The Revelation Series - Two-Edged Sword IV

Two-Edged Sword IV

Revelation 1:16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. 

Out of His mouth proceeds the sharp two-edged sword which is the Word of God.  In the Book of Hebrews, the writer says that the Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword.  This has caught my attention.  Why is this placed in Hebrews 4:12?   It does not seem to go with the scriptures before it.  Rather it appears to be just put in here.  However, we should now that nothing that has come through the Spirit of God is perchance. 

Hebrews 4:11 Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the hear. 

In Chapters 3 and 4 leading up to this statement, “the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit,” the writer is dealing with the rest promised to Israel and today if we hear His voice we can enter into rest by hearing and receiving His Voice.   In the days of Israel’s’ disobedience, they refused to hear and receive what God had said, so they did not enter the rest God had promised them.  Instead they wondered 40 years in the wilderness.  That generation passed and Joshua rose up to lead the new generation into the promises of God. 

When I go back and read of this story, I find it in the first five books of Joshua.  This is the account of the Israelites crossing the Jordan and coming in the promise land.  There are several pictures to get a hold of in this story that are speaking of the reality we have in Christ.  I want to draw our minds to the fact that they did not just come up to the Jordan and cross over they crossed over a VERY SPECIFIC WAY.  They crossed in view of the Priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant of JEHOVAH (Joshua 2:3).   

Above this ark was the place where God met with the Israelites (Exodus 25:22).  This ark contained the Word of the Covenant, the Word of God, and was the place where God’s presence abided in the Tabernacle of Moses.  It was the place of atonement for the sins of Israel.  The place of God’s rest.  What picture does it declare other than the Lord Jesus Christ, himself?   He came filled with God’s word.  God’s presence abided upon Him. He was the atonement for our sins.  This is the view we must have to cross over from the wilderness into the rest of God.  We must view the Lord Jesus Christ, our ark of the Covenant of the LORD, and cross over into God’s glorious life. 

Now the second picture I want to bring to our minds is after they crossed the Jordan they came to Gilgal.  This is in Joshua Chapter 5.  Here they were circumcised. This circumcision in the flesh speaks of the sharp two-edged sword diving soul and spirit.  Why did God give a covenant of circumcision to Abraham?  This was circumcision of the flesh to the male child.  Circumcision was to the most intimate part of the natural man.  Why was that?  It was speaking of the heart.  The heart, core, mind, and center of man had to be circumcised.  This was fulfilled through the living two-edged sword, the WORD of GOD, Jesus Christ Himself.

Colossians 2:10-13 “10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; 11 and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ.”

Here the body or covering of the flesh is removed, the flesh that is upon our hearts.  This is the first man.  The Adamic man is removed in the circumcision of Christ, and the New Man who is a life-giving Spirit comes forth (I Corinthians 15:35-49).  We come forth in Him, the life-giving Spirit, who is the Lord from heaven.  Our hearts are moved from the covering of flesh, the soul man, to being covered of Spirit, the heavenly man.  Paul writes that this heavenly man is the Lord from heaven.  Here is where our change comes, in the twinkle of an eye.  We are quickened, raised, and made alive in this New Man, who is Christ Jesus our Lord.  Glory to God in the Highest!