The Father of Glory

WHO IS THIS MELCHISEDEC #60

The Father of Glory

May 5th, 2001

Brian Kocourek

WHO IS THIS MELCHISEDEC 65-0221E 55 Notice now His attribute. Then the attribute was first God, the thought, the attribute itself all in one, without being expressed. Then when He expressed, secondarily, He became then the Word. And then the Word was made flesh and dwelled among us, St. John the 1st chapter and the 1st verse. Notice, this is in the beginning, but before the eternal. Notice, in the beginning was the Word. When the time begin it was Word, but before it was Word, it was attribute, a thought. Then it was expressed. In the beginning was the expression, the Word.

Last Sunday we spoke on the 3 stages of God becoming known.

1. Before time, when God dwelt alone with His Thoughts

2. When time began which is called the beginning, when God began to express Himself in a form which Brother Branham defined as the Word. John 1:1

3. And At the Fullness of time when He dwelt in His Son Jesus to bring forth a complete expression of himself Flesh. John 1:14 And the Word became flesh…

Wednesday night we examined God in this first stage where He dwelt alone. We looked at God in His solitary essence, how we dwelt alone for an eternity before He began to bring forth expression of Himself through His creation.

WHO IS THIS MELCHISEDEC 65-0221E 46 Now, in the beginning God dwelled alone with His attributes as I spoke of this morning. That's His thoughts. There was nothing, just God alone. But He had thoughts.

Very few people and only a handful of Elect who study the Message and read the Word with a searching heart are aware of the awe-inspiring, Worship provoking grandeur of God's Divine Nature. We speak of a God who is Omniscient, yet we seldom stop to think in terms of what that really means. We say our God is omnipotent and yet we place limits upon Him and His power because of our limited understanding of what omnipotent really means. We limit God because we are limited. We view God in terms of our finite comprehension because that is what we know. We place boundaries upon a boundless God because we ourselves are bound.

Br. Branham said, "In the beginning God dwelled alone. There was nothing, Just God alone, but He had thoughts. Then to understand what it means for God to dwell alone is so incomprehensible to the finite mind which we possess, that our thoughts could never do justice to what that statemenmt tells us.

God is Solitary. He uis solitary in His majesty. In Exodus 5:11 we read, "Who is like unto the Thee, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like Thee, glorious in Holines, fearful in praises, doing wonders."

Psalm 19:1 "The Heavens declare the Glory of God; and the firmament sheweth forth his handiwork, " and yet how can any man know God intrinsically, or in His essentiality by His creation?

A man can pick up a hand crafted watch and study it in every detail, and yet through the studying of that watch we could never know the maker. Now, there may be certain attributes of that maker that show forth in that creative work; such as it's precision, it's detail, it's beauty, it's craftsmanship, and these all speak of the watch maker, but they do not describe him, though they may declare his carefulness to detail ad his precision eye to hand control, or his artistic talent or his ability to conceptualize and bring forth from his mind into a finished product. But to know him? Impossible.

Yet in the beginning we know by God's Own Word, that He lived in a solitary existance.

Genesis 1:1 In the Beginning God…

There was a time when no time existed . There was a time when no earth existed. There was a time when no universe existed. There was a time when no heaven existed. Nothing existed. There was onloy God and He dwelled alone. God in His solitary excellency, dwelling alone with nothing but his thoughts, which is His Doxa, His Glory. God alone in all His Splendor and Glory Alone, period.

There was no heaven to contain Him.

There was no earth to amuse him.

There was no universe for Him to uphold, and maintain by the Word of His Power.

There was nothing. No One! No Thing! No Angels! Not even an atom to make anything. Not even space, nor any dimension. There was nothing, period, except God Himself.

Noone or nothing but God, and not for a day. Not just for a week. Not even for a year or a decade, or a century or a millenia. No, there was nothing but God for an eternity. A past eternity. God fdweeled alone for this past eternity, and He was satisified. He was self contained, self efficient, in need of nothing.

Had God needed angels, humans, or even space in any way, he would have created them an eternity ago. Therefore, creating them when He did added nothing to His essentiality, for He changes not. (Malachi 3:6).

Therefore His essentiality and intrinsicality can not be augmented nor diminished in any way by anyone, or anything. God is Sovereign and he is solitary.

God was under no obligation, no constraint, no necessity to create. That God chose to create was purely a sovereign act upon His part. Neither was there any reason or cause outside of His own Will that pressed im to do so.

Ephesians 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

That God created anything was simply out of His Own desire to do so. That this world exists was out of his own desire to create it. That He maintains it by His Word is of His own choosing, and not yours or mine. That we exist is because of His desire that we exist.

God is solitary. He is sovereign. You and I can gain from the praises of others, but for God, what can He gain? God does not need your praises, and yet He enjoys them, and He inhabits the Praises of His people. But they add nothing to Him, and yet He is pleased by them. God does not gain from your worship, and He doesn't gain from our praise.

He does not gain from our good works, nor does He gain from our holiness, or our righteousness. Then what is it that moved God to predestinate His Elect to "The praise of the Glory of His Grace?" His Own Word tells us it was His Good pleasure of His Own will. (Ephesians 1:5)

It is impossible for God to be brought under obligation to His own creation, for He gains nothing from us.

Let's take this one more step. I know this will offend some who read this on the web, but let me also say, Our Lord Jesus Christ added nothing to God in his intrinsicality, and His essentiality. He added nothing to god's innate nature and Glory. Neither by what He did, or by what he said. Nor by any sacrifice that He performed even though He laid down His own Life. Nothing that He suffered added anything to God. It is true that He manifested God's glory unto you and me, but then what does that add to God? It adds to you and me, for we are the beneficiaries of such words, and such deeds, and such suffering, and such obedience even to the point of His own death. But to god, it added nothing.

On the other hand, let me ask you this. What did Jesus have that God did not give Him?

His Words were not his but the Fathers.

His Doctrine was not His Own, but was the Fathers that sent Him.

His works were not his own original idea, He simply did what he saw the Father do.

And let's face it, his life was not his Own. For the Father not only dwelt in Him, but did so pre-eminently. As Paul said, "I am a prisoner of the Lord."

He did not even bring forth His Own Will, for He said, "I came not to do my own will but the Fathers Who sent me." And Paul said, "for it is written in the Book, "I have come to do thy Will O God."

JOHN 6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

HEBREWS 10:7 ¶ Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. 8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and [offering] for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure [therein]; which are offered by the law; 9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

It is true that God receives both honor and dishonor from man, but that speaks only of man's recognition or lack of it. But it adds nothing to God intrinsically. If God had no desire, He would still be dwelling alone and no worse off for it.

Such a God then is to be feared.

Such a God then is to be revered.

Such a God then is to be Worshipped.

For He is solitary in His majesty. He is unique in his excellency, and he is without equal in His perfection. Yet He sustains all, but is in need of none. He gives freely to all, and yet is not enriched by any.

You can not know God by experience.

You can not know God by His creation.

You can not know God by intellect.

This morning I would like to address these thoughts of Brother Braham’s in regards to the thoughts of God before He began to create all things. To begin with He had to have thoughts, as Brother Branham said, and these thoughts could not be haphazard or chaotic in any way, for He is the great designer and where these is creation there is design and where there is a design there is order and symmetry and

And in Paragraph, 55 he said… Notice now His attribute. Then the attribute was first God, the thought, the attribute itself all in one, without being expressed. Then when He expressed, secondarily, He became then the Word. And then the Word was made flesh and dwelled among us, St. John the 1st chapter and the 1st verse. Notice, this is in the beginning, but before the eternal. Notice, in the beginning was the Word. When the time begin it was Word, but before it was Word, it was attribute, a thought. Then it was expressed. In the beginning was the expression, the Word.

Now, this morning I have entitled our study "The Father of Glory" , in respect of these thoughts which brother Branham has laid out to us from this message "Who is this Melchisedec." We shall examine this Glory which was with the Father even before he made anything or an atom in which to make it.

We spoke last Wednesday night on the solidarity of God and also showed that to know Him or for Him to be revealed is up to God alone, Who He will reveal Himself to.

In Ephesians 1: 17 we read, That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: Therefore we see that God has a great Glory and he is the Father of this Glory which means it came forth from Him and is a part of Him, and He wishes to give this Glory to His Seed, as part of our inheritance. He is here to give us of this Glory for a reason. 18 That The eyes of your understanding may be enlightened; and that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 And what [is] the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Notice then that all this is done with the direct purpose of showing forth Himself to us and all that God has done, He does so not to gain from it, for God can not add to Himself and nor can he be diminished. But He does all this for the purpose of you and I gaining. And he gave us the example is Christ Jesus his only Begotten Son.

20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set [him] at his own right hand in the heavenly [places], 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 And hath put all [things] under his feet, and gave him [to be] the head over all [things] to the church, 23 Which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all.

Now the scriptures speaks of this glory of God in many places. It uses terms like, His decrees, His purpose, His Will etc.

In Ephesians 3:11 we read that the purpose of God is eternal, which means it was always with Him and in Him and part of His essentiality and intrinsicality. According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:

Now in getting back to the book of Ephesians, let's read of this great plan of God and how it was His wish all along to share it with someone. And that someone is His Seed.

Ephesians 1:2 Grace [be] to you, and peace, from God our Father, and [from] the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 ¶ Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly [places] in Christ: 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; 8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10 That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; [even] in him: 11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 13 In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. 15 ¶ Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,

Notice that the decree’s and plan of God was to share that which was in Him and part of him for all eternity, with His Seed.

Romans 8:29 ¶ For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

In Ephesians we read that this great plan of God, with all His eternal thoughts, and with all His great expression of just Who and What He is; His very essence and intrinsic nature, He wanted to share with His Seed. And therefore Paul uses the Word will to show that God was under no obligation to share them, nor was he under any outside influence to do so, but because He first loved, us that He desired to share His plan with us. If you walk away from this meeting this morning learning only one thing it is this; That God's whole plan and purpose in election and predestination was not because god had a need, nor was it because he was under any obligation to do so, but simply because He so desired within Himself to share Himself with others that he brought forth a plan which would consummate in His sharing Himself, and his God life and his Glory with His Own seed offspring.

God did not merely purpose within Himself to make man, and place him upon the earth and then leave him to his own uncontrolled direction. He fixed all the circumstances in the lives of each individual, and all the particulars which comprise the entire history of mankind from its beginnings to its end. God's Own Word speaks very plainly that our days are numbered and even the very hairs of your head are counted as well.

This tells us then as brother Branham puts it, that God even knows every flea that ever lived and how many it takes to make a pound of tallow. Even Jesus told us that God knew every sparrow, and if God is concerned with every sparrow will He not also be concerned for your well-being and mine. That is why Paul could declare to us that great hope in …

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose.

PHILIPPIANS 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of [his] good pleasure.

Why? Because God planned it that way. He laid out every circumstance that will ever cross your path. His Own word declares, "a man will choose his own path, but the Lord will direct his footsteps." We also read, "The footsteps of the righteous are ordered of the lord, and though He stumble yet he will not fall, because the Lord upholds him.

1. The Plan of God is eternal. To suppose that any of the Lords decrees are made as He goes along is to suppose that some new occasion or circumstance will arise that he did not first think of. Then this would make Him not omniscient, and limit His knowledge. It would then suggest to us that god is capable of making a better decision as he Himself grows in knowledge, and then what sort of a God would that be. One that could be outsmarted by someone who might be cleverer than he. Therefore His thoughts and decrees are eternal, and His first thought is and was His best thought.

Ø Ephesians 1:4, According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Ø 2 Timothy 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called [us] with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

Ø ISAIAH 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times [the things] that are not [yet] done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

2. The Plan of God is wise. His wisdom is shown in the selecting of the best possible end and the best means to accomplish those ends. God discloses to us this great wisdom by the execution of each one of his decrees, and by the performance of His great Power in bringing them to pass.

Ø Psalm 104:24, O LORD, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.

Ø Romans 11:33 ¶ O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable [are] his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

Ø ISAIAH 55:8 For my thoughts [are] not your thoughts, neither [are] your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9 For [as] the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper [in the thing] whereto I sent it.

3. The Plans of God are free. Isaiah 40: 13-14 Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or [being] his counselor hath taught him? 14 With whom took he counsel, and [who] instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?

God was alone, the Solitary God, when He made His decrees, and set forth His great plan to it's predestinated end. And these decrees and predestined ends were free from any influence of any external cause. God was free to purpose within Himself, He was free to set forth His Plan, and he was free to execute His plan. For he is supreme, independent, and sovereign.

4. The Plans of God are absolute and unconditional. The execution of God's plan is not determined upon any condition interjected by another. In every case where God has set forth an end, he has also set forth the means to that end. He Who demanded perfection also gave a way for that perfection to be obtained. The One who demanded sanctification, also set forth the means of obtaining it.

Ø MATTHEW 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as [it is] in heaven.

Ø 2 Thessalonians 2:13, ¶ But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

Ø Isaiah 46:10, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times [the things] that are not [yet] done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

Ø Ephesians 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

Ø 2 Corinthians 13:4 For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.

Ø Romans 11: 36 For of him, and through him, and to him, [are] all things: to whom [be] glory for ever. Amen.

Ø ROMANS 9:11 (For [the children] being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)

Ø Romans 9:17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.

Ø PSALMS 149:4 For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.

Ø I JOHN 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.\

Finally, we must understand that in every plan there is a timing that is involved. Whether it be in a game of chess or in the strategies of war, timing is a very important element in bringing about the desired ends to our plan.

The following scriptures pertain to God’s Will and can be used to help you to understand your relationship in regards to His Will, and the expectations God has for you concerning His Will.

ECCLESIASTES 3:1 ¶ To every [thing there is] a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

ECCLESIASTES 3:17 I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for [there is] a time there for every purpose and for every work.

ECCLESIASTES 8:6 ¶ Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man [is] great upon him

MATTHEW 7:21 ¶ Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

MATTHEW 12:50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

MATTHEW 26:42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.

MARK 3:35 For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.

LUKE 22:42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

JOHN 1:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (The Will of God)

JOHN 4:34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

JOHN 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

JOHN 7:17 If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or [whether] I speak of myself.

ROMANS 12:1 ¶ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

GALATIANS 1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

EPHESIANS 5:17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord [is].

EPHESIANS 6:6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;

COLOSSIANS 1:9 ¶ For this cause we also, since the day we heard [it], do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

I THESSALONIANS 4:3 For this is the will of God, [even] your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:

I THESSALONIANS 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

HEBREWS 10:36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

HEBREWS 13:21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom [be] glory for ever and ever. Amen.

I JOHN 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

I JOHN 5:14 ¶ And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

REVELATION 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.