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STARS AND TREES IN THE GARDEN OF YAHWEH
by Pastor Jeromy John Visser
(Introduction:)
Take your Bibles this morning turn to Luke 10:18 and read this verse; "And he [Jesus] said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven." This is a vital teaching by Jesus Christ that gives us a glimpse as to why He, God manifest in the flesh (I Timothy 3:16), would come for the salvation of man. The Messiah taught also; "This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes. Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out (John 12:31)"
When explaining the Holy Spirit, Jesus mentioned that part of this power is to be "Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged (John 16:11)." We're also told; "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil (Hebrews 2:14)." As we can clearly see from these verses -- Satan holds the power of death in contrast to eternal life.
John teaches; "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. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous (I John 3:8-12)."
So far, without "spiritualizing" away anything that I've quoted, we can see that the Bible teaches: #1) Jesus literally saw Satan "fall from heaven" because He literally said so. #2) For this purpose Jesus came to destroy the works of Satan. #3) Satan is considered 'the prince of this world' and was "cast out" amongst us for Judgment. #4) The children of Yahweh have a natural tendency towards righteousness. #5) The children of Satan posses no love. #6) Cain was literally 'of' that wicked one meaning Satan. #7) Because Cain was from an evil 'seed' he murdered his righteous brother Abel.
There are so many false prophets and misled Christians that continually try to explain away these plainly inscribed Words found in the Bible so the focus of this morning's study will be to examine numerous passages that prove there are both children from opposite seedlines. It should be rather obvious why "there are certain men crept in unawares (Jude 1:4)" who seek to destroy the simple teachings found in the Word of God through confusion and lame justifications. This should be considered the second part to Trees and Stars In The Garden of Yahweh that I preached about four months back.
I'd like for us to begin our study by examining the "Parable of the Tares and Wheat" taught to us and further explained by Jesus Christ in the 13th chapter of Matthew. As we do, please pay close attention to the Words spoken by our Savior. Let's start reading on verse 24; "Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn (Matthew 13:24-30)."
The subject of this parable is seedlines, or progeny. As we just read for ourselves, Jesus compares 'the kingdom of heaven' to a man who sows good seed in his field (or Garden of Eden) but the enemy had plans of sabotage and sows his own seed among the wheat. Tares appear identical to wheat growing alongside true Christians until 'harvest time' at which the tares are gathered first and then burned in bundles. The thing to notice here is that the enemy sowed wicked seed.
So nobody can say we're 'spiritualizing' away the Word of God, let's look at how Jesus Himself explains this parable starting on verse 36; "Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear (Matthew 13:36-43)."
We just read that there are "children of the wicked one" and that "the enemy that sowed them is the devil" so no matter how you slice it -- Jesus is once again teaching on the children of the wicked. We should also notice that the wicked tares are rapturously taken first and burned by fire or in the 'lake' thereof. So now when we read that "Cain was of that wicked one" in I John 3:12 we know that his father was certainly not Adam and why he wasn't listed in Adam's genealogy (Genesis 5:3).
Let's start reading in the 3rd chapter of Genesis; "Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which Yahweh God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die (Genesis 3:1-3)."
Satan, cast to earth (Revelation 12:9) tempts Eve by casting doubt on the Word of YHVH. God tells both Adam and Eve not to touch one precise tree found in the garden. We've already covered the aspect that people are equated to 'trees' (or 'family trees') and even Jesus teaches about false prophets by saying; "Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them (Matthew 7:16-20)."
Continuing on; "And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons (Genesis 3:4-7)." Ah! The age-old flesh desire to be gods. Even today there are snakes in the pulpits teaching the false doctrine that we're all 'little case gods' as opposed to the sons of God (I John 3:1) so let's be on guard. We should take notice that when Adam and Eve's 'eyes were opened' they didn't notice that they had 'eaten an apple' -- they both noticed they were naked and promptly covered themselves with makeshift aprons sewed from fig leaves. What exactly were they hiding?
Let's read more; "They heard the voice of Yahweh God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of Yahweh God amongst the trees of the garden. And Yahweh God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat (Genesis 3:8-11)?" The word transliterated as 'touch' in Genesis 3:3 is taken from the Hebrew nâga‛ which means "to lie with (Strong's #H5060)" and based on what we've read so far it should be rather obvious what transpired. Nonetheless, we find even more 'keys' in the specific curses pronounced on all three guilty parties. Keep in mind that in II Corinthians 11:3, Paul uses the word exapataō in explaining Eve's 'beguilement' which straightforwardly means "wholly seduced (Strong's #G1818)."
Now, read this; "The man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And Yahweh God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. And Yahweh God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel (Genesis 3:12-15)." The 'natural enmity' or hatred is what we should focus on -- if we understand that Jesus came to destroy the works of Satan then Cain and his offspring are also a part of that. Even today there exists an instinctual hatred between the sons of YHVH and the sons of Satan who are 'fugitives and a vagabonds in the earth (Genesis 4:14).' The seedline of our Savior springs forth out of Seth -- Adam's listed son -- and it's His blameless sacrifice that gives us power over the serpentile enemy.
Listen closely; "Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living (Genesis 3:16-20)."
First, Eve is considered the mother of all living, not part nor some. Are there wicked people in the world? Indeed, her very curse was one of pregnancy when Yahweh says to her "I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children." Second, notice that the Creator keeps his promise and gives Adam eventual death when He says "thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." Satan's trickery brought forth death into the world to which Jesus would eventually overcome.
I'd like to turn to the New Testament for a moment and read a few verses from I Thessalonians; "For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews: Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men: Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins always: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost. But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored the more abundantly to see your face with great desire. Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us (I Thessalonians 2:14-18)."
Those passages should really be no surprise "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works (II Corinthians 11:13-15)." This means that there are 'tares' or false prophets and brethren mixed right in with the wheat who profess to be Christian and sometimes even teach small amounts of truth but are in reality Satan's literal children.
(Intention:)
So far, in both this sermon and Forty Stripes Save One we've simply read from the Bible and discovered that practically each time Jesus or Paul encountered persecution it was at the hands of the jews or what some loosely consider Judeans. But wait! It gets much more interesting when we consider these Words spoken by Jesus to the church of Ephesus; "I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days; be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life (Revelation 2:9-10)."
Again, we can read these Words spoken to the church in Philadelphia; "I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee (Revelation 3:8-9)." I pray that no snake ever attempts to snatch our 'crown of life' in Jesus' most precious name.
[ Date:
Sunday, June 26th,
2005 a.d. ]
(Last Page Update:
February 07, 2006)
Covenant People's Ministry
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