Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ, dear Friends,

this is Brother Frank speaking to you from the International Mission Center in Krefeld, Germany. First of all I would like to thank those who have called and written and have asked for literature to go deeper into the Bible study and to know the Lord personally according to the Word and to the revelation by the Holy Spirit.

Our aim is to prepare 52 sermons continuing from Genesis right through the Bible, showing forth the plan of salvation, God’s intention with humanity. We look back to Genesis, especially chapter 3, when the first human beings were disobedient and came under the influence of the serpent, under the direct influence of the enemy, turned their back towards God and overstepped the commandment He had given. His warning was so clear, “The day you eat thereof you shall surely die.” And this is precisely what happened, and since then all die, except Enoch and Elijah who were taken to be with the Lord without seeing death.

Beloved, we are speaking about the plan of salvation. There are many, many subjects, even touching on the signs of the time and many of the Bible teachings. But first, in this fourth sermon we wish to go back to Genesis and to show from the Old Testament where the promises were given, and then to show from the New Testament how they were fulfilled. We have to know that we are here and are meant to be in fellowship with God. But this fellowship ended with the moment, when Satan had deceived Eve, and she in turn persuaded Adam to join her in the transgression and unbelief and so forth. 

Brothers and Sisters, dear Friends, it’s a very, very sad story. And then when they were driven out from Paradise, according to Genesis, chapter 3, verse 22, in the second part we are told, “… and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever.” This could not have happened, because then humanity would live in sin separated from God, but still live eternally. And this makes no sense. Why should somebody live forever without being in fellowship with God who alone has eternal life? And those who have Jesus Christ as their personal saviour have God’s life within them as soon as they are born again. 

Now we understand from verse 15 in Genesis 3 that there were two different seeds: the one was promised to come by the woman, but the next was already there. And God said, “I will put enmity between … the Seed of the woman that is to come who shall bruise the serpent’s head, and between the seed that was here already.” So Satan, the serpent, left a seed behind. 

Now, coming to the main point, beloved Brothers and Sisters, we are talking about redemption. And before we can really understand redemption we must acknowledge that we were separated from God: we insulted God, we disbelieved His Word and believed what Satan through the serpent had to say. And, Beloved, God is merciful, although He said, “Every soul that sinneth shall die.” So we understand, no one has eternal life through the natural birth. No, eternal life we receive through the new birth.

In Ezekiel, chapter 18, verse 4, we read, “Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine; the soul that sinneth, it shall die.” When we die naturally, after our life is finished on earth, our soul leaves the body. That is the first death. Then Revelation 20 speaks about the second death, when the spirit leaves the soul and goes back to God where it came from. “The soul that sinneth shall die.” We were all born in sin, we lived in sin, there is just nothing else around us except sin. But then we understand: the Lord of glory has come to redeem us. 

And we wish to read in the Old Testament. I just love it! I love to go back to the Word of God, that everything is based on the Holy Scriptures. Not what a man, not what a church says, but “What does the Holy Scripture say?” In reference to the plan of redemption, in reference to eternal life, what is God’s plan and purpose? I wish to know. And then I wish to fit into it by God’s grace. In 2 Samuel, chapter 7, verse 14, we have the promise about our Saviour, the Son of God, “I will be father to him, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men …” Just be still for a moment. Here in a most holy and precious promise about our Saviour, the Son of God, as confirmed in Hebrews, chapter 1, verse 5, where this scripture is repeated, it says, “If he commit anything, any iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men …” Jesus Christ was so much man, 100 percent man, He went through all the temptations that we are going through. And then we understand that He stood firm in every temptation. Satan had no hold on him whatsoever. He was born the Son of God, but still in the human body. Just in every way He was a human being: He slept, He wept, He was tired – He was a human being. 

And here is the great mystery of the manifestation and revelation or our heavenly Father in His only begotten Son: to take us back into our relationship as sons and daughters of God. The same is written in 1 Chronicles 17, from verse 11 to 14, and then confirmed in the New Testament in Matthew and also in Luke especially, where the Angel Gabriel came to Mary announcing the birth of the Son od God. Why do I have to emphasise these facts and these scriptures? Simply because the teaching exists that the Son of God was born before time began, eternally son. And, Friends, it doesn’t make sense. The Holy Scripture not in a single place speaks about three eternal ones, three almighty ones, three who are all-present, three who talk with each other and agree. Beloved, Beloved, that doesn’t sound good, and I am almost to say, That is an insult to God and that is a denial of 6,700 times where God in the Old Testament speaks of Himself as the only one God that exists from eternity to eternity!

In the Old Testament God revealed Himself in many, many different ways, as we have shown forth in the first three sermons with the teaching of the Holy Scriptures. But, Beloved, only at the beginning of the New Testament the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we have seen His glory. In Psalms 2, in verse 7, we read, “I will declare the decree: The Lord has said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.” Not in eternity, not in heaven, but in time, “this day”! Eternity has no day, no night, no tomorrow. Eternity has always been and shall always be. This scripture, this promise was fulfilled, when the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary and the Son of God was born in Bethlehem, as the Scripture foretold in the Old Testament, Micah, chapter 5. 

In verse 11 of Psalms 2 we read, “Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way.” “Kiss the Son”, because in the Son we were received, adopted by God, our Father, and through the Son we became sons and daughters of God. 

So we go through a few more scriptures, especially to Psalms 22, where again and again we are told, yes foretold what would take place. Psalms 22, verses 9 and 10, “But thou art He who took me out of the womb; thou didst make me hope upon my mother’s breasts. I was cast upon thee from the womb; thou art my God from my mother’s body.” Here we have again the confirmation of Genesis 3:15, about the seed of the woman, the Seed of God that would come through the woman. “Thou hast taken me out of my mother’s womb, thou hast kept Me on My mother’s breasts.” This was fulfilled when Christ, our Lord and Saviour, was born. In verse 22 in Psalms 22 we read, “I will declare thy name unto my brethren; in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.” This has also happened. The Son revealed the name of the Father, because the Son was the very, very manifestation of the Father, and therefore He could say in John, chapter 10, “Whosoever has seen Me has seen the Father.” And we go on to Psalms 89, where this man of God made the following statement. Psalms 89, verse 26 and 27, “He shall cry unto me, Thou art my Father, My God, and the rock of My salvation.” And then comes the answer from God Himself, “Also I will make Him My firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.” 

Beloved, what should we say? It is just marvellous to go through the Old Testament promises and then to see them fulfilled in the New Testament. There are two more promises in the Prophet Isaiah, concerning the birth of the Son of God, concerning the Seed that should come, this godly Seed that should come and bruise the serpent’s head. Isaiah, chapter 7, verse 14, “Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His Name Immanuel.” “… shall bear a Son and call His Name Immanuel – God with us.” Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is also the Lord of Glory. 

And, Friends, what you are going to see and be surprised at is this: In the Old Testament from Genesis, chapter 2, verse 4, we have the combination of the Lord God. First you find only the word Elohim for God, and then Elohim-Yahweh, from Genesis 2, verse 4. Right 6,000 times through the Old Testament: Elohim-Yahweh, the Lord God. And here is the mystery: In the New Testament the One we know from the Old Testament to be “Elohim” – God is the Father, and Him whom we know as Lord – “Yahweh” is Jesus Christ, the Son. Not two different persons, but two different manifestations to accomplish the plan of salvation. “Thou shall call His name Immanuel – God with us.” (Matthew, chapter 1, verse 22 and 23). 

In Isaiah, chapter 9, here we read in verse 6, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” You can read on. I just love the Old Testament promises and prophecies! And I say again: it’s the same God who speaks to us, who made promises, who acquaints us with His plan of salvation right from the very beginning. And, dear Friends, as we said, we must accept God the way He reveals Himself unto us: as Creator, as Saviour, as King, as Judge – in all what ever and how ever we receive Him. And in the New Testament, as our Father in heaven, therefore we pray, “Our Father, who art in heaven”, in His only begotten Son on earth. And therefore we acknowledge and we confess that Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God. That’s our confession according to the Scripture with all our heart. And the same God since the day of Pentecost lives in His Church which is the Body of Christ. Receive it, receive it! It’s one God who manifests Himself in various ways to accomplish His great plan of salvation. 

Beloved, please understand this the right way: As all the men in the Old Testament knew God personally and the apostles knew the Lord personally, I, Brother Frank confess, I know my Lord personally. I know God by divine revelation. And, Friends, I was placed into the ministry with a direct commission to acquaint this generation with God, with all the ways He revealed Himself, to acquaint you with the plan of salvation. The God of heaven, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob bless you, the God of Israel bless you. He is our heavenly Father, and His Name shall be praised forever and ever! I would love to hear from you. Maybe you find a few moments to write or to call. We have literature which will be a blessing to you.

God bless you and be with you in Jesus’ holy Name. Amen.