Library of Transcripts

#240.0799

scottSTANLEY

I would like to do a study on the everlasting covenant and try to bring out how this covenant that the Lord has made with his people will bring us unto that completed perfection that He has promised the church, that completed perfection of walking in the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. Anytime I think about the everlasting covenant I think of it as the covenant of peace. Now in this study we’re going to cover one verse in particular that will call it that, the covenant of peace. But when we talk about peace, I think there is an understanding that we need to have before we get into this study on the everlasting covenant of what it means to walk in the peace of God. There is a scripture in Philippians 4:7 that I would like to turn to and share this with you. It is very revealing and very helpful in helping us understand what it means to stay in that abiding relationship. Philippians chapter 4. Let me go ahead and read verse 6 with this.

6 Be careful for nothing; [this word "careful" means to be anxious or to be troubled, and the apostle Paul is saying, don’t let anything trouble you] but in every thing [you do] by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through [in] Christ Jesus.

Here he is telling you that the peace of God will keep you in Christ. This peace that he is talking about is actually something you feel in your heart. He states here the peace of God which passes all understanding. That word "understanding" is nous; it is actually the Greek word for mind. And this word "to pass" , it means "to go over it, to go beyond it". There is nothing within you that can keep the peace of God from overcoming your mind except disobedience. When I have taught before, mentioned before about getting your mind in that place, this is the place I have been talking about -- where you get that sense of God’s peace -- where you get that understanding; that feeling of peace and rest comes over you, staying in that place, walking in that place. The peace of God which passes all understanding, which passes everything within you, the peace of God shall keep you in Christ. As you experience the peace of God, and you go through your day, if you begin to sense that that peace is leaving you, or if you do such and such a thing, you will not have that peace, then you do those things to keep that peace ruling in your heart.

Now we’re going to be talking about the covenant of peace. If you’ll look up peace in the scriptures, you’ll discover the gospel of peace, the good news of peace; but this is basically what I wanted you to see, that there is a peace that will rule your heart and govern you and help you remain faithful in Christ Jesus. If you don’t experience the peace, if you have never experienced the peace that I’m speaking of, then by all means, go before the Lord and seek Him for it, and don’t stop until you have it. Because in that peace, in that rest, that is Sabbath keeping, that is resting in the Lord Jesus Christ. Let me give you some other scriptures dealing with peace real quick. There are many, many, many verses you could look at and I’m sure in the future the Lord is going to continue to help us see more and more of this peace. The first one is in John chapter 16, and I’m thinking of verse 33. The Savior says:

33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. [Now we know that isn’t just simply believing in Him but being in Him, listening for Him.] In me you might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

In 1 John 2:16 the world is defined as the lust of the flesh, lust of the eye and pride of life. But I pray that by means of our experience we are understanding that more inward than outward; that lust of the flesh would be referring to the fleshly mind as spoken of in Romans 8, I think verse 6 where he talks about the carnal mind. If you’ll look in the margin, it’s "the minding of the flesh". It is looking at things through the flesh.

The second, the lust of the eye -- the eye is your understanding. In other words, lusting after your own understanding; the fleshly mind, lusting after your own understanding. And the pride of life could be the pride of opinion of life. As you enter into the heavens and you walk with Christ and you look back down on the earth where you came from, you begin to realize that that is the tribulation Christ is talking about. If you are walking in peace, in this covenant of peace, you will sense yourself coming out of it when self gets in the way–1John 2:16, the world. It’s another way of looking at the world. It doesn’t mean the people around you; the means the old man within you. Again, John 16:33, these things I have spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you’ll have tribulation. In self, you’ll have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have dried up the sea, I’ve overcome the world, self is put away.

Another scripture I want to look at is 2 Peter chapter 3, verse 14.

14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye [you] look for such things, be diligent that ye [you] may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

Be diligent to walk in this peace. Be diligent to be aware of a peaceful heart within and not allowing anything to move you out of that. When you recognize the peace is leaving, or the peace is gone, it is because of disobedience, whether it be what you’re speaking , what you’re doing, that peace is not in your heart ruling, it is because of a lack of obedience on your part. Also in 2 Peter, look at chapter 1 verse 2:

2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through [in God’s knowledge and Jesus’ knowledge] the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

This peace that we’re discussing can actually be multiplied as you grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ and walk in that, in that obedience. Another one is James, chapter 3, I want to look at verse 18. This is important, this is key.

18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of [for] them that make peace.

Righteousness, I understand now, equals the thought of God, the way He perceives a thing, the way He sees a thing, is righteousness. The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for them that make peace. If you can learn to walk in peace and keep that peaceful heart and remain in obedience to the Lord He can walk you through every step of life to bring you to completion in Him. If you can remain faithful, you’ll know you are when your heart is right with Him. You’ll know you’re in that place if your heart is right and you are walking in that rest and that peace. Labor to be in that rest. Let Him slow you down. Let Him give you a peaceful heart.

Now looking at this covenant, I want to begin in Isaiah, chapter 55. And we’re going to be talking about the everlasting covenant. I just want to make a chain for you. I want to make a chain of scripture so you can follow it through and come to grips with how this covenant works, exactly what it is and how it’s going to bring me to a completion in Jesus Christ. And we know we’re in it by the peace in our heart, the peace that passes all understanding within you. Is 55 starting at verse 1.

Ho, every one that thirsts, and that has no money, come ye to the waters and buy and eat. Now I have read that differently than the King James has printed it because I want you to see he is talking to two groups of people in verse one. Those who thirst and those who have no money. Those are the people that he says, you come to the waters and you make the effort, you buy and eat. Those who are thirsting after the righteousness of God, those who are longing to have His understanding, you come to the waters. And you people that have no money, on other words, you are not rich, you are poor of spirit, you are ready to hear -- you are the ones who recognize that there is nothing in and of myself that can save me -- I haven’t been understanding it, I haven’t been grasping it, I need a deeper understanding, a stronger hold on my Savior. You are the ones, he says, you come and buy of me. You make the effort to receive these waters. You are the ones thirsting, you are the ones who have no money. Make the effort to buy these waters.

Wine and milk. Milk is the reasoning of Christ for babes. Wine is also the reasoning of Christ for those of you who are maturing. Wine and milk are the same thing but on two different levels. One is for babes, one is for the more mature in their understanding.

2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? [Why do you spend money for that which is not bread. And you labor for that which isn’t satisfying you? ] hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

The point I want to bring out in reading this in Isaiah 55, first of all, is that the everlasting covenant is made with those who are listening. If you have not yet understood that you are to listen to Christ moment by moment, if you are not understanding the abiding, the everlasting covenant is not for you. It’s for those who hear. He says, hearken unto me, incline your ear to me, and I’ll make an everlasting covenant with you. Now when we talk about the everlasting covenant, exactly what is it? Jeremiah 31 verse 31 begins a definition of what the everlasting covenant is.

32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake [broke], although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:

What was the covenant He made when He brought them out of the land of Egypt? because this everlasting covenant is not that covenant. So I want to show you what the everlasting covenant is not. First look at 1 Kings 8:21. 1 Kings chapter 8, look at verse 21.

We just read now in Jeremiah 31, the everlasting covenant is not this. It is not this. Again 1 Kings 8:21 --- I have set there a place for the ark... in the ark is the covenant which He made when He brought them out of Egypt. Look at verse 9.

9 There was nothing in the ark save [except] the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.

The covenant that we’re talking about in Isaiah 55 that He makes if you listen which Jeremiah 31 will refer to as the everlasting covenant, this is not it. It is not the table of the ten commandments. Again let me show you another scripture. Turn to 2 Chronicles chapter 6. 2 Chronicles 6 and let’s read verse 11.

Chapter 5, 2 Chronicles verse 10.

10 There was nothing in the ark save [except] the two tables which Moses put therein [in it] at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of Egypt.

That, of course, is the same thing we just read in Kings but I wanted to emphasize it again. In Jeremiah 31:32, not according to the covenant I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt which covenant they broke. He is not talking about the covenant of the ten commandments. He is not talking about that. Jeremiah 31:33

"I" am going to do this, He says. Now at the bottom of verse 33, where He says I will be their God and they shall be my people, if you will compare that to Deuteronomy 27 verse 9.

9 And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto all Israel, saying, Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the LORD thy [your] God.

10 Thou [you shall] shalt therefore obey the voice of the LORD thy [your] God, and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee [you] this day.

What day were they becoming His people? Look at verse 2.

The day you pass over Jordan unto the land which the LORD your God gives you. This is what he is talking about, verse 3, it’s the land that flows with milk and honey.

When you enter into the promised land, the mind of Christ, when you have an ear to hear that man, He makes the everlasting covenant with you and He says "today I have become your God, and you are now my people." Because, if you’re not listening to Him and you’re doing what you feel like needs to be done, that you think needs to be done, He isn’t your God, you are your god. And 1 John 2:16 is a reality in your life. You are living according to your fleshly mind, your own opinions and your own pride. That is what guides you unless you are abiding in Christ. When you enter into the promised land, that land that flows with milk and honey, He can now say "I am your God." He makes the everlasting covenant with you -- that are listening. It isn’t like the ten commandments, He says, but He says, "I will put this on your heart".

You see, before when we looked at the law of God and the law of Moses, we put our own interpretation on that and we made the determination that we were going to do that ourselves. He says, "it isn’t going to be like that. I am going to write this on your heart myself" He says. "I will do this." Now notice what happens in verse 34 of Jeremiah 31. When He becomes your God, and you’re His people, verse 34

34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me [for they’re all going to know me], from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: ...

Now I want you to understand that before we were abiding in Christ, we looked at how we believed the Lord would have us serve Him and we made our list of do’s and don’ts. And we proceeded to teach people to know the Lord by giving them our list of do’s and don’ts. This is how you know him -- You go to church this day, you eat this way, you walk this way. But He says with this everlasting covenant, it isn’t going to be like that. You will no more tell people "this is how you’re going to know the Lord." Because anyone who enters into this everlasting covenant of abiding in Christ will know Him and there will be one Shepherd over these people and He is going to lead them in their daily routine of life. He is going to be their God. They are going to be His people. And we will not be telling people how to know the Lord.

You know, there was a prophecy the apostle Paul gave. I believe it’s in 1 Timothy chapter 4. I want to read this because it really stands out to me and fits in right here with what we’re discussing. In 1 Tim 4:1, he says

Now it’s interesting the King James would use this English word "seducing" here, because it’s the same word that they have used in 1 John 2:26 where he says

And he goes right on to tell you that no man is going to teach you. The anointing you have received, that will teach you. So people do try to seduce your thinking by telling you how to live in Christ, what it means to serve God, how to know God. In 1 Timothy 4, again,

1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith [the faith of Christ, the understanding of Christ] , giving heed [they will give heed] to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy [they will speak lies in hypocrisy]; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

3 Forbidding to marry [they will forbid you to marry] , and commanding to abstain from meats [food] , which God hath [has] created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

Now what does it mean "forbidding to marry"? Well, I want you to compare that with Romans, chapter 7. Because in Romans 7, the same man who wrote that in 1 Timothy, wrote this.

4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by [through] the body of Christ; that ye [you] should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

Any time people tell you that you should abstain from certain foods, and they start telling you how to live your life, how to worship God, they are actually forbidding you to be married to the risen Savior, because that is His job. You see, they are exalting the law and putting it in the place of Christ Jesus. They are forbidding your marriage to Christ and commanding you to live your life a particular way. That is the Savior’s job. That is what He is to do and that is why the Lord gave us the warning. They shall not teach every man anymore saying, know the Lord. For all are going to know me, he says, from the least of them unto the greatest of them.

Now that is key to understanding the new covenant. We have got to come to the place where we get off each other’s backs and we quit judging people, discerning people because they do this, that or the other. We have got to stop looking on the outside and learn to start looking inwardly. There are some scriptures, I believe, that deal with this concerning Christ. In the gospel of John, chapter 5, I want to read something to you about judging. In the King James, they have taken one English word and used it in different ways, looking at two different Greek words. It’s this word "judgment". There is an act of judging which actually is discerning. It is the verb of discerning a thing. Well, they will call that judging. But the conclusion of the discernment is judgment.

They have used the same word for that.

It is one thing to be in the act of discerning a person; it’s another thing to come to a conclusion and say that they’re damned. You see, that’s two different things. When he says that you are not to judge, you are not to condemn people, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t discernment that takes place. You most certainly are to discern where people are. But for you to condemn them, is what he’s talking about, that you shouldn’t do. So looking at the gospel of John, chapter 5, I want you to see this word "judgment". In verse 22

The Father judges no man. Now that’s the verb. He has committed all judgment unto the Son, that is the noun. That is the condemnation. Now this word that is the noun, the number is [2920], the verb is [2919]. You see, one is the root of the other.

23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth [honors] not the Son honoureth [honors] not the Father which hath sent him.

24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth [hears] my word, and believeth on him [believes him] that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation [2920]; but is passed from death unto life.

Now here they put "condemnation". In verse 22 it was "judgment". So for condemnation - it is that conclusion you come to in your discernment. They will not come to [2920] but they are passed out of death unto life.

Now I want you to drop down to verse 27

27 And hath [has] given him authority to execute judgment [2920] [that conclusion of discernment] also, because he is the Son of man.

29 And [they] shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation [2920].

This word "damnation" is "condemnation" in verse 24 and "judgment" in verses 22 and 27. So here is this one Greek word that they have translated judgment, condemnation and damnation. It just is simply the conclusion of your discernment. But now notice verse 30. This is what I wanted to get to.

30 I can of mine [my] own self do nothing [that includes judging]: as I hear [my Father], I judge [2919] [I discern]: and my judgment [2920] [my conclusion] is just [right]; [why?] because I seek not mine [I’m not seeking my own will] own will, but the will of the Father which hath [has] sent me.

Again, verse 30. I can of my own self do nothing. Why don’t we take that philosophy? I can of my own self do nothing; I can’t even discern you accurately. Whatever it is that you’re doing, I’m not able to read your heart. I cannot discern you. As I hear my Father, I judge and know that the final conclusion that I come to is righteous. Why? Because I’m not seeking my will, I’m seeking the will of the Father. If He brings me to the place of understanding a certain thing about you, then I know it’s right because He is doing it. But if I am doing it on my own, it isn’t going to be accurate. It’s going to be my self.

Now let’s compare this with chapter 7 of John. Notice what he says here. Verse 24.

24 Judge not [or discern [2919] ]according to the appearance [outward], but judge righteous judgment.

Righteousness comes from the Father. What he says in John 7:24 is explained in what we just read in John 5. I can of my own self do nothing. That means even discern you. Any time you read in the scripture where He looked at them and saw their heart, He knew what they were thinking, He is telling you here how that was. It’s because the Father was telling Him. It was the Father giving Him insight into the way these people were thinking, into the way they were in their hearts. Again, He says "I can of my own self do nothing. I discern as I hear and my conclusion is right because I’m seeking the will of my Father." And He tells you, "now you discern righteously." Don’t look on the outward appearance, but you seek righteousness, the will of the Father, in understanding those people around you.

Recently I began to understand that looking at that equation of thoughts produce feelings, feelings, actions, I realized that within all of us there are two sides -- the heart and the intellect. And somehow I came to believe that thoughts were from my intellect. Thoughts produce feelings, and that feeling stood for my heart; that in that heart I realize you have feelings but you also have impressions from God. When the Lord impresses you, it is through your heart, so therefore, He can give you thoughts, through your heart, not your intellect. If your thoughts are coming via the intellect, it is going to be your self. If it is coming through your heart, it is going to be the Lord. When I think of my past, when I think back to April of ‘95, and I realize the Lord said this is the beginning of the end, today is the first day of your ministry, He spoke that to me through my heart. That was not through my intellect. It was through my heart He impressed me, therefore those thoughts produced sanctified feelings, which produced sanctified actions.

Now this is key, because you have got to learn to listen for the Lord through your heart, not your intellect. It is through our intellect we had figured out our list of do’s and don’ts. It is through the heart the Lord will give us the true measurement of a man, the true measurement of your self. This helped me immensely to realize He is speaking through my heart and I was able to center and key on that voice instead of just thinking of abiding in Christ and searching my entire mind to know what His will is. Key on your heart. Let the Lord speak to your heart. That is where His voice is coming through to you. Key on the heart and walk in the peace of God. Key on your heart and let His peace and His rest fill you and know you are walking with Him. Know that you are serving Him and be not deceived, be not self deceived. That is what we have done.

It’s interesting in this everlasting covenant. He says this is not the way I made it with the people I brought out of Egypt. This is not that. I am going to give this to you, He says. Well let me tell you, He’s going to give it to you through your heart. You are not going to sit down and figure this thing out. He will give it to you. He will tell you right and wrong. And as long as you are in His peace and rest, there is not condemnation, whatever it is you are doing.

Now we have talked about the covenant of peace. Let’s take the next step in this chain I wanted to make about the everlasting covenant, started at Isaiah 55, He makes it with those who are listening. Jeremiah 31 defines what it is. Ezekiel 37 gives us our next step. Ezekiel chapter 37, let’s add another step to the process. Verse 26.

26 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace [there it is] with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.

28 And the heathen shall know that I the LORD [Yahweh] do sanctify Israel [that I am sanctifying them. They’re not sanctifying themselves, I am sanctifying them], when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.

So here’s another thing to add to the meaning of the everlasting covenant. Not only is it for those who listen, but he will place his sanctuary in your mist, in the midst of you. What is His sanctuary? Isaiah chapter 8 is the next part of the chain. Verse 13

14 And he shall be for a sanctuary; but [He’s going to be a] for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

If He is not your fear, if He is not your dread, then you are going to stumble over His meaning of life. But if you listen to Him and obey Him and walk in His rest, keeping His rest, if you do that, if you do that, He is your sanctuary. That brings us to the sanctuary in Exodus and I want to turn over, first of all to Exodus 19 for one more link of this chain. One more link in the chain. Let’s look at Exodus chapter 19, start reading at verse 4.

Now let’s walk through our chain one more time. Isaiah 55, the everlasting covenant is for those who are listening for His voice and obeying Him. Chapter 31 of Jeremiah defines what the covenant is, but it also defines what it is not. It is where the Lord himself gives you His definitions. The Lord Himself will write on your heart. Ezekiel 37 is the next step that tells us when we enter the covenant of peace, when we enter the everlasting covenant, He places within us His sanctuary. The sanctuary is the tabernacle of God. It is that thing that houses God. The tabernacle of God is Christ. He is the sanctuary. In Exodus 19, if you will hear me and obey my voice indeed and keep my covenant you are made a priest.

We have gone through this chain in the past and tried to point out that it is only those who are abiding in Christ who are becoming a kingdom of priests. If you are not listening, you are not a priest of God. That word "priest", simply means minister. How can you be ministering for the Lord, be a minster of His, if you are not listening? if you are moving out according to your intellect, which is what all of us did at one time. But if you’re listening through your heart, letting that peace of God rule your heart, you are a minister of God, you are a priest of God and if He moves you to talk to a certain person, let them recognize the peace in your heart. If He moves you to do anything, you should have peace in your heart, that peace that passes all understanding. Stay in that place, for goodness sake. Stay in that place. If you don’t feel that peace, seek Him until you find it. Let Him rule and govern you in this covenant of peace and become a priest.

How does this move me to a completed perfection? How does this move me to that place of knowing that I am reaching the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ? We have seen, if you are abiding, the sanctuary is placed within you, the mind of Christ. We have seen in past studies that the mind of Christ, or the faith of Christ was seen as the gold on the shittim wood in the sanctuary. You now have the mind of Christ within you. You are covered with gold.

There are two compartments to that sanctuary. I don’t know how many times I have taught this, how many times I have said this, but I can’t say it enough. I feel so impressed of the Lord to continue to relay this thought to His church. When you walk into the first compartment of the sanctuary, you are abiding in Christ, you are listening, but there is a second compartment to enter into. That second compartment is the Holy of Holies. There is a veil that keeps you from entering into it. As long as you are in the first compartment, and if you sometime would take the time to read through Leviticus and understand what it is the priest accomplished in that compartment. If you would take the time to read that and see the function that goes on in there, the eating of the shewbread, the lighting of the candles, all of these things, the burning of the coals on the altar, on the golden altar–if you would go through and let the Lord minister to you and you remained faithful and obedient and let the peace of God rule in your heart, whatever it takes, stay in that place, the day will come that your High Priest will enter in and sprinkle the blood. It is the sprinkling of that blood, giving you the meaning of Calvary that will bring down that veil.

This is not something you can do yourself. It can only be done by the man, Christ Jesus. This is something He will accomplish in your life. This is something that He will do for you. You cannot put yourself on a cross. You can allow the Savior to accomplish the death of the old man in you by listening, by allowing Him to place His words in your understanding. And again, this is something He will do. You’re not going to get it off a tape. You’re not going to get it from another person. It’s going to come from the High Priest and the High Priest alone. You have got to give Him that time to come in and deal with you.

There is a scripture found in Hebrews, I would like to turn to. In Hebrews 9:22 the apostle Paul says something here that we really need to grasp.

Now certain things about the words we have read here you have got to understand. The word "remission" is translated "deliverance" in Luke 4. Without the blood, the shedding of blood, there is no deliverance for you. Now true, in verse 22, notice the word "almost". Almost all things are by the law purged with blood. There are those things that you are going to overcome in your life and put away without the understanding of the blood. There are things, when you go to Leviticus, and you read, there are times when a covering, or the atonement is made, without blood being shed. But you are not going to be delivered of self without the shedding of blood. What does that mean?

It means that what happened at Calvary, the reality has got to be placed in your heart by the Savior. Without that, there is no deliverance. Now listen. If the Savior could have brought you to perfection without you understanding Calvary, then He did not have to go through it Himself, because Calvary happened to bring you out of the mire. It didn’t happen because God was angry and someone had to die. Calvary took place because humanity needed that Man to slay their old man. And it is that application of the blood that will put that old man to rest. But again the Savior has to be the one to do it.

You know, recently I had a thought about the sanctuary that I would like to share with you. And it’s this. If the sanctuary is my mind, and Christ is officiating in the sanctuary, if that’s taking place within me, then the gifts and the offerings and the sacrifices of the sanctuary are how the Father ministers to me. You see, when I look at the sanctuary as an outward thing, in that God had to be appeased, so I had to come into the sanctuary to make an offering, that was me giving the offering and sacrifice to God. The High Priest ministered for me to God. But if it’s within my mind, that is God using the High Priest to minister to me! He is sprinkling that blood in my mind. Those sacrifices are taking place within my heart. He is bringing me the understanding. Our heavenly Father doesn’t need the understanding. This was His plan from the very beginning. The sanctuary service and the High Priest is how the Father is ministering to us, not us to Him.

Now let that sink in and sometime take the time to re-read Hebrews and understand the High Priest is standing before God ministering to us the words of God to bring us to perfection. The sanctuary is inside of you. The High Priest is sent by the Father to minister to us. He is not coming before God for me because God’s angry and I’ve got to have someone between me and my heavenly Father. Our heavenly Father so loves us that He gave. The sanctuary is His definition, it is His phrases, it is His words to help us understand how He’s giving. He gave His only begotten Son. Go look at that sacrifice again. Go take another look at how the blood is ministered to the individual. That is from our heavenly Father because He loves us. And the Son of God loved us to allow Himself to be put in that place. He loved the Father, but He also loved you and He was willing to go through what He did because of His great love.

I’m telling you, the peace that that man gives you cannot be measured. The peace, the grace, the understanding, the rest cannot be measured. Enter into that rest. Let Him be your fear, let Him be your dread and may the peace of God lead and guide you in all understanding, in every effort of life, let Him be the Shepherd.

Now there is one more thing that we read in Isaiah 55 that I want to go back to and define it for you. We’ve already talked about what the definition is, I just want you to see it -- one way the Lord refers to our death and resurrection in Christ. In Isaiah 55 if you’ll look again at verse 3.

3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

The everlasting covenant most assuredly leads us unto the sure mercies of David. This is defined in Acts 13:34 and I want to turn over and read this scripture. Acts 13 looking at verse 34

The sure mercies of David in what he is quoting here refers to the resurrection of the dead. And you cannot be resurrected without first dying. That is a contradiction of terms. You have to come to that place inwardly where the Son of God puts you to death by means of understanding Calvary, the reality of Calvary. And entering into that death, He will give you the sure mercies of David, the sure mercies of David. David was a picture of Christ. What did he do with Christ, but He raised Him from the dead. The sure mercies of David. He had promised His Son that His body would not see corruption. He had promised His Son a perfected mind. In Isaiah 55 that scripture, verse 3, is to anyone who has ears to hear. If He makes the everlasting covenant with you and you have peace in your heart walking with Him, He will bring you the sure mercies of David. He will bring you to that place of a resurrected life.

Again in Acts 13, I think it would be interesting if we could just simply read, starting at verse 30.

30 But God raised him from [out of] the dead:

33 God hath [has] fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.

You see that Isaiah 55:3 also applied to the Son of God. If you will listen, if you will obey, I will make my covenant with you, and give you the sure mercies of David. That was seen when He raised Him, literally, from the dead. And these men who wrote this book we call the New Testament, were witnesses of that fact, that He died on that cross, that He was raised again. The sure mercies of David are promised to all of us if we will only obey.

Let me say one more time, if you are not experiencing peace in your heart, the peace that passes all understanding, not just simply comfortable with where you are, but you actually have that peace and rest that fills your soul, if you are not experiencing that, it’s because in some way you are not obedient to what God is telling you. All we can ask of one another, all we can ask, is to be in peace. Are you at rest? Are you in peace? If you are, He’ll bring you Calvary and give you the sure mercies of David.

Let’s conclude our study by reading two portions of scripture. The first one is found in Job 22. I want to begin reading at verse 21.

21 Acquaint now thyself with him [God], and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.

22 Receive, I pray thee, the law [or the teachings] from his mouth [not the book, from His mouth], and lay up his words [speech in your heart] in thine heart.

23 If thou [you] return to the Almighty [in this way], thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.

24 Then shalt thou [you] lay up gold [on the dust, it is the faith of Christ on your self] as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.

25 Yea, the Almighty shall be thy [your] defense [silver or your gold, and you shall have silver of strength], and thou shalt have plenty of silver. [The Almighty shall be your understanding and your strength in all that you do.]

26 For then shalt thou have thy [your] delight in the Almighty, and [you] shalt lift up thy [your] face unto God.

27 Thou [You’ll] shalt make thy [your] prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee [you], and thou [you] shalt pay thy [your] vows.

28 Thou [You shall] shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy [your] ways.

29 When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person. [him that has low eyes]

30 He shall deliver the island of the innocent [The King James has put "the island of the innocent", but if you’ll look in your margin, "the innocent shall deliver the island". What is an island? but he that is surrounded by the waters of the sea -- you could say the nations, the gentiles, those who know not the Lord. The innocent shall deliver the island]: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands [of what they see in your lives].

Job 22 is just a fabulous definition, spiritually, of abiding in Christ and if you just simply read the margins, it will really enhance the meaning of those scriptures.

Another one I want to read is found in Ezekiel chapter 34. I want to begin reading at verse 23. This summed up, I suppose, what we have talked about in this entire study.

24 And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them [the son of a king]; I the LORD have spoken it.

25 And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land [you could put spiritual circumcision]: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.

27 And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land [earth], and shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them.

I’m not sure anything else needs to be added to this except a prayer that we might walk together in harmony, experiencing the peace of Christ together because brother, if you don’t feel that peace in your heart, there’s a reason for it.

Most gracious heavenly Father, we praise you and thank you for life itself. We thank you heavenly Father for the hope that is set before us. We thank you Father for the realization of Calvary. We pray Father, that our conscience seek thee, that we hear thee, that we rest in Jesus Christ, that we experience that peace that we know that we know you, because Father you are leading us to walk in love with one another. I pray for your church. I pray, heavenly Father, for that harmony, for the rest, for the peace, for the assurance that comes in walking with thee, in recognizing your touch upon our heart. Heavenly Father, I pray that you are glorified in all things, in Jesus name, Amen.