Sunday, November 22, 2015

"The Rights of God" # 35

The Victory Over the Powers of Darkness (continued)

Now the way back starts for Elisha. He stands at the Jordan. With the mantle that fell on him, he strikes the Jordan, as Elijah had done: "Where is the God of Elijah, even He?" He puts the God of Elijah into the center of the first situation of death he meets, because even though he has the victory over the powers of death in his hand, death itself has not yet ceased from existing. But now he profits from the fellowship in spirit with his ascended master.

Let us be reminded that victory over death was the last thing in Elijah's life. But with Elisha, however, it is the first. And this now becomes the basis for all his further work. The whole history of Elisha is built on the fact that death has been conquered. It is marked with the mystery of the victory over all death. This is also the reason why the church can do greater works than her Lord, because she too stands in His victory over all power of death.

It is interesting to see that Elisha went back the whole way that he had come on with Elijah. From the Jordan he goes to Jericho and finds there a state of death. Nothing ripens to perfection. Everything wilts before fruition. Elisha, however, lets the testimony of victory over death be effective. The salt in a new jar is a symbol of the power of the resurrection in a new vessel. The new vessel is the church of the Lord Jesus Christ as she was manifested on the day of Pentecost. The church is the new vessel, the new jar, and the life in her is the victory over all power of death. Our advancement to heavenly fullness is nothing else but an increase in the power that has overcome death.

From Jericho the road leads on to Bethel. malicious lads mock the ascension of Elijah. They laugh at the possibility of rapture - bears tears them up. This is a warning. It is dangerous to oppose the power of Jesus Christ. We put our life in danger when we stand in the way of the life of Jesus Christ. Bethel is connected to the heavenly, and nobody may dare to touch that which is the Lord's. Ananias and Sapphira were to experience this. Heavenly authority rests on the church of Jesus Christ. When she has taken up her heavenly position, so that the power of the Resurrected becomes effective, then woe to him who dares challenge the authority of God in her.

How terrible it is to reject a heavenly vision, an inner seeing, because something earthly seems more desirable to us. Mighty forces operate on this earth: "Your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8). The only salvation for us is our connection to our Lord in heaven.

The mockers were judged by the same powers that were operative within them. Figuratively speaking, they are those elements that have not come under the power of the Cross. Whoever gives himself over to them perishes through them.

From Bethel to Gilgal - there is a famine in Gilgal. The sons of the prophets go out to gather herbs. But they do not possess any discernment. When they draw from the pot to eat, they realize that there is death in the pot - Elisha throws meal into the pot. Death has been withstood. They may eat. The meal is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the bread that came from heaven. Christ is our food. In Gilgal it becomes apparent whether Christ is our food, whether we can distinguish between the things of the flesh and those of the Spirit, because Gilgal stands for our crucifixion with Him being effective, so that it may henceforth be said: CHRIST IS OUR LIFE!

~T. Austin-Sparks~

(continued with # 36 - (Christ and the Rights of the Father)

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.