‘re-think’ No. 20
‘THE 42nd GENERATION’
This ‘re-think’ is to be read with “A People within a people”(#21) & “The Firstfruits”(#24).
This set of verses is usually overlooked by most Christians reading the scriptures . . . they dismiss such genealogies as boring and certainly not important! God has hidden many gems but they are there for the searching out by those aspiring to be ‘kings’ and have authority in God (Proverbs 25:2).
Matthew 1:17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are FOURTEEN GENERATIONS; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are FOURTEEN GENERATIONS; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto CHRIST are FOURTEEN GENERATIONS. This verse gives three groups of fourteen generations which total 42. Checking out the detail of the preceding verses, we can readily see Abraham to David was 14 generations. . . David being No.14. Be sure to only count each name ONCE, we find the next group from David unto the carrying away into Babylon was also 14 generations . . . Jeconias being No.28. Keep counting and you will discover that Jesus is No. 41 or the 13th. of this third group.. Placing this alongside verse 17 where it says that the 42nd. generation is Christ, there appears to be a missing generation. We must find the ‘son’ of Jesus Christ to complete the accuracy of scripture. . . for it will surely be there! These obviously will not be a ‘natural’ child or children, for we know that in the natural, Jesus did not marry. However in the Spirit, it is a different story as we know the Bride of Christ-Jesus is the true Church. Rev.12:5 shows that there is a ‘manchild’ being birthed who is destined for the throne. THE NUMBER “42” IN SCRIPTURE
This number in the Word has a special meaning as do all numbers. God created counting and order of things as seen in Genesis 1:1 ‘in the beginning. . .’ That starts a counting which is things in a certain order. The meaning of ‘42’ is ACHIEVEMENT. For example, the Children of Israel, after leaving Egypt, camped 41 times in the Wilderness. The 42nd. encampment was in the Promised Land. The 42nd. move of God caused this generation to ACHIEVE His promise of inheriting that Land. Similarly when Jerusalem was restored by Nehemiah and helpers, there were 42 groups of workers around the wall ACHIEVING that restoration. Jesus’ ministry lasted three and a half years which is 42 months. He achieved what Father had purposed. 42 = 6 x 7. This ‘achievement’ is accomplished by ‘6’ (man) when, after much processing, is made ‘7’ (perfect). What a glorious provision Jesus Christ made for us at Calvary.
JESUS IS THE EVERLASTING FATHER
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, THE EVERLASTING FATHER, The Prince of Peace. We are all aware that this verse speaks of the LORD JESUS CHRIST . . . the Messiah who was to come. Jesus is given here the title of ‘Everlasting Father’ — for Jesus to receive such a title, it is necessary that He have offspring. Let us clarify something that just might be a problem to some. There is only ONE God and He is the Father of all creation. Jesus came forth from Father-God and was the visible expression of God, who, being Spirit, is invisible. Jesus received the anointing from God, Himself so that He was now called Jesus CHRIST (Christ = the Anointed One). The manifested presence of God in the seen realm — earth, is CHRIST who was Jesus. Jesus was completely one with His Father, the Source of all life. He said, ‘I and My Father are One’. Paul underlines that with his word, ‘He that is joined to the Lord, is one spirit’. The 42nd. Generation is, as we have seen, called ‘CHRIST’ and is the corporate anointed ‘seed-Son’ as we shall see. Rev 21:6 And he said unto me, It is done. I AM ALPHA AND OMEGA, THE BEGINNING AND THE END. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. THIS SHOWS THAT IT IS JESUS SPEAKING. He also used the same description of Himself in Revelation 1:7-8 as well Revelation 22:12-14.
CHRIST . . . Body + Head
Rev 21:7 HE THAT OVERCOMETH SHALL INHERIT ALL THINGS; AND I WILL BE HIS GOD, AND HE SHALL BE MY SON. Here we have the offspring of Jesus! Yes they are those who have overcome the world, the flesh and the devil in their thinking and lives. Who is this ‘SON’? The Overcomer! The corporate Christ in the fullness of the Spirit. 1 Cor 12:12 For as THE BODY IS ONE, AND HATH MANY MEMBERS, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: SO ALSO IS CHRIST. 1 Cor 12:27 Now YE ARE THE BODY OF CHRIST, AND MEMBERS IN PARTICULAR.
JESUS is the Head of this Body
Eph 1:22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave HIM TO BE THE HEAD over all things to the church, (23) WHICH IS HIS BODY, THE FULLNESS OF HIM Eph 1:22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave HIM TO BE THE HEAD over all things to the church, (23) WHICH IS HIS BODY, THE FULLNESS OF HIM THAT FILLETH ALL IN ALL.
‘HIS GENERATION’
Isaiah 53:8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and WHO SHALL DECLARE HIS GENERATION? For he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. Reading in the context, we see that the SEED of Jesus Christ will declare His Generation. Psalm 22:30 A SEED SHALL SERVE HIM; IT SHALL BE ACCOUNTED TO THE LORD FOR A GENERATION. (31) THEY shall come, and SHALL DECLARE his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this. A ‘Seed’ . . . the same as ‘a generation’ . . . ‘they’. . . shall declare Him to the people of our day. Isaiah 61:9 And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that THEY ARE THE SEED WHICH THE LORD HATH BLESSED. This further shows that this generation is the SEED or harvest produced by the preceding generation. Notice here that this generation or ‘seed’ is plural . . . “they”.
A CHOSEN GENERATION
1 Peter 2:9 But YE ARE A CHOSEN GENERATION, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Chosen by God Himself . . . a CORPORATE Son . . . the “ye”, being plural, refers to a many-membered son.
Isaiah 43:5 Fear not: for I am with thee: I WILL BRING THY SEED from the east, and gather thee from the west; (6): I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; (7) Even EVERY ONE THAT IS CALLED BY MY NAME: for I HAVE CREATED HIM FOR MY GLORY, I have formed him; yea, I have made him. This ‘Him’ is certainly corporate and also ‘chosen’ having been ‘called’. Chosen by God before the foundations of the earth were laid . . . chosen to show forth His fullness, His glory . . . for they have come into His Image and Likeness (II Corinthians 3:18).
THE ZION GENERATION
Psalm 102:16 WHEN THE LORD SHALL BUILD UP ZION, HE SHALL APPEAR IN HIS GLORY. (17) He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer. (18) THIS SHALL BE WRITTEN FOR THE GENERATION TO COME: and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD. 21) TO DECLARE THE NAME OF THE LORD IN ZION, AND HIS PRAISE IN JERUSALEM; In passing, Zion is in Jerusalem not the other way round. Zion (Mount Zion) is the highest of the seven hills that are a part of Jerusalem. It speaks of those who have, by appropriating the grace of God, attained a ‘higher’ expression of the Lord. They are separated all through scripture just as there are distinct promises to Zion and Jerusalem, the latter being representative of the Church. ‘Zion’ equates with HIS BRETHREN. Now look at . . . Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that HE MIGHT BE THE First-born AMONG MANY BRETHREN. These ‘brethren’ are His Generation and are also referred to as the elect, the sons of God, the manchild, the Overcomers, the army of the Lord, the Christ (corporate) etc. Now Hebrews 2:13 quotes Isaiah 8:18 Behold, I AND THE CHILDREN WHOM THE LORD HATH GIVEN ME are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, WHICH DWELLETH IN MOUNT ZION. Different promises to ‘brethren’ and the ‘Church’ . . . the ‘children’ dwell in Mount Zion.
MANY ‘SONS’
Back now to Hebrews chapter 2:5 For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. (6) But one in a certain place testified, saying, WHAT IS MAN, that thou art mindful of him? or THE SON OF MAN, that thou visitest him? (7) Thou madest him a little for a little while lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: (8) Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. (end quote from Psalm 8). For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. The ‘feet company’ of saints is the part of the Body (of Christ) that is touching the earth. (9) But WE SEE JESUS, who was made a little for a little while lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. (10) For it became him, FOR WHOM are all things, and BY WHOM are all things, IN BRINGING MANY SONS UNTO GLORY, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. Jesus is bringing many ‘sons’ to glory. His Spirit is changing us from glory to glory into His Image, as we have seen.
CHOSEN, therefore ELECT
The promise is great . . . Jesus said, Matthew 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall GATHER TOGETHER HIS ELECT from the four winds, FROM ONE END OF HEAVEN TO THE OTHER. God’s ‘elect’ are His chosen . . . chosen because they have ‘overcome’ natural thinking with God’s thinking out of the mind of Christ . . . which His people have. (32) Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: (33) So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.(34) Verily I say unto you, THIS GENERATION SHALL NOT PASS, TILL ALL THESE THINGS BE FULFILLED. This chosen ‘generation’, pictured as Mt. Zion, are overcomers like those mentioned in the beginning of the Book of Revelation. These overcomers are in the Church, just like Mt. Zion was in Jerusalem and they will be manifested because Jesus spoke it. This generation is HIS GENERATION, THE 42ND. GENERATION mentioned in Matthew Chapter 1 and it is still being added to. This company of saints will accomplish (achieve) the purpose of God for this hour according to His great plan of the ages.§
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