JESUS CHRIST AND THE "HOUSE OF PASSAGE"
(A GREATER EXODUS, AND A GREATER KINGDOM)

January 25, 2004 pm


Joshua 3:14-17
(14)  And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people;
(15)  And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)
(16)  That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.
(17)  And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.

Joshua 4:1-10
(1)  And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying,
(2)  Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man,
(3)  And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests' feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night.
(4)  Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man:
(5)  And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of Jordan, and take ye up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel:
(6)  That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?
(7)  Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.
(8)  And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, as the LORD spake unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down there.
(9)  And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there unto this day.
(10)  For the priests which bare the ark stood in the midst of Jordan, until every thing was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the people hasted and passed over.



We must note that Joshua took Israel over the Jordan, and was instructed by God to have a man from each of the twelve tribes take one stone from the very spot where the priests' feet firmly stood, as they held up the ark of the covenant.

And then Joshua laid twelve stones back in the very location from where the former stones were removed.
  • I want to give you a message from the Lord concerning why those stones were replaced, and left there.
  • Something was going to happen centuries later in which these stones would be the basis of a sermon and a message to people of a much greater promised land in the Holy Ghost!
The ark of the covenant was instructed to lead them 2000 cubits ahead of them, and was to be held up as the priests walked into the Jordan River and stood there in the waters.

Jos 3:10
(10)  And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites.

Jos 3:13
(13)  And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.

The stones taken from the riverbed of Jordan would be a memorial to all Israel that God cut off the waters of Jordan so that Israel might enter the land of Canaan.

And Joshua then placed, himself, twelve stones from where the former stones were removed.

And centuries later, when John the baptist is preaching at a place in the Jordan called HOUSE OF PASSAGE, he pointed to some stones and told the pharisees that they were a generation of vipers. 
  • And should they claim to be the children of Abraham, John informed them that God was able to raise up of these stones children unto Abraham.
  • John pointed at those stones that Joshua set up, where the tribes of Israel each removed a stone and set it up in Canaan.
  • There in the river Jordan, were stones piled on top of one another so as to be seen above the Jordan River waters, that Joshua first placed there the day Israel entered Canaan.
It seems that God did indeed take Israel into the blessed promised land so long ago.
  • But there was a new land into which God desired to take mankind!
  • Just as Israel was taken into a kingdom land in the region of Canaan, both John the Baptist and Jesus Christ said that the Kingdom of God was at hand!
Mat 3:1-2
(1)  In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
(2)  And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Mat 4:12
(12)  Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;

Mat 4:17
(17)  From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

John 1:26-30
(26)  John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;
(27)  He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
(28)  These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.
(29)  The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
(30)  This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.

Mat 3:7-12
(7)  But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
(8)  Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
(9)  And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
(10)  And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
(11)  I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
(12)  Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.


The very location where Joshua led Israel through the Jordan River was where John the Baptist baptized people unto repentance, and was also where he baptized Jesus Christ.
  • Bethabara was that place.
  • John apparently chose this location for a very good reason.
  • Bethabara literally means "HOUSE OF THE PASSAGE, OR THE FORD".
  • To FORD is to pass through a river either by walking upon the riverbed or wading through the water.
  • Many scholars accept this as the place where Joshua led Israel across the Jordan River centuries beforehand.
And the same Pharisees who rejected John the Baptist, and were told that God would raise up stones to be children of Abraham, were the people Jesus spoke to as follows:

Mat 21:43
(43)  Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

Both John and Jesus commented to the pharisees about them being a generation of vipers, and bearing the wrong fruits, and losing the kingdom of God.

John told them they were a generation of vipers.
  • This takes us back to the Garden of Eden where the VIPER, the serpent, took hold of God's people and lured them to partake of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil.
  • From Adam ran a stream or river of humanity that were hijacked by the serpent to become his "children", so to speak.
  • They were not physically his children, of course, but became his lineage.
God wanted Adam to eat the fruit of Life, which is particularly noted to bear seeds in the fruit according to Gen 1:11.
  • And Adam would become a BRANCH of the tree of life... or God's people, in other words.
  • Lineages today are considered in terms of trees and branches.
  • We call it our family TREE.
Well, the serpent got his fruit in there with the seed of the knowledge of good and evil.
  • And man became a branch of the enemy.
  • God told Adam that the day he ate of the false tree would be the day he died.
  • And 1 Cor 15 says ALL IN ADAM SHALL DIE.
BUT ALL IN CHRIST SHALL BE MADE ALIVE!

This is RESURRECTION!
  • MADE ALIVE.
  • If you can be made alive, then you are dead... dead in trespasses and sins.
We read that the waters at the place called Bethabara were described as follows:

Josh 3:(16)  That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.

They came down and were piled up all the way back to the city of ADAM!
  • And Adam was near ZARETAN.
  • ZARETAN actually comes from a Hebrew word meaning "TO PIERCE OR TO PUNCTURE."
  • Praise God, the PIERCING OF JESUS CHRIST ON THE CROSS is here represented!
  • When CHRIST DIED for us on the cross, having his hands and feet PIERCED, THE STREAM OF MANKIND who were sinners, and a veritable generation of vipers/serpents, WAS CUT OFF!
Since Adam sinned, all humanity is born in sin.

Rom 5:19
(19)  For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

The waters heaped up back to the city Adam represents the sins of mankind that left us as a generation of vipers that Christ dealt with on the cross.

Man's lineage flowed from Adam in sin.

There is only one thing that can be done with your lineage in Adam!
  • IT MUST BE CUT OFF!
  • And DEATH cuts it off.
When Jesus died by being pierced (ZARETAN), it was so we could be BAPTIZED INTO THAT DEATH so we could be made alive, or resurrect into newness of life.

Rom 6:3-5
(3)  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.
(5)  For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

And the river of Jordan was flowing down to a certain location, mentioned in Joshua 3:16.  THE SALT SEA.
  • It is so significant that this SALT SEA has been called the DEAD SEA for a very long time now.
  • The sea is so saturated with salt and minerals THAT IT IS ABSOLUTELY DEAD.
  • It cannot support life.
  • And mankind was on his way TO DEATH from Adam!
  • Jesus came to CUT OFF THAT STREAM, and rescue us from it, to go back into the GARDEN POWER that God created man to have.
John spoke of this cutting off at the very same place!

Matt 3:(8)  Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
(9)  And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
(10)  And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.


What do we do with the evil fruit on the tree of the knowledge of good and evil?
  • Remove the bad fruit?
  • NO!!!
  • You will only see more evil fruit grow if you merely remove the bad fruit.
  • You have to get to the roots!
  • CUT THE ENTIRE TREE DOWN!
  • CUT IT OFF.
  • That is what John the Baptist said.
  • Cut off the River!
  • Cut off the tree!
Jesus was baptized IN THIS VERY SAME RIVER LOCATION!
  • The HOUSE OF PASSAGE.
Joshua puts back twelve other stones in the river of Jordan after the tribes remove 12.
  • Could God be saying that if Israel should disregard the TRUE PROMISED LAND TO COME, JESUS CHRIST, that GOD WILL RAISE UP A NEW NATION AND GIVE THE KINGDOM TO THEM?
  • God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham!
Rom 9:3-9
(3)  For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
(4)  Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
(5)  Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
(6)  Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
(7)  Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
(8)  That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
(9)  For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.

Paul said that Israel after the flesh missed Christ!
  • But did God's promises fail because Israel missed Christ?
  • Not at all!
  • Paul said that the PROMISED SEED, and not the children of the FLESH are counted as God's children!
God has raised up lively stones to become the children of Abraham!

1Pe 2:4-5
(4)  To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
(5)  Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.


1Pe 2:9
(9)  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:


We are the nation that received the Kingdom of God!

It was taken from Israel after the flesh!

Notice that Jordan flooded its banks at the time of year that Israel crossed.

Floods always speak of death in the bible.
  • The ark of the covenant goes into the flooding river.
  • Jesus died being pierced in his hands and feet, crucified.
  • And the people march in behind the ark/Jesus, and THROUGH BAPTISM INTO HIS DEATH, we come forth into the Kingdom of God.
John 3:5
(5)  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

As Israel entered into the Kingdom land of Canaan, we enter into the Kingdom by being born of the water and of the Spirit.

We are baptized into Christ's death.

And read of how Christ's power over death affects us.

Rev 5:2-3
(2)  And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?
(3)  And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.

No man is worthy!

God is on a throne and no man is worthy to walk over to him on that throne and to take a book.

Rev 5:5
(5)  And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

But SOMEONE IS SUDDENLY FOUND WHO IS WORTHY!

If verse 2 says someone must be WORTHY to take the book, and verse 5 says one is found who prevailed to take the book, then TO BE WORTHY IS TO PREVAIL.
  • But what is it that one must prevail over in order to be this worthy?
Rev 5:6
(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.

Notice the answer:

THE LAMB WAS SLAIN AND IS STANDING.

Sounds to me like the worthiness is gained through PREVAILING OVER DEATH!

This is exactly the message in the following statement made by Jesus.

Rev 1:18
(18)  I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

Being dead and alive again forever, is associated with having the keys of DEATH AND HELL!

Jesus bound the strongman and spoiled his goods!
  • He took the devil's keys to his own house away from him!
We get baptized into His death so that we, too, can overcome DEATH and PREVAIL!

But notice what Jesus appears like in the vision.

Rev 5:6
(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.

He had seven horns and seven eyes.

Conquering DEATH is associated with Jesus having SEVEN HORNS.

RESURRECTION is associated with seven horns.

After Israel crossed Jordan, indicative of BAPTISM INTO CHRIST'S DEATH, we read:

Jos 6:1-4
(1)  Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.
(2)  And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.
(3)  And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.
(4)  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.

Seven ram's horns are used by priests to tear down Jericho!

This occurs immediately after Israel crossed Jordan.
  • As soon as we are baptized into Christ's death, the POWER of the HOLY GHOST is for you to be able to TEAR DOWN SATAN'S STRONGHOLDS.
Seven horns means FULL POWER.

And it is specifically the POWER of His resurrection from death, because he was seen with seven horns when he prevailed over death and stood in resurrection once again!

Rom 8:11
(11)  But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

It will QUICKEN YOU!

Give you LIFE -- POWER.

We need to tear down the enemy through the power of Jesus' Christ's resurrection!

You have no power over the devil if you are not baptized into Jesus' death.
  • You are still part of the stream of ADAM.
When you are saved by Acts 2:38 repentance, baptism and Spirit infilling, you have the power of Christ's resurrection.
  • And THAT is the power that defeats the very devil again and again who has the power of death.
  • How come it defeats him?
  • It is because he has the power of death, but you have the power of resurrection from the dead!
Jesus HAS KEYS OF DEATH.
  • He was dead and is alive forevermore, and has the keys of death.
  • The only things that stands in your way between you and God's kingdom, is DEATH, and DEATH is upon mankind because of SIN (Ro 5:12).
  • Death would like to house you in it's prison house behind it's bars.
  • But I like what Jesus said to SIMON SON OF JONAH!!!
  • (Jonah was in the whale's belly as though in bars.)
Jon 2:5-6
(5)  The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.
(6)  I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.

Jesus told this "son of Jonah" ...

Mat 16:17-19
(17)  And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
(18)  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
(19)  And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

He has the KEYS OF THE KINGDOM!
  • He unlocks all the souls locked behind hell's gates, and releases them through preaching to them about Jesus' name baptism into Christ's death!
  • And the KINGDOM IS OPENED UP TO THEM!



SERMONS