God’s eternal purposes are accomplished in Christ Jesus

This post is a part of a series.

This is the main post

• God’s eternal purposes are accomplished in Christ Jesus

these are supporting posts

• The purpose of Moses’ miracles in Egypt
• The purpose of Jesus Christ’s miracles
• List of Jesus’ miracles
• 44 prophecies about Jesus Christ were fulfilled
• God identified Himself with the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on His cross
• Replacement theology

This is one of the most bold posts Ive ever attempted. In order to write this I have had to write several other posts as reference material explaining other things I believe. It’s been a mammoth task to record and research all of this… mammoth relative to my normal efforts on this blog.

The Holy Spirit showed me these things over the years and many weeks ago I had the idea for this post. Idea? It’s been more like a vision, seeing the journey and what each part represents.

Recently I shared my spiritual journey and but this post describes exactly what I believe in far greater detail… and why I believe that Jesus Christ’s work is complete, finished… and I hope it changes the way you worship, believe, stand and read the bible.

First let’s start at the beginning

Step 1

The main reason I believe His work is finished is because He said it is.

After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. – 1 John 19:28-30

Some may think it was just His experience on the cross which was “finished” but that is not the case. The mystery, the “eternal purposes” were accomplished!

To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. – Eph 3:8-12

Did you see that? The eternal purpose is accomplished. Jesus Christ accomplished it. Accomplished is past tense. It’s done. It’s finished.

Step 2

Wait. What’s done? What’s finished? This is a very important question. WHAT were the eternal purposes which are now accomplished by Jesus Christ on the cross?

The eternal purpose was so important to God that when He revealed His Name in Exodus He named Himself by what Jesus Christ did on the cross. Yes. It’s that important.

To understand the full scope of what was achieved on the cross, let’s take a look at 1 Cor 10:1-13 and in particular take note of v11…

1 Cor 10:11 Now these things befell them by way of a figure [as an example and warning to us]; they were written to admonish and fit us for right action by good instruction, we in whose days the ages have reached their climax (their consummation and concluding period).

What the Israelites went through as they journeyed out of Egypt and then through Saudi Arabia and then into the promised land… all of that journey is for instruction for us.

So then let’s learn from the instruction.

Step 3

So then what we need to do is get a high level overview of the journey and what they went through… and then we will be able to learn what it was for… then we will know what Jesus Christ did on the cross… we will know what was completed and made finished.

Without going into extensive fine detail – I will leave that to people who come after me – here is a map of their journey and some major events that occurred in their relationship with God.

Journey in the wilderness

Some of the major events were…

A) The discrediting of all other “no-gods” by God Himself. You can read more about this here: The purpose of Moses’ miracles in Egypt

B) The Red Sea crossing where physical pursuers were killed off. You can read more about this here: Where is Sinai and where was the Red Sea crossing?

C) The bitter waters of Meribah. The word Meribah means contention and strife

D) Creating idols, separation from God and the giving of the law

E) Unbelief and faithlessness on the borders of the promised land in the Wilderness of Zin in Kadesh

F) 40 years walking in the massive Arabian desert until the generation that had unbelief and faithlessness died out. NOTE: I have been to Sinai. You could not get “lost” in such a very tiny place. Just walk 1 day east to the coast and then 3 days north and you are in Eilat, Israel. But you definitely could walk in the Saudi Arabian desert for 40 years!

Now the journey crosses over into the promised land… but the “instruction” continues

Across the jordaan into the promised land

G) Gilgal where they walked between Ebal (bare mountain, no growth) and Gerazim (cuttings, abundance, excessive growth). Gilgal was where the Israelites first encamped after having crossed the Jordan River (Joshua 4:19 – 5:12). God instructed them to perform sacrifices on Ebal in order to resolve the curse of barrenness (symbolic of Jesus Christ’s perfect sacrifice) which leaves only Gerazim… such intense blessings that you have to cut to trim the growth!

H) Shiloh was the place of meeting, the capital for 300 years… from the time of Joshua about 1400 B.C. to the time of Samuel about 1100 BC. God’s Presence was there. Somehow, the people had gotten the idea that if the ark was physically present with them, that they were invincible. They were not faithful to the Lord in their conduct and service, but they had the “magical” ark, so they would prevail in battle against the Philistines. They were wrong about that. It was at Shiloh where the ark of the covenant had been captured by the Philistines and the unfaithful people of Israel defeated (1 Samuel 4:10-11). It was as if they believed whoever had the ark and God would prevail and that actual relationship and obedience was unnecessary. That was certainly a mistake. Jeremiah warns that God would do likewise with Jerusalem and the temple (Jeremiah 7:13-15). That is, just as He had withdrawn His protection from Shiloh and allowed the ark to be captured, He would withdraw His protection from the temple and allow it to be captured as well. This is because God is relational, He is not a set of buildings.

I) King David defeats the giant Goliath. The profound thing about these giants is that they were created by satan when he understood that God had promised this land to the Israelites in 400 years. So in those 400 years satan grew giants to literally “stand” on the promises and prevent the Israelites from having faith and courage to come and take the promises. Later David’s men would fight and defeat Goalith’s children.

J) Jerusalem… the place where God’s manifest presence would dwell. According to Isaiah it would mean that the Kingdom of God would be present, God walking amongst us. The end of sin, sickness, death… people would live as long as a tree. If they died at 100 they would die in their childhood. God’s Presence would give us light so that the sun and moon are no longer needs to give us light.

Take a break!

You’ve been reading a lot… let’s have a visual interlude… here is the journey in Google Earth… click the image below to view a larger image.

Or view the map in Google Maps here. You can grab the KML file for Google Earth or if that direct link doesnt work then try going to this page and then grab the KML file.

Ready for more? Let’s go…

Step 4

Now we know some of the major events that occurred during this journey.

Let’s consider this verse again…

1 Cor 10:11 Now these things befell them by way of a figure [as an example and warning to us]; they were written to admonish and fit us for right action by good instruction, we in whose days the ages have reached their climax (their consummation and concluding period).

Now we have to consider what the instruction is. What were these events in this journey meant to show us? What instruction can we take from them?

Here I will share the revelation that I feel I have received… through Jesus Christ’s finished work on the cross…

A) God has defeated all other deities

B) God has destroyed all physical people who would harm us

C) God has removed all contention and strife (bitter waters) from our lives

D) God has removed our desire for idolatry, there is no longer any separation from God, the law is complete

E) God has destroyed the effect of sin… unbelief and faithlessness… which prevented us from entering the promised land in the Wilderness of Zin (sin)

F) All unbelief and faithlessness lies dead in the desert.

G) God has removed all Ebal (barrenness, no growth) because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Now only Gerazim remains (cuttings, abundance, excessive growth).

H) God has removed the worship of buildings instead of obedience to Himself.

I) God has defeated all giants which stand on our promises.

J) God has placed us in the Heavenly Jerusalem… in His manifest Presence… in the Kingdom of God/Heaven and with the Kingdom of God/Heaven within us. God walks amongst us, we see His face, He wipes away all tears, sin and death have passed away. His light gives us light by day and by night, His Presence is a tabernacle for us.

Step 5

I hope that as you read that list of things God has done through Jesus Christ… which are complete… that you respond with your yes and amen.

For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us. – 2 Cor 1:20

You cannot add to or remove from what Jesus Christ has done on His cross, you can only say yes to them and add your amen – let it be so. Faith is what counts.

Adam and Eve’s lack of faith (trust, reliance) on God caused them to leave the garden. Your faith in Jesus Christ’s complete work on the cross causes you to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

But the question is? Where are you? Are you – by faith – in Egypt? Are you being chased? Facing giants? Stuggling with sin? Unbelief and faithlessness? Do you suffer with ebal… baldness, no growth? Are you experiences bitter?

By faith you must decide that you are IN Christ and therefore you

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ – Eph 1:3

You and I must decide that by faith that you and I are IN Him and you and I have been made complete…

and in Him you have been made complete – Col 2:10

So let me ask you again? By faith where are you? Are you still on the journey or have you been made complete by faith because you are IN Christ Jesus? Your faith in your heart must be expressed through your mouth… faith speaks in this way.

I will admit that it is an impressive list of achievements on the journey – which is an instruction for what Jesus Christ did on the cross for us. Everything is defeated. Everything is set right. All things are made new.

Step 6

What now?

God wants you and I to make these things known… “now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places”… it’s what He is doing through us!

To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given,

that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and

to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;

to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places,

according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. – Eph 3:8-12

But first you have to decide, is this true? “according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord”.

Is it true that God has done all of these things through Jesus Christ?

Or are you still waiting for Him to come again and to do them then? (If that is your view, it is completely unbiblical.)

Your answer completely determines your experience of life.

For we walk by faith, not by sight. – 2 Cor 5:7

Look again at Heb 4:2 in the Amplified… “but the message they heard did not benefit them, because it was not mixed with faith”…

For indeed we have had the glad tidings [Gospel of God] proclaimed to us just as truly as they [the Israelites of old did when the good news of deliverance from bondage came to them];

but the message they heard did not benefit them, because it was not mixed with faith (with the leaning of the entire personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness) by those who heard it;

neither were they united in faith with the ones [Joshua and Caleb] who heard (did believe). – Heb 4:2

You see, Caleb and Joshua believed and they entered in. The others did not believe and they died outside.

All sin dies outside the promised land. The people with unbelief simply walk and walk until they die.

But if you believe that God completed His mystery, His eternal purpose and that it was accomplished through His Son Jesus Christ on the cross… then you can enter in.

Faith enters in. If you have faith in your heart then express it with your mouth… faith speaks in this way.

Decide where you are – by faith

You have to decide where you are. Are you IN Jesus Christ and are all the promises yes and amen for you? Have all giants been defeated for you? Have all those who persecute you been washed away? Has God removed all faith and unbelief from you?

Are you living in Gerazim (abundance of growth so thick that you have to cut it!) and has the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on Ebal ended the effects of barrenness? Has He placed you in a land of milk and honey? Or are you still in the wilderness, walking around and around until you die?

You decide. Only faith enters into the promised land. But unbelief prevents you from entering in.

See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. – Deut 30:15

Im not asking what do you see when you look with natural eyes. Im asking what do you see with eyes of faith.

The fine print

If you know me you will know that my life is lived as if I am in the promised land. And yet, the giants still stand there on some promises. Still I struggle with my flesh. Death still oppresses and harasses me.

But because I have faith, I have entered in and things are changing. Things are changing because I believe that God HAS done all of these things FOR me.  Because I believe it, I am seeing it occur.

Each week I see more and more milk, honey, Gerazim and freedom from Ebal. Each week I experience the manifest Presence of God a bit more.

Jesus Christ taught us how the Kingdom of God works. He repeatedly said it grows. He used corn as an example of growth. He also used a mustard seed sown into the ground which grows into a mighty tree for birds to nest in.

What Im saying is, enter in by faith and do not be moved and over time the seeds will grow into mighty trees.