THE HUMAN BODY
Song 6:13 Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may look upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies.
This is Solomon, representing the sovereign Lord Jesus Christ, showing his desire to look upon the glories of his Bride, the true church. And it is an accurate depiction as we clearly read in Genesis chapter one, that everything the Lord created, he is said to then gaze upon it. For we read time and again the words, and God saw in that first chapter of the Scriptures. Then the last verse in that passage reads: Genesis 1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. Of all the things in which the Lord God could have encased himself within, in order to become visible, it was his eternal purpose to do so in his design of the human body! His being manifest in human flesh is the great mystery of godliness!
Yet we read that it was the human body in which he would incarnate himself. Genesis 1:26 ¶ And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
And just what is that “image” of which the Lord God speaks? Gods image – the design that he had in mind – is fully manifest in the Lord Jesus Christ. Hebrews 1:2 (God) Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Jesus Christ is the physical appearance of that image, previously held as the design of God within his consciousness from all eternity! John 14:9 … he that hath seen me hath seen the Father;
And just what is the earliest revelation of that image? We read in Revelation 13:8 – the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. The Eternal Son of God was always held in the image of a sacrificial Lamb. Therefore for man to be made in that image, he is to be a living sacrifice! Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
The concept of that human body is, to God, so powerful a revelation of his own essence, that expressed in its glorified semblance, it put John upon his knees at its very sight. Revelation 1:12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. 14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; 15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. 16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. 17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
Notice that is constantly states, “like wool;” “as a flame;” “like unto fine brass;” “as the sound;” and “as the sun.” For there is forbidden in the word of God any manifestation of a physical relating of God. Therefore, as the ‘description’ of the Bride in the Song of Solomon, chapter seven, we must not think to only gaze upon the physical body, but upon that which each member of that body is set forth to suggest in the spiritual realm.
Then we notice in the Book of Daniel that for the Lord God to manifest the coming Gentile kingdom’s to Nebuchadnezzar, he showed him the figure of the human body! Daniel 2:31 Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. 32 This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,33 His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.
But take note of Daniel’s words of how just that human body was so very powerful that not one of the wise men of Babylon could even perceive of such a thing. And only the Holy Spirit could give Daniel the ability to discern both the image and its meaning! Daniel stated that this image of the human body had a “brightness” that was “excellent,” and a “form” that “was terrible.” Yet is was but a human body!
Nebuchadnezzar, ruling the Babylonian empire, was the head, made of gold. The breast and arms, made of silver, represented the Medes and Persians. The belly and thighs, made of brass, represented Alexander the Great and the Greeks. Lastly, the legs and feet of iron and clay mixed represented the Roman Empire. Then, the Man, Christ Jesus, would come as God in human form and establish the kingdom of God which will never pass away. Amazing! The Lord God manifests the entire Gentile world kingdoms simply by revealing the human body!
Then after thousands of years under the extensive continuance of the law of Moses, God replaces it and its entire system with the human body! Hebrews 10:5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: Think about it! All those snuffers and dishes; all those dietary laws; all those washings, the handling of the blood; all the fabrics and colors that had to be exact! Then – sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not – BUT A BODY! All was done away with in the coming of that Lamb of God, come to take away the sin of the world! John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
And just what was the encouragement that the Lord gave to Joshua, having been left alone without Moses, to lead Israel into battles against the Canaanites? Do we not read that it was but the form of a man appearing to him? Joshua 5:13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? 14 And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant? 15 And the captain of the LORD’S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.
This appearance of God in the form of man was uplifting to Joshua. He knew it was the Lord God, as this man didn’t come in order to take sides! He came to take over! 1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
And what is the one thing that Satan is so determined to possess? – the human body! Matthew 12:43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation. Notice that the demon actually calls the human body, in which he had previously dwelt his “house!” And notice also how dangerous it is to just get morality from religion, and not obtain righteousness! For morality only leaves the man clean of immorality, but empty of the life of the Holy Spirit!
And what was it that set Satan against Michael the archangel? It was the human body of Moses! Jude 8 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. 9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
The only difference between Judas and Peter was the intercession of the Lord Jesus! Satan was only allowed to “sift” Peter, but he was permitted to possess Judas! Luke 22:31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
Compare Christ’s relating to Judas. John 13:21 When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. 26 Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. 27 And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.
Satan and his demonic forces shall possess every human body that is not possessed by the Holy Spirit!
Satan, once himself a mighty angel, gloried in his beauty and might, jealous of that image of the man above his head! Ezekiel 1:26 And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it. For he was walking upon these stones of God’s fiery glory, and therefore wanted to be as God incarnate! Ezekiel 28:14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.
He rebelled at the thought of being but a care-giver to humans made of the dirt, when he was created a glorious celestial being. He did not want to be symbolized by the angels on the mercy seat with their wings outstretched, covering and protecting the blood washed! Isaiah 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
When he said, “I will be like the most High,” he was saying I want to become incarnate, and in man’s body rule the universe! The cancer of Christianity is personal ambition. For Satan, within a human, always wants to be exalted and rule over others. Whereas the Lord Jesus always seeks to humble himself and serve others! Philippians 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
That is how you can discern those in religion, as to who are the Lord’s seed and who are the offspring of the serpent! Matthew 23:33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? Luke 22:26 But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.
The very first thing we find God doing in regards to the human body is bringing it out of the dirt. Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. And the very last thing we read of God doing as regards the human body is bringing it out of the dirt! John 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
Philippians 3:20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
Both the Lord God and all the elect of God shall dwell forever in human bodies! 1Thessalonians 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1 Corinthians 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
Pastor Gene Breed
February 3, 2017
