Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting?
2Co 15:55
In my last article I promised to talk about death having no victory anymore.
For that I have to take what seems to be a detour first.
Do you believe that Jesus was the pattern son? What do I mean by that? Do you believe that Jesus’ life is a blueprint for ours? Do you believe that the Son of God came to earth to show us how to live as a human being depending on God the Father?
I do – as you might have found out by now, following my blog. Not to the extreme or external – I do not think that we have to be crucified to please God. Neither do I believe that we have to relive the life of Jesus. But we can take him as a pattern, as a blueprint – or rather as an archetype.
What is an archetype? An archetype is an universally understood symbol, term, or statement. Interesting – a statement. Like in: and the word became flesh and tabernacled in their midst. It also is a pattern of behavior, a prototype to be copied or emulated.
A blueprint has to be followed to the point, whereas an archetype is emulated, adapted to the situation.
Jesus is the archetype, we are to emulate. Really? That is not what I said – as to strive to emulate Jesus is only partially true. In the realm of Pentecost, in the holy place we try to emulate Jesus, as we have not fully grasped what happened at the cross. To emulate comes from aemulare – to rival. As long as we believe that we are two, we rival – we strive to get what only one can possess. Everything is given to Jesus, thus only in being one with him we can possess what he possesses.
But back to what I said: the life Jesus lived is archetypical for us. To emulate his life, to live a life just like he did – that is not even what I mean. If so, there would be a way to work your way into the heart of God. But there is only one way – to believe. Because nobody can please God without faith. There is only one way to the father – Jesus.
But what then? Believing in Jesus, his life serves as a pattern for things that he will lead me through, that I will experience on my journey, led by the Spirit. For only those who are led by the Spirit are called the sons of God.
What will happen if I follow this small still voice? I will grow in wisdom. I will grow in favor with men and God. I will experience Pessach, Pentecost, and eventually Tabernacles. I will bring healing to others, I will teach disciples, spiritual sons. I will set others free by the power and authority given to me in Christ. I will come to know what I was born for.
There are many occasions in Jesus’ life that we wholeheartedly can say: yes, that will happen or already happened in my life on my pathway with Jesus. But how about this one:
As they watched, he began to change form – his face shone like the sun, and his clothing became as white as light.
Matt 17:2
Jesus was transfigured. He underwent a metamorphosis. In the presence of God Jesus was changed – not into his resurrection body, as this was before the cross. His earthly body was changed. And a second time the Father said from heaven: “This is my son in whom I am well please. Listen to him.”
Why did God repeat this at this time? It was certainly not for Jesus, but for the disciples. But not only. It is for us today. When we had our personal Pessach and accepted Jesus as our Lord, we agreed with God that the cross, that the death of Jesus was a finished work. It changed us into a new creation. Everything was accomplished. God then announced us as sons, just as we read in Galatians:
But when the time had come, God sent out his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, that he might make them free who were under the law, and that we might be given the place of sons. And because you are sons, God has sent out the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, saying, Abba, Father.
Gal 4:4-6
See the present time used by Paul: And because you are sons. We are sons by the cross, became sons the moment Jesus died on the cross, and applied it to our our lives when we accepted the fact. But we did not believe it. We could not wrap our mind around it. But now – in the dawn of Tabernacles – we changed and change our mind to believe and therefore manifest what has been true all along: we are sons of God. Therefore God pronounces it again during that feast.
We learned that in this feast we finally agree with God that we are set free from sin. All sins of the past are forgiven, and we do not have to sin any more. Therefore death has no sting. But if no sting, then no victory.
In the past there were people that have been transfigured. Think of Moses – his face shone like the sun. I talked of Jesus. Both experiences passed. Moses was not in the right covenant. Jesus had other duties and once again gave up all riches. But also think of Enoch. He lived 365 years and then was no more. He did not die. Neither did Elijah.
Many believe that death has no victory if we die with hope and without fear. Not really. Not everybody will die, but some will be changed by the call of the last trumpet. Jesus was not transfigured after his death, but quite a while before that. The first Tabernacles during his ministry Jesus went up to Jerusalem in secret. He will come back in secret for a first Tabernacles and transfigure his sons, the ones that the whole earth is groaning for. After the feast was half over, he let himself be seen. The earth will see the manifest sons of God. And death will have no victory over them. This is when we realize that even the last enemy has been put under his feet, and therefore our feet.
That is quite a pill to swallow. Actually not. It is much more.
- We followed the white rabbit in Easter, Pessach.
- We swallowed the red pill in Pentecost.
- Now it is time to stop the bullets in Tabernacles.
If you have not seen the Matrix:
- We were called out to and started to follow Jesus. Saved.
- We accepted the Holy Spirit and entered a whole new realm. That is, we got a doorway into the supernatural and started to explore it. Spirit led.
- We know who we are. I am a son of God. I am the I am. Or just: I am. Identity.
When Jesus comes back, will he find faith on the earth? Will he find a people that believe the truth, believe what has been walked out as a pattern by Jesus? Believe what has been true all the time: You are his beloved son, in whom he is well pleased.
Ready for the last leg of the journey? Let me know in a comment.