TO BE A LIVING SACRIFICE

Transcription

1 TO BE A LIVING SACRIFICE April 2015 Rian Cilliers

2 TO BE A LIVING SACRIFICE CONTENT PREFACE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. The image of animal sacrifice 2 2. The knife that cuts 7 3. Animal sacrifice versus other images Characteristics of a sacrifice Dying of man s surroundings Principles behind the sacrificial image The soul facing God Man s ruling soul has to die Death to man s flesh God s wisdom in the death of the enemies 40 44

3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY TO BE A LIVING SACRIFICE When man s soul wishes to hear God s voice continually and listen to what He has to say through man s spirit, man has to know what man s attitude towards God ought to be when approaching him. Man has to be humble, receptive, expectant and obedient continually, just as a child. Man s soul must be quite attentive to God s interactions through man s spirit, obeying the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Man s soul has to have an attitude of dependence on God. In short, man has to learn how to be a living sacrifice, that is, how to die continually in man s old nature, where man s soul initiates own activities in own strength and abilities through the body without first sensing what Christ has to say. When man looks upon God, and hear Christ s voice, man s flesh dies. Man s flesh dies even further when man obeys what Christ instructs. Christ s words dropped into man s spirit give light, for example to move man through difficult situations. God s words bring revelation knowledge of what to do, and this revelation knowledge is light. This light also overcomes the activities of the fallen angels and the world which Christ has already overcome. When man s soul hears God s voice through his spirit, and obeys God, the spirit of Christ inside of man is raised, elevated, to a ruling position, while the enemies of the spirit of Christ is downgraded to a lower priority. Death and resurrection, the pathway of Christ, the Lamb of God, to the cross, where the cross is Christ s altar, is God s way of moving man s being back to a healthy priority order of God first, spirit second, soul third and body last. Keeping man s mind fixed on Christ, together with continuous death of the flesh, is required to overcome the flesh inside of man. Man s soul must continually face God, so that the enemies of Christ s spirit inside of man, which is prone to lead to bondage and chains, can die, while Christ s truths, His thoughts, imparted through man s spirit sets man free continually. This is all captured in the image of animal sacrifice, first introduced within the Garden of Eden right after Adam s fall. The eyes of the lamb on the altar is on the one (representing God) holding the knife in order to cut the lamb s flesh, while the lamb is on the altar not touching heaven and earth, which represents the enemies outside of man s being, having no hold on man s soul. These enemies are in the spiritual and physical realms, and are the enemies of the spirit of Christ living inside of man s body. The enemies of man s spirit have to work through man s soul in order to adversely impact Christ s spirit deeper inside of man. The battle is about who controls the soul s mind. The image of animal sacrifice on an altar highlights that the free will of man s soul has to choose to allow the enemies of man s spirit to die, while man s spirit is elevated when the soul looks upon God who is initiating and orchestrating the dying of that which is not of Christ.

4 2 1. THE IMAGE OF ANIMAL SACRIFICE This chapter focuses on God s way of what man s attitude ought to be when approaching Him, interacting with Him. This attitude allows man s spirit to rule. It also allows man s flesh and the enemies of man s spirit outside of man s being to die, thus allowing man s soul to move closer to God. ANIMAL SACRIFICE IN THE PHYSICAL REALM ALREADY FULFILLED Animal sacrifice has already been fulfilled in Christ. Christ was the lamb of God who was sacrificed on the altar, in Christ s case the cross. Christ was placed between heaven and earth, not touching heaven and earth, just as the case would be in slaughtering an animal on an altar. Under the New Testament, followers of Christ no longer have to personally bring an animal as a burnt offering to a temple made of stone, because they themselves become the temple of God, and as long as they allow themselves to be led by the Holy Spirit, they are living sacrifices themselves. Through Christ, man has been reconciled with God. Now, man s body has become the temple of God. Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? (1 Cor 3:16), and the temple of God is holy, which temple you are (1 Cor 3:17) and do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? (1 Cor 6:19). God does not live in temples, or church buildings, made of stone, as Steven has emphatically declared: the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands (Act 7:48). Since man s body has become the temple in which God wishes to live, any sacrifice, such as animal sacrifice, which now has to be made, must be made within God s new temple, which is man s body. Christians who still pursue the idea of establishing animal sacrifice in a temple made of stone in the earthly Jerusalem are moving in the wrong direction. They do not believe in Christ and what Christ did on the cross for them, even though they call themselves Christians. The animal which has to die, which has to be sacrificed, inside of man s spirit, soul and body is man s ruling body and ruling soul, that is, man s flesh. Man s flesh is the beast spoken of in the Book of Revelation. A beast, or an animal, operates with a ruling soul and ruling body, while their spirits are suppressed so that they are unable to interact with, and communicate to, God. THE INTERPRETATION OF THE IMAGE OF ANIMAL SACRIFICE When man s soul wishes to hear God s voice continually and listen to what He has to say through man s spirit, man has to know what man s attitude towards God ought to be when approaching him. Man has to be humble, receptive and expectant continually, just as a child, for Christ declared that to these belong the kingdom of heaven. It should be noted here that Christ s spiritual kingdom of heaven consists of God s truths, which man s soul can possess, and this possessing occurs when man hears continually Christ s voice from heaven, dropped into man s spirit, for Christ declared: I am.the truth (John 14:6). Man must be quiet and willing, just as lamb placed on an altar to be slaughtered.

5 3 Man s soul must be quite attentive to God s interactions through man s spirit, obeying the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Man s soul has to have an attitude of dependence on God. In short, man has to learn how to be a living sacrifice, that is, how to die continually in man s old nature, where man s soul initiates own activities in own strength and abilities through the body without first sensing what Christ has to say. When man s spiritual eyes look upon God, and man s spiritual ears hear Christ s voice, man s flesh dies. Man s flesh dies even further when man obeys what Christ instructs. Christ s words dropped into man s spirit give light, for example to move man through difficult situations. God s words bring revelation knowledge of what to do, and this revelation knowledge is light. This light also overcomes the activities of the fallen angels and the world which Christ has already overcome. Man s soul realises that the moment when Christ speaks. Then, at that moment, the influence of all the enemies of man s spirit, such as fallen angels and the world, dies. Its glamour fades within man s soul. When man s soul hears God s voice through his spirit, and obeys God, the spirit of Christ inside of man is raised, elevated, to a ruling position, while the enemies of the spirit of Christ is downgraded to a lower priority. Death and resurrection, the pathway of Christ, the Lamb of God, to the cross, where the cross is Christ s altar, is God s way of moving man s being back to a healthy priority order of God first, spirit second, soul third and body last. Keeping man s mind fixed on Christ, together with continuous death of the flesh, is required to overcome the flesh inside of man. Man s soul must continually face God, so that the enemies of Christ s spirit inside of man, which is prone to lead to bondage and chains, can die, while Christ s truths, His thoughts, imparted through man s spirit sets man free continually. This is all captured in the image of animal sacrifice, first introduced within the Garden of Eden right after Adam s fall. The eyes of the lamb on the altar is on the one (representing God) holding the knife in order to cut the lamb s flesh, while the lamb is on the altar not touching heaven and earth, which represents the enemies outside of man s being, having no hold on man s soul. These enemies are in the spiritual and physical realms, and represent the enemies of the spirit of Christ living inside of man s body. The enemies of man s spirit have to work through man s soul in order to adversely impact Christ s spirit deeper inside of man. The battle is about who controls the soul s mind. The image of animal sacrifice on an altar highlights that the free will of man s soul has to choose to allow the enemies of man s spirit to die, while man s spirit is elevated when the soul looks upon God who is initiating and orchestrating the dying of that which is not of Christ. THE FOUR MAIN COMPONENTS IN THE IMAGE OF ANIMAL SACRIFICE In the image of animal sacrifice, there are 4 main substances present. The first substance present is the person, usually a male, who is going to sacrifice an animal. This person represents Christ, or God the Father. They are both One, for it is declared that

6 4 Christ is the everlasting Father (Isa 9:6), and Christ also declared: He who has seen Me has seen the Father (John 14:9). The second substance present during animal sacrifice is the hand of the person holding a knife to slaughter the animal. The hand of the person who is going to sacrifice the animal is an image of the power of the Holy Spirit. The knife in the person s hand is an image of Christ, the Word of God, out of whose mouth protrudes a two-edged sword, as John indicated: out of his (Christ s) mouth came a sharp double- edged sword. (Rev 1:16). When man s soul interacts with Christ, and Christ responds back, then man s flesh automatically dies. This death to man s flesh is represented by the male person cutting with a knife the flesh off from man s being. The third substance present during animal sacrifice is the animal to be slaughtered. Christ is called a Lamb as though it had been slain (Rev 5:6). Therefore, followers of Christ are also considered to be lambs as though they had been slain. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turn to his own way (Isa 53:6). Followers of Christ have been slain on an altar, in this case the cross of Christ. They have been slain just as Christ. And the cross has to be applied continuously in the lives of a follower of Christ. God also desires that a follower of Christ applies this image of animal sacrifice to his whole life continually. Within God s righteousness, the image of that which will be sacrificed has to be an animal. It has to be a substance consisting of ruling soul and ruling body of dust, that is, of flesh. This represents the animal inside of man, a Christian s old man, the beast inside of man as described in the Book of Revelation. It represents the part of man that consist of soul that generates own activities in own initiatives and own strengths and abilities through the physical body without first interacting to Christ in His spiritual kingdom of heaven. It represents fallen man s flesh acting without considering God s will, and therefore continuously act against God s will. The fourth substance is the altar on which the animal sacrifice is placed. The altar would be the Old Testament altar made of 12 stones, or it could be the cross of Christ. Both altars places man s being between heaven and earth, not touching either heaven or earth. When man s being is placed on an altar, it represents that man s soul is not touched by earthly matters or enemies in the heavenlies, in the spiritual realm, such as fallen angels. The enemies of man s spirit, the spirit of Christ, have no hold on man s soul, because man s soul is focusing on the one whose hand are raised up, holding a knife, to cut man s flesh. Animal sacrifice provides in a nutshell the main elements which are required to move to a personal intimate relationship with God. MOVING TO A HEALTHIER PRIORITY ORDER The image of animal sacrifice reveals what the attitude of man s soul ought to be towards God while God moulds man s being from the distorted priority order of body first, soul second, spirit third, God last, to the healthy priority order of God first, man s spirit second, soul third, body last. The attention of man s soul ought to be continuously on God, just as a lamb that is going to be slain on the altar is continuously on the one who is holding the knife in his hand to slaughter him. This reveals the correct priority order. God in the spirit realm receives first priority. The soul s mind is fixed on God in the spirit realm. The soul s focus is on the knife and the hand of the person doing the slaughtering, where the knife refers to Christ and the hand refer to the power of the Holy Spirit in the spirit realm operating through Christ. Man s soul is only able to see through God through his spirit, through man s spiritual eyes, because God is spirit. Man s spirit is the window through which the soul is able to sense into the spiritual realm. Therefore, man s spirit becomes second in the priority order.

7 5 Automatically, the soul becomes third priority after man s spirit, for the soul does not struggle to maintain its own life, the rule of the soul. The soul is humble and allows God to do what He has to do. When man s soul focuses on God in heaven, and allow Him to cut man s flesh to death without screaming, without allowing man s flesh to rise in rebellion and in resistance, just as a lamb does not cry or scream when it is slain on the altar, then man s soul has the right attitude. Man s soul has to be remain humble all the time. Then the soul is indeed third priority. The last priority is man s body that which rules fallen man, the old man of the new creation man. It is man s flesh, that is, man s ruling soul and ruling body, which God is going to slaughter on the altar. Man s ruling soul is filled with SELF, and with pride, which God targets to destroy. God wishes to bring down the priority order of the ruling body and ruling soul from first and second priorities to third and fourth priorities, while that which are from the spirit realm, namely God and man s new spirit, become first and second priorities. MOVING TOWARDS THE TRIUNE GOD The previous section noted of a change in priorities inside of man s being. However, these changes do not take place overnight. It does not happen quickly. The image of animal sacrifice deals with fallen man, or the old man in the new creation man, who has to turn from the direction he is walking, which is away from God in the direction of death, where God is the Source of Life. Man has to die of the direction he is going. Man has to turn around and face God again, and not only again, but continuously. Then man has to start walking in the opposite direction he was going all his life. It has to do with man s soul hearing first from Christ in heaven what to do and say, before man s soul acts it out into the physical realm. This must become a way of life. Man s mind has to be continually fixed on Christ in heaven, sensing continually from him what to do and say, before acting out into the physical realm. As man s spirit rules all the more over man s soul in dependence of the Holy Spirit, and man s soul submits voluntarily more to the reign of the Holy Spirit, hearing Christ s voice and sensing His touch, the distorted priority order inside of man moves all the stronger to a healthy priority order as shown below. Distorted priority order Healthy priority order 1. Satan s rule 1. Holy Spirit 2. the world 2. man s spirit 3. man s body 3. man s soul 4. man s soul 4. man s body 5. man s spirit 5. the world 6. Holy Spirit 6. Satan s rule It is a gradual process. And because it is gradual, it has to occur continuously. These shifts in priority order inside of man are the narrow road less travelled by man s soul on earth. In this manner, man s soul moves closer to God as well. It deals with spiritual growth, that is, the growth of the spirit inside of man. And the beginning point of any point of growth in man s spirit is for man s soul to fixed its attention on Christ in heaven, hear from Him through man s spirit, and obey.

8 6 The healthy priority order can never be achieved with man s own initiatives, and in man s own strength and abilities. It can only be achieved as the soul first interacts with Christ in heaven through man s spirit and the Holy Spirit. Man s spiritual eyes has to be fixed on God, allowing the former ruling soul and ruling body to be gradually dethroned of their own initiatives. Furthermore, as time goes on, the distance between the prioritised parts becomes larger and larger. The chance of reversing a priority order becomes all the more slim, as man s soul recognises the much more superior input coming from God Himself through man s spirit, and Christ puts man on new levels of glory. Not only does man s soul move closer to God, but towards the spirit realm, because God is spirit. The most important part of man s being, namely man s spirit, takes it rightful place. Man s spirit is brought in a sound relationship with its surroundings in the spirit realm, in Christ s spiritual kingdom of heaven. All of this happens while man s soul operates in a physical body here on earth. Furthermore, the extent of the power and dominion of the spiritual kingdom of God increases, while the enemies of man s spirit lose their power. They are removed out of the way. The more man s spirit approaches God, the more the image in the physical realm fades in its relevance, such as family, father, mother, intimate sexual intercourse, etc. When the spirit rules supreme, the images built into the body fades in priority in man s soul. The important issues of the world of dust lose its glitter in the light of God s personality. The genuine original in the spirit realm, which is clothed with Christ, outshines the lust for any image clothed in dust. God still desires that man should become an image of Himself. Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness (Gen 1:26). God has not changed His vision for man. God s purpose remains to obtain sons that resemble His image. God moves in the direction of what He desires to achieve, namely images of God the Father and God the Holy Spirit billions of them Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth (Gen 1:28).

9 7 2. THE KNIFE THAT CUTS AWAY This chapter briefly focuses on the knife that cuts during animal sacrifice CHRIST IS THE KNIFE It has already been stated that the knife in the person s hand is an image of Christ, the Word of God, out of whose mouth protrudes a two-edged sword, as John indicated: out of his (Christ s) mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. (Rev 1:16). Paul declares: For the word of God (which is Christ) is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Heb 4:12). When Christ speaks, Christ always addresses the core of issues. It is because Christ operates in the light, where the light consists of a multitude of God s truths. Christ is able to quickly perceive the core of issues. The intensity of the interaction between man and Christ determines the extent to which the reality of the knife that cuts really impacts in man s being, splitting soul and spirit. The knife deals with the character of God. It deals with the names of God and the power associated with each of the names of God. The knife deals with God s solutions to problems. God s solutions of issues lead to life, not death. For example, the Book of Revelation explains how Christ is ruling the earth and redeeming the earth. THE KNIFE THAT CUTS AWAY When man s soul interacts with Christ, and Christ responds back, then man s flesh automatically dies. This death to man s flesh is represented by the male person cutting with a knife the flesh off from man s being. In terms of man s soul, God s Word imparted through the Holy Spirit into man s spirit will continually throughout man s life on earth, pierce the part of man s soul that generates own activities outside of the will of God and therefore generate transgressions against God, just as the knife in the image of God, namely the male part of man, pierces the soul of the lamb that is sacrificed. The Word of God the Father must be able to penetrate man s being, dividing spirit and soul from each other, just as in the realm of dust, the image of God the Father, namely the male part of man, penetrates the animal sacrifice with the knife in his hands, dividing the soul and body of dust of the lamb that is sacrificed from each other. Man s soul will continually be wounded, just as the knife that is used to carve open the sacrificial lamb inflicts wounds to the soul of the animal. Man s soul will continually be crushed by God s Words, just as the soul of the sacrificial lamb is crushed, physically removing parts of it. Man s soul will continually die completely of its own self-consciousness or I am. Truth hurts. If truths cut too deep, or the implications are too drastic on a person s life style, the hurt can lead to an aggressive reaction, even when truth is shared in love.

10 8 God the Father keeps on with His scalpel, making surgical cuts with His Word into man s habits and screens. When the scalpel hurts, man has to realise that there are still many live parts within him that has to be cut out. Fallen man has to become dead to Self, so that the Holy Spirit can live through him. The intensity with which Christ speaks is the intensity of the knife cutting, and thus also the intensity with which the flesh in man dies. In the worst case of seeing Christ for who He really is through man s spiritual eyes, with His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength (Rev 1:16), John declared: When I saw Him (Christ), I fell at his feet as though dead.. (Rev 1:17). To be in a state of as though dead (Rev 1:17) implies that man s flesh died. John falling down as though dead refers to been slain by the sword of the Word. The Word both reveals, and cuts away, man s flesh to death. This action of John really occurred, but it is symbolic of the sword in Christ s mouth, and Him coming and putting to death the flesh, the 2 beasts (Rev 19) inside of John. If man s flesh dies completely, man is able to see much better into Christ s spiritual kingdom of heaven through man s spirit, as John also experienced in the Book of Revelation. John died of his flesh so suddenly that he fell to the ground as though dead. His spirit man was not yet so strong to stand as an equal of Christ in Christ s midst. That is why Christ has to chip out bit by bit of the flesh in man, through seasons. After each season, man s soul is able to sense clearer. It speaks of Christ s character of been gentle. Other prophets had the same reaction as John (Job 42:5, 6; Isa 6:1, 5; Dan 10:8; Hab 3:16; Acts 9:1-4). That is why Christ in most cases starts to interact gently with people who choose to follow Him, through spiritual touch, namely the anointing of the Holy Spirit, and through thoughts implanted into man s mind. The process of moving towards God requires substantial renewal of man s mind. This is a painful process. The soul and body will become accustomed to be continually brought to its knees. This becomes a way of life. A life of self-denial and of surrender to God does not come easy and is not a simple road. It is painful where He cuts with His spiritual knife, His Word. He cut that which is still alive in man that ought to be cut out with the view of freeing man, giving man more life. He cuts off the prison cells and the chains that keeps man enslaved. This becomes a life-long journey. The road of this journey is less travelled by people as a result of the painful processes man is exposed to. It is a narrow road. small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it (Matt 7:14). It is a journey to continually move closer to God. The road of Life is not only narrow (Luk 13: 23 27), but also difficult to walk on. The pain when Christ interacts with man is represented by the image of God holding a knife to cut away man s fleshly notions. The process of moving closer to God implies moving upstream. This road is painful for two reasons. Firstly, it is painful within man s being particularly the mind of man s soul to discard the numerous lies and deceit of the world created by Satan and his fallen angels, as the Holy Spirit gradually reveals these deceptions to man. Man has become so accustomed and content operating in Satan s world, which includes the religious world that Satan has created, that to move to God s paradigm is totally unthinkable. Man is imprisoned by numerous habits,

11 9 cultures, customs and traditions. It is a painful process for the wilful soul and body to submit to God s plan and guidance daily. Secondly, it is painful owing to the attitude of the worldly environment outside of man s being. Those operating in the distorted priority order do not remain neutral to those moving towards a healthy priority order. Although they acknowledge the light of God from within you, they inherently distaste, hate and reject those operating with a healthy priority order, because they are confronted with the truth to discard their old lives and move closer to God. They have to offer up own selfish desires. They are pro-actively antagonistic against such a person, fuelled by Satan and his fallen angels. God s Messiah, Jesus, experienced that conveying truths to people hurts people (1 John 4:7, 8). Thus his followers will experience the same. Jesus indicated that the world hates Him, because He tells them straight that they are sinning. (John 7:7). The painfulness of the process within man to move from the distorted to the healthy priority order is highlighted in the fact that those operating in the distorted priority order killed the people operating in the healthy priority order, namely, John the Baptist, Jesus, his disciples and the prophets in the Old Testament. Christ and all the prophets were killed because they operated in a priority order of spirit first, and body last, whereas the crowds operated in the fallen state of body first, spirit last. This still occurs today, most significantly in religious circles, including the church of Christ. Even when Christ raised Lazarus from the dead, it merely fuelled the religious leaders of His time to kill Christ. Furthermore, the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also (John 12:10). A person that does not face this painful process of restoring the original blueprints of God in him will never have a continuous personal relationship with God. Moving towards the healthy priority order results in man s whole spirit, soul and body continually moving closer to God. Whoever finds his [lower] life will lose [the higher life], and whoever loses his [lower] life on My account will find [the higher life] (Matt 10:39). The knife in the hand of God, which is Christ, the Word of God, is what man experiences when Christ, through the Holy Spirit, starts to talk to man through man s new spirit, the spirit of Christ, inside of man s body. And when Christ starts to talk, He talks truths, where the spiritual kingdom of heaven consists of God s truths. Then man s soul starts to enter and possess Christ spiritual kingdom of heaven that leads to eternal life. The cost, measured in terms of time, sacrifice, personal changes, etc is expensive. However, it is worthwhile to pursue the genuine original. Christ compared the kingdom of heaven with a jewellery trader who was searching for high quality pearls, until he discovered one particular pearl that is worth more than all the rest, and he sells all he had in order to buy this one pearl (Matt 13: 45, 46). The pain which man s being experiences, which eventually leads man to become all the more like Christ, is what the image of the pearl forming in an oyster actually means. The beauty of a pearl is formed through many irritations and pain which the oyster has to experience over an extended period of time. A WHOLE SPIRITUAL KINGDOM RESIDES IN THE ONE WHO CUTS When man s soul looks upon God, who cuts with the knife, it is God s truths, God s goodness and God s righteousness which man s soul looks upon. And since God rules the earth through Christ, the Word of God, it is actually upon Christ which man looks upon. It is Christ who does the cutting.

12 10 Man s soul look upon more than merely Christ in a human form, as a human being. For Christ is the Word of God. Before Christ went to the cross, Christ prayed: "And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was (John 17:5). Therefore, the glory which Christ currently has is much more than merely a human form. All things were made by Christ to glorify Christ, including the human form. Therefore Christ can come in any form. Man s soul looks upon a whole kingdom, Christ s spiritual kingdom of heaven, where Christ is the king of that kingdom. Christ s kingdom is filled with truths, for Christ is the truth. Its image in the physical realm is a physical kingdom on earth made of particles of dust. Thus, when man is exposed to Christ and His kingdom in heaven, His truths, goodness and righteousness, man s flesh automatically dies. Man s soul realizes that the old paradigm in which man tried to operate is merely a shadow of the genuine original in heaven. The change in man s being would be equal in the physical realm of someone cutting away man s old life while ensuring that man s surroundings have no impact on man s life (being suspended between heaven and earth), so that man s spirit can rule and possess Christ s spiritual kingdom of heaven.

13 11 3. ANIMAL SACRIFICE VERSUS OTHER IMAGES This chapter briefly touches on the linkages and similarities of the image of animal sacrifice with other images already elaborated on in previous volumes. ALL IMAGES COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER Numerous images are reported within the Bible. Some of the main images which have already been elaborated on in volumes are: 1) images built into the female body of man; 2) images of the Israelites moving out of Egypt to the Promised Land; 3) images dealing the baptism into Christ; 4) images dealing with water baptism; 5) images dealing with the baptism in the Holy Spirit; 6) images dealing with being led by the Holy Spirit; 7) images built into animal sacrifice. All images in the Word complement each other and show the way towards God the Father. All images relate to how man s soul ought to operate before God. Each image tends to highlight certain facets of this issue better than other images. Each image approaches this issue from a different angle, just as a diamond have different surfaces radiating different colours. Yet, it remains the same diamond. DEATH OF MAN S OLD LIFE, THE FLESH, AND RAISED IN NEW LIFE One of the main themes of all these images related to death to man s flesh, man s old life, while man s spirit is raised up, lifted up, to a higher level of glory. In the images built into the female body when she gives birth to new life, the old life, the placenta is destroyed. This represents the baptism in Christ. The new life experienced by the baby body is the freedom and lightness of the air particles against the baby s skin which the baby body experiences after been born through the vagina. Furthermore, the baby body s lungs, nose and mouth are enabled and empowered by the female s hands to operate, to produce larger volumes of life, while the old life, the umbilical cord, is cut off and destroyed. The new life occurs when life-giving oxygen fills the baby body in much larger quantities. This represents the baptism in the Holy Spirit. In both cases, a higher form of life is implemented while the old life, the flesh, is destroyed. In the images built into the Israelites moving out of Egypt to the Promised Land, the Israelites had the freedom to move out of Egypt into a new life as a new nation, while their old life was destroyed by the 10 plagues, in particular the last one when all first-born of Egypt were killed. This represents the baptism in Christ, the Lamb of God, the Passover lamb, which the Israelites had to absorb before been able to leave Egypt. Furthermore, the Israelite nation was raised to new life when they passed through the Red Sea in the power of the Holy Spirit, while the power of the flesh, the Egyptian army, was destroyed in the Red Sea. The life and joy the Israelites experienced in themselves occurred when perceiving God s salvation in the road through the Red Sea, and when the Egyptian army all perishes in the water. In the images built into water baptism, the old man, man s flesh, dies in the watery grave that leads to death when man s being goes under the water, where the water represents all peoples operating in the flesh. However, man is raised from death, from the grave, as a new creation man, where man s new spirit, the spirit of Christ, rules, now been associated with the

14 12 waters above, namely the clouds of witnesses in heaven. Water baptism is the image in the physical realm of the genuine original, namely to be baptised in Christ in the spiritual realm. The main theme of the baptism in Christ, water baptism and the baptism in the Holy Spirit is that man s flesh dies, which results in man s soul been lifted up through man s new spirit, the spirit of Christ, ruling all the more inside of man s being. This new spirit sets man all the more free. The image of animal sacrifice has the same message. In the image of animal sacrifice, the death of man s old life, man s flesh is represented by the animal lying between heaven and earth on an altar and been slaughtered to death. His old environment also dies, that is, the earthly, the world created by the fallen angels, and the fallen angels in heaven, because the flesh lies between heaven and earth not touching one of them. As man looks with man s spiritual eyes upon God, the One with the knife, obeys the Word and the will of God, man finds the new life which Christ offers for a person. It is only through death that man s soul can find this new life. It is only through death that man s soul can be lifted up, allowing man s spirit to rule all the more, setting man s being free. In the image of animal sacrifice, the resurrection to new life is represented by the knife cutting the flesh away, to free man s spirit, the spirit of Christ, which is able to free man all the more. The one who cuts are in the spirit realm, namely God, and man looks upon Him with man s spiritual eyes. Thus, the DNA of Christ of death and resurrection is to be found in all of these images. TO BE LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT AND ANIMAL SACRIFICE ARE LINKED It has already been noted in a previous volume that the 3 baptisms become one when the Holy Spirit leads a person. When man s soul senses through man s spiritual eyes to Christ in heaven, then man s soul experiences the baptism in Christ first, namely Christ, the Word, speaking through the Holy Spirit and through man s spirit. When man obeys what Christ wants to be said and done in the physical realm, it is similar to going through water baptism in the physical realm again, where man s flesh dies and man s spirit is raised up to a higher level of glory. When man obeys what Christ wants, the power that is vested in Christ, namely the power of the Holy Spirit, are automatically released, so that man is baptised in the Holy Spirit as well. Thus all 3 baptisms occur simultaneously when the Holy Spirit leads man in a certain direction. When man is led by the Holy Spirit, man s being also experiences 3 times the image of being sacrificed all at once, just as man s being experiences all 3 baptisms all at once in such a case. When man s soul senses through man s spiritual eyes to Christ in heaven to hear from Him, then man is a sacrifice. Man s flesh is sacrificed. When man obeys what Christ wants to be said and done in the physical realm, man is sacrificed again. Man s flesh is sacrificed. When man obeys what Christ wants, the power that is vested in Christ, namely the power of the Holy Spirit, are automatically released. At that moment of experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit, represented by the hand which holds the knife during animal sacrifice, man is again sacrificed. Man s flesh is sacrificed. Thus all 3 incidents of sacrifice occur simultaneously when the Holy Spirit leads man in a certain direction. Thus, the 3 baptisms are also the first 3 animal sacrifices which man s being ought to be involved in man s quest to possess Christ s spiritual kingdom of heaven. Thus, the DNA of Christ of undergoing all 3 baptisms, and also becoming the lamb of God slaughtered on the cross, is to be found in both of these images.

15 13 When Christ went through the 3 baptisms, he already knew the DNA of the new creation man. Christ already knew His end destiny of death and resurrection. Christ knew that the image of animal sacrifice had to be fulfilled in Him. He knew He had to be positioned between heaven and earth not touching one of them. ALL IMAGES SPEAK ABOUT BROKENNESS BEFORE GOD One of the important elements of any of the 3 baptisms is brokenness of the soul and obedience of the soul to the spirit. The priority order of God first, then spirit, soul and body, is restored. In the image of animal sacrifice, the flesh dies, which again speaks about the brokenness of the soul, because the ruling soul is part of man s flesh. In the image of animal sacrifice the focus is also to restore the priority order of God first, man s spirit second, soul third and body last. Brokenness before God is also true in the image of been led by the Holy Spirit and animal sacrifice. Only those who are continuously led by the Holy Spirit are called sons of God. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God (Rom 8:14). They are those whose souls keep the eyes of their spirit fixed on Christ, just as a lamb fixes its attention to the person who is going to do the slaughtering. A humble spirit allows the humble Holy Spirit to speak and to lead a person. This leading of the Holy Spirit lifts man s soul up. A continuously humble soul allows the Holy Spirit to speak to man s soul and lead man s soul. If man s soul is fearful of what the Holy Spirit has to say to you, then it is the pride, and the old man, rising up inside of man. It is the flesh that rises up, which does not want change to occur. Yet, Christ s intentions are to free man s soul all the more. Thus, the DNA of Christ emerges again, namely to be meek and humble before God. It was declared that Moses, representing Christ, was the humblest of all people. (Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.) (Num 12:3). Christ also declared: "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart (humble), and you will find rest for your souls. (Matt 11:29). ACTING FIRST TO GOD The image of animal sacrifice is riddled with the reality that man s soul has to first act towards God, the one who is going to do the slaughtering. Long before the slaughtering actually takes place, the eyes are fixed on the one going the slaughtering. The animal has to be caught, prepared to be placed on the altar by binding its feet, and then placed on the altar. The knife has to be taken and lifted up. During all those actions, the eyes of lamb are on the one who will do the sacrificing. In all of the other images, eyes of man s soul are also first on Christ, before any action is taken through man s body into the physical realm. In the images of the baby body born from the female womb, it is similar to the baby body turning around in the womb, facing the vagina, representing Christ, before been born. Furthermore, the baby first interacts closely with the vagina of the female, representing Christ, before been born. The helplessness of a baby born from the female womb not only speaks of humbleness and meekness, but also allowing the female to act first in all activities. The female, representing the Holy Spirit, can take the initiative to cut off the umbilical cord and slap the baby on his

16 14 bum to allow the lungs, nose and mouth to operate properly. The baby does not take any initiatives. In the image of the Israelites moving out of Egypt, they first had to absorb the Lamb, the Passover lamb, which is Christ, which implies that they first had to look upon Christ, before they were able to be born as a nation outside of Egypt. When they went through the Red Sea, they first had to be what Moses (representing Christ) told them to stay calm and merely believe, for they will never see the Egyptian army again. Only after that, after looking at Moses, representing Christ, they were able to walk through the Red Sea with their physical bodies. Thus, this trend is found in the 2 spiritual baptisms, where man s soul first hears from God what should be done, choose to obey in faith what He desires, before acting through man s body. Christ s DNA becomes clearly visible in all of these images. Man listens first through man s spirit to Christ s interactions. Christ speaks first, and then man s being reacts on what Christ speaks. The image of animal sacrifice does not elaborate on the issue of acting through the body after man has look upon Christ. This is because in most cases, Christ does not want man to act through the body. Christ merely talks to a person, like a friend, providing insight and revelation knowledge which is required at a particular moment. ATTACKS FROM THE ENEMIES OF THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST Man s new spirit, the spirit of Christ, which leads man to possess Christ kingdom of heaven, regularly experiences attacks from the enemies of man s spirit. In the image of the Israelites moving out of Egypt towards the Promised Land, which represents fallen man moving from slavery to Satan and his world to the kingdom of heaven, it is clear that the worldly system, represented by Egypt, will attack in order to prevent man from moving into the kingdom of heaven. The Israelites being born again as a nation outside of Egypt and been baptised in the Holy Spirit, represented by their journey through the Red Sea, were attacked by the enemy, the Egyptian army, fuelled by the fallen angels. They both represent the enemies outside of man s being (Ex 17:8-16). The same occurred when the Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim (Ex 17:8), where the Israelites defeated them (Ex 17:8-16). This again refers to the enemies of man s spirit operating outside of man s being, where the Israelite nation represents man s being. This is before man enters into the kingdom of heaven, just as this occurred before the Israelites entered the Promised Land. In the image of the baby body born from the female womb, death tries to strike the baby through the umbilical cord It is those attacks that forces man s soul to seek refuge in God, which speeds up the process of becoming dependent on God. BEEN CUT OFF FROM MAN S ENEMIES In the image of animal sacrifice, the lifting up and been freed from man s flesh and the enemies in man s surroundings is the result of first sensing to Christ, and then experiencing the painful death of man s flesh and been freed from the enemies in man s surroundings. This is similar to the image of the Israelites leaving Egypt, who experienced life and freedom by first painfully dying of their own fleshly thoughts, obeying Moses to follow the rituals of the

17 15 Passover Lamb, and then experiencing been freed from Egypt. Likewise, the Israelite nation experienced life and freedom by first painfully dying of their own fleshly thoughts of blaming Moses at the Red Sea, obeying the instruction of Moses to merely believe and to walk through the Red Sea, and then experiencing been totally free from the power and might of Egypt. Furthermore, in the image of animal sacrifice, the animal is placed between heaven and earth not touching any one of them. In this way man s surroundings have no hold and no impact on man s soul. Man is separated, or holy, unto God, because man s eyes are fixed on God, the one who is holding the knife. In the image of the Israelites been reborn as a nation and moving out of the Egypt, Christ lead them into the wilderness, where the wilderness is an image of been separated unto God, to be holy. Only under this circumstance is man able to operate without the enemies of man s spirit in heaven and on earth been able to influence man adversely.

18 16 4. CHARACTERISTICS OF A SACRIFICE This chapter briefly highlights some of the components of the image of animal sacrifice in order to place the whole image into perspective. A LIVING SACRIFICE In the image of animal sacrifice, the sacrifice has to be an animal because an animal is a living creature, just as a human being is a living creature. An animal has nostrils for the breath of life and blood that represented fleshly life, just as a human being has nostrils for the breath of life and blood that represents fleshly life. That is why Abel s burnt offering was acceptable for God, while the burnt offering of Cain was not acceptable. Abel was a keeper of sheep (Gen 4:2), from which Abel.. brought of the firstlings of his flock (of sheep) (Gen 4:4).to be sacrificed. They were living sacrifices. It has already been noted that the old man with in the new creation man operates with a ruling soul and ruling body. This ruling soul and ruling body, which is man s flesh, now has to move down to third and fourth priority, while God and man s new spirit, the spirit of Christ, living inside of man s being, now has to take up priority numbers one and two. For this to occur, man s soul has to allow the old man to die. The SELF in man, which is particularly strong in the rule of the body, has to die. This dying has to occur continuously. Man s body has to be continuously placed on the altar, in this case, the cross of Christ, to die. And yet, man s body has to continue to operate healthy, living. The dying of the body deals with the cravings and urges of the body which has to subside and become subject to God s desires, the craving and urges of man s spirit, and the dictates of man s humble soul. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service (Rom 12:1). Man is required to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God... (Rom 12:1). We are required to offer our bodies upon the altar of sacrifice to God just as completely as the Israelites under the old covenant offered the animals they sacrificed on their altars. There is, however, one important difference. The Israelites killed the animals they offered by God. The body which we offer to God is to be a living sacrifice. The flesh in man is put on the altar as a living sacrifice. Man s soul dies of SELF, just as Christ has declared: If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself [literally, his soul] and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life [soul] will lose it, but whoever loses his life [soul] for My sake will find it. (Matt 16:24-25). The altar, or Christ s cross, is the place where man s flesh dies. Our cross is the place where we choose to die. It is the place where the enemies attack, and man s soul chooses to die of self, to handle the situation in own strength and abilities, or to look to God that is the crossing point, man s cross. It is here that man s soul denies the dictates of the flesh, saying No to the 3 demands of the soul: I think,, I want and I feel. It is here where man s soul is no longer controlled by these 3 motives. Their place is taken by God s word and God s will. As we obey the word and the will of God, we find the new life which Jesus offers us. It is only through death that our souls can find this new life. CONTINUOUSLY APPLYING THE IMAGE OF ANIMAL SACRIFICE

19 17 God desires that the image of animal sacrifice has to be applied continuously in the life of a follower of Christ, just as the image of the fruit of the tree of life has to be applied continuously onto the life of a follower of Christ. The word of God is true continuously into eternity. The Word is not restricted to time. The principles behind God s image apply from the moment it was instituted for all of eternity. It is still valid for today and for the future from today onwards. God remains unchanged. In faith, fallen man follows exactly the same processes that Jesus Christ would follow. Where Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, has become a living sacrifice continually in the hands of the Father, fallen man that follows the example of Jesus Christ, also becomes a living sacrifice continually in the hands of the Father. This applies from Adam and Eve onwards to all of fallen man, even after the Messiah, Jesus Christ, actually became a living sacrifice Himself and died for the sins of mankind. Each person on earth ought to identify with the lamb that is slain. All persons that originate from the first Adam are in a fallen state for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23). Since Christ continuously die of self, and are been raised up continually, followers of Christ have to follow the same pattern, the same blue-print. We are His offspring. We are after Christ, born out of heavenly seed, heavenly semen, God s semen, sons of God. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call us His brothers in Hebrews. Jesus is the first-born of many brethren in Romans 8. We are the brethren the same nature. Each follower of Christ becomes a living sacrifice so that God the Father can do with him as He desires. It is the only way that God can again become all in all (1 Cor 12:6; 1 Cor 15:28; Eph 1:23; Col 3:11). A WILLING SACRIFICE God requires a willingness in a follower of Christ to be a living sacrifice. God s first instruction to man in the Garden of Eden was what he had to willingly avoid, namely the rule of the flesh in unfallen man for in the day that you eat of it (the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil) you shall surely die." (Gen 2:17). God s first instruction dealt with what man had to choose not to do. However, God s second instruction about animal sacrifice dealt with what fallen man willingly had to do in obedience. The reason for this change is simple. Man has become sinful after his fall. What man now has to do is not to allow his flesh, which has started to rule owing to the fall of man, ever to rule. In some cases, God has to corner fallen man, just as the image of God, the male, has to corner a lamb in order to catch him and make him a willing sacrifice, once the lamb knows there is no way out of the situation. God s ultimate purpose is to make man s ruling soul willing. God s solution is of such a nature that man s old nature, the old man, would not have to make complicated decisions continually to be in right standing with God. He must merely be willing. The triune God will do all of the rest for fallen man, just as the Father planted all of the Garden of Eden for the first Adam, and just as the Father transported the first Adam to the Garden of Eden, even though Adam was filled with life been able to move this distance himself, and just as the Father provided the tree of life already in the Garden of Eden, not requiring of Adam to earn something in order to live. It is God who will bind man s feet to prepare man for the slaughtering. It is God who will place man s being between heaven and earth. It is God who does the slaughtering of man s flesh. It is God who will lift up the sword, which is Christ, just as Christ has declared: if I am lifted