Fulfilling the Mandate
The whole eternal purpose of Yahweh is to have mature sons who have come of age in the image and likeness of Himself. Human but 'godlike"!
Adam was created in that image and likeness, but in innocence and immaturity, his character unformed, although he had the divine nature, it was possible for him to fall. His character needed to be developed and formed by experience in life situations under testing to come to maturity.
A young child has basic inherent characteristics, but it is only in the crucible of life that his character will be developed and formed upon those inherent qualities. As he responds to the situations of life, in either a negative or a positive manner, he will build upon his basic nature good or bad qualities. In His infinite wisdom, Yahweh allowed Adam to have experiences where his inherent integrity would be tested, so that he would be able to develop into maturity, the characteristics of godliness which lay dormant in him. As we know, he responded negatively and failed the test.
Y'shua's Fulfillment of the Mandate
The Psalmist under inspiration said, "What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honour. You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands, You have put all things under his feet, .. .. .. " Psalm 8: 4-6
And the writer in Hebrews takes this up again and reiterates this same scripture, adding, "For in that He put all things in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not see all things put under him." Hebrews 2: 8 (requote from Psalm 8 in verses 6-8a)
The whole world was placed under Adam's dominion with everything in it, but now as we know, all things are not under man's dominion now. (Psalm 8:7-8) He was potentially made the ruling monarch of the earth with the spiritual and mental capacity to fulfill that role. Researchers say that we now use one tenth of our brain capacity and obviously a very small portion of our spiritual potential also, if we were created to be able to rise to complete 'god-like-ness'.
Speaking prophetically for Yahweh, the Psalmist says, "I said, you are gods, and all of you children of the Most High, but you shall die like men .. .. (because of the fall)"
Y'shua quotes this in John 10:33-34 as an answer to those accusing Him of making Himself God. He was thereby legitimising His Sonship. Y'shua as a prototype of the new order, was functioning in the capacity of the new order which He was to instigate as a second Adam.
Y'shua's whole life had to be lived as a human, a second Adam. He was, as Adam, a sinless man in the image and likeness of Yahweh, but not born from Adam's physical sin-polluted bloodline. In His human incarnation, He did not use any other resources than that of a human being empowered by the Holy Spirit. If He had, His offering would have been illegitimate. His substitutionary offering for man would have been illegal if He had used His divine power as the Son of God in any aspect of His life.
That is why Y'shua could answer His accusers, "Is it not written in your law, 'I said, You are gods'". He answered them as a man, who was speaking forth from the Spirit, the Word of Yahweh.
Man, who was created to be god-like has lost his dominion -- "but we see Y'shua, who was made a little lower than the angels (the same as the original creation of Adam) for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings." Hebrews 2: 9-10
Y'shua submitted to the will of the Father and endured the testings so as to come to that maturity of perfection as a son of God. He was a man born sinless as was Adam, but proven and tested and His character developed to maturity, to be the progenitor of a new order of human 'beings'. "For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all one, " (Hebrews 2:11) We are one with Him, one in nature, of the same type of 'man' - 'brethren' and co-heirs with Him. (Romans 8:17)
A Fulfillment of the Promise
Right back at the fall Yahweh came and gave Adam the promise of redemption and restoration. "And Yahweh said unto the serpent, Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; upon your belly you will go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life: And I will put enmity (hostility, war) between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel." Genesis 3:15
The "Seed of the Woman" is the prophecy of the Messiah that would come and redeem what they had just lost in their own spiritual status and in their dominion over the earth. Satan thought that he had won a great victory, and that the war which he had instigated against Yahweh's purposes was just about over. Yahweh now prophecies to the Serpent, that it will all be redeemed and RESTORED. (This is the promised "Restoration of ALL Things" that has been prophesied by all of the prophets FROM THE BEGINNING! )
Adam and Eve had fallen under the headship and dominion of the Serpent, and Yahweh now promises the Serpent that he will be defeated by a Saviour that will come and redeem the situation, restoring Adam and Eve unto their original position by saying : "it (the Seed of the woman) shall bruise your head". (the Messiah was that 'Seed' of the woman)
- The word "BRUISE" defines as: To overwhelm; overcome; to break as in break in pieces; to overturn.
- The word "head" represents the Serpent's authority.
He is telling the Serpent - actually prophesying that a Saviour will come, and in His coming, BREAK IN PIECES and overturn his headship and authority over the earth gained through the fall of Adam and Eve, and RESTORE THEM unto their original position through a PROMISED SEED LINE.
Y'shua was the promised Seed spoken of again to Abraham (Galatians 3:16, 19), Who would not only redeem us from sin, but also restore us spirit, soul and body from what was lost, and again make available to us the ability to fulfill the original mandate that was given to take dominion over this earth.
The Kingdom Mandate of the Saints
When Y'shua was raised as the second Adam, the firstfruits of the new order, He was raised into ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY over EVERYTHING that exists, whether here on earth, or in the heavens.
On the basis of this absolute authority, He said - "Go ye" (Matthew 28:19-20) Because, as we have been crucified with Him and identified completely with Him in His death and resurrection, we have also been raised to the same position of authority, in Him. (Ephesians 2: 4-7)
Y'shua's ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY over all the POWER of the enemy now resides in us. (Luke 10:18-19; Phil.2:5-8) (When the saints went out and exercised this authority Y'shua saw Satan fall from heaven)
Y'shua's victorious triumph over sin and death in the resurrection, must become manifest in His chosen people before it will be over. Even though He IS the victor, we do not yet see "all things under His feet".
Y'shua has been commanded by the Father to remain at His right hand, until His enemies are defeated, Until ALL RULE, AUTHORITY and POWER has been put down, CONQUERED AND SUBDUED! This MUST of necessity be accomplished BEFORE He can return, for He cannot return until it is accomplished.
"Yahweh said unto my Lord, sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool. Yahweh shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion. Rule in the midst of Your enemies." Psalm110:1-2
Here is the command to Y'shua our Lord to sit at His right hand UNTIL His enemies are made His Footstool. Yahweh will send the 'rod of His strength' out of Zion to rule in the midst of His enemies.
Comparing scripture with scripture shows us that the 'rod of His strength' is the overcomers who are in 'Zion' - the heights of spiritual worship and holiness. Revelation 2:26; 3:21; 12: 5
They shall execute the judgment upon the princes and the powers of the darkness of this world ruled by Satan. (Psalm 110:5-7; Psalm 149: 5-9) "Your people shall be volunteers in the day of Your power; in the beauties of holiness, .. .." (Psalm 110: 3) Paul also speaks of judging the angels (1 Corinthians 6: 3)
After His victorious resurrection, Y'shua sat down to wait until the subjugation of His enemies is accomplished by His 'firstfruits' company restored to the image and likeness of the Father.
Peter preaching in Acts 2 regarding the significance of what had taken place that day, says that after the times of refreshing - (the time of the ministry of the Holy Spirit - our present era), Yahweh would “ .. .. send Y'shua our Messiah, who was preached to you before: Whom the heaven MUST receive (must retain, keep) UNTIL THE RESTORATION OF ALL THINGS, which Yahweh HAS SPOKEN by the mouth of ALL His Holy Prophets since the world began” Acts 3:20-21
Y'shua must remain in heaven, and therefore cannot return until this "restoration" takes place and this restoration is to be accomplished by an overcoming company of saints who rise up to take the kingdom from the enemy and reclaim the lost inheritance which Y'shua regained for us.
The Overcomers Mandate
Y'shua has legally broken the power of the enemy's control of this earth gained from Adam's default, but now it needs to be brought into effect on the earth. The breaking of the serpent seed's and his headship authority on this earth in the natural, will be accomplished by the collective promised 'Seed', the firstfruits company of overcomers who will execute the Kingdom Mandate of the Melchizedek priesthood to conquer and subdue the earth.
"For the earnest expectation of the creature waits for the revealing (manifestation) of the sons of God .. .." "because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
For we know that the whole creation groans and labours with birth pangs until now. And not only that, but we also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body." Romans 8:19, 21-23
"Now a great sign appeared in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and upon her head a garland of twelve stars: Then being with child she cried out in labour and in pain to give birth." "And she bore a male child (the overcomers), who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up to God and to His throne." (This is a prophetic picture of the Israel of God) Revelation 12:5
Immediately after the birth of this 'child', WAR breaks out in heaven led by Michael the Archangel and Satan is cast out of heaven to the earth. Then the proclamation goes forth - "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Messiah have come: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death" Revelation 12:10-11
It is the result of the overcomers gaining the victory over Satan that gives Michael the Archangel the authority to make war upon him and upon all his spiritual hosts, and cast him out of heaven. Three factors are involved in their victory -
- the blood of the Lamb and its power to completely cleanse them
- the word of their testimony agreeing with the Word of God, and
- they loved not their lives unto death - complete crucifixion of self.
So, according to Yahweh's own word, the time will come when the saints possess the kingdom.
This manifestation of the Sons of God, without question, involves the redemption of SPIRIT, SOUL, and BODY, and that redemption will be Yahweh's stamp of approval upon them. Y'shua will have been completely formed in them, and He, from the Throne at the Right Hand of Yahweh, shall rule through them, and MAKE HIS ENEMIES His footstool, putting down all power, rule and authority of the enemy in the process, and the prophetic vision of Y'shua in Luke 10:18 will have its complete fulfillment.
"Yahweh shall set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people (the kingdom is the true Israel of God), but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. (this is not in a national, political manner, but by His power )
"Israel is the rod of His inheritance", His 'Firstborn son' come to maturity. Jeremiah 51:19; Psalm 74:2
"But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even forever and ever." (Daniel 7:18)
They shall have fulfilled their mandate of the Melchizedek priesthood!