Well, thank you all for coming out. Those of you who were here last week will remember that this is the second half of a longer study about the effects of sin. For the new people, and for the benefit of the memories of those who couldn't make it to the first section, we'll do a quick review, discussing the more vital points.

The topic was, "Cursed is the ground," and it was named after the sentence that God pronounced on Adam after the transgression in Eden: "And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life." (Gen 3:17)

We noticed that instead of cursing the man directly, God wrote the accusation into the earth, into the planet itself. We have seen the wonderful things this reveals about our loving Heavenly Father, that He is not a God of cursings, but really of blessings. Yes, Adam reaped the natural benefits of his sin, a life of sorrow, and eventual death, but this was not the result of the direct curse of his Creator.

We then also examined the flood in Genesis 7. After God cursed the earth for man's first transgression, He spoke, and this caused the world to be destroyed, and thereby purified, by the flood. That His voice caused the flood is attested to in Jeremiah.

"For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black: because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and will not repent, neither will I turn back from it." (Jer 4:28) If you read this passage, you'll see that the prophet is indeed speaking of destruction as likened to the flood: birds fleeing, the land being desolate, "no man" in sight and so on...

We next went to the story in the New Testament book of John, and considered the woman caught in adultery. We saw that in order for Christ to get the accusers to leave the woman alone, He did two things. The Pharisees brought to Him the woman, and asked, "Shouldn't she be stoned for this?"

"This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not." (John 8:6)

This was the first thing He did. After that: "So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." (John 8:7)

Do we see the pattern here again? First Christ wrote the accusation on the earth, and then he spoke directly to the ones who condemned the woman. If we apply these symbols to mankind, Adam and Eve being the unfaithful "woman," and Satan the accusers, we see a harmony here of God's dealings with human sin. He always looks for a substitute for our transgression.

Today we'll deal a little bit with the ultimate, perfect and FINAL substitute for our transgression, the Messiah Himself.

Let's take another look at that passage from John. We saw that Christ wrote on the earth, and then spoke. But the story didn't end there. Even as the accusers left, we see this: "And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground." (John 8:8)

See the implication here? He wrote on the ground again - it's not over yet. The flood did NOT solve all of earth's problems; I mean, look around. Yes, it was the perfect sign for the time, but mankind was still in need of a Savior. One of the first things that Noah did after coming out of the ark was to get drunk (Gen 9:21), leading to all sorts of other problems with his sons. Mankind still needed a Savior.

We got one, and thank God for it, but before we look at the event itself, let's look at what it meant to an Old Testament reader, and what the "chosen people" were SUPPOSED to see in the death of Christ.

We all know Isaiah 53, right? Everyone who's given their life to Christ should delight in this wonderful passage, for it prophetically details the exact function that He would come and fulfill on earth. The New Testament writers quote it several times: "By His stripes we are healed," said Peter. He was like a "lamb to the slaughter," wrote Luke in Acts 8:32. All of these are quotations from the book of Isaiah.

So let's look at a couple verses from there.

"For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him." (Isa 53:2) The Servant of the Lord is a tender plant. But He came out of "dry ground," inhospitable land. When people learned that Mary's Son was calling Himself a rabbi, they said, "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?!" (John 1:46) This should be a lesson to all of us today too... especially the young. I know the world is corrupt, and there is temptation everywhere - enough things to keep the eyes and ears busy, and distracted from Christ. But, if our Messiah could do it, and He gives to us the power when we ask, how can we say that our environment is an excuse for continuing to live godless lives? We life IN Him and He IN us, right? Then we should all make a decision to remain fixed on a course of life similar to His.

Well, that's just a little application there, but there is a bigger application than just His hometown.

"Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." (Isa 53:12) See the words "numbered with the transgressors" there? It means He was "numbered," or counted, as a sinner. He suffered death, the penalty of sin, even though in Him was no sin.

Christ came "That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses." (Mat 8:17) He took our infirmities - our weakness, our frailness; our ability to be tempted. For He was tempted in all points, as Hebrews 4:15 points out, but He overcame each time. In Heaven, with His full divine nature apparent, He could not be tempted to do wrong: "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man." (James 1:13)

But He became a man, like us, to win the victory over Satan. There are lots of verses that testify to this principle. He took upon Himself fallen humanity, that we could reach up and take to ourselves a bit of His divinity. "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." (Peter 1:4) - for example.

Now see that, in Christ we have escaped the corruption "in the world!" We have become free from the curse that the Almighty wrote into the earth at Adam's sins, and we are not guilty of the accusations written by the Son on the sand that day 2000 years ago. He came from "dry ground," the cursed earth itself, and came forth as a man, so that we could be redeemed from that very soil that was made corrupt.

Let's look at that verse again: "Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." (Isa 53:12)

There is a lot to that passage! This time, look at the words "a portion with the great," and "the spoil with the strong." We apply it here to the first lesson, that the earth was cursed, but now, through His sacrifice, Christ has bought back our inheritance for us. Adam had dominion over all on the planet, but he sold it away to Satan, who is now the master of all the kingdoms thereof. Christ, the "second Adam" did what the first could not, and remained faithful, reclaiming the land, and securing for US an eternal home.

Now let's look at another Old Testament view on the redemption of mankind and the cursed earth.

"For then the king of Babylon's army besieged Jerusalem: and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the prison, which was in the king of Judah's house." (Jer 32:2) Okay, this is the scene: Babylon has just invaded Jerusalem. The people are in captivity, and Jeremiah is in prison (by his own people, if you want the story to sound even MORE parallel with the Gospel). At this unlikely time, the prophet's cousin comes to him with a real-estate venture. He writes...

"So Hanameel mine uncle's son came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of the LORD, and said unto me, 'Buy my field, I pray thee, that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of Benjamin: for the right of inheritance is thine, and the redemption is thine; buy it for thyself.' Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD. And I bought the field of Hanameel my uncle's son, that was in Anathoth, and weighed him the money, even seventeen shekels of silver." (Jer 32:8,9)

Interesting, right? What good is the land if you're in prison? I mean, YOU can't use it, and none of your people either, they are all in Babylon. The property's useless... cursed. Now we see what is happening here, though: Jeremiah is sure of a redemption. He knows prophetically that, after 70 years, Judah will be released, and the land will be worth something. So, he redeems the land.

Now, he can't DO anything with it yet. He cannot possess it, so he will need proof when he does return to his country. He will need evidence. "And I gave the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, in the sight of Hanameel mine uncle's son, and in the presence of the witnesses that subscribed the book of the purchase, before all the Jews that sat in the court of the prison." (Jer 32:12)

First of all, Jeremiah bought the land in the presence of WITNESSES. That's an important concept. Christ was crucified out in the open, held up on the cross for all to see. The Apostles said: "That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." (1 John 1:3)

And if Christ is living in your heart, what are YOU? Aren't you a witness also? So go declare :) Well, wait till after the study, THEN go declare.

Okay, now here is where I want you to realize something... the next verse talks about us: you and me, and re-emphasizes that point I just made above. You may see yourself in a whole different way. Consider this our "key verse" for the study: "Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Take these evidences, this evidence of the purchase, both which is sealed, and this evidence which is open; and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may continue many days." (Jer 32:14)

Does anyone see where this is going?

"For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us." (2 Cor 4:6,7)

Look at the Jeremiah verse: there were two evidences mentioned, a "sealed deed," and an "open deed." These are very important - and just as important is that they are contained within earthen vessels. They are contained within US, because we, as followers of Christ, are the salt of the earth, and the lights in the darkness - we are the witnesses to the fact that our Savior has redeemed the cursed land. We have the "evidence of purchase."

All right, so the question becomes: what are the sealed and opened deeds? First... What is the sealed deed? "Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed." (John 6:27) The NKJV says the Father "has set His seal on Him." Either way, you get the idea. A sealed deed is also a "done deal." Christ's work at the Cross was one-time, complete, and perfect. He opened the gates of Heaven for all who are willing... that is very much a "done deal."

Now, what is the open deed?

After Adam and Eve sinned, what happened? "And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons." (Gen 3:7) Mankind's eyes were opened to the knowledge of good and evil. We became witnesses that day. We have the assurance of salvation, but people today cannot see Christ directly. They have to see Him in us, correct? We are the "open evidence" that Christ has redeemed the land. We are the book that all men may read and learn about their Creator, for a sinner will have no taste for the Word itself - at least not for the purpose of learning of Salvation. We must be the open deeds.

But now here is an interesting thing... when the land IS redeemed, conditions reverse themselves. Christ is revealed. The name of that last book is not called "Revelation" for nothing - Christ returns, and "every eye shall see." The sealed deed is opened, and the open deeds are closed.

God now HAS a representation of the sealed deed in Heaven. "And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals." (Rev 5:1) We see from verses like Rev 5:3 and 5:4 that no one is worthy to open the deed - no one is worthy to redeem the land. But then the Lamb appears.

"And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him that sat upon the throne." (Rev 5:7) The Lamb then proceeds to open the seven seals of the will, and that is what causes the final events on earth history. We don't have time for all the relevant verses for this, but hopefully you will read through those chapters of Revelation with new understanding of what is going on... Christ is redeeming the earth.

Now while this is going on, the OPEN deeds, ourselves, are being likewise closed and sealed. The spiritual equation balances out. Here is another vital verse for this study: "Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee." (2 Cor 1:21,22)

That word "guarantee" is significant. Jeremiah purchased the land as a symbol of Christ restoring the cursed earth. But in both places, the evidence was put in earthen vessels for a purpose, "so that it may last a long time." In fact, in the spiritual reality of it, we the witnesses will last a VERY long time - forever, actually. The Spirit in our hearts is the guarantee that the transaction was "legal" and accepted by the Father. That is the "treasure" in our earthen vessels.

"And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." (Eph 4:30)

There are lots of verses out there, like Romans 15:28, Ephesians 1:13, Revelation 7:3,4 and so on, that talk about the Spirit putting the "seal" on our open deed. We who abide in Christ WILL have that eternal inheritance of the earth made new, the earth redeemed from its curse, the planet finally and gloriously redeemed from Adam's sin; and the Holy Spirit that Christ sent to us is the evidence, and the "guarantee" of it.

As we have a little time remaining, we can look at what the new land looks like. Now, Christ has redeemed the planet, but the curse has left deep scars on it's face. Of His Bride, Christ says this: "A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed." (Song 4:12)

Very good, this speaks to us of the sealed church, the open deeds now also made a "done deal." But what does the Bride say of herself? " I am dark, but lovely, O daughters of Jerusalem, Like the tents of Kedar, Like the curtains of Solomon. Do not look upon me, because I am dark, Because the sun has tanned me. My mother's sons were angry with me; They made me the keeper of the vineyards, But my own vineyard I have not kept."" (Song 1:5,6) The Bride has had much hard labor, and is darkened by her toil.

"Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? I raised thee up under the apple tree: there thy mother brought thee forth: there she brought thee forth that bare thee." (Song 8:5) She is exhausted because of the time of trouble, and must lean on Christ. Nothing wrong with that, but she has a wedding to attend! The bride needs a makeover. Christ has redeemed the land, but the curse has had its consequences, and some remodeling is in order.

"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I, John, saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." (Rev 21:1,2)

Beautiful, isn't it? As a bride adorned for her husband, so shall we, the inhabitants of New Jerusalem, be in the heavens and earth made new. "For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying." (Isa 65:17-19) "For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain." (Isa 66:22)

The faithful remain. Theirs... OURS is an eternal inheritance, and the land itself will finally be made new.

David.