Today, Independence Day, is proof that God is the father of the spirits of all flesh — and not just the nation of Israel. As He rescued our nation from the British hundreds of years ago, even as the inscription on our money says, "In God we trust"; and the declaration of our independence, "With a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence." For just as God rescued the nation of Israel from the Egyptians, so He did to our nation from the British. As it says, "Are you not as the sons of Ethiopia to Me, O sons of Israel?" Declares the LORD. “Have I not brought up Israel from the land of Egypt, And the Philistines from Caphtor and the Arameans from Kir?" [Amos 9:7] And then it says, "The Horites formerly lived in Seir, but the sons of Esau dispossessed them and destroyed them from before them and settled in their place, just as Israel did to the land of their possession which the LORD gave them." [Deu 2:12] So Israel is God’s special choice, but He has rescued other nations and planted them in other lands.
Yet, He was not pleased with most of them; for in their freedom, "Jeshurun grew fat and kicked — becoming fat, bloated, and gorged. He abandoned the God who made him and scorned the Rock of his salvation." [Deu 32:15] And "Behold, the eyes of the Lord God are on the sinful kingdom, And I will destroy it from the face of the earth." [Amos 9:8] For they did not know, they did not understand, that true freedom is not from the captivity of nations, but is from sin to righteousness, for in doing right there is no law. (For who can say, "Do not do much goodness.") And the one who sins is a slave to sin. And they did not understand that the kingdom of righteousness is the one Christ came to bring, as the Lord said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm." [John 18:36] So it is certain, that true independence is from this present evil age, from the kingdom of darkness, of satan, into the Kingdom of God and His Christ and of righteousness and uprightness and light. Yes, captivity is in darkness; and freedom is in the light of life; from one kingdom to another is deliverance. This is for all nations until His kingdom comes to reign on earth.
Through Christ Jesus is the only admittance into the Kingdom; and the door being opened unto all, as He says "Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and prostitutes enter into the kingdom of God before you." [Matt 21:31] That of grace through faith in the Word of God: for the Word of God is a map to a destination given by grace; the pilgrim is one who receives the map and believes the map and follows the map to the end; and the end is eternal life. “For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him; and you, seeing this, did not even feel remorse afterward so as to believe him.” [Matt 21:32] And what was the message John preached? "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." [Matt 3:2, Matt 4:17, Mark 1:15] So turn into the heavenly kingdom, fleeing for refuge in Christ Jesus. Repent and believe.
Therefore, flee for refuge to the heavenly kingdom, setting your mind on the things above and not on the things below. The one who minds Christ’s earthly life alone is not acquitted of guilt, for because of sins Christ paid the penalty and died; blood guiltiness is on the slayer’s head: that’s you. (This is the importance of the resurrection of Christ which also implies His death: “He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.“ [Rom 4:25] and “Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you— not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience— through the resurrection of Jesus Christ“ [1 Pet 3:21] also “and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.“ [1 Cor 15:17]) When one’s eyes are set on one’s self and the things of this world, a knowledge of sin and death is much alive. Such a one, flees, not for refuge, but to wanderings as Cain, destined to be a fugitive and vagabond on the earth. As wisdom says, “A man who is laden with the guilt of human blood will be a fugitive until death; let no one support him.” [Prov 28:17] But a better thought I have towards you, as it says “I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did also.” [Acts 3:17]
Therefore, you must flee to Him for refuge, setting your eyes on Christ, seated in the heavenly places next to the throne of God at His right hand, where He lives, having conquered sin and death on your behalf, so that you would not walk according to the flesh (minding earthly things), but according to the Spirit (minding heavenly things). And we know Christ came to take away sins and in Him there is no sin. Such a one minding heavenly things proves himself innocent in the matter of Christ; as it says, “For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter.” [2 Cor 7:11]
All by the kindness and forgiveness of our God, Who instead of avenging us to slay us for our sins, He forgives us — seven times alone? No, up to seventy times seven in a single day, just as we’re also called to forgive our righteous brethren. Trust in the kindness of God, seeking Him with all your being. Where there is vengeance in the law, there is forgiveness in the grace of our Lord Jesus. As it says according to the law, “If Cain is avenged sevenfold, Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.” [Gen 4:23] And according to grace, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times? And Jesus answered, I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.“ [Matt 18:22]
As it says in the law, “Life shall be for a life,” [Deu 19:21] and by the life of Christ Jesus we are justified before God, Who was given up to death to rescue us from death and was raised to life to give us life. His life for ours; we have been ransomed by His blood for those of us in Christ Jesus; and if you're not in Christ, you do not have the life.
Listen, the one who sets His eyes on Christ in the heavens and takes his eyes off Him, as it says in the law, “But if the manslayer shall at any time go beyond the border of his city of refuge to which he may flee, and the blood avenger finds him outside the border of his city of refuge, and the blood avenger kills the manslayer, he shall not be guilty of blood because he should have remained in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest.” [Num 35:26-28] And as the prophet also says, “But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and does according to all the abominations that a wicked man does, will he live? All his righteous deeds which he has done will not be remembered for his treachery which he has committed and his sin which he has committed; for them he will die.“ [Eze 18:24] So we must not lose sight of Him, but remain abiding in Him in fellowship until the end, until His arrival or our death.
In regard to “until the death of the high priest“, it is so to say, until the earthly priesthood is brought to an end and the heavenly priesthood of Christ is brought to fulfillment. In regard to remaining in Him, our Lord says, “Nevertheless, hold fast to what you have until I come,” [Rev 2:25] and the apostle, “[the Gospel] by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.” [1 Cor 15:2] And by this Word, He is willing to keep you, unless you disbelieve and slumber in watchfulness, departing from Him to the lusts of your eyes, being led away from your obedience of the faith. Therefore, watch and pray brethren. Abide.
Remember, that Christ came not to the heathen, but to the nation of Israel, who is a type of the heavenly kingdom to come; for the heavenly kingdom will be for true Israel, those circumcised in spirit; no uncircumcised will enter. As it says, “I will dwell among them.” Wasn't the tabernacle set up with the cleansing of blood and the sanctification of oil? So likewise only those with clean hands and a pure heart will ascend to the hill of the Lord and stand in the holy place. He will come the second time for His people, which are a people mingled of both nations; Christ will come again for His people on that day, the rest will be harvested for wrath. His people will be with Him; “they will be My people and I will be their God.”