Ephesians Lesson 16 of 39 part 6

We left off with this statement:
If we've been planted, and have experienced the likeness of His death and resurrection, let's see what it says in Romans chapter 6.

Romans 6:6
"Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, (well what does crucifixion do? It kills, it puts to death) that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." (that old sin nature which we're all born into, NO exception)
Now back to Ephesians chapter 2. And again remember what he said, "that as Gentiles our forefathers were without hope, and without God in the world." We'll start at verse 13. And look what the first word is in verse 13.

Ephesians 2:13a
"But ..."
Everybody knows that's the flip side. The flip side got started with the jute box. For a nickel we could play one side of the record and flip it over to hear the other side. It's just another whole new song. Now the flip side. Yes, our forefathers were without hope, they were without God, but there's a flip side, and what is it?

Ephesians 2:13
"But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off (How far off were our forefathers? So far off that they were without God. They had no knowledge of Him, and they had no access to Him because they were Gentiles, and they were Jews. But God didn't leave it that way, but now for all) are made nigh by the blood of Christ."
Not by some decree, but by what? The blood of Christ. this phrase "The blood of Christ" is what makes us nigh to God. Let's go back for a moment to the Epistle of Hebrews chapter 9. Those of you who have been following remember we've used this verse so often as one of the two basic absolutes of Scripture. In our present society they try to tell us that there are none. Oh yes, there are. The Scriptures are absolute, and this is one of the primary ones. 

Hebrews 9:22b
"...and without shedding of blood is no remission."
You can't get around that, we can't build a bridge over it, there's just nothing we can do with that verse, but face it head on. What does all this mean? Well, we can't really explain the whole thing ourselves. Come back to Exodus chapter 12. And what is in Exodus chapter 12? Well, the night of the Passover. Just as Genesis chapter 3 has the blood of an animal, the type is not spoken of but it is reasonable to surmise that it was a lamb because it's skin was used to coven  man. Verse 13.

Exodus 12:13
"And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt."
There was only one thing a Jewish family could do to avoid the death angel and that was what? Put the blood on the door! And when God saw the blood the death angel passed over. Now there wasn't a whole bunch of rules and regulations, but rather just one simple requirement. "Place the blood of that Passover lamb on the door posts and lentil and when I see the blood, I will pass over you." Now we like to ask, when those Jews were behind that blood touched door, did they stand there in fear, and trepidation? No! Because by faith they were eternally secured. We can see that the way it was applied that it reveals a cross, top center on the lentil and both arms one on each side post, this also put some spillage on the ground under the header or top lentil.

We're starting in note book 17 here.

Before we get started again in Ephesians allow me to say that all this is in agreement the the hours of what is called the Lord Passion. It being nothing of what we may think of as "passion" but rather the "cutting of the covenant" just as the Lord had done with Abraham as a shadow of this which was to come.

This covenant is found in Genesis chapter 15 beginning at verse 17:

Genesis 15:17-18

“And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land.” and we'll look at what said before this took place beginning at verse 4:

Genesis 15:4-6

"And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.” and now verse 9:

Genesis 15:9-12 

“And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon. And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not. And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away. And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.”

In verses 17 and 18 we find both the burning furnace and the lamp passing through the cut pieces which had been laid back to back and this is known as, “the cutting of the covenant”. This is also what the Lord's Passion, Last Supper and Marriage feast of the Lamb, as Jesus as the Son of God had Authority within Himself to reveal this, for He throughout His ministry had spoken of it. For hours He labored over this and we're to reflect in the spiritual as we become God-children when it is taken by way of revelation. Christ being the Lamb of God, we being the Body or bread, in figurative language and His Blood which has the power of an Endless Life in it as the new wine of the New Covenant again in figurative language, which replaces the land of Palestine. Because Christ is both the Covenant and Canaan of promise. Given to the stars of heaven as God-children are His heirs and co-heirs of Christ. The one to whom all covenants pointed to and spoke of in metaphor. This is the Gospel which we are expected to receive each time we do it in remembrance of Him. Found in Matthew 26: 17 through 27:53; Psalm 50:5.