"ENTRANCE THROUGH THE WORD"
MICHAEL F BLUME
SEPTEMBER 12, 1999 pm
Hebr 3:17-4:3 But with whom was he grieved forty years? [was it] not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. 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. 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]. 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. Hebr 4:11-12 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. 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.
Hebr 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
We all want to enter into what God has for us. - But what makes it such a hard struggle is unbelief.
There is a REST that has been paid for by the cross of Calvary long ago. - And it is something we can ENTER.
- In other words people who do not experience this REST in their souls where they have victory and peace can experience it.
- We read here that the Promised land is similar to the Rest.
- It represents the rest.
- And Israel was given the "go-ahead" to ENTER that land.
But what stopped them going into it also stops people today from entering the Rest. But God wants us to go in.
- And he has something there in the entrance for you to actually make it so that you WILL enter in.
Let us get a picture of this: The Garden of Eden represents this place of REST, because we know that God gave Adam dominion.
- And when Adam sinned, God said he must WORK, and then he threw Adam out to WORK.
- No work is done inside this GARDEN.
- It is a place of REST.
All of Mankind is born outside the Garden. Roma 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: Roma 5:18-19 Therefore as by the offence of one [judgment came] upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one [the free gift came] upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
One man made many people into sinners. And God put something in that entrance back to the Garden to protect it.
- Notice carefully the words used.
Gene 3:24 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.
So Adam is OUT. - And since God placed man there, we know that it was God's desire to have man stay there.
- But man sinned, so left.
- Then we read that the entrance is KEPT.
- To KEEP something in the KJV english means to PROTECT IT.
- TO PRESERVE IT.
- God PRESERVED THE WAY TO THE TREE OF LIFE.
And He used a flaming sword to PRESERVE THAT WAY. - Notice He called it a WAY.
- A PATHWAY.
Back in Hebrews 4 we read that we must ENTER the REST. - And in this chapter speaking about entering a place where God wants us, we also read of a sword!!
Hebr 4:11-12 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. 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 Bible is one single picture when you look at it properly. - Its a progressive revelation of the will of God.
Notice what took the woman out of the Garden. Gene 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
The serpent made the woman DISBELIEVE THE WORD OF GOD. - So disbelief took mankind out and disbelief keeps us who are out from entering in.
- We which do believe DO ENTER INTO REST.
God wants us to use that WAY. - He protected it from vanishing from existence.
- I think the devil would have loved to destroy that way.
- He managed to get man to DOUBT GOD'S WORD, and get man kicked out of the Garden.
- But if he could have destroyed the WAY TO THE TREE OF LIFE, he would surely have done it.
- But God said, "You can lie and I will leave man to decide whether to believe you or to believe my Word. I will not make man do anything. But you will not destroy the WAY of the tree of life. I will have that KEPT for man to enter back should he choose to BELIEVE ME in the future."
- So God KEPT THE WAY WITH A FLAMING SWORD.
This sword was flaming. - It was alive.
Ephe 6:17 ...and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
The SWORD represents the WORD OF GOD. - Heb 4:12 says the Word of God is quick (ALIVE) and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword.
- And it said that immediately after we read about not falling after the same example of unbelief.
- UNBELIEF PUT MAN AND KEPT MAN OUT.
- And a sword is there.
God preserved the way to that tree because He wants us to take it. - He put that sword there to ensure that way is available.
- He wants us to take that way.
- THAT WORD WILL GOT TO WORK IF PEOPLE WOULD ONLY TAKE THAT WAY, THAT PATHWAY, AND WALK THERE.
- You say, "Its a sword!!! It will slay me."
- NO!!!
- The SWORD is the WORD OF GOD.
- There is only thing the WORD OF GOD SLAYS.
- ......LIES.
If you want to enter into the place God created for you, then you must LET THE WORD WORK. - Let it cut away!
- This precious WORD will cut away all UNBELIEF from your heart!
- It removes doubt.
- Unbelief causes us to fear.
- Only those who take a step of faith into THAT WAY will let the Word work away at your heart.
Too many say, "I am not going to go THAT way!" There is only ONE WAY.
John 10:1-7 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
This idea of ENTRANCE is so repeated in the BIble. - Jesus even referred to the need for us to ENTER a place He wants us to be in.
Jesus said HE IS THE DOOR TO THE SHEEPFOLD. - A place where He wants us to ENTER.
- And He said that if we try to go in ANY OTHER WAY, we are ROBBERS.
- He said that if we try to go in NOT BY THE DOOR OF THE SHEEPFOLD, we are entering illegally.
- There is only ONE WAY to ENTER THIS PLACE.
THERE IS NO OTHER WAY IN. Acts 4:10-12 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, [even] by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
They were BOLD statements to make. - The hearers thoughts so also.
Acts 4:13-14 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.
Like today, people see a genuine work of God, and coupled with that work comes a saying they don't like to hear. - The name that did this is also the ONLY NAME THAT WILL SAVE YOU.
- No other name, and no other religious idea besides the CROSS OF JESUS CHRIST will save you.
- And they are stunned because they must admit the miracle is genuine!
No other name is ever given under heaven by which we can be saved OTHER THAN JESUS CHRIST. John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 1Pet 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
Jesus brought us to God by the only way possible. - HE SUFFERED FOR SINS.
- The only way to deal with our sins is to DIE WITH JESUS.
Notice that we read of a WAY to enter the Garden. - Protected by a flaming Sword.
- And Jesus said HE IS THE WAY .
- And then we reads that the details of being the way to get us to God was through JESUS SUFFERING FOR US.
Everyone has a decision to make. - Will they believe these words or will they reject them.
- Was the apostle Peter right when he said that THERE IS NO OTHER NAME GIVEN UNDER HEAVEN WHEREBY WE MUST BE SAVED?
Too many say, "I AM NOT GOING THAT WAY." - And they will miss it all.
- That unbelief can be dealt with if they only WALK INTO THE SWORD and TRY IT.
God made Adam KING in the Garden. - "Adam, have dominion over the earth."
- And Adam was dethroned.
- So there is a throne back in there where you can be seated with Christ and rule again.
- But every lie from hell is going to cloud that in your mind if it can.
God told Israel they will rule their own land. - What a change after being slaves for hundreds of years in Egypt!
- And when time came to enter the Canaan land and rule, they DISBELIEVED and were AFRAID TO ENTER.
Unbelief causes you to FEAR. - If you do not BELIEVE you can conquer your enemy then you will FEAR your enemy.
When unbelief is dealt with, and the WORD CUTS AWAY THE DOUBT, and CORRECTS YOUR THINKING, and GIVES YOU FAITH, you no longer FEAR but are BOLD. LOOK WHAT HEBREWS SAYS AFTER WE READ OF A SWORD and ENTRANCE.
Hebr 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Look at the sequence of thought in Hebrews 4.
- ENTER REST
- DO NOT DISBELIEVE
- A SWORD OF TRUTH IS THERE AT THE ENTRANCE to cut away your unbelief.
- THEN COME BOLDLY (ENTER) TO THE THRONE.
Boldness is the result of UNBELIEF that causes FEAR to be removed. - We no longer are afraid!
- And suddenly we have what it takes to ENTER IN.
- BOLDNESS.
The way is kept by the FLAMING SWORD. - So if you want to find the way, go to the SWORD.
THERE IS A THRONE in that REST where we enter. - Makes sense.
- Adam was KING in there.
- And we find MERCY at that THRONE.
- What was inside a very holy place that was like a throne and corresponded to MERCY?
- THE MERCY SEAT ON THE ARK OF THE COVENANT.
- IN THAT SECRET PLACE.
- And the VEIL barred the holy place...
- The veil had cherubims on it as cherubims were at the garden entrance.
- And the veil was rent in two when Jesus died.
- So a SWORD is indicated!
The veil is Jesus flesh (Hebr. 10:20). - And when it ripped the cherubims ripped with it.
- That is symbolic that we DIED WITH HIM.
- THROUGH THAT PATH YOU MUST ENTER.
So the unbelief that the SWORD is trying to remove from you is the unbelief that Jesus did not have to die on the cross for you to go to Heaven. - The BLOOD OF A LAMB ON THE ENTRANCE IN THE HEBREWS HOMES, saving them from death.
- The veil barrier covering the holiest of holies ripping when Jesus died.
- THE SWORD OF THE WORD OF GOD where the entrance into REST is.
ALL SAY THE SAME MESSAGE. Acts 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Satan can try and darken the region to you, but God has it so the SWORD IS FLAMING BRIGHT! His darkness cannot hide it.
His lies cannot remove it. - It is a SWORD OF GOD'S WORD -- TRUTH more powerful than any lie.
All he can do is convince YOU to not take it. - HE CANNOT REMOVE THE SWORD NOR THE WAY.
So he attacks YOU and YOUR MIND. The only way you are going to enter this secret place, and this place we want to enter, is to PASS THROUGH THE SWORD AND LET THE WORD MAKE A BELIEVER OUT OF YOU.
God just plainly put it this way: BELIEVE MY WORD OR PERISH.
Ephe 2:5-8 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in [his] kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: Psal 91:1-10 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, [He is] my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, [and] from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth [shall be thy] shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; [nor] for the arrow [that] flieth by day; [Nor] for the pestilence [that] walketh in darkness; [nor] for the destruction [that] wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; [but] it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the LORD, [which is] my refuge, [even] the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
This place is secret because man is outside of it. - This is the GARDEN.
- Verse 2 says the one who dwells there is one who made a decision and said, "I WILL SAY OF THE LORD, HE IS MY REFUGE AND MY FORTRESS. MY GOD. IN HIM WILL IS TRUST."
- TRUST.
- It is those who made a decision to BELIEVE THIS BIBLE.
Notice that TRUST is linked with the ones who ABIDE IN THE SECRET PLACE. - How did they get in there?
- THEY TRUSTED.
- How could they TRUST?
- They made a decision to take God's Word for what it says and accept Jesus as the DOOR OF THE SHEEPFOLD, and TRUST IN HIM AND NO ONE ELSE, and guess what??
- THEY FOUND OUT THAT THE BIBLE WAS RIGHT.
- AND THEY ARE INSIDE.
Until we believe JESUS and Him crucified is the ONLY WAY, we are outside. Gala 1:8-9 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any [man] preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
What is the GOSPEL? 1Cor 15:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
God would turn the HEBREWS' HOMES into places of REFUGE from death in Egypt BY ONE THING AND ONE THING ONLY. - Blood of a lamb was to be put on the doorways!
JESUS IS THE DOOR. He is the LAMB SLAIN.
He said we must enter in BY HIM ONLY.