WHO WAS RIGHT?
If
we remember back some 500 years to the laws of YAHWEH, we
were told if anyone looked at the ark they would be killed. Page
322, time . Only the high priest could enter and look, and then
only once in a year and with great preparation. David told the
people to look and live, not die as they did 500 years
before. David ordered the women to be included in worship too, and
that was against the law of Moses. The equality of women in
relation to worship was totally revolutionary. Much singing of
praise and thanksgiving, and use of musical instruments were brought
into worship of God as David appointed some 288 singers to
praise the LORD. Page 323, time .
IN THE NAME OF THE LAW

David
commanded the Gentiles to participate with the Israelites because
EL ELYON is the God of all nations, whereas YAHWEH
is the God of Israel. Gentiles were not allowed to
worship at Moses Tabernacle. All these changes were brought to the
people and it seems all enjoyed and benefited from them. Page 323,
time . But remember, 500 years before, all those things were
against the law that God gave to Moses. Page 322,
time . In other words, God changed His rules as
Israel’s concept of God changed.
BACK TO YAHWEH
AT SOLOMON’S TEMPLE
H
owever,
some 40 years later, King Solomon, son of David, returned the nation
of Israel back to the concept of YAHWEH. Page 323, time
. He brought the Levites back to Jerusalem. The ark was placed in
the temple constructed by Solomon. The laws, precepts, and
order of religious worship was reinstituted under the YAHWEHISTIC
concept of God (II Chronicles 5:5). Israel left the mercy
David taught them through his concept of the name/nature
of EL ELYON. Page 323, time . Our present day churches
seem to follow the pattern of David and Solomon ‑- YAHWEH
replaces EL ELYON. There is probably a reason why.
BUILD AND MAINTAIN
A STANDARD CHURCH
When our goal is to build a
structured religious society, then we must use the laws of
YAHWEH. It seems that all groups write their law book by
going back to the concept of YAHWEH, where His laws
were the outstanding characteristics. These external laws
are used to maintain unity and conformity within the structure.
However, EL ELYON’S laws originate within the heart of
the individual. God said He would write His laws in
our hearts and in our minds. If responded to, this will cause the
mature individual to walk and live in the spirit of the law,
resulting in a life of agape love that brings true harmony with
God and people. However, trying to live by externally imposed
laws, or the letter of the law as given by YAHWEH,
has not, and will not, bring people to the goal of
genuine unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. It will only
build or maintain the structure.
The summary of the matter is
given by Paul in Romans 7:10 when he stated:
Romans 7:10, And the
commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto
death. (KJV)
Also:
Hebrews 8:7, For if that
first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have
been sought for the second. (KJV)
Also:
Hebrews 8:13, In that he
saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now
that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away. (KJV)
And finally:
Hebrews 7:12, For the
priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change
also of the law. (KJV)
NORTHERN TEN TRIBES
LOST TRIBES OF ISRAEL


Following
Solomon's death, the nation divided into two kingdoms, the
north and the south. Rehoboam, son of Solomon, became king over the
two southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin (II Chronicles 10:16).
Page 323, time . He brought the Levites down from the north
and back to Jerusalem to continue the concepts of the YAHWEHISTIC
religion. At nearly the same time, Jereboam, son of Ephraim, became
king over the ten northern tribes. He led the people into
idolatry. Page 323, time . They were later taken into
captivity by King Senacharib of Syria around 726 B.C. Because we
are studying the Names of God, not idolatry, we will
not bring these 10 lost northern tribes into our
consideration any further. Page 323, time . Later the two
southern tribes that remained in Jerusalem under YAHWEHISTIC
concepts were captured by Nebuchadnezzer and taken to Babylon as
recorded in Daniel 1.
RETURN TO EL ELYON
WHILE IN CAPTIVITY IN
BABYLON
EL ELYON
was once again brought to the mental concept of Israel by Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego while in Babylonian captivity. Page 324,
time . Upon the occasion of refusing to worship
Nebuchadnezzer's golden image, the three were thrown into the fiery
furnace and found to be walking alive and untouched among the
flames. The king, astonished by the sight, called Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego, the “servants of EL ELYON (the Most
High God).” He ordered them to come forth out of the furnace.
This Gentile king continued to have revelation of the concept of
EL ELYON (the Most High God). His testimony was clearly
stated several times in the book of Daniel. He knew, and declared
to the world, that there is a God named EL ELYON who
rules in the kingdom of men. EL ELYON gives dominion to
whomsoever He will. There is none like unto Him. The story of
Daniel in the lion’s den contains all of the very same elements we
have just seen in the story of the three Hebrew children. Page 324,
time .
The
Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzer did not have a YAHWEHISTIC
concept of God because YAHWEH is the God of
Israel. EL ELYON is the God concept of the other
nations. But Daniel had a concept of God as EL ELYON
(the Most High God) as stated repeatedly in the book of
Daniel. Page 324, time .
While in Babylonian captivity
the Jews could not keep the laws of YAHWEH because
they related to the land and the temple. In captivity, the
religious Jews had to change their concept of the name/nature
of God from YAHWEH to EL ELYON. Page 324,
time .
However,
some 70/150 years later many of the Jews returned to Jerusalem and
rebuilt the wall, and eventually the temple. Page 324, time .
Ezra opened and read the book of the law of Moses before
them. Subsequently the Jews again left the name/nature of
EL ELYON and returned to the name/nature of YAHWEH.
JESUS CHRIST
As
we continue to review history, we now come to the time when God
no longer spoke to His people through the prophets but, at this
point, He then revealed Himself through His Son, JESUS CHRIST
(Heb. 1:1-2). Page 325, time .
Hebrews 1:1-2, God,
who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto
the fathers by the prophets,
2 Hath in these
last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of
all things, by whom also he made the worlds. (KJV)
We are told that JESUS
CHRIST is the exact expression of God that is to be seen,
and the expression to which we are to be conformed (Heb. 1:3; Romans
8:29). God did show Himself in the way He now desires for us
to see Him. There can never again be any doubts as to the
name/nature of God by which we are to know Him and
reflect that image to others. JESUS is the One!
JESUS is to be called
the Son Of EL ELYON (the Most High God) (Luke 1:32).
JESUS
was a priest after the order of Melchisedec who was a priest of
EL ELYON (the Most High God) (Hebrews 7). Page 325,
time .
EL ELYON is the concept
of God known by the Melchisedec priesthood (Genesis 14:18).
After the resurrection of
JESUS, we are told in several passages of the scriptures that
JESUS ascended to the right hand of EL ELYON (the Most
High God) (Heb. 1:3).
A
new "religion" was again brought on the scene. The concept of
God was EL ELYON, this time clothed in flesh for all the
world to see. The new temple was not of brick and mortar,
but the bodies of God’s people. The new law is being
written by the Spirit of God upon the hearts and minds
(entrails) of the believers. JESUS brought mercy not
sacrifice. There was equality of women and inclusion of the
Gentiles. Page 325, time .
Galatians 3:28, There is
neither Jew nor Greek (Gentile), there is neither bond nor free,
there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in
CHRIST JESUS. (KJV)
Music, singing, and
thanksgiving all became part of the vital expression of the
name/nature EL ELYON.
Ephesians 5:18-20, And be
not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the
Spirit;
19 Speaking to
yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and
making melody in your heart to the LORD;
20 Giving thanks
always for all things unto God and the Father in the name
of our LORD Jesus Christ.
(KJV)
LOOSE YOUR JOB?
Will
the people of God now presently receive this concept of
God and live in that Light? Page 326, time . The
structured religious hierarchy of JESUS' day could not.
In John chapter 11 it is recorded that they feared if JESUS
continued they would lose their place (job)! Page 325,
time .
John 11:48, If we let him
thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come
and take away both our place (job) and nation. (KJV)
That’s
probably the real reason for the trouble JESUS had with the
Jewish leaders. He was a threat to their job security and
their structure. “The Romans will come and take away our place.” The
Jewish leaders seized upon the differences between the
name/natures of YAHWEH and EL ELYON and used them
to bring a wedge between JESUS and the other Jews. Page 325,
time .
Yet, many Jews did receive the
concept of EL ELYON. On the day of Pentecost the power of
EL ELYON came upon 120 people who were gathered in an upper
room (Luke 24:49). Within days, the number had grown into the
multiplied thousands. Page 325, time .
PETER ACCEPTED THE GENTILES
In 41 A.D., moving into the
concept of the name/nature of EL ELYON, Peter went
down to the house of Cornelius where Gentiles were gathered waiting
to hear the Word of God.
RACIAL PREJUDICE
T
his
association of Jews with Gentiles was prohibited under the concept
of Israel's God YAHWEH. Page 325, time .
Peter’s visit to the home of the Italian resulted in the acceptance
of the Gentiles, because they, too, received the Holy Spirit,
as did Jews on the day of the Pentecost. They heard them speaking
in tongues on both occasions (Acts 10-11). Peter realized that
God was doing a new thing in the earth! The old YAHWEHISTIC
concepts would not allow Jews to keep company with
Gentiles. A new concept of the name/nature of EL ELYON
(Most High God) was necessary. Page 325, time .
PAUL WAS NOT A BIGOT

A
few years later in 52 A.D., certain men from Judea began to
erroneously teach the Gentiles that they, too, must live under the
YAHWEHISTIC laws of Moses and be circumcised in order
to have favor with God and the Christian church. Therefore,
Paul went before the council in Jerusalem to dispute the matter. In
Acts 15, (Page 326, time ) Peter, and then Paul, began to
relate all that God was doing in relation to the Gentiles.
They told how the Spirit was being poured out through the gift of
tongues upon all, Jew and Gentile, men and women. Then James stood
up and declared that what was happening was the restoration of the
Tabernacle Of David, as prophesied in Amos 9:11. Thus, the
concept of EL ELYON which broke down racial barriers at the
original Tabernacle Of David was once again in operation.
EL ELYON was again breaking down racial barriers, this time in
the lives of the apostles. Page 326, time .
TOO HOT FOR PETER

But
in 58 A.D., Peter returned to a concept of YAHWEH. Page 325,
time . Paul stated in Galatians 2:12 that out of fear, Peter
withdrew himself from eating with the Gentiles when certain men of
the YAHWEHISTIC circumcision came to town. Because of
Peter's influence, Barnabas and others were also led back to the
laws of YAHWEH. Mixing law and grace was referred
to as the “gospel of the circumcision.” Page 325, time .. The
other “gospel of the uncircumcision” was given to Paul
while his concept of God was EL ELYON (Gal. 2:7).
Page 326, time .
Galatians 2:4-13, And that
because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily
to spy out our liberty which we have in
Christ Jesus
(through
EL ELYON),
that they might bring us into bondage (of YAHWEH):
5 To whom we gave
place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of
the gospel might continue with you.
6 But of these who
seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to
me: God accepteth no man's person:) for they who seemed to be
somewhat in conference added nothing to me:
7 But
contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision
(from EL ELYON) was committed unto me, as the gospel of the
circumcision (from YAHWEH) was unto Peter;
8 (For ELOHIM
[he] that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the
circumcision, the same [ELOHIM] was mighty in me toward the
Gentiles:)
9 And when
James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the
grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right
hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they
unto the circumcision.
10 Only they would
that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward
to do.
11 But when
Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face,
because he was to be blamed.
12 For before that
certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they
were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which
were of the circumcision.
13 And the other
Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was
carried away with their dissimulation. (KJV)
FIGHT, FIGHT
Because of Peter’s racial
discrimination against Gentiles, Paul gave a verbal
uppercut to Peter’s jaw. Are you disturbed to find that we have had
denominational fights from the very beginning of Christianity?
PAUL GOOFED, TOO.
Paul
wasn’t so perfect either. Only two years later, Paul also returned
to the concept of YAHWEH when he returned to Jerusalem. Page
326, time . He was warned twice by the Holy Spirit to
not go up to Jerusalem (Acts 21:4, 11). The Christians pled
with Paul not to go (Acts 21:12). In his determined
self-will, Paul demanded that he would go to Jerusalem (Acts
21:13).
Upon
his return to Jerusalem, James and the elders stated how many
thousands of Jews believed (on JESUS) but they were all
zealous of the law of YAHWEH (Acts 21:20). Page 326,
time . . The church at Jerusalem had a big attendance by then.
The offerings were big. The apostles of JESUS CHRIST told
Paul to do what they said unto him (Acts 21:23). The Holy
Spirit had said, “don’t go.” Paul chose to obey the apostles
rather than the Holy Spirit. The apostles told Paul to
not rock the boat. Were church elders always led by the Holy
Spirit? No. Even the apostles goofed.
Paul
was told by the apostles to pretend he kept all of the
YAHWEHISTIC laws of Moses by taking a Nazarite vow
(Numbers 6:2-7). Along with four other men who had really taken
vows, Paul entered the temple and signified the accomplishment of
the days of purification by offering a blood sacrifice (Acts
21:26). Paul didn’t really take a Nazarite vow. There wasn’t time
to accomplish it. Paul, the apostle who eloquently warned us to
not return to the law, fraudulently did just what he
preached against. He even applied the blood of animals to
his rebellion. Hey Paul. How about the blood of JESUS?
Page 326, time .
Next, Paul was bound by
his enemies, and never, ever, released.
Right there it looks like Paul
may have made an irreversible mistake. Let's pray that we do not
do that.

Peter
and Paul returned to YAHWEH and the law. Page 325,
time and page 326, time .. Our trusted leaders took us
first to the mercy of EL ELYON, and then later
abandoned us on the church steps of the justice of the law of
YAHWEH.
THE WHOLE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
RETURNED TO THE LAW OF
YAHWEH
We
are all products of the actions and concepts of our "roots" (those
who have gone before us). The structures of present day
Protestantism, Roman Catholicism, and Judaism have all been built
and framed by the concepts embraced and personified by the
religious pillars of the first century. Page 326, time .
The people of that day could not remain in the light, life,
love, and mercy of EL ELYON. They were too heavily
influenced by their past religious structure which once again
returned them to the laws of YAHWEH. The result was a
mixture of law and grace in their lives. They left us
with a mixture of law and grace that still controls
the present day church. The Bible calls that mixture of law
and grace the “gospel of the circumcision” (Gal. 2:7).
Over the centuries, the church
has maintained that same "mind set" for the most part and continued
with a YAHWEHISTIC concept of God. Judaism, Roman
Catholicism, and Protestantism have embraced the YAHWEHISTIC
concept of God, with precious few exceptions. Page 326,
time .
THE CHURCH IS NOW
RETURNING BACK TO EL ELYON
However,
the day has dawned when EL ELYON is once again inviting us to
be participants in the restoration of the Tabernacle Of David.
Page 326, time . EL ELYON is reintroducing Himself
to the concept of many of His people. We are being given the
opportunity to come to the same concept, knowledge, and awareness of
EL ELYON that JESUS had. Following in His footsteps
we shall also become priests after the order of Melchisedec, priests
of EL ELYON (the Most High God).
Whenever
our God starts a new religion on the earth, He changes His
name. Page 326, time .
DIFFERENCES
Q.
That reminds me ‑ your tape lesson entitled EL ELYON THEN
AND NOW probably cleared up more things for me than anything
else in my whole religious experience, up to now. I would say that
the teaching of the Names of God has been a religious
experience within itself. Page 326, time .
A.
I surely don't want to start up a new denomination, or a new
religion. I'll admit that I've received more letters expressing
that basic idea than I have received concerning anything in my 30
years of full-time public ministry. It looks like something is
up. Page 326, time .
A serious study of the
MELCHISEDEC ORDER Chapter 26, must also include a study
of:
·
EL ELYON
Chapter 21, and
·
EL ELYON,
MOST HIGH GOD Chapter 22, and
·
KNOWING FROM
EL ELYON Chapter 23, and
·
EL ELYON,
MOST HIGH GOD IN THE NEW TESTAMENT Chapter 24, and
·
EL ELYON,
THEN AND NOW Chapter 25,
because there’s a lot to learn
about EL ELYON and MELCHISEDEC.
Some subjects in those
chapters have been reviewed and/or abbreviated for this chapter.
Some have not. Some subjects in this chapter are new and unique.
The index should be a big help.
MELCHISEDEC ORDER
Have you joined the
MELCHISEDEC ORDER? You should look into it. They say
it’s great. JESUS joined, you know. I’ve heard that you get
to meet some real famous and important people if you join. The only
trouble is that the membership fees will cost you everything you
have. Some people have paid with their whole lives. That’s pretty
costly, so we had better look at it very carefully.
There must be a lot of great
benefits because JESUS joined. But if it costs that much,
can it be worth it?
Let’s study the Melchisedec
Order to see.
There is a spelling problem:
·
Old Testament --
MELCHIZEDEK
·
New Testament --
MELCHISEDEC
MELCHISEDEC
The study of Melchisedec
is both very simple and very complex.
Melchisedec is complex
because he was so extraordinary in his life, purpose, and results.
Very few Christians believe that the story is real. That means that
the promises to us are often completely ignored by modern
Christiandom. That is a Christian tragedy.
A SIMPLE STORY
The story is simple because of
the fact that there are only three (3) scripture passages that tell
us anything about Melchisedec, they are:
1. Genesis 14:17-24
2. Psalm 110:4
3. Hebrews 5:6, 10; 6:20;
7:1, 10, 11, 15, 17, 21
SIMPLE GODLY ORDER
Hebrews 7:21, The LORD
sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever
after the Order of Melchisedec) (KJV)
JESUS became a priest
(was made a high priest) after the Order of Melchisedec.
Hebrews 6:20, made an
high priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedec.
(KJV)
Hebrews 7:11, If therefore
perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the
people received the law,) what further need was there that
another priest should rise after the Order of Melchisedec,
and not be called after the Order of Aaron? (KJV)
PRIESTLY ORDER OF AARON
Aaron received his law
and Order from his knowledge of the name/nature of
YAHWEH, but JESUS received his law and Order
from His knowledge of the name/nature of His Father
EL ELYON (Most High God). There is a big difference
between the two Orders and between the two name/natures
of the one God.
Almost every Bible student has
tried to reconcile the God of love, mercy, and peace with the
God who hardens hearts, wounds, and kills whole nations of
people. You don’t even have to be a Bible student to think about
that question. Almost everyone has. Perhaps this will help because
it all depends upon which Order you are in.
WHY US?
Long ago, before the
foundation of the earth, our God chose a group of Spirits
to go from heaven to earth, and do His will at the end of this
present age. His will is for them to help people adapt to the
changes at the beginning of the new age. He gave them His grace,
and purpose, and script. Now they are here to do His will, not
their own will. The conflict between His will and their own will
accounts for most of their present problems. A group will overcome
the last enemy -- death.
This is very important to us
because the people who do overcome the last enemy, death,
will become priests after the Order of Melchisedec who
was a priest of EL ELYON (the Most High God).
JESUS did it and He encouraged us to stand as candidates to do
it, too.
Most of the present religious
systems in this world have understandings of the name/nature
of God as YAHWEH (the God of Israel). YAHWEH
brings law, judgment, condemnation, punishment, and death,
through the Order of the Aaronic priesthood. That means the
Old Testament. Most of us who have been involved in religious
denominations know that those systems of religious thinking bring
war, not peace. It is no wonder that the world is in the
present mess.
The New Religion that
our God is establishing at this time will have a
consciousness of the name/nature of God as
EL ELYON (Most High God). They will be led by the
Spirit of EL ELYON (Most High God), not
exclusively by the law of YAHWEH, the God of
Israel, and they will lead the world into peace.
The whole book of Hebrews
relates to the changes of the law that take place as God
changes His name/nature.
THE LAST ENEMY -- DEATH OF
THE BODY
The Christian who wants to
overcome the last enemy, which is death, desires to know
God as JESUS knew Him. JESUS became a priest
after the Order of Melchisedec, who knew God as
EL ELYON, the Most High God. JESUS and
Melchisedec entered the EL ELYON priesthood through the
power of an endless life. Those who overcome the last enemy
-- death -- will do it the same way. They will enter an
endless life here on this earth. They won’t wait to go to heaven.
They will bring heaven to earth. They will have a balanced
knowledge of all of the names/natures and attributes of
God. They will walk in that knowledge, and they will be
priests of EL ELYON (the Most High God). They will
live, and love, and bring heaven to earth.
THE POWER OF AN ENDLESS
LIFE
The subtitle to our lesson is
THE POWER OF AN Endless
Life. We are not talking about dying and going
to heaven. Many churches teach you that eternal life is to live in
heaven after you die. That Church teaching is true for the
Spirit but it is not true for the Soul and the
Body.
YOUR SPIRIT WAS SAVED
Your Spirit has already
come into eternal life because of what our LORD JESUS CHRIST
did. The Spirit is that part of man that returns to heaven if
a man dies.
Ecclesiastes 12:7, Then
shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the Spirit
shall return unto God who gave it. (KJV)
YOUR SOUL IS BEING SAVED
How many said “yes,” to
JESUS, but how many still get stupid thoughts? Yes! We all
do. We were saved! Even after we give our hearts to JESUS,
we still get some pretty dumb, stupid, ignorant thoughts.
Christians still get dumb thoughts because the Holy Spirit is
still working on the Souls of Christians who are already
saved in their Spirit.
The Bible says your Spirit
is already perfected by the blood of JESUS CHRIST. All of
your past sins are forgiven. Then the Bible tells us after that, we
are to receive with meekness the engrafted word which is able to
save our Souls (not Spirit).
James 1:21, Wherefore lay
apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive
with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your
Souls. (written to people who were already saved)
(KJV)
Some churches teach that the
Soul is already saved, but that is not what the Bible
says. James 1:21 was written to people who are already saved in
Spirit. It says to get your Soul saved through the
engrafted word.
A NEW AND DIFFERENT ORDER
The Old Testament states that
all priests had to come from the tribe of Levi but we know that
JESUS came from the tribe of Judah, not Levi. We can
find nothing in the Old Testament to indicate that any priest would
ever come from Judah.
JESUS became a priest
after a different Order than the Levitical Order (the
usual Order). That opens the door of possibility for us who
may not be from the tribe of Levi and the family of Aaron.
It is possible for us to become a priest of EL ELYON after a
different Order from Levi.
Hebrews 7:15-17, And it is
yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of
Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,
16 Who is made,
not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the
power of an endless life.
17 For he
testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the Order of
Melchisedec. (KJV)
So this other priest is going
to be like Melchisedec, the EL ELYON priest, rather
than like the Levitic/Aaronic priests of YAHWEH.
OVERCOME DEATH
Next, the Bible tells us how
we know when a priest is of the Order of
Melchisedec. It is the power of an endless life
that makes a priest of the Order of Melchisedec.
TRY TO NOT DIE
Some people who are reading
this book have the power and potential to overcome the last enemy ‑‑
death!
1 Corinthians 15:26, The
last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. (KJV)
You could be one who destroys
death. When you do overcome death you will enter the
Melchisedec Order through the power of an endless
life.
There will be a generation
that does overcome death. Why not you!
OVERCOME DEATH -- LIVE
JESUS said, “to him
that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne.”
Revelation 3:21, To him
that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne,
even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in
his throne. (KJV)
Can you imagine any body
sitting with JESUS in the throne of God and
then dying? It doesn’t fit our understanding of theology. I pray
that each one of our students will go through the changes that are
necessary, so that they can stay around to the end of this age. I
pray you will live through the next new age (the millennium) also.
INTRODUCING MELCHISEDEC
We will study the first story
in the Bible about Melchisedec the priest of EL ELYON.
Genesis 14:17-24, And the
king of Sodom went out to meet him (Abram/Abraham) after his return
from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with
him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's dale.
18 And
Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine:
and he was the priest of EL ELYON (the Most High God).
19 And he blessed
him (Abram/Abraham), and said, Blessed be Abram of EL ELYON
(the Most High God), possessor of heaven and earth:
20 And blessed be
EL ELYON (the Most High God), which hath delivered
thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
21 And the king of
Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to
thyself.
22 And Abram said
to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD,
EL ELYON (the Most High God), the possessor of heaven and
earth,
23 That I will not
take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take
any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram
rich:
24 Save only that
which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which
went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.
(KJV)
Melchisedec was King of
Salem. (Salem means peace.) Most Bible students believe he was
King of Jeru-SALEM. You can see that the word Jerusalem is a
composite of the word Salem with the section Jeru added to the front
of Salem. Years later Jerusalem became a Jebusite city and even
later, the Capitol city for King David and Solomon.
TWICE KING
Melchi (from Melchi-sedec)
means king. Sedec (from Melchi-sedec) also means
righteousness. So that’s why it says in Hebrews that Melchisedec
was the king of righteousness, and the king of peace. He’s
the king of two realms. Melchisedec was priest of EL ELYON
(the Most High God), who is the possessor of heaven and
earth. Melchisedec was not a priest of YAHWEH,
the God of Israel. The name/nature of the God
of Israel, YAHWEH, did not appear until a long time
after the day that Abraham met Melchisedec.
Exodus 6:2-3, And
ELOHIM (God) spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am
YAHWEH (the LORD):
3 And I appeared
unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of
EL SHADDAI (God Almighty), but by my name
YAHWEH (JEHOVAH) was I not known to them. (KJV)
Our God changed
His name.
The Names of God,
EL ELYON, YAHWEH, ELOHIM, EL SHADDAI,
and ELOAH describe the various name/natures of the
one and only same true God. See earlier chapters of this
book for a massive description of the various Names of God.
If you are thinking of the
God of the obedient temporal world, the best representation
would be JESUS CHRIST, because He is God manifest in
the flesh.
For example, JESUS
performed all of the natural acts of a human being, like drinking a
cup of water.
JESUS told us that
ELOHIM is Spirit.
John 4:24, God is a
Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in
Spirit. (KJV)
Spirits don’t drink a
cup of water. So when God put on a physical BODY His
name/nature became JESUS CHRIST.
TWICE POSSESSOR
EL ELYON (Most High
God) is possessor of heaven and earth. He possesses both the
Spiritual (heavenly) and temporal (earthly) realms. So
what did Melchisedec, the priest of EL ELYON (the
God of earthly possessions), give to Abraham? Something in the
physical (not Spiritual) realm!
If you had been in a battle as
Abraham was, fighting a war against five kings (or generals) and
then came back dirty, thirsty and tired, what would you like to
have? Something to eat and drink in the physical realm! At
that time you would not be very interested in receiving some
great Spiritual truth or revelation. Melchisedec
ministered to Abram, met his present personal need, and nourished
him out of his own possession for he was the possessor
of heaven and earth.
The study of earthly
possessions is important because the destiny of those who
overcome the last enemy -- death -- is to possess and
rule the world. This will be done in mercy.
RICH KING -- POOR KING
Our destiny is to grant
mercy but we cannot give a bowl of soup, in mercy, until we
possess an extra bowl of soup. You’ll not be able to
give bread and wine until you possess extra bread and wine.
In times past, we were mistakenly taught the idea that in order to
be a good Christian you would have to be poor. I’ve heard it said,
“JESUS had no pillow on which to place his head.” The
implication was, we don’t need a pillow either. These thoughts are
often introduced just before the offering. After all, JESUS
said it is harder for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven than
for a camel to go through the eye of a needle (Matt. 19:24).
Abraham was very rich. So
were Jacob and Job. When you read the blessings of Job you find he
was one of the richest men in the world and he had twice as much
after his troubles were over. If you are going to be a king, you
have to have affluency in the physical realm.
Revelation 5:10, And hast
made us unto our God kings and priests: and we
shall reign on the earth. (KJV)
You are going to become a
king and priest so you will have to have something extra
beyond what you need, so you can give things away, with mercy.
All Israel shall obtain
mercy through your mercy.
Romans 11:31, Even so have
these also now not believed, that through your mercy they
also may obtain mercy. (KJV)
How shall Israel obtain
mercy? By your mercy!
Romans 11:26, And so all
Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of
Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob (KJV)
So all Israel shall be saved.
What shall bring about the salvation of all Israel? Your mercy!
How can I be merciful if I
don’t have an extra loaf of bread, or an extra bowl of soup? I
hesitate to mention an extra bottle of wine (like Melchisedec
gave to Abraham) because I wouldn’t want to offend anybody.
You have to have an over
abundance to be affluent and be a king.
Abram gave Melchisedec
tithes of all the battle.
There may be a little
Spiritual clue here concerning the next time you or I may need
some more possessions. EL ELYON (Most High God)
gave physical possessions to Abraham and what did Abraham
give back? He gave tithes to Melchizedek, the priest
of EL ELYON.
Abraham returned
possessions for possessions. This transaction was purely
physical. I don’t object to spiritualizing many things in
the Bible, but I don’t think that this section is especially
Spiritual. It seems very physical to me. It is a
reminder that tithing from the physical realm is quite proper.
Experience proves that tithing is good money management.
Melchisedec said that
EL ELYON (the Most High God) was the one who
provided the victory, not Abraham.
MELCHISEDEC IN THE PSALM
After the Genesis story there
is one other mention of Melchisedec in the Old Testament. He
is mentioned the second time in Psalm 110:4. It is rather
interesting that the Old Testament only mentions Melchisedec
twice. The New Testament makes mention of him a lot more often.
Psalm 110:4, The LORD hath
sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the
Order of Melchizedek. (KJV)
Christian literature
universally agrees that this prophecy refers to JESUS CHRIST.
In reference to JESUS
CHRIST, Psalm 110:4 was quoted four different times in the book
of Hebrews; i.e., 5:6, 6:20, 7:17 and 7:21.
Here is the whole Psalm which
shows the context of the subject quote.
Psalm 110:1-7, <<A Psalm of
David.>> YAHWEH (the LORD) said unto my ADON (LORD), Sit thou
at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
2 YAHWEH
(the LORD) shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou
in the midst of thine enemies.
3 Thy people shall
be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from
the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.
4 YAHWEH
(the LORD) hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for
ever after the Order of Melchizedek.
5 YAHWEH
(the LORD) at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day
of his wrath.
6 He shall judge
among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he
shall wound the heads over many countries.
7 He shall drink
of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head. (KJV)
Very few writers expand the
thought and continue with the idea that the Body of CHRIST
also is prophesied to enter the same Melchisedec priesthood,
through the same power of an endless life. Perhaps the
reason is that the thought of an endless life was not
timely as far as the past writers were concerned. There is a
generation that will overcome the last enemy --
death -- and it’s time to look into it, now.
SO WHO’S PERFECT?
Hebrews 7:11, If therefore
perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the
people received the law,) what further need was there that another
priest should rise after the Order of Melchisedec, and not be
called after the Order of Aaron? (KJV)
How many of you have wondered
why JESUS was not after the Order of Levi? If
you were God, wouldn’t you make the Messiah come out of
Levi? Most people would answer, “yes.” So we see a conflict in
natural versus Spiritual thinking.
Now we shall read the subject
quotes in the N.T.
MELCHISEDEC AND JESUS IN
THE N.T.
Hebrews 5:6, As he saith
also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the Order
of Melchisedec. (KJV)
Hebrews 5:10, Called of
God an high priest after the Order of Melchisedec. (KJV)
Hebrews 6:20, Whither the
forerunner is for us entered, even JESUS, made an high priest
for ever after the Order of Melchisedec. (KJV)
Hebrews 7:17, For he
testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the Order of
Melchisedec. (KJV)
Hebrews 7:21, (For those
priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that
said unto him, The LORD sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest
for ever after the Order of Melchisedec) (KJV)
MELCHIZEDEK AND ABRAHAM
We shall now review some of
the things we have learned about Melchizedek by means of this
outline.
Concerning Melchizedek,
Genesis 14 teaches us that:
·
Melchizedek
was alive at the time of Abraham around 1913 B.C.
·
Melchizedek
was the priest of EL ELYON the Most High God.
·
Melchizedek
is a king and a priest.
·
Melchizedek
gave physical gifts:
a. Bread and wine,
b. Provided life for
the Body.
·
Melchizedek
received tithes.
·
Melchizedek
is king of Peace (Salem).
·
The Hebrew word
“Melech” means “king.”
·
The word “tsedek”
means “righteousness.”
ETYMOLOGY
Etymology teaches us that:
·
Melchizedek
means “king of righteousness.”
·
Melchizedek
is both:
a. King of righteousness, and
b. King of peace.
c. Melchizedek is
King of Jerusalem.
The word “Salem” means
peace. The city of Jerusalem means city of peace.
MELCHISEDEC FOR EVER
Now we will look at more
detail concerning the word “for ever,” as it applies to
Melchisedec.
Psalm 110:4, The LORD hath
sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever
after the Order of Melchizedek. (KJV)
This says that Melchizedek
is the head of an Order of priests who will live for ever.
For ever is eternal existence.
Hebrews 7:3, (Referring to
Melchisedec) Without father, without mother, without descent,
having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like
unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.
(KJV)
In Hebrew there are three main
words that have been translated into our English word, “FOR EVER."
FIRST FOREVER
FOR EVER - 05769 `owlam
{o-lawm’} or `olam {o-lawm’}
from 05956; TWOT -- 1631a; n m
concealed, vanishing point,
time out of mind.
AV - ever 272, everlasting 63,
old 22, perpetual 22, evermore 15, never 13, time 6, ancient 5,
world 4, always 3, alway 2, long 2, more 2, never + 0408 2, misc 6;
439
1) long duration, antiquity,
futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting,
evermore, perpetual, old,
ancient, world
1a) ancient time, long time
(of past)
1b) (of future)
1b1) for ever, always
1b2) continuous existence,
perpetual
1b3) everlasting, indefinite
or unending future, eternity
SECOND FOREVER
FOR EVER - 05703 `ad
{ad}
a peremptory (peremptory --
putting an end to) terminus, a duration.
from 05710; TWOT -- 1565a; n
m, a prim. root, to advance
AV - ever 41, everlasting 2,
end 1, eternity 1, ever + 05769 1, evermore 1, old 1, perpetually 1;
49
1) perpetuity, for ever,
continuing future
1a) ancient (of past time)
1b) for ever (of future
time)
1b1) of continuous existence
1c) for ever (of God’s
existence)
THIRD FOREVER
FOR EVER -- 05331 netsach
{neh’-tsakh} or netsach {nay’-tsakh} a goal, that is the bright
object at a distance traveled toward.
from 05329; TWOT -- 1402a; n
m, to glitter from afar.
AV -- ever 24, never 4,
perpetual 3, always 2, end 2, victory 2, strength 2, alway 1,
constantly 1, evermore 1, never + 03808 1; 43
1) eminence, perpetuity,
strength, victory, enduring, everlastingness
1a) eminence
1b) enduring of life
1c) endurance in time,
perpetual, continual, unto the end
1d) everlastingness, ever
Strong’s says,
FOR EVER ‑‑ 5769, OLAM, concealed, vanishing point, time out of
mind, (infinity). From this definition of FOR EVER we can
conclude that Melchisedec existed from before infinity
and will exist after infinity. Since there are many ages
spoken of in the Bible, I conclude that Melchisedec predates
all former ages and will exist even after all future
ages.
It should be mentioned that if
the Hebrew writer would have selected AD rather than OLAM
then that would have indicated an existence for a very long
duration, even for an age or several ages. That would infer that an
end would eventually come, though for all intents and purposes the
end would not come within the framework of any
presently known institution. But AD was not used.
OLAM was. That indicates an eternal existence
‑‑ timeless. That is a concept apart from human understanding.
The report in Genesis causes
us to think that Melchisedec did exist in a physical Body.
The body could bring bread and wine. The body would receive benefit
from tithes of the temporal spoil of the battle.
Just as JESUS CHRIST is
a manifestation of EL ELYON in the flesh in the New
Testament, I believe that Melchisedec was a manifestation of
EL ELYON in the flesh in the Old Testament. Some writers
even go so far as to conclude that JESUS pre-existed as
Melchizedek of the O.T. They say JESUS was
Melchizedek. That idea is too stretched for me because of the
description of their relationship in Hebrews.
ALIVE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
There is a scripture that
indicates that the Body of Melchisedec was also alive
during the time of the New Testament. That was at the time that the
book of Hebrews was written.
Hebrews 7:8, And here men
that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it
is witnessed that he liveth. (KJV)
Note that “liveth” is a
present progressive tense verb.
That indicates that the writer
of the book of Hebrews believed some witness who testified that the
Body of Melchisedec was alive, though the writer had
probably not seen Melchisedec himself. I think the
context indicates that he would have said so if he personally knew
it as a fact. He just quoted another source that he believed. In a
court of law, that would be labeled “hearsay” evidence. It
would not be admissible as a fact. But, in theological terms
we must look at it as a possibility because the Bible offers it as a
possibility and makes no attempt at anything else. It is witnessed
that Melchisedec continues to live.
It is nearly impossible to
comprehend the meaning of those words. Here is the case of a human
being who is documented by witnesses to have been alive for well
over 2000 years. We know that Melchisedec was alive at the
time of Abram. We believe also that the same Melchisedec has
been alive during and after the time of JESUS CHRIST.
That must bring a hundred
unanswered questions.
How could Melchisedec
be a human being without having a human father and mother? Remember
that JESUS did have a human mother but He did not have
a human Father.
Is Melchisedec still
alive in the 20th century? We believe that the scriptures do say
that Melchisedec is still alive today, really.
Where does he live? What does
he look like? Is he married? What does he eat? What is his
craft? Does he pay taxes? Is Melchisedec a part of the
Godhead?
Whoa! Stop! We don’t know.
We can speculate though, that
if Melchisedec would ever reveal himself, then probably the
whole world would worship him rather than JESUS CHRIST. That
is, assuming that he successfully did convince the world of who he
really was. That indicates that leading an incognito humble simple
life will help him to stay alive. Conversely, if self pride
ever caused Melchisedec to reveal who he really is -- he
would probably die. That would prevent worship of him,
rather than JESUS. Melchisedec knows we are to worship
JESUS, not him.
Adam and Methuselah (and
others) lived into their ninth century (nearly a thousand years).
Since they had the physical power to live nearly a thousand years,
what is another thousand? Give or take a little!
Oliver Wendell Holmes tells us
that some ideas are so great that when they once find entrance into
a human mind they permanently stretch it, leaving it forever
afterward bigger.
The scriptures teach that the
group of people referred to as the Body Of CHRIST will
actually overcome the last enemy, which is death.
THE LAST ENEMY -- DEATH
That presents a glorious mind
expanding thought. The glorious idea is that a group of people like
you and me have the potential and possibility of overcoming the last
enemy -- death. They will become priests of EL ELYON.
1 Corinthians 15:26, The
last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. (KJV)
The overcomers of the
last enemy, death, will find themselves manifest to the
world, as Manifest Sons Of God. That’s because they will
enter the Melchisedec priesthood through the power of an
endless life, just as JESUS did.
Only a God can overcome
death. Are you a God? You probably don’t feel like
it. You don’t even look like it. But, this is what JESUS
said about it.
John 10:34-35, JESUS
answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are Gods?
35 If he called
them Gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the
scripture cannot be broken (KJV)
Here above, JESUS
quotes an O.T. scripture.
Psalm 82:6, I have said,
Ye are Gods; and all of you are children of ELYON (the
Most High). (KJV)
You will understand those
verses when you understand the next short section.
At the present time it is
proper to say:
·
I am a Spirit.
·
I have a
Soul/Mind.
·
I live in this
Body.
When JESUS called us
ELOHIMS (Gods), it should be rather obvious to
everybody that we are not ELOHIMS (Gods) in
the realm of the Body. Visit any hospital to verify that we
are not Gods in the realm of our bodies.
Read one edition of any
national newspaper to verify that members of our society do not
act as if we are ELOHIMS (Gods) in the realm of our
Soul/Minds.
When we realize that our own
Body is controlled by our Soul/Mind then we draw the
same conclusion; we are not ELOHIMS (Gods) in
the Soul/Mind realm, either. Most Christians are willing to
admit that they often have stupid thoughts. So it is easy to
conclude that we are not ELOHIMS (Gods) in the
realm of Soul/Mind.
But a study of the word “Spirit”
reveals that not only is God a Spirit, we are
also Spirits. It is in the realm of the Spirit (not
Soul and not Body) that JESUS called us
Gods.
Psalm 82:6-7, I have said,
Ye are Gods; and all of you are children of ELYON (the
Most High).
That also explains the next
part of the same 82nd Psalm: “But ye shall die
(in the Body) like men.”
Psalm 82:7, But ye
shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes. (KJV)
In the physical Body
realm the Old Testament says that the Body is destined to
die. But, the Old Testament does not have the same
message for the Spirit. For instance, the Spirit shall
return unto God who gave it.
Ecclesiastes 12:7, Then
shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the Spirit
shall return unto God who gave it. (KJV)
The deacon Stephen, had to
have understood the separation of Spirit from Body.
Acts 7:59, And they stoned
Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, LORD
JESUS, receive my
Spirit. (KJV)
Stephen consigned his
Spirit to JESUS in heaven, not his Soul,
and not his Body.
The Spirit is the
Godly part of man, not the Soul, and not
the Body.
But that is not the end
of the story.
The last generation, the
generation that overcomes the last enemy -- death,
the people who shall be the
overcomers,
the same ones who shall become
kings and priests,
the Manifest Sons Of God,
shall all be absolutely
perfect in Spirit,
because the blood of JESUS
CHRIST has covered all their sins.
But presently they still need
to have their hearts circumcised. That is the title of my last
book, CIRCUMCISION OF THE HEART.
The same Christians shall
become perfect in Soul by receiving with meekness the
engrafted word which is able to save your Soul.
James 1:21, and receive
with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save
your Souls. (KJV)
The church of JESUS CHRIST
is on the step of Soul salvation (perfection) right now.
IS THE SOUL ETERNAL?
Psalm 6:5, For in death
there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give
thee thanks? (KJV) (Attributes of the Soul).
Psalm 30:9, What profit is
there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust
praise thee? shall it declare thy truth? (KJV)
(Attributes of the Soul).
Psalm 88:10-12, Wilt thou
shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and
praise thee? Selah.
11 Shall thy
lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness
in destruction?
12 Shall thy
wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the
land of forgetfulness? (KJV)
Psalm 115:17, The dead
praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence.
(KJV)
Ecclesiastes
9:10, Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for
there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge,
nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. (KJV)
All attributes of the
Soul.
Yes. There are some songs that
talk about the eternal Soul in heaven. Just remember those
are songs, not the Bible. The Bible does not agree. The existence
of the Soul ends at death. The Spirit came
from God and returns to God at death of the
Body.
MORE ON PERFECT
Hebrews 11:40, God
having provided some better thing for us, that they without
us should not be made perfect. (KJV)
Here’s the trouble. The word
perfect isn’t the perfect translation. It doesn’t
mean perfect as we use the word. Keep your finger there on
Hebrews 11:40 and come with me to Romans 12:1-2.
Romans 12:1-2, I beseech
you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye
present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,
which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not
conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of
your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and
acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (KJV)
Here we find three wills of
God:
1. good,
2. acceptable, and
3. perfect.
GOOD
The word “good” is
good, as far as the translation. There is a “good” will
of God.
ACCEPTABLE
The word “acceptable”
is not acceptable. “Acceptable” should be
translated “well pleasing.” Acceptable in English,
doesn’t mean the same thing as well pleasing. This
strawberry pie is acceptable. This strawberry pie is well
pleasing. I am talking about two different grades of
pie. Acceptable means “so-so, it could be better.” Well
pleasing means “it is very satisfactory.”
PERFECT
The next word “perfect”
is not perfect. It should be translated “fully
complete.” Perfect denotes no imperfection. It has
nothing wrong. But that’s not what the passage means.
Perfect means instead, “fully completed.” He learned
perfection (full completion) through the things He
suffered. He was perfect and had no imperfection when He
wasn’t perfect (fully completed). JESUS was
never imperfect (less than perfect). He learned to be “fully
completed” through the things He suffered.
A PERFECT FIVE
For example, I am observing a
five year old girl. This is a perfect five year old child.
Would you agree that we are going to expect more out of this child
when she’s six? And then more at ten? Even though this child is a
perfect five, I would not expect much performance from
this child in the realm of driving a car. Perfect means to
be fully completed and for a five year old, this child is
perfect (fully completed)! She is perfect. But
we certainly hope this child is more “fully completed” when
she is ten. We shall again read the scripture that indicated we
should study what perfect is:
Hebrews 11:40, God
having provided some better thing for us, that they without us
should not be made perfect (fully complete). (KJV)
AN INHERITANCE
We are now returning to our
general subject of overcoming the last enemy ‑‑ death.
Hebrews 9:15, And for this
cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of
death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under
the first testament, they which are called might receive the
promise of eternal inheritance. (KJV)
Those people who were already
saved received a further promise of something else. What were they
promised? An eternal inheritance.
INHERITANCE WHEN?
When do you receive your
inheritance?
1 Peter 1:4-5, To an
inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not
away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 Who are kept
by the power of God through faith unto salvation
ready to be revealed in the last time.
(KJV)
The inheritance that is
reserved in heaven for us is a further salvation that will not
be revealed until the last time. That means former
generations didn’t know anything about that particular salvation.
We are talking about the salvation of the Body.
A further salvation will be
revealed in the last time. Even though the inheritance
is in heaven, and even though it is yours, you cannot enjoy it (by
having and/or spending it) yet.
For instance, suppose that you
have an inheritance trust fund reserved for you in the bank.
Your father said that you may receive it when you become 20 years
old. You cannot spend it when you are 18, no matter how much you
want it, even though it is yours. You have hope for it. You
cannot exercise faith for it. (Faith is for the
present and hope is for the future.) If you spend it before
the right time they’ll throw you in jail because, although it is
going to become yours to use someday, it is not yours to use,
yet. Even though the salvation is reserved in heaven we can hope
for it now, and someday we will walk into it by faith at the
time that was reserved by the Father.
THE END OF AN OLD AGE
We believe these are the last
days and this inheritance is the salvation of the Body. The
church has not entered into Body salvation yet. It
isn’t time yet. The church is still coming out of the Old Testament
and into the New Testament. It is leaving the old age wherein
dwelleth death, and entering the new age wherein dwelleth
righteousness. We believe there are people reading this book who
are going to overcome the last enemy, which is death. We
believe those people are going to enter behind the veil, not
just in Spirit, but also in Soul, and Body.
Angel messengers are working
on our heads (minds) removing tares and throwing them out. The
tares were placed there by well meaning religious practitioners.
They cause us to think we could find favor with God by this
or that rule or law. But the truth is that our favor has already
been found through JESUS CHRIST our LORD.
Can you labor to enter into
that rest? Must we always labor to find favor by this or that rule
or law and miss so great a salvation? How shall we escape if we
neglect so great a salvation? Let us therefore labor to enter into
that rest! Presenting yourself to the angel messenger to tear out
those tares is one way to labor. Believe that God can
actually write on your heart. And God can write different
messages, for the time, on each person’s heart.
PERFECT BODIES
Melchisedec and
JESUS had perfect Bodies, don’t you think? Christians
shall finally become perfect in Body when they enter the
Melchisedec priesthood.
1 Corinthians 15:51-53,
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall
all be changed,
52 In a moment,
in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall
sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and
we shall be changed.
53 For this
corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal
must put on immortality. (KJV)
We who are mortal must
put on immortality. Very few preachers teach on the Bible
subject of immortality. But things are changing. Shortly it
shouldn’t be as hard to find a church that helps you to develop your
faith in the realm of salvation of the Body.
Romans 10:17, So then
faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the
word of God. (KJV)
Romans 10:14, how shall
they hear without a preacher? (KJV)
Overcomers will seek
immortality.
Romans 2:7, them who by
patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and
honour and immortality, eternal life (KJV)
The scripture says that those
who seek immortality will receive eternal life.
That indicates that seeking eternal life is a
condition of receiving eternal life.
God will give
eternal life to those who seek glory, honor, and
immortality. We are told to seek immortality.
I have never been quite sure
if the Melchisedec priesthood produces the power to overcome
the last enemy -- death, or if overcoming death is the
qualification that opens the door of entry into the Melchisedec
priesthood. It may be that it doesn’t matter, since they seem to
go along hand-in-hand. What do you think?
PERFECT
JESUS and
Melchisedec were perfect, don’t you think?
Hebrews 6:1, Therefore
leaving the principles of the doctrine of
CHRIST, let us go
on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of
repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God (KJV)
I don’t know how many times
Christian workers have told me that perfection is
impossible. My friend, don’t bother me with those facts. My mind
is made up! The facts of our lives indicate perfection is
impossible, but the scriptures say it is possible.
I have opted in favor of the scripture! As far as I am concerned,
perfection is possible because He told us it was. He
told us to do it. The fact that we haven’t done it, does not
keep someone from doing it.
ALL THE WAY PERFECT
Your purpose is not to
have glory. If you presently had the glory around your Body
you would call attention to yourself, and the people in your society
would make you their Pope.
THE FOUNDATION STONES OF
PERFECTION
Hebrews 6:1-3, Therefore
leaving the principles of the doctrine of
CHRIST, let us go
on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of
repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
2 Of the doctrine
of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the
dead, and of eternal judgment.
3 And this will we
do, if God permit. (KJV)
Go onto perfection,
completion, not laying again the foundation. There are six
foundation stones here:
1. repentance from dead
works,
2. faith toward God,
3. doctrine of baptisms,
4. laying on of hands,
5. resurrection of the dead,
6. eternal judgment.
This we’ll do if God
permits. We need all these things at certain times in our
development. You have noticed that certain denominations major in
certain selected foundation stones of truth. We need more than one
or two stones. We need them all. We must build a strong building
with them all. But there comes a time to stop reinforcing what has
already been reinforced, and move into perfection (full completion).
Hebrews 11:40, God
having provided some better thing for us, that they without us
should not be made perfect. (KJV)
“God having provided
some better thing for us, that they (the ones who have died
and gone on to heaven) without us (the ones who are alive and
remain) should not be made perfect.” Wait a minute.
Are they perfect or not? Hebrews Chapter 10:14 said,
“He hath perfected for ever,” now in 11:40 we find
they are “waiting to be made perfect.”
They are in heaven. Is your
Grandma perfect in heaven? Her Body isn’t. It went back to
dust. Her Soul does not exist (Psalm 6:5, 30:9,
88:11, 115:17, Ecc. 9:10). Her Spirit in heaven is waiting
to be made perfect (fully complete, Heb. 11:39-40).
What’s the answer?
Hebrews 12:1, Wherefore
seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of
witnesses (those who have died and gone to heaven), let
us (those that are still alive) lay aside every
weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, (that sin is
our own death) and let us run with patience the race that is set
before us (KJV)
When we win, they win. When
we win, they will be perfect (fully complete).
What must we win? The race.
What are we racing for? We are racing to overcome the last enemy --
death. When we win, they win
OVERCOME DEATH
We know that JESUS CHRIST
overcame death, and his Father is EL ELYON.
We also know that
Melchisedec also overcame death, and he was priest of
EL ELYON.
There are three other famous
Bible characters who overcame death. King Nebuchadnezzar
said those three Hebrew children were servants of EL ELYON
(the Most High God). We conclude the energy to overcome
death was theirs because they were servants of EL ELYON.
Daniel 3:24-30 Then
Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and
spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three
men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered
and said unto the king, True, O king.
25 He answered and
said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the
fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the
Son of God.
26 Then
Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace,
and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of
EL ELYON (the Most High God), come forth, and come
hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the
midst of the fire.
27 And the
princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being
gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no
power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their
coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.
28 Then
Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and
delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the
king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor
worship any God, except their own God.
29 Therefore I
make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak
any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a
dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver
after this sort.
30 Then the king
promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of
Babylon. (KJV)
Every reference I can find
about someone who served EL ELYON also includes the idea that
they overcame death in the Body.
It is exciting to think about
the last generation on earth that shall be alive and remain to the
coming of the LORD.
1 Corinthians 15:26, The
last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. (KJV)
They shall become kings and
priests like Melchisedec, the same way JESUS CHRIST
did it, through the power of an endless life.
Peter did say that the
revelation of the truth of the salvation of the Body would be
“reserved in heaven” and would not be revealed until
the “last time” because it was concealed in heaven.
1 Peter 1:5, Who are kept
by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready
to be revealed in the last time. (KJV)
The salvation was not
known about in earlier generations. Only the last generation
would know about a salvation that would be revealed in the last
time.
Very few preachers teach about
a “Salvation (that is) ready to be revealed in the last
time.” They have not been able to come to grips with the
differences between Spirit, and Soul, and Body.
They are not able to come to grips with the idea that there are
three salvations.
We believe that this present
work (and this present book EL ELYON NOW) is a part of that
last time (end time) revelation.
OVERCOME DEATH
The following partial quotes
from the book of Hebrews establish the concept that the general
subject is endless life, eternal life in the physical Body,
for Melchisedec, for JESUS, and for us.
1:8 Thy throne O God,
is for ever and ever
1:11 They shall perish:
But thou remainest
1:12 Thy years shall
not fail
5:7 able to save him from
death
5:9 author of eternal
salvation
6:1 go on to
perfection
6:18 hope set before
us
6:20 high priest for
ever
7:3 abideth a priest
continually
7:16 power of an
endless life
7:21 priest for ever
7:24 He continueth for
ever
7:25 Seeing He ever
liveth
7:28 consecrated for
evermore
9:12 obtained eternal
redemption for us
9:15 promise of eternal
inheritance
10:14 perfected for ever
them that are sanctified
13:20 blood of the
everlasting covenant
HIS BODY DIED
When JESUS died on the
cross, was the Body of the man JESUS dead? The Bible
is clear, the Body was dead -- dead. After that, His Body
became alive again.
Romans 8:11, 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. (KJV)
The Holy Spirit has
enough power to quicken our mortal Bodies as He
quickened the Body of JESUS. The word “quicken” means
to make you run fast, shake, quiver, move, locomote, make your
Body wiggle, animate your mortal Body. The
Holy Spirit is going to quicken the mortal Bodies
of those who are alive and remain to the coming of CHRIST.
They will receive power over death of the Body.
Notice that the scripture said
mortal (natural) Body and not
Spiritual. There is a natural Body, and there is
a Spiritual Body. (I Cor. 15:44). There’s a
difference between them.
1 Corinthians 15:44, It is
sown a natural Body; it is raised a Spiritual Body.
There is a natural Body, and there is a Spiritual Body.
(KJV)
There is a big difference.
Some preachers apply that
verse, and others like it, to the teaching about the resurrection.
I don’t think you can say much about mortal bodies when the
subject is the resurrection. There is a big difference.
Paul made it plain that the
Body in the grave is not the Body that shall be
resurrected.
1 Corinthians 15:35, But
some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what Body do
they come? (KJV)
That’s our question. With
what Body do they return to earth?
1 Corinthians 15:44, It is
sown a natural Body; it is raised a Spiritual Body.
There is a natural Body, and there is a Spiritual Body.
(KJV)
There is a natural
Body, and there is a spiritual Body, and there is
a difference. The natural Body is planted in
the earth (grave) at the time of the funeral. The Spiritual
Body returns from heaven at the time of the general
resurrection.
Many people want the
natural Body to be the Body that returns at the
resurrection. But, that’s not what the Bible says.
Hundreds of Christian songs do
not agree with the Bible about which Body returns.
Many denominations and preachers do not agree with the Bible
either. Make up your own mind.
Paul is not talking
about quickening Spiritual Bodies in heaven. He is
talking about quickening the natural, mortal, temporal,
Body on earth. Those who are quickened will overcome the last
enemy, which is death in the natural Body.
After they are quickened they can rule and reign with CHRIST
on His throne. They will have glory of the Father in their
physical Bodies.
We don’t have the glory yet
because we haven’t gone through all of the necessary changes to our
Soul/Mind attitudes. We have not yet received the
circumcision of our hearts. We have not yet received the
energy of God to accomplish the changes in our Bodies.
Those subjects are covered in Bible prophecy.
THREE VAILS
Another spelling problem.
1. O.T. VAIL,
but Song of Solomon has it VEIL.
2. N.T. VEIL,
but 2 Corinthians has it VAIL.
I picked VAIL, because
it looks better to me.
Melchisedec and
JESUS symbolically entered beyond the third vail into the
prescience of His Father EL ELYON (Most High God). (V
19, 20) There are three curtains or vails in the Tabernacle of
Moses. They are given as types and shadows for us to observe, so
let’s study the vail.
First is the outer vail
(door). Behind it is the brazen altar and the laver.
Next is the second vail (or
curtain) which separates the Outer Court from the Holy Place.
Behind it is the candlestick, table of shewbread, and the incense
altar.
The third curtain or
vail separates the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. Behind the
third vail was the Ark of the Testament, the Mercy Seat, and the
Cherubim. The Ark of the Testament was the symbolic location of the
presence of God. This is where you can speak to God
man to man, face to face, mouth to mouth. This is where we can get
answers.
WHO COULD ENTER BEHIND THE
VAIL?
All Israel had access to the
Outer Court. Only the Levites could enter the Holy Place beyond the
second vail. Only the High Priest (selected from the Levites and
from the family of Aaron) could enter the Holy of Holies. Only once
a year could he enter into that within the vail.
Hebrews 6:19, Which
hope we have as an anchor of the Soul, both sure and
stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil (KJV)
When you enter the Holy of
Holies you have to be a member of the priestly Order.
Furthermore, like the High Priest, you have to be perfect. That was
a type, shadow, and symbol of that which is to come. Those who
overcome the last enemy (death) will enter into that within
the vail, the Holy of Holies, as JESUS did. They will speak
to EL ELYON (Most High God) man to man, mouth
to mouth, and face to face.
Entry in to the Outer Court
was a type and shadow of the salvation of our Spirit. All
Israel had (past tense) that.
The second step, entry into
the Holy Place, is a type and shadow of the salvation of our
Souls. The people who receive the engrafted word are having
(present tense) that.
Entry beyond the third vail
into the Holy of Holies, is a type and shadow of the salvation of
our Bodies. We are waiting (future tense) for that.
Hebrews 6:19 told us that
hope enables us to enter into that within the vail. We have
learned that our Bodies are saved by hope.
WAITING FOR THE REDEMPTION
OF OUR BODIES
Romans 8:23-24, And not only
they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the
Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting
for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our Body.
24 For we are
saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope:
for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? (KJV)
No denominations, and very few
churches or preachers, teach about the redemption of our Bodies.
We believe that will soon change.
DID JOHN DIE?
There was a rumor that went
out among the believers that John would not die. JESUS had
the chance to check or stop that rumor but He didn’t. I believe
JESUS gave more power to it. There is no historical evidence
that John ever died. Would you disfellowship me if you thought that
I believed that John did overcome death in the physical
realm, and that John is still alive here on the earth, now? That
means that John has probably entered the Melchisedec
Order here on this earth, without first dying and going to
heaven. John lived, and loved, and brought heaven to earth.
THE RUMOR
The personal pronouns have
been cleared up in this section of the translation because it is
very hard to make sense in the KJV.
John 21:20-23, Then Peter,
turning about, seeth the disciple whom
Jesus loved
(John) following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and
said, LORD, which is he that betrayeth thee?
21 Peter seeing
him (John) saith to Jesus,
LORD and what shall this man (John) do?
22
Jesus saith unto
him, If I will that he (John) tarry till I come, what is that to
thee (Peter)? follow thou me.
23 Then went this
saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple (John) should
not die: yet Jesus
said not unto him, He (John) shall not die; but, If I will that he
(John) tarry till I come, what is that to thee (Peter)? (KJV
adjusted))
JESUS did not
say that John would live or die. But He didn’t do anything to stop
the rumor that John would not die. Every person to your own
opinion.
KINGS AND PRIESTS
Concerning kings and priests
like Melchisedec:
Revelation 20:4, And I saw
thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them:
and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of
JESUS, and for the word of God, and which had not
worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his
mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and
reigned with Christ a
thousand years. (KJV)
Who will sit on the thrones
like Melchisedec, like JESUS?
OVERCOMERS
The overcomer will sit
in the throne of JESUS.
Revelation 3:21, To him
that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne,
even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father
in his throne. (KJV)
What great enemy did JESUS
CHRIST overcome?
Death!
What last great enemy must we
also overcome?
Death!
1 Corinthians 15:26, The
last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. (KJV)
1 Corinthians 15:55-57, O
death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
56 The sting of
death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be
to God, which giveth us the victory through our LORD
Jesus Christ.
(KJV)
We see again, that the law
(of Moses) serves to kill us (our bodies) -- but the
Spirit, and the love of God through JESUS
CHRIST, serves to make us live (in the Body).
2 Corinthians 3:6, for the
letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life. (KJV)
LAW ORDER OF MELCHISEDEC
Here is an interesting side
light on the Order of Melchisedec:
The English word “order”
is “DIBRAH” in the Hebrew (Strong’s
1700).
“DIBRAH” is derived
from “DABAR” (Strong’s
1697 and 1696). The word “DABAR” is used to describe the 10
commandments that YAHWEH gave to us through Moses.
In other words the word “order”
has much to do with the word “law." Much attention is given
in the book of Hebrews concerning a change of law.
Hebrews 7:12, For the
priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change
also of the law. (KJV)
The expression “Order
of Melchisedec” could mean “Law of
Melchisedec.”
Remember that the law
of EL ELYON, and Melchisedec, and of JESUS CHRIST
is best described by the way all three met situations of
life here on earth. They lived by their law. They
granted
·
LOVE
·
LIGHT
(TRUTH)
·
FORGIVENESS
·
MERCY and
·
LIFE.
That’s not the end of
our interest in the word “order” as used in the Order
of Melchisedec.
In the Greek language the
English word “order” is “TAXIS” (Strong’s
5010) (Hebrews 5:6, 10; 6:20; 7:11, 17, 21) It means “regular
arrangement, fixed succession in time.”
I believe that that is exactly
what did happen. Our consciousness of the names/natures of
the Godhead did change in a regular, fixed arrangement in a
succession of time. Now is the time to recognize the
Order of Melchisedec as being the highest Order.
Melchisedec is the king
of peace. The word used in the KJV for “peace” is “salem."
STRONG’S CONCORDANCE says:
SALEM -- 08004 Shalem
{shaw-lame’}
the same as 08003; n pr loc,
peaceful, early name of Jerusalem, full, just, made ready,
peaceable, perfect, quiet.
AV -- Salem 2, Shalem 1; 3
Salem = “peace”
1) the place of which
Melchizedek was king
1a) most Jewish commentators
affirm that it is the same as Jerusalem
It is interesting to connect
the idea of peace with Melchisedec, and with EL
ELYON. And it is also interesting to note that Melchisedec
is the king of peace as a priest of EL ELYON.
JESUS CHRIST is the prince of peace as a Son (and
later a priest) of EL ELYON.
Searching the scriptures, I
can not find any indication that YAHWEH or Moses were
ever noted for bringing peace.
WHO’S THE BOSS?
By my own election, I have
decided to not show
1. Melchisedec, or
2. JESUS CHRIST,
or
3. the Overcomers
as being on the same
theological level as ELOAH in the illustration of the
clouds. See Chapter 9, FIVE NAMES OF GOD IN THE CLOUDS. The
reason is that all three were earthly temporal people. I had
enough trouble showing that the heavenly Godhead is made up
at least 5 name/natures. There is no need for me to “cloud”
the issue by raising 3 more earthly names up into the heaven
in our study.
I suppose that I could have
gotten away with putting the name JESUS CHRIST up
there in the clouds. But in the order of events it wouldn’t really
be consistent, because I’ve been using scriptures from the Old
Testament, not the New. Get ready for the idea that
the Godhead is going to come to earth rather than the
idea that the overcomers are going to heaven. JESUS
confirmed that idea.
John 14:23, Jesus
answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words:
and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and
make our abode with him. (KJV)
As long as we are on the
subject of placing JESUS CHRIST on the level of ELOAH,
we should also place JESUS CHRIST on the level of YAHWEH,
ELOHIM, EL SHADDAI, and EL ELYON. Remember that
EL ELYON is the Most High God, and that
JESUS CHRIST is the head of all principalities and
powers.
Colossians 2:9-10, For in
him (JESUS CHRIST) dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead
bodily.
10 And ye are
complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power
(KJV)
In other words, it would
not be wrong to write the name JESUS CHRIST along
side of every Name of God.
I believe that John confirmed
that it is proper to think of JESUS CHRIST every time that a
person thinks of any other Name Of God.
John 1:1-10, In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the
Word was God.
2 The same was in
the beginning with God.
3 All things were
made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life;
and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light
shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
6 There was a man
sent from God, whose name was John.
7 The same came
for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through
him might believe.
8 He was not that
Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
9 That was the
true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
10 He was in the
world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
(KJV)
AARONIC OR MELCHISEDEC
PRIESTHOOD?
The context of Hebrews 5:6-10
sets the stage for the facts following in Chapter 7. We start to
see that there is a difference between the Aaronic priesthood and
the Melchisedec priesthood. We are reminded that JESUS
was made perfect through His experience at Gethsemane.
Hebrews 5:1-10, For every
high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things
pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and
sacrifices for sins:
2 Who can have
compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for
that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.
3 And by reason
hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer
for sins.
4 And no man
taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God,
as was Aaron.
5 So also
Christ glorified
not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him,
Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.
6 As he saith
also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the Order
of Melchisedec.
7 Who in the days
of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications
with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him
from death, and was heard in that he feared;
8 Though he were a
Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
9 And being made
perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them
that obey him;
10 Called of
God an high priest after the Order of Melchisedec. (KJV)
Everyone now-a-days who is
standing as a candidate to go through all the changes
necessary in order to overcome the last enemy, death, will
enter the Order of Melchisedec with strong crying and with
tears (Hebrews 5:7). They will find the idea of suffering to
be quite uncomfortable. The passage shows that the hearer and
student of the lesson will find it necessary to make major changes
within themselves.
MILK OR MEAT?
Continuing:
Hebrews 5:11-13, Of whom
we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are
dull of hearing.
12 For when for
the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you
again which be the first principles of the oracles of God;
and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
13 For every one
that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is
a babe. (KJV)
We must put off the need for
milk and develop a taste for strong meat. If a person
does not, it is implied that the person will not enter
the Melchisedec Order or priesthood. That means
that the person on the milk of the Word will have to die;
and the person on the meat of the Word does have a chance to
live.
The only other chapter in the
Bible that tells anything about Melchisedec is chapter 7 of
Hebrews.
In chapter 7 Melchisedec
is mentioned by name six (6) times in verses 1, 10, 11, 15,
17 and 21.
LAW LEADS TO DEATH
Hebrews 7:1-10, For this
Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of EL ELYON (the
Most High God), who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of
the kings, and blessed him;
2 To whom also
Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King
of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King
of peace;
3 Without
father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of
days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God;
abideth a priest continually.
4 Now consider how
great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the
tenth of the spoils.
5 And verily they
that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the
priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people
according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come
out of the loins of Abraham:
6 But he whose
descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and
blessed him that had the promises.
7 And without all
contradiction the less is blessed of the better.
8 And here men
that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is
witnessed that he liveth.
9 And as I may so
say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.
10 For he was yet
in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him. (KJV)
LEVI PAID TITHES TO
MELCHISEDEC
It sounds impossible. Levi
wasn’t born yet. How could he pay tithes to Melchisedec?
Levi received tithes from his brothers, but paid tithes in Abraham
to one greater than Abraham. For he was yet in the loins of
his father Abraham when Melchisedec met him. We don’t
normally consider an unborn child performing a function while it is
yet in the father’s loins, but that is what this is saying.
Using the example of the
tithe, the passage (Hebrews 7:1-10) shows that Abraham, Levi, and
the Levitical priesthood were of a lower Order than
Melchisedec (Hebrews 7:7). Conversely, the passage shows that
Melchisedec was of a greater Order than the others
(Hebrews 7:4).
Using the example of the fact
that the Levitical priesthood did not learn perfection and/or
bring perfection (Hebrews 7:11) as JESUS did (Hebrews 5:9),
the verses 11-28 (Hebrews 7:11-28) show that it is necessary to have
a change of two things:
1. The Levitical priesthood
must change to the Melchisedec priesthood,
2. The law of
YAHWEH given to Moses (then Levi then Aaron) must change to the
mercy of EL ELYON given to and through JESUS
CHRIST.
The whole context of Hebrews
chapter 7 shows that the law of YAHWEH led every
one of the priests of YAHWEH (Levites) into death
(Hebrews 7:8, 23).
MERCY OF EL ELYON
It also shows that the
mercy of EL ELYON has led every one of the priests
of EL ELYON (Melchisedec and JESUS) into
eternal life.
For instance:
·
nor end of
life (V 3)
·
abideth a priest
continually (V 3)
·
of whom it is
witnessed that he liveth (V 8)
·
the power of an
endless life (V 16)
·
Thou art a
priest for ever (V 17)
·
Thou art a
priest for ever (V 21)
·
He continueth
ever (V 24)
·
seeing he ever
liveth (V 25)
·
who is
consecrated for evermore (V 28)
THINGS CHANGE
Hebrews 7:11-28, If
therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it
the people received the law,) what further need was there that
another priest should rise after the Order of
Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of
Aaron?
12 For the
priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also
of the law.
13 For he of whom
these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which
no man gave attendance at the altar.
14 For it is
evident that our LORD sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake
nothing concerning priesthood.
15 And it is yet
far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec
there ariseth another priest,
16 Who is made,
not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the
power of an endless life.
17 For he
testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the Order of
Melchisedec.
18 For there is
verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the
weakness and unprofitableness thereof.
19 For the law
made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by
the which we draw nigh unto God.
20 And inasmuch as
not without an oath he was made priest:
21 (For those
priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that
said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest
for ever after the Order of Melchisedec:)
22 By so much was
Jesus made a
surety of a better testament.
23 And they truly
were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by
reason of death:
24 But this man,
because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable
priesthood.
25 Wherefore he is
able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by
him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
26 For such an
high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate
from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
27 Who needeth not
daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his
own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he
offered up himself.
28 For the law
maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the
oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is
consecrated for evermore. (KJV)
The whole chapter 7 of Hebrews
pleads for an understanding of the idea that:
·
The priesthood
has changed,
·
Consequently the
law has changed,
·
And the Hope
of man has changed.
OUR HOPE HAS BEEN CHANGED
The Hope of mankind has
changed.
For instance:
BETTER HOPE
Hebrews 7:19, For the law
made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope
did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. (KJV)
ANCHOR HOPE
Hebrews 6:19, Which
hope we have as an anchor of the Soul, both sure
and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil (KJV)
REST IN HOPE
Acts 2:26, Therefore did
my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh
shall rest in hope (KJV)
Acts 23:6, But when Paul
perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees,
he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the
son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the
dead I am called in question. (KJV)
Romans 8:23-25, And not
only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the
Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting
for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
24 For we are
saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not
hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
25 But if we
hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait
for it. (KJV)
Hebrews 11:1, Now faith is
the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things
not seen. (KJV)
BLESSED HOPE
Just what is this blessed
HOPE? It is twofold:
·
Hope for
the resurrection of the dead Spirits,
·
Hope for
the change of the mortal Body into the glorified
Body.
Stop. Here is another type of
body. A third type body:
1.
Spiritual body,
2.
Natural body,
3.
Glorified body.
A glorified body is a natural
body that has put on the glory of the Father. It is not a spiritual
body.
In summary: “Hope” is
the future tense of the present tense verb “Faith.” Conversely,
“Faith” is the present tense of the future tense verb “Hope.”
A believer can presently walk
in every Bible promise that is connected with the word “Faith."
WAIT FOR HOPE
But a believer must wait
for our God’s timing in matters that are described by
the word “Hope."
Paul described the “waiting”
this way:
Galatians 4:1-2, Now I
say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from
a servant, though he be lord of all;
2 But is under
tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.
(KJV)
Paul also described that for
which he was waiting, what he was Hoping for.
Romans 8:23-24, And not
only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the
Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for
the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
24 For we are
saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope:
for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? (KJV)
Paul waited for the
redemption of his Body. Have you heard preaching that
encouraged you to wait for the redemption of your Body?
Most preachers encourage waiting to die and then going
to heaven. Paul said he was hoping and waiting
for the redemption of his Body.
SPIRIT, SOUL, BODY
Just as man is composed of
three (3) parts (Spirit, Soul, and Body), the
Bible gives us three verbs which always describe the salvation of
each part of man. The verbs are FAITH, WORKS, and
HOPE.
SPIRIT -- GRACE AND FAITH
Your Spirit is saved by
Grace through Faith.
Ephesians 2:8-9, For by
grace are ye saved through faith; and that not
of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works,
lest any man should boast. (KJV)
Your Soul is being
saved by Works.
Philippians
2:12, Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my
presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own
salvation with fear and trembling. (KJV)
BODY -- HOPE
Your Body is going to
be saved by Hope.
IS SALVATION
BY FAITH OR BY WORKS?
The apparent conflict between,
“salvation is not of works” in Ephesians 2 and, “work
out your own salvation” in Philippians 2, disappears when we see
that one scripture is for the salvation of the
Spirit. The other describes the process of the salvation
of the Soul.
In the realm of your Spirit,
there is nothing you can do to improve what JESUS has already
done. So, you exercise your faith for what JESUS already
did. However, in the realm of your Soul, you still need
improvement as you continue to receive the engrafted word which is
able to save your Soul.
James 1:21, Wherefore lay
apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive
with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your
souls. (KJV)
That was written to people who
were already saved in their Spirit, but who also
needed to make improvements in the realm of their Souls. So
for Soul salvation, you exercise your works in Bible reading,
study, etc., which saves your Soul (changes your mind about
things).
MANY CHANGES
You may have noticed that the
following things changed:
·
The priesthood
changed from Levi to Melchisedec,
·
The Name of
God changed from YAHWEH to EL ELYON,
·
The law
of God changed from 613 “TSAVAH” laws of Moses to only
4 “ENTELLOMAI” laws of JESUS.
These things changed when
JESUS CHRIST overcame the last enemy, death. The power
of the resurrection brought about major changes in religion.
CHANGE OF THE LAW OF GOD
In the Old Testament,
YAHWEH gave us 613 laws through His prophet Moses.
No person ever kept the
laws and so consequently, everyone was held guilty of breaking
the whole group of 613. James said it this way:
James 2:10, For whosoever
shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point,
he is guilty of all. (KJV)
Moses had warned us all:
Deuteronomy 27:26, Cursed
be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do
them. And all the people shall say, Amen. (KJV)
Concerning that O.T. curse,
Paul told the Galatians that:
Galatians 3:13,
Christ hath
redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a
curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one
that hangeth on a tree: (KJV)
Concerning the way that
CHRIST JESUS treated the law, Paul told the Colossians:
Colossians 2:14, Blotting
out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which
was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his
cross (KJV)
The Jewish priests talked the
Roman government into crucifying JESUS. Then JESUS
crucified the law by nailing it to His
cross.
TOUCH NOT, TASTE NOT,
HANDLE NOT
Too many modern day churches
are still like the Colossians were.
Colossians 2:20-23,
Wherefore if ye be dead with CHRIST from the rudiments of the
world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to
ordinances,
21 (Touch not;
taste not; handle not;
22 Which all are
to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of
men?
23 Which things
have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and
neglecting of the Body; not in any honour to the satisfying
of the flesh. (KJV)
The AMPLIFIED NEW
TESTAMENT, LOCKMAN FOUNDATION, ZONDERVAN, 1958, translates that
section so powerfully that we need to read a quote from it now.
“If then you have died with
CHRIST to material ways of looking at things and have escaped
from the world’s crude and elemental notions and teachings of
externalism, why do you live as if you still belong to the world?
Why do you submit to rules and regulations? (Such as), Do not
handle (this), Do not taste (that), Do not even touch
(them). Referring to things all of which perish with being used.
To do this is to follow human precepts and doctrines (Isaiah
29:13). Such (practices) have indeed the outward appearance (that
popularly passes) for wisdom, in promoting self imposed rigor of
devotion and delight in self-humiliation and severity of discipline
of the Body, but they are of no value in checking the
indulgence of the flesh -- the lower nature. (Instead, they
do not honor God) but serve only to indulge the
flesh.”
The Melchisedec
priesthood will follow the mercy that was given by EL ELYON
(the Most High God). When there is a conflict they will set
aside the letter of the laws that were given to the Levite
priesthood, from YAHWEH to Moses.
Here is the way JESUS
handled such conflicts, and eventually you will be able to follow
this pattern.
In His own life, JESUS
kept every jot and tittle of the law. He crossed the “t” and dotted
the “i.” He walked the chalk. He did everything right. But, when
JESUS encountered people who were caught in the web of sin,
He did not put them under condemnation of the law. He
gave them the grace and mercy of EL ELYON.
When you become a priest after
the Order of Melchisedec you will order your own life
aright. You will keep the Spirit of the laws. But,
when you meet other people who have not walked rightly, you will
grant them love, mercy, and another chance. Actually, you will
practice a new religion. You will become a priest of EL ELYON
in the Melchisedec Order.
Hebrews 7:18-19 amplifies on
the idea of a new law:
Hebrews 7:18-19, For there
is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the
weakness and unprofitableness thereof.
19 For the
law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better
hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. (KJV)
HOW MANY?
How many sons does God
have? It tells you in the Bible that JESUS was the
forerunner to bring many sons into perfection, into glory.
Hebrews 2:10-11, For it
became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in
bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their
salvation perfect through sufferings.
11 For both he
that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one:
for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren (KJV)
What’s this saying? JESUS
overcame death and became the captain of a group of people
who will do the same thing. There’s going to be a group that enters
behind the vail! They will speak with the Father man to man, mouth
to mouth, face to face! They are going to be called “manifest Sons
of God!” They won’t be manifest in their physical bodies
until they are perfect, firstly in the Spirit, and secondly
in the Soul realm. Are we presently working and living in
the Soul realm? Yes! Then believe James 1:21:
James 1:21, receive with
meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your
souls. (KJV)
This scripture was written to
people who were already saved, but it says that they can be
saved even further.
This indicates that we’re
not perfect in the Soul realm yet even though we’re
already perfect (and saved) in the Spirit realm.
We may be perfect, but we’re
not perfect. Someday we shall become priests in the Order
of Melchisedec.
JESUS ONLY
The tension between the law
and grace is referred to in Matthew 17. JESUS took
Peter, James, and John to a high mountain apart. There He was
transfigured. Moses and Elias (Elijah, OT spelling) were with
JESUS. But the more excellent glory said, “listen to JESUS”
(not Moses and Elias). Moses is a symbol for the law of
YAHWEH (the God of Israel). Elijah is a symbol for
the prophets of YAHWEH (the God of Israel). This
passage tells you that it is the law of Moses (and the
prophets) that keeps you from immortality.
Matthew 17:1-8, 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.
6 And when the
disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.
7 And
Jesus came and
touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.
8 And when they
had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save
Jesus only.
(KJV)
JESUS ONLY
Someday soon Christians will
pay their attention to JESUS only. They will
recognize that the law of Moses has produced nothing but
death for thousands of years, but that the words of JESUS
always produce life.
THE STRENGTH OF SIN IS THE
LAW
For instance, I Corinthians
15:56 says:
1 Corinthians 15:56, The
sting of death is sin; and the strength of
sin is the law. (KJV)
KILLED BY SIN AND THE LAW
Romans 7:9-11, For I was
alive without the law once: but when the commandment
came, sin revived, and I died.
10 And the
commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.
11 For sin,
taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it
slew me. (KJV)
TO LIVE OR TO DIE?
Some church denominations find
it very difficult to walk in the truth that JESUS became the
new priest of a new commandment. It is time for a disannullment of
the old commandments. Everywhere I travel through Christendom, I
find church after church erroneously putting us under law.
The message of the church has been, “Get ready to die.” But many
people are saying, “Don’t teach me to die, teach me to live. The
life message means more to me now than the death message.
Teach me how to live!”
The Bible tells you how to
live. Listen to the words of JESUS, and when there is a
conflict, set aside the words of Moses. For 2000 years our
preachers have been taught to teach people how to die. I am
not finding fault with preachers. They are only doing what
comes naturally, and what they were trained to do. A lot of
preachers are changing lately. More literature is being written on
how to live, not die.
ELEMENTS SHALL MELT
We are going to have to change
our minds about a lot of things that we have been taught -- the “Elements
shall melt,” for instance. How can we rule and reign on the earth
if the world is going to burn up? An unfortunate and difficult
translation problem caused us to mistakenly believe that the world
could be burned up and the elements in it would melt. That’s
not really what the Greek says.
It says the “STOICHEIONS”
(translated elements) shall melt. Every time the word
stoicheions is used in the New Testament it refers to the
elemental laws of God given through Moses Check
it out in your own Bible. Read Gal 4:3, 9; Col. 2:8; 20; and Heb.
5:12. There is no reason to change the meaning in II Peter 3:10,
12.
4747 stoicheion {stoy-khi'-on}
AV - element 4, rudiment 2,
principle 1; 7
Galatians 4:3, Even so we,
when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of
the world: (KJV)
The word elements does
not mean iron, tin, or lead. It means rules we were under.
Galatians 4:9, But now,
after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God,
how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements,
whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? (KJV)
Again, the word elements
means rules we were under.
2 Peter 3:10-12, But the
day of the LORD will come as a thief in the night; in the which the
heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements
shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are
therein shall be burned up.
11 Seeing then
that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons
ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12 Looking for
and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the
heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements
shall melt with fervent heat? (KJV)
BURN UP THE WORLD?
A casual observation indicates
erroneously that the world shall burn up. But careful study
shows that the elemental laws of Moses shall eventually be
destroyed and replaced with the laws of JESUS. There is
another translation problem that has shaped prophecy into a twisted
mess.
While we are children we need
elemental laws; we need someone to tell us not
to touch the hot stove. We need someone to give us home rules,
church rules, social rules, and holiness rules until we grow
up and become led by the Spirit.
Romans 8:14, For as many
as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of
God. (KJV)
John 1:12, But as many as
received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God,
even to them that believe on his name: (KJV)
Since the start of the atomic
age in 1944, Christian bookstores have carried many prophetic books erroneously
warning about a day, soon coming, when the whole earth will be
burned to a cinder. They all base the theory on 2 Peter 3:10,
quoting “the elements shall melt with a fervent heat,” and
attaching that idea to an atomic war. It is somewhat embarrassing
to read such books because the authors didn’t look up the word “elements”
and study the meaning of the word and the context of its usage.
STRONG’S CONCORDANCE shows us conclusively that the elements
that shall melt are the elemental, primary, basic, laws that
YAHWEH gave to Moses and Moses gave to us.
Q. Are you saying that
there is something wrong with the laws of God?
A. No. I’ll try
again. The Bible has taught us that we needed the laws of
Moses when we were children in order to learn how to grow up. After
we grow up we need laws that are more adapted to an adult
life.
Q. What do you mean? I
don’t think the law changes. Does it?
A. Our LORD JESUS
CHRIST has taught us that we must apply the Spirit of the
laws of Moses to our own lives, and keep our noses out of the
business of other people. We must not apply the same laws
that we are under to the lives of others. We must grant them grace
and mercy if we are to enter the Melchisedec Order
ourselves. At the same time, we ourselves must apply the Spirit
of the O.T. law to our own lives. That’s the only way we can
become clean, upright Christians.
We will place ourselves under
the Spirit of the law. At the same time we will place
our family, our neighbors, our friends, (and our enemies), etc.,
under the grace and mercy of EL ELYON. Then we
will be priests of the Melchisedec Order. Two laws
will continue to operate on the earth. We Christians will know how
to do right, and we will do right because we will know the law
that YAHWEH gave to Moses, and Moses gave to us. But we will
apply a completely different law upon those people who have
not received the law of YAHWEH. We will apply
the grace and mercy that EL ELYON gave to His
Son JESUS CHRIST, and that JESUS gave to us. We will
treat other people as JESUS treated us. The law is a
schoolmaster to bring us to CHRIST. You have not forgotten
your schoolmaster, nor have you forgotten the laws you had to
keep. But you don’t keep them all now. Do you?
Q. No. But that’s not
what bothers me. Can church boards use the law of Moses to
discipline their wayward members? I guess I’m still worried about
other people getting away with too much.
A. Yes. They can use
the law of Moses if they are YAHWEHISTIC churches.
No. They can’t if
they pattern their church after EL ELYON and JESUS CHRIST.
Q. That sounds like a
real mess. Two kinds of churches. I don’t think that will ever
work. But, come to think of it, that’s what we have got right now,
isn’t it?
A. As time continues,
churches patterned after EL ELYON and His Son JESUS CHRIST
will continue to grow in numbers. Sometime in the future the split
will be 50/50. About 50% of the people will want to put everyone
under the religious laws of the church that have been
patterned after the laws of YAHWEH. But another 50% of the
people will want to place everyone else under grace and
mercy following the patterns given by EL ELYON and His
son JESUS CHRIST. That group will not turn their back on the
laws of YAHWEH. They will apply the Spirit of the
laws of YAHWEH to themselves, not others.
Q. Will the presence of
two systems of law make life more complicated?
A. No. Less. Life
will not be any more complicated then than it is now. You place
your mature teen age children under a law which says they
must be in by midnight. At the very same time, you place your
younger children under a law that says they must be in the
house when the street lights turn on. That’s two sets of law in
the same family. Life can’t work with only one set of
laws. That’s why government courts, judges, attorneys, etc., are
anathema in many Christian circles. Our government only recognizes
one law, and it can’t grant mercy. The government and
the church can’t see eye to eye on very many things.
Q. I think I see. What
will happen to me at my church if I want to start the process of
becoming a priest in the Order of Melchisedec?
A. The voice of
experience says keep it quiet until you discover others like you who
share the same vision.
Romans 8:14, For as many
as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons
of God. (KJV)
In the coming age it will be
better to be led by the Spirit of EL ELYON than to be
led by the law of YAHWEH.
GROW UP
The Greek language divides our
growing up into four words often translated “children.” They are
“paidion” (infant), “pais” (child), “teknon” (teenager) and “huios”
(manifest son).
Unfortunately, the word
“huios” also is used for every other class of a child, i.e., infant,
child, teenager, and manifest son. So that has caused some
confusion. It is better, I believe, if we use the word “huios” only
for a manifest son, in order to prevent confusion.
No. We are not talking about
“situation ethics.” “Situation ethics” is a recently advanced
teaching that tells us that it is O.K. to change God’s laws
and adapt them to the situation in which we find ourselves. That
teaching is unfortunately used to justify selfish Soulish impulses. We
are not allowed to apply “situation ethics” to ourselves. We must
apply it to the lives of others. When you apply “situation ethics”
to your own life it only becomes a tool to use to justify your own
weakness, willfulness, and inability to do right. When you apply
the same “situation ethics” to the lives of others, it becomes a
guide concerning when and how to grant them grace and
mercy. “Situation ethics” is dangerous unless you apply it
right.
However, presently more
Christians have a YAHWEHISTIC mentality. They will never be
able to see a time in the lives of other people when they should
grant them grace and mercy. They want things to be
black black and white white, with no shades of gray. The laws of
YAHWEH seem perfect to them. But things are changing.
I have seen many Christians
get caught in that web of getting back deeper and deeper into the
law of Moses. This is going to lead them right to their
death. Yes! Looking for life, they find death!
THE FLESH AND THE BLOOD AND
THE VAIL
Hebrews 10:19-20, Having
therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the
blood of Jesus,
20 By a new and
living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil,
that is to say, his flesh (KJV)
How do you get past the vail
and into the Holy of Holies? By the flesh and blood
of JESUS!
The only ticket that
EL ELYON recognizes for entry into His presence is the ticket
purchased by the flesh and blood of JESUS CHRIST.
It’s a good idea to ask JESUS for your ticket.
GOD’S LAW IN OUR HEARTS AND
MINDS
Hebrews 10:16-18, This is
the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the
LORD, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their
minds will I write them;
17 And their sins
and iniquities will I remember no more.
18 Now where
remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. (KJV)
JESUS CHRIST purchased
the “New Testament” with His flesh and blood. Far too many
Christian churches teach that we should return to the “Old
Testament” for our laws of conduct.
Ephesians 1:4, According as
he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world,
that we should be holy and without blame before him in love (KJV)
2 Timothy 1:9, Who hath
saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our
works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given
us in Christ Jesus
before the world began (KJV)
College Philosophy classes get
into those subjects. They study processes such as inductive and
deductive reasoning. We don’t have the time or space for those
studies, but we eventually must learn how to think right, and
where to think right. The translation goof ups caused about
a year delay in my studied conclusions, and they continue to goof up
new students.
VANISH AWAY
Hebrews 8:13, In that he
saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now
that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
(KJV)
The Bible says that it is time
for the Old Testament (Old Covenant) to vanish away!
But most Christians don’t believe it. And that is the reason that
much of the church is dead. Many are still getting their
rules out of the Old Testament rather than the New
Testament
.
God said He will
individually write His laws on the head (inwards, guts) and
heart of every man. For the most part, the church doesn’t follow
that Godly pattern. The preacher and/or the church board
write their laws in the rule book of every man.
Many rules and laws
have been placed into our minds by men (sometimes religious men) and
not by God. We suffer self condemnation as a
consequence because we do not keep them. When we keep those
rules, we mistakenly think that we are pleasing God, and then
we wonder why it is hard to enter the Holy of Holies to be in His
presence. We do not have the boldness to enter beyond the
vail because we are still trying to keep rules and we carry self
condemnation because we don’t.
God (not men)
will write our laws for us. Neither mother, father, sister
or brother, preacher, aunt should write their laws on us.
God will write His law in our minds/heads (inwards,
guts) and hearts. The reason you are in trouble is because you have
laws placed in your mind that are not from God,
but you think they are. You need an angel (messenger) to help you
get rid of those laws. You should pray to the LORD to send
an angel to get rid of the rules and laws that were placed in
your mind by well meaning but mistaken people. Those laws
are binding you from entering into the Holy of Holies. They keep
you from entering the Melchisedec Order.
PULL OUT THE TARES
When we see that the old
laws of Moses (the Old Testament) are the “Tares” spoken
of by JESUS, then this parable makes more sense:
Matthew 13:37-43, He
answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son
of man;
38 The field is
the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the
tares are the children of the wicked one;
39 The enemy that
sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and
the reapers are the angels.
40 As therefore
the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be
in the end of this world.
41 The Son of man
shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his
kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
42 And shall cast
them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of
teeth.
43 Then shall the
righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who
hath ears to hear, let him hear. (KJV)
The devil uses the law
given through Moses to accuse every Christian. The devil used the
word of God against Adam and Eve. The devil also used the word of
God against JESUS.
We cannot enter with boldness
through the vail (that is His flesh), to be in the presence of
God while we carry those wrong ideas that are still in our
Soul (mind) realm.
Remember:
Hebrews 10:19-20, Having
therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood
of Jesus,
20 By a new and
living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that
is to say, his flesh; (KJV)
GODLY ORDER
Hebrews 7:21, Thou art a
priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedec. (KJV)
There is an Order in
the priesthood, and the Order of Melchisedec is higher
than the Order of Aaron (Heb. 7:11). Aaron received his laws
and Order from his knowledge of the name/nature of
YAHWEH. There is a big difference between the two orders and
between the two natures of the one God.
The new religion will
have a consciousness of the name/nature of God as
EL ELYON, they will not be led by the law of YAHWEH, and
they will lead this world into peace.
Q. Whenever I now think about
any denomination, I catch myself thinking that they have a lot of
YAHWEHISTIC characteristics. Why do I do that? Is it wrong?
A. Most large Christian
structures (denominations do seem to fit that pattern) do have a lot
of YAHWEHISTIC ideas. When they deal with problems in their
organization they usually apply the law. Next they bring
judgment. Condemnation naturally follows. That brings
punishment, and the result is death. They cannot
break loose very far from that pattern. I don't think that you are
wrong in coming to that conclusion -- but you would be wrong to
bring your own condemnation upon them because of it.
I believe that God
wanted churches to act that way for a while, or else He would not
have given the gospel of the circumcision to Peter. In God’s
mercy He provided a gospel mixture of law and grace for a while. I
think it is wrong to condemn the groups or people who think that
way. They are where God wants them to be in their
development.
But I prefer the gospel of the
uncircumcision based on a more complete concept of God EL ELYON.
Galatians 2:7, But
contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was
committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto
Peter (KJV)
Not too many people have
noticed that there are two gospels.
Q. I'm beginning to see the
connection between the Order of Melchisedec and the study of
the Names of God. Does that connect with EL ELYON?
A. I believe that the only
people who enter the Order of Melchisedec will be those who
have a concept and knowledge of God as EL ELYON. It
seems imperative to me, that those people who do overcome the last
enemy, which is death, will have to know God as
EL ELYON. They will enter immortality through the Order of
Melchisedec.
Q. Speaking about order,
I think I finally see the answer to my own question about the
meaning of I Cor 15:27.
1 Corinthians 15:27, For he
hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are
put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all
things under him. (KJV)
Does that refer to EL ELYON
and JESUS?
A. Yes. EL ELYON has
put all things under JESUS. Speaking of order,
remember JESUS became a priest after the Order Of
Melchisedec. This indicates that the Melchisedec
priesthood is a higher Order than the Aaronic Order.
Pick your Order, pal.
In the name/nature of
JESUS CHRIST, I pray that every student will have the
boldness to enter in to the Holy of Holies, the presence of the
Father EL ELYON (Most High God) to speak with Him man
to man, mouth to mouth, face to face, through the flesh and blood of
JESUS CHRIST. Amen.
You are now perfect in
Spirit, but you need to have further changes to perfect your
Soul. It is the law that has bound our Souls.
That’s where the tares are placed.
You are going to have to
remember that in your Spirit you are perfect, in your Soul
you are becoming perfect, and in your Body you are going to
become perfect. In Spirit you can enter in beyond the vail
right now. And in Soul you will enter in when you get rid of
your tares. In your Body you will enter in after your
Soul salvation is completed, and after you have received the
energy of EL ELYON to assist you with the circumcision of
your heart. You will then be perfect in Spirit, Soul,
and Body. JESUS entered the presence of the Father
EL ELYON (Most High God) with His Spirit, Soul
and Body. He is the captain of salvation, the firstborn
among many brethren.
The New Covenant is: I,
EL ELYON, WILL WRITE MY LAWS IN YOUR MIND (INWARDS) AND IN YOUR
HEART (SPIRIT).
DIFFERENT LAWS
God will not
write the same law on you that He writes on me. And God
does not put you through the same temptations that He puts me
through.
Remember:
1 Corinthians 10:13, There
hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but
God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be
tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also
make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. (KJV)
The temptations for which I
need laws are not the same temptations for which you
need laws. But most of our Christian society cannot
comprehend the idea of having different laws tailored to the
individual because our Christian society treats us all as being the
same. But we are not all the same.
SELF CONDEMNATION
Some people say that they
believe in JESUS. But they still carry guilt and self
condemnation. That keeps them from going through the vail into the
presence of EL ELYON (Most High God) the Father. They
won’t be able to enter the Melchisedec Order. They don’t
really believe that the blood of JESUS CHRIST did really
cover our past sins. When a fender bender of life comes along they
go back to the idea that, “God brought this bad thing to my
life to punish me for my past.” As a result of that guilt and self
condemnation, they revert back to the primary type of Christian
society that is teaching sinners to come to JESUS. They go
back to the altar for another rebirth of the Spirit, little
realizing that they really need to receive the engrafted word which
is able to save the Soul.
James 1:21, receive with
meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your Souls.
(KJV) (Written to people who were already saved in Spirit.)
Some evangelists are
especially guilty of feeding on the self condemnation of many
Christians. They know that most Christians still have a deeply
hidden guilt feeling. They work it up by saying, “Are you sure that
you are saved? Are you really sure you’re right with God?
Remember what you did? A genuine Christian wouldn’t act the way
that you did!”
Then the evangelist gives the
altar call. Often the Christians who are under self
condemnation heads right back to the altar. Churches foster that
kind of action by measuring the effect of the visiting evangelist by
numbering the people who come to the altar. The more the people,
the better the evangelist is supposed to be. He is then rewarded
with bigger churches (and more money). This ought not to be.
THE LAWS OF GOD HAVE BEEN
CHANGED
·
Hebrews
7:12, For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity
a change also of the law.
·
Jeremiah
31:31, Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a
new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of
Judah (KJV)
·
Hebrews
8:8, For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come,
saith the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the
house of Israel and with the house of Judah (KJV)
·
Hebrews
10:9, Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh
away the first, that he may establish the second.
(KJV)
FOUR COMMANDMENTS OF JESUS
As far as I can find, there
are only four (4) commands that JESUS gave to us.
They are:
1.
Watch for the return of the Son of Man (Mark
13:34),
2.
Love each other (John 15:17),
3.
When we minister, we are to preach and teach
that:
A. JESUS was ordained
of God,
B. JESUS brings
remission of sins to believers (Acts 10:41-43),
4.
Be a light to the Gentiles (Acts 13:47).
In a 135 page book titled “FREE
TO LIVE” the author compares the Greek word “ENTELLOMAI”
with the Hebrew word “TSAVAH." Both words are translated
into our word “COMMAND." The conclusion is that Moses gave
us 613 things to do in order to keep all the laws of
YAHWEH. JESUS only gave us the above four (4) things
to do to keep the mercy of EL ELYON.
People in the Melchisedec
Order will keep the 4 commandments of JESUS. They will
guide their decision making by the Spirit of the law
of Moses. They will place all other people under the grace
and mercy of JESUS.
You will have to see the
difference between:
·
What Moses said,
·
What JESUS
said Moses said,
·
What JESUS
said,
·
What Peter and
Paul and others said.
Then the 613 TSAVA laws of
the O.T. will reduce to this simple group of four (4) commands of
JESUS.
JOB KNEW
THE DIFFERENT NAMES OF GOD
The book of Job is
about the Names Of God. Job tells us about the
natures of each of the different Names Of God.
The main theme is not
about the sufferings of Job, as is commonly reported; it is
about the attributes of the different names and natures
of God. In the past, there was good reason to think that the
book was about Job’s sufferings, but not any more.
The sufferings of Job
are the carrier of the story that tells about the different
name/natures of God. That is a little like a parable
that tells one story to illustrate the principles of a separate
different thought.
NAMES OF GOD IN JOB
These are the different
Names Of God that are used in the book of Job:
1. ELOHIM
2. ELOAH
3. SHADDAI
4. EL
5. YAHWEH
EL ELYON MISSING
EL ELYON, the Most
High God, is missing from the book of Job.
THE QUESTION
When I was writing this new
book on the Names Of God I checked each and every scripture
in the Bible to confirm that the patterns that were revealed about
the names and natures of God were consistent
with every scripture in the Bible.
Everything worked out
perfectly until I came to the book of Job. In Job, I
found a description of EL SHADDAI as a God of
wounding and making sore.
Job 5:17-18, Behold,
happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not
thou the chastening of EL SHADDAI (the Almighty):
18 For he maketh
sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make
whole. (KJV)
That action of wounding and
making sore sounds more like something to expect from
YAHWEH than from EL SHADDAI.
Those descriptions did not
fit the pattern that described EL SHADDAI in the other books
of the Bible. A God of wounding was out of character
for a female large breasted God of provision. Other
descriptions of other Names of God did not fit,
either. MY questions: “Why is Job different from all of the
rest of the Bible? Why are the natures of the names
of God described differently in the book of Job?”
RIGHT AND WRONG
Here is something about the
Bible book of Job that I think is a revelation from our
God for us who live in this day and age.
Part of the book of Job
is right, but part of the book of Job is wrong. Part
of Job should be believed and part of the book of Job
should not be believed.
WHY IGNORE PARTS OF JOB?
Job 42:7-8, And it was so,
that after YAHWEH (the LORD) had spoken these words unto Job,
YAHWEH (the LORD) said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is
kindled against thee (Eliphaz), and against thy two friends (Bildad
and Zophar): for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is
right, as my servant Job hath.
8 Therefore
take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my
servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my
servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal
with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me
the thing which is right, like my servant Job. (KJV)
That's the answer!
THE ANSWER!!
JOB IS RIGHT; ELIPHAZ,
BILDAD AND ZOPHAR ARE WRONG.
Now we know that what Job
said about God is right. It wasn’t that clear before
the revelation.
We also now know that what
Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar said about God was wrong.
Their testimony seems to indicate that they desperately wanted to be
right about God. Perhaps they were great theologians.
Perhaps they studied at the greatest seminaries. They certainly
were religious leaders with copious religious advice for Job;
but they were wrong about what to expect from God.
That was the answer that I was
looking for.
THE PATTERNS FIT
When I read the Bible, I
assumed that it was all true. I did not recognize that
God said that a large part of the book of Job wasn't
true. The action of the Holy Spirit revealed that fact to me
as I read the book of Job over and over again looking for a
clue as to what was wrong. At the right time, as I was reading
chapter 42, the section of verses 7 and 8 opened up and wisdom, and
knowledge, and understanding returned to me as the Holy Spirit
revealed the answer.
I think that the whole
Christian community needs to share in this revelation. After I saw
the truth, I tested the patterns about the Names of God as
described by Job and found that they are in perfect harmony
with the rest of the Bible. The patterns fit. Job had spoken
about God, the things that are right.
I also tested the patterns
about the Names of God that Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar
erroneously described. I found that they are not in
agreement with the patterns about the Names of God that
appear in the rest of the Bible. The patterns did not fit.
They had not spoken about God, the things that are
right. They were three goofy counselors.
CHAPTER DIVISIONS
The chapter divisions of the
book of Job are convenient divisions of the speeches of the
four characters, Job, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. Each one has his
whole chapter (or chapters). Neat. Here is our new outline of the
book of Job.
TRUE AND FALSE
CHAPTERS IN THE BOOK OF JOB
CHAPTER TRUE/FALSE WHY?
1. True Text
2. True Text
3. True Job
4. False Eliphaz
5. False Eliphaz
6. True Job
7. True Job
8. False Bildad
9. True Job
10. True Job
11. False Zophar
12. True Job
13. True Job
14. True Job
15. False Eliphaz
16. True Job
17. True Job
18. False Bildad
19. True Job
20. False Zophar
21. True Job
22. False Eliphaz
23. True Job
24. True Job
25. False Bildad
26. True Job
27. True Job
28. True Job
29 True Job
30. True Job
31. True Job
32. ? Elihu
33. ? Elihu
34. ? Elihu
35. ? Elihu
36. ? Elihu
37. ? Elihu
38. True YAHWEH
39. True YAHWEH
40. True YAHWEH
41. True YAHWEH
42. True Job & text &
YAHWEH
In my Bible, I have written
the word "true" or the word "false" at the top of each
chapter of the book of Job (with a reference to Job
42:7-8). You may receive a benefit in the future if you also write
these notes in your own Bible.
Now, in my analysis of truth,
I only use the chapters that quote Job; and I do not
use the chapters that quote Eliphaz, Bildad, and/or Zophar to
analyze the truth. YAHWEH said that they didn't speak what
was right.
NEW OBSERVATIONS
Here are three very
interesting new observations:
1. YAHWEH speaks with
Satan. Job 1:6-12, 2:1-6.
2. None of the other Names
of God speak with Satan until we come to the story of the
temptation of JESUS in the N.T. Eventually you will be able
to connect the thoughts of the 613 laws of YAHWEH with the
temptation of JESUS and see that He overcame the devil
through the name/nature of YAHWEH. YAHWEH in
JESUS spoke with the devil that day because JESUS CHRIST
kept all 613 laws of YAHWEH. Your answers to the devil will
be of no use and will be empty stupid answers unless you also keep
all 613 laws of YAHWEH. For most of us that means, “mum’s
the word around” the devil.
3. YAHWEH called the
attention of Satan to Job. Satan did not ask for
permission to torment Job until after YAHWEH brought
up the subject of the goodness of Job.
YAHWEH said unto Satan:
Job 1:8, And YAHWEH
(the LORD) said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job?
(KJV)
As a result of that
observation I decided to offer the following prayer, that you may
want to consider offering for yourself:
"Father YAHWEH, I come
to you in the name/nature of my LORD JESUS CHRIST,
which is love, mercy and forgiveness. If, in the future, Satan
should ever ring your bell and you should decide to answer him, then
please don't ever mention my name to him. Please don't ever
say, 'Have you considered my servant, David?' Just leave me out of
it please; in JESUS name. Amen."
That reminds me of a famous
prayer I heard.
Matthew 6:9-13, After this
manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed
be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom
come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this
day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us
our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And
lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For
thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
(KJV)
ELIHU?
Why is Elihu’s advice listed
as "?" The young impetuous Elihu could not tolerate the erroneous
advice of his elders, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. So he burst
forth with his own ideas that were born from youthful zeal, not
mature wisdom. It is not clear if Elihu was led by the
Holy Spirit or if he was led by his own spirit. It is clear
however, that his speech was for his own refreshment and he was
constrained by the spirit.
YAHWEH did not
indicate if Elihu was right or wrong, so a good case could be made
that he should be treated with suspicion. So he is listed --
"?"
There are some authors who
think that there are indications that Elihu was the author/writer of
the book of Job, because of the following passage.
Job 32:16-22 (Elihu
speaking), When I had waited, (for they spake not, but stood still,
and answered no more;)
17 I said, I will
answer also my part, I also will shew mine opinion.
18 For I am full
of matter, the spirit within me constraineth me.
19 Behold, my
belly is as wine which hath no vent; it is ready to burst like new
bottles.
20 I will speak,
that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips and answer.
21 Let me not, I
pray you, accept any man's person, neither let me give flattering
titles unto man.
22 For I know not
to give flattering titles; in so doing my maker would soon take me
away. (KJV)
MORE COMING?
Some of our students have
noticed that the false descriptions of God by Eliphaz,
Bildad, and Zophar in the book of Job have a very close
resemblance to the way that certain religious groups of today do
describe their concepts of God. In other words, Eliphaz,
Bildad and Zophar may have fathered the thought patterns for some of
the present denominations.
LORD willing, I plan to look
into that idea some more. Presently I am studying what is right,
not what is wrong.
The problem set me back over 6
months in my study of the Names of God and in writing this
book.
MY STORY
After much study and prayer,
the Spirit of revelation returned to me.
I now know that there was no
error in the outline for the Names of God book, and now I can
praise the LORD for what happened.
Everything about the patterns
of the Names of God was right and consistent in all the books
of the Bible except the book of Job.
Before I had the answer, I
felt terrible for many reasons, and one of them was that it looked
like several years of work on the Names of God was going down
the drain. I knew that I would throw it away before I would
knowingly teach a subject after I discovered that it contained a
discrepancy or was only partially right. Now we have the answer.
Praise God!
Proverbs 25:2, It is the
glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of
kings is to search out a matter. (KJV)
Let’s look at that word “honour”
for a minute. Honour is from STRONG’S H3519, which is very
closely associated with “glory and heavy.” Heavy is
associated with having a lot of things, such as; he is heavily
endowed with financial resources.
Kings must have vast and
heavy resources in order to search out a matter, especially a
matter that has been concealed by God. Apparently our God
hides things so that they can eventually be revealed at the right
time. Perhaps life is just a big and long Easter egg hunt. God
bless you and give you the financial resources (honour)
and the ability to find all your Easter eggs.
NAMES OF GOD -- AUTHORITY
Once in a while a person stops
me and says something like, "Where did you get all these new ideas
about the Names of God? Do you have any authority for saying
these things?" That's a reasonable question when it is asked in the
right tone of voice -- so here are my opinions.
THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA
The JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA,
A DESCRIPTIVE RECORD OF THE HISTORY, RELIGION, LITERATURE, AND
CUSTOMS OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE FROM THE EARLIEST TIMES, 1901,
KTAV Publishing House, Inc., NY, NY, has the most copious record
under the heading "NAMES OF GOD." Associate listings under "GOD,
TETRAGRAM-MATION, PENTATEUCH, and ELOHIST,"
make for many hours of interesting study.
ENCYCLOPEDIA JUDAICA
A similar but not quite as
copious source is: ENCYCLOPEDIA JUDAICA, Jerusalem, 1972,
KETER Publishing House, P.O.B. 7145, Jerusalem, Israel.
ROTHERHAM,
EMPHASIZED BIBLE
The introduction to THE
EMPHASIZED BIBLE, ROTHERHAM, Kraegel Publications, Grand Rapids,
MI 49501, contains a concise record of the facts regarding,
YAHWEH, the INCOMMUNICABLE NAME, and its purposeful
suppression and corruption.
His Bible translation does
attempt to restore YAHWEH. He shows little interest
regarding the other Names of God in the introduction. He
makes no attempt at all to restore other Names of God in the
translated text.
ORIGINAL SACRED NAME BIBLE
The same general statement can
be made for THE RESTORATION OF THE ORIGINAL SACRED NAME BIBLE,
Missionary Dispensary Bible Research, P.O. Box 2596, Buena Park, CA
90622.
It is good on YAHWEH,
poor on the others.
NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
A concise record of the
mixture of the several different Names of God in the
PENTATEUCH is in the introduction to the NEW AMERICAN BIBLE.
St. Joseph Edition, Catholic Book Publishing Co. The text of the
Bible translation makes little or no attempt to restore the Names
of God to us.
NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE
The introduction to the NEW
AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE, Lockman Foundation, Creation House,
Inc., Carol Stream, IL, tells us that they know a lot about
YAHWEH (and some of the other names) but they decided not
to use them, for reasons they cited.
ZONDERVAN,
COMPANION BIBLE
One of the best records
(though not all the way complete) is in the note on the Names of
God in the COMPANION BIBLE, Zondervan.
OTHER REFERENCES
Other references, that I know
about, that refer to various Names of God are:
NAMES OF GOD, Nathan
Stone, Moody Press, 1944
THE NAMES OF GOD,
Lester Sumeral, Thomas Nelson, 1982
THE NAMES OF GOD,
Andrew Jukes, Kregel, 1967
EL SHADDAI, Kenneth E.
Hagin, Faith Library, 1982
YHWH, J. J. Hurtak,
Academy for Future Science, 1977
JEWISHNESS AND THE TRINITY,
Jews for Jesus, 1978
SUPPLY & DEMAND, Nora
Magee, International Life Sharing Fellowship, 1983
YAHWEH (JEHOVAH) AND EXODUS
6:3, Robert Dick Wilson
TEACH THE TRUTH YOU LEARNED,
Jacob O. Meyer, Assemblies of YAHWEH, 1979
MESSIANIC MESSENGER,
Jack Green, 1982
DID YAHWEH HAVE A CONSORT?
Biblical Archaeology Review, March/April 1979.
WHO OR WHAT WAS YAHWEH’S
ASHERAH? Biblical Archaeology Review, Nov./Dec. 1984.
ALSO SEE
Also see the copious list of
references in Chapter 21, EL SHADDAI.
If you want to, you can take
these references that I just cited to nearly any central library in
almost any big city and then look up cross references. Then you can
look up the authorities that each of them cite. The load of books
that you will get is bigger than you can carry in a half-ton pick-up
truck. That should keep you busy for several years, if searching
out authority is the kind of stuff that turns you on.
This Bible Study is not
designed to be a scholarly approach that attempts to prove each and
every little point. The author is familiar with the standards of
footnoting and references for the academic stream, and decided
against them. This Bible Study is designed to show the average
Christian where we came from, how we got here, and where I think we
are going, with enough Bible references so that the average
Christian can search something out -- if he wants to. We also hope
that some theologians will be checking, studying, and arguing about
these ideas about the Names of God for many years to come.
We also expect that many
Christians will easily embrace, and quickly accept those concepts.
Consequently they will live richer, fuller, more productive and
rewarding lives. They will produce love and mercy because of the
changes that these ideas about the Names of God bring.
You can see that there is a
lot of authority in the published literature for pointing to the
different Names of God. However, I do not mean to indicate
that all those referenced authors would agree to all of the
conclusions that I have made. I'm fairly sure that many would not.
Many concepts that are
presented here in this book regarding the natures of the
names, and the interaction of the names are novel
to my own Bible Studies. I do not strive to build any denomination
or school of thought; nor do I attempt to tear down or destroy
anybody or any thing. You will have to be the final judge
concerning timely truth. Is the study of the Names of God in
the Bible a timely truth for you?
WHICH BIBLE?
Which Bible translation shall
we use to study the different Names of God. There are scores
and scores available now. Which one is best?
None. I said, "None!"
I can't find any translation
that satisfies me, yet. Here's why.
I looked up a test passage in
several translations. None agreed.
Here's one test passage you
can use, Numbers 24:16.
The King James Version says:
Numbers 24:16, He hath said,
which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the
Most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty. (KJV)
I want to call your attention
to the fact that the scripture passage doesn't seem to have much
hidden meaning at all. That's because we English speaking people
did not notice that three different Hebrew names for
God were used in this one passage. When three
different words are used so close together, it's a pretty good
indication that the speaker knew a lot about the differences, and
what the differences meant.
If you will look up the word “God”
in STRONG'S CONCORDANCE, in reference to Numbers 24:16, you
will find that it is “EL” in the Hebrew. Then look up the
words "Most High" and you will find they are "ELYON"
in the Hebrew. If you will look up the word "Almighty" you
will find it is "SHADDAI."
When we see the words God,
Most High, and Almighty we don't see much difference
in meaning. They all represent God to us.
When we see the proper
names of God, EL, and ELYON, and SHADDAI
we begin to get the idea that there is a whole lot of difference in
each reference. Enough about the difference for now. That was
developed in earlier chapters.
The point now is that Numbers
24:16 should read:
Numbers 24:16, He hath
said, which heard the words of EL (God), and knew the
knowledge of ELYON (the Most High), which saw the
vision of SHADDAI (the Almighty) (KJV)
Here are my comments about
several translations of the Bible and how they referred to those
three Names of God in that test verse.
HOLY NAME BIBLE
The HOLY NAME BIBLE, A.
B. Traina, The Scripture Research Association, Inc., 1125 Stuyvesant
Ave., Irvington, N.J. 19638.
The translation is of little
value for a study of the Names of God. It correctly rendered
one Name of God out of three in Numbers 24:16. I realized
that the purpose of the translation was not to properly
render the Names of God. It's purpose was to render the
name of Israel’s God, YAHWEH (not the other
names). Then I remembered that version had been given to me by
a student of British Israel teachings, who told me that it contained
the right Name of God. I was disappointed in myself
when I remembered that I had thought he had said "right names"
(plural), not "right name" (singular).
That put some of the British
Israel movement into question when I saw that their interest was
only in YAHWEH, and not the other Names of God. Yes,
they tried to restore YAHWEH, the God of Israel to the
Bible, but they didn't know much about the other names. Then
I saw it more clearly. Of course, they are British Israel.
They are interested in
restoring the God of Israel, but their literature doesn’t
show much interest in other names, like ELYON, the
God of the other nations, kindreds, tongues, tribes, and/or
EL ELYON, the Father of JESUS CHRIST.
RESTORATION
SACRED NAME BIBLE
Then I tried the
RESTORATION SACRED NAME BIBLE, based on the ROTHERHAM VERSION,
revised by Missionary Dispensary Bible Research, 1973, P.O. Box
5296, Buena Park, Calif. 90622, because it had been given to me by a
friend who heard that I was doing research on the Names of God.
It too, identified one out of
three names of God. It might be O.K. to use to study YAHWEH
but it is of little value for a study of the other Names of God.
ROTHERHAM,
THE EMPHASIZED BIBLE
I have used ROTHERHAM, THE
EMPHASIZED BIBLE, KREGEL PUBLICATIONS, Grand Rapids, Michigan
49501 for many years and I do like it. But when I read the test
passage, Numbers 24:16, I put ROTHERHAM away, too, as far as
using it as an authority in the study of the Names of God.
ROTHERHAM was of little
value for a study of the Names of God. ROTHERHAM
missed three out of three in the test passage. He was reported to
be an expert on the Names of God.
Then I realized the fact that
when most people talk about a study of the Names of God they
really are talking about the singular name of the God
of ISRAEL, YAHWEH. They are not talking about the plural
Names of God.
Yes, ROTHERHAM is an
expert on the restoration of one name of the God of
Israel, YAHWEH, but he falls very short as an authority for
restoring all the other Names of God.
NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE
The NEW AMERICAN STANDARD
BIBLE, Creation House, Inc., Carol Stream, Ill. did a lot
better. The text was poor but the margin notes did get two out of
three. They mentioned ELYON and SHADDAI, but they
left out EL.
NO, NOT ONE
I finally concluded that no
English Bible translation that I could find was of itself, good
enough to use to find the Names of God. To study the
Names of God I think it's a good idea to secure as many
different translations as possible.
STRONG’S
EXHAUSTIVE CONCORDANCE
OF THE (KJV) BIBLE
The only real authoritative
source was my old faithful, STRONG'S EXHAUSTIVE CONCORDANCE OF
THE (KJV) BIBLE. And that means I had to look up every word
concerning the Names of God; and talk about EXHAUSTIVE!
It was! I started making notes for this book over two decades ago.
And I’m still finding
interesting and important facts about the Names of God. I
don’t suppose the study will ever end.
And why am I so sold on the
KJV? It is just as bad as all the rest of the examples.
Granted, the KJV is as bad as
the rest. But it has thousands of books published about it. They
tell us what is wrong with the translation, and where.
The other new translations do
not have very many critical writings available to check them out. A
King James Bible and a Good Concordance like STRONG’S or
YOUNG’S will out match any new translation I have found. And I
might add, I’ve purchased every new one I can find.
Many people buy a Bible on the
recommendation of a clerk who works in a Christian bookstore. Then
they erroneously believe they have finally got a good one. Sad.
If you want to check your
favorite Bible translation, I suggest the following test passages to
see if they used the right Name of God.
Numbers 24:16,
Deuteronomy 32:8,
Exodus 6:2-3,
Genesis 14:18-20.
NUMBERS 24:16
Numbers 24:16, He hath said,
which heard the words of EL (God), and knew the
knowledge of EL ELYON (the Most High), which saw the
vision of EL SHADDAI (the Almighty), falling into a
trance, but having his eyes open. (KJV)
DEUTERONOMY 32:8
Deuteronomy 32:8-9, When
ELYON (the Most High) divided to the nations their inheritance,
when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people
according to the number of the children of Israel. 9 For
YAHWEH’S (the LORD'S) portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of
his inheritance. (KJV)
EXODUS 6:2-3
Exodus 6:2-3, And ELOHIM
(God) spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am YAHWEH
(the LORD):
3 And I appeared
unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of
EL SHADDAI (God Almighty), but by my name
YAHWEH (JEHOVAH) was I not known to them. (KJV)
GENESIS 14:18-20
Genesis 14:18-20, And
Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was
the priest of EL ELYON (the Most High God).
19 And he blessed
him, and said, Blessed be Abram of EL ELYON (the Most High
God), possessor of heaven and earth:
20 And blessed be
EL ELYON (the Most High God), which hath delivered
thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all. (KJV)
There are many other
scriptures that could be selected to use as test passages. These
should be enough to determine a trend. After you have checked them
out, then you may make a decision about the completeness of the
subject of the Names of God, in any Bible translation.
In fact, you may turn out to
be your own expert.
Esther 4:14, and who
knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as
this? (KJV)
A listing of all of the
various names of God (that I can find) follows. Some of my opinions
are included. They are listed in the order of interest that
occurred at the time the list was made. After looking at the size
of this list, the reason I decided to only write about the five
major names of God may become apparent.
JESUS
JESUS in Hebrew is
JOSHUA. YEH-HO-SHOO-AH in Hebrew, means salvation and/or
Saviour. The name of the Most High God of all.
EH YEH -- ASHER -- EHYEH
EH YEH - ASHER - EHYEH
is the name God gave to Moses, translated I AM THAT
I AM (Exodus 3:14). Some authorities say, I AM WHATEVER I
WANT TO BE.
EL
The word EL is a
Name of God. It is used chiefly in poetry and
prophetic writings, used rarely in prose and then usually with some
epithet attached as "a jealous God."
EL ELYON -- Most
High God
EL SHADDAI -- God
Almighty
EL OLAM --
Everlasting God
EL HAI -- Living God
EL ROI -- God of
Seeing
EL ELOHE ISRAEL --
God, the God of Israel
EL GIBBOR -- Hero
God
EL BERIT -- God
of The Covenant
EL ELOHE -- Israel
God Of Israel
YAHWEH
YAHWEH NISSI --
Yahweh Is My
Banner
YAHWEH RAPHA --
Yahweh Heals
YAHWEH SHALOM --
Yahweh Our Peace
YAHWEH YIREA --
Yahweh Will
Provide
YAHWEH TSIDKENU --
Yahweh Our
Righteousness
YAHWEH SHAMMAH --
Yahweh Is Present
YAHWEH SEBHAOTH --
Yahweh Of Hosts
ADONI
ADONI occurs as a
Name of God that is separate from its corrupted use by the
Masorites as a substituted word for YHWH. It was probably at
first ADONI, MY LORD, and later assumed this form, as a
proper name of God, to distinguish it from other uses of the
same word. The simple form of ADON with and without the
article also occur as a divine name.
ADONAI
Sometimes ADONAI is prefixed
making the title: LORD YAHWEH OF HOSTS. This compound
divine name occurs chiefly in the prophetic literature and it does
not appear at all in the Pentateuch, or in Joshua, or Judges.
BAAL
The name BAAL
apparently is an equivalent for YHWH. BAAL occurs as
an element in a number of compound proper names. Jerubbaal,
Meribaal, etc. BAAL is also used as a name for deities of
other nations.
ZEBAOT
ZEBAOT means armies or
hosts of men. But sometimes it is combined with YHWH and
ELOHIM.
YHWH ELOHE ZEBAOT --
Yahweh God
Of Hosts.
YHWH ZEBAOT
YHWH ZEBAOT is
associated with the Ark, which was the symbol of God’s
presence in the midst of the hosts of His people. Later in
prophetic passages YHWH ZEBAOT was transferred to the
heavenly hosts. The heavenly hosts were added to the earthly hosts.
HALLELUJAH
HALLELUJAH probably
means Praise ye Yah.
OTHER WORDS FOR YHWH
The Rabbis and Cabalists
recognized only one proper name for the Deity, YHWH. It was
known in the earliest rabbinical works simply as:
HA SHEM -- The Name --
YHWH
SHEM HA-MEYUHAD -- The
extraordinary name
SHEM HA-MEFORASH -- The
distinguished name
SHEM BEN ARBAOTIYYOT --
The Tetragrammaton
SHEM BEN ARBAOTIYYOT --
The quadrilateral name
YOD HE WAW HE --
spelling the letters YHWH
OTHER TITLES
Other titles applied to the
God of Israel, but which can scarcely be called names are:
ABIR -- Strong One
KEDOSH YISRAEL -- Holy
One Of Israel
ZUR -- Rock
ZUR -- Rock Of Israel
EBEN YISRAEL -- Stone
Of Israel
72 DIVINE NAMES OF GOD
A kind student brought these
72 names of God to me, after I had lamented the fact that I
couldn’t translate the 72 names of God written in Hebrew, as
listed in the JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA.
The fully capitalized words
are transliterations from Hebrew to English. The explanations are
interpretations, not translations. Here they are.
ABBA NARTOOMID -- Our
Father of the Living Light
ADONAI -- LORD of Light
ADONAI 'TSEBAYOTH --
LORD of Armies or Host of the Hierarchy
ADONAI YAHWEH -- LORD
God (Indweller of Eternal Wisdom)
ADONAI ELOHENU ADONAI --
Beloved LORD who manifests or represents the Universal Glory of the
Godhead in a singular emanation or extension
ALEPH -- ETZ ADONAI --
LORD of Beginning and End
AMMI SHADDAI -- The
People (or family) of Shaddai (Almighty God)
BATH 'KOL -- The
Voice. The still, small voice.
BE-MID-BAR -- Numbers
Mastering and Modeling Eternal Creation
BERESHITH BARA --
Genesis of Eternal Creation
BINAH RUACH DEVEKUT --
Understanding brings clinging to (the work of, the Divine Spirit)
CHOKMA MICHAELILU --
Wisdom of Michael
DABAR NARTOOMID YESOD --
YESHA'IAHU (ISAIAH) The Word of Eternal Light (is the Foundation
for the Salvation of JAH)
DANIEL ELOHAI ARIEL --
God is my Judge, my LORD is my Lion
DEREK KEDOSHAH YIRME'IAHU
(JEREMIAH) -- The Way of Holiness is the (loosening of the
womb of Creation)
DI-BA-RAY HAY-YA-MIM
HAY-YOM (CHRONICLES) -- Space and Time reconciled with
the Eternal Day
EHYEH ASHER EHYEH -- I
Am That I Am
EL EL -- Almighty
ELI ELI -- My LORD
(Father), My LORD (Father)
EL ELYON/EL EL ELYON --
The Most High
EL SHADDAI --
Almighty LORD
ELOAH ELOHIM -- God
of Gods (Lords of Light)
ELOHA UMMA -- God
of the Soul
'ESAH MESHIA -- Council
of the Messiah (the Office of the
Christ)
HAKDAMOT HEKALOTH --
Entrance to the House of Many Mansions
HA SHEM -- The Holy
Name (of the Living God)
HEKALOTH HALLELUJAH --
Praise be to the Throne Worlds of Jah
HESED TUSHIYYAH SHILOL --
The Mercy of the Law is revealed in (the word of Messiahship/or
place of Messiah)
HOD HAMMELEK ZEDEK,
MELCHIZEDEK -- Meshia -- The Splendor of the Kingly (Messiahship
is in the work of Melchizedek)
JEHEZEKEL (EZEKIEL) MALKUTH --
Jah will strengthen the Kingdom
JEHOVAH/YAHWEH MELCHIZEDEK --
Lord of Melchizedek
JESHURUN -- Righteous
offspring, poetic name for Zion or “People of Light”
JOEL QOHEL 'EHT TIPHERETH --
Jah the Gatherer (of the assembly, congregation of Beauty)
JOSHUA YAHWEH --
Saviorship (Messiahship) of the Living Father
KEDUMAH ELOHIM --
Unfathomable Glory (or mind) of the Godhead
KEDUMAH KADMON --
Ancient of Days
KETHER ETZ CHAIM JEHU --
The Crown of the Tree of Life is He
KO-DESH HA-SHEM -- The
Holy, Sanctified Name (in prayer)
KODOISH, KODOISH, KOKOISH
ADONAI 'TAEBAYOTH -- Holy Salutation of the Host
LAYOOESH SHEKINAH --
Pillar of Light of the Holy Spirit
MELEK B'NAI ELOHIM --
King of the Sons of God
MELEK B'NAI OR -- King
of the Sons of Light
MELEK OHEV TZEDAKAH
UMISHPAT -- King of Loving Righteousness and Harmony/Music
MELEK SHAMAYYIM -- King
of the Heavens
MESHIAH M'SHI 'SHI --
Collective Messiah, the Head of the Office of the
Christ
NASI SHALOM -- The
Prince of Peace
NETZACH MERKABAH ELI-IA-HU --
Victory of the Divine Chariot of Elijah
'OSE SHALOM -- Divine
Creator of Eternal Peace
PEASH NARTOOMID --
Eternal Passover
ROKEB BA-ARABOT -- One
who Rides Upon the Heavens
RUACH ELOHIM -- The
Spirit of the Elohim
RUACH HA KODESH -- The
Holy Spirit
SHEKINAH -- Divine
Presence (Indwelling Light) SHEKINAH is extra Biblical. It
appears in the Talmud.
SHEKINAH - ESH
-- Divine Light. Extra Biblical
SHELOMITH SHALOM -- The
Peace that Passeth all Human Understanding (participation in the
Kingdom while still on Earth)
SHEMAIAH SHEMMA --
God has Heard the Divine Music
SHEMESH YAHWEH -- Son
of God/Yahweh
SHEMOTH -- Exodus of
Eternal Creation
SHEM SHEL GEBURAH --
Name of all Holy Births
SHILLUSH -- The Triune
God, Father-Son in partnership
TORAH ESER SEPHIROT --
Ten Emanations Commandments (from Divine source of Godhead)
-URIM THUMMIM -- Lights
and Perfection (of the Divine)
VAY-VIK-RA
-- Sanctifying Eternal Creation
-VOD YE-DOD, YOD ye-DOD (VDYD) --
Davidic Messiahship
YAHWEH -- Beloved
Father
YAHWEH ELOHENU YAHWEH --
Beloved Father who Transmits the Glory of the Godhead (Elohenu)
into the Glory of the Divine YAHWEH
YAHWEH SHALOM -- Father
of Eternal Peace
YAHWEH SHAMMAH -- The
Divine Father is Here with His People (or me)
YAHWEH 'TSIDKENNU --
The Father's (LORD's) Righteousness is Here with His People (or me)
YOTZER - AMAROTH --
Creator of the Luminaries
YHWH -- (and all the 11
linguistic transformations) The Living Letters of the Name of the
Lord, Tetragramation
ZOHAR HADASH, ZOHAR
METSULOTH -- The New Zohar/Splendor, New Depths
I counted 72, did you?
OUR BOLDNESS TO ENTER
BEFORE THESE NAME/NATURES OF THE GODHEAD IS BY THE BLOOD AND FLESH
OF JESUS CHRIST.
Hebrews 10:19-20,
Having
therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by
the blood of Jesus,
20 By a new and
living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that
is to say, his flesh. (KJV)
Since the
first printing of this book EL ELYON NOW, the following information
has come to my attention and is now inserted at this point. Thank
you Doctor Hurtak.
The
linguistic research into the formulation of the 72 Divine Names
found on pages 457 - 464 of El Elyon Now, first edition, are a
listing originally from the work by J. J. Hurtak, entitled The 72
Divine Names.
J.J.
Hurtak, the 72 Divine Names, The Academy For Future Science,
California, South Africa, 1989. P.O. Box FE, Los Gatos, California,
95301.
This
clarifies that these names can NOT be taken by a “third party”
source without permission from Doctor Hurtak, and/or passed on to
other parties who may desire to use the sacred superficially in a
different context, or even by someone who may make a personal claim
of authorship or register the work under their name.
The references are cited by
permission from Dr. Hurtak