HEAVEN'S DESCENDERS

(Part 5)

#140.01

WHO WANTS TO GO TO HELL WITH ME?

In reply to the question our topic asks -- I don't see many with raised hands or hear the thundering sound of eager amens. I will ask again later.

We saw in our previous issues the difference between descending from heaven and being cast out of heaven. Descending with life is an honor, while being cast down from life is a humiliating disgrace. Those who dwell in the secret place of the Most High are the ones who will descend, while those of vaunting pride will be cast down. If they persist in their own efforts of ascension, they will meet the fire of God, which can come in various forms; but His Word, His Spirit, and His messengers are common flames of his presence. They shall be cast from the high places to which they had climbed; for they had "boldly" gone where so many men had gone before, and declared -- "I am God!" (See Heaven's Descenders, Parts 3 & 4).

It is good that we know who our Father is, and being His offspring certainly gives us the same nature; but let us not be proud gods of our own making. Moreover, there is nothing wrong with desiring to go to heaven. It is an honorable goal. If our habitation is not already in that lofty place, then by all means, let us desire it with our every fiber. But remember -- there is a proper way of ascending, and that proper way is in Jesus Christ. It is always in oneness and in union with Him. Ascending by any other means makes a person a thief and a robber (John 10:1). No one, no not one person, can ascend into heaven by his or her own efforts and merits of worth and expect to remain. If such were possible, we might expect dogs to ascend and become humans. One is just as likely, or impossible, as the other.

A few are reluctant to accept the humble way and say that Psalm 82 tells us that we are gods, and children of the Most High. I am very aware of that passage of scripture; but those verses speak very ignobly of fallen men. They are called gods because they, like God, have a creative mind, they can weigh a situation and judge the matter, and they have power and rule over the nations. That is what the elohim are without Christ Jesus -- fallen gods. Those verses relate to how the whole world is out of course because of the ungodly rule of the gods. Those gods are those who were cast down to the ground, and it is from there that they rule. It is with that stricken rule of death that they weaken and bring the nations down with them. So go ahead, ye gods, and say in your hearts, "I will ascend above the stars of God," if you will, it does not make you God. You are still men, Adam, and you will meet Heaven's Humble Descenders, God's firebrands, coming down.

The difference between the two is so unique. Those of Adam grapple in pride and do everything they can to ascend higher and higher, while those in Christ bow humbly as they descend into the earth. Although they love the peace of it all, they know they are not to remain in that place of bliss. From those high places they can see humanities need, and with love's command they descend.

We see this ascending and descending portrayed in a dream long ago. Jacob saw the angels of God -- messengers, you and me -- ascending and descending upon the Ladder, and this was with God standing above it (Gen 28:12-13). "...Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man." (John 1:51). He is that Ladder Jacob saw in the dream, and the Lord God was over it. He was, and is, the ruling factor over our ascending and descending.

The word, above, in "God stood above it" in Genesis 28:13 is the same Hebrew word, al, that is used in Gen 42:6 -- "And Joseph was the governor over (al) the land...." This signifies more than a mere place one is standing. It indicates a position of authority, one of rule, of dominion. It is the same with Jesus when He "...ascended up ⁽¹⁾far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)" (Eph 4:10).

Jesus ascended far above all heavens, which would be above all other ruling factions, and this would be above in the sense of rank (authority). It is not speaking of merely ascending higher than the rest. Not only that, His ascension was so that He could fill all things that he rules over .

Do we by any stretch of the imagination know what that three-word statement, fill all things, means? Do we know what fill means? How about all, and also things? Do we fully comprehend the meaning of these small words? Of course, we do! Everyone knows the meaning of these little words! But when we put them together, with Jesus Christ being the filler, a few people quickly back up. They retreat to their age-old dogmas. In their deeply etched minds, they assume it is impossible for Jesus to really fill all things. If He should do such a thing, it would mean that everyone, everywhere would someday be filled to the brim by Jesus Christ, the Anointed Son of God. And that would play havoc on their doctrines of eternal hellfire and damnation to which they assign the majority of humanity. That just won't do for many. Even so, it is true! Jesus ascended far above all heavens, and He is destined to fill all things.

He has already ascended far above our heavens, and He has filled all things in each of them. If you happen to feel that He hasn't, I can safely say that He will reign over them until He does. You can count on it. And so it will be with the rest of mankind, yet every man in his own order -- the anointed firstfruits, those who are His at His coming, and finally the end rank (1 Cor 15:22-27). It is then that "...ALL THINGS shall be subdued unto Him...that God may be ALL in ALL" (1 Cor 15:28). Ah, there's that tiny word again -- ALL! But when we see the scope of it, the word is not so small. It's as large as life itself!

Indeed, Jesus ascended far above all heavens that He might fill everything in each of them. But not only that, He was the same who first descended (Eph 4:10), not cast out as was the first Adam, but descended. In doing so, He took heaven with him into Adam's world of darkness, of toil, of tears, heartache, sorrow, and of death. It was there, in the heart of hell, in the lower parts of the earth, that He descended and led captivity captive. He conquered everything that held men captive and replaced them with gifts of love that would bring life and liberty. These gifts were apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. These priceless gifts were not given for the purpose of enslaving the saints by another religion, but to free them by making sure they were filled with the One who is free. That message, however, seems to have been missed; for the citizens of God's Kingdom are being made prisoners and held captive by the very ones who should be setting them free.

Therefore, it is imperative that someone goes to hell! And who might that someone be? It is you and me, brothers and sisters. We have been prepared and made ready to go to hell! Those held in the prisons of the lower parts of the earth are awaiting our advent. I am ready! I am anxious to depart! Are you ready? Who wants to go to hell with me? If we don't go, they will never be made free. Their captivity will never be led captive. We must be Heaven's Descenders; for until that momentous day comes, the sick and forlorn of the world will remain pandemic.

The sin laden lepers despise their condition, yet they lack the power to deliver themselves. Their horrid plight will remain if there is no manifestation in the earth. Upon our descent from heaven as raining/reigning power, they, like the leper who cried out to Jesus, will plead for and receive their long awaited deliverance. Hallelujah!

Until Jesus descended into the earth, the sick and destitute had no hope. They had no means to lift themselves from the dark pits of earth's entangling mire. If we stay in our high and lofty places, we can't help them. It does them no good for us to look down from our glorious heights, and with pity, whisper in muffled prayer, "Poor souls." If we do not go to them, they will be resigned to stay there. However, once we leave our comfortable abode and descend into hell, hope will rebound for all.

Ah, but let us not get too hasty. We cannot descend until our Lord gives the command; for He rules over our ascending and descending. The ladder is in His charge. It is He who gives us the word to or not to do. I am reminded of what our dear friend, Daniel Sutton, shared recently. He said he saw a vision of the Body of Christ as an army. The men had been well trained and equipped with all the necessities of war, and they were standing in formation, waiting for the General to come and give them their orders. He soon came out to address His soldiers, and rather than hearing what they had expected, He said -- "Stand by, men. Stand by." (Do not click, but hold cursor over red letters for scripture reference.)

Disappointment could be seen on their faces; for they were trained for war. Victory was coursing through their veins; but they could do nothing. They had to stand by.

Some of the men became impatient and ventured forth alone. They found the enemies and battles that they had sought, however, they were enemies and battles of their own making. They were not the real ones. Even so, they continued on in their perpetual battles against enemies akin to Don Quixote's windmills. They were busy about much business; but it was not their Commander's business,  ⁽²for His word was to stand by.

Others who could not wait went to town, and some headed back to the barracks to sleep. Many could be seen falling away, going A.W.O.L, and becoming entangled again with the cares of the world. The remaining ones, however, continued to stand by. They did not break ranks, and regardless of how long they had to stand by, they stood by. It was out of the question to move until they heard the word from their General to do so. It mattered not if they understood the purpose of the delay, they knew enough to be still, and they knew He was God, their Commander, that He would be exalted among the heathen, and He would be exalted in the earth (Psa 46:10). They were as the priests of Israel when it was time to go into the Promised Land to conquer all the enemies -- rather than advancing, they were told to stand still in Jordan, meaning, the Descender (Joshua 3:8). And again, "...Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD..." (Exo 14:13).

And now, with patience we stand still as we await the command for us to descend and free all those appointed to death (Psa 102:20). In bated breath we pray: "O Lord, descend in me that I may descend into the world, else the plague of sin will forever remain. Make my path straight and my hands able. Trust me with the keys of the Kingdom of heaven, and of death and hell. Help me to open the passage so that life and liberty may be made known." And although we must for a season stand by, those keys, my brethren, we shall duly have.

In many ways we already possess those keys; yet I speak not for our sake; but for the sake of others. It is so they will live. I speak of those keys that fit the slot in the gates of other people's hells, and when we hold them firmly in all the power and authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, those gates shall not prevail.

I can tell you today, and with all sincerity, the gates of hell -- pain, sorrow, suffering, sickness, anguish, worry, depression, sin, hatred, death, ad infinitum -- shall vanish in the presence of Heaven's Descenders. For they shall possess not only the keys of the Kingdom of heaven, of death and hell, but the keys to all the gates of all our enemies (Gen 22:17, Gen 24:60). It matters not what the enemy might be, each one will be vanquished and left with nothing to stand on. In the presence of the living ones, there will be no more tears; for God will have wiped them all away. There shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for all the former things related to death will have passed away, as we read in Revelation 21:4. Where there was only hope, reality will prevail. No longer will the gates of sorrow and suffering hold one prisoner, no not one; for those dark gates shall not prevail against the Church of Jesus Christ (Mat 16:18-19). Our God will not permit such an eternal pit of despair. His word commands otherwise: "As the dew of Hermon that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore" (Psa 133:3).

God's descending dew is refreshing life to all the kingdoms of Zion. There is not a great deal said about Mount Hermon, from where Life is commanded to descend; but we understand that it is the place of our Lord's transfiguration. We also understand that in that momentary event Jesus prefigured what is in store for those who are lifted to that high place from the plains of Jordan.

Many mysteries are veiled in this mountain of northern Israel, the transfigurations being one of them. We can look by the Spirit into its mysteries and see what will transpire with every Son of God, yet it begins much earlier than this mountain. From the time of Jesus' birth we can trace our own life; or perhaps I should say, our death. He indeed was the Lord of Life; but we can't help from noticing He was always dying. For instance, He first died to Heaven's glory as He descended from the Father and was born of a woman in the form of the first Adam. Secondly, at the Jordan river, His baptism prefigured His next three and a half years. Upon rising from that watery grave He spent the next forty days in the wilderness without food or shelter. He then died to earth's glory by rejecting the temptation to rule every kingdom of the earth. As the Son of God He had everything the earth had to offer. At His word there would be an unlimited supply of the finest foods (Mat 4:3). He could rise to the highest pinnacle of the temple, never having to fear falling from that prestigious place of grandeur (Mat 4:5). And all the kingdoms of the world were His for the taking (Mat 4:8); but He died to those things. He refused them all.

He died to the glory He had with the Father before the world was, along with everything the world had in store. And thirdly, He died to His own glory. His very Sonship as a walking, talking, breathing, living Son of God with flesh, blood, and bone had to be relinquished. He laid it down in order for creation to live. He had to die to everything. He could not remain in the glory and power of the heavens and do us any good. That realm was too far removed from carnal man to be apprehended by the first Adam. He descended and then turned from the wonder-filled life and glory the world had to offer. And finally, He laid down His own Sonship on Golgotha, the hill of the skull, the place humanity's mind and will forever die.

Great as Jesus was, as long as He was a physical man, He could be along side of us, but not in us. He could change our thinking, but not our nature. He could change circumstances but not our lives. He could change our acts but not our hearts. Therefore, Jesus had to descend even farther to do us any good. It was imperative for Him to die and descend into the lowest parts of the earth. Then in His rising He was able to inhabit our very being; namely -- His many mansions! And please, don't expect this master carpenter to be preparing a mansion of natural gold and gems for you to live in some glad day; for you will never see such a carnal structure. You, my dear friends are the mansions, the many abodes, He is preparing for you to inhabit with Him.

Jesus, being the Son of God, rose to the highest place of power and authority in the world, and His transfiguration on that high mountain was a testimony to this fact. Every aspect of supreme rule was His for the taking, but He refused to lay hold of it. Although in the form of God, He would not take it unto Himself. He humbly laid it down, and from that lofty place He descended, not to dethrone Caesar, Herod, or Pilate. Although He could have, He became obedient unto death. Rather than choosing to sit in their place of reign, He descended from that mountain and came under their tyrannical authority, even unto the death of the cross. He died unjustly in the hands of their earthly rule which was rightly His.

JORDAN -- THE DESCENDER

There are many very unique and interesting things about Mount Hermon; among them is the Jordan river which springs from its base. This river is a type. It is the issue of death resulting from Adam's sin and being driven from Eden. It was this river that rolled back in a heap when Joshua and Caleb were ready to pass over. When the priests who bore the ark stepped into the muddy waters, they rolled all the way back to the city of Adam (Josh 3:16). When the time comes, at the end of this age for those bearing the ark to take the land, death will be no obstacle for them. Notice how far back death ceases to flow -- all the way back to Adam. In this foreshadowing demonstration alone, we can see how far reaching the Life of the Jesus Christ is.

This grand display of Life over death is such a shock to that descending realm -- it is cut off all the way to Adam. What shaking! Something akin to the earthquake which rolled the stone from our Lord's tomb of death (Mt. 28:2) when He preached to and freed all those who had died from Noah back to Adam. And we are reminded of the one that immediately opened the prison doors, loosening everyone's bands and freeing them (Acts 16:26). It is like the one John saw darkening the sun of man's glory (Rev. 6:12). And it is not unlike the great earthquake which was not seen since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great (Rev. 16:18). Brethren, as the common expression has it, "We ain't seen nothin' yet" -- but we will! "For it is for an appointed time, and at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry" (Hab. 2:3).

The Jordan river has varied aspects that lend itself to death, and its origin is one of them. At the very onset we see that two rivers merge to form the one. The first half of it is birthed north of Hermon in the eastern slopes of the Lebanon mountains of Syria. The other half comes from the southern side of Hermon in Israel. This world-renowned river is like the sons of Adam -- Cain and Abel, Ishmael and Isaac, Esau and Jacob -- which are tributaries to every citizen. They minister their own substance to everyone born in the world -- good and evil. Although bitter enemies, they are always mingled and flowing together in everyone born of Adam. Like the one tree in the garden which brought death, they are continually vying for dominion, and regardless of which fruit is eaten, the end is always the same -- death.

Both heads of this river are enormous and very promising -- gushing with cold, crystal-clear springs -- but like the sons of Adam, the water does not remain so pure. The springs of Hermon (Jacob) mix with that which comes out of Syria (Esau), and flowing as a double minded man through the earth the river soon picks up silt and debris in its descending journey to the plains of Jordan. It temporarily fills the sea of Galilee, where life and commerce abound in great abundance. From there it flows out and continues southward until it makes its way down to the plains of Moab, past Jericho, and finally to the Dead Sea where its end is found.

Almost every aspect of the Jordan ministers greatly to mankind in that part of the world. It typifies man's natural life flowing into the world from the time of Adam's fall. It is a good thing for the man of the earth; but for the man from the heavens, the Spiritual man, like the letter of the word, there is no real life. And looking a little more closely at this river and the sea that it feeds, the Sea of Galilee, we can see why:

The name Jordan comes from the Hebrew word, Yarden, which means, to flow down, a descender. It comes from the root yarad, meaning to descend (literally to go downwards; or conventionally to a lower region as to the enemy; figuratively, to fall) (Strong's Exhaustive Concordance). This river, like the death it represents, continually spirals downward, always picking up earthy minerals and waste, until reaching its lowest point in the earth. It is there that all the filth, carnality, and lifelessness of the world is deposited. In the lowest depression of the earths crust, 1,306 feet below sea level, the Descender ceases to flow as it spills into the Dead Sea where no motion of life remains.

GALILEE -- THE CIRCUIT OF THE GENTILES

Between the beginning and the end of that river is the Sea of Galilee. Naturally speaking, there has been a lot of activity in this sea. It has afforded livelihood for many over the ages. But let us not ignore the spiritual realm of humanity that it must represent. We especially notice this when the meaning of the name of the sea is brought to light. GALILEE means, "THE CIRCLE, or CIRCUIT OF THE GENTILES" (Strong's and other authorities). Isaiah 9:1 also speaks of Galilee pertaining to the world: "Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations." Like the Jordan river, Adam has flowed down from both sides of the high mountain of God, feeding every realm of humanity -- the mountains, valleys, plains, and the seas. There is a time when this river (of death) empties into a bed and temporarily swells, giving the appearance of a life-giving body in the form of THE SEA OF GALILEE; but as the name signifies, it is the Sea of the Gentile's Perpetual Circuit of Death. Until the Life of the Son of God pulls people from that sea, there is a futile circuit they travel, which always brings them back to the lifeless place they started, yet continuing ever downward to the lowest level on the face of the earth -- THE DEAD SEA. It was here, near the mouth of the Dead Sea, that Jesus was baptized. From there He began His ascent, and did not stop until he reached the very pinnacle of death -- MOUNT HERMON.

Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee six times during His walk as a Son (Unger's Bible Dictionary, map). In the same manner He turned the water of the six waterpots of stone into wine, signifying His crossing of the wide gulf of the six dispensations of man. At the wedding each stone-hewn age of man was filled with the natural life-sustaining water, but when Jesus descended, He in type reached all the way back to Adam and turned all that water into the Life-Quickening wine of His Spirit. He showed us at that time, at the wedding feast, that there would be a day, when all those consumed in death, all the way back to its origin, would be quickened by the wine of His Life.

Repeatedly, Jesus made an open show that death was coming to an end. He sailed back and forth across the sea of humanity performing miracles upon it and all along its coasts. In that region He healed the sick and lame, cast out demons, walked over boisterous waves, and raised the dead.

It was during one of those trips with His disciples, "...there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm" (Mark 4:37,39).

There are times of darkness when we also find ourselves crossing the foreboding sea of humanity's circuit, and it is common for troubling storms to blow without a moment's notice. There are other times that the wind which sweeps over our lives is much more extreme, even unto death. The billowing waves pound relentlessly upon our breaking vessels. In the midst of its fury, it looks as if all will be lost; and with Jesus asleep in the back of the ship, we may think that He isn't even concerned about it. But like those of little faith that frightful night, we forget that He always accomplishes what His Father sends Him to do. If He is sent to cross the circuit of death to the other side, He will cross over and will lose none who travel with Him. In the course, as it was that dark night of death's storm, Jesus arises, rebukes the wind, says to the sea, "Peace, be still," the wind ceases, and there is a great calm -- all is quieted (Mark 4:39).

When The Voice of the Son of God is heard, it is always obeyed. When the Spirit moved and God said, "Let there be light," there was light. When the Spirit moved and God said, "Let the waters bring forth," the waters brought forth. And when the Spirit moved and God said, "Let the earth bring forth," the earth obeyed and brought forth.

At any given time or situation, when Jesus spoke, death obeyed and ceased to be. After calming death's threat in the midst of the sea, and upon His arrival to the other side, we again see Jesus dealing with things that pertain to that realm in which He descended.

GADARENES -- THE GARDEN OF MAN

This dark place was in the country of the Gadarenes where the man who had lived among the tombs, and was possessed by a legion of demons, recognized Him as the Son of the most high God. He ran to Jesus and worshiped Him, and begged for mercy. This man in all his ferocity could not be subdued, not even with shackles and chains. All human efforts of legalism failed to transform him. Even he would cut himself with stones (of the law), attempting to control his wanton nature; but the law could never change a man from what he is. There was no hope for this mad-man who lived on the banks of the Galilee -- Man's Circuit of Death. The tombs of the Gadarenes were his perpetual habitation. They were his prevailing gates of hell, his impassible gulf, his ever-abiding habitation; that is, until Jesus came with the keys of death & hell. Life released him from that horrible pit of everlasting torment (ref. Mark 5:1-16).

We will take a moment to notice a couple of things about GADARA, the ruling city of the Gadarenes: First, it was the capital of Persia, which would apply to Adam as the head of humanity. Second, Gadara is another form of GENNESARET (Mat 14:34). This name comes from the Greek word GENNESIS, which means, "a begetting, engendering; nativity, birth. Some related words are: GENNEMA; that which has been begotten or born, the offspring, progeny. GENNETOS; begotten, born. GENOS; offspring, family, stock, race; the aggregate of many individuals of the same nature, kind, sort, species..." (Thayer's). Each of these speak of one thing: genes, genesis, generations, beginnings, humanity's origin, or simply -- ADAM, THE GARDEN OF MAN.

In Eden, the Garden of God, the first Adam lifted himself in pride and said, "I am God" (Ezek 28:9). He exerted his deadly power of death, and that is the realm wherein he has reigned. In Gadara, the Garden of Man, the last Adam descended and said, I am meek and lowly" (Mat 11:29). In humility, He did not regard equality with God a thing to be exploited. But rather, He made Himself a servant of no reputation (Phil 2:6-8). In this descended form, He demonstrated His authority over the power of death in the first Adam, and it is in this power of Life wherein He reigns.

There were other times when Jesus ruled over death in or around the Sea of Galilee, which gives us a glimpse of His authority as the Son of God. After being persuaded to leave the land of the Gadarenes by the disgruntled mob of swine herders and others of that region, He crossed back over to the other side and raised from death the twelve year old daughter of one of the synagogue's rulers (Mark 5:35-42). On His way to her deathbed, the woman who had an issue of blood for twelve years was also healed (Mark 5:25-29). The stroke of death coursed its way through the very veins of life in the woman's body, i.e. the blood; but after twelve years, death met its death. Likewise with the damsel of twelve years, although dead, she was raised to life.

At the age of twelve, Jesus rose with authority and was about His Father, doing whatever it was that He heard Him say. Brethren, after twelve (figuratively) years of death, the time comes to start hearing the Voice of our Father and Live. If you are not yet twelve years old (spiritually speaking), you will hear mostly the voice of your mother, whether she is Babylon the mother of harlots, or she is New Jerusalem the Heavenly City. When the Father does speak, and if you are not of age, His voice may be as the sound of thunder. You may not comprehend a word He says. The mysteries of His Kingdom will be as foreign to you as Christ is to the carnal mind.

Death flows as a vein of stricken blood into the Sea of Galilee (the Circuit of the Gentiles), making its mortal rounds in the world of humanity, and death swarms its shores as a perpetual pestilence -- nevertheless, Jesus destroys every aspect of that noxious disease. Jesus was, and still is, the Death to death. When He walked the shores of death, death relinquished its grip. He calmed its fury when He said, "Peace, be still." He cast out the demons of death from the man in the tombs of Gadara, and the unclean swine were choked in the sea from whence death abounds. The issue of bad blood was healed; the dead girl was raised; He fed 5,000 the fishes and the loaves in the regions of death; He walked upon the boisterous waves of the circuit of the gentiles; He passed over the avenue of death, putting death under His feet. All this was easily done since the unstable, vacillating, watery world of mankind was not His foundation. His foundation was His Father, the anointed Spirit of the heavenly Dove. He didn't sink into the ever dispersing waters of death, for His abode was the heavens. His foundation was not earthly but heavenly. That unstable world which pertained to the earth could neither support nor threaten Him.

From the first day in the Jordan river He began His triumphant journey and continuing victory over death. As surely as the first Adam overcame life by killing it with death (becoming the first death) -- Jesus overcame death. He swallowed it up with Life (making Him the Second Death).

While pondering this thought, consider also the overcomers who stand upon the sea of glass mingled with fire, and bringing into manifestation Life's judgment upon the sea of death (Rev 15:2-4). In victory, every impure thing vanishes from the circuit of humanity, there is nothing left to hide. All that is seen in the transparent world is fire, the glory of God's Life mingled throughout. Jesus must have been speaking of this when He said, "For every one shall be salted with fire..." (Mark 9:49). What a glorious thing to behold -- the manifestation of the Descending Sons of Fire walking upon the Sea of Humanity and Christ liberating and transforming every inhabitant to the same glorious image as Himself (Rom 8:19-21,29).

Since Jesus came to destroy all death, along with the one who had power of death, the devil, it was only fitting for Him to demonstrate His authority over it in the river and the sea which typifies the death-laced world of mankind. Before bringing the victory of Life to its fullness in humanity, He laid the foundation first in seed form. In type, He demonstrated in various ways His power over death, and with each case it was as a seed sown in the field of the world for an example of what He would harvest at the end of the age. They are simple allegories; but many fail to see it, and they certainly can't imagine all these things being fulfilled by the Sons of promise. Nevertheless, the seed has been sown, and nothing can stop it from coming forth. It is like our dear friend Maxine Roby said, "All the unbelief in Israel could not stop Jesus from being born." And let us add, neither can all the unbelief in the Church of this day stop the descent and manifestation of the Sons of God in glory! Many believe they will be ascending; but not so, we will be descending. Though it may tarry, we shall write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that they may live who hear the Voice of the Son of God. In the day of its appointment it shall speak, and not lie. Wait for it, if need be, because it will come! (Hab 2:2-3). Can you hear His Voice? Do you believe it? Then say amen and be glad that it will be said: "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined" (Isa 9:2). "And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it" (Mat 28:2). The stone of the door, the gates of hell, did not prevail.

We read again -- "Now that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things." (Eph 4:9-10). Once more I ask -- who wants to go to hell with me? Hmm... Quite a number now. Praise God!

To be continued...  

Home | Elwin's Directory | Margit's Directory | Links

To be placed on our mailing list to receive our studies in booklet form, write to:

The Pathfinder
Elwin & Margit Roach
PO Box 4004
Alamogordo, NM 88311-4004

(Feel free to submit the names of those who would like to receive these studies)

1. far above: huperano...above upward, i.e. greatly higher (in place or rank)

2. "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity" (Mat 7:21-23).