Tag Archive: God


A LIGHT IN THE NIGHT SKY AT FORT ORD

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August 16, 2014

The Morning Star Rising on the First Day
The Morning Star Rising on the First Day

TWILIGHT ZONE EXPERIENCES

While growing up as a youngster, I enjoyed watching The Twilight Zone on television. This TV program presented the real-life experiences of ordinary people that can not be explained by science or the laws of nature. While there have been several Twilight Zone experiences in my life, this one is noteworthy because it reveals the power of God, divinely intervening in my life, to protect me from harm and possibly death.  

A LIGHT IN THE NIGHT SKY AT FORT ORD

This experience likely occurred on the last Wednesday in October 1965, which would be October 27th, just a few days after this picture was taken.  

This is a picture of my unit. I'm in the last row, on the right, the one with the glasses. I’m in the back row, on the right, the one with the glasses.

It all started when I had picked up my laundry from the Quartermaster after a long training day and carried it back to barracks as the sun was setting. I could see the darkness falling through the long line of windows as I walked across the length of the billet to my bunk. I began moving clothing into my footlocker when I noticed a faint glow illuminating the darkened sky outside. As I continued watching, it gradually expanded until it lit up the entire street scene, eventually pouring light into our poorly lit billet as well.

Soon, a small number of interested soldiers appeared on the street, looking up into the sky, some pointing toward the source of light directly above them.

Caucasian man reaching towards light in starry night sky : Stock Photo

Wanting to see everything they saw, I started walking back toward the door to exit the billet. As I passed the windows again, I could see that even more soldiers were entering the street.

When I reached the doorway, I encountered a group of about ten soldiers who were obstructing my pathway to the door. I did not recognize any of them and, consequently, I’m sure that they were not a part of my unit. They were having a great time joking, laughing, and engaging in banter with each other. So much so that they were oblivious to my need to move through them. So I asked them politely to make a way to the door for me. But nothing happened. It was as if they did not hear me. So, I asked again in a louder voice. But the result was the same. They just kept jamming as if I was not even there. So I decided to make my way through them by pressing a shoulder on them if needed. When it came time to lower my shoulder into a soldier in front of me, I found that I could not move him with the gentle force I exerted. So I gradually ramped up my effort to its maximum, and still, I could not budge him. I would have had better luck pushing into a wall. In awe of this man’s strength, I moved back to see the face of this wall of a man.

When I saw his face, I was stunned. He was staring in the direction of another soldier, but he was not moving. There was no eye movement, blinking, or breathing. There were beads of sweat on his face, but they were suspended there, defying gravity, not trickling downward or dripping off.

I then noticed that pure silence had displaced the everyday noises of active soldiers in a billet. I gazed at the other soldiers standing in the doorway. They were all frozen like manakins occupying a store window as if time had stood still. I gradually shifted my gaze back across the billet. All the men halted in mid-stride. The entire scene looked like a video when the stop button is depressed.

Then the light streaming through the windowpanes caught my notice. I observed motionless dust particles suspended in the air, unaffected by air currents or gravity.

The light looked something like this.
The light looked something like this.

I turned back toward the soldiers in the doorway and wondered why everything had stopped but me. Then suddenly, it all returned to normal, as if someone had pressed the play button again. The men frozen in the doorway resumed their banter from exactly where they left off, and the sounds of the billet returned as well. I looked back toward my bunk and saw that everyone was moving around again as if nothing had transpired.

I peered through the windows and saw that the light outside had faded. So I navigated through the soldiers in the doorway, opened the door, and looked up into the sky. I saw a big ball of light ascending into the sky, gradually appearing smaller and fainter as it rose, until it vanished, restoring the darkness.

I retreated to my bunk, sat down, and saw no one discussing what had just transpired. Everyone went back to doing the things they had been doing before. Then it dawned on me; they had nothing to remember. Their bodies were there, but time stopped for them, and therefore they did not experience what transpired. Their souls were unconscious. But then, why would I be the only one to experience what occurred? My answer would come soon.

The Company Clerk came in first thing in the morning and escorted me to the Company Commander’s office. Once inside the HQ, he checked with the Commander and then directed me to go in. I marched in, did a left face at the center of the Captain’s desk, came to Attention, and saluted while shouting, “Sir, Private Gordon reporting as ordered, Sir.” The Captain firmly responded, “At ease, Private,” and I moved to Parade Rest.

The Captain then spoke in an agitated voice, “Gordon, did you know that you have a type 2 profile on your eyes?” I immediately replied, “Sir, Private Gordon does not know what a type 2 profile on his eyes is, Sir.” The Commander sighed deeply and sat back in his chair. Looking me straight in the eye, he said, “Son, it means that you can not be in an Infantry Unit. I will make arrangements for someone to get you reassigned. That is all.” I came back to Attention, saluted the Captain, did a left face, marched out of his office. As I walked back to my billet, I wondered why I had to endure all of this training before anyone noticed my ineligibility.

It was not until much later in my life that I realized what a tremendous gift I had received that day. I had avoided being attached to an Infantry Unit in 1965, in the height of the Viet Nam ramp-up. Therefore, I had received an extraordinary blessing!

These thoughts brought memories of all the other times I had been removed from harm or guided away from danger. Some would call them miracles because they are scientifically indefensible. I now see them as God’s divine interventions in my life. All the encounters that I never told anyone because they would know I was crazy. When I look back at these, I see a pattern of protection that was always there for me. This experience was just another in a long chain of supernatural protections.

If this experience were an isolated event, then there could be speculation about what happened that night at Fort Ord. But it is not an isolated event. After reviewing these other events, I have concluded that God has protected and guided me all along. I have written about these experiences in other posts as well.

Further evidence will appear in the experiences that I will be publishing here in the future. Together, I hope they will lead you to believe that only God can do what I have described here. The direction of my life certainly changed course in that short, 12-hour span.

I eventually did go to Viet Nam, but not as a part of an Infantry unit. In 1966/67, I was with the 618th Maintenance Company in the Central Highlands. Years later, when I was doing my research, I discovered that most of the men in my training unit became a part of the Fourth Infantry Division. I remember watching their convoy entering the battlefield by way of Highway 19. I marveled as the line of their vehicles stretched out for miles as they moved past us and on to their Central Highlands targets.

It was only a few days later that we heard the sounds of their battles. We felt the ground shaking as the bombs and shells exploded miles away. The sounds of the explosions rumbled through the air like rolling thunder through the nights. I remember lying in my bunk on one of those nights, thinking, I’m so glad I am not where those boys are today. As it turns out, the 4th Infantry Division took more casualties than any other unit in the Vietnam War.

Thant you, Lord. Praise God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!

May God be with all who read this letter.

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God Warns of Danger, Then Protects

Filed under: Covenant, ESP, Possess the Vision, Spirituality, spirtual warfare — Leave a comment
July 22, 2014

The Morning Star Rising on the First Day

The Morning Star Rising on the First Day

THE ESP EXPERIENCES

After I entered elementary school, I started to encounter things that could not be explained by the laws of physics. Some would call these strange experiences ESP or extrasensory perception. For example, I would dream things that would come true and know things that were to happen before they occurred. The following story is one example of the kind of things that I experienced that are of this nature. 

Here is my story for today.

A BRICK WALL

When I was about ten years old, I had a dream in which I came to a red brick wall that blocked my path. In this dream, I became very frustrated searching for a way past the wall but not finding one. I started searching along the base of the wall to my left only to find a dead end. Then, I searched for a way around the right side of the wall only to find another dead end. I contemplated how I might be able to go over the wall, but it was just too tall, and there was nothing to grab on to, so I could not find a way over it either. 

Now if this were an isolated experience, it most likely would have been long forgotten, but I kept redreaming it nighty after night. As if I was in one big loop, continuously searching, for a way past the wall. For months this went on. Most often, the dream sequence would last most of the night, leaving me still trying to find a way to the other side when I awoke. 

This dream was a mystery to me as I had never seen a wall like this one, and I had no idea why it may be relevant to me. My innocents, however, was about to change.

One summer evening, I joined with a group of older neighborhood boys who were gathered just down the street from where I lived. Interestingly, some of these boys were the ones who had a great laugh on me in the boogeyman story. One of the boys had just acquired a used car. In the course of our conversation, he suggested that we all go down to Hastings Street.

I was by far the youngest one there and had no idea what Hastings Street was or why anyone might want to go there. If I had, I would not have gone with them. I found out years later that Hastings street was the black cultural centre of Detroit. It was famous for its bars and restaurants, and Jazz. It could be a dangerous place to be.

For some reason, all the boys all wanted to go, and I trusted their judgment and jumped in the car for what I thought would be a fun time. As we were in route, the driver started to take big gulps from a bottle of Orange Vodka that he had stashed under the driver’s seat. It seemed that in no time at all, he was quite drunk. In fact, by the time we got to Hastings Street, he was a sloppy, goofy drunk.

I was in the back seat between two of the other boys as we cruised very slowly down Hastings Street. I could see large numbers of people on the street, mostly just milling around. There were women in provocative clothes standing on street corners and under streetlights. I was so young that I didn’t know what this meant at the time either. We drove by bars that all had their doors propped open, and we could hear loud blues and jazz music as we slowly passed. I also remember that we passed a police car that had four officers inside. One of the boys said it was the big four, indicating that this part of town required Detroit’s toughest police.

The musician John Lee Hooker on Hasting Street

Then our intoxicated driver starts singing in a loud voice, “Don’t shoot until you see the whites of their eyes.” Then, being very amused with his newly created song, he let go with a loud belly laugh. Then he rolled down his window, hung his head out and sang it again, “Don’t shoot until you see the whites of their eyes,” followed by another belly laugh. I remember being embarrassed at first, but after a while, I started to become quite fearful. This activity seemed to be very stupid for white boys to be doing in a black part of town. 

There seemed to be no way to stop him either. He just kept repeating this song and laughing over and over again even though the other boys were shouting at him to quit and telling him quite emphatically to shut up. When he did not, they threatened him with physical violence if he didn’t stop. 

The car came to a red light, and we stopped for what seemed to be a very long time for me. It was when the light changed, and we had entered the intersection I saw the red brick wall through the windshield. A chill ran down my spine as we attempted a u-turn in the road. The driver was having difficulty in making the turn because of the stick shifter. Halfway through the turning process, I could see men coming from buildings and out of the alleyways. As they came toward us, I could see that they had baseball bats, lumber, and tire irons in their hands. They were coming from several directions.

 

After completing the U-turn, our drunk driver stalled the car. He attempted to restart the vehicle, but it would not start even though it turned over just fine. But the engine began to turn at a slow rate, indicating the battery was getting week. I could see that the groups of angry men were getting closer. Then I thought that it was possible we could all die here, and no one would ever know what happened. Then the distinct smell of gas filled the car indicating that the engine flooded. We had the driver push the accelerator to the floor and listened as the engine turned progressively slower. Suddenly, the clicking sound of the solenoid is all we hear. Meanting the battery lacked power to turn the engine. I then thought that we would all die. But for some unknown reason, the engine suddenly turned one more turn and roared to a full-speed start. Our driver, now seemingly very sober, dropped the shifter down into first gear and we peeled away. 

The angry men were running alongside and behind the car and started slamming the vehicle with their weapons. The sounds of the weapons striking the metal of the car were quite horrific. The car finally started pulling away from the mob, and we drove away safely. 

I am sure that if we had been there just a few more seconds, our fate would have met an unpleasant end. In looking back at this incident, I know that the dream of the brick wall was another warning from God. Also, I believe that the one extra turn of the engine was help from God as well. I know that one isolated case like this one could be a coincidence, but it is not just one case. I was being warned and protected again and again. Just read my previous blogs and look for the ones to come, and you will come to see how God works. 

God bless you and keep you always.

6/21/2020

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PREMONITION OF AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT

Filed under: ESP, Possess the Vision, Spirituality, spirtual warfare — Leave a comment
June 28, 2014

 

The Morning Star Rising on the First Day

The Morning Star Rising on the First Day

THE ESP EXPERIENCES

After I entered elementary school, I started to encounter things that could not be explained by the laws of physics. Some would call these strange experiences ESP or extrasensory perception. For example, I would dream things that would come true and know things that were to happen before they occurred. The following story is an example of the kind of things that I experienced that can not be explained scientifically, and in fact have been discredited by the scientific community who now state that ESP does not exist.

Here is my story for today. I was most likely nine or ten years of age when it occurred.

PREMONITION OF AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT

My mom and dad would take us to visit my aunt’s family from time to time and my sister and I looked forward to these trips because we got to play with cousins our age.

Their house was about an hour’s drive across town and we were driving home late one night after one of our visits. I was quite tired and was trying to get some sleep in the back seat. I had my head propped up against a padded door handle on the driver’s side.  Just as I started to doze off, I awoke with a start, sensing that another car was about to crash into us at the precise point where my head had been resting.

Thinking that I was being silly, I ignored the sensation and put my head back down and tried to get back to sleep. I experienced the very same sensation several times before I decided to tell my mother about it. She reaffirmed that I was in fact being silly and recommended that I dismiss it from my mind and try to go back to sleep. So, I made another attempt to suppress my fear and get some sleep.

But the sensations grew stronger and I could not stop the urge to pull my head away from the side of the car once again. Only this time another auto came crashing into the side of us at the very point where my head had been resting just a second before.

The accident turned out to be quite minor, and no one was hurt. There was a big dent in the side of our car and some broken glass but the car was drivable and we drove it the rest of the way home. 

I had to wonder though about what the outcome may have been if I had not pulled my head away at the last second. The jolt of the collision was substantial, so I suppose I could have sustained a major injury to my head or neck. In this case, I heeded the warning and made the right choice. Still, I wondered about where these warnings were coming from and why.  

Looking back at it now and by looking at all of the experiences that I have had in my life of this nature, I can say that these warnings came from God. For me these things that happened to me were a protection, a guiding.

But I really never hear much about these kinds of things from others. So I think that they must be very unusual. But are they? How about you? Have you ever had an experience of this nature, one that can not be explained by the laws of science? If so leave a comment here to tell me and my other readers about what happened to you. We would love to hear your story.

God bless

Papa Joe

 

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A TERRIFYING MEMORY

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June 17, 2014

The Morning Star Rising on the First Day

The Morning Star Rising on the First Day

This experience occurred before my sister, and I entered grade school. It was a beautiful summer day, and we were playing in our front yard while a group of older boys were hanging out on our neighbor’s lawn. I guess these boys decided that they would have some fun with us, youngsters, by telling us frightening stories about the boogeyman. I knew what they were up to, however, and proclaimed that there was no such thing as a boogeyman.

They then assured me that they were eyewitnesses to every story and then continued by spinning even scarier yarns, while I stood firm in my assertions that there is no such thing as a boogeyman. 

But they challenged my denials, stating that the boogeyman was hiding between the houses just a few doors down the block. They said that if I was so sure, then why not take a look for myself? I suddenly became markedly less confident; after all, perhaps they were right. I tried to wiggle my way out of the situation, but when they called me a chicken and fraidy-cat, well, they had me. I couldn’t back down, so I devised a scheme to maximise my safety. 

I thought that if the boogeyman was between the houses that he would capture me if I got close enough. So I decided to run on a diagonal to get a look from the other side of the street. I also knew that I should start immediately so that the boogeyman if it existed, would not have any time to prepare for my arrival. So, without hesitation, I bolted across the street, running head down as fast as I could. Much to my surprise, I could hear my sister running right behind me. When I got to a position where I could see between the houses, I stopped and quickly turned to take a look. To my horror there it was hiding between the houses, right where the boys said it would be. It was so tall that it had to hunch over to keep its concealment. I somehow knew that it was waiting for kids like me to come by capture and devour. 

Its general shape was like a hugely powerful man with burnt leathery skin and the head of a dinosaur, very much like the Tyrannosaurus Rex. It just stood between the buildings, staring at me. I could feel its anger and disgust. I then lost all control and started screaming in horror, flailing my arms in the air while running back as fast as my legs would carry me. 

When I got back to my yard, the storytellers were rolling on the ground, laughing so hard that they had to hold their aching stomachs.

These boys believed that their deception had worked, but, I knew what these boys did not. I knew—that there was a devil down the block and that it was lying in wait for innocent kids like me. What they had made up in jest turned out to be the truth. Evil exists in the world. The devil is real. 

I tell this story because this experience was not my only encounter with the devil. Much later in life, for some unknown reason, I started to question if the devil was real. I had not heeded the warning that God gave me as a child. The result was that the devil struck me by exploding my Pancreas. When I arrived at the hospital, and moved into the ER, after hours of examination and tests, the doctors told my immediate family to send for my other relatives because I would likely not make it through the night. 

That night in the ER, after the doctors and nurses had left me to rest, I had an out of body experience. I traveled through space and time, and Hell was just one of several stops that I made, and there, once again, I was confronted by the devil, who looked much like the devil that I saw when I was a child. Once again, I could feel how intensely it detested me, and how desperately it wanted to destroy me. It struggled to move toward me, but God had anchored its feet to the ground. 

What I discovered later in life is that the devil wanted more than just my life, no, more importantly, it sought to destroy the purpose for my creation. It tried to kill the vision. 

So, let this be a warning of the existence of evil of this world, and that spiritual warfare is coming whether you are ready for it or not. 

So, please do not make a mistake as I did by believing that the devil’s existence is simply a myth. Be careful of what you think, and be cautious about the choices that you make because based on my experiences, your life, your purpose and your calling may hang in the balance. Seek God with all of your might, put on the spiritual armor of God, and follow his guidance.

May God’s blessings be upon you!

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Introduction to Chapter 1 – From the Beginning

Filed under: Faith, Possess the Vision, Spirituality — 1 Comment
June 14, 2014

The Morning Star Rising on the First Day

The Morning Star Rising on the First Day

I thought it appropriate to start this book with my earliest memories, and then move through my life while sharing my spiritual experiences. At the time, it seemed to be a nice way for the reader to get to know the author and his background. The surprise was the earth-shattering discoveries that I uncovered while I was writing. During this process, I came to realize that God had been working in my life from the very beginning; I just did not know it. He gave me people like my mom and dad, who were good people who cared for me and gave me good direction. He issued warnings of danger in ways that could have only come from Him. He showed me the truth of spiritual good and evil at a very early age. He took me by the hand and led me in the steps that I would walk. He closed all the doors but the ones that He wanted me to walk through. In addition, He protected me from harm time after time and did it in such a manner that His divine intervention could be the only possible explanation.
 
Things that have no explanation just kept happening to me, and they were always for my benefit even though that may not have been the perception at the time. I was blind to the fact that God was at the heart of these unusual events. This blindness made it extremely difficult for me to rationalize these experiences, even to myself. To me they were true mysteries. I rationalized them by thinking that perhaps I was just lucky to have escaped harm, or that I was smart for having the foresight to know a better course. In some cases, I could not come up with any rationalization at all so I pushed the entire incident into the back of my mind and kept my mouth shut. I thought that it was better than having the whole world know with certainty that I was out of my mind. These events would always take me back to the question: why were these things happening to me? Why me? I would discover the answer to these questions through the creation of this book. Writing this book enabled me to see the big picture of what God had been showing me over the fifty plus years of my life. It revealed that God was protecting me because He created me for a purpose. God created me to possess the vision.
 
When the time came and I turned my life back over to Him, He opened my eyes. Looking back on it now, I am amazed at all the things that He did to protect me or get my attention. The simple truth is that I had been dancing through life not paying any attention.
 
I did not recognize many of the wonderful truths that God had been showing me. In some cases I did not recognize them even after I returned to Him.
 
This book tells how God has communicated with me over the course of my lifetime. It is a story of the past, the present, and the future. It is a story that has value for everyone. In it you will learn the spiritual truths of this world and the next. This means that you will learn about the realities of heaven and hell, the angels and the devil, the portrait of the bride and even the judgment to come, just as I did. It is a story of God giving me a purpose that came to me in a line upon line, precept upon precept manner, just like the Bible tells us. I have no recourse but to pass these understandings on to you so that you will know the truth also.
 
So fasten your seat-belt. What you are about to read will include some of the most fascinating experiences you have ever heard.
 
Many of the stories in this book may be difficult to believe because they span beyond the laws of nature as we know them, and yet they are true. Many of the stories are parables. They communicate a true earthly narrative that is easy to understand but they also contain a heavenly message. So be warned, you will be stepping into the supernatural quite often as you proceed through this book. These events may shock you and leave you mystified but my prayer is that when you finish this book you will also know how to possess the vision.
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Jesus, the Fulfilment of the Law

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August 13, 2013

The Morning Star Rising on the First Day

The Morning Star Rising on the First Day

Jesus, the Fulfillment of the Law

Jesus said:

17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.

One has to ask the question, what does Jesus mean when He said: ‘to fulfill?’  A definition found in an online dictionary provides insight.

ful·fill also ful·fil  (fl-fl)

tr.v. ful·filled, ful·fill·ing, ful·fills also ful·fils

1. To bring into actuality; effect: fulfilled their promises.

2. To carry out (an order, for example).

3. To measure up to; satisfy. See Synonyms at perform, satisfy.

4. To bring to an end; complete.

So based on this definition we can see that Jesus is saying that the law and the prophets must bring their promises to actuality. Therefore, prophetic prophesy must become a reality and God’s intention for the law, (to make covenant with the people and to dwell with them on Earth) is realized.

The Fulfillment of the Prophetic Promise

What this means is that an order made to deliver something has to be carried out. So when the words of God are delivered by one of His prophets, the fulfillment comes when his statement becomes a reality.

In the case of the law, it is fulfilled when the purpose of the law is achieved. The purpose of the Ten Commandments was to change the behavior of Israel such that would enable them to enter into a covenant relationship with the Father, in which He would be able to dwell with them as He did in the Garden of Eden.

Adam and Eve in the Garden

Adam and Eve in the Garden

The Promises of God must be brought to an end by way of Competition

So, in these two cases, the fulfillment of God promises must come to pass. Therefore, the prophetic message has to become reality. The people’s promise to abide to the commandments delivered by Moses must be achieved.

Those things that once existed in the law for example, must be brought to an end.  Jesus is the fulfillment of the law as He was able to live in accord with the law. Because He lived a perfect life He was able to dwell on Earth with men, being God and therefore fulfilling the promise of the law and the Mosaic covenant.

Moses and the Ten Comandments

Moses and the Ten Comandments

For those who believe in Him He is the fulfillment of the Tabernacle’s function and purpose. He has fulfilled the rigid rules of the law by simply commanding us to love on another as He loved us. He has fulfilled the blood sacrifices for the forgiveness of sin with the blood sacrifice of His own body and blood. For those who believe in Him, He has fulfilled the Mosaic covenant with the New Covenant of His body and blood.

God gave Moses the specifications for building the Tabernacle and therefore it was built in accord with a heavenly model.

Jesus, Moses Discuss the Fulfilment of Tabernacle Prophesy

Jesus, Moses Discuss the Fulfillment of Tabernacle Prophesy

As such it has to also be fulfilled in the life and words of Jesus. In addition, the portion of the law that provided guidance for the priest who provided services at the Tabernacle who also have to be fulfilled as well. In fact, every component and every object found in the Tabernacle must have their promise fulfilled in the life of Jesus. In thinking about the Tabernacle in this way we see it as a prophetic blueprint for the future. This blueprint when fulfilled results in God dwelling with men in such a way that all of its functions, purpose, and attributes of it are realized. The good news is that Jesus fulfills all of these conditions and we therefore can validate that He is the Christ.

This web site goes into great detail demonstrating this truth by referencing scripture. Go to our home page (https://possessthevision.wordpress.com/) to access the index into our writings on these subjects.

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The Tabernacle Foretells of Jesus, “the Way” to the Father

Filed under: Jesus, Jesus the Tabernacle, Spirituality, Tabernacle — Leave a comment
May 6, 2013

The Morning Star Rising on the First Day

The Morning Star Rising on the First Day

The Tabernacle Foretells of Jesus, “the Way” to the Father

This posting is the third in a series of communications designed to reveal what Jesus was referring to when He stated, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me (John 14: 6.)” Today’s posting is going to focus in on the spiritual meaning of “the Way.”

In our first posting we looked at the parables of Jesus and gained insight into the reality that we can best understand them by looking for their spiritual interpretation. We also learned that all the words of Jesus are to interpreted as parables. To review this posting please follow this link:  The-Messages-of-Jesus-are-Understood-by-the-Spiritual-Interpretation-of-His-Parables

The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit

In the second posting we analyzed the words of Jesus,  “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me (John 14: 6,)” from a parabolic perspective (an analogy that uses earthly objects as references in communicating a spiritual truth.)

In doing so we identified that the Tabernacle was the only possible earthly reference to John 14: 1-6 above. This is because the Father dwelt deep inside the innermost chamber of the Tabernacle, and for that reason it was the only place for man to come into the Father’s presence.

the-holy-place

Next we identified a spiritual analogy to the Tabernacle in the book of Revelations:

“Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God (Rev 21:2-4,)”

We used the this scripture to prove the existence of a spiritual Tabernacle in Heaven. Accordingly, we concluded that this is the spiritual truth that Jesus was communicating to His disciples in John 14: 1-6. We also concluded that that Jesus is stating that He is the fulfilment of the Tabernacle and therefore we must drill down into the details of the Tabernacle for answers to the meaning of “the way, the truth and the life.”

the bride of christ

To review this posting in detail, simply follow this link: The-Way-to-the-Father-is-Through-the-Spiritual-Tabernacle-Called-Jesus

The Parabolic Nature of “the Way” is Revealed in Hebrews

Let’s start by looking at a scripture from Hebrews as it validates the parabolic nature of the Tabernacle:

Hebrews 9: 8-15

New King James Version (NKJV)

the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. 9 It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience— 10 concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.

Priest Before The Ark Of The Covenant

Priest Before The Ark Of The Covenant

This scripture states that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first Tabernacle was still standing, but rather, it was symbolic for the time of reformation, which is the spiritual reformation brought by Jesus. Accordingly, this scripture validates the symbolic or parabolic qualities of the Tabernacle.

The term, “Holiest of All” used in the scripture above is a reference to the innermost chamber of the Tabernacle. It is  synonymous with the terms, “Holy of Holies,” and “Most Holy Place.” It is in this chamber that the Father would speak with Moses and Aaron, in accord with God’s covenant with Israel.

Now, some interesting things become evident when comparing this scripture to John 14: 1-6. Both scriptures describe “the way,” into the Father’s presence. Hebrews 9: 8-15 uses the phrase, “the way into the Holiest of All,” while John 14: 6 states that “No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

The Hebrews scripture communicates that “the way,” to the Holiest of All (where the Father is) through the entrances into and through the three chambers of the Tabernacle (the only possible way into this area of the Tabernacle – see the diagram below.)

On the other hand the scripture from John communicates that the way to the Fathers is through Jesus (the way, the truth and the life,) the spiritual Tabernacle in heaven. Consequently, when we look at the scriptures that define the Tabernacle components leading to the Holiest of all, we gain insight into the spiritual pathway that Jesus called Himself “the way, the truth and the life.”

In addition, there is a word in John 14: 6 that provides insight into the attributes of the Tabernacle that we should be looking for, and that word is “through.” This word indicates that we must enter at some external entrance, and then navigate through the internal components of the structure to get to the intended destination.

Applying this concept of “through,” to the earthly Tabernacle would provide us the earthly analogies necessary to decode the spiritual interpretation of “the way, the truth and the life” as defined by Jesus in John 14. It would also do the same for “the way to the Holiest of All,” as defined in Hebrews 9. So lets take a look at what passing “through” the Tabernacle means at a very high level.

First it means that we must enter at the gate that leads into the Courtyard and then navigate through the Courtyard until we came to the entryway into the Holy Place. Then we would have navigate through Holy Place until we came before the veil that separates the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. This time we would have to pass through the veil and then navigate to the Father (presence is above the Ark of the Covenant.)

In this regard, it is clear that the things that must be passed through are the entrances to the three Tabernacle chambers and the chambers themselves. Now, if the entrances are each considered to be a part of the chamber they lead into, then at a high level we have just have three major component of the Tabernacle. This corresponds to the three words that Jesus used in John 14 to describe Himself, which are “the way, the truth and the life.”  For that reason these three chambers of the Tabernacle are a primary focus in getting a better understanding John 14: 1-6, and subsequently Jesus.

A cautionary note is required here, as this information taken by itself does not show that these three chambers are the objects of Jesus’ parable. For now they are simply the focus of our search. To acquire a definitive proof we will need to delve deeper into these chambers, looking for clues in the scriptures that reveal the spiritual truths that either verify or disprove this premise.

This is where we plan to pick up with our next posting.

It should be noted that a major portion of this website is devoted to correlating the attributes and functions of the Tabernacle to the words and actions of Jesus. These articles can be found by scanning the index contained on the homepage of this site: Possess-The-Vision.

God’s blessings be with you.

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The Way to the Father is Through the Spiritual Tabernacle Called Jesus

Filed under: Jesus, Jesus the Tabernacle, Jesus the Tabernacle Courtyard, New Jerusalem, Spirituality, Tabernacle, Uncategorized — 5 Comments
March 5, 2013

The Morning Star Rising on the First Day

The Morning Star Rising on the First Day

The Way to the Father is Through the Spiritual Tabernacle Called Jesus

In our previous posting we look at the parables of Jesus and gained insight into the fact that we can better understand these analogies of Jesus by looking for a spiritual interpretation of them. This principle provides the critical foundation necessary to answer a number of questions I have received from readers. To review our posting that delves into this subject in more detail, please follow this link:  The-Messages-of-Jesus-are-Understood-by-the-Spiritual-Interpretation-of-His-Parables

Questions About the Tabernacle and the Claims of Jesus

This postings is just one in a series of communications that are designed to address a number of questions we referenced above. These questions ask for authoritative scriptural references that support the proposition that Jesus is proclaiming to be the fulfillment of the Tabernacle when He stated, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14: 6.) These questions also ask for scriptural references that support the proposition that the entryways into the Tabernacle are called the Way, the Truth and the Life.

In addressing these requests the establishment of a scriptural foundation is required, that is best provided in a line upon line fashion. Our first posting (link identified above) started the building of that foundation and we continue to build upon it here. All of this is necessary to provide the insight that many of our readers are asking for.

Jesus is the Fulfillment of the Tabernacle

We start by taking a look at the cornerstone of the questions above, namely, the Jesus, “I am…,” scripture:

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.” Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:1-6)

Now in our last posting we learned that: All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them (Matt 13: 34.) Since the parables of Jesus are spiritual references delivered by way of analogy to worldly things, we should start by looking for a real world object that will help us understand the spiritual truth of Jesus. In other words, we need to find the real world analogy that Jesus is referring to when He states; “I am the way, the truth, and the life No one comes to the Father except through Me?” Well, since Jesus and all the disciples were Jews, one must consider that their worldly view would have been that the only way to the Father was through the Tabernacle.

The Glory Cloud Covers the Tabernacle

The Glory Cloud Covers the Tabernacle

The following scripture validates this statement:

17 “You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold; two and a half cubits shall be its length and a cubit and a half its width. 18 And you shall make two cherubim of gold; of hammered work you shall make them at the two ends of the mercy seat. 19 Make one cherub at one end, and the other cherub at the other end; you shall make the cherubim at the two ends of it of one piece with the mercy seat. 20 And the cherubim shall stretch out their wings above, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and they shall face one another; the faces of the cherubim shall be toward the mercy seat. 21 You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the Testimony that I will give you. 22 And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel (Exodus 25: 17-22.)

Priest Before The Ark Of The Covenant

Priest Before The Ark Of The Covenant

In this scripture Moses has recorded the words that God gave Him on the mountain top. In it God communicates with him about how the Most Holy Place (the innermost chamber of the Tabernacle) is to be furnished and arranged. What is clear from reading this scripture is that the Father intends to communicate with Moses from this specific area, deep inside the Tabernacle, as the Tabernacle was built to be the place where God would dwell with man on Earth.

Now, if Jesus was communicating a spiritual message by way of parable in John 14: 1-6, and we know that without a parable He did not speak to them (Matt 13: 34), then the Tabernacle had to be the only possible analogy of His parable. This is true because His dwelling there was a part of Israel’s covenant relationship with the Father.

Moses and the Ten Comandments

Moses and the Ten Comandments

Also, by association, if Jesus is claiming that He is the only way to the Father, and the Tabernacle was their existing way to the Father, then not only is Jesus claiming to be the fulfillment of the Tabernacle; but the terms, the Way, the Truth and the Life, must somehow refer to the pathway through the Tabernacle as well.

To add some support to these conclusions, lets look at John 14: 6 once again: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me (John 14: 6.) The word “through” is very important as it gives us a sense that we enter into Jesus at a certain point, and then pass “through” to the other side of Him, where we then come into the presence of Father. This adds support to our case as this is precisely the structure of the Tabernacle built in the time of Moses. At that time the tribes of Israel aligned on all sides of the Tabernacle. There was an entryway that lead into what was called the Outer Courtyard. In the middle of this courtyard was a tent like structure that was called the Holy Place, and it also had a single entrance. The inside of the Tabernacle was divided by a curtain and the area behind the curtain was called the Most Holy Place where the Father dwelt. By the way, this curtain or veil as it is sometimes called, is the same one that was torn in two at the time of the death of Jesus on the cross. In any event, what we see here is that there is a pathway to the Father defined here, and interestingly, there are exactly three entryways that must be passed through to get to the Father. Could these be the spiritual Way, the Truth and the Life that Jesus was referring to? More details on this will be coming in future postings.

The Chanbers of the Tabernacle

The Chanbers of the Tabernacle

So, at this point we have correlated this parable of Jesus to the Tabernacle. We have seen that there is substantial evidence supporting such a proposition. But the Tabernacle is an Earthly object and since we view the words of Jesus as parables, then we must look for a spiritual interpretation, especially since a purely physical interpretation seems unrealistic. So, at this point one has to ask if there is scriptural support for a spiritual Tabernacle? A Tabernacle that resides in a spiritual place like heaven, because if there is, then that scripture would validate much of what we are presenting in this post.

Jesus, the Spiritual Tabernacle

Here is an authoritative scriptural support for a spiritual tabernacle in heaven:

Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God (Rev 21:2-4.)

the bride of christ

So, this is what Jesus was talking about. The disciples did not know this at the time as the revelation did not come to John until many years after the death, resurrection and the ascension of our Lord into heaven.

In our next posting we will attempt to dig deeper into the correlations between John 14: 1-6 and Revelations 21: 2-4 and find further strength to support what we have presented here today. We will also take a closer look into what is meant by the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Until then, may all of God’s blessings be upon the readers of this post!

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The Messages of Jesus are Understood by the Spiritual Interpretation of His Parables

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March 3, 2013

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The Messages of Jesus are Understood by the Spiritual Interpretation of His Parables

Today we look at the parables of Jesus for insight into how we can better understand the messages He has provided us in the Gospels. This understanding is critical in answering a number of questions I have received from readers seeking validation of some of the messages we have delivered.

Questions About the Tabernacle and the Claims of Jesus

For example, a number of readers have asked for authoritative scriptural support that Jesus is claiming to be the fulfillment of the Tabernacle when He stated, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14: 6.) They have also asked me to provide scriptural verification that the entryways into the Tabernacle are called the Way, the Truth and the Life.

I plan to present answers by way of a number of postings. The strategy is to build a foundation of principles, in a line upon line manner, that lead the reader to the verification that they desire.

Jesus and Parables

The disciples often had difficulty understanding Jesus, just as many of us do today. Often, the reason for this is because Jesus came to deliver spiritual messages about the Father and the Kingdom of Heaven, while we on the other hand, are prone to relate everything to the physical world around us.

Jesus And The Multitude

Jesus And The Multitude

As a result, Jesus would often speak to us by way of parables that paint His spiritual messages in the colors of our real world experiences. The Gospels contains numerous examples of the parables of Jesus. However, it should be noted that parables did not always help in our understanding. In at least one example, Jesus had to explain a parable to His disciples.

Here is a section of  Matthew’s Gospel about Jesus and His parables:

Matthew 13

New King James Version (NKJV)

The Parable of the Sower

1 On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. 2 And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

3 Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. 8 But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

The Disciples are Sent out

The Disciples are Sent out

The Purpose of Parables

10 And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”

11 He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:

‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; 15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should[a] heal them.’[b] 16 But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; 17 for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

The Parable of the Sower Explained

18 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares

24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. 26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. 27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

31 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, 32 which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”

The Parable of the Leaven

33 Another parable He spoke to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures[c] of meal till it was all leavened.”

Prophecy and the Parables

34 All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, 35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:

“I will open My mouth in parables;

I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.”[d]

The Parable of the Tares Explained

36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.”

37 He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. 39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. 40 Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. 41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, 42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

This scripture is very revealing in that it presents a number of the parables of Jesus, and then goes on and gives us the translation of some of them so that we can see how His parables work. It shows how He presents a seemingly real life story like the parable of the Tares, and uses it to deliver His spiritual message. In this example He uses the parable to describe the reality of the spiritual forces in our lives and spiritual destination that all mankind is moving toward. The parable presents a case for the purpose of Jesus coming to Earth, which is to sow the good seeds of the Father. It substantiates the reality of the devil and his evil deeds, the work of the angels at the time of the harvest, and most importantly, it presents the fire in hell as the destination for all who follow the works of the devil, and the glory of life forever in the kingdom of heaven with the Father who follow Jesus in the pathways of righteousness.

So, the foundational principle of the posting is that Jesus delivered His spiritual messages via parables. This is true because the scripture states: 34 All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them.

The founding principle is that these messages should not be taken literally, but rather viewed as spiritual messages. This principle is a key foundation to understanding Jesus, and properly understanding His message: “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

The things that are revealed in the parables of Jesus are critical to understanding things that have been mysteries to all mankind. This is true because the scripture states: 35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:
“I will open My mouth in parables;
I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.”[d]

All of this insight into parables and the words of Jesus is critical in helping us understand what Jesus was saying when He stated:, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:6.) This in turn will lead to an understanding of why the entryways of the Tabernacle are called the Way, the Truth and the Life.

In our next posting we will provide additional scriptural support that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Tabernacle.  After this, we will take an in-depth look at the Way, the Truth and the Life in subsequent postings. See you all next time. God bless you all.

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God’s Promise is the Basis of Our Relationship

Filed under: Covenant, Faith, Jesus, Spirituality — Leave a comment
August 23, 2012

The Morning Star Rising on the First Day

​This posting is the third in a series of communications that look at God’s deliberate actions to reunite with His people. In our first posting we established that it is God’s desire to once again dwell with His people as He did with Adam and Eve in the Garden. Our second posting provided a generalized outline that demonstrated God’s repeated efforts to reunite with us. Today, we will look at one of God’s most influential covenants, one that became the foundation for the three most prevalent religions of the world today.

So, lets find out more about this covenant by looking at the 17th chapter of the Book of Genesis. As many portions of this scripture are prophetic of Jesus, I have inserted notes to identify them. I hope to be drilling down into them in future postings.

A Meeting Of Abraham And Melchizedek

The Covenant of Circumcision

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless (as Jesus walked before the Father and was blameless). 2 Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers (as Jesus made a new covenant with us and greatly increased the numbers of those who walk before the Father and are blameless because of the shed blood of Jesus).”

3 Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, 4 “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations (as Jesus is the Father of all Christianity). 5 No longer will you be called Abram (Jesus); your name will be Abraham (the Christ), for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. 7 I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8 The whole land of Canaan (the Promised Land where there are many mansions) where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God. ”

9 Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant (the new covenant is a covenant of selfless love), you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. 10 This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised (symbolic of casting away ones own flesh). 11 You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you (as our love for one another is a sign to others that we follow Jesus.) 12 For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring. 13 Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. 14 Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant. ” 15 God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. 16 I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.” 17 Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?” 18 And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!”

19 Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac.

I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. 20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. 21 But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year.” 22 When he had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him. 23 On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or bought with his money, every male in his household, and circumcised them, as God told him. 24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised, 25 and his son Ishmael was thirteen; 26 Abraham and his son Ishmael were both circumcised on that very day.

27 And every male in Abraham’s household , including those born in his household or bought from a foreigner, was circumcised with him.

What does the Covenant of Circumcision Mean to us?

Now while this seems like a nice story on the surface, it is very profound when you start to think about what happened here. God communicates with a 100-year-old man whose wife is barren and tells him that he is going to be the father of many generations. How many 100-year-old men do you know that have fathered a child? Most people would say that such a thing is highly improbable. Then God tells Him that His barren 90-year-old wife is to be the one who is going to give birth to his male child. I believe that this is an even more unlikely possibility. So we have a situation here that is doubly improbable, and even impossible to most people I know. Certainly, it would take an act of God to make these promises a reality and we find that Abraham has so much faith that he immediately follow His direction.

From my point of view the act of circumcision that Abraham performed is so contrary to the basic nature of man that I would also believe them impossible. Most men would most likely say something like, “What, are you kidding?” To cut the flesh off the tip of the organ that represents manhood, and throw it away as worthless is counter intuitive from my point of view. To start with, just think of the pain associated with this procedure. I might be able to believe that Abraham would be willing to circumcise himself, but then how did he convince the other members of his family to do so as well? Let’s internalize this for a moment. Visualize in your mind a situation where a member of your family comes to you and proclaims that they have heard from God and that all the men in their family were required to have a portion of their sexual organ cut off as a result. What would you say? Most likely you would say, “you are as crazy as a loon.” So once again we see a circumstance that appears quite impossible, but despite this Abraham does not even question the point with God, but rather simply complies and get’s his family to do so as well. How great a faith is that? For this reason, several of the New Testament scriptures proclaim that Abraham was deemed righteous based of his faith alone.

So when we look at this from a standpoint of God’s promise being the basis of our relationship, what we see is just another example of God directing His people in a way that leads them back into a relationship with Him. God trying to lead us back into a relationship like He had with Adam and Eve in the Garden.

Adam and Eve in the Garden

In this scripture we find God leading Abraham toward the promised land (Canna), where He planned to dwell with his people from inside the Tabernacle that would be built later by Moses. As we have reported several times, the actions reported in these stories are physical in their nature. They are in fact parables or stories that are told to communicate a spiritual message (one that we can not easily understand), by using analogies taken from the physical world that we understand very well. So for example, God’s directing Abraham to the promised land is simply a parable to communicate that there is a spiritual promised land (heaven or the Garden), that we can aspire toward inhabiting. Jesus reaffirmed this concept on several occasions when he spoke about the kingdom of heaven. Just prior to the ascension of Jesus into heaven He told the apostles that he was leaving to prepare a place for them, one that had many mansions.

The Ascension of Jesus

The bottom line here is that the actions of Abraham to God’s message are prophetic of the life, word and actions of Jesus Christ in every way.

So for example, the act of circumcision, or the cutting away of a man’s flesh serves several points. First, it points to our spiritual nature and tells us that the flesh profits us nothing (like Jesus told us). It also tells us that a sacrifice of the flesh is necessary to live in covenant with God, and this makes it easier for us to understand why Jesus had to sacrifice His life on the cross so that we could live under the new covenant, a spiritual covenant.

It tells us that there is nothing that is impossible for God and that it is in times like these, when things seem hopeless that God comes through. It teaches us that no matter how crazy the things of God may seem to the rest of the world, we must keep our faith and follow His direction. It also communicates that we must display a visible sign so that the world will know that we belong to God. In Abaraham’s day the sign was circumcision and today it is our love for one another. Therefore it is critical that people can tell that we are followers of Jesus by simply being with them.

But all of this is contingent upon us being able to hear from God directly and being sure that we can recognise His voice. So let’s take a look at this and all the other items identified here in greater detail. We will start this communication in our next postings.

Untill then, may all of God’s blessing be upon you.

Papa Joe Gordon

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