Monday, February 3, 2014

FOUNDATIONS – HOLY or PROFANE: PART 1 of 3

Any building requires a firm foundation in order to stand securely and endure. Foundations have certain requirements: they must be level and strong; they must have integrity and solidity. Foundations must have established parameters that are clearly defined and stable. If any foundation lacks these things, anything built upon it will be subject to deterioration and will be in danger of eventual collapse.

Building inspectors examine constructions for these very qualities and if any of these factors do not measure up to standards, re-construction is ordered; otherwise the building will not receive approval from these authorities. If repairs are not effected, the building will then be demolished.


DUAL DOMAINS: DIVINE and DIABOLICAL

Just as there are really only two kingdoms in this world of ours, that is, the kingdom of God and Light and the kingdom of Satan and Darkness, each of these has a foundation upon which they are built. We understand that the kingdom of Darkness is established upon a faulty foundation (the Supreme Lie being that Lucifer will “be like the most High”. See ISA. 14:14) and is doomed for destruction, but we must also consider our own lives and what foundation of these two, we are building upon. We must choose wisely, not poorly.

Even if we are established upon the foundation of the Kingdom of God, and yet still have facets of our lives remaining on that faulty foundation of the kingdom of Darkness, such elements will fall into ruin. 

Is it not better to be wholly and completely founded on the foundation that will not fail?

We turn now to the book of Isaiah and ponder what it has to say about all of this:

ISAIAH 28: 16
16 Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.

The LORD is the One Who is establishing this foundation (which is truly, Himself – “our Rock of salvation” PS. 95:1) upon the Earth. This is the same foundation that represents the authority of God as Absolute Ruler of all His creation and resides overtly in the domain of Heaven where angelic beings have worshipped and served Him devotedly since ages past, and saints who have gone before do likewise.

This authority was singular and unquestioned upon this Earth when God initially created all things, culminating in the climatic creation of Adam, and his wife, Eve. It wasn’t until Satan a.k.a. “the serpent” (GEN. 3:1) was allowed into the Garden of Eden to propose an alternative that this second foundation was established in the Earth. Prior to that point, this alternate foundation had been established in the newly founded kingdom of Darkness as described in ISA 14:12-19 and EZEK 28:12-19.

Because of the fall of Lucifer, his persuasion of his fellow angels numbering one third of the total angelic population in following him in his rebellion against God (REV. 12:4) and his subsequent infiltration and corruption of the human race, the Earth and the Heavens have been corrupted. For this reason there will come a day that both will be destroyed (2 PET. 3:10, 12) and a New Earth and New Heavens will be created (ISA. 65:16-17; 66:22; 2 PET. 3:13; REV. 21:1), where evil and sin will be non-existent (ISA. 11:9; HAB 2:14).

CHRIST The CORNERSTONE, CUT WITHOUT HANDS

Getting back to our original reference in Isaiah, there is this foundation stone spoken of; “a tried Stone” – it has been tested and proven to be a proper cornerstone. Cornerstones were essential in the construct of a building, establishing the right angle (90’) which in turn will determine the other three angles of the building.

Scripture speaks repeatedly of the Cornerstone:

PSALMS 118:22; JER 51:26; MATT 21:42 (also MK 12:10; LK 20:17); ACTS 4:11; EPH 2:20; and 1 PET. 2:6-7.

Just as the foundation is vital to any building, the corner stone is vital to the foundation; thus we rightly conclude that the foundation of the kingdom of God depends upon that which everything and everyone within that kingdom rests, which is Jesus Christ – the corner stone of our faith.

Jesus Christ was certainly tried by His enemies (MK. 14:56, 59; JN. 8:46; 14:30; as well as by the Holy Law of God (MT. 5:17-18; GAL. 4:4), and found to be a good and proper corner stone, entirely trustworthy and possessing the utmost of integrity in holiness and righteousness, being wholly without sin (1 PET. 1:9; HEB. 4:15).

Therefore Christ is the King in the coming kingdom of Heaven, and He is the rule and measure of all the saints who by the Spirit of grace endeavor to emulate His Holy character in both word and deed (2 TIM. 2:19).

He is the standard of the ‘culture of God’s domain’ and the ruling authority of the coming government which shall preside over all the Earth. Those that reject Him, as religious leaders did, and still do today, will themselves be denied entry into God’s Kingdom.

ZION’S GATES – The GOVERNMENT of GOD

The idea of Zion incorporates more than merely a mountain* in the region of Jerusalem; it is a representation of the Gospel (by which we enter into the Kingdom, via the spiritual rebirth; JN. 3:3-5) as well as the Government by and of God (that is the outward manifestation of the Kingdom). The phrase, “the city of David” also connotes this idea of the Government of God (1 KINGS 8:16; JER. 17:25; LK. 2:11), Christ Jesus Himself being ‘the greater David’ who shall rule over Jacob (Israel) forever (LK. 1:31-33) and assume the throne of His father and predecessor, King David.

*Quite often when mountains are mentioned, they are symbolic of a kingdom, and most especially when “the mountain of the LORD” is spoken of, this represents the government of God.

ISAIAH 2:2-3
2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above thehills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 
3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of theLord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

DANIEL 2:34-35
34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.
35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.


(See also PS. 48:1; 133:3; ISA. 2:3; 11:9; 25:6; 35:1-10; 51:1-16; JOEL 2:1; 3:17; MIC. 4:2; ZECH. 8:3; note: these are not exhaustive references and a comprehensive study on “Zion” would prove greatly beneficial to the Bible student!)

We shall end here and continue next time in PART 2 of 3 on the topic of ZION – the Government of God.

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