From Glory to Glory

From Glory to Glory

HEADLINE

2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Luke 3:38 Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.

From Genesis chapter one, we see that God created man in His image and likeness.  He made man an earthen clay body and placed him in it.  And by appearance man seemed to be separate and apart from God.  God is the all powerful immortal Spirit who shines brighter than the sun.  But man is weak, fallible, and after a short time, he dies and the body returns to dust.  Because of sin Adam was chased out of the Garden of Eden and thereafter the suffering of man and trial by devils proceeded.

These events have prevented man from knowing who he really is.  Generation after generation of human beings was led to believe that men are not the children of God.  This assumption is based upon the separation caused by sin and the fact that man appears to be mortal and his body can die and return to dust.  By default we could be “saved” and “adopted” to become the children of God.  There are problems with both positions, but IGNORANCE has blinded men from seeing the truth.  A question was posed in the scriptures concerning the status of man.

Hebrews 2:6 But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? 7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: 8 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.

Indeed we find that Jesus stated the following:

Matthew 11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. 26 Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. 27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

From this text “son” is capitalized to refer to Jesus Himself.  Redactors did this in translating the original text to English.  But in the original Aramaic, the word for “son” is not capitalized.  So Jesus, the Son of God, was sent to this earth to teach man his identity, since we never knew it.  We were blinded by events in Adam’s time and by darkness over the succeeding years.

Hebrews 2:11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. 13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. 14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

Jesus Christ was a special “Savior and Son” who was sent to REDEEM men from the ravages of SIN.  He was always a Son of God who was with Him before Adam’s time.  But he was given a special task to become Father’s Atonement Lamb and remove the sins of the world and of all mankind, John 1:29.  He was to be reduced in glory into human form to be born of a virgin named Mary.  He would maintain his ID and identify himself to the Jews as “the Son of God”, John 10:36.  Jesus was hated and despised by the religious community in his nation and they turned him over to the Romans for crucifixion.

In his ministry Jesus revealed to mankind our true ID in several records in the gospel. Prior to this revelation, the Jews claimed Abraham and declared him to be their father.

John 8:51 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. 52 Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. 53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?

Matthew 23:9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

Matthew 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Luke 15:18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, 19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. 20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. 22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: 24  For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

The problem for man is that Jesus’ words were not recorded until after his death.  There were no written record of them and they remained only in the minds of the disciples who heard them and witnessed his works.  Today we have the gospels and the writings of the New Testament and Jesus’ testimony for the Spirit’s use to teach and enlighten those chosen by God in each generation.  There is a veil over the eyes of men when they read scriptures which prevents men from seeing the Word clearly and understanding it.

Isaiah 6:9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. 10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

Isaiah 29:9 Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink. 10 For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered. 11 And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed: 12 And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned. 13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: 14 Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.

2 Corinthians 3:13 And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: 14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. 15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. 16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.

Revelation 5:1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? 3 And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. 4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. 5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

Luk 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. 32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

It takes the true Holy Spirit from Heaven to teach the scriptures to certain select students on earth chosen by the Father.  Not just any man desiring to understand the Word will be given such light even after intense study.  Father chooses and teaches only those He personally selects.

John 3:27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.

Isaiah 40:11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.

John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

Now let us consider Jesus’ testimony in John 8:51-53, Matthew 23:9, and 6:9.  The message for all mankind is that God in Heaven is our true Father.  Your earthly “dad” is not your true Father nor is Abraham the true Father of the Jews.  The true Father of humanity is Creator “God who made us in His image and after His likeness”.  Here are  scriptures from the Old Testament that teach this fact.

Psalm 82:6 I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. 7 But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes. 8 Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations.

Isa 45:9 Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands? 10 Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth? 11 Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me. 12 I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.

Isaiah 63:16 Doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O LORD, art our father, our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting.

Jeremiah 3:4 Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father, thou art the guide of my youth?

Men could not wrap their heads around the fact that God Fathered all of mankind because of the veil He set over the scriptures.  When we look to the testimony of the Son in the three selected scriptures, we see Jesus bearing the same witness as the Old Testament texts.  But all those scriptures validate that God is the Father of mankind and that we are His sons and daughters even if it is hard for man to buy it!

Regarding the testimony of the Son concerning our ROYAL BIRTH, he declares that “he gave us the same glory” and IDENTITY that he has.

John 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

Enlightened children today do not worry about the question, “What is man that thou art mindful of him”?.  We know the answer.  We are ROYAL SEED, the living spirit-children of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Our immortal spirits from our spirit-DNA heritage is our birthright from our Father.  When we emerge from our clay cocoons (human bodies) and RISE into Heaven we will shine with the brightness of the sun as REDEEMED children of God.  That is the glory of God awaiting each of us.

Acts 17:23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. 24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; 25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; 27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: 28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

Glorify God!

God did it!