If there is a double work, a time when we are in the city spiritually by the grace of God alone, and a later period when we lawfully enter through the gates in a redeemed body, then it must be true that God at first conceals our sinful nature from His sight. At a later time He uncovers and removes our sinful nature so we lawfully may dwell in His Presence.

The covering of sin, and then the uncovering and demolishing of sin, is precisely what we find in the Scriptures. One such episode concerns the Cave of Makkedah.

When Joshua was at war with the Amorites, the five kings of the Amorites hid themselves in a cave. When Joshua learned where they were hiding he commanded they should be kept in the cave until he was ready to deal with them.

Then the army of Israel pursued the Amorite warriors and slaughtered them.

Joshua returned to the problem of the kings. He brought them forth from the cave and put them to death.

Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings unto me out of the cave. (Joshua 10:22)

This is what happens in our own life. When we receive Jesus as our Savior He covers the sin in our personality. Then He goes forth to war against the aspects of our personality that are not holy, that are not found in the Father.

If we follow the Lord faithfully through the battles of sanctification there comes a time when the Lord addresses Himself to the wicked rulers in our personality who have been concealed during the season of sanctification.

When Jesus exposes the roots of our fleshly nature we may find ourselves in a personal crisis. We may have thought we were the pure wheat of the Lord. Now we discover that God has permitted the tares to come to maturity in us so that the tender wheat would not be harmed by premature removal of the tares.

The wheat is strong enough now for the tares to be torn out, gathered in bundles, and burned.

When the tares have been removed from us, when the five kings of the Amorites have been brought into the light and killed, we will be approaching the hour when we are prepared to be swallowed up by immortality and to gain entrance through the gates into the city.

The double work, forgiveness and removal of sin, is portrayed also by the two goats of the Day of Atonement.

One goat was slain and its blood sprinkled upon and before the Ark of the Covenant. The sins of Israel were forgiven by the blood of the slain goat.

The second goat was led away into the wilderness, bearing on itself the sins of Israel. The sins of Israel were removed with the removal of the living goat. The sins were not actually removed at that time, the ceremony being a portrayal of the redeeming work of Christ.

To be continued.