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.