The Eighth Person

by Robert Burgess

“And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly (2 Pet 2:5);”

(1 Sam 20:30-31) “Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother's nakedness? For as long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely die.”

I am so glad that the Holy Ghost prompted Peter to mention the “Eighth Person” in his commentary about Noah; It gives even more basis to the Revelation of this Present Truth concerning the Order of God's Kingdom, and helps us to realize that our faith in Him must extend far beyond the “Letter” of the Word.. As it was in the days of Noah the Old Heavens and the Old Earth are both passing away (But the Word is being fulfilled) and the “Eighth Person (as Noah was)” is coming forth to Rule a “New Earth” in the Kingdom which is the Lord's.. It is interesting to note that David was the “Eighth Son” of Jesse (or, Jesus); The number Eight has so much significance in Scripture, it always deals with something “New” taking place. As King Saul well said: “As long as the son of Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy kingdom.” There can only be ONE King in the Land of Israel and it is to be the “New Man,” not anything from the “Old Order” of Saul, which was the choice of the People.. We are coming into a New Dispensation in which none of those who are placed in the Kingdom by the Choices of man shall have any part. It was God's choice not man's, that David the “Eighth Son” of Jesse would rule the Kingdom. So much has been said lately about Man's supposed “Free will” and of his choices to do good or evil - the Order of Saul is based on this kind of thinking. The mind of Christ operates on a totally different Spiritual “Wavelength” friends, it doesn't consider the will of the Flesh as having any part or lot in the Kingdom of God - It says “Not my Will, but Thine be done..” The subject of our “Choosing” in the Lord has so much significance in the hour we are living in; We need to understand fully that we are “His Choice” not the choice of man or of self even, if our salvation is not entirely dependent on this powerful truth then it is very weak, and sorely flawed indeed.

Our Great Salvation in Christ Jesus is a “Safety net” that keeps us from destroying ourselves with “Our Will;” God will not leave anything to chance when it comes to the Salvation of even one precious soul. Just think, if our Salvation was in our own hands then why does Jesus hold us in “His Hand??” Jesus said: “My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one (John 10:29-30).” - Now perhaps we think we are holding ourselves, but this is only evidence that Saul (the Carnal Mind) is still reigning in the Kingdom of our hearts; He will continue to reign until the last enemy is finally destroyed, for to be “Carnally Minded is Death (Ro 8:6)..” The Death of the Carnal Mind is swallowed up only in the Victory of Christ, and no other..

It is said of Enoch the “Seventh from Adam (But the Eighth from GOD)” that he “Walked with God and Was not, for God took him;” We are also walking with God as the “Eighth Son,” and we are becoming the “Are Not's” of the Lord who shall surely bring to naught the things that “Are.” Deborah and I have been discussing the fact that the Ark of the Covenant was carried upon the shoulders of “Eight Men” Priests of the Lord; In our day we are looking at a “New Covenant” and a “New Priesthood” based upon “New and Better Promises” which are all soon to be fulfilled and carried into the Kingdom by this “New Creation Man,” a many-membered Son of God.

“And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son (Rev 21:5-7).”

Robert Burgess

Back