SPRINKLING THE CONSCIENCE Hebrews 9:14; 10:1,2,22 OR, RENDING THE VEIL OF FLESHLINESS PART 1 Hebr 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Hebr 10:1-2 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, [and] not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. Hebr 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. The books of Exodus, Numbers, Deuteronomy and Joshua portray the journey of Israel from Egypt to Canaan through the intermediate wilderness. There is a message in this story which the Lord desires us to comprehend. This message will teach us how we can overcome obstacles of the flesh, world and enemy, and be the free believers that the Lord has brought us out of sin to be. The land of Canaan represents the goal of the believer in the christian walk. It was the "Promised Land". And as believers we have promises the Lord desires us to enjoy. This Land speaks of the "Rest" which the Lord calls us into (See Hebrews chapters 3 and 4). Yet so many never enjoy these blessings due to hindrances of various types. One of the greatest hindrances is a believer's own flesh. Let us look into the hindrance of the flesh, and discover how to cross this barrier: - It blocks believers from enjoying God's promises much like the Jordan River blocked Israel from Canaan, and the temple veil blocked the Jew from the holiest of holies. Consider the typology in this account: There were giants in the land which caused Israel to doubt that they could enter Canaan successfully. These obstructions prohibited them from entering the land. They would, therefore, refuse to enter and, hence, not enjoy the fullness of rest. Their doubtful flesh was like a veil. They doubtfully cried, "There is no way we can take that land now." They barred themselves from blessings due to their doubting flesh. This is comparable to the original sin of mankind in Eden. Adam's first action commited after he sinned was that he put a veil on himself. God didn't do it. Adam barred himself from the garden as symbolized by the fig leaves he made to cover his nakedness. Man put himself into a state of shame. He tried to solve his problem by his own means, and we find that Adam's sin came to be symbolized by the donning of the fig leaf apron. It was an act of man attempting to solve his shameful condition through mere physical means. It was an effort to improve, solve a dilemma and correct a problem independently of God. Adam tried to put himself above guilt by using his weak, fallen, fleshly efforts. In turn, and as direct result of that independency of Adam, the Lord set up cherubim and a flaming sword at the garden entrance to keep Adam out. HUMAN CONTRIVANCES OF SPIRITUAL PROGRESS Man cannot save himself from his sinfulness, as Adam tried to shut up the condemnation that was shouting from his conscience which resulted from his sin, by sewing a fig leaf apron. The intentions of man's heart were naked before God! His heart was shamefully without God's covering. And man tried to hide that sinful state from God using mere aprons, but the problem was far deeper than physical nudity. Man was never meant to solve his own problems. It's like putting a small Volkswagen Beetle engine into a Transport tractor. It will break down. We were not meant to solve the large problems that we will encounter in life. We will break down oursleves having nervous breakdowns and eating nerve pills. We were meant to join as one with God in the garden, by eating of the fruit of life, and ingesting God's own life (His Spirit) within. Adam, however, went his own way. And now the world stands apart and separated from God. The raging of the overflowing Jordan river at the time of the crossing with Joshua speaks of the turbulence of the fearful, doubting flesh that blocks our pathways. The giants in the land of Canaan struck fear into the hearts of the Israelites. As a result, the older, doubting generation could not pass this veil of the Jordan River. Though the Jordan was not mentioned in the first attempt to cross into Canaan forty years earlier, we can yet see a picture of what hindered that first generation when we look at the idea of a veil called the Jordan River. Put both accounts together - the first attempt with the doubting spies where the Jordan was not mentioned, and the second endeavour with Joshua at lead when the Jordan was mentioned- and you see that, although the barrier of Jordan was not mentionwed in the first attempt to enter the land, there was yet a barrier in both instances. Both of the accounts of confronting the Land's entrance while facing a barrier speak of the fears of the flesh which hindered the people from entering. The younger generation, however, learned to fear God more than fear the enemy. They excelled above their parents due to their faith. They would see that veil rent, which formerly blockaded their parents. Frightened flesh is as a veil. Whether the veil was fear of giants or fear of a swelling river that overflowed its banks, the same, frightened flesh will block one's progress. And the reason that flesh is fearful is due to it's sense of being incompetent. That sense exists due to the fact that mankind is not meant to trek through life without higher help. Therefore, much of our unbelief comes from our fear of the inability of the flesh. We consider not God's omnipotence, but look at our fleshly capabilities. And, of course, we recognize that flesh is too weak to conquer enemy territory for us. Such fear produces doubt. We disbelieve that we can experience that which God has promised for us. BORN IN SIN We are all born with this hindering veiling due to Adam's trangsression. Adam symbolically threw this veil on all unborn humanity when he sewed himself a fig leaf apron. Yet when God is able to move on our behalf, due to our faith, the Jordan river of fearful flesh is then rent in two. We must recall that sin exists in the flesh (Ro. 7:17-20). Roma 7:17-20 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but [how] to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. And we must recognize that we are born in sin, which situation causes us to exist as people whose hearts are immersed beneath fleshly veiling. Whenever we fear and doubt, we must remember to trust God. God is love - complete and perfect love. And perfect love casts out all fear (1 John 4:16). We will find that our flesh, which hinders so often by it's means of inflicting fear as an obstruction, will be removed. It will no longer block our progress, if we fully comprehend the love of God and thereby put our trust in Him. God will circumcise our hearts free of the doubtful, fearing flesh factor. Our fear is thereby cast out as fleshly veiling of fear and unbelief is removed by spiritual "circumcision", as it were, by our realization of the God of love. Our hearts are born with veils on them. 2 Corinthians chapter 3 refers to these veils. They are removed only when we turn our hearts, or trust in, Jesus Christ(v. 16). 2Cor 3:16 Nevertheless when it [the heart] shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. The removal of these veils, that we are all born with, was foreshadowed by the need of circumcision for men who desired to be known as God's people under Mosaic Law. Under the Old Covenant, men were born with the need to be circumcised if they desired to be a Jew - one of God's people. This served as a shadow of a spiritual truth. Today, the reality of this shadow is the need for all mankind to be circumcised in their hearts, and to unite to Him in spirit. This alone makes us the people of God. Yet that veil can creep up again after one is saved. Unbelief has the ability to stir again and, like a cataract, reinstate itself to that from which it was once removed. We find ourselves, once again, veiled over with fleshliness and fear. The people had to cross the Red Sea barrier. However, later, They had to likewise cross the Jordan barrier long after they were set free from Egypt. So we see that flesh continues to serve as a barrier to folks who have known God for quite some time. CIRCUMCISION OF THE HEART From the male element of humanity are the issues of life which initiate human reproduction. The Bible compares the heart of a person with the typical picture of the male principle when it says the heart is the source of the issues of life (Prov. 4:23). Prov 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it [are] the issues of life. Therefore we find a type developing here between the circumcision of the male principle and that of the heart. From both sources come the issues of life. One literally and the other spiritually. And just as Adam veiled the most intimate part of his physical body, we see that we are born with our hearts under a veiling of fleshliness, rendering the most intimate part of our beings in need of circumcision (Ro. 2:29). Roma 2:29 But he [is] a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision [is that] of the heart, in the spirit, [and] not in the letter; whose praise [is] not of men, but of God. Reaching to unite with the heart of man is the goal of God. Adam removed himself away from the union of his heart with God through his transgression. God is left as standing repelled from the human heart by the fleshly veiling which man allowed to cover his heart. Please remember that man brought about this veiling by his sin - as, again, symbolized by the donning of the fig leaf apron. Since sin is in the flesh (Ro. 7:17,18,20), God is repelled by that flesh, and is hindered from reaching the heart within the veil. How wondrous a display of God's love as He removes our fears and all the other fleshly elements that hinder us! Yet, in order for this occur, we must first answer His call, as Adam finally answered God's call for him in the garden. God asked Adam where he was. God knew where Adam was since He is omniscient, but he wanted Adam to realize it, himself. Adam initially hid, but we read that he later came out from hiding behind the bushes. Then God removed the apron and replaced it with His own covering. Likewise , after having removed our veiling, God then leads us triumphantly into a land of Rest, just as Israel passed the rent Jordan, and entered Canaan! We reach that place in the Spirit where we were meant to dwell! And, thank God, rest is the opposite of fear! Rest is perfect union with God in the heart. This is what the writer of Hebrews referred to in speaking of the rest that remains in Heb. 4:9. Hebr 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. Unbelief causes fear. Fear will not be tolerated in a land of rest (He. 4:1-3). God will not allow it to come upon us. We will find rest in the fullness of Christ by learning to TRSUT Him and by believing God to see us through. Hebr 4:1-3 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left [us] of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard [it]. For we which have BELIEVED do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. Paul noted this same thought in Philippians 4:6,7. Phil 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. He said that if we will trust in God when calamities arrive, God's peace will stand guard over our hearts against all fear and anxiety! Our hearts are the targets of doubt inflicting fear. God's peace will "keep" our hearts, or "guard" them from such enemies. WILDERNESS WALKING People wander in fear, as the Jews wandered outside of the fullness of what God prepared for them, when they wandered in the wilderness. People who doubt God and who never trust Him find themselves wandering for years. Think of how different the forty years they spent in wandering could have been had they only believed God's Word instead of having doubted it! They would have enjoyed a land of milk and honey for forty years. They would not have experienced forty solid years of misery. Unbelief and fear keep multitudes out of full rest for literal years. There are so many who never see their fears cast away. They never believe God when the things they fear approach them. They shy away from entering uncertain situations, for they do not trust that God can deliver them safely through fearful walls and barriers. Many never think to simply ask God for deliverance. More Bible Study Lessons