STANDING ON THE ROCK OF ZION

October 18, 2009 pm
MF Blume


Matthew 16:16-19 KJV  And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. (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.

We started this morning with the above set of two revelations.

The Father showed Peter that Jesus was Son of the living God 

But while Peter received the first revelation, He had problems getting the second.

Matthew 16:24-28 KJV  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.  (25)  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.  (26)  For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?  (27)  For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.  (28)  Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

We follow after Him and take up our crosses just as He took up His cross, for the Gospel is His death becomes our deaths.

Romans 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.

Romans 6:6 KJV  Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Romans 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.

We are united to Jesus as a bride is to her husband when we unite in these elements.

Then He intimately KNOWS us.

Philippians 3:10 KJV  That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

Knowing the Lord is using a term of intimacy.

Genesis 4:1 KJV  And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.

So when we FOLLOW THE LORD, since He took a cross and walked up to be crucified, we take up our crosses and deny ourselves.

This is spiritually illustrated in Revelation.

Revelation 14:1-8 KJV  And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.  (2)  And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:  (3)  And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.  (4)  These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.  (5)  And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.  (6)  And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,  (7)  Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.  (8)  And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

Jesus said the disciples had to FOLLOW HIM in order for the church to be on the Rock so that gates of death cannot hold them down.

This is the reason we read of Jesus LIKE A LAMB.

Do not miss the point in Rev 14.

Notice The Lamb's Father's name is written on their foreheads.


Matthew 7:15-24 KJV  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.  (16)  Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?  (17)  Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.  (18)  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.  (19)  Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.  (20)  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.  (21)  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  (22)  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  (23)  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.  (24)  Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

THE FOREHEAD represents the WILL OF A PERSON.

Ezekiel 3:8-9 KJV  Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads.  (9)  As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.


What better way to symbolize willingness to do the will of the Father than to have the Father's NAME on their FOREHEADS?

And as those who do the Father's will -- which is what Jesus said was obedience to HIS WORDS -- build their house on rock, these 144,000 STAND ON THE ROCK MOUNT ZION.

And just as there are those who do not do the Father's will and build on sand so their houses FALL, we read:


Rev 14:(8)  And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

Notice these traits:

Rev 14: (4)  These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.  

VIRGINS:

2 Corinthians 11:2 KJV  For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.


FOLLOW HIM:

Matthew 16:24  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 

FIRSTFRUITS:

James 1:18 KJV  Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.


Revelation 7 shows them as being 12,000 from each tribe of Israel.

But JOHN HEARD that number:

Revelation 7:4 KJV  And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

But after He HEARD THIS, look what HE SAW:

Revelation 7:9-10 KJV  After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;  (10)  And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.


Just before this, JOHN HEARD SOMETHING and when he looked to see what HE HEARD about, HE SAW SOMETHING QUITE DIFFERENT:

Revelation 5:5-6 KJV  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.  (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 HEARD about a LION. but when he looked, HE SAW A LAMB RISEN FROM THE DEAD.

What you HEAR is the SPIRITUAL REALITY of what may look like the most opposite physical picture.

That same pattern is found in Rev 7, two chapters later.
The church is the ISRAEL OF GOD!

Galatians 6:16 KJV  And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

The CHURCH is the NEW ISRAEL!

Revelation 14 shows the people who take up their crosses and FOLLOW THE LAMB, indicating they follow Him with a CROSS.

MOUNT ZION is where He rules.

Psalms 110:1-2 KJV  A Psalm of David. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.  (2)  The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.

HIS STRENGTH IS OUT OF ZION.

Hebrews 12:22 KJV  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

David ruled from ZION.

Jesus is on the throne of David now!

Acts 2:29-33 KJV  Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.  (30)  Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;  (31)  He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.  (32)  This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.  (33)  Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.

THE CHURCH IS ON THIS ROCK!

They are WITH THE LAMB!


Ephesians 1:18-23 KJV  The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,  (19)  And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,  (20)  Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,  (21)  Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:  (22)  And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,  (23)  Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

Notice the CHURCH is called HIS BODY, like the fifth chapter says Eve was bone of Adam's bone and flesh of His flesh.

Ephesians 2:5-6 KJV  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)  (6)  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

The power that raised Jesus is TOWARDS US.

In the same chapter where we read:

2 Timothy 2:19 KJV  Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.


We also read:

2 Timothy 2:8-13 KJV  Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:  (9)  Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.  (10)  Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.  (11)  It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:  (12)  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:  (13)  If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

IF WE SUFFER WITH HIM WE SHALL REIGN WITH HIM.

And these 144,000 FOLLOWED Him through the death of the cross and self denial, and therefore suffered SO THEY CAN REIGN -- they stand on the MOUNTAIN OF THE KINGDOM -- MOUNT ZION!

Revelation 1:5-6 KJV  And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,  (6)  And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

We are kings and priests with Jesus Christ.