Bereansearching Bible Studies

Introduction

This study is an expansion of an extract from the study on Mephibosheth, which discussed the spiritual implications of the lame grandson of King Saul being welcomed to King David’s table “as one of the king’s sons“.

2 Samuel 9:7, 2 Samuel 9:11, and 2 Samuel 9:13 together tell us the following regarding Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, who was the grandson of King Saul, as declared by King David: ‘thou shalt eat bread at my table continually’, ‘As for Mephibosheth, [said the king}, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king’s sons.’, ‘For he did eat continually at the king’s table.’ 

The above verse extracts, concerning eating at the king’s table forever, should remind us of what Jesus said to His disciples (who represent ALL believers) at the Last Supper in Luke 22:28-30, “¶Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.“

With regard to Mephibosheth, David fulfilled the covenantal promises that he had made to Jonathan in Mephibosheth, just as God will fulfill His Covenantal Promises to His Son, Jesus Christ, regarding His Elect (the true believing Christians, the Saints); for none shall ever perish, but shall all be made like Christ and enjoy his presence forever (Romans 8:26-39).

All Believers Are Considered by God to be His Children

The Believers are also “heirs according to the promise” as we read in Galatians 3:29, “And if ye [be] Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.“and in Romans 8:16, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with [him], that we may be also glorified together.” 2 Timothy 2:11, “¶[It is] a faithful saying: For if we be dead with [him], we shall also live with [him]: If we suffer, we shall also reign with [him]: if we deny [him], he also will deny us:“

One verse makes very clear the following: Galatians 3:26, “¶For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” 

Hebrews 2:12&13, “Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.” Note that the first verse is a direct reference back to Psalm 22:22, “I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.” The second verse is a direct reference to Isaiah 8:18, “Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me [are] for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.” and in John 10:29 Jesus said, “My Father, which gave [them] me, is greater than all; and no [man] is able to pluck [them] out of my Father’s hand.“

Ephesians 1:3-5, “¶Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly [places] in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,“

Sons of God

Remember that all the believers are considered by God to be the “sons of God” as we read in: 

1. John 1:12&13, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
2. And also 1 John 3:1&2, “¶Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”

1 John 3:10-15, “¶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. ¶Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not [his] brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.”

Romans 8:14-16, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with [him], that we may be also glorified together.”

As we read above, the Believers are also “heirs according to the promise”… Galatians 3:29, “And if ye [be] Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”  This is also made clear in Titus 3:5-7, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.“

Sonship in Christ

Galatians 4:1-7, “¶Now I say, [That] the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. ¶And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.“

Colossians 1:12, “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:”

Moreover, Ephesians 2:4-6, tells us, “¶ But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus:“

Job 36:7, “He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: but with kings [are they] on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted.“

Revelation 1:6, “And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him [be] glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.“

Revelation 5:10, “And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”

Revelation 20:4-6, “¶And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and [I saw] the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received [his] mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This [is] the first resurrection. Blessed and holy [is] he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.“

These verses speak about the souls that have already ascended, and are living and reigning now in heaven with the Lord Jesus, because we are in the allegorical “thousand year” reign. The “1000” represents the totality of all believers who are predestined to be saved, which dictates the totality of time of the New Testament era, because, until the last of the elect are sealed, the end will not come. Remember, this is exactly what we are told in 2 Corinthians 5:8, “We are confident, [I say], and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.“

But we also know that at the end of the New Testament era (the “one thousand years”, hence they cannot be a literal “thousand years”), there will be a period of time, (the “little season” of Revelation 20:3) which is also known as the “Great Tribulation”, when God sets the devil loose (because the devil was bound at the cross) for a little season to bring temporal, earthly, judgments upon the world in preparation for, and lead-up to, Judgment Day as is clearly stated in the subsequent verses of Revelation chapter 20.

Satan loosed, Doomed

Revelation 20:7-10, “¶And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom [is] as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet [are], and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.“

Judgment at the Throne of God

Revelation 20:11-15, “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is [the] book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.“

Note in particular the statement in Revelation 20:4. This is one of many examples where God makes it clear that the believers will be with the Lord Jesus Christ in His meting out of Judgment on Judgment Day. Please see: “The Believers (The Saints) Will Be with Jesus in Bringing Judgment on Judgment Day“

And note how consistent this is with 1 Peter 2:5, “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” and 1 Peter 2:9, “¶But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”

Believers are also considered to be “Princes”, as they are made “heirs” with The King, Jesus Christ

Psalm 113:7&8, “He (God in Jesus) raiseth up the poor out of the dust, [and] lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; That he may set [him] with princes, [even] with the princes of his people.“

Isaiah 32:1, “¶Behold, a king (Jesus Christ) shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment.“

Exodus 35:5, “Take ye from among you an offering unto the LORD: whosoever [is] of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the LORD; gold, and silver, and brass,” Note that the word “willing” in the original Hebrew is נָדִיב (nāḏîḇ)^H5081, which means “princely” or “noble”.

Revelation 22:5, “And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.“

All Glory, Honor, and Power Belongs to God

But let us also never forget that ALL Glory, Honor, and Power goes to God, The Father, and His Beloved Son, The Lord Jesus Christ, The Lord Jesus Christ, by the believers who are made alive by His Holy Spirit, as we read regarding the Worship in the Throne Room of Heaven in Revelation 4:1-11, “¶After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard [was] as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. ¶And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and [one] sat on the throne. And round about the throne [were] four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and [there were] seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. ¶And before the throne [there was] a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, [were] four beasts full of eyes before and behind. And the first beast [was] like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast [was] like a flying eagle. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about [him]; and [they were] full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. ¶And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.“

This will be true for all believers FOREVER in Heaven! They will all be saved to live and reign with Jesus and to eternally worship the Lord God Almighty. Hallelujah!

POSTSCRIPT

Have you ever thought about the significance of Jesus taking the place on the cross for execution of the murderer and insurrectionist named “Barabbas”? Interestingly enough, and surely by no coincidence, the name Barabbas means “Son of the Father”. That is correct, all believers (conceived in sin, born in sin, and lived in sin), for whom Jesus died, in taking their place, to pay for their sins in the Atonement, are in effect and by imputation, all “Sons of the Father“! Amazing!