Note:
The following message is the first part of a teaching that consists of two parts and we recommend to read the message chronologically.
The following message is the first part of a teaching that consists of two parts and we recommend to read the message chronologically.
In the letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul mentions the importance of the one new man, made up of the Messianic Jews and the Christians of the Gentiles through Jesus Christ (cf. Ephesians 2:13-18).
Ephesians 2:13-18:
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.
17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.
18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.
17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.
18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
The ‘Shaliach’ Moses and the team ‘Joshua and Caleb’
In this context, I would like to make a special reference to the potential of the ‘one new man’ and focus on the teamwork between Joshua and Caleb, who carry two powerful and revelatory components for us as God’s people at this time.
Before the ‘Shaliach’ Moses (Note: The word ‘Shaliach’ means ‘messenger’ and is the type of the apostle in the Tenakh) apostolically called the team of Caleb and Joshua as well as the other leaders of the tribes to go into the Promised Land of Canaan to investigate it, he gave them clear instructions, telling them to report to him after their return everything they saw or encountered there (cf. Numbers 13:17-20).
Numbers 13:17-20:
17 When Moses sent them to explore Canaan, he said, “Go up through the Negev and on into the hill country.
18 See what the land is like and whether the people who live there are strong or weak, few or many.
19 What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? What kind of towns do they live in? Are they unwalled or fortified?
20 How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there trees in it or not? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land.” (It was the season for the first ripe grapes.)
17 When Moses sent them to explore Canaan, he said, “Go up through the Negev and on into the hill country.
18 See what the land is like and whether the people who live there are strong or weak, few or many.
19 What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? What kind of towns do they live in? Are they unwalled or fortified?
20 How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there trees in it or not? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land.” (It was the season for the first ripe grapes.)
The request of Moses, as the apostle in his day to his leadership teams was that he demanded of them an unadulterated report after their return. This means that Moses was not afraid of a report of upcoming challenges in the future and was not a man who only wanted to hear about the blessings i.e. the good fruits.
Moses was a man and apostle of God who wanted to develop an apostolic strategy from the report of his scouts to pave the way to a good and victorious future for all the people of Israel.
This is what, among other things constitutes the authority and task of apostles even in our time.
An apostle understands the importance of the subject of ‘spiritual geography’ and its related challenges and blessings in the regions. He brings an apostolic strategy or approach on how to effectively and securely go ahead in the next steps in the spiritual battle according to Ephesians 6:12-13 in order to conquer the regions occupied by the enemy i.e. the field of promise.
Here, there are personal fields of promise and communal fields of promise, similar to the seven churches mentioned in the book of Revelation by John (cf. Revelation 2 and 3).
The ‘One New Man’ and the ‘Precious Olive Tree’
It is of high importance for the taking of the land to correctly understand the structure of the ‘one new man’ in Jesus Christ, who can also be described as a precious olive tree (cf. Romans 11:17-18).
Romans 11:17-18:
17 If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, 18 do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.
17 If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, 18 do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.
The olive tree is the highest positioned tree after the flood in the Word of God, as it was the first tree to come to light because it was Noah’s dove sent out that had an olive leaf or olive branch in its beak and brought it to him in the ark. The broken olive leaf points to God’s mercy in the midst of judgment (cf. Genesis 8:10-11 i.c.w. James 2:13).
Genesis 8:10-11:
10 He waited seven more days and again sent out the dove from the ark.
11 When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf! Then Noah knew that the water had receded from the earth.
10 He waited seven more days and again sent out the dove from the ark.
11 When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf! Then Noah knew that the water had receded from the earth.
James 2:13:
… 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
… 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
This means that we as Christians of the Gentiles, who were a wild olive branch, have been broken off from the wild olive tree by the power of God and grafted into the precious olive tree, thus now filling the position where rabbinic Judaism had its place.
If we consider the precious olive tree of Romans 11:17-18, it divides as follows:
- root of the olive tree: biblical Judaism (Note: written word of God)
- natural branches: New Covenant/Messianic Judaism (Note: Spirit-filled Jews)
- cut off olive branches: rabbinical Judaism (Note: religious legalism/works)
- grafted wild olive branches: Christians from the Gentiles (Note: Spirit-filled believers from the Gentile nations).
Now this doesn’t mean that we move forward in religious legalism or tradition as saints from the Gentile nations, but have the opportunity through the power of the Holy Spirit to receive a Spirit-filled Hebrew and Biblical mindset in order to bring the treasures of Christ from the Tenakh and the New Testament to the surface to help powerfully break through in our field of responsibility (cf. Matthew 13:52).
Matthew 13:52:
52 He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”
52 He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”
In the structure of the ‘one new man’ in Christ Jesus, it is similar to the Messianic Bride of Christ, who is also a city complex and reigns from heaven to earth (cf. Revelation 21:2).
Revelation 21:2:
2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
The Promised Land of Israel and our Promised Land
As God’s people we have repeatedly come into contact with prophecies and promises through hearing in our years of faith, and certain things have not yet come to pass in our personal lives or even in the church as the ekklēsia. Because of this, it is necessary that we correctly understand the structure of the first Promised Land promised by God to the people of Israel.
The Promised Land or even our promise is precisely linked to it.
Canaan was the land of promise from God to the people of Israel and it was there that the twelve spies of Israel encountered the giants but they also saw the prosperity and fertility of the land (cf. Numbers 13:27-28).
Numbers 13:27-28:
27 They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit.
28 But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there.
27 They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit.
28 But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there.
The Desert of ‘Paran’ and the Promised Land of ‘Canaan’
The spies were sent by God through Moses from the desert of Paran on the way to Canaan (cf. 4.Moses 13,1-3).
Numbers 13:1-3:
1 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. From each ancestral tribe send one of its leaders.”
3 So at the Lord’s command Moses sent them out from the Desert of Paran. All of them were leaders of the Israelites.
1 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. From each ancestral tribe send one of its leaders.”
3 So at the Lord’s command Moses sent them out from the Desert of Paran. All of them were leaders of the Israelites.
The name ‘Paran’ means ‘dug out, hollowed out, ornament’ and ‘Canaan’ means ‘lowland, low country, humiliated’. These name meanings are indicative to us of the importance of preparing our hearts in order to receive the fullness of God’s supernatural outpouring for us and our region, much like king Jehoshaphat experienced with his allies in the time of the prophet Elisha (cf. 2 Kings 3:14-20).
2 Kings 3:14-20:
14 Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord Almighty lives, whom I serve, if I did not have respect for the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not pay any attention to you.
15 But now bring me a harpist.” While the harpist was playing, the hand of the Lord came on Elisha
16 and he said, “This is what the Lord says: I will fill this valley with pools of water.
17 For this is what the Lord says: You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink.
18 This is an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord; he will also deliver Moab into your hands.
19 You will overthrow every fortified city and every major town. You will cut down every good tree, stop up all the springs, and ruin every good field with stones.”
20 The next morning, about the time for offering the sacrifice, there it was – water flowing from the direction of Edom! And the land was filled with water.
14 Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord Almighty lives, whom I serve, if I did not have respect for the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not pay any attention to you.
15 But now bring me a harpist.” While the harpist was playing, the hand of the Lord came on Elisha
16 and he said, “This is what the Lord says: I will fill this valley with pools of water.
17 For this is what the Lord says: You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink.
18 This is an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord; he will also deliver Moab into your hands.
19 You will overthrow every fortified city and every major town. You will cut down every good tree, stop up all the springs, and ruin every good field with stones.”
20 The next morning, about the time for offering the sacrifice, there it was – water flowing from the direction of Edom! And the land was filled with water.
The decision to move into the center of God’s humility and into His promise as ‘Canaan’ means ‘low country’ releases the presence of His glory, which also includes abundant provision in all areas of our lives (Note: spirit, soul and body).
It is real humility that releases grace and favor (cf. 1 Peter 5:5b).
1 Peter 5:5b:
“… 5b All (Note: old and young) of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
“… 5b All (Note: old and young) of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
The Valley of the First Grapes
It was Caleb and Joshua who joined together as a team, possessing a special gift of faith and the right spiritual sight, and so were able to carry the large bunch of grapes from the land of the ‘lowlands’ on a pole together and incidentally bring back pomegranates and figs to Moses (cf. Numbers 13:23-26).
Numbers 13:23-26:
23 When they reached the Valley of Eshkol, they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates and figs.
24 That place was called the Valley of Eshkol because of the cluster of grapes the Israelites cut off there.
25 At the end of forty days they returned from exploring the land.
26 They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land.
23 When they reached the Valley of Eshkol, they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates and figs.
24 That place was called the Valley of Eshkol because of the cluster of grapes the Israelites cut off there.
25 At the end of forty days they returned from exploring the land.
26 They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land.
The location of the finding of the grapes took place at the time of the first grapes (cf. Numbers 13:20c), which is a reference to Jesus Christ, the first and only begotten Son of God who laid down His life for us on the cross in order to bring us into covenant with the Father.
Numbers 13:20c:
… 20c (It was the season for the first ripe grapes.)
… 20c (It was the season for the first ripe grapes.)
Amen and Amen.
In His Wisdom,
Daniel Glimm
In His Wisdom,
Daniel Glimm
For part II of the message please click here.
