Quotes:
“Without God, we cannot. Without us, God will not" - St Augustine
For however devoted you are to (God), you may be sure that he is immeasurably more devoted to you. -Meister Eckhart
"Knowing where you are going takes the uncertainty out of getting there." - Ann Graham Lotz
“A man's reach should exceed his grasp” ― Robert Browning, Men and Women and Other Poems
Genesis 18:1-14 (12) - “Pleasure” is the Hebrew word for Eden.
Isaac – A “type” of Christ:
Isaac was conceived by a miraculous touch; as was Christ.
His name was given by God; as was Christ’s.
Isaac’s name means “he laughs”, and Christ brings laughter to all He frees.
Isaac was the father of the literal Jews, and Christ is the father of the spiritual Jews.
He willing went to the mount of sacrifice; as did Christ.
He carried the wood for the sacrifice himself; as did Christ.
On the 3rd day the angel stayed Abraham’s hand; Jonah was a sign (3 days), Christ was raised on the third day.
God provided “himself” a lamb in both cases.
So God prepared Himself a body (Hebrews 5:10) that he might accomplished His purpose.
And that purpose is further detailed in Ephesians…
Ephesians 1:3-14 “3- Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4- According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5- Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6- To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 7- In whom we
have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; 8- Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 9- Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10- That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11- In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12- That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13- In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14- Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”
Specifically in verse 10…
Verse 10 “That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:”
Galatians 4:4 “But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,”
God wanted to bring heaven and earth together the way it was in the beginning…. In the garden.
And most assuredly Heaven on Earth is certainly not the same thing as Heaven in Heaven.
Most Jewish rabbis including the historian Josephus equate the Garden of Eden to the Most Holy Place…
That is, the place where God dwells.
Genesis 3:8 “And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.”
Therefore man was dwelling in the very presence of God while on Earth.
Heaven and Earth were united.
There was no veil, no barrier, no separation.
Then they sinned.
They were separated from the very presence of God… a barrier was put in place.
Genesis 3:24 “So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.”
Then along came the Tabernacle/Temple… the veil.
The type in play here is that the Holy Place represented the Earth;
The veil represents sin.
And the Most Holy Place represents Heaven – the place where God dwells.
Therefore man could worship, praise and server the Lord in the Holy Place (Earth).
However, man could only enter into the very presence of God carrying/by the blood of the sacrifice.
This separation, barrier, veil meant that when folks died under the Law they could not go to Heaven.
They had to wait in Sheol (the grave). –Hebrew base definition: “Unknown”.
In Hebrew thinking unlike Greek thinking, they were ok with something just being, “unknown”.
Sheol (Hebrew)/Hades (Greek) was divided into two areas/divisions:
1= Abraham’s Bosom/Paradise 2= Tartartus (a place torment).
Luke 16:19-26 “19- There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 20- And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21- And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22- And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 23- And in hell [G86-hades] he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24- And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 25- But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. 26- And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.”
If Hades had a section that was a place of fiery torment for the evil unbelieving dead before the Law was fulfilled by Jesus the Christ
Then
Most certainly hell will be an eternal fiery torment for the evil unbelieving after the fulfillment of the Law by Jesus the Christ.
Revelation 20:14 says: "And death and hell [G86-hades] were cast into the lake of fire [geenna]. This is the second death."
At the judgment of the last day, hades(tartartus) is cast into the lake of fire (hell/geenna).
This is the eternal “hell” of fiery torment that is to be avoided at all cost.
According to Ephesians 1:10 God’s plan via the shed blood of Calvary was to bring man through the veil into the very presence of God (Garden of Eden/Most Holy Place) right here on Earth while they are biologically living.
Then eternal Heaven after biological death.
Hebrews 10:19-20 “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20- By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;”
Hebrews 9:6-15 “6- Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. 7- But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people: 8- The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: 9- Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; 10- Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. 11- But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12- Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained
eternal redemption for us. 13- For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14- How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15- And for this cause he is the mediator of the New Testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.”
Verse 8 “The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing [valid]:”
Therefore folks could not pass through the “veil” after physical death and where forced into a holding area; righteous into Paradise and the unrighteous into torment.
We the believing today pass through the veil into Heaven.
John 3:15-18 “15- That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16- For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17- For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18- He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
John 5:24-25 “24- Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. 25- Verily, verily, I say
unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.”
The Old Covenant The New Covenant
Paradise lost Paradise restored
First city was a failure City of the redeemed
Beginning of the curse No more curse
Marriage of the first Adam Marriage of the last Adam
Satan’s entrance Satan’s doom
Old creation All things become new
Communion lost Communion restored
The “veil” of our Savior’s flesh was rent (tore) on Calvary’s horrible hill.
Matthew 27:50-51 “50- Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 51- And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;”
Hebrews 4:14-16 “14- Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. 15- For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16- Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
Boldly approach the Throne of Grace
You can have Pleasure (Eden) on this Earth.
You can dwell in the “very presence” of God.
