Our Lord, Our Eternal City of Refuge

2003-12-23 20:48

We are under the eternal redemption because our Lord has become a high priest forever in the order of Melchizedek and has an unchangeable priesthood. Because now our high priest cannot die again and lives forever, we can work out our complete salvation, as it is written in the Bible, "For it is declared: 'You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:17).'" It is written, "but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them (Hebrews 7:24-25)."

The Bible says about those who were redeemed from the slavery of Egypt--the slavery of sin--but could not enter the city of refuge--God's rest, "So I declared on oath in my anger, 'They shall never enter my rest (Hebrews 3:11).'" And also it says, "For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith (Hebrews 4:2)." They heard the message but did not combine it with faith because they denied the substance of gospel, following the vanity of gospel. If God says that we are justified, we become justified. It is the word of God.

Although it was testified that Moses was very humble, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth, Moses was angry at the waters of Meribah when trouble came to Moses because of the people. It is written that when God brought the people of Israel from Egypt to Canaan--from death to life, He tested them at Massah and contended with them at the waters of Meribah. At that time, having trouble to bear the complaint of the people, Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, "Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?" Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.

Because of this incident, Moses only saw the land of Canaan but could not enter the promised land. It is written, "But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 'Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them (Numbers 20:12).'"

It is written that Satan disputed with the archangel Michael about the body of Moses, considering it as his property. It is evident that the archangel Michael took the body of Moses by God's command. It is because Moses appeared before the Lord with Eliah on the sacred mountain.

The body of Moses disappeared from the world, and to this day no one knows where his grave is. It is written, "And Moses the servant of the LORD died there in Moab, as the LORD had said. He buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is (Deuteronomy 34:5-6)."

The people of Israel were redeemed from Egypt, but they all died in the desert except Joshua and Caleb, who crossed the Jordan. The Bible says about it, "They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert (1 Corinthians 10:2-5)." Also today, it is still a warning to many people whose sins are forgiven by the grace of Christ.

Therefore, the Bible says to all people in the world, whose sins are forgiven, "Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience (Hebrews 4:11)." Anyone who has entered the city of refuge rests from his own work. It is written, "for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his (Hebrews 4:10)."

We are in Christ Jesus--the city of refuge, and Christ Jesus is in God. At the time of a copy of the true one, after the high priest dies, the accused returned from the city of refuge to his land and sinned again. However, because now the high priest will never die, anyone who leaves the city of refuge goes to eternal death.

Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, but there is condemnation, that is, death for those who are not in him. For anyone who is in Christ Jesus--the city of refuge, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin because the law of the Spirit of life inside the city set him free from the law of sin and death outside the city.

This is the mystery of God, namely, Christ the eternal high priest. For those who are in the eternal city of refuge, the world has been crucified to them, and they to the world. Those who have crossed over from death to life get eternal citizenship and live a new life.

We hear the Lord's voice outside the city of refuge and are sealed with the Holy Spirit inside it. And yet all these works were already finished in Christ Jesus by God before the creation of the world. It is written, "For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: 'So I swore in My wrath, They shall not enter My rest,' although the works were finished from the foundation of the world (Hebrews 4:3)."

The Bible says about it, "Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall (2 Peter 1:10)." And also the Lord said by his apostle, "Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12)." Thank you, Lord.

The least brother, Kim Yun-gu