God Gives the Increase

Archive for the ‘Holiness’ Category

“And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, who shall stand as a banner to the people; for the Gentiles shall seek Him, and His resting place shall be glorious.” Isaiah 11:10

In 1965, the lyrics to Hal David’s song, “What the World Needs Now is Love,” were right on target but entirely unobtainable by people in a fallen world. Isaiah the prophet in the 11^th chapter of his book prophesied of the coming messiah, who would be a resting place for His people.

The rest that the Root of Jesse provides is what this present world lacks, “And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD” Isaiah 11:2. In contrast to the rest yet to come is the condition of this present hour as depicted by the Apostle Paul, “Their throat is an open sepulcher; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes” Romans 3:13-18.

In the midst of two worlds stand the Christian, one foot in the land of the wicked who disguise and deceive themselves as good people, and one foot on the path to righteousness and rest. The Gospel declares Christ as the means to peace, where the lion does not shed the blood of the lamb, and the child has no fear of the cobra.

It is Christ who accomplishes this marvel, and who Himself is peace to His people. God saves and shepherds His people by imparting Himself into their hearts, they in turn become the banner over what He accomplished. “The Lord their God will save them in that day, as the flock of His people. For they shall be like the jewels of a crown, lifted like a banner over His land—Zechariah 9:16

“He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.” Song of Solomon 2:4

The rose of Sharon experienced such great love that by comparison other love was like thorns. “As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters” Song of Solomon 2:2. The world has no taste for the fruit God offers, however His love changes the tastes of His people, “I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste” S o S 2:3.

The banqueting house of God is to partake of His holiness, and that which sets Him apart from His creation is offered to His beloved. “But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, you have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life” Romans 6:22.

Christ is the Banner over His people, and that Banner is love. When God ordained that He should make a people who would partake of His holiness, He set a plan in motion that would cost Him everything. In order for God to create He only had to speak, but to redeem He had to bleed.

Concerning the greatness of His love Jesus said, “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” John 15:13. The love of Jesus is for the purpose of partaking of His holiness and bearing His fruit. “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain” John 15:16.

The Christian life is a shared life! The mind, will, purpose, and character of Christ become woven into the Christian identity, so that no one knows the Christian from Christ. “He that eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, dwells in me, and I in him. As the living Father has sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eats me, even he shall live by me.” John 6:56-57

The Christian is on a path that leads to Christ likeness, or else he is not a Christian at all!