The Raising Of The Priestly Kings (20).

              Job as a priest has been our preoccupation in this meditation.

              We have been talking about the gem nature of the High Priest as represented in the breastplate of Aaron. Now we move on to the 11^th stone which represents Joseph. May the Lord enlarge and flood-lit our understanding as we go on.

               Reading, Exodus,28:20: And the forth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper.                              

                                                 Joseph: the Onyx-gem character.

                The eleventh stone is onyx and this represents Joseph. The story of the progenitor of this tribe of Israel is an unusual one. He was a fruit of a lasting patience. When he was born the trust and faith of his mother, Rachel, took wings and soared. Genesis 30:22: And God remembered Rachel…And she conceived and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach: and she called his name Joseph; and said, The Lord shall add me another son. This is the soaring faith of a barren woman who had been called barren:” The Lord shall add me another son.” What a trust and what faith! Joseph means adding. This is parable to mankind.

                           In creation All Things Exist Through, In And By and For Jesus Christ

               In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. This beginning is not the beginning of of Genesis 1: In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. This beginning of John 1,1 speaks of the Eternal. Before God, who is Eternal – always IS, without beginning of days or time or end of days; He is not future, or past, but PRESENT -- created the heavens and the earth or before He stretched the compass on the face of the deep and brought those mountains and hills forth the Eternal IS. God is the first cause of all things.

               Christ said, Before Abraham, I am! That is bad English but it is the grammar of the Eternal. God, the Father concluded everything in the Word who was later to become man and be called Christ  Jesus or the Son of God. The glorified Jesus was the purposed man or dream-man God saw and made in the first man called Adam. Man was to be named “Adding,” that is as adding to Christ. God’s faith was that He would have sons through adding – to the Lord, His Son. The Amplified Version puts it more succinctly in Colosians, 1, reading from verse 15: [Now] He (Christ Jesus) is the exact likeness of the unseen God [the visible representation of the invisible]; He is the first born of all creation. For it was in Him that all things were created, in heaven and earth, things seen and unseen, whether thrones, dominions, rulers, or authority; all things were created and exist through Him [by His service, intervention] and in and for Him. And He Himself existed before all things, and in Him all things consist (cohere and held together). Then in verse 19: For it has pleased [the Father] that all divine fullness (the sum total of divine perfection, power, and attributes) should dwell in Him permanently. Comparing these thoughts in these passages,it means that just as Jesus was the visible manifestation of God, so ought man; just as it pleased the Father that in Christ should all divine fullness dwell, so ought in man. The statement that Jesus was the first born means that Jesus was the first of a kind among the human race. The purpose of this is that in all things ,He, Christ may have the preeminence among many brethren, among His own kind of race (verse 18). God’s plan was to ensure a “adding” to His Son; He being in whom all fullness should dwell, among many brethren that He may have the preeminence. For from him and through him and to him are all things (Romans 11: 36).

                                            We Are The “Addings” To Christ

 

            Rachel said,” … the Lord shall add me another son”; just as you and I are added to Jesus Christ today. God’s realisation of His faith was marred along the way; but His faith held firm concerning man. The Word had to come to the world as Son to recover the righteous rights of God, the Father. God is yet at it again today as the spoiler is not relenting in giving man tough and rough time. In the face of such devastating gales of the holocaust, wars and crazed-living of economic and racial exploitations and oppression of one  human race against the other, God is still adding to Christ Jesus, the first born. Nothing has been able to stop Him. The ‘adds’ are His priestly kings He is raising in whom is the replication of the divine fullness or the indwelling of the Godhead as in the Lord Jesus. This is an awesome hope; this is the glorious reason for living; this is the purpose of salvation. This is more fulsome than going to heaven.

                The Son is the express image of the invisible God, the splendour of His glory. The believer that have gained and are gaining Christ  also comes to that ‘add-’status, that estate of the Lord Jesus. In the beginning, all were expected to come to the glory of God, be “addings” to the Lord. But all fell short of the glory of God. But God hath set forth [His Son] to be a propitiation through faith in His blood,[ that is adding] to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God (Romans 3:25). The Lord shall add to me!

                 The Path To Glory And Gaining Heights In The Spirit: Death And Resurrection

 

                 Joseph was the one son that was, to his father Jacob, dead until he received him (Joseph) back later alive; he knew, through experience, death and resurrection. This is the pathway of victory; it is the path to gaining heights in the spirit: death and resurrection. The priests of God know the way of death and resurrection being full of the expectation of God’s visitation. Joseph, in expectation of faith told his brethren to carry his bones with them to the promised land after the Lord had visited them. This was because he believed in the testimony of God as related to them by words. It was not unlikely that Joseph was one of those that resurrected and appeared to men on the morning of resurrection. He  had to believe the testimony to become what he turned out to be. Here was a young man who for righteousness’s sake suffered imprisonment (death) rather than commit sin against God. This was a man that had to suffer slavery because he bore the testimony of God. He was frustrated and led away from the love of his father. For this kind of people, resurrection unto newer and more glorious life is real – they drift in and out of death to more glory and victories over sins and self.

                          The Priestly Gem-character Of Onyx: Complete Lost To Self

              Onyx represents Joseph. Onyx is said to be blanch colour. Blanch to me is no colour. When a liquid like palm oil is subjected to natural or artificial processes, it can lose its colour; such is blanch. It is not exactly white … .we can safely say that onyx is s precious stone that has been de-coloured; its colour has been removed; it is blanched. This denotes that character that has lost his earthly distinctions and natural advantages as expressed in some gifts; he has lost the colours that separate him from his fellows. Just as Jesus is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee (Hebrew 2: 11 – 12). This is one that can blend easily with the high and low men, though he is a man of great authority on earth. As Paul writes, these men are able to condescend to men of low estate (Romans 12: 16). James is stronger in his admonition in chapter 1, verse 9. Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: But the rich in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass – note the phrase that follows – pass away.

                                       The Modern Church And Elevation Of Natural Advantages

              In the modern assemblies, there is a notable discrimination based majorly on two points: the economic and educational status. Not long ago, some local churches made their pastors go back and acquire degrees or equivalent from higher institutions or quit their ministry if they could not. We are talking of people that had become fathers with their children perhaps in tertiary institutions. The idea was to make these ministers soundly educated. This too comes off the fact that a certificate or degree defines a man. This was not true. William Branham was not ‘soundly educated,’ yet he was mightily used of God. Watchman Nee and Austin Spark went to no universities; nor was Catherine Kulman, nor E.W. Kenyon, nor Ayo Babalola or Akindayomi. Common to some of these ministers and many more was not their degree of education, but their having been with Jesus by the Holy Ghost.       

             Setting up education as a criterion for ministry is an unfortunate departure from old, tested and tried way of reliance on the Holy Spirit. Many of the old Penticostal churches thriving today on multi-billions were started by men who could only read the bible in their native tongues. Yet under the direction of the Spirit, they went very far for God. Acts 4: 8: Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said…, verse 13: Now when the they saw the boldness of Peter and John – take note of this again – and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and – this is very important – they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. We shall share the vision of brother John Hicks concerning the latter-day Body of Christ; it reveals the mind of God on those He uses in this end-time. This vision was shown to him in 1961, July, 25^th

 

                            The Last Days’ Army Of The Lord In Brother John Hicks’ Vision

             John Hicks was on a great height looking down on the earth and was able to recognise many parts of the world he had travelled to. Every kindred of people, every tongue and every nation come into the purview of his roving sight. And because this was accompanied with lightening and thundering,he turned North and his eyes caught sight of a “gigantic” man-mountain that covered the whole globe – his head in the south pole while his feet reached to the north pole; and his arms stretched from sea to sea. It was evident that this giant of a figure was labouring to live for he was covered by debris from head to foot as well as some thousands of hideous little creatures. Each time he made an effort to lift his head in order to live, the creatures would run away.

            Then he succeeded in lifting one hand and then the other to the horror of the little horrible creatures who took fright and melted into the darkness of the night. Now, the giant lifted his hands in praises and stood to his feet; his hands and head were caught up into the clouds of heaven.  The clouds suddenly became beautiful silver which became rain of silver falling upon the giant. The giant began to sink into the earth and also his whole form began to melt into the earth. Out of this came liquid drops of light which, flooding the earth, turned into millions of people. These millions were standing and praising the Lord, hands lifted up.

                 A roaring thunder caught his attention again and he lifted his eyes to heaven only to behold the glory of the Lord as He stretched his hands toward the people with the liquid light flowing from His hand on them, giving them mighty anointing as they go forth in the name of the Lord. Every one had this grace, but some still backed away; they would not have anything to do with this experience. “ I saw these men and women as they went forth,” he writes, ”They were” – and let us note this testimony – “ditch diggers… they were washerwomen, they were rich men, they were poor men.” Then Brother Hicks gave testimony of how these brought about healing, replicated the act of the Lord in stretching His hand – to them –and experiencing the flowing forth of the liquid light; they also had the experiencing of being translated from one part of the earth to the other by the Spirit . “Suddenly, there was a man in Africa and in a moment he was transported by the Spirit of God, and perhaps he was in Russia, or China or America or some other place and vice-versa…, and they came through fire, and through pestilence, and through famine. Neither fire nor persecution, nothing seemed to stop them” [from Supernatural Horizons by the Happy Hunters, pages 62 - 73]. The vision is long and cannot be condensed into this meditation and we will not stay behind to analyse. Our point is that in this end-time move of the Lord’s Spirit earthly distinctions will not come to reconning; it will be simply the art and act of the Spirit.

                                    The Second Dichotomy In Church: Economic Status

      

            Then there is the second dichotomy in the church prompted by the economic status. It is natural that the more successful individuals will be more recognised in the church. These have easier accessibility to the head, the pastor. Then also there s this reproach afflicting the church of God now:  the crave to identify with the big shots in the society or communities and the world. We get so excited when the big shots like the president, the rulers and business monguls and men of outstanding achievements worship or visit our assemblies. These great men enjoy preferential welcome or appreciation in the assemblies with their specially reserved seats. No, these brethren certainly have their privileges but not in the house of God which is the pillar and ground of truth. Any one that has ascended in the spirit will be found in the onyx-gem character – decoloured, blanched. He will not be easily irritated or embarrassed by an awkward brother who is “uncultured”! culture being defined from the point of view of your clique, friends and people of your circle, usually with formal education and wealth.

                                       The Self-glorification Of Man In The Church

              Onyx is Joseph who lost all natural distinctions of princely life to become a slave and then a prisoner. In each instance, he was identified with his fellows. Jesus was not specially distinct externally from his disciples. The disciples themselves carried this tradition forward after the Lord left. Today every pastor, apostle or deacon is offended and insulted if you do not prefix their names with those tittles. I know of instance where a  bishop became offended if you had the effrontery  to have a handshake with him without bowing your head, though you were friends laughing together yesterday before he became a bishop.

            Onyx is Joseph who could not be bothered about distinctions. It is Christ’s character. He will not be defined by the external and natural acquisitions of life; he will not define his fellow saints by the external either. In the beginning of the gospel, “not many rich men were called.” In Nigerian Christianity, bishopric investiture is done if you have a certain number of members in you church; if you have a jeep or any of those expensive cars that sets you into special class in the society; if you have built a befitting house of your own; if your church is a cathedral completed with mission house or vicarage; if you have a sizable number of men of ‘calibre and caterpillar’ in your assembly. James 2: 1: My brethren have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory with respect of persons. Verse 8: If you fulfill the royal law according to the scriptures, Thou shall love thy neighbours as thy self, ye do well. Verse 9: But if ye have respect of persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgression.

           Onyx is Joseph. It speaks of them that gained spiritual heights everyday; it is complete mastery and ascendancy over pride and the glories of this world. Your pride in your brilliance and intelligence and other things are not the way of onyx. Bringing your lack into play in relationships and being preoccupied by your low degree or estate is not the way of onyx either. In spirit, a man is not regarded by his earthly achievements, glories, successful children, highest educational qualification, expensive cars or buildings and titles. Onyx pathway assays above all these; it is a path of spiritual ascendancy common to the meek.

                                       Low and High, Any One Can Be Out Of The Way Of Onyx

         Onyx is the path of death for death is unaware of all these natural-endowment-and advantage-drawn distinctions and blessings. Do you not begin to have complexes because of your not so-impressive conditions? We need to know that all of life is grace and that we are not spiritually defined by our external world, our natural advantage or lack of advantage that may or may not give us an edge in life. How strange is life! Those ‘high-up-there’ have problem keeping in the way of onyx character; those ‘way-down’ have have the problem of not defining self by the external conditions. Either way both are out of the way of onyx.

                                               The Way To Greatness Is Being Servant To All 

         Joseph is onyx. He was one who served his brethren; he was a servant. He knew the secret of ascendancy among brethren. The secret is being a servant.  One day, the disciples argued on who should be great in the kingdom of God. But Jesus, reads Mathew 20, verse 20, - note the secret – let him be your minister (servant); And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant. Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered to but to minister (serve). In another place, the Lord washed the feet of the disciples and taught them hard lesson on the heavenly life of servant-hood. In the later days of these men, they have all crossed over to the onyx life. They were so involved in keeping the testimony of Jesus that trials, persecutions and attacks from men brought them to death’s place and resurrection supervened. They were clean-cut off from their self-consciousness of any earthly distinctions and advantages.

               Onyx-gem character serves; self-consciousness has been dealt with in his life; he is on another sphere from the natural definition of life. He has begun to see himself the way the Lord sees him. Onyx is the way of love and truth that genders to service to the Body of Christ.

                   Onyx is the way of love we have been invited to. Love is patient, kind, does not envy…Love is not self-seeking, is not easily angered and does not keep record of wrongs. Love is not proud, not boastful. Yet, the love of God has been shed aboard in our hearts for the Lord Himself is Love. Father, we lay hold on this life of God. Whatever, it will take us to come to this, whatever death need to be worked into us, whatever processes we need to go through, … we pray that You will go ahead and carry out the Divine operations in us. Let our individualism give way and let the life of onyx-gem, of complete identification with your church, being completely devoid of self-conscious distinctions rule. Thank you, our Father.