Christ Revealed in
His Own Word #111
Who is This Melchesidec #1
Wednesday,
June 18, 1997
Brian Kocourek,
Pastor Grace Fellowship
[II Corinthians 5:16-21] Wherefore henceforth know we no man after
the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth
know we [him] no more. Therefore if any
man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature: old things are passed away; behold,
all things are become new. And all things [are] of God, who hath reconciled us
to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of
reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto
himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us
the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though
God did beseech [you] by us: we pray [you] in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled
to God. For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might
be made the righteousness of God in him.
[Philippians 3:14]
I press toward the mark for the
prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let’s
bow our heads in prayer.
This evening as we continue
with Christ
Revealed in His Own Word, we shall begin to hone into this Revelation
of Christ and how He came to this earth and manifested Himself in flesh at
various different times. To do this, we
will have to focus in on the next few paragraphs which will be looking very
closely at the Godhead. Because if we do not understand the Godhead, we can’t
possibly understand His Presence among us; Who is present, and Why He is
Present? But before we go to what
Brother Branham is telling us, I want to bring out a few things about the text
that we chose to read from this evening.
If you are perceptive you
will have noticed that we began by reading what Paul was addressing to the
Corinthians regarding the body of flesh that Christ had been identified in, and
not only Christ but we ourselves as well. In verse 16 he said, “Wherefore
henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ
after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we [him] no more.” Now, this does not tell us, as some have supposed, that we shall
never again see Jesus in the Body of
His Flesh. This simply tells us that we do not know a man by His flesh,
and neither would we know Jesus by His flesh, for Satan could impersonate His
Flesh,-but He could never bring forth the Word in it’s entirety. Then, if this
is so, there is something that must go way beyond the flesh in the realization
and identification of a person. As we have stated so many times over the years,
Jesus said, “As a man thinketh in His heart so is he, and out of the abundance of
his heart, the mouth shall speak.”
So really, after all, it is not the
flesh that identifies who and what you are, because you are what you think in
your heart, and it is out from the overflow of this thinking that comes forth
through your own mouth the things which will identify who and what you are.
Then your body, when it become subject to your thoughts, will only reflect what
has been thought in the recesses of your own mind, and spoken through your own
lips.
Now, we can not read verse
16 without first understanding what Paul is speaking about in earlier verses
because to do so we end up having a cow eating grass out of a tree. We would be
looking at the doing away of the body as some have so erred in their teaching
of the Parousia of Christ, and we would end up calling the Parousia of Christ
the Second Coming instead of properly placing it as the Appearing which gets us
ready for the Coming. Now if we would go back to Chapter 4 and verse 16 and
read through chapter 5 and verse 1 we would begin to notice that Paul is
speaking of our having another body which is not earthy, but which is heavenly.
(let’s read).
[2 Cor 4:16] notice here that Paul is speaking of having two things
taking place at the same moment in our bodies. The outer crust or shell which
we call our body is perishing while the inner man is being renewed day by day.
[2 Cor 4:17] Notice here then that He speaks of the afflictions
which we receive in our bodies, is not really a benefit to the body but it is a
benefit to the inner man, because it is working into the inner man something
which is Eternal and can never be taken away.
A greater weight of Glory which is the Doxa of God or the very opinion,
assessment and Judgment of God. In other words, what happens to us in the out
flesh works into us something of much greater importance in the inner man,
namely the very attitude which was in Christ.
That is why we find Paul
saying to us in Philippians 2 that we should let the very mind which was in
Christ to take over our thinking.
[Philippians 2:1-8] If
[there be] therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any
fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be like-minded, having the same
love, [being] of one accord, of one mind. [Let] nothing [be done] through strife or vainglory; but in
lowliness of mind let each esteem
other better than themselves. Look not
every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let
this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
( And how did He go about doing this?) But made
himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was
made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the
death of the cross. He came forth in the fashion of man to do what? To
become obedient!
Now, this ought to tell you
that any man that would exalt himself and tell the world how great a ministry
they have is going in the opposite direction that Jesus did, and Paul told us
to do. Jesus did not claim anything of His own. He even said, He had no
doctrine of His own. [John 7:16-18]
And notice He also said, if any man bear witness of himself and to the one who
sent him, the same is not true, and if he is not true then he is false. [John 5:19, 30-32, 36-37] Even Jesus
Himself said, That if He bears witness of Himself, we are not to even consider
that witness, because Vindication doesn’t work that way. The Works that the
Father does, they are what bears witness.
[2 Cor 4:17] So we see then what Paul is telling us in this verse.
That God allows certain things to happen that will work within us those
characteristics and attributes which are eternal, and have nothing at all to do
with this earthly body which is perishing. [Romans 5:1-5] & [James
1:12]
[2 Cor 4:18] Now, this verse is the key to understanding 5:16. It
tells us that our focus is not to be the things which are seen but those things
which are not seen. Then in the next verse Paul explains why.
[2 Cor 5:1] Brother Branham explains this verse in another sermon a
bit better for our understanding. From the Message, Explaining Healing and
Jairus, He said, We
got it now. Right now we are the
sons of God. "It does not appear what we shall be, but we know we'll be
like Him." What you are here is a reflection of what
you are somewhere else. "Those who He called, He justifies." Is
that right? "Those who He justified,
He has glorified." Already in the Presence of the Father, we have a
glorified body. Whew! Wasn't that deep? All right. We'll find out whether
it's right or not. "If this earthly tabernacle be dissolved, we have one
already waiting." Is that right? That's right. So right now, and what we are there, is a reflection. Here, what we are here, is a reflection of what
we are somewhere else. So if your deeds are evil, you know where it comes
from. You know where your other body's a waiting.
[2 Cor 5:2-3] and this word naked means to be without a body, or
stripped of the body. Because only an eternal being could have and eternal
body. [2 Cor 5:4]
[2 Cor 5:5-7] therefore if we walk by Faith which is revelation,
then we do not look at the flesh, but at the promise, which is a Word.
[2 Cor 5:8-15] Now by reading these former verses we can thus see
what Paul is speaking of in verse 16 where he says we no longer look at the
Flesh, [2 Cor 5:16] And thus by
being able to see the plan of God so clearly that what His Son has already done
in His Body is good enough for you and I, we therefore are bale to receive the
reconciliation ministry of His Spirit and are able to focus on the Things which
are eternal. [2 Cor 5:17-21]
If you'll notice
further down in vs.[18-21], Paul is
speaking of a relationship which does not exist by mere
acquaintance only, but
rather is a ministry imparted to us which reconciles us
back to Him. Now this ministry of reconciliation is needed because
we have been separated from Him. The word Reconcile is from two words
"Re": a prefix meaning (anew or again), and the word
"Conciliate": which means to (assemble, unite,).
This then is a Word ministry which will unite or assemble us
again. This Word of reconciliation then places us in a
position of Ambassadorship as we see
in Vs [ 20].
Thus as Ambassadors,
we represent our Sovereign while resident on foreign soil, thus separated from
the one whom we represent. Therefore, it is a Word of
reconciliation because the reconciliator Himself is not
present. Thus by Word, we are brought into a relationship to our
Sovereign. As we have at His first coming a reconciliation of man to God
or (The Word). God used Jesus (the complete manifestation of His Word) to
bring man back to His Word. Now He has come as Word (Logos)
to assemble or unite us to the Complete manifestation of His Word
namely Jesus. When Jesus was here in flesh at His first coming, no man knew
Him, or Who He represented, by looking at His flesh. Some
Greeks had heard that God was descended and they went to meet
Him, but when they saw only a man, they went away discouraged. The
Bible tells us that after His resurrection, He appeared unto many.
If you will notice, on many
occasions He was not identifiable in His flesh, It was what
He said that made them take note that "This
was the Christ". If they did not know Him after the
flesh then, how is it that they will know Him by His flesh now. "As
a man thinketh in his heart so is he", and "out of the
abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh". So we don't really know
any man by his flesh but rather by what he says, for this is what
bears witness to what he is and what he stands for. So we do
not know, and will not know Jesus after the flesh but by a
perfect Word description. After all He is the Word. In fact He is the
complete manifestation and the perfect interpretation of the Word.
Unless we somehow are
given a clear description by word of Jesus that we wouldn't
really recognize Him if He was to make Himself visible in flesh? That is
what the ministry of His Appearing is all about. God has
come down in form of Logos to reveal or unveil Himself
to us. In this ministry He, as the Spirit of Truth, is to lead
us into all truth. He is The Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation that
gives us The Knowledge of Him. Without this ministry, we could not be
caught away, for we would not even be aware of the day or season of
the catching away and thus would not be prepared for such a great event. We'd
still be holding onto our own ideas of what is to take place and we would
surely miss it. Let me use an illustration to bring out my point. Eliezer was
sent to bring a bride home to a promised son Isaac. He met a
woman at the well who received him and his ministry. By word he
proceeded to tell her of this groom who had sent him to bring her home to
him. The more he spoke of this groom the more she longed to meet him. By
word then, she received this promise and was caught away to
meet going to meet for when they arrived she lighted off the camel
and ran into his awaiting arms. Now she was a virtuous
woman and a woman does not keep her virtue long
by running into the arms of complete strangers. This then
would truly be out of character for her to do, had she not already
known Him, before she actually
met him in flesh.
The Appearing then is an
introduction to His coming, and without it we would still be
wondering How, when, where, by what etc. The Appearing is that
portion of time or season, an epochal season whereby we are
ushered into a transitory state, a rapture. It is the
season where after coming out of Egypt so to speak they
had to reach a point where their coming out turned into an
entering in. To come out of Egypt was not enough. They had to enter in.
It took the Holy Spirit in form of
Pillar of fire to lead them into the promised land. As
John the Baptist's ministry fore ran the first Coming, so too
this ministry of Elijah in our day was to fore run the Second Coming of
Christ. An introduction. Johns ministry was not The Coming, but The Coming
of Christ was subsequent to it
Then, as you can see, there is a difference between the appearing and
the coming, as Brother Branham said in the Message [END TIME EVANGELISM]“ he said "Now, we have already
seen and are witnessing the appearing of the Lord. Now remember,
appearing and coming are two“ different words, to appear and then“ to come. Now is the appearing, He's already appeared
in these last few days. Right here with us in the last few years. Now, it's a
sign“ of His Coming." Notice
that he cautions us to remember that these are in fact two
different words and two different events. He says that it is a sign of
His Coming. Remember the parable of the thief, if the good man had
known what hour the thief was coming he would not have suffered his house
to be broken into. This sign of the appearing is a sign given that an
epochal season is in process or in motion. But remember, it is a sign
only, it is not the event itself.
Some men have taught, that
if our Lord Himself is here in the form of a Pillar of fire or shall we say as Logos, What more could we
want. What more can the actual body of a man add to us. First
of all we have two questions here. Let's take the last
one first. You ask what more could the Body of Jesus
add. Apparently you are aware that we receive our
change under the
Shout, Voice and trumpet which are three stages of the
rapture. This is true. However the Seventh seal goes plum into Eternity
as a continual unfolding or as Brother Branham put it, Like
a Roman candle, one ball of fire goes up and out of it comes
another and another and on it goes plum into Eternity. Now
also remember that we are changed from Glory to Glory and thus the
meeting in the air is a further Glory from the Appearing and
the wedding supper is a further glory from the meeting in the air. The
whole thing is an adding Word upon Word upon Word or from Glory to Glory
beginning with the Appearing and swinging right into the Second Coming.
The Millennium is a Glory beyond the Wedding Supper and New Jerusalem is a further Glory beyond
the Millennium.
Remember, God was also on
the scene in the days of Abraham
and Abraham still longed to see his Promised Son.
The promise to Abraham was not complete until the
actual physical arrival of His son, Isaac. We are still
under the promise as we have not actually crossed the Jordan
yet. To say, "If I have His Logos, what do I
need the physical body for?" shows a lack of
understanding concerning the actual body of Jesus. This then is the real
question, and must be answered first in order for us to really appreciate this
great revelation of what God is doing in these last days. The revelation
of Godhead is one which is truly misunderstood. No one wants to admit
that they do not understand the Godhead but the fact is that very
few people really do. The whole of Christendom is primarily a trinity believing people. They are very
wrong. On the other hand, the oneness people, though few in number
are closer yet still way out in left field. Where the trouble seems to lay
is what to do with this Corporal body. Trinitarians want to deify
the body and make it a second person in the Godhead while oneness
want to eliminate it all together and put it's importance
only in a historical sense (in other words since He came from
God and went back to God they feel that the body is of
no further use or importance in the economy of God. It is
this lack of understanding which caused the Jews to kill Jesus. The
answer to this understanding is in the Word of God. God being
invisible wanted to show His love for His children. As an in visible one
He knew that they would have trouble receiving His love.
He then, in order to show forth His love, made a body
in which He might outwardly express His Love for His
Children. The invisible God thus became visible. In other words,
Jesus Christ is the full and complete interpretation of the expressed thought
of God. God expressed. The outward manifestation of God. Every
characteristic, every attribute, every thought that God ever had, He
formed into a sperm and egg and placed it in the womb of Mary. As this body begin to grow
it took on the full character and complete fullness of what God had
in His thoughts to begin with. Therefore the Word which began as a thought
one day became flesh and God child now make visible His
expression of Love for His children. He now can receive our love in a way
which we could not love Him as an invisible One. It gives a direction to
channel our love. A focal point. Then the body of Jesus being man
is more than just man, it is God manifested or made visible.
Thus the One who created this body is gathering a bride to
bring to this body and He thinks so much of this body, He will incarnate
it again at the meeting in the air.
So let’s begin tonight at
paragraph number 139.
[139] I just want to let you see a little something here if you can stand it. Watch. When Jesus was manifested in the Old
Testament as we believe it... Now, you preachers out there, you can argue with
it, do whatever you want to, but I'm talking from my, what I think. See? When Jesus was manifested in the Old Testament in a theophany, in the Person of
Melchisedec, not a priesthood, but the
Person, the Man... See? For this Man
had yet not been born, but He was in
a theophany so He had no father, no mother. He was God Himself. He was
manifested in the form of a Man called King of Salem, which is King of
Peace and King of Righteousness. See? He was Melchisedec. He had neither father
nor mother, beginning of days of ending of life. See? It was Jesus in a theophany in the form of a man. Could you go
that? All right.
[141] Then He was made actually human flesh and dwelled among us in the
Person of Jesus Christ Himself, born of the virgin Mary. He come in that
form so He could die and went back into heaven. Now, in this last days He has promised to manifest Himself in the
Fullness again of His flesh in Spirit. See? For as it was in the days of
Sodom, so shall it be in the coming of the Son of man. Now, look at the Sodom,
how it set, and what taken place, and Jesus Christ being manifested in bodily
form of His church today (See?), doing the same things, same work, same things
that He did all the time, never changes, the eternal One. See? And upon earth
today, He has manifested Himself in the human bodies, our human bodies that He
has called, and done exactly the same thing He done in sundry time, and in the
times of His flesh upon the earth. And doing the same thing today, because God
in sundry times spoke to the fathers through the prophets, in this last days
through His Son Jesus Christ (See?), the
Son being revealed in the last days, God
manifested in human flesh, setting just before Sodom's destruction, the end
of the Gentile world. You see it? There's
three manifestations.
[142] Now, the next thing
happens, is when it's all gathered up into that one Person, Jesus Christ, Bride
and Body at the physical return of the Lord Jesus, making His three times when
He was brought on earth, killed, crucified, raised up, manifested Hisself in
the form of His Body, which is His Bride, the Woman. You get it? She's part of
His body. And the woman and man is just so close together, till they're just
almost; they are the same; they ought to be anyhow. There they are. See?
They're just exactly manifested the same. She's a part of Him, because She was
taken out from Him. And the Bride today is taken out from the body of Christ,
which is acting and doing just exactly like He said It would do for this day,
the Bride, the Queen, King and the Queen.
All right. We're getting late now so we're going to have to hurry and
get through. All right.