Born From The Dead

BORN FROM THE DEAD

We are ambassadors of the kingdom of heaven

Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. -- 2 Cor 5:20 (KJV)

Ambassadors possess embassy rights

We have already been delivered !

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: -- Col 1:13 (KJV)

We are EXEMPT from this worlds authority

We have diplomatic immunity from this world

But where is this kingdom he spoke of ?

And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: -- Luke 17:20 (KJV)

Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. -- Luke 17:21 (KJV)

The NEW BIRTH is a vital concept to our faith

But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, -- Heb 12:22 (KJV)

To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, -- Heb 12:23 (KJV)

What do we mean BORN AGAIN ?

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. -- 2 Cor 5:17 (KJV)

Essential if we are to enter the kingdom of God

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. -- John 3:3 (KJV)

How do we get born again ?

Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? -- John 3:4 (KJV)

(Adam and Eve - the only humans who were not born)

I want to look at two words: WOMB and BORN

The wicked are estranged from the womb ( ~x,r, )

: they go astray as soon as they be born (!j,B,)

, speaking lies. -- Psa 58:3 (KJV)

7358 ~x,r, rechem {rekh'-em} • womb

0990 !j,B, beten {beh'-ten} • belly , womb , born ;

of depth of Sheol

Let me digress a little here to point out why

Jonah is a great sign to this generation

But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: -- Mat 12:39 (KJV)

For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. -- Mat 12:40 (KJV)

Now I said that because I want to look at Jonah

Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly ( h['m ), -- Jonah 2:1 (KJV)

4578 h['me me`ah {may-aw'} • internal organs, inward parts, bowels, intestines, belly

And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly (!j,B,) of hell ( lAav ) cried I, and thou heardest my voice. -- Jonah 2:2 (KJV)

0990 !j,B, beten {beh'-ten} • belly , womb , born ;

of depth of Sheol

7585 lAav. sh@'owl {sheh-ole'} hell , underworld, abode of the dead ,wicked sent there for punishment ,the place of exile,

R E M E M B E R ***************************************

The wicked are estranged from the womb ( ~x,r, )

: they go astray as soon as they be born (!j,B,)

, speaking lies. -- Psa 58:3 (KJV)

7358 ~x,r, rechem {rekh'-em} • womb

0990 !j,B, beten {beh'-ten} • belly , womb , born ;

of depth of Sheol

R E M E M B E R ***************************************

Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly ( h['m ), -- Jonah 2:1 (KJV)

4578 h['me me`ah {may-aw'} • internal organs, inward parts, bowels, intestines, belly

And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly (!j,B,) of hell ( lAav ) cried I, and thou heardest my voice. -- Jonah 2:2 (KJV)

For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me. -- Jonah 2:3 (KJV)

Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple. -- Jonah 2:4 (KJV)

The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head. -- Jonah 2:5 (KJV)

I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars ( x;yrIB. ) was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God. -- Jonah 2:6 (KJV)

1280 x;yrIB. b@riyach {ber-ee'-akh} • bar , fugitive, city gate, a fortress, of the earth as a prison (fig.)

OK, How do we enter the kingdom of God?

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. -- John 3:3 (KJV)

Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? -- John 3:4 (KJV)

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. -- John 3:5 (KJV)

That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. -- John 3:6 (KJV)

Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. -- John 3:7 (KJV)

The Spirit World is Invisible

The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. -- John 3:8 (KJV)

To Be BORN AGAIN ... in all the fullness of the biblical meaning ... is SPIRIT, SOUL and BODY

And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. -- Col 1:18 (KJV)

Jesus was the first BORN AGAIN man

... in his rebirth he see the fullness of the biblical meaning

And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, -- Rev 1:5 (KJV)

Jesus was NOT the first man to rise from physical death ?

For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell ( lAav. ) ; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. -- Psa 16:10 (KJV)

7585 lAav. sh@'owl {sheh-ole'} hell , underworld, abode of the dead ,wicked sent there for punishment ,the place of exile,

What happpend to the man Jesus after he died on the cross ?

Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: -- Acts 2:22 (KJV)

Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: -- Acts 2:23 (KJV)

Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. -- Acts 2:24 (KJV)

For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: -- Acts 2:25 (KJV)

Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: -- Acts 2:26 (KJV)

Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell ( a[|dhj ) , neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. -- Acts 2:27 (KJV)

86 a[|dhj hades {hah'-dace} • In Biblical Greek it is associated with the infernal regions, a dark and dismal place in the very depths of the earth, the common receptacle of disembodied spirits.

Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. -- Acts 2:28 (KJV)

Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. -- Acts 2:29 (KJV)

Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; -- Acts 2:30 (KJV)

He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. -- Acts 2:31 (KJV)

This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. -- Acts 2:32 (KJV)

Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. -- Acts 2:33 (KJV)

For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, -- Acts 2:34 (KJV)

Until I make thy foes thy footstool. -- Acts 2:35 (KJV)

Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. -- Acts 2:36 (KJV)

What about that reference of the footstool ?

And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. -- Col 1:18 (KJV)

Jesus was BORN AGAIN from HELL

Jesus went to HELL for you

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. -- 2 Cor 5:21 (KJV)

Jesus was made sin

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: -- John 3:14 (KJV)

Jesus was the first born indicating more will follow

And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. -- Col 1:18 (KJV)

The new birth is possible ONLY through the Word of Truth

Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. -- James 1:18 (KJV)

Note that many other shall be born from the dead like he was

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. -- Rom 8:29 (KJV)