My project results – part 6 of 6

 

God then showed me some hidden treasures.

 

Jesus is a teacher. Jesus would tell a parable, then Jesus would pause and explain the parable and provide definitions. For example: he sowing the word sows. (Mark 4:14) So in other parables where Jesus talks about seed being sown, you know he’s speaking of the word of God. It turns out God pauses and explains in the old testament the same way. Here’s a very useful explanation.

 

Now Egypt is a man and not God, and their horses are flesh and not spirit. (Isaiah 31:3)

 

Given God’s explanation, consider these three passages:

 

When Israel was a child then I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. (Hosea 11:1)

God has predestined us to be conformed to the image of Jesus. Those whom he called, he justified and glorified. (see Romans 8:29-30)

I have said Gods you are, and sons of the Most High, all of you. (Psalm 82:6)

 

I have called my son out of Egypt. It was literal, Jesus sojourned as a young child in Egypt. It also has a deeper meaning. I have called my son out of Egypt – out of Adam man. In baptism we are born a spirit. We are now a Son of the Most High. We are now conformed to the image of Jesus. We have ceased to be an Adam man out of earth and become a child of God.

 

The bible is 66 books but it’s the same author. The more you read, the more of these explanations and definitions you find. The more you locate, the deeper your understanding becomes. It’s one whole narrative pointing to Jesus and what God does for us through Jesus.

 

 

One of my favorite connections is between 1 Corinthians and the book of Jeremiah:

 

you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Holy Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:11b RSV)

 

Notice all these words are past tense, it’s finished. You have been washed, sanctified and made righteous. It happens at your baptism. You were baptized into the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. (see Matthew 28:18-20)

 

Now look at what Jeremiah tells us about the names we have been baptized into.

 

What is the name of the Father? Jehovah lives. (see Jeremiah 12:16a INT)

What is the name of the Jesus? Jehovah our Righteousness. (see Jeremiah 23:6b INT)

What is our new name? Jehovah our Righteousness. (see Jeremiah 33:16b INT)

 

Notice we’ve been given the same name as Jesus. We are conformed to him. We are the New Jerusalem. (see Revelation 3:12)

 

What is the name of the Holy Spirit? The Spirit of Truth, The Spirit of Holiness. (see John 14:17 INT) The Holy Spirit is the breath of life. (see Genesis 3:7 INT)

 

A name describes the nature of what something is. Salt is the name of a chemical compound. Blue is the name for a specific light wavelength. We bear God’s name. We are righteous. We are holy. We live.

 

 

Click here to read more of part 6