Jews, Muslims and Jehovah’s Witnesses have a big problem with the Son of God. How could God, a Spirit, take on human flesh and become a man? When we understand the significance of humanity being made in God’s image, and then being estranged from God by sin, the only mediator possible between the warring parties had to be both 100% God and 100% Man.

Jesus Christ, the ‘new Adam,’ was the only person to keep perfectly all the laws of God from cradle to grave. That qualified Him to become a human shield for mankind. His resurrection was the first of what awaits all who claim legal protection under His obedience. He deposed the legal witness for our prosecution, Satan (‘Accuser’), and is now our legal Advocate before the Father.

Those who believe they can justify themselves in God’s courtroom through their own law-keeping have no hope. God sees every corrupt thought, word and deed. These people become just like the Accuser. But those in Christ become Advocates in prayer.

Outside of Jesus Christ, we are God’s enemies and irretrievably condemned under His law. Inside of Christ, we are not only justified and pardoned, but made joint-heirs with His Son who is—quite legally—inheriting the earth.

New Adam is building a new humanity by His Spirit, and nothing can stop Him. If you haven’t done so already, it is high time you claimed your legal pardon and made peace with God through His Son. Your new legal status had an unimaginable price, yet it is offered to you as a gift.

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We know from the history of Noah that the rainbow was not a reminder to man of the Covenant but a reminder to God. [1] A subtle parallel is found in Numbers 16. After the rebellion of Korah, Dathan and Abiram, Moses called for a censer showdown between Aaron and the false priests. The rebels were swallowed by the land, and, as usual, the false priests were consumed by the fire of the Lord. [2]

When the people questioned Moses’ judgment, God sent a plague amongst Israel. Moses sent Aaron, the High Priest wearing the rainbow gems on his chest, with the true censer to stand as mediator between the “living and the dead”, as Adam between the bride and the serpent. [4] The plague was stopped with the acceptable worship of the chosen priest. The true priesthood was confirmed, and the rainbow reminded God of His Covenant once again.

But even the true priesthood would falter.

“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God,
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;

…..he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
…..as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest
…..with a beautiful headdress,
…..and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

…..…..For as the Land brings forth its sprouts,
…..…..and as a Garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up,
……….so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up
……….before all the nations.” (Isaiah 61:10-11) [5]

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[1] See Remember Me.
[2] See The Falling Away.
[3] For more on the gemstones, see Gold, Onyx and Bdellium.
[4] See Fighting Over the Children and Emancipation of Eve. The head is the High Priest’s golden forehead-plate, and the body is the gem-covered breastplate. See Ish and Isha.
[5] Just noticed that this passage of course follows the matrix, which means the chapter division between 61 and 62 shouldn’t be there. 61 ends with the Land-Altar, and 62 begins with the Lampstand. It’s interesting that the priestly/bridal plunder in this poem is at the Passover step. We see both an allusion to the Firmament and also to the plundering of Egypt, except in this case it would be the Persian empire in the book of Esther.

For those who wonder why God doesn’t fix all the wrong in the world right now, C. S. Lewis wrote that when the Author walks onto the stage, the play is over. That is true, but narrow…

God is patient and longsuffering, and does not want anyone to perish. But this disregards the major theme of the Bible, which is the pattern of growth from childhood to maturity. Salvation is certainly central to us, but it is a means to an end, and that end is our development from red earth to glorious metal, from craven sinners to wise judges who not only reflect the Solomon-glory of Christ, but are useful to God. Passover is just the beginning.

The world is a place of Adam-mediators, those who stand in the gap between God and others and demonstrate both His goodness and severity. This requires time, and allows for failure.

80% of the world’s hungry children today are in countries with food surplusses… Why does God not step in and oust these corrupt or inept governments?

That mother and her children, beaten almost daily by an alcoholic husband… Why does God not step in and deal with him?

That minister who intimidates, or fleeces, or even molests people in his congregation… Why does God not step in and incinerate his corrupt priesthood?

That woman who leaves her infant children alone in the car while she spends her grocery money at the casino… Why does God not step in and deal with her?

The answer is, all those in power are mediators. Every one of us has a God-given dominion, and God gives us time to make it flourish–or not. Then, He does step in to evaluate us eventually, in His perfect timing. This is the pattern of Covenants in the Bible. All government, all marriage, all parenting, all employment, all ministry is by nature a covenantal privilege.

Of course, as we also see in the Bible, when God doesn’t step in (such as in Habakkuk), He is accused of being unjust. And then when He does step in (such as in Ezekiel), He is also accused of being unjust. By faith, we know that God is just when He speaks and blameless when He judges (Ps. 51:4) because He has shown us our own condition.

We have a Great Mediator in heaven Who is all wise and all powerful. He knew exactly what He was doing with the domain given to Him at His ascension to the throne of David and it resulted in purification and ascension for the saints, and destruction for His enemies, as He threatened. It brought about the end of the Old Covenant.

Now ruling the world in a similar fashion, we can be confident that He not only knows what He is doing and will bring it to a similarly glorious end for the saints, but that as mediators–Temple bowls–we can approach Him for all the wisdom and strength we need to feed and correct in our given domains, as part of bringing about that glorious end–the victorious end of the New Covenant.

It is certainly the duty of a Christian man to ascend higher than merely to seek and secure the salvation of his own soul . . . If we wish to belong to Christ, let no man be anything for himself. But let us all be whatever we are for each other.

- John Calvin

Why is baptism for both males and females, when circumcision was only for males?

I have been following the Exodus pattern through the Bible, and an offshoot of that was an ‘accidental’ application to baptism. I’ll let you decide whether or not you think it holds water.

There are two ‘waters’ in the exodus pattern, the Red Sea (death) and the Jordan (resurrection).

Both are ‘baptisms’, but circumcision pertains to the Passover, the 2nd feast (unleavened bread). It is exit from the world and entry into a new people. There is blood and then water.

With Jordan, there is water, then blood – Jericho, the first conquest. This second baptism pertains to Atonement, the sixth feast. It is entry into, not a people, but an army. (The order of feasts comes from Lev. 23.)

Sabbath – God’s word through Moses (a single mediator for the people – Adam)

000PASSOVER – a baptism (death) that removes Adam’s sin. A ‘people’ assembled

000000FIRSTFRUITS – Moses ascends to receive the Law

000000000Pentecost – the Law given, the people tested

000000Trumpets – the ‘army’ is assembled and the Law repeated (Deut)

000Atonement - baptism (resurrection) and blood shed that removes ‘Eve’ from sin

BOOTHS – the army makes the Promised Land home (a corporate mediator for the nations – Eve).

Israelite males presented themselves before God at Passover/Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits and Booths. (Exodus 23:14-17) picturing the death, resurrection and marriage of the “bridegroom.” Trumpets summoned the people to prepare for Atonement, making ready the “bride.”

WEPOW