Upholding the Ark & Enjoying a Better Resurrection

January 18, 2015
MF Blume

1Ch 15:2 KJV Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the Levites: for them hath the LORD chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minister unto him for ever.

Jos 3:8 KJV And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.

Jos 6:4 KJV 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.

Jos 6:6 KJV And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD.

The ark represents all that we have studied about concerning our deaths with Jesus, and resurrections with Him.

Lev 16:14 KJV And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.

Lev 16:17 KJV And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel.

No man because MAN IS NOT INVOLVED IN CAUSING ATONEMENT AND SALVATION.

Just the work of the high priest ALONE with GOD.
JESUS’ work of the cross atoned for us.
YOUR WORKS ARE NOT INVOLVED.

Lev 16:30 KJV For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.

Atonement is exactly what Jesus did for us.

Rom 5:11 KJV And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

Rom 6:11 KJV Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

We died to sin and are alive to God THROUGH JESUS.

And we also JOY in God through Jesus!
Through His death that we’ve been baptized into, we died and are risen and seated on the throne with Him.

We are resurrected from an old life of sin and all we did wrong in life, and all that God did not like about us.

We are made righteous.
Romans 5 says we’re made righteous…

Rom 5:17 KJV For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

And death with Jesus.

Rom 6:3-4 KJV Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? (4) Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

So we are resurrected.

And we need to look at ourselves like that and present ourselves to God like that when we pray.

Rom 6:13 KJV Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

So when we understand these things and live according to them, we are living a resurrection life.

We’re walking in newness of life.
WALKING in something means you are actually enjoying it and its benefits.

Some believers are not walking in newness of life since they understand none of these things and they do not understand anything about being alive from the dead right now before Jesus comes to take us to be with Him.

Since the Ark of the covenant, and its atonement blood sprinkled on it seven times (which means FULLNESS – we’ve been fully atoned for), represents all of this, then living a resurrected life is and walking in this newness of life is UPHOLDING THE ARK!

It’s like you‘re upholding faith in all of this truth.
When you deal with situations and hold on to your faith that Christ’s death was shared by you and you arose with Him to be seated with Him on His throne (which the ark’s mercyseat represents—from the cross to the throne is seen in the blood on the mercyseat) , then you are someone who is upholding the ark of the covenant!

Israel’s priests upheld that ark and walked into Jordan to see God open it up.

They held it up and carried it around the walls of Jericho, and God brought the walls down on the seventh day.
Seven times the blood was sprinkled on the lid.
Seven days they marched around the walls.
Seven times the seventh day.
Seven trumpets of ram’s horns were accompanying the ark and blown when the seventh time around the walls occurred.
Jesus is the atonement LAMB with seven eyes and horns.
FULLNESS is screaming out at us everytime we see the ATONEMENT and the ARK mentioned.
WE ARE COMPLETE IN CHRIST!

Inside that ARK were three items.

Heb 9:4 KJV Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;

Most notable was LAW.

Ten Commandments.

The Law of Moses stands for the ministry of condemnation and death.

2Co 3:3-9 KJV Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart. (4) And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: (5) Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; (6) Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. (7) But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: (8) How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? (9) For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

Covering that LAW was the MERCY SEAT.

Can you see how the picture of a ministration of death that is underneath a lid of the ark called the mercyseat, that had blood of atonement sprinkled on it seven full times, stands for MERCY by ATONEMENT covering over the Law so we do not die?

1Sa 6:13 KJV And they of Bethshemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley: and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.

1Sa 6:19 KJV And he smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the LORD, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the LORD had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.

To look into the ark, required them to REMOVE THE MERCYSEAT.

You remove mercy, AND YOU’RE LEFT WITH KEEPING THE LAW THAT YOU CANNOT KEEP, AND YOU WILL DIE.
You’re not enjoying the resurrection life.
You’re not upholding faith in the WORK OF THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD TO MAKE ATONEMENT between you and God.
That shedding of blood in sacrifice made you at one with a God who was separated from you because of your sin.
And not only are you “at one” (at-oned) with God, but you were made at one with the sacrifice of Jesus, in that His death was your death.

Removing the LID stands for removing all of that truth!
So when you MAINTAIN your faith in God, you are carrying the ark and keeping the mercyseat lid over tip of the LAW that kills!

RESURRECTION LIFE VICTORY.

THIRD DAY FAITH!

Recall Jesus resurrected the third day.
Jesus was dead for three days before the resurrection.
Many believers know they died and were buried with Jesus, but they’re not enjoying resurrection life because they do not understand the benefits of the cross and resurrection, and they do not see themselves as people alive from the dead.
If you see yourself as fully righteous, enough that condemnation cannot defeat you since you know anything to be condemned about was crucified and you resurrected from that mess, then you are enjoying resurrection life.
You are upholding the ark.
You believe GOD WILL carry you through walls of enemies and Jordan rivers of hardships in life.

But there is a very powerful and better resurrection than all of that!

Heb 11:32-38 KJV And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: (33) Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, (34) Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. (35) Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: (36) And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: (37) They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (38) (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

A BETTER RESURRECTION will be enjoyed by people who refused deliverance and did not need it to continue serving God.

That is actually going to happen.
We’re going to see people get far more rewards and honour after the resurrection takes us to the white throne judgment than what other saved people will experience.
The people who do not need deliverance to serve God have stronger faith and will have a better resurrection.

BUT TRANSLATE THAT INTO THE SPIRITUAL RESURRECTION WE HAVE NOW that we should walk in and present ourselves to God with.

WHEN YOU ARE PRAYING TO GOD FOR HELP AND DELIVERANCE FROM TROUBLES, BUT DO NOT NEED GOD TO DELIVER YOU FROM THEM TO KEEP ON SERVING GOD, YOU ALREADY ARE ENJOYING A BETTER RESURRECTION!
Resurrection is victory over the grave and the enemy.
And BETTER RESURRECTION means BETTER VICTORY!
It is greater victory to not require deliverance to stay saved and serve God strongly.
You are walking in a more powerful newness of life than most while some never walk in any of it at all!

Dan 3:15-18 KJV Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? (16) Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. (17) If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. (18) But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

EVEN IF WE ARE NOT DELIVERED, WE WILL STILL SERVE GOD AND DIE DOING SO!

Job 13:15 KJV Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.

Pro 28:1 KJV The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.

While wicked flee when no danger actually exists, the righteous do face troubles and they REMAIN AS BOLD AS LIONS.

What a contrast!

It doesn’t mean you lack faith, when it may for some people.

But you are so strong that God knows you do not require deliverance to continue with Him.
Always seek and believe God for deliverance.
But have the attitude, even if He doesn’t deliver you, then you still will stand upholding the ark and maintaining you are alive from the dead and have strong faith in God, and even minister to others at the same time.
Some cannot minister to anyone else since they get so caught up in their own problems.
But you can, and not only that, while you seek God for deliverance and still not get it, and you still minister to others!

SERMONS