|
|
The City of Zion Part 6
Spiritual Blindness
Introduction
This is a transcribed sermon given to a local fellowship group in November 2005. It is part six of a fourteen part series on the "City of Zion". These transcribed sermons can also be obtained on CDs or audio cassettes. This article will address what is called "spiritual blindness", and most believers know what is meant by that term. This article will show a possible reason why most people do not confess and acknowledge Jesus Christ as their personal savior, and why only a few have no problem in believing the true gospel and accepting Jesus Christ as their personal savior. Spiritual blindness is nothing more than not being ABLE to "see" (or comprehend) spiritual knowledge. So the question is; why do most people "close their eyes" to biblical truth? It is obvious that most of mankind simply cannot, or are NOT ABLE to believe and understand the spiritual truth of the gospel. Most believers understand that salvation is totally the work of God; which simply means that the Spirit of God must remove that mental spiritual blindness that is on most of mankind. Mankind in general is simply not aware of that blindness, so the fault is NOT with mankind. It is God that has to first "call" people and open their minds so that they are ABLE to receive the things of God. It is God that has to spiritually heal them, which is why no one can choose on their own so-called "free will" to be healed of their spiritual blindness. Every one is born to be in a carnal unconverted state of mind; which is why "conversion" is a miracle, and is done solely by the Spirit of God. The truth is that man has to be converted by God so that he is ABLE to repent and change his carnal thinking in order to be saved. The law of "cause and effect" means that carnal man is caused to remain in unbelief and blindness, and the Spirit of God causes man to believe the gospel and causes man to change his life. Please read this transcribed sermon very carefully….
We can all agree that we live in a world that is on a downward spiral in moral values. The Christmas season or what could be called the heathen season is once again approaching in which it seems a whole society is determined to worship the custom of a false god. This society and most Churches will turn a deaf ear or will be totally oblivious to the spiritual harm this type of worship does to a whole nation. Today will be part six on the subject of Zion and I want to talk on what is called spiritual blindness. Shall we pray?
Why is a whole nation with so many supposedly intelligent politicians along with so many supposedly morally conscious Churches involved with false worship, and why is God acknowledged as a major part of this type of worship? We often wonder why sincere Christian people and most of our friends and relatives do not see what you see about the world’s holidays and worship practices. It’s because they are blinded. Why do most Christians fail to see the spiritual harm in mixing the custom of rabbits and colored eggs with honoring the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ? It’s because they are blinded.
It doesn’t seem to matter what you tell your friends and relatives, you can quote the Bible all you want, you can talk all you want, you can show all the facts and solid evidence all you want to prove your point; you can light a stick of dynamite under them. They are not hearing you. It’s not that they’re just stubborn or that they might not care. They honestly do not have the perception to understand the spiritual harm in observing these customs, simply because they are spiritually blinded.
When I prepare sermons I just start typing out my thoughts and I don’t know where my thoughts are going to go. I just go with the flow, and as I type out my statements I’m fully aware that some of you might take offense or disagree. Do not let my statements offend you. All I’m asking is to consider my statements as possible food for thought, because that is all they are. I’m not asking you to agree with me; all I’m asking is for your attention and that you listen very carefully. I’m doing a series on the subject of Zion, but today I will talk more on spiritual blindness than on Zion, but Zion will be mentioned and I will somehow try to link Zion with spiritual blindness.
Romans 1:18-28 KJV For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed [it] unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified [him] not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in [their] knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Paul then mentions the sins which are not convenient that are done by reprobate minds; which means worthless minds, and I might add, blinded minds. God gave them over to worthless blinded minds even when God showed and manifested the truth in them, and they became vain, and their foolish hearts were darkened even after they knew God. I find that incredible. The manifested truth was held in unrighteousness and they didn’t glorify God as God.
It also says they did not like to retain God in their knowledge. God cannot be separated from His word and not retaining God is the same as not retaining God’s word. Our political leaders have knowledge, but what they don’t like to retain with their knowledge is the true understanding of God’s words. But our leaders will retain God by verbally expressing God with the mouth but not with true understanding. They are blinded to not retain God’s truth, and that includes most Churches.
In my last sermon I talked a lot about the knowledge of God, and the understanding of that knowledge has to come from God’s words. By not retaining the understanding that comes from the truth of God causes a downward spiral and breakdown of morals, and the worship of false gods is easily retained and accepted in place of Godly worship, as explained. For a blinded world to not retain the truth of God will lead to a disrespect of God’s word and even a disbelief in God which causes all this ungodliness and unrighteousness as explained in Romans 1. That is why the wrath of God will be revealed; which we read in verse 18.
Most of our leaders and politicians and of course the Churches will retain a supreme being in their knowledge and most people confess that an orderly creation by design demands some sort of intelligence; a creator God. But why is that awesome God generally not glorified AS God, and respected and obeyed by our government including most Churches? It’s because this world with all its leaders is in spiritual blindness. When I mentioned a disbelief in God; a disbelief in the word of God has to be included. God stands by His word which defines the truth of God and how He wants to be worshipped.
Yes, most people will retain the existence of God because God shows this truth to them by His creation; even His eternal power and Godhead. But this world has its own religions including what we call Christianity which will brush aside and not retain some of the precious truths of the Bible. What I am saying is this; no, the Bible itself is not brushed aside by our political leaders but what the Bible supposedly stands for and the authority of the Bible is not retained, acknowledged, or respected.
It is very strange that modern day Christianity which supposedly stands for and upholds the God of the Bible will give other gods equal time in their worship. Why this total and very obvious hypocrisy and double standard? It’s because most Churches (but no all) are in spiritual blindness. That’s why the faith and religion of so called Christianity has generally (but not completely) made the word of God into a make-believe fantasy. I know that’s a strong statement on my part, but when we talk about the subject of Zion for instance, which the Bible repeatedly talks about; what kind of an understanding do we get from most our modern Churches? Generally all we hear at times is something about what is called the "Zionist movement," or Zion is just part of the Jews religion etc. This so-called understanding is never questioned by most of modern day Churches. It is swept under the rug so to speak, along with other major doctrines that are never questioned or carefully studied.
Many politicians know it is only politically correct to include God in some of their speeches, but how many politicians will say that the Bible has to be carefully studied? You will never hear any politician, and yes I have to include most Church leaders; that say the Bible has to be studied and the original words of God have to be carefully analyzed to know the true knowledge of God. Most Christian people will say; what do you mean the knowledge of God; whatever you believe that’s comfortable for you or what your pastor teaches you; that becomes the truth and the knowledge of God. That is the type of statements you will generally hear.
Suppose President Bush would read Romans 1 to this nation as an urgent announcement in saying this nation needs to study the Bible to prevent the homosexual and lesbian lifestyles mentioned in Romans 1, and to prevent all these evils mentioned, and Bush would proclaim these evils are destroying this nation and have to be repented of. Suppose giving a speech on the state of the union that president Bush would say that the state of the union is in desperate need of understanding the Bible? Can you imagine the political fallout from a speech like that and the implications? Our news media would be in a frenzy pulling out their hair.
What if President Bush called for a press conference announcing to this nation that he has called for the best Hebrew & Greek scholars and theologians to study the subject of Zion, the daughter of Zion, and mount Zion, and he wants congress to pass emergency legislation for the correct teaching of Zion to be taught in all the schools and colleges, and in all the Churches. George Bush will never hold such a press conference simply because he is blinded to see the need for that type of serious and honest Bible study, but at the same time he will acknowledge God because it is only politically correct and necessary that he does.
As we all know the founders of this nation had a deep reverence and respect for the Bible, and all of our colleges were founded on that reverence and respect. I want to read a quote from an email I got recently. Of the first 108 universities founded in America, 106 were distinctly Christian, including the first. Harvard University, chartered in 1636. In the original Harvard Student Handbook rule number 1 was that students seeking entrance must know Latin and Greek so that they could study the scriptures:
Why was the first university of this nation founded on the premise of studying the scriptures, and why was the number one rule and priority that the students must know Latin and Greek? Why not just study the scriptures as they were written in the English language? Or why study at all? Wasn’t it sufficient to receive salvation to just believe on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and to repent and be baptized in His name? Yes, that is the faith that saves, and I want to say, you do NOT need to know Latin and Greek to understand the simplicity and oneness that’s found in Jesus Christ. You do NOT need to know Latin and Greek to be humbled and to respond in obedience to the death, sacrifice, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The men that founded our colleges understood the Christian faith, so they must have had another reason for studying the scriptures. Could it be that they knew that the book they had in their possession called the Holy Bible could NOT honestly be called the infallible word of God? They knew that the Bible was only a translation and version of the infallible word of God. Could this be the reason why the founder of the first university of this nation thought that it was a must and a number one priority for the study of the original words of scripture to be taught in the first college founded in this nation?
The founders of our colleges not only wanted to retain God in their knowledge, but wanted to retain the understanding that comes from God which is the meaning of the original words; NOT the translated words. That is why the students were required to know the original languages. But these men also knew that the Bible as it was written in English was sufficient to teach people on the Christian faith, and they understood the Bible was most certainly needed in the schools and colleges.
But again along with the Christian faith they also knew that the translated words of the English Bible must be studied and taught in our learning institutions as foundational knowledge to build a Christian nation with Christian Churches. Our founding fathers knew this type of understanding must be taught to build this very young nation, and originally this nation was a Christian nation. And this most blessed nation the world has ever known was founded and built on the study of the words of God.
Well, this nation with all the Churches has come a very long way from that kind of interest and respect for the words of God. The students of our schools and colleges today are generally taught the study of sports, among other things of course; but to even mention the need for the study of scripture will separate and label you as a far right-wing religious radical. The Spirit of God behind the scenes out of Mount Zion caused God-fearing men to be moved to build this nation on the honest study of scripture. This was all set up and controlled from Mount Zion behind the scenes of our physical world.
Man’s governments are set up according the plan of an all powerful God that rules from Mount Zion. The evil age we live in today is a part of that plan according to God’s own counsel, His purpose, and His will. There is a cloud of deception over this nation and God has given the devil limited power to do the work of deception in this evil age. That is why unbelievers and leaders of nations are blinded to the subject of Zion and to spiritual knowledge, and they simply are not aware of this blindness.
2Corinthians 4:2-4 KJV But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
The god of this world simply means that the devil is the god (small g) because he is worshipped and obeyed in this evil age. World is aion no. 165 or age. It is God that controls the devil. A blinded Christian world would have you to believe that there is a struggle between God and Satan, and Satan seems to be winning. I want to tell you, brothers and sisters, the struggle and war is not between God and Satan. The struggle and war is between Satan and God’s people.
God defeated the devil when he rebelled at the disruption of the earth and ever since Satan HAS to obey God. The devil does what he is supposed to do within the overall plan of God. Satan is the god of this evil age of deception and he is used by God to do the work of deception to blind the minds of them that believe not, and why do unbelievers have to blinded in addition to their unbelief? Isn’t unbelief enough? This blindness is because (notice the word "lest" in verse 4) lest the light of the gospel should shine on them. That little word "lest" was translated in many other scriptures simply as "God forbid".
The "literal translation of the Bible" says; among whom the god of this age blinded the minds of the unbelieving, in order for the illumination of the Gospel of the glory of Christ not to shine on them, who is the image of God. The KJV doesn’t use the words "not to shine on them". But the KJV implies a much stronger meaning if the word "lest" is substituted simply as "God forbid". It could read, "God forbid that the light of the glorious gospel should shine on unbelievers". Would God actually forbid that? You would think God would WANT the glorious gospel to shine on unbelievers so that they believe.
It is true that the true gospel is the light that does cause people to believe, but in an evil blinded age only a very few choose to believe the true gospel. I’m not talking about another gospel or another Jesus that is widely accepted by most in this evil age. I’m talking about the vast majority of unbelievers that are NOT CALLED by God. That’s why they have to be blinded by the devil to NOT see and understand. God is not wringing has hands waiting and hoping that His children would just choose to believe. A blinded Christian world has it backwards.
Keep in mind unbelievers do not know they are unbelievers. Deceived people do not know they’re deceived. Blinded people do not know that they can’t see. They do NOT have the perception to understand spiritual things which is caused by this blindness. They are made to be blind by the devil for the very reason so that they DON’T understand spiritual things; for the very reason so that the light of the glorious gospel means nothing to them. That is the purpose of blindness and that is what it means.
As we know, that is also the very reason that Jesus Christ spoke in parables, as Christ himself explained. He deliberately hid the truth so that the multitude would NOT SEE with their eyes and NOT understand with their heart the mysteries of the kingdom; for the very reason so that the multitude would not be converted so that Christ would NOT have to heal their spiritual blindness. Christ wanted the multitudes to stay in their blindness and that is the only reason He had to speak in parables. This truth is plainly explained in Matt 13:15.
John 12:37-41 KJV But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: 38 That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? 39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, 40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with [their] eyes, nor understand with [their] heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. 41 These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.
Why were the people of Christ’s day unbelievers even when they saw so many miracles done by Christ? Notice Christ quotes Isaiah who said they could not believe, and neither could the people of Christ’s day believe on Christ in spite of all the miracles. Isaiah identified Christ when he asked the Lord; "who believed our report?" He called him Lord and saw his glory and spoke of Him. Christ blinded and hardened the hearts of the Israelites of Isaiah’s day; which is why they could not believe. That is why the Israelites of Christ’s day also could not believe. Does it say they might not believe, or that they chose not to believe? It says they COULD NOT believe.
Christ blinded the multitude for the very reason so that they should not see and not understand; which is very plainly explained. Christ did not want them converted because he did not want to heal them for salvation and we all have to ask why? God does not want to convert the multitude of unbelievers of this evil age; which again is why the devil is the god of this age to do the work of blindness and deception.
Revelation 20:7-8 KJV And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom [is] as the sand of the sea.
Why do you think it’s worded as "shall be loosed"? Who controls the devil in order to loose him? God loosens the devil so that he again is free to do the work of deception after the 1000 years. I often have to think of the ignorance and unbelief of the Apostle Paul.
1Timothy 1:12-16 KJV And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did [it] ignorantly in unbelief. 14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 15 This [is] a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. 16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
Paul called himself the chief of sinners. "Chief" means foremost. Paul was foremost and the worse of sinners. Paul had maybe hundreds of Christians killed, tortured, and imprisoned both men and women; and he would have continued in that wicked rampage if God had not stopped him. The horrible sufferings that yes, maybe even thousands were caused by a spiritually blinded man called Saul at the time. The Bible explains how he threatened Christians with slaughter, he punished Christians often in every Synagogue and caused them to deny God; he even went to strange cities to hunt down Christians; he persecuted and wasted the Church of God beyond measure; he was exceeding mad.
It was not some idle comment that Paul called himself the chief sinner. Paul truly was the chief, predominate, foremost and worse sinner that ever lived. God chose Paul FIRST to show all His patience and mercy. Thousands received mercy to be saved before Paul, so why was Paul called the FIRST? Both the words "first" and "chief" are no. 4413. That means the chief foremost example and pattern of God saving sinners is Paul, because he was the chief foremost sinner.
Paul did his horrible acts of persecution in total ignorance and unbelief because he was a crazed mad man; the worse kind of sinner blinded by the devil. Ignorance is to ignore, and Paul was blinded to ignore the truth of God just like any other blinded unbeliever. Paul’s ignorance was not his fault. Little children are also blinded as to why parents demand obedience. They just know their back side hurts, and that they’re being punished. The fault is not with the children.
God had to discipline Paul, but did God force Paul to repent? No, God did not come down from heaven and somehow physically force Paul to stop killing Christians. God did not physically push Paul under water to force him to be baptized. But the point is this; God CAUSED Paul to repent, and Paul suddenly had his mind made right and he chose the real Jesus very quickly. God not only knows how to discipline unbelievers to cause them to suddenly become believers, but also knows how to win the hearts through mercy and longsuffering. That is the pattern how God saves sinners.
God physically blinded Paul for three days for the very purpose to remove the spiritual blindness. God has his ways to cause unbelievers to choose repentance when He calls them, and Paul was used as a pattern. Paul was disciplined by a loving God and was persuaded very quickly (not forced) to choose the right way. If God can cause the foremost and worse sinner to repent then He can cause anyone to repent and come out of blindness if God chooses to call them.
It is God that chooses who He will call, and God has to have the credit for removing that blindness; which in turn will cause repentance. If we could choose on our own to remove the blindness, and if we could choose repentance on our own then we would get the credit. It would be our flesh that would glory by our own works and choices. It has to be God’s glory, His works, and His choices. Even repentance has to be given and granted by God. This is plainly explained in Acts 5:31 and 11:18 if you want to make a note of it.
1Corinthians 1:27-29 KJV But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, [yea], and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
Who does the choosing? These are God’s choices mentioned here, and if God has to make His choices to coincide according to how we happen to choose by "free will;" then most certainly our flesh would glory in God’s presence. That is not what God wants, and that is not how it works, as explained. We all have a will but is our will free from God’s will? That’s the question. Remember; no flesh will glory and get the credit for any choices, and they cannot be FREE outside of the boundaries of God’s choices.
Did the apostle Paul have free will, and did God honor Paul’s choices when he had maybe hundreds of innocent Christians slaughtered? Did God honor that, or did God break Paul’s will to suddenly be on the same page with God’s will? Paul was a broken man and no doubt suffered shame maybe for the rest of his life. That shame was a pattern for other sinners, and God corrected Paul while he was a blinded ignorant unbeliever. Paul was not a converted man when he was disciplined, and God’s Spirit caused and guided Paul to choose what God wanted him to choose for the rest of Paul’s life. Could a blinded Christian world be misunderstanding what they think is "free will?" I’m just asking.
God out of Mount Zion is in total control of a blinded evil world, and if we truly understand WHY we live in an age of blindness and evil; then there would be nothing whatsoever to fear. Fear is an enemy, and people fear because they don’t understand the uncertainties in a blinded world; nor do they want to understand. That blindness is put there for a purpose. Iron sharpens iron, and saints that are called of God can sharpen their mental skills to accept the truth when it’s contrasted and sharpened against blindness. We cannot know truth if we stay in blindness and God has to remove that blindness.
Acts 2:38-40 KJV Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, [even] as many as the Lord our God shall call. 40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
"Untoward generation" means a warped and crooked age. Yes, Peter did say it is possible to save ourselves from this crooked age. But he also said the choice of saving ourselves is to "as many as the Lord our God shall call." Then the choice we make to repent is only in response to that call. It is not a choice "free" from the call of God. God calls many and His Spirit causes our thought patterns to change which opens the eyes to see just a tiny bit of light. But only a few are chosen to rule with Christ, but they must grow and stay in that light until they die.
Paul was the chief sinner and God caused him to repent, and there is no reprobate sinner worst than Paul was. That is why Paul was the pattern for all reprobate sinners to also receive mercy when they are called to believe and repent. But God does not call all of Israel in an evil age. That’s just the way it is. God chooses how and when He calls, disciplines, and judges His children. But how can God’s people respond to the call of God if God doesn’t call them? They will stay in their blindness just like those that did not choose to grow out of blindness. I know this, if unbelievers do not repent; they will all die in that unbelief and they will all die in their sins. Then they will all be resurrected to face God and all will be judged according to their good or bad works by the fire of God’s judgment. Is God unfair by calling many but not all Israel in an evil age? No, every Israelite will have to go through that judgment of fire; but in their own order.
Those that respond to the call of God are tried by fire NOW, and are held to a much higher standard of overcoming to qualify as a first fruit. Many are called and are given a tiny spark of understanding by the Spirit of God, and it is that tiny spark that ignites the process of removing that blindness. But understand, many resist that spark by not choosing to grow in that process and they will not rule with Christ. It doesn’t mean they won’t be saved by grace; they just are not qualified to rule as a first fruit.
In my last sermon we looked at the importance of believing correct knowledge. We looked at knowledge about Zion, and the power and rule that will come out of Zion from a royal priesthood. I am the first to confess I do not have the spiritual perception to understand the subject of Zion. What I want to do is just look at the scriptures involved with the subject of Zion, and I am just going from scripture to scripture in sequence as they appear in the Bible, and then I comment on what we read. So far in five lessons we are only in the writings of Psalms. The truth about Zion; whatever we believe it means or however we interpret the reason why Zion is even mentioned in the Bible; it is still a subject of such importance that God inspired it be to repeatedly mentioned in His inspired words.
The Bible is God’s revelation to His children; a revealing of His mind, His plan, His intentions, His will that He wants His blinded children to understand. I believe the true understanding of Zion has been lost for centuries in a blinded world, and that understanding has to do with a people called Israel involved with a city. It could simply be applied to mean both; a people called Israel and also a heavenly city.
So far in our study of Zion we have read several places in Psalms that God’s people themselves are called Zion; which would mean that God’s people Israel are that city. We saw that Zion is also called a woman, and we know Israel is also called a woman that God put away in punishment and divorced. And that divorced woman is symbolically in a dry desert wilderness as the Bible repeatedly explains, and the word "Zion" means a parched place or a dry desert. Which in turn symbolically means that divorced woman is very thirsty and she needs water. But she doesn’t know that. She is blinded and even blinded as to who she is, and she is not aware that she is thirsty and hungry in a dry parched place. She does not know that she is in need of the living waters, and she is blinded to not sense that hunger for spiritual food and nourishment. That food is the knowledge that explains who she is, and she is totally unaware of this knowledge and blinded to not understand. It is knowledge that explains why she is blinded during an evil age, and explains why she is in a dry parched place called Zion during this age, and she is completely unaware of her future destiny in the heavenly city and country of Mount Zion.
Only a very few in this age of blindness chose to retain the words of God in their knowledge and to come out of blindness, and it is these very few that the Spirit is removing that blindness and opening their minds to be fed that spiritual food and nourishment. In a previous lesson we saw Zion as being that heavenly city and country and I addressed why Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob called themselves strangers and pilgrims.
Hebrews 11:13-16 KJV These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of [them], and embraced [them], and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. 15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that [country] from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. 16 But now they desire a better [country], that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
I believe these scriptures go a long way in explaining the subject of Zion and the origin of where a people called Israel came from and the inheritance and destiny of Israel. But the term Zion is not mentioned in these scriptures. It could be referring to the heavenly city of Jerusalem that God prepared for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is true, Jerusalem could be that city, but Jerusalem is never called by the term "mount Jerusalem" as Zion is called "mount Zion" in many scriptures. Jerusalem is always called a city, whereas Zion is generally referred to as a mount which means a country.
But historical Zion was where David dwelled, and it was called the city of David which represented a heavenly city; which is why Zion can be called a city. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob desired a better dwelling place; that is a heavenly dwelling, as explained. It says they were not mindful; they didn’t remember, or were not aware, or were BLINDED if you will, of the dwelling they came from; which is why they considered themselves strangers and pilgrims on the earth. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and that of course would include all the seed are also blinded by God to not be mindful, and not remember, and don’t know that country where they came out of.
Do we have that tiny spark of understanding as to why Abraham looked for this city whose builder and maker is God? It is that tiny spark of God’s Spirit that must ignite our hearts and minds to gradually come out of the blindness of this evil age. This society is once again preparing to worship the custom of a false god, and we understand the blindness of our friends and relatives. But what if we’re blinded? Brothers and sisters, we are blinded. We might not be deceived on the holidays or on who Israel is, but what about other doctrines?
Don’t ever think that we are special or different because we’re not, and don’t ever think that the blindness of the Christian world does not rub off on us, because it does. The devil is extremely clever and effective and if we are serious to grow out of blindness we must believe the words of God, and the truth will make us free.
Questions or comments?... Email: mrwickey7@gmail.com