⁶³ But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou [you] tell us whether thou [you] be the Christ, the Son of God.

64 Jesus saith [said] unto him, Thou hast [You have] said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye [you] see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Now this is key about the ministry of Christ.  In Christ’s answer to the high priest, He has quoted concepts out of the Old Testament from two different places.  When He says “sitting on the right hand of power on high” He is quoting Psalms 110:1.

¹ The LORD [or Yahweh] said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine [your] enemies thy [your] footstool.

¹³ I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

Now these are the two concepts the Son of God is quoting.  And these are the two verses they come from:  Psalms 110:1 and Daniel 7:13.  And don’t think for an instant the High Priest did not know what Christ was saying.  But I want you to look again at Matthew 26:64, and notice the word “hereafter.” 

⁶⁴ .... nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter [or after this] shall ye [you] see the Son of man...

fulfill Psalms 110:1 and Daniel 7:13.  In other words, they were getting ready to crucify the Son of God, to put Him to death.  This was what He was born in eternity past for.  After His death and resurrection is what He is talking about.  Hereafter you’ll see these things fulfilled.  After this, you are going to see me sitting at the right hand of God and coming with the clouds of heaven to the Ancient of Days to receive my kingdom.

Now it’s crucial that we understand the Son of God’s ministry.  “After this,” after His  crucifixion, He is going to be sitting at the right hand of God.  What does it mean, to sit on the right hand of God?  To make a long story short, it simply means to be the Father’s right hand man, to be the one who is helping Him fulfill His will for us.  This right hand, if you’ll turn with me to Revelation chapter 1, reading verse 20,

²⁰ The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest [you saw] in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest [you saw] are the seven churches.

Here He has said the angels or the messengers of the churches are in His right hand.  Now look at Revelation chapter 2 verse 1

¹ Unto the angel [messenger] of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth [holds] the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh [walks] in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;

Here he identifies himself again, as holding the seven stars in his right hand.  Now take this thought and turn to Psalms 80, reading verse 17

¹⁷ Let thy [your] hand be upon the man of thy [your] right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest [you made] strong for thyself [yourself].

To be at the right hand of God means you are being used of God to be in Christ’s right hand.  You are a person the Lord is using.  He has made you strong for Himself, to be a man of the right hand.  He identifies himself in Revelation as holding the messengers of the churches in His right hand.  These are men of his right hand.  He is a man sitting on the right hand of the Father.  That doesn’t have to mean He is just simply exalted, He’s literally sitting down at God’s right hand.  He may be, but there is a significance in that and it’s the fact He is being used of God.  In fact, what He has just stated to the church of Ephesus, again let’s read this in Revelation chapter  2

¹ Unto the angel [messenger] of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth [holds] the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh [walks] in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;

What does it mean, to walk in the midst?  If the candlesticks are the churches, think of Him walking in the midst of the churches.  He is walking within you as the church.  He has the seven angels in His right hand – people that He has made strong for Himself, for a purpose -- to do the very work our Heavenly Father has appointed Him to do and again, I’ve got to say this–the birth of the Son of God had a reason.  Correcting humanity and bringing them to a completed perfection was not an afterthought of the Father.  It was a forethought, because the Son of God is the lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

We just need to better understand what that Lamb means and exactly what the Son of God accomplished for us and what He is trying to accomplish in us.  We know He was brought to a completed perfection.  He is trying to bring you to a completed perfection.   Two scriptures now about the ministry of the Son of God.  We saw it began after the crucifixion.  Why?  Because that is when He was brought to completion.  But turn in your Bible to Acts chapter 2 reading from verse 33

³³ Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost [Spirit], he [Jesus] hath shed forth this, which ye [you] now see and hear.

Remember, walking in the midst of the church, it is His spirit that was poured out.  Hebrews chapter 2, let’s read verses 17 and 18

¹⁷ Wherefore in all things it behoved him [he ought] to be made like unto his brethren, [so] that he might be [become] a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour [help] them that are tempted.

Now, think about it.  He is in the midst of the churches.  His spirit was perfected.  He has poured forth His Holy Spirit and He has the ministry of a priesthood.  That word “priest” simply means “minister” in the Old Testament.  It’s the same word.  To be a priest is to be a minister.  But He is ministering to us His spirit, His character.  Let me tell you what He isn’t doing.  He isn’t pleading with the Father that you would not be wiped out because you’re a sinner, and He has fulfilled the law in dying, so therefore, <

“Father, please don’t kill them.  Look at the holes in my hands, look at my blood, Father, don’t kill them.  Look what I’ve done.  I’ve died for them.”  

He isn’t doing that.  He is ministering to you His spirit so that you could reach a perfection.  And the reason this is key, again, from the last study – I see the denominations in such darkness.  And I know they have had their effect on us because that is all we have ever heard, was denominational teaching.  We have carried that for years and understood the way they understand.  And the Lord has been reforming us, helping to pull us out of that mess and give us something higher – give us something more. 

That is why I want to work on this idea of Christ ministering His Spirit to us and not keeping the Father off our backs.  Remember, this whole thing was in the Father’s plan to begin with. The purpose for the Son of God was to die for you.  So, evidently, the Father had already forgiven you.  He had already done that.  The idea now, is for you to receive the mind of the Son of God and follow through with the plan God has for you.  Because I’m doing a video I want to express this word “propitiation” because this is the word that the denominational groups have used, I should say is one of them to convey this idea that “Jesus died to appease an angry God,” that the Father was so angry. 

I’m telling you, that burden has got to come off your shoulders and you have got to understand this whole idea, the whole concept of perfecting us was from the Father and He doesn’t need anyone to keep Him off your back.  He isn’t trying to destroy you.  He is trying to create in you something wonderful, a completed perfection in Jesus Christ.  The word “propitiation” in my mind is in 1 John chapter 2.  I want to ask you to turn there, reading verse 2,

² And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours [our sins only] only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

This, we’re going to read in a few minutes, out of another version of the Bible, so that you can see the way they interpret the meaning of this word.  Before we do, I want you to see the way it is used in the scriptures, in the Bible.  I want to show you,  I want to trace this word through, and to do so, I’m putting a chart on the board, on the screen for you.  It is a chart, I just call it my propitiation chart.  Don’t let it confuse you.  I want to explain to you what all of these words mean and what this chart means.  I’ve tried to use two different colors for you, red and blue so that you could see the difference and see how the verses connect.

But I want to talk through this.  I’m going to put the verses on the board for you.  The top line has a number [2436], beside that number is a Greek word.  And this [2436] of course is the Strong’s number for this Greek word.  It means “propitious” or “merciful.”  And by the way, if you were to look up “propitious” in the dictionary, it literally means “merciful.”  This Greek word [2436] is found twice in the Bible, Matthew 16:22 and Hebrews 8:12.  And I want to take a look at those two verses before we follow through on this chart.  Reading Matthew 16:22

²² Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.

As you can see “be it far” is [2436], it means “propitious” or “merciful.”  In your margin, they’ve actually put “pity yourself,” and what he’s actually saying is to have mercy on yourself Lord.  Show yourself mercy.  You see, that makes more sense, instead of be it far from thee – show mercy on yourself.  The second place the word is used is Hebrews 8:12.  Reading Hebrews 8:12

¹² For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

There you have it, “merciful.”  You can see the word “merciful.”  Back to the chart. [2436] which means “propitious” or “merciful” found twice – Matthew 16:22 and Hebrews 8:12.  Stemming off of that word, there are two other Greek words.  It’s actually the same word, just used differently.  It’s just a different form of the same word.  On the left you see [2431], it’s found one time in 2 Corinthians 9:7 and on the right you have [2433].  It is twice in the New Testament – Luke 18:13 and Hebrews 2:17.  Now underneath those lines on the left you see “cheerful.”  On the right you see “be merciful” and “make reconciliation”.  That is the way the word has been rendered in those verses.  Now let’s turn to the first one in 2 Corinthians 9:7 and remember it just simply means “merciful.”  2 Corinthians 9:7 reads like this

⁷ Every man according as he purposeth [purposes] in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth [loves] a cheerful giver.

That is the only time the word is used in the Bible – that number [2431] .  It is “propitious” or a “merciful” giver.  Someone who shows mercy for people in his giving, makes more sense, doesn’t it?  Instead of going to [2433] I want to trace out [2431], the word on the left.  Stemming from [2431], this is the root of the word in 1 John 2:2.  If you’ll see, stemming from [2431] it goes to [2432] and [2434]. [2432] and [2434] are both rooted in [2431].  And [2431] is rooted, has it’s root in [2436].  Each word above the next is the root of that word. So looking at [2432] found one time in Romans 12:8, let’s read this one.  Remember, it just simply means “merciful.”  But I want you to see the way they have rendered this.  Romans 12 verse 8

⁸ Or he that exhorteth [exhorts], on exhortation: he that giveth [gives], let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth [rules], with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. [shows mercy, then they put with cheerfulness]

How about with mercy.  He that shows mercy doing it in a propitious way, in a merciful way.  That makes more sense, doesn’t it.  Here they put the word “cheerful.”  It simply means “merciful.”  Now the other word, back to the chart, [2434], this is your word found in 1 John chapter 2.  This was the word that we just read.  1 John 2:2.  If I use the Bible meaning of this word, if I can take what we have seen in the scriptures, 1 John 2:2 actually says

² And he is the propitiation [act of mercy.  He’s the propitiation] for our sins: and not for ours [our sins] only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

Also, chapter 4 of 1 John 10

¹⁰ Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Now simply look at that and realize it was the act of mercy.  Now the question is, what was the act of mercy?  I’m telling you, the act of mercy was to pull you out of the pit, was to bring you to a place where you could serve God.  And if this entire plan was His from the beginning, don’t think for a minute that He was so angry He had to kill something before He could forgive you.  I want to quote from the Living Bible three scriptures where the word “propitiation” is used.

1 John 2:1-2.  Again now this is out of the Living Bible.

¹ My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if you do sin, there is someone to plead for you before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who pleases God completely.

2 He is the sacrifice for our sins.  He takes away not only our sins, but the sins of the world  (The New Living Bible)

1 John 4, verse 10

¹⁰ This is real love: it is not that we loved God but that he loved and sent his son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.   (The New Living Bible)

Now you see those things I could fit into my theology, that He died as a sacrifice for my sins.  But the way they put that twist on it, that He’s pleading for you before God, is hogwash.  It isn’t true.  Let me show you another one and we’re going to get this.  This is one of the words on the propitiation chart.  Romans chapter 3 verse 25.  This is out of the New Living Bible

²⁵ For God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to satisfy God’s anger against us.  We are made right with God when we believe that Jesus shed his blood, sacrificing his life for us.  God was being entirely fair and just when he did not punish those who sinned in former times.  (The New Living Bible)

Now what I want to do is go back to the chart and I hope that when you see that, you’ll come to the place in your life that you’ll be horrified to think that people would teach such things, that He took our punishment so God is OK now, and He pleads, and He’s ever having to remind the Father, “Don’t forget, you know, my blood, my blood, I’ve taken the punishment so get off their backs.  Take it easy on them.” 

Go back to the propitiation chart and we have read the verses that you see in blue.  The numbers [2431] [2432] and [2434].  We have looked at those.  Let’s read [2433] in the two verses Luke 18:13 and Hebrews 2:17.  The first one Luke 18:13

¹³ And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

Here you have the word “merciful.”  And it’s accurate, isn’t it.  Because this word means merciful.  Remember the root of this word is [2436] that we’ve read Matthew 16:22 and Hebrews 8:12.  That is the root of this word in Luke 18:13.  And they’ve translated it accurately, “be merciful.”  But look at Hebrews 2:17.

¹⁷ Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like [or he ought to be made like] unto his brethren, [so] that he might be [become] a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

Here, they’ve called it “make reconciliation.”  Now if you couple that with what you read in the New Living Bible, from Romans 3:25, that He has taken our suffering, He’s pleading before God then, to make reconciliation, you get a different picture in your mind.  But “make reconciliation” is our word which was translated “merciful.”  So what if I were to just read that He is a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, showing mercy or acting in mercy toward the sins of the people, for in that He himself has suffered, He’s able to help them that are tempted.  You see what he’s saying there?  That He is acting in mercy toward the sinner.  Now the King James has put “make reconciliation.”  You see, I can fit that in to what I believe too, but not coupled with the other concepts that have been given us for the word “propitiation,” 1 John 2:2, Romans 3:25. 

Romans 3:25 is the next word on our list.  Looking at the propitiation chart, I’ve drawn a line from [2433] down to [2435] because [2435] stems from [2433].  Now this number [2435] is the word used in Romans 3:25.  And I want to read this out of the King James.  The second place is Hebrews 9:5.  Notice Romans 3:25

²⁵ Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; [or in the forbearance of God]

Here you have the word “propitiation.”  He was set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood.  That word “set forth” is actually “planned beforehand,” “foreordained.” Whom God hath foreordained or planned beforehand that Christ would be the propitiation as we have faith in His blood.  Now the other one is Hebrews 9:5 which reads

⁵ And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.

Here the King James has rendered “mercy seat.”  This word “mercy seat” it’s [2435].  It is the same word then rendered in Romans 3:25 as “propitiation.” And again, I want you to realize that God foreordained His Son to be the propitiation or the mercy seat, or the act of mercy.  It was foreordained.  He doesn’t need any one to keep Him off their back.  In fact, He is doing a work for you.  He is trying to achieve something in you.  This is what He created you for.  This is what He created the Holy Spirit for, was to do this work.  It is exactly the opposite of what we have been told. Christ isn’t holding Him back.  In fact, I’m going to show you in a moment where, instead of Christ holding Him back, the Father is the one reaching out with His Son to perfect you.

Now looking at the chart again, and please just bear with me on this because it’s important that we understand this.  It’s important that we’re able to explain it to someone else.  But the bottom line has “Heb,” that stands for Hebrew.  The Hebrew words, all the numbers above this line were Greek Strong’s numbers.  This is Hebrew [3727] found in Exodus 25:17 and [3722] found in Genesis 6:14.  Those are the first places they’re used and reading from Exodus 25:17, this is where we get the word “mercy seat” and I know that it was playing off this word that the King James translated this such in Romans 3:25 “propitiation” and Hebrews 9:5 “mercy seat.”  But reading Exodus 25:17

¹⁷ And thou shalt [you shall] make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof [of it], and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof [of it].

That word “mercy seat” is the noun.  It is [3727].  The root of it is [3722] first used in Genesis 6:14.  Now remember in Hebrew, the roots are verbs.  And this is the root of “mercy seat.”  What they have translated “mercy seat” is the noun.  The root of that is a verb.  It’s an action word, just like “believe” and “faith.”  Believe is the action, faith is the noun.  Well, [3727] “mercy seat” is the noun.  Here is the action which creates the noun [3722], Genesis 6:14

¹⁴ Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou [you] make in the ark, and shalt [you’ll] pitch it within and without with pitch. 

That “pitch” later is translated “atonement.”  That is where they get the word “atonement.”  Atonement is an action.  It simply means “to cover you.”  To cover something.  And the act of covering, what you have after it’s covered, is the noun – the mercy seat, what they have translated “mercy seat.”  Remember Romans 3:25 – God foreordained that His Son would be the mercy seat or the covering, the propitiation.  That is, in essence, what propitiation means.  It is the act of mercy.  But what is the mercy He shows you?  He covers you with the mind of Christ.  What is His ministry?  He came into the world to bear witness to the truth.  That truth He bore witness to – He is the Son of God, born in eternity, to die, to take the sinful nature of man and put it to death.  And when you take those thoughts along with His wisdom and meaning of life, those thoughts cover you.

That is the atonement.  They atone for you.  And you are covered; you are under the mercy seat.  Remember with the two cherubim whose wings touched we know to be Michael and the Son of God.  Don’t miss this point.  He was foreordained to be that covering, that propitiation.  He was foreordained for this very thing. He came into the world to bear witness to the truth.  When He does, He is covering you – when you receive it and believe it.  He is covering you with truth so that you are no longer naked or living according to your own understanding. But you are covered with the Spirit of Christ and that act of covering you is atoning.

He is atoning, covering you with the lid, the mercy seat.  And He was foreordained for this very thing.  Let’s look at another word that, for me, paints a mental picture that is so negative and it is this word “intercede.”  In Romans chapter 8, reading verses 26 and 27

²⁶ Likewise the Spirit also helpeth [helps] our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh [makes] intercession for us [or in behalf of us] with groanings which cannot be uttered.

27 And he that searcheth [searches] the hearts knoweth [knows] what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh [makes] intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Now I don’t know about you, but the fact that He is interceding for me, implies that I cannot communicate with God, that He is there.  In fact, let me tell you, I get this picture.  And I’ve seen this picture before, where the poor sinner is standing before a throne all dejected and Christ is standing beside him, with His arm around the sinner, comforting this guy, and the Father is  listening to His Son – yea or nay – making decisions here about this poor sinner standing there, who is a complete imbecile, can do nothing right.  And here is the Son of God standing there as his intercessor, interceding for him. 

Well, let me tell you, that isn’t even what the word means!  They have translated this “intercessor,” because they were carrying a Catholic mind set, and it is Catholicism that teaches a mystery God that is so angry He births a son to die to appease His anger.  That’s Catholicism.  I want to turn back to the first place where this word is used in Acts.  Reading Acts 25:24

²⁴ And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, ye [you] see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem, and also here, crying that he ought not to live any longer. 

This word that they have translated “have dealt with me,” is the very word they translated “maketh intercession” in Romans 8 and what the word literally  means, (the number in Strong’s is [1793]) the word simply means “to consult with.”  And I want to read this verse again.

²⁴ And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, ye [you] see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt [consulted] with me, both at Jerusalem, and also here, crying that he ought not to live any longer.  

They weren’t making intercession, they were consulting about this man, Paul.  Take this definition back to Romans 8 and let me explain to you what is being said here.  This is so precious, the point that the apostle Paul is making in Romans 8, starting at verse 26.

²⁶ Likewise the Spirit also helpeth [helps] our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. [is consulting in our behalf with reasons to groan which we cannot utter]

Now I have inserted the word “reasons to groan” because I believe that is what he is conveying.  The spirit understanding the depth of human wickedness, and by the way, that is what He learned on that cross.  Understanding the depth of human wickedness, He received His second anointing.  His first anointing was in eternity past, receiving the spirit of God.  His second anointing was becoming a man and learning the things of man and on that tree, experiencing the depth of human wickedness.  He has reasons to groan which we cannot utter, because we don’t understand.  He understands.  He is you and He has been there.  He is consulting with the Father, with reasons to groan which we cannot utter.  Verse 27

27 And he that searcheth [is searching] the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit [knows the minding of the Spirit], because he maketh intercession [because he is consulting in behalf of the saints] for the saints according to the will of God [God’s will]. 

Now, understanding the depth of human wickedness, the Son of God knows what we need better than we do and He is consulting with the Father on these things.  And here is the concept I began this study with...that the Father takes something wicked and makes it good.  Look at Romans 8:28, the outcome of His consulting with the Father.

²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 

Again, let me say, that is the concept we began with, that something wicked has been made good.  If you’re listening to Christ, and allowing Him to live in you, everything is going to be made good for you.  When this is all over, and you look back, you wouldn’t have changed a thing, because you’ll realize that He has brought you to a completed perfection through the things which you are suffering.  Starting at verse 29 is the proof of this. 

²⁹ For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 

³⁰ Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 

So let me say that he explains to you that God will take something wrong and make it right.  All things work together for good.  All things do. His proof of it, is a group of people who were raised when Christ was raised, who He led captivity captive.  These people made righteous and  glorified, raised from the dead.  Now look at his summation of these verses Romans 8:31-32. 

³¹ What shall we then say to these things [What are we going to say then, to these things]? If God be [is] for us, who can be against us?

Now here he defines God or explains a characteristic of God.   “He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”  Now think about the character of our heavenly Father.  And remember, He foresaw what was going to happen to us and He brought forth a son, birthed in eternity.  Why?  “To this end was I born to die!”  (John 18:37)

32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things

And he bears witness to the truth, if God loves you so much that He gave you His only begotten Son, shall He not with Him give you freely all things?  Now this is one of the persons that we’re going to be discussing here in the next couple of verses:  God, the One who gave you His Son.  That is how much He loves you.  Now let that sink in and let’s go on reading this.  Verse 33

³³ Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth [It’s God who is making you righteous]. 

34 Who is he that condemneth [condemning]? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us [who is consulting in our behalf].

Now there is our word again.  So get this picture of what is taking place.  You have the Father who loves you so much He gave His Son to slay the old man.  That is who the Son is consulting with, because you don’t know what to pray for as you should.  He is reaching out to you through the only begotten Son.  This means that He has created, He is covering you with Holy Spirit.  He is covering you with righteousness of truth.  No one needs to keep the Father back from killing you, because He isn’t in that place.  He is in the place of restoring you.  And I pray that our picture of our Heavenly Father change.  I pray that this picture we have of our Father grow more in light.  Now I want to read Romans 8, the verse we began with, one more time, verse 26, this is so precious.

²⁶ Likewise the Spirit also helpeth [is helping] our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought [should]: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. [is consulting in our behalf with reasons to groan which we can’t utter]  

The Father is reaching out – however far we have fallen – He is reaching us, and making us like unto Himself, if we can only be brought to the end of the fourth day.  Remember, the fourth day, the sun and the moon are put in place.  At the end of it, they are ruling in the heavens and if you don’t go past the fourth day and enter the fifth, remember Lazarus.  Remember, he had been dead for how many days?  Four days.  And when Christ went to raise him from the dead, they said, “Lord, by now Lord, he stinks.”  Let me tell you, if you don’t get beyond the fourth day into the fifth day and you let the Son of God speak to you and bring you out of that grave – you stink too – if you reject the abiding truth, and the fact that the Son of God is the Son of God, foreordained to die for you, and to cover you with something precious. 

Look at Isaiah chapter  40.  Starting at verse 1, I have just put a note in my Bible, “the Father speaking to the Son after His ascension.” 

¹ Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.

2 Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins.   

Now we have discussed this double before, and what it actually means.  But I want you to look at this again. Let me show you how I know this is after Calvary.  First of all, the warfare is accomplished.  Remember what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 10:3 “we no longer war after the flesh, though we’re walking in the flesh, we’re not warring after the flesh anymore.  You see, when you receive that perfected mind of Christ, everything becomes a spiritual battle, not a fleshly one.  You don’t overcome and enter into perfection by means of the flesh.  It is a spiritual battle.  That is why he says “whatever comes against the knowledge of God, we cast it down and we walk in obedience to Christ, the knowledge God is giving us.” 

Now the warfare is accomplished.  He says “comfort my people.”  What this actually means is “speak to the heart of my people, and tell them the warfare is accomplished, their iniquity is pardoned for...   Look at that word “for.”  That’s a big word.  “For” she has received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.”  What is that double?  We have said before the double is Michael and Jesus and what we meant by that was the experience of Michael and the experience of Jesus put together, because that is what you get when you receive the Holy Spirit.  And I would like to continue building on that.  It’s what I mentioned before.  It is the two anointings.  Michael and Jesus. 

The anointing – He became the anointed one, the Christ, in eternity past.  But He was anointed again and the second anointing He received was the understanding of humanity.  He became a man and He understood, He learned the depth of human wickedness.  Those two things come together and create a mind that is capable of consulting with the Father and bringing you things that you don’t even know you need.  You don’t even know how to ask for the things you need, because you don’t understand it.  But He does, because of His second anointing.

Now I want to turn to Exodus 30.  And it’s in Exodus 30 we see this holy anointing oil.  I want to start reading at verse 22

²² Moreover the LORD [Yahweh] spake unto Moses, saying, [and He said]

23 Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels,

24 And of cassia five hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil olive an hin: 

Now He has just mentioned four spices.  Let me read them again.  Myrrh, sweet cinnamon, sweet calamus, and cassia.  Four spices and one oil, olive oil.  We know that olive oil represents the character of Christ.  You take four spices.  A spice is a smell–an aroma–that is a symbol for a discernment, for discerning.  Four is His earthliness, the understanding He received in His earthliness of humanity.  And you combine that with the oil, with the character that Christ had and you create a holy anointing oil.  Back to Exodus 30, starting at verse 26, notice what is to be anointed with it.

²⁶ And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony,

27 And the table and all his vessels, and the candlestick and his vessels, and the altar of incense,

28 And the altar of burnt offering with all his vessels, and the laver and his foot.

Now if you were counting, you’ve counted seven things that were to be anointed.  Seven things in this sanctuary were to be anointed.  Seven is that perfect number, a spiritually perfect number, to be anointed perfectly with the holy anointing oil.  What is the holy anointing oil?  The character of Christ that He gained, you could say, it’s the Holy Spirit.  And this was the reason He was born, was to have this created in Him, to slay the old man and give you the holy anointing which comes only when you are abiding, when He can speak to you and give you His character.  Look also at verse 30.  Exodus chapter 30, verse 30

³⁰ And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may [might] minister unto me in the priest's office.