Monday, October 20, 2003 (16)
THE DEITY OF THE LAMB. John saw Jesus coming towards him and by the Spirit of prophecy cried out, Behold the Lamb of God. What a unique epithet to prescribe for Jesus. Everyone within the hearing of his voice should have immediately connect Jesus with the Passover Lamb. For that was precisely the meaning of his words. Jesus was the true Passover sacrifice ordained by the Lord. John 1:29 John the Baptist, had come in the fulfillment of prophecy and was himself a prophet. He was a voice crying out in the wilderness announcing the coming of the Lord. Oddly enough, the ministry of John was outside the populated areas. Yet they crowded to hear him. Mat. 11:7-10 A prophetic voice had not been heard in Israel for four hundred years. Small wonder that the people went out to hear him. John, while not the Elijah of whom it has been prophesied that he will come before the Coming of the Lord, Mal. 4:5-6, did come in the spirit and power of Elijah.” Luke 1:17 In this manner he manifest and accomplished the ministry of Elijah by preparing a people for the coming of Christ. Jesus said that Elijah had preceded Him. Mark 9:11 Elijah is yet to come for the promise is that he will come, before the great and dreadful day of the LORD. He will come BEFORE the day of the coming of Christ in all power and majesty, to receive unto Himself a people and to judge the earth. It is a glorious day or one horrible day of judgment, depending entirely on the spiritual condition of the individual. Mal. 4:5
WHERE IS ELIJAH FIT IN THE LAST DAY ORDER OF THINGS? We have already noted that he is to return and will announce the coming of the LORD. Mal. 4:5 We know that Elijah was caught up into heaven, carried there in a whirlwind. 2 Kings 2:11 He was still alive and able to communicate with Jesus, concerning His death, so they knew the plan of salvation. This encounter taking place on the Mount of transfiguration. Please note that the two who met with Jesus are named. Moses and Elias or Elijah. They are acknowledged of the Lord to be His TWO WITNESSES. Rev. 11:3 Their works of judgment are identical to the acts which they performed when they were on earth. Rev. 11:5-6
THE LAMB IS PREEMINENT IN HEAVEN. The very heart of heaven is the Lamb of God. He is given a position that is in the midst where He is seen as standing steadfastly. As one who had been slain. The true sacrifice will ever be witnessed in the very throne of the Lord. The witness of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ will ever be seen in the exact center of things heavenly. Rev. 5:6 The declaration of His great and wonderful true love will ever flow from that throne, which is the mercy seat of the eternal, heavenly Temple. That mercy seat is Christ, who is our propitiation, or mercy seat. 1 John 4:10 He is the propitiation for our sins, there is no other source of pardon or deliverance from sin but by direct contact, in repentance with the only Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 John 2:2.