Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsi's Resilience Corps. Jerusalem is historically
the most famous city of the world. It is amazing that a city whose
name means Peaceful Hills should be the site and object of so
much conflict and death over the centuries, and is even now
a place of contention and strife over territorial claims by various
tribes claiming to be the natural descendants of Abraham. This
is the same Abraham who was blessed by Melchizedek, who is said to
be the King of Salem, which means Prince of Peace. This Melchizedek
is a character who only appears this once to Abraham, and his
whereabouts is nowhere else found in the scriptures. He is said
to be a priest of the Most High God, yet his lineage is not recorded. In the Lord's purpose, that which
is set forth by type in the scriptures is always preceded by that which
the type manifests. If Melchizedek is but a type
of Christ, we do know that Christ preceded him as the priest of
the Most High God, and is indeed the Prince of Peace long before
he was manifested to the world in that manger in Bethlehem.
The Jerusalem which is of the earth, which can be found geographically,
is in reality but a type of that city which cometh down from heaven.
That Jerusalem which is from above is perfect and is more
everlastingly ancient than the city of Jerusalem which is recorded
in the annals of man's history. The only reason that a carnal
city called Jerusalem even exists is to bear witness to that holy
city which Abraham declared that he looked for. Carnal Jerusalem
is built by men, but that Jerusalem which is from above is not made
with hands. but is that city in which the
Lamb is the light wherein He is pleased to dwell. Men will
shed the blood of others in a quest to possess the earthly city of
Jerusalem and clamor to gain control of it based upon their
own territorial claims and religious traditions. Yet that true Jerusalem,
which is as a city set upon a hill, is that which the Lord Jesus
Christ gave His own blood to possess. It was his from before
the foundation of the world, and he has bought it by the sacrifice
of himself on Calvary's tree. For that Jerusalem which is from
above is the kingdom of God, the elect, the bride of Christ.
The Lord has not chosen a people out of the earth, but rather
has created his people in the earth and manifested the glory
of his grace in their salvation. These are those for whom he prayed
in the garden, and of which he shall lose none. For he is the
King of Salem, the Prince of Peace, and the Everlasting Father. Jesus Christ is the Prince of
Peace, yet he told his disciples, Think not that I am come to send
peace on earth. I came not to send peace, but
a sword, thus manifesting the natural hatred men have for the
true kingdom of God. Peace is not simply the absence
of war, for even when hostilities cease for a season, still there
is no peace for the wicked. Yet true peace will cause the
absence of war. This is exactly what the Lord
Jesus said to Pilate, My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom
were of this world, then would my servants fight? Our quarrel
is not with the governments of this world, regardless of how
oppressive they might be. The wisdom of this world would
seek to arm men with all sorts of carnal weapons and to come
up with reasons to justify mayhem and violence. The weapons of
the warfare of those who know this true peace are not carnal,
but are indeed mighty. They fight peacefully, being
given the whole armor of God whereby they might be able to
stand against the wiles of the devil and be able to stand in
the evil day. This is that peace of God which
passeth understanding, that which the world cannot grasp and places
no value upon. Our King calls us from darkness
to light, giving us eyes to behold that city not made with hands.
He has called us to inherit a kingdom built by himself, that one to
whom all of the promises of God are made, and who has made us
heirs and joint heirs with him. Even Jesus, made an high priest
forever, after the order of Melchizedek.