Through Prophet Isaiah, God is rebuking people for pursuing worthless things wasting their time and money.
Isaiah 55:1 “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.
God admonishes us not to spend our money and labor for things that are not bread and that do not satisfy? Then what is the true bread or food that we have to work for to get?
Amos 9:11 “The days are coming,” declares the Sovereign LORD, “when I will send a famine through the land– not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD. Men will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the LORD, but they will not find it.
Prophet Amos teaches us about the famine that is caused by the lack of the words of God. The words of God is the bread or food that we should work for. In this sense we can say that the word of God is the true bread.
Jesus also teaches that the words of God is the true bread. The bread helps us to sustain our life and without bread we cannot live. Spiritually it is the same. Without eating the bread, we cannot sustain our spiritual life that is eternal life. For this reason, Jesus teaches us that we should work for the bread that gives us eternal life?
John 6:27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.
We have to make efforts to get the food that gives us eternal life. And it is only Christ or the Son of Man who can give us the bread or the the words of God. Then what is the bread of life that gives us eternal life. Jesus continues to teach his disciples that he is the bread of life, and they have to eat his flesh and blood to receive the eternal life.
Jesus was the true bread, the words of God. And John teaches that the Word of God became flesh and came down to this earth in the name of Jesus Christ. For this reason, Jesus is the true bread of life that we have to eat to live forever.
The Word or the bread of life became flesh and appeared as man in the name of Jesus. He was the true bread of life that gives us eternal life.
John 6:53 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.
Through this we can see the true bread that gives us eternal life is the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ. And on the night of the Passover, he taught his disciples about how to eat his flesh and drink his blood.
Matthew 26:26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
This means that the bread of the Passover represents the flesh of Christ and the wine his blood. When we keep the Passover by eating the bread and drinking wine we can receive the flesh and blood of Christ, which is the true bread and drink that give us eternal life. Let us keep the Passover. Then we can receive the promise of Jesus and can have eternal life.
According to the regulations and laws of the old covenant, only the members of the priestly family could eat from the most sacred food.
Leviticus 22:10 No one outside a priest’s family may eat the sacred offering, nor may the guest of a priest or his hired worker eat it.
The food offered to God in the sanctuary was called “sacred food” because it came from the sacred place that is sanctuary, the dwelling place of God. And God allowed the sacred offerings to the family of the priests, the descendants of Aaron the first high priest chosen by God. According to this regulation the right to eat the sacred offerings was given to the Levites among the 12 tribes. It was because they were chosen as people to serve in the sanctuary, serving God.
However, all these things are just a copy and shadow for the real things that are going to be fulfilled by Christ in the new covenant. Paul testifies that the sanctuary and its regulations in the Law of Moses were just a copy, not a reality, for the things to come.
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The Reality of the Sanctuary
Hebrews 8:5 They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” 6 But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises.
Here, Paul says that the sanctuary in the old covenant was a shadow for the real and heavenly sanctuary revealed in the new covenant by Christ. And the ministry of the old covenant (the Order of Aaron) was also a shadow for the ministry of the new covenant (the Order of Melchizedek), which was established by Christ and superior to the priesthood of Aaron.
The Order of Melchizedek
What does this mean then? If there is a heavenly sanctuary as reality, there should be the heavenly high priest and other members of the priestly family. And also they should eat from the sacred food coming from the heavenly sanctuary. Let us find answer for all these questions.
First, who is the heavenly spiritual high priest who ministers according to the regulations and laws of the new covenant which contains “better promises” for God’s people. Paul testifies that it is Jesus.
Hebrews 5:8 Son though he was, he (Jesus) learned obedience from what he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him 10 and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.
Then now who are the people chosen by God as priests in the Order of Melchizedek which was established by Christ? According to the bible all God’s people are now called priests of God serving God in spirit and in truth.
1 Peter 2:4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
The Reality of the Sacred Food
Then there remains one question, that is, “What is the sacred food that we have right to eat as people chosen as God’s royal priesthood?” According to the regulations of the old covenant, the food or offering coming from the sanctuary or temple was considered holy and sacred because the sanctuary itself was holy and sacred.
Then we have to eat the food coming from the heavenly sanctuary? Then what is the heavenly sanctuary, the reality of the earthly sanctuary. Jesus teaches us the reality of the sanctuary:
John 2:18 The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” 20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.
Here Jesus reveals the reality of the temple, that is, his body. Christ’s body was the temple of God because the Spirit of God or the Holy Spirit were dwelling inside the body of Christ. Through this we can see that Jesus himself was the reality of the temple came down from heaven.
Then what is the sacred food that we as priests of God have to eat? Jesus let us know the most sacred food coming from his body of temple? Then what is it?
John 6:53 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.
Passover, the Most Sacred Food
The most sacred food that comes from the temple was the flesh and blood of Jesus that we as priests have to eat to receive blessings of God, eternal life. In the Book of Matthew Chapter 26, Jesus teaches us the way we can eat from his flesh and blood through one regulation.
Matthew 26:17 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”
Matthew 26:26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” 27 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
On the night of the Passover, Jesus gave the regulations to eat “the real food”. By eating the Passover bread and wine, we can participate in the flesh and blood of Christ, which is the most sacred food allowed only to the royal priests of God. Jesus sealed this ceremony as new covenant, the laws pertaining to the ministry of the Order of Melchizedek. (Luke 22:20)
Conclusion
God’s royal priests who took part in the new covenant will go back to the kingdom of heaven and will reign there forever and ever.
Revelation 22:5 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.
God allowed us a wonderful promise of eternal life and heavenly royal priesthood to be kings and queens in heaven, reigning forever and ever. Now let us take part in this promise by keeping the Passover the new covenant and by participating in the flesh and blood of Christ, which is the most sacred food allowed to the heavenly priests chosen by God.
Spiritually all the humans living on this earth were once angels in heaven. They committed sins against God in heaven and they were cast down to this earth. They live the life of pain and sufferings, and their final destination is death, the sentence they received for the sin in heaven. However, God has had pity and compassion for us and opened the way of salvation to those who believe in God.
That is why the bible says that the goal of
our faith is the salvation of our soul which otherwise is destined to die.
1 Peter 1:8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Salvation of Our Soul, the Eternal Life
Then what is the salvation of our souls? Our souls are in danger of death because of our sins in heaven. Therefore, the true salvation of our souls are the forgiveness for our sins and eternal life, or the life without death. And this is the goal of our faith to receive eternal life from God. This was the very reason Jesus came down to this earth from heaven.
John 3:15 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Therefore, as people who have faith in God,
the goal of our faith should be the eternal life God grants to his people. Then
how can we receive eternal life from God? Will God give us some medicine that
can heal all the diseases? Is there a tree in a garden that gives eternal life
to whoever eats from the tree? Or as some believes, is there certain material
like elixir of life that gives eternal life?
The Words of God, Eternal Life
According to the bible God’s salvation work
is compared to the creation work. In a spiritual sense, therefore, as God’s
people we are made into a new creation through the salvation work of God. When
we are made into the complete, all the creation work of God will finish and
people who has been made into the complete will enter eternal heaven where
there is no mourning, crying, or death.
2 Corinthian 5:17 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
Then how can we be made into a new creation
who can enter the eternal heaven? It is through the words of God. Many people
think they can enter into the kingdom of heaven if they live a righteous life
on this earth. That is only partly true. As God’s people we should show good
examples to the people of the world so that they can also praise God for our
good deeds. But strictly speaking, our good deeds has nothing to do with our
salvation.
The World of Maggots
Let me give one example. Wherever there is rotten meat, you can find maggots. Let us think about the world of maggots. Even though we cannot see the difference between them, the world of maggots also might be filled with various kinds of maggots like ours. There might a strong maggot. And there might be a wise one, foolish one, or loving one. There might be a maggot which always helps others and takes care of them.
Even though there is a maggot hero that do
good things for the maggot society, does it affect us in any way? Even though
there might be a wise maggot, does its wisdom affect us? Their good behavior,
wisdom, courage, or sacrifice does not affect us in any way. This is true to us
spiritually. Even though there might be a wise man, good man, or a man of love
and sacrifice, our deeds do not affect the spiritual world in any way. Our good
deeds might affect people like us, but not God.
Job 35:6 If you sin, how does that affect him? If your sins are many, what does that do to him? 7 If you are righteous, what do you give to him, or what does he receive from your hand? 8 Your wickedness only affects humans like yourself, and your righteousness only other people.
We cannot make ourselves righteous through
something we do. Rather we can be made righteous through the grace of God who
forgives sinners freely.
The Power of the Words of God
Then how can we be made into a new
creation? It is through the words of God. The bible teaches us that the words
of God are living and have power to make everything come true. (Heb 4:12) We
can confirm this through the creation work of God in Genesis. God creates
everything through His words. When God said, “Let there be light,” there was
light. God created everything through his words. He gave his words and
everything was done according to the words of God. For this reason, Apostle
John testifies that God is the Word.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
Then how would God create us into a new
creation and give us eternal life? It is only through the words of God.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:54)
The Words That Gives Eternal Life
We can be made into a perfect creation with
eternal life in us through the words of God. 2000 years ago, Jesus who was God
himself came as man in the flesh as John said, “The Word (God) became flesh and
made his dwelling among us”. And he gave the words of God which gives us
eternal life to make us into a new creation.
John 6:53 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.
God’s words are living and active and has
power to fulfill everything according to his words. The God came as man in the
flesh and gave his words of eternal life by say, “Whoever eats my flesh and
drinks my blood has eternal life”. He did not add any other condition for eternal
life. He just told us to eat his flesh and drink his blood for the eternal
life. This was the words of eternal life of God.
True Faith That Give Us Eternal Life
Then what is the true faith? We can find
the true faith which can lead to salvation in the faith of Apostle Peter. Peter
had complete faith in Jesus and could be saved. Then what was the faith of
Peter and other apostles of Jesus who we should follow as examples? Even though
all others deserted Jesus, the apostles remained faithful to Jesus to the end.
Then what made it possible for them to remain in Jesus?
John 6:68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”
Even though others deserted Jesus, the twelve remained because they believed in the words of eternal life Jesus was granting them. Their faith should be ours too. Today, some people try to enter heaven through their own righteousness, their sacrifice, their work, wisdom, authority, etc. But Jesus clearly told them to depart from him. (Matthew 7:21)
Obedience to the Words of God
Therefore, the true faith is obedience to
the words of God.
1 Samuel 15:22 But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey (the words of God) is better than sacrifice (our deeds or works), and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
God has given us the words of eternal life
for our salvation. Now is our time to show if we have faith in God. God is
pleased more with our obedience to the words of God than works we can do for
our righteousness. The words of God for eternal life is like this, “Whoever
eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life”. Let us obey the words of
God and keep the Passover.
Then even though we are unworthy, God will
forgive our sins and grants eternal life as free gift to us. Christ
Ahnsahnghong came and restored the Passover for us so that we can receive
eternal life. Now come to Zion, WMSCOG and keep the Passover. Then God will
change you into a new creation with his words of eternal life.
The bible is the book that contains the
mystery of God, which is hidden in the bible as parables. Since it is written
in the parables, it is not easy to recognize or understand the mystery of God in
the bible. However, we have to know the mystery for at least two reasons.
First, one does not hide what is not important. Likewise, the mystery of God is
something important to God and us, and we have to know about it for our salvation.
Second, everything hidden has an appointed time to be revealed. Likewise, the
mystery of God has its own appointed time to be revealed.
Luke 8:17 For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.
The Disclosure of The Mystery of God
The fact that God hid something as mystery shows
that it has its own appointed time to be revealed. Therefore, when the time
comes we have to know the mystery of God.
Revelation 10:7 But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”
The
mystery of God is a prophecy given to the prophets and they are recorded in the
bible as prophecies. When the appointed time for the fulfillment of the
prophecy comes, the mystery of God will be accomplished or in other words “revealed”.
And at that time we can know what the mystery of God is.
What
is the Mystery of God?
Then
what is the mystery of God hidden in the bible? What did God want to hide until
the appointed time? Let us find out what the mystery of God is.
Colossians 1:27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Colossians 2:2 My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
The
mystery of God is the Christ, that is, God who appeared as man in the flesh
among his people. The Christ is the mystery of God. The Christ is described in
many different ways. Sometimes, he was called a king, or a high priest, or a
prophet. (John 19:37, Heb 5:8, Acts 3:22) However, in reality, he was God
himself who appeared as man. Then why was it necessary for God to appear as
man?
When
God appeared among his people on Mt. Sinai among the clouds and thunders in the
time of Exodus, God’s people got terrified by his appearance. They thought they
would die if they saw God and they heard from God directly. At that moment God
used Prophet Moses (a man) as mediator between God and His people. In this way,
God’s people could receive the words of God without having to face the glory of
God that frightened them.
Man
Moses and Man Jesus
Using
Moses a man as mediator was just a copy and shadow. This was given to show Man
Christ who would come as mediator between God and His people. Instead of
sending a prophet, God decided to come down as man in person to lead them. That
was Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 3:5 “Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house,” bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future. 6 But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house.
Moses
was used by God to show the appearance of the Christ the true mediator who can
give eternal salvation to his people. According to this prophecy, Christ Jesus
came down from heaven to us. Even though he was called in many different ways,
he was God himself, who appeared as man to save his people. (Phil 2:6, Rom 9:5)
The Christ, Mystery of God
God
himself appeared as man and dwelled among his people, but his people did not
recognize him. To their eyes, he was a man just like one of them. They could
not see the divinity of God hidden in the flesh of Jesus.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God….. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him….. 14 The Word (God) became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Who was this man? Was he a man? Or God who came as man?
Behold,
The Man
Even though God came down to his people to teach them and lead them to salvation, they did not recognize him nor did they receive him. Rather, they rejected the Christ because they could see only his outward appearance without witnessing the glory of God hidden in the flesh. To their eyes Jesus as a mere man claiming to God. When Governor Pilate had Jesus stood in front of Jews, they shouted in one voice, “Crucify him!”. They rejected the Savior they had been waiting for because they saw only humanity in Jesus. Jews could only see physical aspects of Jesus
John 19:5 5 So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Look! Here is the man!
However,
the disciples of Jesus correctly testify that he was God who appeared as man.
And they could receive him and the salvation the Christ granted to his people
at his first appearance 2000 years ago.
John 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all people.
Both
of the testimonies of John and Paul has an important message in it. Both of
them saw Jesus as man in the flesh. At once, however, they could see the
divinity hidden inside the man Christ. They recognized the man as the Christ or
God who appeared as man in the flesh.
Divinity
Hidden in the Flesh
Then
how could they recognize the divinity hidden in the flesh of the Christ? Peter
knew the truth of Jesus and he testifies about Jesus as such.
Matthew 16:13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
Unlike
the Jews of the time Peter knew the identity of Jesus Christ even though he
came as man. By testifying Jesus as the Son of God actually he was witnessing
that Jesus as God himself who came as man to fulfill the prophecies of bible.
(Isa 9:6) Then how could he know that Jesus was God?
John 6:68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. 69 And now we believe and know that you are the Holy One who has come from God.
He
could know Jesus was the one prophesied in the bible and he came from God to
fulfill the prophecies of the bible through “the words that give eternal life”.
Even though Jesus appeared as man, through the words and the teachings that
give eternal life he knew that Jesus was God because it is only God who can give
eternal life.
Mystery
of God in the Last Day
2000
years ago, Christ was the mystery to the Jews because they did not know who he
was. Only a small number of people chosen by God could see know the identity of
the Christ. According to the bible, the same thing will happen in the last day
when the Christ appears for the second time.
Hebrews 9:28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
The
bible prophesies that the Christ, the Mystery of God would appear for the
second time as man in the flesh just as he appeared for the first time. And the
bible says he is the one who comes to give salvation. Then what will happen
when the man Christ comes again? Jesus already foretold that the same thing
will happen at that time.
The Second Coming Christ, Mystery of God
Luke 17:25 But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.
About
his appearance in the last days, Jesus told that he would suffer many things as
his first coming and he would be rejected by the people of the generation as he
did 2000 years ago by his own generation. In this situation what is the way for
us to know the divinity of Christ hidden in the flesh? To the most people Christ
would be a mystery because they would see only the physical appearance of the
Second Coming Christ.
But
the people of God must be able to see the divinity hidden in the flesh and
recognize him. The bible teaches we can know the Christ only through the words
of eternal life.
The
Sign of The Man Christ
Then
what is the words of eternal life the Second Coming Christ brings to us?
John 6:53 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.
Christ
comes to give us salvation and he brings the words of eternal life for our
salvation. The words of eternal life are granting salvation of eternal life
through his flesh and blood, that is, the bread and wine of the Passover. The
one who brings the words of eternal life promised in the Passover is the man
Christ or God who comes as man in the flesh.
Today,
a man appeared and restored the Passover of the new covenant which got
abolished in 325 AD in the council of Nicaea. Even though he was man and lived
as man in every way, through the words of eternal life we have to know who he
is. Christ Ahnsahnghong brought back
the Passover and opened the way to the tree of life through the bread and wine
of the Passover.
“Behold, the man!”
Who
is he to us? We have to ask this question to ourselves and should get the right
answer for the question? Is he a man claiming to be God? Or a prophet? Or a
bible scholar? Or even a heretic? Or the man Christ, who is God the Savior who
came as man in the flesh for our salvation?
