MORIAH, THE ROCK AND MOUNTAIN OF REVELATION

September 19, 2004 pm
Mike Blume




  Scripture Text:

 
Matthew 16:15-23 KJV
(15)  He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
(16)  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.
(20)  Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.
(21)  From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
(22)  Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
(23)  But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.


Matthew 7:24-27 KJV
(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:
(25)  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
(26)  And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
(27)  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.




  Message:

 

There is something that SATAN fights more than anything else.
  • It's a truth he does not want us to understand.
  • He seeks to distract us from it.
  • And it is something that will make the church of God a powerful force to contend with, which will cause Satan's downfall when this understanding is present in a church.

Jesus said it will cause the gates of hell to not be able to prevail against this church.

"HELL" in that instance means "GRAVE".

Keep that in mind tonight.

He also said it will cause us to stand strong through storms, without being defeated and destroyed by them.

As you notice, both references in Matt 7 and 16 deal with a HOUSE BUILT ON A ROCK.
  • But of course He is not speaking of a physical house and a physical rock.
  • These are pictures that describe a spiritual reality and truth.

Let us go back to Genesis 22.

Genesis 22:1-4 KJV
(1)  And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.  (2)  And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.  (3)  And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.  (4)  Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.

God spoke to Abraham and HE LIFTED UP HIS EYES THE THIRD DAY.

Three days after the WORD he got a revelation.

REVELATION.

Abraham saw a certain PLACE on a certain THIRD DAY.
  • The third day reference is going to tell us something about the cross.
  • There is a revelation represented by the TRUTH of the third day.
  • Third day was when Jesus WALKED IN SUPERNATURAL POWER.
  • There is a place to come to where we walk in supernatural power.
  • WALKING AFTER THE SPIRIT, as Paul called it.
  • In reliance of the Spirit.

Jesus walked from that grave by a power that was not natural, since His natural life died.

The supernatural life COULD NOT DIE.

We can come to a revelation where we walk after the Spirit and live a life that DEATH cannot hold back.
  • The gates of the grave cannot prevail against it.

Notice that Abraham knew something about DEATH from the word of God.
  • Isaac must die.
  • And when we read the words HE LIFTED UP HIS EYES AND SAW THE PLACE, this speaks to us about receiving a revelation.
  • Abram heard from God and saw.
  • This can be understood in NT terms as receiving a revelation from God, much like Jesus said Peter received a revelation from the Father.
  • Flesh and blood did not reveal it to Peter, but the Father did.

And Abram was directed to see the place which we learn was a mountain.

Genesis 22:6 KJV  (6)  And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.

And not only was this a third day, pointing to the cross, but Isaac was to be offered and Abraham put the wood of the burnt offering upon Isaac, for Isaac to carry up the hill, JUST AS JESUS CARRIED HIS CROSS UP GOLGOTHA.

Genesis 22:7-8 KJV  (7)  And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?  (8)  And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.


Isaac did not know he would be the sacrifice.

And when Abraham tied him to the altar and lifted up the knife to slay Isaac...

Genesis 22:10-14 KJV  (10)  And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.  (11)  And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.  (12)  And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.  (13)  And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.  (14)  And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.

HE LIFTED UP HIS EYES A SECOND  TIME.

A SECOND REVELATION.

Moriah means SEEN OF GOD.

Provided by God is what Jehovah Jireh means.

The two are related.

He was going to see something more than the need for death.

God showed Abraham Isaacs need of death.
  • And that was the first revelation.
  • And a second revelation came when Abraham lifted up the knife.

This revelation came from the VISIBLE MANIFESTATION OF GOD called the Angel of the Lord.
  • It was not another person of God.
  • It was simply God's visible manifestation, often called a theophany in theological terms.

The second revelation involved something further about the death.
  • ATONEMENT.

Atonement is a term used describing sacrifices that TAKE THE PLACE OF ANOTHER and thereby pay the penalty of death that this other deserved to pay.

Dying INSTEAD OF ANOTHER is a revelation Abraham received.

Such a thought involves UNITY with that sacrifice.
  • God recognizes a unity of ourselves with a sacrifice or else the sacrifice's death could not count as our deaths.

And there on the mountain whose name means SEEN OF GOD, Abraham saw a revelation of the whole basis for the death of Jesus Christ -- His death as our Deaths.
  • Atonement.

He saw a ram whose horns were caught in a thicket.

Reminds me of Jesus who wore a crown of thorns when he died on the cross IN MY DEATH THAT IS DESERVED.

It is so very important we understand the principle of atonement.

Peter received a revelation of Jesus that no human person gave him.
  • Jesus said the Father in Heaven revealed it to him.
  • This is similar to Abraham's first revelation.
  • God spoke to Abraham and Peter.
  • But after Peter heard from the Father, THE SON OF GOD was also to say something to him.
  • I SAY ALSO UNTO THEE, PETER.
  • Peter had to see a second revelation as well.
  • And it involved JESUS' ATONING DEATH.
  • Peter did not know about atonement in the first revelation, any more than Abraham did in his first.
  • And as the visible manifestation of God, called the ANGEL OF THE LORD, spoke to Abraham the second time with the second revelation, JESUS, the express image of the invisible God would GIVE THE SECOND REVELATION to Peter.

And as Abraham saw this new revelation on the MOUNTAIN MORIAH, Jesus told Peter a second revelation that was a MOUNTAIN upon which the Lord would Build His Church.

AND THE VERY GATES OF HELL WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PREVAIL AGAINST THE CHURCH.

This truth will put the church on a rock of VICTORY!

Satan fears atonement because it involves unity to Christ.

Mount Moriah, where Abraham received this revelation, was the VERY PLACE WHERE GOD HAD ISRAEL BUILD THE TEMPLE CENTURIES LATER.

Upon that ROCK God would have His temple built.
  • THAT is where God would have His name represented by the temple.
  • THERE is where the ark would be!
  • And ATONEMENT would be made every year there.

Jesus proceeded to speak to Peter and the others about his death.

Matt 16:(21)  From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

At Jerusalem.

MOUNT MORIAH IS IN THE EAST PART OF JERUSALEM.

But something stirred up in Peter that resisted this truth.

(22)  Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
(23)  But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

And Jesus referred to Peter as Satan in this act of resistance.

You see, it is SATAN who hates this truth of atonement.

We see a very similar picture with David in 1 Chronicles 21.

1 Chronicles 21:1-3 KJV
(1)  And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.
(2)  And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it.
(3)  And Joab answered, The LORD make his people an hundred times so many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my lord's servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?

There was a law that demanded that numbering of Israel could only occur if done through temple tribute money, or tax, as we spoke of in service a few weeks ago.
  • In the sermon THE CHILDREN ARE FREE.

Exodus 30:12-15 KJV
(12)  When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them.
(13)  This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the LORD.
(14)  Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the LORD.
(15)  The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls.

Joab knew this law and urged David to reconsider.
  • SATAN tempted David to FORGET ABOUT ATONEMENT.
  • It was necessary to have ATONEMENT money collected when the people were numbered to ever stress to them that no matter how many numbers they have, they are still sinners, and need God's help.
  • David was tempted to count the army up and gloat over how many soldiers he had.
  • The CENSUS they took was only regarding SOLDIERS being counted.
  • IT HUMBLED ISRAEL, ever reminding them of their need for God no matter how big they might appear..

It seemed David DISREGARDED ATONEMENT.
  • And Satan was behind it!

Joab said he wished Israel was 100 times greater in number, but David ought not count them and violate God's law.

Counting them might cause them to forget God and depend upon their own might.
  • So atonement money was involved to ever let them know that no matter how big they are in number, they are nothing without God's atonement for their souls.

Satan wants us to act on our own power.
  • He wants to get our eyes on ourselves and think we can handle it.
  • HE DOES NOT WANT US TO UNDERSTAND ATONEMENT, AND OUR NEED FOR GOD, AND HOW ATONEMENT PUTS US ION A UNITY WITH GOD'S SACRIFICE.

IT KEEPS US HUMBLE.

Something powerful about atonement is involved.

So David obtained the number and God spoke.

1 Chronicles 21:7-14 KJV
(7)  And God was displeased with this thing; therefore he smote Israel.
(8)  And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.
(9)  And the LORD spake unto Gad, David's seer, saying,
(10)  Go and tell David, saying, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things: choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.
(11)  So Gad came to David, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Choose thee
(12)  Either three years' famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the LORD, even the pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now therefore advise thyself what word I shall bring again to him that sent me.
(13)  And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall now into the hand of the LORD; for very great are his mercies: but let me not fall into the hand of man.
(14)  So the LORD sent pestilence upon Israel: and there fell of Israel seventy thousand men.

David chose THREE DAYS of plague from the Lord.
  • The law originally said that if no money be taken in atonement, PLAGUE WOULD COME.

And here again we have reference to THREE DAYS.

The work of the cross is always represented by three days.

And after THREE DAYS WENT BY, 70,000 men died.

The very thing David sought to boast over -- the great NUMBER of HIS SOLDIERS, were diminished by the plague!

And something special happened.

1 Chronicles 21:15-16 KJV
(15)  And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroying, the LORD beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD stood by the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.
(16)  And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.

DAVID LIFTED UP HIS EYES, LIKE ABRAHAM AT THE SAME MOUNTAIN!

David realized something -- a second revelation -- when the Lord told the angel to STOP THE SWORD and hold it still, JUST AS ABRAHAM WAS TOLD TO HOLD HIS KNIFE STILL AS HE SET OUT TO SLAY ISAAC.

David SAW SOMETHING.
  • He saw DEATH impending upon Jerusalem, as Abraham saw Isaac's death coming.
  • And there by a certain threshingfloor owned by Ornan, the angel of the Lord stood.
  • And Ornan's threshingfloor was located on top of the VERY MOUNTAIN WHERE ABRAHAM BUILT THE ALTAR TO SACRIFICE HIS ONLY SON, ISAAC.
  • MOUNT MORIAH.
  • DAVID SAW THIS EVENT.

A revelation came to David about THE NEED FOR DEATH.
  • And the man who disregarded ATONEMENT, payment for another's life to be spared, SUDDENLY GOT A SECOND REVELATION, AND IT WAS ABOUT ATONEMENT.

1 Chronicles 21:17 KJV
(17)  And David said unto God, Is it not I that commanded the people to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed; but as for these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, O LORD my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on thy people, that they should be plagued.

He saw Jerusalem as HIS SHEEP over which he was king.
  • He struck the very heart of God when he burst out saying HE SHOULD DIE IN THE PLACE OF THESE SHEEP.
  • ATONEMENT.

John 10:11 KJV
(11)  I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

This was precisely the heartbeat of Jesus Christ!
  • It was why Jesus Christ came!
  • Why He was manifested in flesh!
  • It was the thing Satan tempted David to disregard.
  • The thing Satan fears the most.

And when God heard that confession of revelation from David, He sent a prophet to him.

1 Chronicles 21:18-19 KJV
(18)  Then the angel of the LORD commanded Gad to say to David, that David should go up, and set up an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.
(19)  And David went up at the saying of Gad, which he spake in the name of the LORD.

DAVID SHOULD GO UP, ON THIS THIRD DAY, just as Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the MOUNTAIN and proceeded to GO UP.

Right there on the same mountain top where Abraham built an altar for Isaac, where Abraham saw a revelation of ATONEMENT in sacrificing the RAM instead of Isaac, ON MOUNT MORIAH, David built an altar.

Instead of the people, instead of David, himself, A SACRIFICE WOULD BE ACCEPTED ON THIS THIRD DAY.

The sacrifice meant Isaac did die in God's eyes.

It meant Jerusalem did die in God's eyes.

David did die in God's eyes.

It counted as their deaths!

And David who disregarded atonement by way of a payment or price of money, offered Ornan, the owner of the land, money for the cattle and land to offer a sacrifice.

Ornan did not want money, but David insisted.
  • He also just insisted HE DIE in atonement FOR ISRAEL.

Church, a PRICE was paid for our salvation!

And this threshingfloor, where wheat is threshed high up on a mountain so the chaff that breaks away from it will blow away in the wind, leaving only the wheat behind speaks of atonement.
  • Sin is separated from our lives by sacrifice.

Matthew 3:11-13 KJV
(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.
(13)  Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

God's wrath would come upon those sinners in the world who were not atoned for by the death of Christ.

1 Chronicles 21:26-22:2 KJV
(26)  And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the LORD; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering.
(27)  And the LORD commanded the angel; and he put up his sword again into the sheath thereof.
(28)  At that time when David saw that the LORD had answered him in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite, then he sacrificed there.
(29)  For the tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of the burnt offering, were at that season in the high place at Gibeon.
(30)  But David could not go before it to enquire of God: for he was afraid because of the sword of the angel of the LORD.
(1)  Then David said, This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar of the burnt offering for Israel.
(2)  And David commanded to gather together the strangers that were in the land of Israel; and he set masons to hew wrought stones to build the house of God.

THIS IS WHEN PLANS BEGAN TO BUILD THE TEMPLE ON THIS VERY SPOT.

David realized THIS MOUNTAIN IS WHERE GOD'S HOUSE WILL BE BUILT.

A place of revelation concerning DEATH COUNTED AS THAT OF OTHERS WHO MUST DIE.

UPON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH.

Where Isaac should have died, when the ram died in Isaac's place as Isaac.

Where Jerusalem should have died, and then David, but a sacrifice died as them and instead of them.

THE  WHOLE HOUSE OF GOD WOULD BE BUILT ON THAT ROCK!

Jesus told Peter he saw a revelation of Jesus.
  • But he knew nothing about atonement.
  • A second revelation must come about atonement.

But as Satan tried to get David away from the thought of atonement, Jesus called Peter "SATAN" when he began to speak of His death which would be atonement for the world and Peter resisted it and discouraged him from it.

IN THE MOUNTAIN OF THE LORD IT SHALL BE SEEN.
  • Upon the HEIGHTS of revelations from God.. THIS REVELATION STANDS OUT.
  • ATONEMENT SHALL BE SEEN.

Jesus said UPON THIS ROCK I will build my church.
  • And He proceeded to explain that GATES OF HELL,-- DEATH and the Grave -- cannot withstand this house!
  • The SECOND REVELATION showed victory over death.
  • And the CHURCH would have it.

And Jesus explained how he must die.
  • He was getting at ATONEMENT.
  • HIS DEATH as the people's.
  • And the reason HELL cannot prevail against the church was because HIs death would be the church's death.
  • And if HIS DEATH is the church's death, then HIS RESURRECTION is the Church's resurrection!
  • And that means DEATH CANNOT HOLD UP AGAINST THIS CHURCH.

THIS is what Satan fears we understand.

This is the ROCK upon which the WISE MAN BUILT HIS HOUSE.

Was not Solomon WISE, who built the temple?
  • A greater than Solomon is here!
  • JESUS IS A WISE MAN WHO BUILT HIS HOUSE ON THE ROCK!

We are united to JESUS when we claim His death AS US.
  • The grave cannot prevail against us because we already died the only death required for sin when we died THROUGH CHRIST.
  • And that means everything else about Him is our's as well.
  • We resurrected with Him.
  • And the power Jesus has due to God raising Him up is the same power for us since we were risen with Him!

Ephesians 1:19-20 KJV
(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,

Can Jesus be broken down by anything the devil does since Jesus was resurrected and seated over all powers?
  • Of course not.
  • Then neither can we, if we get this revelation and enforce this truth against the enemy when he attacks.

Matthew 5:14-16 KJV
(14)  Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
(15)  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
(16)  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

The light of revelation puts a church on the ROCK!

All will see that LIGHT!

Many believers know about His death.
  • And they somewhat about atonement.
  • But they really do not get the whole gist of atonement.
  • Being AT ONE with Jesus.
  • We must understand that we are at one with Jesus.

THen after these words with Peter

Matthew 17:1-5 KJV
(1)  And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
(2)  And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
(3)  And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.
(4)  Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
(5)  While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

Peter wants to build a house this time.
  • But he thinks Elijah and Moses are equal to Jesus.

Notice what Luke adds:

Luke 9:29-31 KJV
(29)  And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.
(30)  And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias:
(31)  Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.

HIS DEATH.
  • ATONEMENT.

Once again, FATHER SPEAKS OF WHO JESUS IS.
  • First revelation.

Matthew 17:5 KJV
(5)  While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

Then SON SPOKE SECOND REVELATION OF ATONEMENT.

Matthew 17:9 KJV
(9)  And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.

Matthew 17:12 KJV
(12)  But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.

Matthew 17:22-23 KJV
(22)  And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men:
(23)  And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.

They kept missing it!
  • Satan fought it!
  • Of al things, they never could grasp that atonement truth before He actually died.

John 16:12-14 KJV
(12)  I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
(13)  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
(14)  He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

But the Holy Ghost would glorify the Son and the work of the cross.
  • He is doing that here tonight!
  • Its' the church that understands atonement that is built on the rock against which hell's gates cannot prevail!