Part 1 - Blood of Man, Blood of Lamb

We will be referring to our diagram of Great Salvation, which is simply an illustration of the three Old Testament types of Salvation and their fulfillment in Christ. Those types are 1) Adam to Noah; that’s where we deal with the type of Salvation as a creation. And the answer to that is a New Creation in Christ. Then 2) Abraham and Isaac, and you can include Jacob in that as well; the type of Salvation there is seen as the Seed and the Land. And the fulfillment of that is in Christ, The Eternal Seed, The Incorruptible Seed, The Seed that must fall into the ground and die, otherwise it abides alone. And 3) Israel itself is the third type of Salvation.

So the first type deals with a man - mankind. Man himself becomes a type, a shadow of The Man that is to come. The second type deals with a Seed and a Land. Isaac - the Seed (and Israel actually is the land here) and the Land of promise; the Land which the Seed shall fill. Now The Seed doesn’t fill real estate. It’s a heavenly land which is being spoken of here, and of course that is taken up in Christ. To This Seed are all the blessings, to This Seed are all the promises. Paul says, "And to the Seed, not as of many; but as of one. And to thy seed, which is Christ." "And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed." So we understand that The One Seed does not produce many seeds, but it produces the measure of itself. That is a mystery of Salvation that very few believers have ever even thought about, let alone come to comprehend. It is a mystery that The Seed does not produce seeds, but rather the increase of itself. It is a tremendous comprehension of Salvation, and it must be brought right over into Christ, and comprehended there as Great Salvation.

See, Christ as our Great Salvation does not simply fulfil Old Testament types and shadows, but He is MUCH MORE! The word "Great Salvation" in Hebrews 2:3 means "much more". He exceedingly, abundantly, above - He excells the type, the shadow, He goes beyond - exceedingly beyond, exceedingly above! And in Abraham and Isaac as a type of Salvation, it is a foreshadowing of a reality that we come to in Christ, which is part of Great Salvation. And you look at Isaac and he is the Seed, and out of Isaac comes Israel itself. But Israel in the natural sense, like Isaac in the natural sense is ONE - and that One produces many. But in the natural sense it is just that - it is just many - a seed producing seeds. But now the Scripture doesn’t deal with it that way. And the type falls short of the reality that it achieves in Christ, because in Christ, Christ being the answer to Isaac, The Seed of Abraham, He DOES NOT produce after the natural. It is not many that He brings forth, but it is the increase of One, or MANY WHO ARE ONE.

There we come to the mystery of God in Christ. There we come to the Greatness of Salvation: that Seed can not be counted by number, but only measured in the fulness of Christ Himself! Then in the third type, Israel stands as the Corporate Son. Exodus 4:22, "...Israel is my son. Tell Pharaoh Israel is My Son." That’s exactly what in Great Salvation we are finally confronted with in the fulness of Salvation. Salvation can’t merely be summed up as a New Creation; it can’t be summed up as a Seed after its own kind. Finally Salvation comes to be summed up in THE I AM that Christ Himself is; The Church being the expression, the corporate expression of One Son. In the Church then is fulfilled all of the promises, all of the blessings, all of the prophecies concerning Israel. Everything God said concerning Israel is fulfilled in The Church - The Church, which is His Body, the fulness of Him that filleth all in all.

So, referring to the diagram, Salvation relates to The Cross, and with regard to the first Adam, we see in Genesis 4:10 the shedding of the blood of a man. Cain kills Abel, and Abel’s blood cries out from the ground for vengeance. We find that Salvation then as a man, as mankind, as a creation requires the blood of a man; and that this requirement could only be met in Christ, because when Christ died He shed blood, but the blood He shed was the blood of all mankind. In Christ all men died, and the blood of righteous Abel is justified! So you come from the first creation to The New Creation - how is The Cross affecting that? We come from the blood of a man, which requires the blood of a man, but not just any man - ALL MEN. We have to understand Great Salvation. For instance, when Cain killed Abel, Abel’s blood cried out for vengeance. The killing of Cain, the killing of another man would not do, could not do. It had to be the blood of all mankind. It had to be the blood of all men. How in the world could that ever take place? IN THAT ONE DIED, ALL DIED WITH HIM!! AT THE CROSS - ONE MAN DIES AS ALL MEN!

We are dealing with Great Salvation as it relates to The Cross, but we’re dealing with THE BLOOD. Turn to 2 Corinthians 5:14, "For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead." A better translation is:"When one died for all, all were made to be dead." "When One died, all died with Him." Jesus said, "And I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto me." Thus speaking of His death - not His resurrection. That’s in John 12:32,33. Just before that He has said, "Now is the judgment of mankind - the world, this inhabited world. Now shall the prince of this world be cast out. If I be lifted up I will draw all men unto me." This is what He did, this is in answer to the blood that cried out from the earth - this is the answer because the blood of all men went into the earth!

The first element of Salvation has to be you and I coming to comprehend when He died, I died. As Adam - I died; as mankind - I died. He died as mankind - you died. YOU DIED! The blood went into the ground - blood answering blood. We’re not talking about the Blood of The Lamb right now - we’ll get to that, but now we’re talking about the blood of man. The blood of man - that had to be answered. You see every type of Salvation has to be answered in Christ for it to be Great Salvation. And as a New Creation, One New Man - mankind is being dealt with - all men, mankind. And all mankind was summed up in The Cross as the last Adam. First Adam and the last Adam. So in The Cross - all men died. One - all men died. Look in Hebrews 9:26-28, these verses relate to this. It is very important that we learn to discriminate, to discern the work of The Cross as it relates to Great Salvation. " For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world (age) hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men (Adam or mankind) once to die, but after this the judgment; So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second (time was added, but not in the original) unto salvation."

In the first instance this deals with mankind: we’ve got to stay true to the type. The first type, the first thing God did, was a creation. Adam is the beginning of it, and Noah was the end of that creation. The end of that one, and typically the beginning of another one. That’s why I used Adam to Noah. "Noah, the end of all flesh has come up before Me." Noah represents the end of that. The Ark represents a tremendous thing there, and then Noah comes out of the Ark; Noah and his family - eight people. But Peter says "Noah, the eighth man", showing that all of those in the Ark were summed up as One Man, even the eighth man, even as Noah. And that ONE MAN in the sight of God came out of the Ark - ONE NEW MAN! Peter says Noah, the eighth person. That’s what the Greek text says - not Noah and seven others. That’s just man trying to figure out what that means. But we must understand that when God was bringing everything into the Ark, the wording shows that they never came to the Ark - they came unto Noah. They came in unto Noah in the Ark. And the scripture says - "And with Noah, and with you, I will make my covenant." Then the rest are included in that. And another scripture there says, "And Noah ALONE remained." Then it will add those that were with him, but the point in the Hebrew language there is that everything was summed up in Noah, because there Noah represents this Christ. Noah represents the end of one, the beginning of another; the end of one man, the beginning of another Man.

Christ comes and perfectly fulfils that. He is the end of one man, He is the beginning, the Creator of The New Man! And so, Salvation, if it is to be true, Salvation as relating to Adam says - Adam must die. Christ then, died as all men. And in the first instance of Salvation - ALL MEN DIE. That’s why you must be born again, as though you were never, ever born before. Why? Because that’s how dead you are! And that’s impossible for the natural mind to get a hold of, but this is the message that ought to be preached to sinners! Not forgiveness - we’ll come to that with the Blood of The Lamb and the House of God, where forgiveness is ever flowing. But the message to mankind, the message to you and I as Adam is just this: you are dead by Him! He avenged the blood of righteous Abel; when one died, all died with Him. His blood went into the earth and avenged it; all men in one man have died and all are dead!

Therefore if you would live, you must be born again as if you were never, ever born before. But now be careful, for this is not to be mistaken as you need to be born "a second time". Nicodemus thought that and said, how can I be born a second time, how can I go back into my mother’s womb? And the Lord said that’s not what I’m talking about. We don’t need any more Nicodemuses - new ones, old ones or other ones - NO! You must be born from ABOVE! "That which is born of flesh is flesh, that which is born of spirit is spirit." You see, New Birth is Christ being formed in you, the Spirit of God - Christ. A New Birth, which is not an old man being born a second time; this is a New Man being born as from the beginning. The word "born again" is translated ‘born from above’, and that is translated ‘as from the beginning, as from the origin’. It is saying that it is not a birth that has ever taken place before. It is not simply a better man. It is not simply one man dying and the same man being born again, given a second chance. It is not a second chance, it is an altogether other Man - born of The Spirit of God, as has never been done before! A New Man, A New Creation.

So back in 2 Corinthians 5. We’ve read this before, but we need to read it with understanding. Verse 15, "And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again." Not living unto ourselves, because in that He died, He rose again. In that we died - we didn’t! No - look in Romans 6:3, "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?" But the text makes it very clear that only One is raised up! He is raised up from among the dead, that He may be the Life of all the dead who will hear His Voice, and receive Him. That’s the reason the term is used "raised from among the dead". Every place where the Resurrection is referring to Christ Himself being raised up that term is used - "raised from...raised from among the dead." And the actual original meaning of the Greek term is "raised out, up, from among..." It leaves no question - One is raised out from among the dead. The rest of the dead are there waiting to hear His Voice. They that hear and obey... Jesus says in John 5, "The hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear My Voice". All the dead hear His Voice, but there’s two translations for the word "hearing": one means all shall hear a sound, but those that comprehend and obey that Voice - they shall live!

See, He is raised up, He is raised up from among the dead, so that He Himself may be The Resurrection of the dead. The dead have no resurrection other than Him. There is NOT a resurrection FOR THE DEAD; there’s a resurrection OF THE DEAD, and that’s HIM!! The dead who hear His Voice are raised up in Him; quickened together, raised together, seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus! As One New Man - see, there’s the exceeding greatness - abundantly above. There’s The Great Salvation, there’s the part that only The Spirit of God can reveal. There’s the mystery of it. With each part of this three fold fulfillment there is a mystery about it, because Christ at The Cross does not merely avenge the blood of Abel: He doesn’t just fulfil something. He goes beyond it - exceedingly, abundantly above and beyond it! He avenges the blood of all mankind. He brings all mankind to death. He dies as all mankind, so that by Him, all who will hear His Voice, all might have Life! But in that all are dead - all must be born again. And in that, only One is raised up from among the dead: the dead can only live by Him! He is The Resurrection of the dead! So I’m going to say again: there is no resurrection FOR the dead. He is The Resurrection OF the dead - they who will hear His Voice shall live!

Then in our diagram, the next type is Abraham and Isaac. And in relating to The Cross we have DEATH OF A SON - the offering up, or the death of a son. Now, this type requires a son to die. There is nothing here involving sin, there is nothing here involving Adam. This death is not for Adam, this death is not because of Adam. And when I say "this death" I’m talking about that one great death of The Cross. Great Salvation - much more, abundantly above! At The Cross Christ dies as all mankind; yes, but there’s more to it than that! One death enables a New Creation to come forth, a New Man. Salvation is first and foremost One New Man - a New Creation, but then we’re going to have to deal with that Creation having some fruit, because there is some fruit to Salvation.

God isn’t after a barren creation in Great Salvation any more than He was after a barren creation in the type and in the shadow. In the type and the shadow everything brings forth after its own kind - the plants, the vegetation, the fish - everything after its own kind, whose seed is in it. Everything brought forth in the first creation after its own kind except God. God DID NOT bring forth after His own kind. God’s Seed was not in man. He created man out of the dust of the earth; He made man a living soul, but man was never called after God’s own kind. It was said of man, "let us make him in our image and our likeness"; and those two Hebrew words mean ‘a mere shadow, a model having no substance of its own.’ There was no substance to man. Man was not a spiritual being - he was a living soul, but he was not a spiritual being. The Eternal Spirit did not dwell in man! That’s the reason we are a NEW Birth, born from above - that never happened before. That’s why we are a New Kind of Man, a New Mankind, having as our life, as our very spirit, as the very Eternal Life - CHRIST HIMSELF, The Eternal Spirit of God!

Man never was that; he was never after God’s own kind. But there was in type and shadow - a seed. We take that up for the purposes of Salvation, not in the first creation, but in Abraham and Isaac - Thy Seed. And that’s also taken up in Christ, not only in His death, burial and resurrection does He bring forth a New Creation, but He Himself is seen to be The One Seed planted in that New Creation. The One Seed. No, you don’t find seeds here. Paul says not seeds. In answer to Abraham and the type that he and Isaac are (Galatians 3:16): "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ." This New Creation only has One Seed in it. It only has One Tree, and that Tree bears fruit after its own kind. It only has one Vine, and that vine has branches to bear fruit. It only has One Seed in it! That Seed which is Christ! And He does not bring forth seeds, He brings forth after His own kind. He brings His own increase forth!

Galatians 3:29, " And if ye be Christ’s (belong to Him), then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise." So we see in the diagram how Salvation is greater because the type of it was with a man - Abraham and Isaac. And out from Isaac comes a Jacob; out from Jacob come these brethren; out from these brethren come an increase. And all of this is the INCREASE OF THE SEED, but we see it in the natural according to the natural number. But in Great Salvation it is not that way! And that’s what Israel couldn’t get a hold of. They couldn’t get a hold of the Greater Seed - they said Isaac is. Jesus said - I AM!! They couldn’t get a hold of the greater land, they couldn’t get a hold of the greater Israel, they couldn’t get a hold of what the true increase was. They thought it was in themselves - and it was not! This whole New Man is to be filled with the increase of ONE!

Let’s go back - Genesis 22. Haven’t you wondered why did Abraham have to take Isaac and offer him up a sacrifice? It seemed like he should have had to take Ishmael; Ishmael was the one that needed to die. But here we’ve moved on to a greater depth of The Cross, on to a greater purpose of The Cross. We’ve moved in this story from getting rid of a man - to a man having increase of his own kind. At some point in time Salvation has got to be more to you and I than just getting rid of Adam. At some point in time you and I have got to come to grip - I AM DEAD, CHRIST IS MY LIFE! And get on with it! At some point in time we’ve got to face a Great Salvation; we’ve got to understand Salvation involves an increase of Christ in me - in you! Salvation involves the increase of The Seed in the TRUE Holy land, in the TRUE promised land, in the Truth! It involves the increase of One. At some point in time it’s got to come to us that this is what Salvation is also - it’s an increase of One. It is literally One Seed filling up the land, the New World, The New Creation!

And here’s where we come to terms such as "heirs of God", "joint heirs with Christ", because to Abraham this was heirship, the promise, inheritance. See, you don’t deal with inheritance when you are getting rid of Adam. Salvation becomes an inheritance to those who are born from above: to them belongs the inheritance. But first you’ve got to have some "born ones". So you can’t take this and apply it to Adam and say Adam becomes an heir of God. The problem with most people’s view of Salvation is just this - they never - in their mind, in their heart, in the reality of things - they never get rid of Adam. So they read about being heirs of God, joint heirs with Christ, to Whom the promises belong - and they start applying that to the Adamic self. You see, we take the terms of Salvation and apply them to the wrong parts of Salvation; to the wrong parties involved.

See, we take the Blood of the Lamb, the redeemed of the Lord, and we try to apply that to Adam. Now, you have to go back to the type in Genesis, and there’s NOTHING there about the Blood of the Lamb. I know God covered them with skins, but there’s nothing there about the Blood of the Lamb. There isn’t anything there about redemption - there’s just God saying: "Thou shalt surely die." But we don’t want that kind of Salvation - we want Salvation that’s got redemption to it. Well, YOU’VE GOT TO DIE FIRST! You’ve got to die first, because redemption is for the House of God, redemption is not for Adam. The Blood of the Lamb is not for Adam: the Blood of the Lamb was put upon the doorposts of the House of God. And there’s a great deal of difference there! We run around trying to forgive Adam, reform Adam; and that’s the reason we’ve got the Church we’ve got out in the world today. It’s just a bunch of reformed Adamites! But that won’t work! You can preach forgiveness, you can preach sanctification, you can preach holiness, you can preach righteousness until your tongue falls out - it doesn’t affect Adam! The only solution for me as Adam - I must see that I am dead. I can try to be forgiven all my life! I’ve got to see I’m dead. I can try to be holy, sanctified, faithful to God - all of those things - I’ve got to see that I’M DEAD!

Because there’s another Man that answers all of those other terms. There’s a Corporate Son that answers all of those other terms. This Salvation is a Great Salvation! We have entered into an exceedingly, abundantly Great Salvation! But the first of it is - Adam is dead. That’s got to be settled in our heart, and we are a New Creation. Now in that New Creation is One Seed. What does Peter say? "Being born again...of Incorruptible Seed, by the Word of God which liveth and abideth for ever." Now there are many scriptures that relate to this understanding of Salvation, but what I’m saying is you can’t take things that relate to this understanding of Salvation, of The Seed; you can’t take that and try to relate that to what happens to Adam. No - Adam dies! We are brought forth a New Creation, then we are confronted with The One Seed. I’m not talking about three Salvations, I’m talking about the relationships of Salvation. I’m talking about comprehending how Great a Salvation this is! I’m talking about comprehending what happened in His death, His burial and His resurrection. There Adam dies, there a New Creation comes forth being born from above. But then we have to understand that what we are born from above with was ONE SEED.

One Seed. I’m emphasizing this so much because One Seed is going to bring forth ONE SON! Whose Body we are! One Seed brings forth One Son! That’s a Corporate Son, but One Son nonetheless. We must comprehend this. If you’ve got seeds then you’ve sons. If you’ve got Seed, then you’ve got Son. The type says Son - Israel, My Son. Isaac, my seed. That is more than just fulfilled in Christ - He goes abundantly above and beyond! We are talking about why did Abraham have to offer Isaac, and not Ishmael. No, he took the son of his love, his only son; the son that you love, because this was not for sin, but for INCREASE. So we find that The Cross is not only for sin, but that The Cross, the death of Christ is for increase. John 12:24, "Except a corn of wheat (the Seed) fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone." There’s no mention of sin there. This is a deeper work of The Cross. It’s all one work of The Cross, and it’s all worked in you, but I’m just saying that Salvation is a Great Salvation, and we need to comprehend the Greatness of it. It’s not just about getting a sinner saved, it’s about getting a Son to come forth!

It’s about THE INCREASE OF CHRIST! "Except I die", Jesus said, "I’ll abide alone. But if I die, I’ll bring forth much fruit. I’ll fill the creation with Myself." No, not with those that are "like Me". Not with those that are in my likeness; with those that are after my kind, those that are born of My Seed. This is abundantly above, exceeding Salvation! This is what makes us all the same creation - we all have this same Seed. And you see, the point is the increase of that Seed is not measured in number, it’s not measured in people. The increase of that Seed is not measured in how large the creation is. But the increase of that Seed is measured by the measure of Christ. That’s the point. He is not bringing forth people "like" Him - that’s not what it’s all about. He is bringing Himself forth in a creation, in a people - after His kind! One tree, one kind, one fruit. The fruit of the Spirit may be nine-fold, but it is only one fruit.

The tree may bear twelve months of the year, but it is one fruit that the tree bears. It may be for nine million purposes, but it is one fruit altogether - it is Christ, the increase is Him. And if we could really see the type, Israel was in fact simply the increase of Isaac. Isaac was the only son, the son of Abraham’s love. Israel was the increase of Isaac, because God had told Abraham that He would multiply him, increase him greatly in that seed. Well, Israel was the increase of Isaac. But there again, you get involved with numbers. But over in Christ, the mystery of it is numbers is not what is involved, but the actual Spirit of The Son. Yes, over in Christ it is not how many He is in, but it is the measure of Him in the many that makes the difference. Salvation then is not in head counts, but in the measure of Christ. We all agree with that, but that’s very difficult for most to understand because we still look in the natural, we still like to see the multitudes.

Well, I would enjoy seeing the multitudes if in the multitudes I saw the measure of Christ. But if you have the multitudes but no measure of Christ, all you have done is multiplied the deficit! You’ve multiplied the emptiness, and you have called it fulness. If you have three people with a full measure of Christ they are more than three hundred with no measure of Christ! The Increase of Christ! Here is the mystery of it. No, that is not an excuse to have three people, but I’m simply saying it’s not in the smallness or the largeness, but in the increase of Christ is where we find the inheritance and the blessing that is ours - as joint heirs with Him. The Seed filling the land - many who are One Body.

Now let’s move to the Corporate Son, Israel. Exodus 12:3-7 causes us to understand something. This fulfillment of Salvation requires a Lamb. Now listen very carefully. It does not require the death of a man, it does not require the giving of a son. This requires the death of The Lamb. And what I’m telling you is that at The Cross, Christ was all of this, but He was all of this for a certain purpose. He was not The Lamb for Adam - He was the man for Adam. He was not The Lamb for increase unto the Father. No - He was The Seed. But for Israel and the part of Salvation that Israel stands for, and the fulfillment of that in Christ; for that He was The Lamb. Now this is not something that I have made up, it is something I have looked in the Testimony to see, because The Lamb relates itself to Israel. Who put blood upon the doorposts? The beginning of Israel - you know the story: how that Israel was put in Egypt for 400 years. It finishes out the story of The Seed and the land - Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and his twelve, and they go there. Now we find the last great type of Salvation, and that is the bringing of Israel out of Egypt.

We’re not talking about sinners here. We’re talking about The Seed of Abraham, we’re talking about the increase of Isaac that has been, according to the Word of God, ‘in the house of bondage’. Sooner or later Salvation has got to become a redemption for you from the house of bondage. We’ve still got a lot of believers who still comprehensively are slaves to the house of bondage. Oh yes, they’ve written songs, "I’m just a poor, old pilgrim. I’m just struggling along. I’m trying to stay one step in front of the devil. Pray for me that I’ll make it home." That’s the house of bondage mentality! There’s need for a greater comprehension of Salvation in those believers. And it’s the Salvation which relates to The Blood of The Lamb. Most believers have no comprehension of The Blood of The Lamb at all. They want to apply it to Adam, but it doesn’t apply to Adam. It’s applied to the doorposts of the House of God, and that’s the only place you’re ever going to have it applied in the Testimony. And in the fulfillment it’s applied to the hearts of believing saints!

See, the mystery of this is that it’s all one work in The Cross; it’s all one work of God. But it’s a Great Salvation and there’s more than meets the eye. And the Spirit of God has to cause us to comprehend Salvation as all these things. Salvation is reality of Christ! But Salvation is not just a New Creation. It involves a Seed bringing forth. And it involves A SON IN HIS FATHER’S HOUSE. Hear me - not a bunch of people on their way there; weary pilgrims, down trodden and devil chased. No sir - it involves a Son dwelling in His Father’s House! For this we have The Blood of The Lamb. THE BLOOD GIVES US ACCESS. You see, all of it relates to The Cross, but there is this death (it’s one death, but this particular comprehension of His death) - it is not for Adam, and it is not for increase. It is for access into the House.

Yes, all of this takes place at The Cross, but you and I lay hold of it by comprehension; we lay hold of it by The Spirit; we lay hold of it in knowledge, we lay hold of it in faith. Sooner or later we’ve got to come to realize there’s more to it than what we thought there was! We’ve got to stop applying The Blood to Adam, and apply The Blood to the House of God where it belongs. Here’s the point: here is The Son in The Father’s House. In the diagram we come to The I AM. But what are we confronted with, with this I AM? Jesus says, "Where I am, there ye may be also." Salvation has finally got to come to that with you. See what the world has done to it. The world has said that isn’t true, but where He is...one day you can be. But that isn’t what He said. He said, "Where I am, there ye may be also. I will receive you unto Myself, that where I am, there ye may be also. I’ve prepared a place for you. I’ve prepared a household for you." Not off in the future - He came - all of this is one work. This is all done! You are a New Creature, you have The Seed of God in you for purpose of His increase, and you are a Son, a Corporate Son in The Father’s House. You can’t separate these except in comprehension. People haven’t comprehended this, but this is just One Salvation.

You can’t say you’re a New Creation...on your way to heaven. You can’t say that The Seed of The Eternal God dwells in you...but that you are not a Corporate Son. You can’t say you’re born again...and on your way to The Father’s House. No, no, this is One Great Salvation! The mystery of which can only be revealed by The Spirit of God! You can’t divide these fulfillments here in this diagram by dispensational periods: there are no such things in Christ. It’s one work! It is the administration of the fulness of times, and The Father would have a New Creation to comprehend that it has One Seed; He would have that One Seed filling that Creation; He would have that Creation as One Son dwelling in His House.

What I’m telling you is that each of these views of Salvation have their distinct relationship to The Cross. The first view, The New Creation is because the old one died. The second view, the increase of The Seed is because Christ, The Seed - died, that He may bring forth much fruit. It’s a different purpose. Now - The Lamb, The Lamb was for Israel. THE LAMB GIVES US ACCESS. There was no access but by The Blood of The Lamb! Let’s read Exodus 12:3-7. This is in fact the Lord’s Passover. And as we read this twelfth and thirteenth chapter you will find that ONLY the household of Israel could ever eat the Passover. Strangers that came in had to first be circumcised (that’s another work of The Cross). Then they could eat this Passover. The eating of this Passover for you and I is a spiritual comprehension to which we must come. We eat this Passover: we comprehend Him in this way. And we have access into the Truth, into the reality of the relationship in The Father’s House - and quit acting like pilgrims and strangers! And we begin to live as One Son, having access with The Father.

What a change that brings about in you! What a change that brings. Verse 3, " Speak ye unto the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their father, a LAMB FOR AN HOUSE." See, there was a bunch of houses there, but God was just seeing One House. ONE LAMB - ONE HOUSE! And in Christ - One Lamb - One House, and everyone of us has access by that same Lamb, by the same Blood. Not out of sin - it’s into a divine relationship with the Father; it’s into the recognition of relationship! We comprehend that by the work of The Blood of The Lamb! BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB WE HAVE ACCESS. Verse 4, "And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb." Israel - all of Israel was counted by the lamb. And this household, those that are comprehending, those that are in this relationship of Salvation are numbered according to their eating of The Lamb. If you’re not eating The Lamb, that is, comprehending The Lamb, then you’re not in this relationship. Yes - you’re in Christ, but you are not comprehending the fulness of it, and you cannot comprehend the fulness of it except you eat The Lamb, and have The Blood of The Lamb. They were counted by The Lamb.

"...according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year; ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats. And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month (see, here’s a comprehending); and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste; it is the LORD’S passover. For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment; I am the Lord. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt."

I want to tell you something. I deal with Christian people all the time - full of imaginable problems. It’s not because they are not born again, it’s not because they don’t love the Lord - it’s because they do not discern The Blood of The Lamb. What I’m talking about is not three Salvations, but a discerning of Great Salvation, a discerning of the Lord’s Body, a discerning of Christ, an understanding given of God. I’m talking about a full and complete work of The Cross that produces a full and complete Great Salvation! Nothing is left out. I find believers found in problems and they’ll say, ‘Brother Luman, what shall we do?’ and my first thought often is - you ought not to be in that situation! You ought not to have the plagues of Egypt upon your house. You’ve got them upon your house because you’re living in the wrong house! You need to get in the House with The Blood on the doorposts. You need to comprehend The Blood of The Lamb. This thing can’t come through The Blood! But you see, we take The Blood and apply it to the sinner out there so the House of God has virtually no teaching on The Blood applied to the doorposts of The House of God!

I have yet to hear one sermon preached on it! And that’s why the plagues of Egypt are all in The Church, and the problems and cares, and all of that. Then Christians say, oh, one day I’ll die and get to go to heaven and get out of all this! No - you get out of it by the proper discerning of The Blood of The Lamb! The Blood on YOUR doorposts - that’s what gets you out of it, because it gives you access into the Holy of Holies. That’s The Blood that is sprinkled upon the Mercy Seat in the Holy of Holies. It’s the same Blood. Yes, it’s the same Cross that kills Adam, it’s the same Cross that brings forth increase, but to the House of God it’s The Blood of The Lamb. The Blood that was poured out around the Brazen Altar is the same Blood that was finally sprinkled on the Mercy Seat, but it has a different comprehension on the Mercy Seat than it does around the Brazen Altar.

It’s the same Blood that was put upon the horns of the Golden Altar, but it’s a different comprehension in the Golden Altar and the Brazen Altar, and finally the Mercy Seat. It’s not three Salvations - it is One Great Salvation! Sooner or later we’ve got to come to comprehend Christ in His fulness! "To those who look for Him, He shall appear the second, without sin, unto full salvation." We are kept from the plaques of Egypt by the Blood upon the doorposts. Why? Because if you’ve got Blood on the doorposts, you are in there eating the flesh of The Lamb! You are identifying with The Lamb. Revelation is full of those who are identifying with The Lamb. They overcame by the word of their testimony. Yes - but they overcame by The Blood of The Lamb and by the word of their testimony. These are they who follow the Lamb...Does that sound like sinners coming to Jesus? These are they who follow The Lamb whithersoever He goes, counting not their own lives dear unto themselves.

If you mess with Egypt you’ll have the plagues in your living room! Follow The Lamb whithersoever He goeth, and you’re an overcomer! I may sound like I’m talking in riddles, but I see these problems in God’s people every day. And sitting down and counseling with them is not the answer. The Blood of The Lamb - a proper application of The Cross is the answer. And in this case the application of The Cross isn’t on Adam, it’s The Blood of The Lamb. This is THE BLOOD OF OBEDIENCE. This is THE BLOOD OF REDEMPTION. This is THE BLOOD OF FORGIVENESS. We can go on and on. It is THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB! Thank God - one Lamb for One House! Since God only has One Lamb..."Behold The Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world." Don’t be mistaken by that - He’s talking to Israel. Israel is the world there, whose sin, transgression is being removed. God has One Lamb because God has One House, and The Lamb is big enough for The House! Everybody in The House can be counted in that One Lamb. It takes everybody to eat that One Lamb!

I’m telling you - our Salvation is exceedingly, abundantly above and beyond. It is GREAT SALVATION! Part 2 - Access by The Blood

As we continue in our search in Exodus 12 through verses 7 and 8, you’ll find that it is in the Blood, applying the Blood upon the doorposts that they had fellowship. In other words, that’s what brought them together, that’s what made them One House, and there is a tremendous realization there. We have found that the size of the household was determined by The Lamb. So it is not only applying the Blood to the doorpost for our security, but for our FELLOWSHIP one with another. See, all of these things Christians have been trying to have for years, but without a proper understanding by The Spirit of these elements of Salvation. We have failed in our own hearts to have these things, such as security - Christians are full of fear; such as fellowship with each other. We try to base that on everything but the comprehending of The Blood of The Lamb. And we’ve taken most of these things and applied them to the sinner coming to the Lord for the first time, but that’s not where they apply. That’s not where The Blood of The Lamb applies - it applies to The House of God.

We are looking at the types of Salvation - in Adam, Abraham and Isaac, and Israel. And we’ve brought those over into the reality of Christ, coming from one man to a New Man; coming from an old creation to a New Creation. The verse that applies to that is "you must be born again" - the old man dies, The New Man comes forth in New Birth. That’s when you first come to the Lord - you’re baptized into His death. We must be born from above. Then we’re confronted with the need for His increase as we walk, and that’s where we pick up the type of Salvation in Abraham and Isaac. We bring that over and see that is also fulfilled in Christ and He is The Seed in The One New Creation, and except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone; but if it dies it brings forth much fruit. So we find we are in need of a deeper comprehension of The Work of The Cross, a deeper comprehension of Christ, wherein He must increase and I must decrease.

But we finally come to that type of Salvation that is summed up in Israel, and it is with Israel that we find The Blood of The Lamb. The Blood of The Lamb is not upon the doorposts of anything until we get to Israel. It is upon the doorposts of Israel, which in The Old Testament stands for THE CORPORATE SON, where the Blood is applied. You can see the pattern: creation - one seed in a creation - out of the one seed comes one son. And in the fulfillment of that it’s the same way. A New Creation - in that New Creation, One Seed, bringing forth after His Own Kind. And that results in The Body of One Son, or One Corporate Son in the earth: Christ in His Church, which is His Body, the fulness of Him Who filleth all in all. And it is with that Church, His Body, the Household of God that we come to comprehend the true meaning of The Cross as to The Blood of The Lamb. Not The Cross as to the death of Adam, not The Cross as to The Seed falling into the ground and dying, not The Cross as the increase of Christ; but The Cross as to THE SECURITY, The Cross as to THE FELLOWSHIP, The Cross as our ACCESS INTO THE HEART OF THE FATHER; into the fellowship of The Lamb. We come to see The Blood of The Lamb as that Blood relates to the very Household of God - ever cleansing Blood.

Our fellowship is in The Blood of The Lamb. Yes, but it is in eating the flesh of The Lamb. They were counted as one House according to their eating of The Lamb. The blood was upon the door - ONE BLOOD TO ONE HOUSE! ONE LAMB TO ONE HOUSE! And what were they doing in the house? They were eating the flesh of The Lamb! "Except ye eat my flesh and drink my blood, you have no life in you." Now the eating and the drinking has to do with a spiritual comprehension of Christ. So now as we continue I want to deal with the issue of ACCESS; The blood of The Lamb giving us access into the House. We must understand that in Exodus 12 God is showing that Israel is but One House. And upon that One House is The Blood of The Lamb. And in that One House they are eating The Lamb. The way we have access into that House (we’re talking about a comprehending, an entering into a comprehension of fellowship, an entering in) is by The Blood of The Lamb.

And what I’m telling you is that there are a lot of Christians today who have wrongly applied The Blood to Adam. We have said that all the Blood has done is gotten us out of sin - that’s the way it’s preached. I have preached it that way myself, but when something’s not quite right The Spirit of The Lord will touch you about it. But when I would say, ‘He’ll wash your sins away in The Blood of The Lamb’, something would touch me. See, there’s no scripture in the Bible that speaks about that as applied to the Adamic man. That has come out of somebody’s songbook! That’s a good thought, but wrongly applied, then it says that all the Blood is good for is to get you out of sin, the state of sin, the state of Adamic sin. And in fact, The Blood of The Lamb has nothing to do with that at all! Where it is for sins, it is for the transgressions of God’s people, it is for the transgressions of Israel. It is for a continual and ongoing cleansing. But the point is, all of us have wrongly applied The Blood of The Lamb. Rather than putting it upon the doorposts of the House of God, we have applied it to a sinner out here, and then it’s over with!

So we have no real ongoing appreciation for The Blood of The Lamb. Consequently, we have not come to an understanding of our access into the Household of The Father. Jesus talks about this in John 14. You know what most people do with John 14: they put it so far out in the future that it is totally out of reach, totally out of thought - so don’t worry about it! It’s one of those "one day, over yonder" doctrines that the Church has adopted because they have wrongly applied The Truth. They’ve gotten hold of The Truth and wrongly applied The Truth. To take the terms of Salvation and wrongly apply them is like going into the Tabernacle of Moses and rearranging the furniture, and saying, what difference does it make? It’s all in here! I’ve got the brazen altar in here; what difference does it make if I’ve got it behind the veil - it’s in the house! But if you have any understanding of the Tabernacle at all, you know that the Tabernacle was according to an order, and the word ‘order’ there means a comprehension. Do it according to the comprehension you got on the mount. Do it according to spiritual knowledge. It’s a comprehension of Salvation. Well, it makes a good deal of difference then where you put the furniture, because that is the comprehension of Salvation as it is ordered, or set out by the Lord. So you don’t put the laver first and the brazen altar second. It makes a lot of difference!

And it makes a lot of difference where you apply the terms of Salvation, and to whom you apply them. Not just for terminology sake, but for The Truth that is in each of those terms - it makes a difference. It makes a difference whether you put The Blood of The Lamb on Adam, or whether you understand that for Adam it was the blood of a man - the blood of a man answering the blood of a man. And that in Christ all mankind died! And when He died - I died, you died - Adam died, and we must now be born again. So we finally come to those that are born again, who are of the Household of God, and for access into the full thought and intention of what that means - for access into the fellowship of that Household, The Blood of The Lamb provides the Way! Provides the access - we have access into this glorious liberty, into this glorious relationship by The Blood of The Lamb. So the issue is one of having access to The Father through The Son.

ACCESS TO THE FATHER. That’s what we’re dealing with. That’s the reason Jesus said...all of a sudden He changed - "In My Father’s house"... This is another picture of Salvation, this is another understanding. Not another Salvation, but this is another comprehension of Salvation. My Lord - you mean it involves Father’s House too? I thought it just involved not going to hell! No, it involves Father’s House! Oh my! How do we get there? No, it’s a COMPREHENDING; that comprehending is based upon a realization of The Blood of The Lamb. You can’t comprehend that based upon Christ dying as Adam. What do you comprehend based upon Christ dying as Adam? You comprehend - I’m dead! That’s the comprehension you come to, and we must. But it has nothing to do with this largeness of Salvation that involves The Father’s House. But you see, the Lord has also provided that, and He provided all of this at The Cross - there’s no doubt about that. But we walk into what He provided at The Cross, as a Finished Work... we walk into it step by step, faith by faith. We grow up into Him in all things. We walk in the light as He is in the light. We shall ever more be comprehending Great Salvation!

Though it is completed NOW in Christ! God isn’t doing this thing as we go along. It is a Finished Work, but the greatness of that Work can only be revealed of God in Christ! As we truly walk out the length and the breadth and the depth and the height - to know the fulness of God in Christ. Paul says that you may with all saints come to comprehend this thing. Don’t misunderstand me. I’m not telling you there’s some king of Salvation you don’t have. I’m simply telling you that most of us don’t understand a tenth of the Salvation we do have! And a lot of that is because we have wrongly applied Spiritual Truth. Or to put it in a scriptural context - we have not rightly divided the Word of Truth. We have rearranged the furniture to suit our own taste, and in doing so we have made Salvation comprehensively much less than it is. So we’ve had no choice but that in the figment of our imaginations to make up for that by putting everything over in the future in the "one day" isms. We’ve created that scenario ourselves by not comprehending the fulness of God that is ours in Christ.

So again, it is the comprehending of The Blood of The Lamb that gives us access. Exodus 12:3-11 is our text and that is coinciding with John 14:1-20. In Exodus 12:6 we see that the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill the lamb in the evening. I’m telling you here He is seeing all of Israel as One House, and He is seeing all the lambs as ONE LAMB. Now this relates itself to John 14 where Jesus says "In my Father’s house are many mansions..." In My Father’s House are many places to dwell. Now, what determines the size of the House? How many it takes to eat the Lamb. The whole things is - in My Father’s dwelling; actually, in My Father - period - because the word "house" there is "dwelling place, resting place", and has reference to family or household of God. A building is NOT the picture given here, but rather in the Father Himself, which is explained in verse 20. But it talks about many dwelling places, and the Greek text will cause you to understand that this is for the largeness of it. Well, what determines the largeness of the House? This is absolutely fantastic! Space doesn’t determine it - how many it takes to eat the Lamb. WHOSOEVER EATETH THE LAMB SHALL FIND THEIR PLACE IN THE HOUSE OF GOD! Whosoever has their name in The Lamb’s Book of Life - it’s the LAMB’S Book of Life. Not just a book of life - The Lamb’s Book of Life! You get your name in the Lamb’s Book of Life by eating The Lamb!

You get your name in the Lamb’s Book of Life by applying The Blood of The Lamb, because those who have applied The Blood have eaten His flesh and are also those who follow The Lamb whithersoever He goeth, counting not their own lives dear unto themselves. It is by this that you are called overcomers. See, Egypt there is a big type of the world. It is that way that you "get out of the world". By The Blood of The Lamb and the word of their testimony! It is the eating of The Lamb that determines the largeness - there’s room for anybody who will eat The Lamb! How many can we get in here? As many as will eat The Lamb! The House is as big as The Lamb is! In this case there’s only One House and One Lamb! And His Blood is sufficient for all. Now we’ve heard something like that preached to sinners, but I’m preaching to The Household of God! You who want access to the relationship with The Father - not just out of sin; but who would know the security of it, who would know the rest of it, who would know the fellowship of it - who would overcome by The Blood of The Lamb! Yes, it makes a lot of difference where you put The Blood. It is simply a comprehension that we are talking about, but it’s simply The Truth that we’re talking about! It is just that - THE TRUTH AS IT IS IN CHRIST.

So, the Blood is for the Household. I want us to see this in the reality of it. "For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment; I am the Lord." There’s something that happened. Egypt is the world here. There’s something that happens when you truly activate your faith - this is an action of your soul. You actually see the Lamb slain, you actually participate in that. YOU put the blood upon the doorpost of the House of God that you are. I’m talking about a realization you come to as a believer - a realization. Here Israel was involved in a comprehension they never had before. Never before had they been told to do something like this! They had been told a lot of things, but they’d never come upon something like this. This is a new understanding for Israel - of Salvation; this is a new understanding of who and what they are. They are about to see themselves in The Lamb; they are about to see themselves by The Blood of The Lamb. This is a new relationship to God. They are about to find the relationship to God through The Blood of The Lamb that they have not known was theirs before. They haven’t understood this before, they haven’t done this before.

And I’m telling you that when you and I come to comprehend Him in this way, and we actually in comprehension have The Blood of The Lamb applied, something happens. I’m not talking about Christ dying as Adam; I’m talking about The Blood of The Lamb applied. See, when you see Christ die as Adam a tremendous thing takes place in you, and a comprehension comes that - I am dead! This is not a fairy tale, this is a thing that you’ve never been able to know before concerning that first work of The Cross. But I’m telling you it is the same way with this Blood of The Lamb. There is a comprehension that comes to you that has nothing to do with Adam being dead! No sir, there’s a comprehension that comes to you that has nothing to do with a Seed falling into the ground. No sir, there’s a comprehension that comes to you and it’s an access to God, it’s a relationship that you have never, ever seen before. And you stand saying, My God, I didn’t know Salvation was this too! I didn’t understand this, and you start to understand the things that had come upon you. Oh, if you had only known this, if I had only understood this, if I had only been able to share this with so and so...Oh my God, if I had only understood!

Listen, when they did that - here’s the comprehension that would come - verse 12. This takes place. He actually does that in your heart! He actually smites the Egyptians, He actually smites the world, He actually takes judgment against all the gods of our imagination. HE ACTUALLY DOES THAT! HE ACTUALLY MOVES THROUGH THE LAND ON BEHALF OF THOSE THAT ARE SEALED BY THE BLOOD! "And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt." The plagues shall not be upon your household. That’s not talking about 1210 Washington Street. It’s talking about this Household that you’ve been in all the time, but haven’t comprehended your access there, because that comprehension has to come with the comprehension of The Blood of The Lamb. The Blood of The Lamb gives us access - comprehending The Blood of The Lamb That’s what these meditations are about. It’s not just on access; access is the issue, but the access is by comprehending - rightly applying The Blood of The Lamb.

"When I see the blood..." The blood is upon YOUR heart, upon the doorposts of YOUR house. We have access into the House by The Blood. The Blood makes it One House. Exodus 12:11: "...It is the Lord’s passover." IT IS THE LORD PASSING OVER HIS OWN HOUSE. He will not destroy His own House. He will not allow plagues upon His Own House; it is the Lord’s. We begin to comprehend ourselves as The Lord’s Own House. It gets beyond putting blood on my house. No - we are the Lord’s Own House! And that’s another comprehension altogether. What makes us the Lord’s Own House? The Blood of The Lamb makes us The Lord’s Own House. He passes over His Own House - it is The Lord’s Passover.

This is The Blood that is typed upon the Mercy Seat, by which we have access through our Great High Priest into the Holy of Holies. Hebrews 9 and 10 tells us about that. He stands not in the places made with hands; He is entered into heaven. How did He, The High Priest enter into heaven? He didn’t enter into the heavens as a reward for killing Adam, He didn’t even enter into the heavens as a reward for laying down His life that He might bring forth much fruit. Those things are real: they are parts of The Cross. But He entered into heaven like the former High Priest - having The Blood of The Lamb. But this time it wasn’t a High Priest with the blood of another, it was with His Own Blood - THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB! And by that High Priest we have access into heaven itself, where we stand having boldness...oh yes, let us come boldly! "Having therefore boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way..." That’s not getting out of sin. That’s entering into a comprehension of fellowship with the Father. That’s comprehending the House of God, that is comprehending where we are in Him and how we’re there. We’re there by The Blood of The Lamb! We’re not there because Adam was killed; we’re there because of The Blood of The Lamb! We’re talking about access NOW! Into heaven itself, into the sanctuary of The Most High, into The Father’s Household.

Then this is the death of the firstborn. Exodus 12:5, "Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the FIRST year; ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats." Verse 12, "For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the FIRSTBORN in the land of Egypt, both man and beast..." Verse 29, "And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the FIRSTBORN in the land of Egypt, from the FIRSTBORN of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the FIRSTBORN of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the FIRSTBORN of cattle." Chapter 13:1,2 "And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Sanctify unto me all the FIRSTBORN, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast; it is mine." What is going on here? All the firstborn die. This is the death - The Blood of The Lamb is the death of all the firstborn. The firstborn of Egypt - all die in DISOBEDIENCE. The firstborn of Israel - all die in The Lamb, IN OBEDIENCE TO THE LAMB. All Israel was numbered, that is, counted in the death of The Lamb. "When I see the blood..." Consequently God saw ONE LAMB, ONE SON and ONE HOUSE - Israel. And that finds its fulfillment in Christ - One Lamb slain for all, One Son obedient to The Father (Israel was acting as One Son obedient to The Father), One House preserved against the second death. That is the death spoken here in Exodus. You don’t find any other mention of the second death until you get over into the Book of the Revelation and you’re talking about those who are not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. There is that death whereby we died with Him, and reckon that death as our own death. There is that death that we die in separation from God. Out from The Blood - this is what Egypt is typifying now: having not the name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

This is the death of The Lamb of God - the death of all the firstborn: firstborn of Egypt, also firstborn of Israel. This is the death of The Lamb of God - without sin, without spot, without wrinkle, with no outward reason for this lamb having to die. This is a different kind of death, a different comprehending of The Cross. This is where the firstborn of Egypt dies in disobedience, but where the firstborn of Israel dies in obedience. We’re going to be drawn to where all the firstborn die, and come back only in The Only Begotten, the Firstborn among many brethren - the Only Beloved Son of God! I’m telling you there’s a Truth here! See, Israel didn’t escape death - their death was in The Blood of The Lamb. Egypt suffered death, but theirs was a destructive death, an eternal death, the second death. Israel’s death was The Blood of The Lamb, and their names were written in The Lamb’s Book of Life. That’s bringing it over from the type to the fulfillment. We have to understand this death of the firstborn - because there can only be one firstborn. And here we are coming from the comprehending of sons, of the many who are one; to the comprehending of just THE ONE SON. ONE SON - ONE HOUSE - ONE BODY!

You can not stand in The Father as many! You can only stand in The Father in the comprehension of ONE. He’s not The Father of J W, He is not The Father of Jack, Mary, Tom and Sue. The firstborn: J W, Jack, Mary, Tom and Sue must die. But they don’t die in disobedience and are left out. No - they die in obedience to The Blood; they accept The Blood of The Lamb. That is not the death of Adam - this is the death of self, this is the death of the firstborn self, this is the death of J W as a person, as a self. This is a death that I put upon my own soul, upon the doorposts of my own heart! And I comprehend that there’s only ONE SON in this House. He is the firstborn from among the dead! He is the only begotten of The Father! He is The Son in whom God is well pleased! So there’s One House - One Lamb - One Blood - One Son - One Father - and One Fellowship!

You may not want that comprehension. Well, then don’t worry about The Blood of The Lamb! You may want to be as Israel was in Egypt - and serve the world the rest of your life; hoping that when you die, you’ll get to heaven. But if you want to comprehend access to The Father’s House - The Cross is going to play a part in that. But it’s not the death of Adam, not that part of The Cross. No, this is the death of The Lamb, this is The Blood of The Lamb, this is where the firstborn dies. I don’t know but that Paul is also referring to this when he says, "I am crucified to the world, and the world is crucified unto me." I know there he’s talking about not circumcision or uncircumcision, but a new creature; but there he may also be really speaking of this comprehending of The Lamb in such a way that you see the firstborn of the world is dead, and the firstborn of Israel also - me. Because what is God trying to do here, with Israel in type? Is He calling my sons (plural) out of Egypt, or is he saying "Out of Egypt have I called My SON"? Is He not by The Blood of The Lamb making Israelites into Israel? Was He not bringing them to comprehend they are One Son? On this is The Blood of The Lamb! Blessed be The Lamb of God! I’ve sung that song all my life, but now I can really say - BLESSED BE THE LAMB OF GOD, who giveth access into the bosom of The Father, where we stand as One Blood Bought Son!

Isaiah 53 - this is The One Isaiah speaks about in this whole chapter. Verse 5, " But he was wounded for our transgressions..." This isn’t talking about the Adamic creation here. This is Isaiah talking to Israel, this is a prophecy that is fulfilled for the House of God that you are! "...he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep (not like heathen - like sheep) have gone astray: we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb (that should tell us what death is being talked about here) to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken." Now, we must understand that the term "my people" in the Old testament always refers to Israel. "For unto Him shall the gathering of the people be." That doesn’t mean the populace: "the people" means of Israel. Israel was considered "the people". Everybody else was considered as not being a people - not a people.

Why would that be? That’s in type, that’s in shadow because God looks in Christ and sees the people; He sees the living in Christ Jesus, He sees the Household; and everything else is considered as not being. And it suffers the second death, it suffers the death of destruction. It is not in The House covered by The Blood. This is Great Salvation! How do you come to that House? You come through the death of The Cross: the death of Adam, and you are born again. You come through the increase of Christ: He must increase, I must decrease. You come through Christ being formed in you. You come through the comprehension of The Father. That’s great Salvation - it isn’t something that happened one day fifty years ago: it is an ongoing Life! How did we ever get to - Salvation is an experience I had thirty years ago, and now I’m just waiting one day to go to heaven? WE HAVE ENTERED INTO LIFE! But the sad fact is most people don’t want Great Salvation - they just don’t want to burn in hell! But anybody with any sense would know that! But we’ve reduced Salvation down to that. No, Great Salvation is not that; Great Salvation is that wherein The Father gets His good pleasure! And His good pleasure has to do with One Son in His House through Whom God is glorified in heaven and in the earth.

Verse 9, " And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors, and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors."He stands there now in heaven making that same intercession for us! It is the ever cleansing, ever present Blood of The Lamb! We stand in The House by The Blood of The Lamb! This is the death that Isaiah 53 is speaking about, and from this death comes the Firstborn Son of God, Firstborn from among the dead - that’s Christ Himself! From that death comes The Only Begotten of The Father; and from that death comes The Son of God’s good pleasure. The thing about it is all three of those titles - Firstborn from among the dead, Only Begotten of The Father, and The Son of His good pleasure - all this is spoken of Christ in relation to His Body.

Why would He who in the beginning was The Word, and The Word was with God...why would He want to become firstborn if in the beginning was The Word? It’s in relation to His Body, that’s in relation to His House, He is called "firstborn". That’s a Corporate Son, The Only Begotten, The Only Son of God that God has ever begotten. Begotten by His Seed, and give Him access into His Household - that’s The Son that Christ brings forth through The Blood of The Lamb. Israel came out as The Only Begotten Son. Begotten - how? Begotten that night - in the house - through The Blood of The Lamb, and eating the flesh they come out as a Begotten Son!

And The Son of God’s good pleasure: Jesus stands in Matthew 3 after it was said of Him - "Behold the lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world" at His baptism. And then God says, "This is My Son, this is The Son The Lamb brings forth. This is My Son in Whom I am well pleased." That same Son appears on the Mount called Transfiguration and He is the end of the law and the prophets. They are overshadowed with a cloud; the cloud moves away and This Son remains, and again it is said of Him - "This is My Son, hear ye Him." Jesus tells the representatives that He took, the three disciples that represent the Church, He said tell no man about this until after the resurrection. You see, this is The Son that comes forth in The Resurrection: The Firstborn comes forth in The Resurrection. The Only Begotten comes forth in The Resurrection, The Son of God’s good pleasure comes forth in The Resurrection! And it is by The Blood of The Lamb. This is The Son over His Own House, whose House we are - The House covered by The Blood!

Israel was now counted as God’s Firstborn. Back to Exodus 13. Israel has never been dealt with this way before. They’ve never been called this before. Verse 1, " And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Sanctify (separate, set aside unto me) all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine." If we went on in the scripture with the law that relates to the firstborn you’ll find there are statements like: I have bought you with a price, I’ve paid the price, you are mine, saith the Lord. It’s always in relation to the firstborn. In a certain place God said separate unto Me all of the Levites. I will take them and account them as the firstborn. But you see, He took them out from all the tribes of Israel and made Him a tribe; and He called them "The Firstborn". In other words, in the Levites God saw all of Israel. Then out from the Levites He brought His Priesthood; then out from the Priesthood He brought His High Priest. So that all of Israel is finally seen in the High Priest. And what does a High Priest do? For all of Israel he offers THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB UPON THE MERCY SEAT IN THE HOLY OF HOLIES!

That’s exactly what our High Priest does! He offers Himself as a Lamb, He offers Himself - The Blood of The Lamb before The Father in heaven itself, and in Him all of His Household is counted. The House is counted by The Blood of The Lamb! The House is counted by The Lamb! From this point on Israel is called The Firstborn. And we take that up in Christ, and when He is The Firstborn it is always "among many brethren": not among many people on earth - among many brethren. Why? Hebrews 2, "For He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all one." This is a comprehension of Salvation to which we must come if we are to escape the plagues of the world, and the bondage of the world. We come from the house of bondage to The House of God. Yes, when you are born again that takes place, but what happens is you are born again into this Great Salvation which you must comprehend by The Spirit; which you must walk in by faith. We need to comprehend what we’ve been birthed into. More than just the death of Adam is dealt with at The Cross! Blessed be The Lamb of God! This is The Blood of your Redemption. And redemption means simply - deliverance. And it has a much deeper meaning to it than just coming out of sin. And who would say that’s not included? But redemption is fully comprehended by The House of God and through The Blood of The Lamb!

Part 3 - Redemption

Now as we continue, we are made to be His House by The Blood of The Lamb. Consequently the only way you and I, who are His House, can comprehend by The Spirit that reality is through the comprehending of The Blood of The Lamb. We are seeing in our study three types of Christ, three types of Great Salvation. Then in Christ, Great Salvation is three fold. Salvation, and each of these aspects of Salvation have a particular and a peculiar relationship to The Cross. For instance, Salvation as a New Creation relates to The Cross in that the old man is dead, and The New Man is born from above; a New Creation born of God. So that understanding of Salvation has its particular relationship to The Cross. Salvation as The Seed, bringing forth increase in the land; that is, Christ being increased in His Body; that work of Salvation that must be worked in us by The Spirit also has its peculiar and particular relationship to The Cross - "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone."

But this third aspect of Salvation, The Church, The Body of Christ, The House of God also has its relationship to The Cross. That is - The Blood of The Lamb. We’ve found that what we’re talking about here is a deeper comprehension of The Cross being worked in you and I by The Holy Spirit. And that these comprehensions of The Cross work in us that reality of Salvation which is the FULFILLMENT of these Old Testament types and shadows. So much so that there is a realization and a comprehension worked in us with regard to all of the dealings of God, and promises of God to Israel. We begin to comprehend that those promises are fulfilled in Christ - to us as The House of God. But you see those were Israel’s because of The Blood of The Lamb, because we found in Exodus 12 that the only way they could enter into that house, which God saw as One House, The House of Israel, was having put upon it The Blood of The Lamb. That made it a different house than it was the day before; the day before it was their house, some house. With The Blood upon it, it typified The House of God, The House of Israel. They had entrance by The Blood, so that Blood in this case was not for the sin of Adam, but The Blood gives us access to The House of God. And when I say "access" in our situation, relating to you and I, who are The House of God, it means access by faith. It enables us to comprehend; we enter in by a comprehension. To comprehend we are The House of God is by a comprehension of The Blood. Comprehending The Blood gives us access by faith into The Holy of Holies, into the sanctuary of The Most High, into The House of God.

So now we are considering that this is THE BLOOD OF OUR REDEMPTION. The word "redemption" means DELIVERANCE. In the case of Israel it was their deliverance from Egypt. Egypt never was, never shall be in relationship to Israel a type of sin. They weren’t there in sin, they were there in bondage - they were there as slaves, as servants of Egypt. The only deliverance from that servitude was redemption by The Blood of The Lamb. You and I are in so many areas of servitude...God’s people are not much better by and large than a whole nation of slaves! Not slave to God, unfortunately; not servants of The Lord, but servants of the world and the powers of the world - which is what Egypt is always a Biblical type of. Just like Babylon is a type - not of the world, but of the religious order of the world. When Israel left the covenant of God and all that they did to go into servitude of Babylon, they weren’t made slaves; they were just engulfed in a mixture of religion - but that’s another story!

And they weren’t redeemed from Babylon. They were brought out of, they were RECOVERED from Babylon; but redemption was from the world. We have believers in the Church today who are so in bondage and enslaved to the elements of the world, that it is almost beyond comprehension! But our redemption is in the realization of The Blood. That’s the only way it is. This will become clearer as we look at The Blood of Our Redemption. We looked at Exodus 12, but now we’ll look in Revelation 5 at the same realization in verse 9 and 10. This is in regard to The Lamb. "And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; for thou was slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth." Redemption is out from kindreds, tongues, peoples and nations. Not redeemed out from the Adamic creation - no, that’s another work of The Cross altogether that’s already taken place. This is God’s people we’re talking about. The Blood of The Lamb is put upon the posts of The House of God. The Blood of the Lamb is put upon the doorposts of our own heart! It is in that comprehension of The Blood that we enter into a greater relationship, a greater comprehension of Salvation than just a New Creation. Now it’s greater than just a New Creation; now it’s access into the Holy of Holies, in the heaven of heavens, into The House of God!

Thou hast redeemed us TO GOD. This redemption is not just out of something, or away from something - getting out. No, not really. This redemption is unto God! We dealt a little with the idea of the Firstborn by The Blood of The Lamb. The problem with most believers today is they do not comprehend by The Spirit whose they are. We’ve got Salvation in our little "ditty bag", and all it amounts to in the comprehension of most believers is that my sins are paid for, and one day when I die, I’m going to go to heaven. And there’s not a whole lot more to it than that - when you bring it down to what they really believe and practice. One day... one day... Very few believers comprehend redemption by The Blood, very few believers comprehend we are redeemed to God, very few believers comprehend we are owned of The Lord. We look at this in regard to the Firstborn - They are mine, said the Lord. And every time that God said that with regard to Israel, He pointed them back to The Blood on the doorposts and their redemption out from Egypt, and the death of the firstborn of Egypt. Every time He said "They are Mine"; whenever He speaks of the firstborn - in every case He mentions, He takes it back to The Blood of The Lamb, the deliverance from Israel and the death of the firstborn of Egypt. The thing that God is saying is I brought a Son out of Egypt, and He belongs to Me!

This is The Blood of our Redemption whereby we belong to The Lord! Now He has taken us out from every kindred, from every tribe, from every tongue, from every nation. He has taken us out - but WE BELONG TO THE LORD! The Blood is what says that! The blood of the man does not in and of itself say that. Christ dying as all men - what does that blood say? It says - all men are dead! It answers to the blood of Abel; it says all men are dead. Now, we’re not talking about three different Salvations, but a greater comprehension of The Cross! And if you look deep enough into that Cross you will see not just a man dying there to bring all mankind to its death; you will see an Obedient Son dying there to bring forth an increase of The Seed. If you look a little deeper you will see The Lamb of God dying there to give access to The Father’s House! I’m telling you we haven’t looked deep enough into The Cross - we haven’t looked deep enough into The Blood!

It is The Blood of The Lamb that says we belong to God. It is The Blood of The Lamb that says God is our Father. It is The Blood of The Lamb that says He has redeemed us unto Himself. It’s the comprehending of The Blood that works that in you and I. Yes, it is so, and that’s what makes the comprehending of it so essential. If it were not already so, then it wouldn’t be essential, but it is so! Everyone that is born from above, everyone in whom The Seed dwells, everyone who is The Body of Christ - belong to God! They are The House of God, and they are redeemed by The Blood. But that’s what makes it so pitiful and tragic that we don’t comprehend it. Therefore we find ourselves living contrary to The Work of The Cross, living contrary to The Blood of The Lamb. We bring reproach upon that Blood every single day that we live other than The Redeemed of The Lord. Adam is NOT The Redeemed of the Lord. Comprehending that we’re a New Creation, which we are, is still not The Redemption of The Lord. The Redemption of The Lord is for that New Creation, whereby we are redeemed out from every kind, and tongue and nation - unto Him.

But we preach in the carnal church today that everybody that says the "Sinner’s prayer" are The Redeemed of The Lord. But The Redeemed of The Lord are those who are comprehending The Blood of The Lamb. REDEMPTION IS AN ACTIVE WORK OF DELIVERANCE; you’re either delivered or you are not! What do you think would have happened to any family in Israel who said ‘I just don’t think it’s necessary to put that blood on the door. I don’t want to do it.’ The plagues of Egypt would have come upon their house that very night! The plagues of Egypt are upon most Christians today! They lay it on to the devil, or this or that, but it’s the plagues of Egypt. They live like any other worldly person - they have the same plagues. They have the same worries, they have the same fears, they have the same doubts - it’s the same! For lack of comprehending The Blood of The Lamb! So it is The Blood of Our Redemption. I want to give you some references on The Blood as relating to our redemption.

Matthew 26:26-28, " And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the REMISSION OF SINS." He is referring to The Lamb’s Body. Remember out of Egypt - what did they eat? They ate the flesh of The Lamb. "...my blood of the new testament..." King James says "new" testament, but the original just says testament, which means "covenant" - The Blood of The Covenant. It is shed for many: the word "many" means ‘shed in abundance, shed plenteously, enough for all!’ Remember we said Israel was numbered in how many it took to eat the lamb. The whole thing was numbered by the blood and the flesh of the lamb. OUR REDEMPTION IS MEASURED BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB - there’s enough to go around! There’s enough for everybody! It is shed for many; it doesn’t mean many just like many people, but is shed plenteously, it is shed in abundance. It is shed for offenses: "sin" there is translated ‘offenses’ - the offenses of Israel.

John 6:53-56 - look at this tremendous wording here. " Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you." Relate this to our passages in Exodus 12 - EXCEPT! This is not a Church social that we’re talking about! This is not a covered dish lunch that you can attend or not attend. Except you eat the flesh...except you drink the blood... This is talking about a spiritual identification. Israel put that blood upon themselves, upon the doorposts of their house; they put it upon the house that they were. And then they ate of it, and it became in them! EXCEPT YOU EAT THE FLESH AND DRINK THE BLOOD YOU HAVE NO LIFE IN YOU! "Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day." I will raise him up - how? I will raise him up in eternal life. "For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed." The word "indeed" means this is the true meat, this is the true drink - this is all you need as the Household of God to eat or drink - this is it! Therefore this becomes our true communion one with another. " He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him."

1 John 1:7 - having fellowship one with another, The Blood cleanses us. "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." Our true communion is in the eating of His flesh and the drinking of His Blood. Where do you do that? Inside the House. You do that as the House, as the family unit. As The Household we eat and drink - we commune with one another. Those who have true communion are those who are truly comprehending by The Spirit The Blood of The Lamb, The Blood and the flesh of The Lamb. You don’t shut somebody out of that communion, out of that fellowship, but they are shut out of it except they eat and drink! Now if eating and drinking in the New Covenant in Christ; if it’s not with the heart, if it’s not the act of spiritual comprehension - then what is it? If we are not comprehending The Lamb, we are not communing one with another. This is where our true communion is. This is the true table of The Lord. He sums it up: "he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him." And therefore it follows that "as the living Father hath sent me, and I live by The Father, so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me." That’s the relationship of the Household. The Blood of our Redemption: redemption unto Him, out from all others; but unto God. Brought into a relationship by The Blood of The Lamb.

I pray that we are getting a hold of some of this; that the initial work of The Cross, that work by which the old man is dead does not have tied to it the concept of relationship. Out of that is a new Birth - born from above. But birth - spiritual birth or literal birth (the natural being the type of the spiritual) does not have bound up with it relationship. Relationship is something that comes because of, AFTER the birth. Relationship is not by a birth. That which is born is certainly brought into relationship of his family, but just because one is Born Again does not automatically mean that he is comprehending walking in the relationship of the household. In fact, it is a certainty that simply by New Birth he is not walking in that relationship.

For as long as he is a child, he differeth nothing from a servant. And we come to that in the second aspect of Salvation which is The Seed, and the increase of One, because it is This Seed that is the heir of God. It is here in this comprehension of the corn falling into the ground and dying, otherwise it abides alone; it is here that He must increase and I must decrease, that we are brought from a child to the realization of The Son. And this is an ongoing comprehension of Salvation to be worked in every Born Again Believer. It is a comprehension that must be worked in us. Henceforth the words - eat and drink are used here. This Blood isn’t just thrown on you, and the meat isn’t thrown at you. God doesn’t hit you with it! This is something we eat and we drink. It is a comprehending of Him by The Cross that has nothing to do with sin; by The Cross that has nothing to do with inheritance in and of itself; by The Cross where The Lamb without spot, without wrinkle, without blemish, without sin laid down His Life for the brethren - that we may have access to His Father by His Blood! THIS IS OUR REDEMPTION!

Acts 20:28, Look at the phrase used there. "... the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood." This Blood refers to The Church, His Body, The House, The Church which He has purchased. You see that in Exodus - what did Israel become, and what are they referred to? They became The Church in the wilderness. When? When The Blood was put upon the doorposts. The Church is not some building made out of wood or brick or glass with a cross hanging on the front of it. The Church is those upon whom The Blood has been applied in comprehension - to the doorposts. That is, they are actively living, actively comprehending The Blood of The Lamb. This is The Church of The Redeemed! This is not the church in the world, this is The Church out of the world, The Church which He has purchased with His Own Blood. We need to make the distinction, we need to rightly divide the Word of Truth. This is not Adam purchased by His Blood. No, Adam was brought to The Cross, and the blood of the death of mankind was shed there - not for him, but as him. But The Blood of The Lamb is shed FOR US - for us. So Christ died in one reference of The Cross as us; but then in a deeper look - for us. He died for us that we may be redeemed and have access to The Father. Salvation gives us access to The Father!

My God, do you realize that most Christians are waiting for that ‘one happy day, one glad day’? But Redemption IS access to The Father! The Blood of The Lamb is access to The Father! But we’ve mixed it all together; we haven’t rightly divided The Word of Truth so we’ve taken The Blood of the Last Adam, and The Blood of The Obedient Son, and The Blood of The Lamb of God - and we’ve just mixed them all together. We’ve applied it to a sinner somewhere, and here’s what we come out with - ‘God so loved everybody that Jesus died on The Cross for me so that I wouldn’t have to die.’ What perversion! But unfortunately that is one of the foundational beliefs of the so-called church. I’ve heard people say, ‘Well, it doesn’t make any difference if we understand all of this: just as long as we’re saved.’ But don’t we understand that this comprehension IS your Salvation? Don’t we understand we walk in Him by this comprehension? It makes a difference where the furniture is in the House - there is a divine order to the comprehension of this thing! You can’t just set the furniture wherever you would like it to be, to suit your idea. You can’t do that!

You can’t do that with the fulfillment. The Blood of The Lamb was FOR us, but it was for those who have already come to The Blood that was AS THEM. He died as me, therefore a New Creation must be born again, born of The Seed of God. Now for those that are born of The Seed of God, there is an ongoing work of The Cross - there is Blood for you and I. That’s The Blood of The Lamb - that Blood was shed FOR US to give us access into God. And it’s all One Salvation, but it has to be comprehended according to this divine order. You can’t mix it up without perverting The Truth. And as I look out in the world and see what we’ve written the name "Church" on, I see a whole system of perversion of The Truth.

I don’t want you to think me ugly, but I don’t have anything good to say about the system. I’m talking about the system - not all the precious believers who are captive to it. I don’t honor that system, I don’t recognize that system as being The Church - it’s just a religious perversion. It is like the whore of Revelation riding upon the back of the Beast! But - The Church which He has purchased with His Own Blood is precious unto the Lord. Why? Because it’s His House! We have a phrase, ‘no place like home’. And if you’ve ever traveled a lot, you know that is true. Well, it’s a poor comparison to what I’m saying just now, but to God there is no House like His House! His House - purchased out from the world with His Own Blood!

Romans 5:9, " Much more then, being NOW justified by HIS BLOOD, we shall be saved from wrath through him." This refers back to the discussion in Romans 3, and it’s concluded in chapter 5 where he says being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved by his life. Ephesians 1:7, "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of offenses..." And I say "offenses" because that is the original word, and when we use "sins" people try to relate that to Adam, this being of sin - and it is not the same. This is referring to the transgressions and trespasses of Israel against the Covenant of the Lord. And if we really wanted to wax bold, we would start talking about you and I and our trespasses against The Covenant of The Lord that is in His Own Blood that says firstly - you are mine! And when we live as unto ourselves, we are in trespass, and we need The Blood. The Blood is not our excuse, The Blood is our Redemption. The purpose of The Blood is to bring us to the point of completion in Christ where we do not trespass The Covenant of God. "IN WHOM..." These things are "in House" terms, these are terms for the Household. In Whom we have redemption...In Whom we have forgiveness...We have forgiveness in HIM! There is forgiveness in this House! This forgiveness is not relating to Adam - Adam is dead! Adam - thou shalt surely die!

But forgiveness is in The House of God, with The Father dealing with His Own Household, that He sees covered by The Blood. He sees us in The Son Who gave His Life - The Lamb without sin, The Lamb in obedience laid down His life for the brethren. It is in that understanding that God deals with His Household and we have forgiveness. All of us are awful ready to run out and apply that forgiveness to the sinner, to those outside... while we hate one another, and while we will not forgive one another, while you let a brother or sister transgress in any way, and we’ve condemned them to what we call hell! But the real application of The Blood is on This Household. It is through that Blood that we forgive one another! This is the greater love - that One would lay down His life for His brethren. This is the greater love, the love of The Lamb, The Spirit of The Lamb that rules and motivates in every given situation. This is the forgiveness of sins! Not license to sin - forgiveness of sin! In Whom we have redemption, even forgiveness of sins. If we could just deal with one another that way; and in comprehending The Lamb - we will! It’s comprehending The Lamb!

See, when Christ became Adam, He was made a little lower. Yes, but He became deserving of death because He died as all mankind. And so - man died. But as The Lamb...now that’s one work, and that’s what we stumble at. But at that Cross..."Why hast thou forsaken me?" He became that Adamic man, and He must die according to the Word of God. But, we look deeper... we see an Obedient Son, and as The Lamb - He hadn’t done anything! The only reason He’s dying is for the brethren! That’s the comprehension we’ve got to come to before we can love one another, before we can shed forgiveness upon one another. It’s The Blood of The Lamb - that Lamb didn’t do anything! He had to be spotless and without blemish. And He, The Lamb did not become sin, He was an OFFERING FOR SIN. Now don’t confuse that - not an offering for Adam, but for the transgression of The House; that He might bring us into fulness, into completeness. Sooner or later the Born Again Ones, those who are becoming sons of God, we’ve got to face the Spirit of the Family. The Spirit of The Lamb has got to be worked in you. That’s what this is all about: The Blood of The Lamb - drinking His Blood, because there’s a Spirit to This Man - a Spirit of Redemption, a Spirit of Reconciliation, a Spirit of Forgiveness, the Spirit of Love that seeks not its own; that doesn’t have to have a reason or a reward, but simply lays down its life for the brethren, for the Household - that’s The Lamb.

That’s The Work of The Cross we’re talking about now. That’s the Redemption, that’s The Redeemed of The Lord! So we can look at Christ and say, as Adam, He died as me. And as Adam the death was deserved. But, this death as The Lamb - He did that out of LOVE so I could have access to His own Father, so that I could stand in the presence of The Father, so that I could stand in The Holy of Holies - GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS! Here is where we really experience and comprehend the love of God! Here is where it is overwhelming to me! This is just for love! To bring us to The Father, to give us access to The Father! It doesn’t have anything to do with old man or old anything. This goes beyond all that!

Ephesians 2:13, " But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made NIGH by the blood of Christ" - given access, by The Blood of The Lamb. Colossians 1:14, " In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins." (Sins = offenses) Colossians 1:20, "And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven." All things - this is the same as in Ephesians 2:14-18. All things, that is Jew and Gentile. "...all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be (things) in earth (Gentile), or (things) in heaven (Jew). Verse 22, "In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight." One Body - One Son - One House - One Israel - by The Blood of the Lamb! Now "all things" referred to there are all things reconciled. The whole plan of God throughout His dealings with Israel was the reconciling into One Body of Jew and Gentile - that was the mystery of it, because only Israel could eat The Lamb. Only Israel could eat the Lamb, but Exodus says that strangers that came in (and they are in type of Gentiles) could not do this except they be circumcised and become an Israelite first. Then they could eat the Lamb, then they could take the Passover, because The Passover is for Israel. And the miracle of this is that in Christ - Israel is not Jew or Gentile, but ONE NEW MAN! God has reconciled heaven and earth, because Israel is a type of that heaven, and Gentile is a type of that earth throughout the Bible. He has brought them together in One Man, in One Household - by The Blood of The Lamb. In Ephesians 2:14-18 you will see that same reconciling, and then from verse 19-22 it says you are builded together for a habitation of God, the Household of God by His Spirit.

He’s talking again here about The Blood. Wherever you see The Blood you’re going to see reference to The Household of God, because it is through The Blood we have access as One New Man, One Son. INTO THE FATHER, INTO THE HOUSE IS BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB! I wish that I comprehended that Blood enough to verbally express it. I see the difference in the comprehending of Christ dying as all men, and that blood being poured out for all mankind - He died as man. I comprehend the difference between that and The Obedient Son falling into the ground that He could bring forth His own increase in the land. I comprehend the difference in that and The Blood of The Lamb - The Lamb without sin, without spot; The Lamb Who died only in love, who was slain only for the Household, The Lamb Who only The Household can comprehend. But as The Household of God we must comprehend this, we must comprehend Him in this way, we must do so if we are going to have access by faith into the very presence of The Most High God, and live as His Household. May God give us that comprehension of Christ. May God enlighten the eyes of our understanding that we may know Him in this measure.

Because you see, this is not an escape out of sin. No, this comprehension will cause to work in me and in you that very Spirit of The Lamb! It is here in this comprehension that we truly are brought before The Throne of God. Look at it in Revelation 5: Who is in the midst of that Throne? It is THE LAMB as though He were slain! You only come to comprehend that by The Blood of that Lamb! It is here that we are confronted - not with just another fact of Salvation, but with The Spirit of The Lamb Himself! Who sets up His Throne, Who sets in His Throne, and Who rules and reigns even as The Lion of the tribe of Judah! GLORY TO GOD! This is the comprehending I desire. I want to know Him in that comprehension - THE LAMB OF GOD! Can you imagine that Spirit ruling in us?

Part 4 - Much More

We have been speaking of The Finished Work of The Cross, and the result of this Finished Work is a Great Salvation. The Lord had captivated my heart for a long time in the book of Hebrews, and of course the term "Great Salvation" is in that book. It is a comparative term, using the term "great" as MUCH MORE. So, much more than what? It’s like the Queen of the South coming to Solomon and saying I’ve heard, I’ve heard...but now I’ve seen, and from what I’ve seen, the half has not been told! This is the way it is. Everything that has been said in the Testimony, from Genesis to Malachi concerning this Great Salvation is a tremendous thing; but - the half has not been told when you begin to see this Salvation in the face of Jesus Christ. This Salvation that God has wrought in His Son is above, beyond, exceedingly MUCH MORE...which is what the term "Great" means - it is a GREAT SALVATION!

And as I began to consider this, there had been a disturbance for years in my understanding about so many of the spiritual terms that relate to Salvation. Spiritual terms like: born again, New Man, New Creature, New Creation, Seed of God, heir of God, joint heirs with Christ, redeemed of the Lord, redemption, restore, restoration, restored, forgiven, forgiveness of sins, justified, justification, adoption. These are the terms I’m talking about. Where in the scheme of things do they find their fulfillment? For years and years I had felt in my heart that these had been misapplied. For instance in the normal understanding that is out there concerning Great Salvation, all of these terms are simply applied to Adam. And yet you know the confusion that brings about when you start talking about a justified Adam, a forgiven Adam, a redeemed Adam, a reconciled Adam; because immediately we say, No, The Cross is against that! But then what are you going to do with these terms, and where are you going to apply them; because in most people’s comprehension Salvation is just applicable to Adam - the unredeemed, the heathen, those not born again, the Adamic creation.

But are all of those terms actually fulfilled in that application? Forgiveness of sins - does it find its real meaning in that application; by applying it to Adam? How can you be dead and forgiven at the same time? It seems like you have to be one or the other! Adam is either dead or he’s forgiven, he’s either dead or he’s pardoned - now, which is it? The world says he’s pardoned, so therefore they make being "dead with Christ" just a positional doctrine that really means nothing at all, and it is passed right over. And then they come up with terms like ‘Jesus died so that we wouldn’t have to’. And we say - no, wait a minute, He died as us. But you see there is a death spoken of in the scriptures as "for us" - and that’s actually what we’ve been talking about - that’s The Lamb of God! But does The Blood of The Lamb apply to the Adamic creation in any way, shape or form? Should we actually tell people: ‘all you sinners, you don’t know the Lord, you’re not born again - come down here and the Lord will wash your sins away. He’ll forgive your sins and they’ll be washed away in The Blood of The Lamb.’ Is that really the story of Salvation for those who do not know The Lord?

Or is the story for them - when One died, all died! By The Cross dear friends - you are dead, you have no life! You must be born again! Is that not the story for Adam, for this first creation? "Thou shalt surely die" - consequently - "you must be born again." Forgiveness doesn’t enter into it for you. New Birth is the only answer for you! Then where does forgiveness enter in? It certainly has its place, but with Adam: you must be born again, because for The New Man, this new Creation, Salvation is not a forgiven man, but a NEW MAN - altogether other Man. Then how do you apply these other terms? Wars are raging over this, dear friends! We want to apply reconciliation to the first, but then we’ve got a reconciled Adam; but if you apply reconciliation to that creation, then you will have to say that Salvation is simply being like Adam was before he sinned. You can’t say he’s reconciled, but he’s a New Creation. No, he’s either reconciled or he’s a New Creation.

He’s either like he was before something happened, or he’s an altogether other creation. And the scriptures say that he is an altogether other creation, altogether New. Then what are you going to do with reconciliation? It’s part of Salvation - where does it belong? I’ve wrestled with this for years. I’ve sat in conferences and listened to different views. To get along we all try to make them sound like the same thing, but somehow it’s always bothered me. Restoration - that’s a term of Salvation. Are you going to apply that to Adam? Is that what Salvation is in the first part: is that what a New Man, a New Creation is? Is he simply an old one - restored? Or is it a brand new building that has never existed before? So what about Restoration?

These are terms of Salvation, and I’ve come to see that the misapplication of these terms is like going into the Tabernacle of Moses and rearranging the furniture to suit your concept. And we say - what difference does it make, just as long as it is in the house? We think we can just arrange things to suit our taste. So we say, well, rather than me dying, I think I’d rather be forgiven. So we put "forgiveness" there, and then we put "restoration" there today, because isn’t Salvation just getting back everything you lost, and having a better life here on earth? See, all of these terms are applicable to the Lord Jesus Himself, just like the furniture in the Tabernacle is all applicable to the Lord Jesus Himself. These are pieces of furniture that He as relating to Salvation is; these terms are terms that He as relating to you and I in Salvation is.

And as I was searching this I came to see that you must go back to the Testimony, to the pattern, and then you bring them over into the fulfillment. It’s got to be the same way in the fulfillment as it is in the pattern. So if it’s that way in the fulfillment then it’s got to be in that same divine order in the pattern; so go back to the pattern. And as you see it to be in the pattern, this is the way it must be revealed of The Spirit in Christ. In the Testimony you can see it to be, you can read it - just pay attention to it. But in the fulfillment The Spirit of God must reveal the reality, but He will always do it according to this order - keep the furniture in the proper order! That’s when it began to dawn on me that there are three major types of Salvation in the Bible. The first type of Salvation is Adam to Noah - CREATION. What answers to that? NEW CREATION. The next type of Salvation is taken up in Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but primarily Abraham and Isaac. And what we see there is not a creation, but the SEED and the LAND of the New Creation. Seed and Land is taken up there as being an expansion, a type of an unfolding Salvation. Where does that find its answer? In the ONE SEED which Christ is. All of these have their relationships to The Cross and to one another. And thirdly you have ISRAEL as the final type and the culmination of all of the others. And beyond Israel there isn’t any type. Now there are a lot of types and shadows in Israel, because Israel represents fulness, increase, corporateness and manifest in the earth, so Israel itself is the type of Salvation. And Israel finds its answer in The House of God, The Body of Christ - THE CHURCH, which we are, because Israel is that House. In Full Salvation - in My Father’s House - whose House you are.

What do we have - three Salvations? No, we have got a three fold comprehension of One Salvation: that it’s more than just a New Creation, more than just a New Man - there’s something more to it than that. It also involves an Incorruptible Seed being in that Man, being in that Creation, with which we are clothed upon. It also involves a Seed bringing forth increase in the New Creation. We come to situations like: He must increase, I must decrease. But you don’t face that in just comprehending you’re a New Creation in Christ: you don’t face increase and decrease in that. You face it in Salvation in growing up in Him, you face it in comprehending Great Salvation. But we must see that Salvation is more than that. Salvation is more than just a New Creation, Salvation is more than just the increase of One Seed. The increase - as great as that is, there is a purpose for that increase, and that is that it all be gathered into One Household for the glory of God The Father. Finally Salvation becomes a Household, wherein God Himself dwells! It’s another relationship, it’s another comprehension, it is a deeper comprehension.

Each of these signify a Work of The Cross. The Work of The Cross firstly is unto DEATH: one man dies - another Man comes forth. But The Work of The Cross in the second part of Salvation is not unto death at all. Jesus said, "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die it abideth alone. But if it dies it brings forth much fruit." The Work of The Cross here is unto INCREASE, because as The Seed, Jesus didn’t fall into the ground and die to get rid of Adam...Now remember, it all took place at The Cross, it all took place at one time, but it is a Great Salvation! My Lord, look what it took to just put it in type and shadow - it took a whole creation, it took God calling a man called Abraham out of the Ur of the Chaldees, it took a whole nation called Israel with all of its types and shadows to just speak of it! But in Christ it is a Great Salvation and it takes the comprehending of The Spirit of God for you and I to realize this Salvation. And indeed the sad fact is that most believers today have not even begun in their comprehension of Salvation to see this. It has been so perverted that what they reckon Salvation to be has nothing to do with Salvation at all! But even if we come to comprehend this Work of The Cross whereby we are dead and Christ is our Life, a New Creature in Christ...that still falls short of a true comprehending of Salvation. So we’re in need of a deeper Work of The Cross, a Work of The Cross that works in us whereby He increases and we decrease. "So then death worketh in us, but life in you." You find references throughout Paul’s writings to this Working of The Cross, and it really has nothing to do with Adam - it has to do with an increase of Christ! Then we finally come to the Working of The Cross that relates only to the House of God: a Work of The Cross that does not relate to Adam, does not relate to the dying Seed - but only relates to the House of God, and that is The Death of The Lamb.

THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB IS EXCLUSIVELY APPLIED TO THE DOORPOSTS OF THE HOUSE OF GOD, and nowhere else!

Now, does The Lamb not die here at The Cross? Yes, when Christ dies - it’s all done! He dies as The Last Adam, He dies as The Obedient Son, The Seed falling into the ground, and He dies as The Lamb. But you see The Cross is such an immense thing that we are brought into that by The Spirit in a divine order of comprehension. You see the Tabernacle is sitting there - it’s all there, it’s made, it’s one Tabernacle, it’s there. But to enter into it in relationship, in worship, in Life - you have to come through one piece of furniture to the next, to the next. No, you’re not separated by dispensational ages from one to the other, but you are obliged to come from one to the other according to the divinely appointed way, because the end of it is Christ! And the end of our comprehension concerning Salvation is just this - it is Christ - but oh, He is great! HE IS GREAT! So we have multitudes of believers who have come to Him, but are not come in comprehension of The Spirit. There are many believers who have never comprehended: I am dead, and He is my Life. They have never comprehended The Work of The Cross in the old man, and they still are having problems with the old man; their whole life is revolved around that warfare.

What is the answer? Jesus didn’t do the job, or we haven’t comprehended what He did? What’s the answer? The Cross didn’t do anything, or we haven’t entered in there by faith? That’s what I’m challenging us with! I’m not telling you there is a Salvation yet to come. I’m telling you there’s a Great Salvation yet to be comprehended! It is a Finished Work, but the result of a Finished Work, a completed Cross is a Great Salvation that eye can not see and ear can not hear, and the natural mind cannot understand. But it is the explicit ministry of The Spirit to lead us, guide us and direct us into the length and the depth and the height and the breadth of the fulness of God in Christ! That is Great Salvation! But we preach that we get saved, and then we’re going to get on to something else. There isn’t anything else but Great Salvation! You don’t get beyond Great Salvation! You do get beyond Adam, but you don’t get beyond the fulness of God in Christ! You do get beyond the old creation, but you don’t ever get beyond The New One! It is just a matter of comprehending, apprehending that for which we are apprehended of God in Christ Jesus. It is a matter of rightly dividing The Word of Truth, and properly applying The Work of Salvation to our hearts; not that we may be saved, but that we may become expression, manifest Salvation in the earth. That’s the whole point of it; that we may become expressions in the earth of Great Salvation. So we are confronted with that: these three types and their corresponding fulfillment in Christ. The order of them as set forth in the Testimony is the order of comprehension set forth by The Spirit. And all of the terms that are applicable to them in the Testimony are applicable to the fulfillment in Christ Jesus. You can’t take the terms of one and apply it to the truth of the other. If you do you will pervert it in understanding; you’ll pervert the Truth as it is arranged to be, ordered to be in Christ Jesus.

Now in these sharings we’ve only looked at one aspect since this is such a Great Salvation. We have come from the first type, Adam, the creation requiring the blood of a man. And here at The Cross, to that it is the blood of a man - The Man Christ Jesus, wherein all men became one man, the Last Man, and the blood was shed. And it was the blood of death. As did Abel’s, it fell into the ground, and it answered the cry of the blood of righteous Abel. So that when one man died, all died with him. That’s the blood in that instance. We mentioned then in Abraham it was the offering of a son. And you’ll find there is no blood connected there in the offering of a son, but nonetheless a son was offered, nonetheless a son was seen as dead. But if you’ll follow that type in Genesis 22, it was for INCREASE, because what did Abraham see? " Lift up thine eyes now...behold..." And he saw the increase. Jesus answers that: I will bring forth increase. So The Cross has to do with that, Salvation has to do with that.

And finally we come to Israel and we are confronted with The Blood of The Lamb. We’ve found in Exodus 12 there was one house and one lamb. What a tremendous understanding that is. What made Israel one house? The Blood of the Lamb! How big is the house? As big as The Lamb requires it to be! It is numbered by The Lamb! How many does it take to eat the Lamb - that’s how big this house is! It isn’t determined by anything but THE LAMB - that’s what those verses mean. Then we looked at Jesus’ statements in John 14 - in my Father’s House. And that means My Father’s House is plenteous, it is great, exceeding. In other words - there’s room for everybody! And the same terms apply here - plenteous, abundantly, exceedingly. It means that the House is as big as The Lamb! It means that if you can eat The Lamb you’re part of the House. Listen - God for the first time in this history of typology sees Israel as one Household! And what determined that? The Blood of The Lamb!

Because Christ died for all men, and with Him all men died, God is able to see you as a New Creation, a New Creature! Because an Obedient Son fell into the ground and died God is able to see the increase of Him in the earth. But because He died as The Lamb, God is able to see you as His House! And it takes that same comprehension of The Cross for you to see yourself as God knows you to be by His Son. That’s what I’m trying to tell you. And there are very few believers who comprehend The Blood of The Lamb. I have never appreciated The Lamb, I have never appreciated The Blood of The Lamb, because I’ve always tried to apply it to Adam - and it meant nothing there. It wouldn’t fit there! But now I scarcely do anything than just go around saying, Praise God for The Lamb, Thank You for The Lamb, Oh, The Blood of The Lamb! Why? Because I’m beginning to comprehend the significance of The Lamb! That’s not for Adam - that’s for The Household of God!

It is by comprehending The Blood that we comprehend we’re The House of God, we’re The Household of God. And there’s no other way you can comprehend it because there’s no other way God comprehends it. It’s true to the pattern: He comprehended them as His House when The Blood went on the doorposts. It didn’t make any difference at that time whether Israel comprehended it or not - God comprehended it. He said, "When I see the blood, I will pass over you." It didn’t make any difference whether they were ignorant of it, but God saw The Blood. And BY THE BLOOD HE COMPREHENDS YOU AS HIS HOUSE! And The Spirit of God strives to bring us to that comprehending of The Lamb, to that comprehending of The Blood that we may apprehend that for which we are apprehended of God in Christ Jesus. This is Great Salvation! And we’re only now just relating it to The Work of The Cross because that’s where it starts. It has to relate to The Finished Work of The Cross.

So we have seen that The Blood is for access; it gives us access into the Household of God. You can only get there by The Blood. And giving us access means a comprehension because we have access by faith. Salvation is not just God seeing us where we are; it is you and I seeing us where God sees us to be. Salvation is not God knowing simply, but the knowing of God being worked in a people! That’s what I mean when I say "access" - comprehension, understanding, spiritual faith. And it is in comprehending the application of The Blood of The Lamb that we have access. What is The House of God other than a divine relationship? Look at it in a marriage. What is a marriage other than a relationship? If that isn’t there - is there a marriage? An institution isn’t that; cohabitation isn’t that. Anybody can live in the same house, anybody can have sex - anybody. It is relationship that sets it apart and makes it something special that nobody can have except by that relationship. Here we are talking about that great mystery which is Christ and The Church. We’re talking about The Marriage Supper of The Lamb!

See, we haven’t even approached it yet! Why? Because we’ve got our furniture all out of order.

We’re pleading The Blood over Adam instead of over The House of God, which we are! A divine relationship - this Household is a divine relationship. It is peculiar to The Blood of The Lamb, it is peculiar to a marriage. And how is that finally seen? We all say,’we are The Body of Christ"...and we are. But what did John, in the great revelation of Jesus Christ finally say that Body and that Church really was? The Bride who is The Lamb’s Wife! That’s a relationship that is developed through comprehending The Blood upon the doorposts and the eating of the flesh of the Lamb. It’s a comprehending of Salvation that I personally have never even heard of, let alone comprehended. It is a Salvation that gathers us. Bless The Lord!

And we’ve seen that this is The Blood of our Redemption, and we saw what redemption is and who redemption is for. We saw redemption is "in whom" - in whom we have redemption by His blood, even the forgiveness of sins. But that word doesn’t relate to Adam in that state of sin at all. It is translated "offenses" - the offenses we commit against The Lamb, the offenses of The Household of God, the offenses that we commit one to another. It’s a terrible shame that we’re ready to run out and forgive every sinner on the face of the earth, but we won’t forgive our brother and our sister - we hate them until we die. And I’m telling you it’s because we’ve made a wrong application of The Blood. We can say we forgive all those other people because we never have to deal with them - but we have to deal with one another. We don’t really forgive them any more than we forgive each other: it’s just a Christian thing to say. But there is forgiveness by The Blood, and it’s for the Household of God. 1 John 1:7, Walk in the light as He is in the light, having fellowship one with another, and the blood of His Son CLEANSES US... That’s the cleansing of the Household! That’s not applicable to an old creation: that’s the cleansing of the Household, that’s for the forgiveness of one another and the restoring of one another, and the reconciling of one another!

That brings us to THE SPIRIT OF THE LAMB. The Blood of The Lamb - The Son in His Fulness. Here we would come from John to Jesus, but now let’s look at the book of Revelation and follow through with the Spirit of the Household. By Him we have access, by that Blood we are The Redeemed of The Lord, The Household of God - redeemed out from among the nations, out from among the people. This is not the redemption of nations, but redeemed OUT FROM THEM (Revelation 5:9-10). But now let’s look at the Spirit. Revelation 5:6,7 " And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts (four living ones) and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne." Go back to Verse 5, "And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof." He looked to see the Lion and he saw THE LAMB IN THE MIDST! That’s kind of like looking to see the Church and seeing Christ in the midst - the one becomes the definition of the other. He is The Spirit: The Lamb is always in the midst of this Son. THE LAMB IS ALWAYS IN THE MIDST. The Son, this Household that is being talked about is The Spirit of The Lamb. In Him and by Him The Lamb is always ruling. In this picture we see The Lamb in the position of RULERSHIP.

There is a realization of The Household, a comprehension of The House where The Lamb is ruling. It is out from here that a kingdom and a priesthood proceeds. They don’t proceed out of a picture of a lion; they proceed out from a Ruling Lamb. He hath...Who hath? THE LAMB hath made us unto God a kingdom and a priesthood. Who has? The Lamb has! It is here, in this house, in this comprehension of Salvation that The Lamb rules. His Blood is on the doorposts! He is that which is being eaten! He is seen as being the ruling factor! He is in the midst of the throne! His nature is the ruling nature of the Household. That’s what we want to discuss now - the ruling nature of The Lamb.

Turn again to Isaiah 53 - see Who is being described here, see what view of The Cross is being described here. Not only is this with peculiarity a prophet of Israel, and a prophecy to Israel, all of which is fulfilled as The House of God in Christ; but we must see the Spirit that is here. See if it is not evident what death, what understanding of His death is being described. Verse 3-5 continues to say "our" - our griefs, our sorrows, our transgressions, our iniquities. We are talking about the House of God here. Verse 7: is there any doubt here? "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth." Is this not the true view of love? Is this not where the love of God is unconditionally shed - for His Own House? Verse 10: "Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering FOR SIN..." You see The Lamb was always just that - an offering for sin. In the first comprehension Christ became the Last Adam - He became every man, He became the curse upon The Cross. He became that as regarding mankind; that there may be a New Creation. But as The Lamb of God He was an offering for the sins of Israel, for the Household of God - for your afflictions and mine! No, we haven’t comprehended this yet, but if we get our furniture in the right order, maybe we can. If we quit calling the brazen altar a candlestick, maybe we can actually come to some comprehension of Great Salvation and begin to exercise it, first of all one to another. So here in Isaiah 53 you see my point there.

Now back to Revelation 5:6, I want you to notice something. "...stood a Lamb as it had been slain..." What makes this nature so strong? This final point is what I want us to see. What makes this nature so strong? You look at Him in Isaiah and He doesn’t look strong at all. He is called the Lion - but he doesn’t roar! He just keeps His mouth shut! What makes this nature so strong? Why is this finally the ruling nature of the House of God? Why does this nature finally become the very prize, the very mark of motivation to which we are walking? Why is this nature the paramount nature? Why? Stood a Lamb as it had been slain: now standing in fulness, standing in power, standing in the midst of the Throne - but here’s the term - AS IT HAD BEEN SLAIN; even as in Revelation 13:8, "as slain from the foundation of the world". Here is the nature of a pre-determined course: with Him the end is determined from the beginning. There is none of this: ‘Well, I’ll pray about it’, or ‘If the Lord wills’- which means if I really want to do it. ‘If it all works out’ - which means if it’s convenient. ‘Well, you know brother, there are others to consider’ - which means it is myself that is being considered. No sir - with Him the end is determined from the beginning. He doesn’t have to pray about it, think about it, get anybody involved with Him in order to do it - He just does it! Why? Because it’s done already with Him from the beginning! That’s the nature that rules in the Household. That’s the power of The Lamb! His is a determined course, and He is given to it. That’s the nature of The Lamb. The Lamb is a Lamb, is a Lamb, is a Lamb, and a Lamb is never anything else.

The Lamb is consistent in His determined course. He is always the Lamb. Revelation 5:12 and 13 says He is The Lamb, worthy is The Lamb, The Lamb forever and ever! The Lamb is ever committed to The Household - He’s laid down His own Life for it; His Blood is on the doorposts! This is not the neighbor next door - this is His House! If we ever come to that comprehending of Him, and become one of those who follow The Lamb whithersoever He goes... This isn’t a secondary occupation for Him - He is committed to this House. Look at it in Revelation 7:9-10, "After this I beheld, and lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb." Verse 14, "And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." Verse 17, "For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them into living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes." THE LAMB IS COMMITTED TO THE HOUSEHOLD! He’s committed, glory to God. There is no, ‘I’ll have to think about it’ with the Lamb; His Blood is already there.

I don’t know that we’re really ready for this. This is a relationship that goes beyond comprehension - where there exists for you and I only One House and One Household to which we by His Blood are committed. And it’s not prayer time "about" that - we may be a House of Prayer, but we’re not praying about the House; we are not praying about our commitment to it. To every work of The Cross and to the comprehending thereof, there is a separation. And it’s not you and I deciding to be separated or anything, but it is a separation unto The Lord. You and I know there’s a back side to that, but our separation is unto the Lord. And until it’s that way with you, I would really say to you - don’t move. If yours is first a separation from something - don’t move. It’s got to be a separation unto Him; but every work of The Cross brings that with it. From new Creation to Dying Seed, and so does The Blood of The Lamb, because only those who eat The Lamb and apply The Blood are ACTIVELY a part of this relationship. Actively - but it’s there for all. It was there for all Israel - actively.

So I tell you that there is a relationship to which He is bringing us, and it is not lightly to be considered, because the seal of it is the most precious Blood of The Lamb. That’s the seal of this relationship. And at some point in time this has got to be reckoned with as a Finished Work. Now I’m not telling you this is not a continuous cycle of learning, but at some point in time we have to at least have agreed that the brazen altar is in the front door before we’re ever going to find our way to the Mercy Seat for the sprinkling of the blood; because that’s exactly what Hebrews 9 and 10 is all about - the sprinkling of the Mercy Seat, the coming into the presence by The Blood of The Lamb - for coming into the presence. So there is The Lamb, the Spirit of The Lamb. The power of The Lamb is unconditional commitment, without reservation to a determined course, and His commitment is unto Blood!

Look at these verses: here is that Spirit working in His Household. Revelation 14:1-5 as well as Revelation 12:11, Revelation 17:14 and Revelation 22:3-4. WITH THE LAMB IT’S A DONE DEAL! You see, we must begin to realize that when He said, "It is Finished", He said a whole lot! And then, out of that comes GREAT SALVATION!!