DYING TO LIVE
Kay Keith Peebles 04/23/2021 21.16
Israel was down trodden and broken. They had sinned over and over again going from one form of captivity to another. They had begun to worship idols made by man’s hands and believed the doctrines of religious spirits man formed. By so doing, they broke covenant with the One true God, the Lord God Almighty. They no longer trusted in the Arm of the Lord and His strength to protect them; they began to trust in their strength, their wealth and their wisdom so the Lord allowed them to experience the futility of their own rebellious control.
God sent the prophet Isaiah during the eighth century BC to warn the people of their grave folly. Isaiah began to prophesy the coming of God’s Son Jesus, who was Servant and Messiah!
“Listen carefully, all you who kindle your own fire [devising your own man-made plan of salvation], who surround yourselves with torches, walk by the light of your [self-made] fire, and among the torches that you have set ablaze, but this you will have from My hand: You will lie down in [a place of] torment.” Isaiah 50:11 AMP.
Then the prophet Isaiah described God’s solution; the plan for Jesus the Son of God and Israel’s Messiah to come and bring salvation to the people, the Jews first and then the Gentiles (all other people/nations). “Indeed, My Servant (the Messiah) will act wisely and prosper; He will be raised and lifted up and greatly exalted. Just as many were astonished and appalled at you, My people. So His appearance was marred more than any man and His form [marred] more than the sons of men. So He will sprinkle many nations [with His blood, providing salvation], Kings will shut their mouths because of Him; for what they had not been told they will see, and what they had not heard they will understand.” Isaiah 52:13-15 AMP.
“The LORD has bared His holy arm (His infinite power) before the eyes of all the nations [revealing Himself as the One by Whom Israel is redeemed from captivity], that all the ends of the earth may see the salvation of our God.” Isaiah 52:10.
God’s plan was never to save just the Jewish people. His plan was to save all who would believe in Him. His starting place was with Abraham and his physical offspring, but His end purpose was for Abraham’s “spiritual offspring” to be grafted in to the vine. Whether Jew of gentile, all were to be welcomed into the family of God. A representation of all nations, all people groups were to receive the same invitation to believe in the salvation Jesus gave all who would believe in Him.
“Now the LORD saw it, and it displeased Him that there was no justice. He saw that there was no man, and was amazed that there was no one to intercede [on behalf of truth and right]; therefore His own arm brought salvation to Him, and His own righteousness sustained Him. For He [the LORD]put on righteousness like a coat of armor, and salvation like a helmet on His head; He put on garments of vengeance for clothing and covered Himself with zeal [and great love for His people] as a cloak.” Isaiah 59:15b-17 AMP.
The extreme merciless suffering of Jesus by the hands of men during His trial, scourging and the cross graphically define His unbounded, unfailing love for us. See Isaiah 52:13-53:12. We are the sinners, He was sinless. We transgressed the Law of God, He kept and fulfilled it. We deserved to die and go to hell but He died for us. He not only died for us, He went to hell and took dominion over death and hades and seized the keys. By His resurrection, He re-established His Dominion in the earth!
The suffering and death of Jesus was Their (Father, Son and Holy Spirit’s) solution to man’s sin problem. Sin brings the curse of death and requires the shedding of blood to be removed. The blood of animals through the Old Covenant only temporarily “covered” the sins of mankind but the blood of Jesus totally erased our sins and transgressions for all eternity! The Son Jesus volunteered to lay down His life for us and the Father allowed Him to bear the curses of the world’s sin and experience a cruel death. He did so that we might live for Him, in Him and through Him, and if necessary, die for Him as He did for us!
“He Himself bore and took away the sin of many, and interceded [with the Father] for the transgressors.” Isaiah 53:12C AMP.
The Apostle Peter understood well the full scope of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. Peter had hoped he would be willing and able to die for Jesus but proved unable to bear the consequences when he denied knowing Jesus during His arrest and trial. But after the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples baptizing them with fire, Peter was not only able to die and be martyred for Him, he chose to be crucified upside down. He said he wasn’t worthy to die in the same position as Jesus.
“For [as a believer] you have been called for this purpose, since Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you may follow in His footsteps. HE COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS DECEIT EVER FOUND IN HIS MOUTH. While being reviled and insulted, He did not revile or insult in return, while suffering He made no threats [of vengeance], but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges fairly. He personally carried our sins in His body on the cross [willingly offering Himself on it, as on an altar of sacrifice], so that we might die to sin [becoming immune from the penalty and power of sin] and live for righteousness, for by His wounds you [who believe] have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:21-25 AMP. See also Isaiah 53:5.
Looking back at the Isaiah 53:12 verse, the King James version says, “…he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.” Jesus and the Father interceded on our behalf so that we could not only be forgiven of our sins, but our sin nature could be completely annihilated giving us complete victory over all sin once and for all time!
“Who is there to condemn [us]? Will Christ Jesus (the Messiah), Who died, or rather Who was raised from the dead, Who is at the right hand of God actually pleading as He intercedes for us?” Romans 8:34 AMP. Jesus not only interceded for us by dying on the cross and being raised from the dead, but He is still interceding for us from His throne in heaven! Should we not expect to gain full victory over our sin-life? How can we become victorious over our sin nature?
Hebrews 7:25 assures us, “Therefore He is able also to save to the uttermost (completely, perfectly, finally, and for all time and eternity) those who come to God through Him, since He is always living to make petition to God and intercede with Him and intervene for them.” This scripture confirms Isaiah 53:12 that Jesus intercedes with God the Father for us!
This is powerful assurance of our full salvation; but there is a critical element we must know regarding our responsibility to do our part of our covenant agreement with Him. Paul explains it thoroughly in Colossians Chapter 1. “Yet now has [Christ, the Messiah] reconciled [you to God] in the body of His flesh through death, in order to present you holy and faultless and irreproachable in His [the Father’s] presence. [And this He will do] provided that you continue to stay with and in the faith [in Christ], well-grounded and settled and steadfast, not shifting or moving away from the hope [which rests on and is inspired by] the glad tidings (the Gospel), which you heard and which has been preached [as being designed for and offered without restrictions] to every person under heaven, and of which [Gospel] I, Paul became a minister.” Colossians 1:22-23.
Jesus came and shared the good news of the Kingdom of God. He demonstrated the Kingdom of God every time He taught and performed miracles, signs and wonders. Where there was sickness He brought heaven’s healing touch. Where there was bondage, He set the captives free. He restored broken lives and situations by bringing the nature of heaven on earth. Rather than judging us all, He intervened and interceded for us on our behalf. That is exactly what He has called all who believe in Him to do! We are to overcome the works of darkness and walk in His light wherever we go. The Apostle John recorded Jesus’ affirmation of the overcomer:
“They overcame him by the blood of the lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death.” Revelation 12:11 KJV.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ clearly teaches that it is through our death to self (sin), our wants, lusts, wishes, comforts, insecurities, etc., we are enabled to walk in His ways. We must affirm His covenant through our obedience and shine His light to the world through our righteousness, purity and holiness. Then the promise of Jude 24 will be fulfilled. “Now to Him Who is able to keep you without stumbling or slipping or falling, and to present unblemished (blameless and faultless] before the presence of His glory in triumphant joy and exultation [with unspeakable, ecstatic delight].”
It is only through our Dying we can only truly Live!
