THOSE WHOM GOD PROTECTS

May 4, 2003 pm
Mike Blume

Genesis 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.

Exodus 12:7-8 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. (8) And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.

Exodus 12:10-11 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. (11) And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD's passover.

Exodus 12:13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

Exodus 12:23 For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite [you].

Exodus 25:20-21 And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be. (21) And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.

Cherubims in the Bible indicated a covering of protection and guardianship.

They were first mentioned in guarding the way of the tree of life from sinful humanity at the Garden entrance.
The second place they are mentioned is in Ex 25 positioned on the mercy seat or the lid of the ark of the covenant.

In the Garden entrance, they were stationed beside a flaming sword.

That sword meant death to those who would dare enter with sin.
Adam and Eve would never have died had they remained inside and eaten of the fruit of life of the Garden.
Death could not enter that place.
In fact when they sinned, they were left to die outside the Garden, because graves would not exist in the Garden.

And not only were the cherubims on the mercy seat of the ark, covering it or guarding, but they were embroidered into the curtains around the entire tabernacle and the veil that blocked people out of the most holy place of the temple.

They always were on places indicating barriers.

Exodus 26:1 Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them.

Exodus 26:31 And thou shalt make a veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made:

Exodus 26:33 And thou shalt hang up the veil under the tacks, that thou mayest bring in thither within the veil the ark of the testimony: and the veil shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy.

As the cherubims stood at the dividing point between the outside of the Garden and the inside, the cherubims on the veil acted as a dividing point between the holy place and most holy place.

Let us concentrate upon the picture of the same creatures that blocked people out of the Garden and Holiest of holies that were seen on the lid of the ark of the covenant.

We read that wings were outstretched from these cherubim over the mercy seat like a canopy covering.
And their eyes would look down at the lid that was the mercy seat.
You have cherubims all around the structure on the curtains and on the veil as barriers.
But you have them here on the mercy seat, that actually appeared like a throne.

Isaiah 6 saw the throne of God with God sitting on it.

And look what he saw above the throne.

Isa 6:1-2 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. (2) Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

ABOVE THE THRONE were seraphims.

With Wings that COVERED.
And they also covered the throne, obviously, like a canopy.
Placed above the throne.

But the interesting thing about the ark of the covenant and the mercy seat that the cherubim covered, was what was associated in ritual with the mercy seat.

Leviticus 16:14-15 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. (15) Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the veil, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:

The day of atonement was the day when the people’s sins were taken away from them through means of a sacrifice.

Leviticus 16:11 And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself:

That bullock’s death stood for the people’s deaths that they deserved because of their sins.

And when it died, it was as though the people died and paid the death penalty they deserved, because it stood for them as a sacrifice.

So the cherubims’ wings cover the mercy seat, and their EYES LOOK AT THE MERCYSEAT.

Picture it.

Protective agencies of God, acting as God’s protection, covering this opening lid, and their eyes gaze upon it where the blood was sprinkled.

All of this ties into the Exodus Passover night in Exodus chapter 12.

God would sweep through the land of Egypt with affliction of death upon all the firstborn.

And only those firstborn who would enter the opening of their homes that had blood on the lintel and two side posts would be PROTECTED.

Exodus 12:22-23 And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the basin; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning. (23) For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.

He distinctly said when HIS EYES SEE THE BLOOD, He will pass over and protect those inside the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in and smite them.

Looking at the blood would cause Him to cover the opening door and protect those inside.

Cherubims would look at the blood on the opening lid of the mercy seat of the ark of the covenant, and cover it with their wings.

Covering of Cherubims’ wings, please note, is the agency of God’s protection.

In other words, their protective power is GOD’S PROTECTION.
It’s similar to saying God protected you when His angels were dispatched and intervened when something dangerous was about to happen.
Agency.

Psa 91:1-6 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. (2) I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. (3) Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. (4) He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. (5) Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; (6) Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

They are God’s means of protecting you!

Its as though the Hebrews were inside the Ark of the Covenant, when they were inside their homes with blood on the opening doorways.

The ark of the covenant was a CHEST or HOUSING.

Hebrews 9:4 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;

The ark HOUSED three items.

The pot of manna.
Aaron’s rod that budded, after being a dead stick.
And the tables of the Law.

Notice these three items.

The Hebrews were to eat the flesh of the lamb as follows:

Exodus 12:9-10 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. (10) And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.

John called Jesus the lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.

That meant he was to be a sacrifice to die in our places, as the bullocks and goats and lambs were sacrificed for Israel’s sins.

And the lamb whose blood was placed on the doors of Israel in Egypt also represents Jesus Christ.
And so eating that flesh represented something about Jesus Christ we must experience.

John 6:49-51 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. (50) This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. (51) I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

Jesus spoke of the MANNA and His flesh they must eat.

When the Jews ate the lamb’s flesh in their houses, it was like eating Jesus’ flesh.

True manna.

When people could not understand the thought of eating his flesh, he explained what he actually meant.

John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

His flesh speaks of His words.

After all, HE WAS THE WORD MADE FLESH.

It was believing His words that He implied.

And as the flesh of the lamb could not be left until morning, note what we read about manna.

Exodus 16:15 And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they knew not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat.

Exodus 16:19 And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning.

Just like the lamb’s flesh they were not to leave any of the manna until morning.

So, both inside the houses behind the blood on the doors, and in the ark behind the blood on the mercy seat, there was lamb’s flesh and manna, that was not to be left til morning

If you want to be safe from the enemy, the blood is on the door and the flesh is in the house.

Get beneath the blood and devour all the flesh!

Mann was in the Ark beneath the blood, just as lamb’s flesh was in the houses beneath the blood, covered by God’s wings.

AARON’S ROD.

Numbers 16 gives the story where a dispute arose as to who should LEAD Israel.

Numbers 17 tells of how God told Moses to get each of the 12 tribes to etch their tribal names on a rod.
Place the rod in the Tabernacle.
And retrieve them in the morning.
In the morning, Aaron’s rod had blossomed with buds, flowers and almonds.
Not only did it resurrect, but NEVER are buds, blossoms and almonds on a branch at the same time.
This was life, and life more abundantly!

It was ROD because it signified LEADERSHIP.

Kings had sceptres.
Shepherds had a rod and staff.
And both people lead and guide.

Psa 23:1-4 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. (2) He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. (3) He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. (4) Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

This shepherd is with us!

Even though we go through dark shadows of times in our lives, something comforts us.
Something drives away all fears.
We have a shepherd with us!
And we look over to his rod and staff, and by the mere sight of them, we are comforted.
Even when the evil times face us and darkness is all around, WE DO NOT FEAR, because that rod and that staff indicate HE IS LEADING ME.
And if He leads, I am PROTECTED!

This rod and this staff speak of the RESURRECTED CHRIST WHO LEADS ME.

Aaron’s rod was a resurrection rod of leadership!
Why worry about any shadow of DEATH, if the rod that signifies RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD is there before us!?

Death only strikes once.

It is only appointed to man ONCE to die.

And His resurrection SCEPTRE of leadership over my life comforts me to realize death cannot harm me.

When death would confront the doors of the Hebrews in Egypt, blood was around the door.

And there God stood covering with His wings of protection, looking at that blood, disallowing destruction to enter.
That death was in the place of my death.
And since that was my death, and its only appointed to man once to die, then death cannot claim me!
Its as good as saying I already died ONCE!

While feasting on the lamb’s flesh, representing BELIEVING TRUTHS OF CHRIST’S DEATH…

How many know that truths of His death mean that we died and are not susceptible to death again?
…We read…

Exodus 12:11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD's passover.

They were HOLDING A ROD.

Not only was manna in the ark beneath the blood, protected by God’s wings, but A RESURRECTION ROD OF AARON was in the ark.

And a rod was in the houses beneath the blood as well!
Why did they have the rod?
THEY WERE GOING TO WALK!
TRAVEL.

Eat this TRUTH and get your shoes on your feet and your ROD and STAFF in your hands, because THIS TRUTH OF HIS DEATH IS GOING TO MAKE YOU WALK IN NEWNESS OF RESURRECTION LIFE, if you EAT IT - or believe it!

Don’t just look at your food!

Some people come to church and just look at their food!

They hear the preaching, but they really do not “hear” it.
They do not believe it.
They do not eat it.
Food becomes part of your body.
You are what you eat.
And when you believe the Word of God, YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT.
You believe you are dead with Christ.
And if you are dead with Christ…

Rom 6:4-8 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: (6) 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. (7) For he that is dead is freed from sin. (8) Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:

WALK like He walked.

LIVE as He lived!

Act like you’re alive from the dead!

Rom 6:13 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.

You may be alive from the dead, but you do not understand that, and you never really got it yet.. You missed just what that means for you!

You’re looking at your food.
TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD!
Eat it up!
Eat your whole dinner!
Leave nothing of it leftover.
Eat it and mull it over in your soul, and chew on it, and pretty soon you start getting it!
You start realizing something.
You may be alive from the dead, but if you don’t chew on the meat of the word, you will present yourselves as people still slaves to sin.
But Romans 6:13 says you should present yourselves to God as people who are alive from the dead.
They’re alive from death and they KNOW IT!
How do they know it?
They FEASTED on those truths in the Word.

And they’re ready to WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE.

There is some SPIRIT in their walk!

They’re alive!
“Resurrection” alive!

When the devil hits your home or your life in any manner, you need to ACT LIKE WHO YOU ARE -- Alive from the dead!

And deal with him as though you’re alive from the dead!

God wants to use people who have resurrection life.

They’re the only ones He can use!
And more than half of the reason that so many people are not used of God very much is because they do not think they’re fit.
They don’t know exactly what they’re missing, but whatever it is , they somehow feel they are indeed missing it.
But all you need to be is alive from the dead.
However, you must realize YOU ARE alive from the dead.
But if you don’t, then you won’t present yourself to God as someone alive from the dead, and God can not use you.
Eat the WORD and believe it!
Feast on the truth of what God did for you when he saved your soul.
And you’ll grab the RESURRECTION ROD AND STAFF and have your shoes on, "chomping at the bit", ready to WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE!

And the TABLES OF LAW are also in the ark beneath the blood.

Behind the blood in the houses of Israel, the LAW OF GOD was given and they were to observe feasts and serve God.
God said “you shall observe” certain laws over and over again in this chapter.
He said, “YE SHALL” again and again, like the ten commandments.
THOU SHALT.. THOU SHALT NOT
He gave them instructions to obey when they left Egypt.
Keep the Passover.
Only circumcised can eat of the Passover.
Eat unleavened bread at the feast.

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.

WAY - ROD OF AARON…. Guide and lead.

TRUTH - LAW

LIFE - MANNA/FLESH OF LAMB, JESUS. Your fathers did eat manna and are dead. This is the bread that if a man eats thereof he shall never die.
And such a LIFE is a LIFE OF PROTECTION.

You’re beneath His sheltering wings!

He sees the blood!

He covers you!

With resurrection life, why fear DEATH?

The cherubim were concerned over sinners who must die, and not enter eternal life.

But the ark shows them protecting because they see blood denoting that a death has already occurred, which they themselves ratified that it was necessary.
The saints beneath this covering are protected because death’s penalty was paid for them.

The wings denote one more thing!

Eze 1:24 And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, as the noise of a host: when they stood, they let down their wings.

THE VOICE OF GOD.

Jesus sounded like that as well.

Rev 1:15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

And what did this voice say that sounded like the many waters that the wings of the cherubims sounded like?

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

When people came to trust In God’s truths after believing error previously, they were said to …

Ruth 2:12 The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.

And watch this!!

Psalm 36:7-9 How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. (8) They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. (9) For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.

Feel like you’re in the Valley of SHADOW of death?

YOU WILL SEE LIGHT if you can TRUST God in this time and feast on the lamb and grab your staff.