Light House Mission



The Invincible Church

I shared this word at a local Church some time back. I believe it would be of benefit to the Body of Christ at large. As always, the verbal message has much more in content as the written outline below. This material has been reformatted to fit intended audience. With that, it highly advisable to follow along in your Bible as to where and how a certain truth was obtained.

A] Mathew 16: 13-19;

1] The part that interests me is verse 18; I will build My Church and the gates of hell shall NOT prevail against it, (the “it” is the Church).

a] The key word is “prevail”; per Strongs Concordance Greek # 2729; prevail = overcome.

1] The devil/hell will NOT overcome you, although he used to, and he still does to others, but not the Church, however; if we don’t walk in the knowledge and power of God’s Word the devil walks over you.

b] In order to keep this verse in it’s proper context, Peter is declaring by the “word of faith” that Jesus is the Christ, as revealed to him by God the Father through the Holy Spirit. With this same type of faith put into action in Christ, we to can do the same.

c] However, something else seems evident as well. Is it not possible the text may also hint to some extent, to an invincibility of the Church.

After all, is the Lord not the Head of the Church? I’m thinking He never intended the Church to be a weak entity if it was/is to be a part of His Glorious Body. After all, to empower is for the purpose of over-powering, evil, darkness, demonic realm etc.

d] Also, were the Children of Israel not seemingly invincible (when they were walking with God)? I think; Yes. If that’s so, Is there a message here that would help explain perhaps if the Church was meant to be invincible, (if we walk in the power and provision of the New Covenant)?

For us to answer that, a look back in the Old Testament may be in order.

B] Exodus 25: 8; Let them make Me a Sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.

1] Amazing, The Lord wants to dwell with man? In so doing God gives Moses the plan/instructions to build Him a “Dwelling Place”.

2] Verse 10; And thou shall make me an Ark.

a] The first thing God instructed to be made is the “Ark”. (not Noah’s Ark again)

b] The building of the actual Tabernacle (lager structure) itself would not come until later on.

3] Let’s take a cursory look at the Ark first, since God assigned it a first priority.

Note; I was a fan of Erwin Hershburger, deceased, this guy has some unique insights in O.T. Typology, it’s being taught in some Seminary Schools, I learned much from this mighty man of God, credits go to him.

Note; “Type” means or is a comparison of two things, usually revealed in a repetitive pattern. It can be a picture of something known of a deeper picture, unknown.

a] Verse 10; 1st; Thou shall make the Ark of shittim wood.

1] The Ark was made from the acacia tree family, it was referred to as “iron wood”. It was just about indestructible, resultant not prone to rot or decay. This Ark was a wooden box basically, overlaid with pure gold.

2] It perfectly typifies (type- I - fies) Jesus’ earthly Body prepared for incarnation, (birth); Heb. 10:5. Thou has prepared Me a Body and concerning His death, Acts 2:27, Thy Holy One to not see corruption, (rotting in the ground after death).

b] Verse 11; it was to be completely overlaid with gold within and without.

1] This wood, Christ in human body form being overlaid with pure gold which portrays Christ’s “Deity”.

c] Putting this together, The Ark itself Typifies Christ, [the wood represents His humanity (flesh) and the gold typifies His Deity] (God).

1] Jesus was no hybrid, half man and half God. He was fully man and fully God at the same time, or else He wouldn’t have been able to be our Eternal Sacrifice.

d] Verse 10; The Ark shall be 2 cubits and a half in length, a cubit and a half the breath and height. A cubit was approx. 18”,

1] Since the Lord introduced the ½ cubit into the equation is there something He wants us to see?

Consider; could these dimensions be just arbitrary? God never does anything without thought and purpose, it’s up to us to find out what it is. Per Erwin H.

a] 2 and ½ cubits length = (5) ½ cubits. (5 is the # representing Grace)

b] 1 ½ cubits depth and height = (3) ½ cubits. (3 is # for the Trinity) Divine completion

c] Vertical girth = 4X 1-1/2 cubits = (6) cubits (6 the number of man) Man was made on 6th day, 666= number of man.

d] Horiz girth = 2 X 2-1/2 cubits plus 2 X 1-1/2 cubits come out to 8 cubits. (8 is the number for New Beginnings)

2] While some may view the numbers as speculation to a certain degree, however the truth they portray surely represent a great truth. The wrap; Bible declares; The Trinity (3) by Grace (5) offers man (6) a New beginning (8).

II Cor. 5:17; if any man be in Christ he is a New Creature, old things are passed away, behold all things are become New. That’s fact.

3] This a classic example of how the New Testament reveals the hidden truths of the Old Testament.

4] As we discussed the Ark represents the “Person of Jesus”.

5] Exodus 25:17; Thou shalt make a Mercy Seat of pure gold.

a] The Mercy Seat, which was the cover over the Ark, emphasizes “His Purpose”

b] Why? Because the validity of His Atonement rest equally upon His Godhood (being God) and His Manhood (being a man). Both are essential as a “Base” for the Mercy Seat. (ref. Romans 3:25).

6] Exodus 25:22; And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the Mercy Seat.

a] God would use this Ark and the Mercy Seat as a place for His presence to dwell. Per Jewish Commentary, Jesus actually sat on this Mercy Seat. The Jewish Commentary has much to say about this.

7] Exodus 40:21; And he brought the Ark into the Tabernacle.

a] The Tabernacle was finally completed, and the Ark was placed in the Holy of Holies.

8] Joshua 6:4,8; And seven Priests shall bear before the Ark seven trumpets,

a] The Ark (representative of the Presence of God) accompanied the Israelites into battle in the conquest of Jericho.

b] As a matter of fact, when they carried the Ark into battle (while they followed the Lord), they could not be overcome/defeated! Take this to heart, when we follow God we win, if we turn from God we lose battles.

c] Now that the groundwork has been laid, the rest of the story.

9] So what happens now that the Tabernacle and the Temple are both gone? Has the Presence of God nowhere to reside?

a] John 2:19; Jesus said, destroy this temple (Concordance ref. 3485) and 3 days I will raise it up. See Verse 21; but He spake of the Temple (3485) of His Body.

b] Theologians (smart folks in the Bible knowledge, Perry Stone is one) have noted, the layout of the Tabernacle or Temple actually is a picture/parallel to the way our body was made by the Lord.

c] The Tabernacle (means dwelling place) comprised of 3 parts; 1- the outer court, 2- the inner court, 3- the Holy of Holies, of which the Ark of the Covenant was kept.

d] Apostle Paul picks up on this; I Thes. 5:23; Paul’s prayer about our spirit, soul and body.

1] Our spirit (inner man of the heart) corresponds to the Holy of Holies.

2] Our soul (mental faculties) corresponds to the inner court

3] Our body (outward man, flesh) corresponds to the outer court of the Tabernacle.

e] John 2:19; Through the Lord’s death a New Temple was raised up (3485) Greek, one not made with human hands. In other words not made with brick and stone.

1] Strongs Conc. says Temple (3485) = dwelling place of the Holy Spirit

a]. Paul says in II Cor. 6:16b; for “you” are the Temple (note 3485) of the Living God.

b] As we now know, the Ark of the Covenant (Gold overlaid wood box) used to dwell in the Temple of old made with brick and mortar, but it now resides in a “New Temple”, of which we are, hence, The Presence and Power of God now resides in us, (not the golden box, or old Temple)!

c] Can we see this significance. Knowing truth is good, knowing why something is the truth is better?

2] I Chron. 15:15; And the children of the Levites bare the Ark of God upon their shoulders with staves.

a] It’s about how we handle (get it, staves?) the Presence of God in our lives. It is to be born with the utmost respect in “carrying” the Presence of God.

b] Prior chapter noted the presence of God could not be lowered to a cart level, He has to be received in the most exalted place our heart and life.

c] This verse confirms this; I Cor. 3:17; if any man defile the Temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the Temple of God is Holy, which Temple you are.

d] I John 4:4; Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world. Yes, the presence of God now resides in every child of God.

f] Last; Is there any possibility that we the dwelling place of God now, should be any less powerful than when the Israelites carried the Presence of God “represented” by the Ark into battle.

g] Have we answered the question? And the gates of hell shall not prevail against you. Shalom

“Footnote”

If you feel this outline has enriched you in some way, please drop this Ministry a line to let us know on our Contact Page/E-mail, Blessings, Pastor Tom

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