November 2001

Part Forty-seven

Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory (L)

I have read a fiery Gospel
Writ in burnished rows of steel,
"As ye deal with my condemners,
So with you My Grace shall deal";
Let the Hero, born of woman,
Crush the serpent with his heel
Since God is marching on!

          Continuing with this original inclusion in Julia Ward Howe’s Battle Hymn of the Republic, which is omitted from hymnals today but to which my spirit quickened when God revealed it to me. The word, hero, is defined in the Dict. as: “One who is of divine descent and endowed with mighty strength and ability; an illustrious warrior; one who is greatly admired and emulated for his achievements and qualities; the principal male character in historic accounts who is grand, noble and exhibits courage and daring; one of impressive and powerful bearing who resolves all conflict between love and honor!” What an apt depiction of the Savior of the world! No mere mortal can be rightly so described! Jesus Christ is the “Hero” for whom the world yearns! The closest thing to heroes humanity has produced are rescue workers like firemen, doctors, soldiers, policeman; or fictional figures like Superman. But our Blessed Lord is the only person of DIVINE DESCENT Who is “born of woman” and has power to “crush the serpent with His heel!” This “woman” is typified two ways in Scripture: on a corporate level, she symbolizes the Church Body of Christ; while on an individual basis, she bespeaks of every soul! Thus, the Son of God is born in the heart of every man’s soul; and once He establishes Eternal Life, and His Father’s Kingdom, therein, His first order of business is to “crush the serpent with His heel”!
            The “serpent” is a revelation we only see after our spiritual vision is restored. Eph 1:18 and 4:18 define the “eyes” of Christ’s Body as the “understanding” first darkened by unbelief in man’s initial Adamic estate; then enlightened by Faith in his final Christ-Adamic estate. From the foundation of the world, God concluded (imprisoned, ended) every man’s life in a fleshly mind of unbelief (Rom 11:32); and once God shuts The Door to His heavenly realm, no man can open it! But likewise, once He opens The Door to His Kingdom of Love, no man can shut it! (Rev 3:8) And Jesus Christ declares in Jn 10:9, “I am the Door!” This is why Paul said, “Natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God, as they are foolishness to him. He cannot understand them because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Cor 2:14)
            The “serpent” typifies the tongue- both of the vocabulary of our language and the fleshly instrument of speech in our mouths! Every word we speak sires every act we perform and is rooted in a thought originating in our mind! God likens our tongue to a serpent because its appearance is long and slender; and it slithers out of its dark, hiding place to strike its victims with venomous lies as a serpent’s forked tongue! David said as he fled from King Saul into a cave, “The ungodly are perverse, wicked and estranged from God from the womb; they go astray speaking lies as soon as they are born! Their poison is like the venom of a serpent! They are like the deaf adder, or asp, that stops its ear, and does not listen to the voice of snake charmers; nor enchanters casting spells never so wisely.” (Ps 58:3-5) Paul said of all sinners, “None is righteous, no, not one! None has (spiritual) understanding; none seek after God; they have all gone out of the way (Jesus declares, ‘I AM The Way!” Jn 14:6) Together (all men of flesh) are unprofitable (for our Lord Jesus says, “The Spirit quickens to life- and the Words I speak are spirit; but the flesh is totally unprofitable!” Jn 6:63) No one does good works, no, not one! All men’s throats are an open sepulcher (tomb); and with their tongues they have spoken deceitfully; for the poison of asps is under their lips! Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness! Their feet are swift to shed blood; their ways are full of destruction and misery; they have never known The Way of Peace; and no fear of God is before their eyes!” (Ro 3:10-18) This serpent of Scripture is the father of lies Jesus came to defeat! John said, “He that commits sin is of the devil, for the devil sins from the beginning.” (1 Jn 3:8) To this Paul adds, “ALL HAVE SINNED AND COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD!” (Ro 3:23) How can men “see the coming of the Glory of the Lord” if they fall short through sin?!
            But thank God, “The Lord’s hand is not shortened that it cannot save; neither is His ear heavy that it cannot hear! But your iniquities have come between you and your God to separate you; and your sins have hid His Face from you so He will not hear. Your hands are defiled with His blood and your fingers are soiled with iniquity! Your lips have spoken lies and your tongue has muttered perverseness. None calls for Justice; nor does anyone plead for Truth! They trust in vanity and speak lies; they conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity!” (Isa 59:1-4) The serpent’s hiss of lies fills every man’s carnal mind. God calls such fleshly reasoning DEATH! Contrastly, He calls the Spiritual Mind a source of LIFE and PEACE! (Ro 8:28) Every man is tested by this viper so as to expose his vile nature apart from Christ! The Greek word (212) for the term, Pride of Life, is also the English word “braggardoccio” and even sounds like its definition, “One who brags or boasts in himself; having a misplaced confidence in self instead of in God! Arrogant, rebellious and defiant pride.”
            Thank God for our “Hero”, Jesus Christ [“Saving Anointing”] Who redeems us from our terrible Christless self-nature! Consider the millions that think it is normal, even desirable, to live without “Eternal Life- which is to know the one true God and Jesus Christ Whom He has sent!” (Jn 17:3) But Jesus says, “Without Me, you can do nothing!” (Jn 15:5) Any thought that tells us otherwise is the serpent’s lie! To be rid of this defiling deceiver of our carnal mind and its seditious, poisonous thoughts, we must “Bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ!” (2 Co 10:5) Only as “The same Anointing that teaches men of all things and is Truth, and no lie” (1 Jn 2:27) which strengthened the last Adam, Jesus Christ- can we overcome this subtle serpent who seduced the first Christless Adam into condemning the whole earth (and all in it) to death! (Selah- pause and calmly think of this!)

[TO BE CONTINUED]

Notice: this ministry will be in LONDON, ENGLAND the week of Dec 9-16

[except 2 one-day trips to Dublin, Ireland and Paris, France]. Any Kingdom group interested in hosting a meeting must please contact us as soon as possible by email: Sonrise1@aol.com, or telephone: 702-647-2131. Our itinerary is filling up quickly.

[P.S. We are not in need of lodgings as all our accommodations are prearranged.]