Mountain Top Magazine #6

Mountain Top Magazine #6

Jesus Has, By Himself, Purged Our Sins

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver

"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 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; Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” (Hebrews 1:1-3)

Jesus sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high because He had accomplished His work and merited this high position. He had effectively, forever, and once for all PURGED OUR SINS. All of salvation is taking place in the wake of such a great work. As a result of Christ purging our sins He has been exalted, men and their offerings have been made acceptable, and we shall be presented to the Father as a pure and spotless bride. 

A TRUTH TO BEHOLD AND BELIEVE

Redeemed men must have a conscience awareness of this purging if they are going to live boldly before God. They can only have confidence to stand before Him if they know that He is not against them. Ignorance of the fact or else failure to believe that Christ has purged their sins will cause men to remain bound by sin for he such a man “is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins” (2 Pet 1:9).

Christ HAS purged our sins. He came and fulfilled His purpose in doing so. As it is written, “And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness” (Mal 3:3). Jesus has once for all purged men of their sins and is in the process of purifying them. The knowledge of this will cause them to endure hardness, rejoice in tribulation and live by faith and patience.

THE EFFECTS

A Purged Conscience. In the present day we are a contrast to those who lived under the sacrificial system of the law who under “a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, [could] never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually” were never made perfect. Otherwise those sacrifices would “have ceased to be offered because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins” (Heb 10:1-2). “But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year for it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins” (Heb 10:3-4). But now, Jesus “after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God from henceforth expecting till His enemies be made His footstool. For by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified” (Heb 10:12-14).

The Removal of Sin has a Forward Working as Well. When Christ purged our sins He didn’t just provide a salvation to deal with our past. He provided a salvation to provide a holy future. The removal of sin and a clear conscience before God enables man “to serve the living God” (Heb 9:14). This is actually depicted in the Passover meal and the subsequent Feast of Unleavened Bread. 

“And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, ‘Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts. Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings. These are the feasts of the Lord, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons. In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the Lord's passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the Lord: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.’” (Leviticus 23:1-6)

After the Lamb is sacrificed it is right for men to no longer have part of the leaven of sin anymore. “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us” (1 Cor 5:7). It is as though we are living in a continuous Feast of Unleavened Bread. We have been purged from our sins and they have no more part in our lives.

We are a Holy Tree Bringing Forth Good Fruit. Jesus said “I am the True Vine, and My Father is the Husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit” (Jn 15:1-2). We are the tree of God. Individually and collectively we shall be presented to the Father with not a single unfruitful branch thus making us more productive in the world to come. In the end there will be no bad trees, no bad fruit, no unfruitful branches. Only holy branches that have been granted into one holy tree producing a multitude of holy fruit. For Christ has purged our sins. He has sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high, and from thence the Spirit has been poured out upon us. “The wilderness [has become] a fruitful field, and the fruitful field [shall] be counted for a forest” (Isa 32:15).

The Everlasting Gospel

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver

And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, "Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come; and worship Him that made heaven and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." (Revelation 14:6-7)

The message from heaven is good news. It is glad tidings of deliverance from present and impending doom. It is a message of hope when hope is otherwise gone. It announces an impossible thing and then declares that it is possible with God. The gospel is a summons to partake of the glorious salvation offered to men on the basis of the Son’s ability to perform all that is required for the ungodly to gain fellowship with God. 

Everlasting. This message is not for a particular time. It is everlasting. What is declared by the angel was always appropriate. This message is just as fitting for Adam and Eve as it is for us today. The everlasting nature of the gospel does not mean that it becomes dull or common. It never needs to be updated or adapted. This everlasting gospel is a promise of blessing through the Messiah and was sufficient for Abraham (Gal 3:8). It is a message of the salvation of souls by the grace of God and was sufficient to save the prophets and their hearers (1 Pet 1:10-11). It’s glory is seen in that it is still able to save those who hear it today.

The trend of culturing the gospel to fit to “our times” is a vain endeavor that actually makes the message of none effect. Any alteration of the everlasting gospel will cloud the eternality of the purpose of God. It will prevent it’s hearers from fellowship with the saints of old and with the ministry of reconciliation. They will see their experience as something that is isolated from the that which they read about in the Scriptures. 

Peter once said, concerning Gentile converts, “we believe that through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they” (Acts 15:11). Likewise, we must say, “we believe that through the hearing and believing of the everlasting gospel we shall be saved, even as all men throughout history, world without end.”

Fear God! This is the genesis of all sound thinking. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge. If men do not fear God whatever they say is of no value in the last analysis. The greatest intellect of the world is made foolish when it’s possessor fails to fear God. In fact, most of the “science” falsely so called of our day is spawn from the well of “the ignorance and rejection of God.” The entire earth has need of hearing this message - “Fear God.” Compliance with such a command would break down the fortress of ungodliness that is our society.

Give Glory to God! This is right because God is glorious. Let him who boasts, boast in God. It is high time for Nebuchadnezzar to come off of his wall and recant of his words. It is time for men to say “Look at this great creation which God has built.” 

Give honor, reverence, praise to the name of God. Those who believe the gospel will do just this. Partaking of the salvation of God will cause men to cry out in praise. Nothing in salvation promotes pride. Men must see the peril of their situation and cry out, “O wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from the body of this death” and then the gospel responds, “thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord” - He will! 

The gospel not only commands men to give glory to God but the message itself gives glory to God. In every congregation, gathering, and street corner in which the everlasting gospel is being published, Jesus, the only begotten of the Father, is being faithful to do just this. Through the mouths of His people He is fulfilling His purpose to glorify His Father according to what is written: “I will declare Thy name unto My brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee” (Ps 22:22).

The Blessed Appointment Unto Them That Mourn in Zion (Part 4 of 4)

THE BLESSED OUTCOME

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.

Trees of Righteousness, the Planting of the Lord. The children of God are known for strength. They are strong in the strength of their Father’s might. They are firmly rooted and grounded. They are not moved away from the hope of the gospel or from obtaining their inheritance. They are trees! But not just any trees. They are trees of righteousness. They live unto God though their environment is cursed. They are productive. They bear the fruit of righteousness and do the work of the kingdom. Their existence and stability is actually contrary to their environment as perceived in the world but in accord with the spiritual environment that they have entered. 

The power behind their efforts and stability is God Himself who ministers nourishment to them. And His benefits to them add to their strength. In fact, they go from strength to strength. The blessings spoken of in Isaiah 61 have utility toward the saving of the soul. The beauty exchanged for ashes enables them to adorn the doctrine of Christ. They aren’t governed by a list of rules but with the liberty wherewith Christ has set them free they find opportunity to adorn the gospel of Christ. As the psalmist has said, "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" (Ps 110:3). 

Though those the saints of God must endure much suffering and affliction they are covered with a garment of praise in exchange for their spirit of heaviness. While in the prison house they can sing "praises unto God" (Acts 16:25). And after being persecuted they can praise the Lord for being "counted worthy to suffer shame for His name" (Acts 5:41). 

Finally, the oil of joy flows over their mourning and becomes the strength of the people (Neh 8:10). They will make their pilgrimage from the enemies land to their home all the while singing with everlasting joy upon their heads (Isa 35:10; 51:11). 

Their existence; the fact that they are overcoming the world is evidence of a Divine work being accomplished in them. They are strong but the strength is from the Lord. They are righteous! And their righteousness is not of them but of the Lord. The result of all of this is that God is glorified.

God is Glorified. All of heaven is engaged in expressions of glory to God. All of salvation is unto Him. Everyone present in the world to come is there because of God’s mercy, wisdom, grace, blessing, and goodness. The 144,000 know it. The great multitude of all the nations and kindreds and people and tongues know it. The angels and the elders and the four beasts know it.

“Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb…Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.” (Revelation 7:9-12)

Mourning Will Come but So Will Comfort. The way to endure hardship & heartache is not avoidance. It is not just pretending that everything is okay and staying “positive.” There is a time to mourn and blessed are they that mourn. Hardship is hard. Heartache aches. But these things are also productive. They are working for you are far greater and eternal weight in glory. The way to endure this world is to look for the world to come and partake of the abundance and overflow that has graciously been afforded to us by Christ. The day of acceptance is here. The day of salvation has dawned and high noon is coming.

Hope against hope! Believe to the end! Look unto Jesus, your Forerunner who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death but is now crowned with glory and honor and made higher than the heavens. Look to Him and see the fulness of your blessed appointment. For if you suffer with Him, you shall also reign with Him.

The Blessed Appointment Unto Them That Mourn in Zion (Part 3 of 4)

OUR BLESSED APPOINTMENT

"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified."

Everything that God does manifests who He is. In fact, the same can be said of us. But through this blessed appointment we can see that God is a comforter. He is the Father of mercies and God of all comfort. Our experience here is one of suffering, trial, dwelling in an evil world, housed in a vial body, surrounded by enemies within and without. In this we are tempted to despair and perceive ourselves destroyed. But then these glad tidings ring clear. God has appointed for those that mourn in Zion…comfort!

Mourning, Ashes, and the Spirit of Heaviness. Mourning, ashes and a spirit of heaviness are outward expressions produced by an inward experience. This is also true of praise and joy. There really is no pretense in the kingdom of God. God is not mocked. The kingdom of God is one of truth and the true worshippers worship God in spirit and in truth, not in pretense. We are not speaking of paid mourners, or self pitying gloomers. We are speaking of those who out of a sincere love for God and zeal for His house find themselves distraught over the condition of His creation. 

All of these expressions speak of sorrow, distress, and weariness. They are not owing to weakness but of discontentment. Those who are hardened by sin never mourn over it. But those who know the guilt of sin will cry out over it. They will be distraught over their own sins and the sins of the people. They will mourn, they will cover themselves in ashes as those in Nineveh, they will be clothed with a spirit of heaviness until the burden of sin is removed. David noted that as a result of his sin the joy of salvation was gone and he coveted it’s return.

Mourning among the people of God is produced when holy things are defiled, when God is blasphemed, and when sin is celebrated. The tolerant, the lukewarm and the indifferent will never experience mourning but those sensitive towards God will. Jeremiah mourned over the condition of the holy city and of the unrepentant people. Jesus wept over Jerusalem. Moses even sought death because of the waywardness of the congregation. All those who mourn in this way find themselves in the fellowship of all saints and God Himself. God has appointed comfort for such people. 

Sighing and Crying in ZIon. Ezekiel chapters 8 and 9 record a vision that the prophet was given to see as he peered into the holy temple. But in that vision the prophet beholds a most grievous sight, "even the great abominations that the house of Israel had committed there that caused God to go far off from His sanctuary (Ezek 8:6). The Lord then told Ezekiel that he would see even greater abominations that these. There was idolatry and sin taking place to the north, south, east and west. The people of God had defiled the holy temple and God had determined to destroy them and it. However, in chapter nine the prophet beholds a man clothed in linen with an inkhorn by his side that would go and mark are particular group of individuals that were not to be destroyed. Who are these blessed people? Hear the account:  “Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof” (Ezek 9:4). While the world despises those that cry out against sin, the Lord Himself has determined to take not of such people and deliver them from the wrath to come. 

Consider Paul’s Experience. The apostle Paul recorded his experience of both mourning and comfort in his walk with the Lord. Mourning in Zion might sound like this: “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death” (Rom 7:24). But then the comfort of the gospel brings joy and rejoicing “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:1). 

Mourning in Zion might sound like this: "I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh" (Rom 9:2-3) and again, "my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved" (Rom 10:1). But then the comfort of the gospel might sound like this: "And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, 'There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: for this is My covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins'" (Rom 11:26-27).

The confession of mourning in Zion might sound like this: "Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is offended, and I burn not?" (2 Cor 11:28-29). But the comfort of the gospel might sound like this. "Yea, [they] shall be holden up: for God is able to make [them] stand" (Rom 14:4).

Beauty, Garment of Praise, Oil of Joy. Those who put ashes on their heads in mourning and sorrow and even repentance shall be clothed with beauty. Their appearance shall not be that of one who needs comfort but one who has been comforted. The appointment that they have before them will be evidenced on the other side. They will be adorned with beauty. They will have cause for praise on account of their blessing. They shall be praising the Lord and the they shall be praised. Our entrance into the fulness of this appointment involves participation in the heritage of the Lord. In other words, this appointment is a promise to forever dwell in the courts of the Lord, as it is written, “Thou wilt shew me the path of life; in Thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps 16:11).

The Blessed Appointment Unto Them That Mourn in Zion (Part 2 of 4)

THE DAY HAS DAWNED

"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified."

No doubt the blessed appointments mentioned in Isaiah 61 (v1-3) sound good to the ears. But when would such things be accessible to the children of God? And of who does the prophet speak? Of himself or another? Jesus answered these questions when He “returned with power” from His temptation in the wilderness. He came to Nazareth and “as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath Day, and stood up for to read” (Lk 4:16). And after He read these words of the prophet before the people, He declared truth that changed everything: “This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears” (Lk 4:21). He is the appointed One and now is the day in which these blessed things has dawned. We are living in the dew of it’s morning. Behold, NOW is the acceptable time. Behold, NOW is the day of salvation. 

We Have Heard the Joyful Sound. The day has dawned. The gospel is now, and from the time of Jesus, being preached with clarity and power to save. The meek, who refuse to be abrasive and to sheathe their strength for the wellbeing of others are having glad tidings preached to them. The brokenhearted are being bound up and strengthened. Captives are being set free and prisoners are being shown the way of escape. And this is just the beginning!

Sin has been judged. The devil is destroyed. Grace now reigns unto eternal life. The Holy Spirit is dwelling in and governing the people of God. Jesus is seated at the right hand of the His Father. Believers have passed out of death into life. They have been seated with Christ in heavenly places; hid with Him in God. Oh, but this is just the beginning!

Present, And Future. The kingdom of God is an everlasting kingdom and the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory is an eternal salvation. Like Caleb and Joshua we are now partaking of the first fruits of the Promised Land and they are better than all the fruits of our land. This isn’t just poetic imagery, this is the apostles’ doctrine. The letter to the Hebrews speaks of those who have been illuminated and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost. It speaks of those who have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come (Heb 6:4-6). In other words, they have tasted the firstfruits of their future inheritance. They have a portion now of what they will have in fullness then. This is the way the kingdom functions. God is making men fit for receiving all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. Salvation provides a way for us to partake of these things now and for ever and ever world without end. 

Think about this: Just like God had to take away our sins before we could be a habitation of God in the Spirit, so He will remove all things that offend in order to make us fit for even more blessing. There is coming a day when that which is hidden will be made known. There is coming a day when the glory of God shall be revealed. Then the Son of God shall be manifested. Then the saints shall shine like lights. Then the earth and its works shall be burned up. Then all things that offend God will be dispelled from His presence and from those who remain in His presence. Then we shall know as we have been fully known. Then God will deal out retribution. And then we shall be comforted. All the good things God has appointed for His people shall be enhanced, enlarged and overflowing and, praise God, we will be able to receive it. This day of salvation and the time of comfort has dawned, brethren. Hold fast, for, high noon is coming soon.

The Day of Vengeance. We are living in the acceptable year. This is a year when God is pleased and those who come to Him by Christ are accepted by Him. It is a time when He may be found. Yet there is coming a day of vengeance. Both the acceptable year and the day of vengeance are announced in the gospel and both are beneficial to the people of God. In fact, how you think about the day of vengeance is an indication of your participation in the acceptable year of the Lord. If you are participating in the year of acceptance then you can look forward to the day of vengeance when God will destroy all things that oppose you. However, if you are neglecting so great a salvation then the day of vengeance is a terrifying thing because in it God will actually destroy you - for you are the one in opposition with the purpose of God.

But here is a blessed thought: The YEAR of Acceptance…the DAY of vengeance. It is as though for us the day of vengeance is brief while the acceptance of God is forever. There are things that “only last for the night” and there are better things that “come in the morning.” The day of acceptance is like the morning that comes after the night of weeping and it is a morning that never ends. There will never again be the darkness of night once that morning comes.

The Blessed Appointment Unto Them That Mourn in Zion (Part 1 of 4)

The Appointments of God.

The appointments of the Lord are sure. If He has determined it, if He has spoken it, He will also do it. Furthermore, His appointments are revealing of His person. What He appoints teaches us about Him: His nature and His purpose and His person. Consider some of these appointments of God.

• Salvation appointed walls and bulwarks (Isa 26:1): God intends on keep that which He redeems
• Appointment of the kingdom of men (Dan 5:21): God is a Governor, The Governor among the nations
• Appointment of the Apostle and High Priest (Heb 3:1-2): God is intent on saving men to the uttermost
• Appointment of Heirship (Heb 1:2): God is a Rewarder
• Appointment of the Judgment Day (Acts 17:31): God is just and men are accountable
• Appointed unto men to die once then the judgment (Heb 9:27): God’s purpose extends beyond this world and beyond this body
• Appointment of afflictions for the saints (Ps 44:11; 1 Th 3:3)  God is compassionate and also knows the benefit of suffering for righteousness
• Appointed times and bounds for men (Acts 17:26): God is wise
• Appointment of a kingdom (Lk 22:29): God is the Lord who entrusts possessions to stewards
• Appointment not to wrath but to obtaining salvation (1 Th 5:9): God desires, primarily, to save
• Appointed the Law and established a testimony (Ps 78:5): God calls, initiates, instructs
• Appointment of the defeat of good counsel (2 Sam 17:14): God’s ways are higher than man’s
• Appointed each day for a year (Ezek 4:6): God is a revealer 

Now let us consider the blessed appointment unto them that mourn in Zion as declared through the prophet Isaiah.

"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me; because the Lord hath anointed Me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord that He might be glorified." (Isaiah 61:1-3)

Here we learn that God is righteous. God is good. God is a comforter. God does not shelter His people from heartache and turmoil. Neither does He leave them to cope with them alone. He allows the famine then gives the food. He allows the drought and brings the rain. He allows mourning and then brings the comfort. And the latter provision is always more prominent than the former. In other words the comfort is of such delight that you can forget the days of mourning and the days of toil (Gen 41:51).