TWO CRISIS
In the parable Jesus dramatized two crises his followers must experience. THE FIRST CRISIS is God’s calling, viz.
“But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.”(1 Pet 5:10).
This crisis is resolved in the parable by entering the banquet hall.
In the Christian walk it is resolved by consecration to holy living and obedience to the will of God, (i.e. by taking “the first step”, a “consecration to righteousness”) Typified by the general consecration of the Levites, the believer sets his mind to follow righteousness in all of life’s affairs. As with the Levites, this consecration DOES NOT entail any sacrifice. God has the right to demand that all his creatures love righteousness and hate iniquity, but he does not demand that all sacrifice.
However a life of righteousness sooner or later brings about a tension, a sincere response to God’s call results in conflict with earthly interests, earthly ambitions, and earthly friendships (1 Pet 3:20, 21). In the "present evil world" (Gal 1:4) the path of righteousness ultimately requires sacrifice.
The resolution of this SECOND CRISIS is the putting on of the garment, a SECOND consecration (a “consecration to sacrifice” Psa 50:5, “the second step”) —a consecration as a priest for sacrifice. Typified by the special consecration of Aaron and his sons as sacrificers or priests, this consecration is made by only a few (Luke 22:14). See our study on “The Consecration of the Priesthood” for more on this.
All who desire to follow Jesus should be aware of these crises and understand the inherent hazard. Having turned to God and his ways of righteousness, having made the first consecration, there is a strong temptation to stop, to believe all that is necessary has been accomplished. There is a grave danger of not going on to the second consecration.
This perilous snare was made evident in Paul’s ministry in Ephesus (Acts 19:1-5). The Apostle found there disciples who knew only of John’s baptism, the baptism of repentance, the first consecration. Paul quickly set about teaching the need for a second baptism. This pitfall is also evident in the Epistle to the Hebrews. The Hebrews were in the same provisional (tentative or “in part”) condition as the Ephesians.
"For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat." (Heb 5:12)
Repeatedly the writer implored the Hebrews to go forward (take the next step). "Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest . . .” (Heb 4:11); "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest . . . Let us draw near with a true heart.” (Heb 10:19-22); "Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp..." (Heb 13:13).
In each of these requests the Hebrews were being urged to GO ON to the second consecration.
To illustrate this hazard the writer used the Exodus of Israel. Every Christian who has left his Egypt, consecrated to righteousness, and followed God to the spiritual Jordan, comes to this critical juncture. There is a second baptism, a baptism unto Joshua—a second consecration, a consecration unto sacrifice!
The Ephesians heard and accepted Paul’s message. They were baptized into Christ. They crossed their Jordan. Of the reaction of the Hebrews little is known. They were standing on the banks of the Jordan (Are you still standing on the banks of your Jordan?). The epistle was written to encourage them to crossover take the next step, the “second step” of a full consecration to the Lord (Heb 3:12, 19).
From this picture given by God, we know "few there be" (Matt 7:14) that make that crossing. Of the hundreds of thousands of Jews over twenty years of age who left Egypt, of all that were baptized into Moses at the Red Sea, only two were baptized in the Jordan (Num 14:30) that is the danger! All who desire to be "more than conquerors" (Rom 8:37), all who desire to destroy the enemies in the land, must not only leave Egypt, but must also leave the wilderness. They must cross the Jordan. The great battle in which each Christian must engage takes place in Canaan, not in the wilderness!
Are you still in the wilderness?
Continued with next post.
