with ENTERING.
Notice ENTERING IS MENTIONED AGAIN in Hebrews 10.
Heb 10:19-23 KJVR Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into
the holiest by the blood of Jesus, (20) By a new and living way, which
he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his
flesh; (21) And having a high priest over the house of God; (22) Let us
draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our
hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with
pure water. (23) Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without
wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
The word "THEREFORE" in verse 19 indicates that he just wrote something
to us before this verse that IS THE CAUSE for us to have boldness so we
can enter.
- If we can learn this message and this lesson that he wrote before
verse 19, we will have the boldness we need to enter the MOST HOLY
PLACE.
- The most holy place is a spiritual plain wherein we are BOLD and have LOST FEAR.
- It is the REST from chapter 4.
We must read Hebrews words before verse 19 and find what this WORD is
that is LIKE A SWORD that cuts away fear and unbelief so we can BOLDLY
ENTER.
Heb 10:1-4 KJVR For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and
not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which
they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto
perfect. (2) For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because
that the worshipers once purged should have had no more conscience of
sins. (3) But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of
sins every year. (4) For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and
of goats should take away sins.
First of all understand that the old testament sacrifices are explained
as not being able to ACTUALLY TAKE AWAY SINS from people.
- And the reason they continued year after year in being offered was because sins were not done away with by them.
- The text reasons that if the sacrifices could take away sins, then they would not continue every year, but stop and cease.
- But every year when another sacrifice was given, everyone's mind was directed towards SIN.
"Here we go again! SIN! We have to deal with sin again, and we will do the same thing again next year."
Heb 10:5-7 KJVR Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith,
Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared
me: (6) In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no
pleasure. (7) Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is
written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
Heb 10:8-10 KJVR Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt
offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst
pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; (9) Then said he, Lo, I
come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may
establish the second. (10) By the which will we are sanctified through
the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
This means that Christ's prophesied words imply the sacrifices and
offerings would be TAKEN AWAY, so He could establish THE SECOND ITEM...
THE WILL OF GOD.
- Take away the first item of sacrifices and leave the second item of God's will all along.
His will was TO ONCE AND FOR ALL TIME SANCTIFY US by the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ!
- ONCE... not year after year after year.
Heb 10:11-12 KJVR And every priest standeth daily ministering and
offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away
sins: (12) But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins
forever, sat down on the right hand of God;
The priests stood every day with no chairs for them to sit upon in the temple,
- since it indicated their WORK WAS NEVER DONE!
- Your work will never be done either if you start working to make yourself pleasing to God.
- But CHRIST OFFERED HIMSELF ONCE, and then SAT DOWN FOREVER afterwards!
- THE WORK IS DONE!
BY ONE OFFERING He completed and perfected all the work ever deemed
necessary to affect our lives so we can ENTER THIS PLACE OF REST!
- He perfected or COMPLETED the necessary work.
- If you still continue in some fears and worries and cannot
spiritually REST through all life's circumstances, you never got this
message sliced into your heart yet.
Heb 10:14 KJVR For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.
Heb 10:15-17 KJVR Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for
after that he had said before, (16) This is the covenant that I will
make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws
into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; (17) And their
sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
The Holy Ghost moved upon men in the Old Testament to write these words
of a NEW COVENANT where God puts LAWS into our hearts, and FORGETS OUR
INIQUITIES.
- That last thought, of remembering no more their sins and
iniquities, means we need not even have a conscience of sins and
iniquities any more.
- FORGET ABOUT THEM!
- That means something COMPLETED the work.
- Our old Sins and iniquities were no more a concern to God!
Heb 10:18 KJVR Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
Paul's whole point was Christ's sacrifice was ONE.
- No more are necessary.
- And Paul said the prophecy of OUR COVENANT causing God to forget
our iniquities means there is no more need for a sacrifice with
whatever sacrifice provided such a situation in the believers of this
covenant!
And after saying all of that, HE SAYS THEREFORE HAVE BOLDNESS TO ENTER THE MOST HOLY PLACE!
Heb 10:19-22 KJVR Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into
the holiest by the blood of Jesus, (20) By a new and living way, which
he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his
flesh; (21) And having a high priest over the house of God; (22) Let us
draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our
hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with
pure water.
When you read that word and believe it, mixing it with faith in your
heart, the sword goes to work and CUTS AWAY all your unbelief.
- All the unbelief that says you are not strong enough, is cut away when you read GOD IS WITH YOU.
- The sword slices that away.
You read that centuries of sacrifices and offerings could not move God and satisfy Him.
- God was never wellpleased with any of that.
- Jesus said He came to do the will of the Father.
- He came to STOP sacrifices.
- He'd offer Himself as such a perfect sacrifice that sin would
never again be an issue in the mind of God as it was in all those
thousands of years before in sacrifices that could not take them away.
He died and in a mere six hours offered a sacrifice to death that
accomplished the task to such an extent, that the sins that were
forever plaguing the consciences of mankind, that sacrifices could
never remove, were FORGOTTEN by God!
THEIR SINS AND INIQUITIES WILL I REMEMBER NO MORE.
- He called that REMISSION OF SINS.
Heb 10:3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
God forgets sins due to Jesus' sacrifice.
How holy and perfect must it have been?
That offering of Himself so satisfied God the Father that it forever perfected us.
- It actually caused God to change covenants.
- The first covenant was removed so the second one could be established.
- In contrast to all of the old covenant sacrifices that could
never take away sins of only one nation, His single sacrifice took away
sins from people for over 2,000 years so far, and even covered the sins
of people who sought and served God since the time of Adam and Eve!
- Plus people not even born yet.
How pure and holy was the sacrifice of Jesus for it to move God to
forget our sins, after 15 centuries of sacrifices from the old covenant
did not accomplish anything close to it?
- Hebrews 10 opens up the ultimate degree of obedience that HIs sacrifice was based upon.
We think we have to live so perfectly, when God looks at one thing only
-- the death and obedience that made that death so perfect, of Jesus
Christ.
- Stop looking at how much you can perform to please God.
- Our best deeds are microscopic nothingness by comparison.
- Look at how perfect and obedient Jesus was the next time you
consider whether or not God loves you, and realize that He loves on the
basis of how much obedience Christ accomplished in his sacrifice for
YOUR SINS.
- How could we ever feel like losers again after knowing what God considers when he looks at us?
- When the devil tries to inflict doubt upon you for God's love, knowing this you can laugh hysterically at him now!
And we condemn ourselves for our pasts and ask God to forgive us in the
name of the one who lived such a perfect spotless life, all so His
death into which we are baptized is so satisfying to God in obedience
that God forgets, forgives our sins, and changes covenants to no longer
require burnt offerings and sacrifices ever again.
- To end 15 centuries of sacrifices, and sacrifices that go back before the Old Covenant another 2,500 years -- 25 centuries.
- 40 centuries of sacrifices!
We think we have to live so perfectly, when God looks at one thing only
-- the death and obedience that made that death so perfect, of Jesus
Christ.
- Stop looking at how much you can perform to please God.
- Our best deeds are microscopic nothingness by comparison.
- Look at how perfect and obedient Jesus was the next time you
consider whether or not God loves you, and realize that He loves on the
basis of how much obedience Christ accomplished in his sacrifice for
YOUR SINS.
- How could we ever feel like losers again after knowing what God considers when he looks at us?
- When the devil tries to inflict doubt upon you for God's love, knowing this you can laugh hysterically at him now!
Now you can appreciate this next verse far more than ever before:
Rom 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea
rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who
also maketh intercession for us.
God looks at the work JESUS did on the cross in order to be pleased with us.
Isa 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be
satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many;
for he shall bear their iniquities.
The angel told Joshua to take 7 rams horns and blow them and the walls would fall flat.
Rev 5:6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the
four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had
been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven
Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
Jesus is seen with seven horns after he died and resurrected.
Rev 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou 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;
HE IS WORTHY.
- BY HIS BLOOD He redeemed us.
- That means by HIS DEATH.
- That changed covenants.
- That caused God to forget our sins.
- That even made us kings and priests.
Rev 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
The FULL and COMPLETE power of GOD is on Jesus and BY THAT POWER the walls fall down.
- Not the power of your goodness.
Jesus lived for 33 years without sinning one single time all so that He
would be that perfect in his sacrifice to cause GOD TO forget our sins.
And we get concerned over not being good enough.
Not only that, but for Christians who sin and have no convictions with
cold hearts, the thought of JESUS making sure he was that perfect a
sacrifice to live 33 years without sinning, will put a fear of God our
hearts to NOT BE SO LOOSE WITH SIN.
How could I sin and think nothing of it when I realize Jesus made that much a commitment because he loved me?
That word of the SWORD will cut away all the sin of looseness, too.