August 02, 2003(36)
THE PEOPLE OF THE NEW JERUSALEM. A most unique City. Its stones are the redeemed. The redeemed will occupy it. They are the lively, living stones, which when gathered together will become the house of the Lord. The eternal habitation of the living Lord. At the same time they are a priesthood of holiness and righteousness who offer spiritual sacrifices which are fitting and proper unto the Lord. 1 Pet. 2:5 They are the people of the Lord who are altogether just and right before Him. They have been through the process of washing and cleansing. They are a sanctified people. Cleansed by the spirit of judgment, the WORD with its stand against sin, and by the fire of the Holy Spirit. Isa. 4:4 It is worthy to note also that the occupants of Jerusalem are they whose names are recorded to be among the living. The City is composed of those who are alive at the time of her construction and are its tenants, will most assuredly have their names recorded in the Lambs book of life. Isa. 4:3 Rev. 21:27
THE BRANCH OF HIS PLANTING. The Father, as the husbandman, caused a shoot or a rod, a descendant, to come forth from the lineage of Jesse, which is the Lord Jesus Christ. Isa. 11:1 In the last days the Branch of the LORD will be a tree of great beauty and glorious. It will have reached its maturity and the apex of its fruitfulness. Isa. 4:2 The branches of the vine have fully developed and are heavy with fruit of the highest quality. Harvest time has arrived and the fruit is about to be gathered. John 15:5 While Christ is the BRANCH or root, the members of His Bride, are like He, branches of the true vine, the Lord Jesus. The man, whose name is the Branch, is the builder of the Temple of the LORD, Jehovah. Zech. 6:12 Literally, the Lord, presented the Lord Jesus to Zechariah as one who has a threefold office. We have seen Him as the contractor of the City, the house of the Lord. He will also occupy the two highest offices of the eternal kingdom of the Lord. For He is to be clothed with majesty and reside, as King on the throne of heaven. At the same time He is shown to be the true Priest of the Most High. Note Heb. 7:25-26 A dual, and fitting position which He will posses through out the ages of eternity. Zech. 6:13 The positions and responsibilities of the Lord Jesus are many. As the Branch, He is also the servant of His Father and one who serves the people. The Branch bears the title of that of a servant. He is also the stone, beginning with Jacob’s stone. That stone has seven eyes, the all seeing presence of the Holy Spirit who in His fullness, filled the Lord Jesus, anointing Him with the Holy oil of Heaven. The seven eyes compare to the seven fold spirit of Isaiah eleven two, which is the divine completeness and fullness of the spirit. Jesus received the Spirit without measure. Not only was He the abiding place of the Spirit but the Father also filled Him with all the fullness of all that the Lord is. Col. 1:19 What is most astonishing is that we are invited to be filled with His love and then enjoy the fruit of that love, which is being filled with the same fullness. That is, to be filled with all the fullness of God Eph. 3:19 Is there anything beyond that? Anything greater? No, that is the ultimate.