Over twenty years ago, God showed me a breathtaking vision of a new Earth that bloomed into a living, flourishing flower filled with Jesus Christ at its core. Today, I see one of the primary components of this vision evolving in our world. Could it be that we are moving toward a world filled with Jesus? I will commence by presenting what I saw that day, more than twenty years ago.
I should begin by stating that I had just handed my life over to Jesus Christ, pledging that I would do whatever He wanted me to do. Consequently, while the experience contains a personal message for me, it also is a good news message to all Christians.
The Vision of a World Filled with Jesus
The vision appeared while I was at home in bed, in that twilight place, between slumber and consciousness. I had my eyes closed when a gigantic fluorescent orange globe appeared in front of a solid, steel blue-black backdrop. I noticed that the sphere somehow radiated a vivid orange light from within. I instantly knew that the orange planet was the earth, even though there were no observable oceans or continents. While knowing this seemed strange to me, I found that this foreknowing would reoccur on this occasion when I needed it. So, I was getting information inserted into my brain throughout this experience.
After I gazed at this captivating panorama for a minute or so, I noticed what appeared to be a small black arrowhead arising over the North Pole sky. It flew in a due South direction, leaving a thin black line or trail behind it. I thought this object could be the Space Shuttle deploying a string of satellites.
THE SPACE SHUTTLE IS SHAPED LIKE AN INDIAN ARROWHEAD
It continued southward until it disappeared above the Southern Pole. A few minutes later, it reappeared at the North Pole again but now orbiting the globe on a new longitude. Once again, it deposited a straight black line behind it before disappearing at the South pole once again.
A TRAIN OF STARLINK SATELLITES ARE VISIBLE IN THE NIGHT SKY
The shuttle continued laying down the longitudes in this same manner until it had printed the ones typically found on a map of the world. The shape of the earth now resembled that of a peeled orange.
With the longitudes now deployed, I wondered what would come next. After a few more minutes, the shuttle emerged at the Eastern Equator, now trekking on a westward trajectory, and then proceeded to circumnavigate the planet until it had painted the important latitude lines across the face of the earth. Once completed, the sphere looked like an orange school globe, exhibiting its longitudes and latitudes.
I watched in awe at the beautiful sight before me, wondering what would happen next. Then I saw the skin of a single slice of the orange globe (a wedge-formed between two longitude lines) rolling backward upon itself into a scroll shape coil at the equator and exposing an astonishingly beautiful pink under-layer. Successive slices of the orange globe followed one at a time, in the same manner. Once completed, the beautiful pink northern hemisphere glowed above the orange coils at the earth’s mid-point.
I could not take my eyes off of what I had seen, and I surely did not want to miss out on anything. As I continued to observe in amazement, the silky pink surface transformed into the petals of a young, tightly wound flower that slowly matured as I watched. As it did, I witnessed new growth forming and then expanding from the flowers’ nucleus, forcing the mature outside petals to flow over the edge and creating a perpetual waterfall of pink petals streaming down.
The majestic loveliness of this ever-expanding blossom had me spellbound, and I wished that it would never end. I couldn’t help but continue observing this awe-inspiring sight, but then, I wondered if I might be dreaming all of this. I thought, what would happen if I reopened my eyes? So, I opened them, lifted my head, and looked around my bedroom. To my astonishment, I was able to see the flower superimposed over the features of my darkened room. It was as if my retinas had a semitransparent video projected onto them. Even though I did not understand how this could occur, I immediately re-closed my eyes, not wanting to miss any part of this captivating experience. Then I started to wonder why this was happening to me? Why should I know this, and what importance could this be to me?
As if, in answer to my questions, everything around me abruptly began moving very fast. My vantage point to the flowering globe rotated ninety degrees, such that my view was now directly over the nucleus of the flowering planet, precisely where the new growth was emerging at the North Pole. Then, a portal dilated open at that exact point, and an unseen force pulled me inside. I found myself at the feet of a Jesus that filled the earth from pole to pole. When I looked up into the perfect clarity, I saw His outstretched arms, and I believed that He was delivering blessings to the souls of the earth. That is when all of the heavenly peace of my vision faded away.
I have since realized that this vision has to be for all of God’s people. I believe that God wants His people to know that His glory is coming to those who believe in Him.
Further, it appears to me that the time could be coming soon. I say this because it seems to me that there are parallels in the vision to the Sky-Link project. First of all, Sky-Link portrays a matrix of satellites deployed all around the earth, similar to what I saw. Here is an artist’s rendition of what Sky-Link satellites will look like when fully deployed.
While there is not a perfect match to the Sky-Link effort, I tend to write discrepancies off, as God presented what would have been recognizable to me at the time. For example, I would not be able to recognize the shape of the Falcon Nine rocket as it did not exist at the time.
The exciting part for me is; if this proves to be a valid interpretation of this vision, then the blooming of the earth immediately follows. The covering of the bud rolls down to reveal the beauty of the precious petals underneath. The petals then develop and grow with overflowing abundance, and the center opens up to uncover that Jesus is at the heart of it all.
In closing, I must say that the vision that God gave me that night was the most-real experience of my life, and I stand behind what I communicated to you about it here. Interpretations, however, are a different story. So I leave the interpretation to you. You may not believe any of this, and that is fine. Or you may have a different interpretation than mine. Whatever your interpretation may be, I pray that it will fill your heart with the good news, knowing that peace is near through your salvation in Jesus Christ.
If this posting lifts your spirit for the coming of a world with Jesus at its core, then I say to you, “Possess the Vision.”
One day, Pat and I received an invitation to attend a prayer meeting at the home of a couple who attended our church. In this meeting, I experienced being a part of the bride of Christ. I will share this experience as well as provide insight into biblical passages that support what I experienced.
The meeting commenced with a socialization period in which we met several people who also attended our church. Afterward, the meeting leaders had us stand and form a prayer circle, and each member, in turn, had an opportunity to voice a prayer for the intentions of their heart. When the praying began, I started to hear foreign thoughts over and over again in my head. I believed that they were beautiful, and I promptly began memorizing them. Soon, I realized that I was receiving more than just random phrases. I perceived that I was experiencing the thoughts, memories, reflections, and feelings of the Bride of Christ on her wedding day.
When it became my turn to pray, I spoke what I had recalled of this beautiful experience. The next day I wrote down what I had delivered in the prayer group meeting. Here is what I wrote:
We were alone in a beautiful room. It was a quiet time, a time of preparedness, for there was a great event to which none can compare. There is joy and happiness. There is anticipation, for we are the source of celebration. We are the focus of attention. There is no sound in the room, just the song of rustling linen.23
The quiet time is good for reflection upon the images of the old world. There were trials, tribulations, and threats of war. In looking back there were wars, earthquakes, storms, floods, disease, famine, pestilence, and sin. The earth was fouled. There was the war with Satan and then the victory of souls. Eventually, confrontation came with the beast and the final victory—the deliverance and unity of the saved.
We are a new creation! We are the culmination of saved souls.24 We are one, comprised of many in the perfect image and likeness of God, assembled like the atoms of the bodies we once knew.25 There is great unity and power in the new creation. There is ecstasy in the bride.26 Every soul that exists in the bride shouts with joy, for we all know that we confessed Him. We all know that we changed our sinful ways for Him. We all obeyed His commandments, and we all loved Him. We are so united when we think of Him.
How many times did He forgive us? How many times did He heal us? How many times did He save us from evil or keep us from harm? How endless is His love? Truly this is our hour. The preparation is complete.27
Someone knocks at the door. It is the Father, and He is beaming. He holds out His arm, and we take it and walk arm in arm. We enter the great hall where the floor is as a single dark green emerald.28 In this room, the pews are crystal,29 the walls are gold, and there is no ceiling, just the sky. The seats are filled with winged angels dressed in white. They are all gazing at us while singing the wedding song in seven-part harmony. We look for Him, but the aisle is too long to see the end. We walk, and we walk. We see Him! JOY! JOY! He is very handsome as He smiles a big smile, and we see heaven in His eyes. We keep walking, and then we are there. The Father presents the bride. Jesus holds out His hand. Our heart sings as we take His hand. The angel, Gabrielle, conducts the ceremony, but we can think of nothing but Him. We say, I do. We hear You may kiss the bride. Anticipation! He comes closer, facing us. He lifts the veil, draws closer, and embraces us.
Cheers and celebrations! We turn to face the assembly and walk down the aisle. The angels are delirious. They sing, they fly, and they cause great explosions in the sky. A new sun rises30 over the altar behind us. A new world awaits.
References
23. Revelation 19:8And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen, is the righteous acts of the saints.
24. Ephesians 4:15 – 16 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head; Christ; from whom the whole body joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
25. 1 Corinthians 12:12 For as the body is one and has manymembers, but all the members of that one body, being many,are one body, so also is Christ.
26. Revelation 21:9 – 11 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife. And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.
27. Revelation 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.
28. Revelation 4:3 And He who sat there was like a jasper and a Sardis stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.
29. Revelation 4:6 Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal.
30. Revelation 22:16 – 17 I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come! And let him who hears say, Come! And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.
Revelation 21:23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.
Revelation 2:26 – 28 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations; He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels; as I also have received from My Father; and I will give him the morning star.
The sun that rose in my story of the bride had to be the Morning Star. The sun rose but then stopped low in the morning sky.
Isaiah 60:19 – 21 The sun shall no longer be your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; But the LORD will be to you an everlasting light, and your God your glory. Your sun shall no longer go down, Nor shall your moon withdraw itself; For the LORD will be your everlasting light, and the days of your mourning shall be ended. Also, your people shall all be righteous; They shall inherit the land forever, the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, that I may be glorified.
THE BRIDE OF CHRIST DEFINED
The Bride of Christ is the collective of saved souls, where each one has a role to play in the proper functioning of the whole. In my prayer, I stated the following:
We are the culmination of saved souls.24 We are one, comprised of many in the perfect image and likeness of God, assembled like the atoms of the bodies we once knew.25
I believe the following scripture magnifies this concept:
Ephesians 4:15 – 16 But, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all things into Him who is the head; Christ; from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
This scripture implies a realization of oneness, where each soul is a viable and active member of the Bride of Christ. Jesus also spoke of this unity in the Gospel of John:
John 15: 20-23 I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.
The Bride of Christ is pure and holy, perfect in every way:
Ephesians 5:25 – 27 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the Word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
Jesus also spoke to His disciples about the Bride of Christ in this passage:
John 14:2 – 4 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.
So, Jesus states that He will come again and receive His disciples to Himself. What could this mean except that the Lamb and His Bride become one?
Building on the scripture above, Jesus talks about the many mansions in his Father’s house. Could it be that these mansions exist in the spiritual New Jerusalem? The answer follows:
Revelation 21: 9 – 10 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife. And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God.
Keep Your Lamps Burning
The Bride of Christ, the great city, the holy Jerusalem, comprised of God’s anointed, has her lamps burning brightly, which means that she is prepared to enlighten the earth. To allow God’s illuminating flame to die results in being refused entry into the wedding feast and exclusion from the Bride of Christ as well.
Matthew 25:1 – 13 Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight, a cry was heard: Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him! Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out. But the wise answered saying, No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. Afterward, the other virgins came also, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us! But he answered and said, Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you. Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
In another parable of Jesus, those that follow Him shall walk in His light.
John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life.
Jesus brought the light that leads us into everlasting life with God. He provided a light that enables us to cast aside our walk in darkness and to live in the provision and bounty of God. In doing so, Jesus passes the light on to us to illuminate the world also. We, therefore, are to become like Him and carry on as He did until His return.
Matthew 5:14 – 16 You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
The following scripture is a call to be visibly found doing good works. But what are these works? They are the works of Jesus.
John 14:12 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.
The works of Jesus demonstrate His loving compassion for people because they enhance physical and spiritual well-being. The following scripture communicates the love and actions of Jesus.
Luke 7:20 – 23 When the men had come to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, ‘Are You the Coming One or do we look for another?’” And that very hour He cured many of infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many blind He gave sight. Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”
But what are the greater works identified in John 14:12? Could it be because we have so much more to give today than ever before? Are the sciences and technology of the modern world not vastly greater in every way than in the days of Jesus? If this is the case, then we have the opportunity to do even greater deeds than Jesus because we have so much more to give than ever before. Despite all these excellent improvements, the vast majority of people in this world still live in oppression and poverty. Consequently, we have a larger opportunity, as well. We must give to the world of what we have. Including the blessings from the Spirit of God, as well as our goods, know-how, and technology! I will now present a few scriptures that support and clarify these statements.
1 John 3:16 – 18 By this, we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
We each have a distinct set of Spiritual Gifts.
1 Cor 12:8-12 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
Also, we have a call to love our neighbor as ourselves.
Luke 10:30-36 Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance, a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise, a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you. So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?
Works like those identified in the above scripture, demonstrate the love of the Christian community, which is taking action to better the lives of the less fortunate by sharing what she has. In doing accordingly, she keeps her lamps burning, and she remains ready for the coming of the Lord.
The unity of the Bride of Christ is necessary for her perfection. This unity is required for the world to know that Jesus is the Son of God the Father. In support of this statement, I provide the following prayer of Jesus:
John 17:20 – 23 I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.
But we are not united today. How many denominations are there? How many sects of Catholics? How many factions are there inside these churches? And what about the Jews? Are they not included as a part of the bride of the Lamb? Please read this:
The New Jerusalem, the Bride of the Lamb
Rev 21:9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. 11 It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. 13 There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south, and three on the west. 14 The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
Yep, the bride is comprised of the Jews as well.
Do we believe that Jesus will return for a bride that is less than perfect? If the answer to this question is no, then the bride must be perfect. Therefore, this unity must be achieved before the Lord’s return.
Matthew 24:42 – 51 The bride is united in her devotion, direction, and commitment to doing the work that the Bridegroom left her to do. Watch therefore for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes, will find so doing. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.
The bride is left behind to be the ruler over the Bridegroom’s household until His return. We are to demonstrate the compassion of Jesus to all of humanity. We are to feed them food in the due season which is the spiritual bread that came down from heaven: Jesus, the Bread of Life.
A vision statement presents the big picture of an end state to be achieved. With this in mind, let’s take a look at our vision statement from a spiritual perspective and then present supporting information to help us visualize and understand it. Our spiritual vision statement is:
The bride is prepared for the marriage feast when Jesusvictoriously returns.
Because I am a Christian, I understand that it is necessary to examine the experiences I shared in CHAPTER 2: The Spiritual Warfare Over Me, to ascertain their biblical soundness. I, therefore, have performed the necessary bible research to achieve a scriptural validation of the things I experienced and present my findings to you here in this posting. I hope that in reviewing this material, you may find, like I did, a real glimpse into the spiritual realm.
A CORRELATION TO THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST
The experience of that night terrified me, and as a result, I did not want to think about it, let alone tell anyone about LEAVING MY BODY and entering the spiritual realm. It wasn’t until after I was born again that I understood what God had done for me. His way of starting our relationship was to show me the truth about my life purpose and myself. God loved me enough to give me a second opportunity to make the right choice. I did not deserve this opportunity, but He gave it out of His love for me. I knew that if He did this much for me when I did not merit it, that He would proceed to bless me from that point as well. I gave in to God, little by little, over time. Everything improved when I eventually accepted the truth that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. God then placed favor into my soul, and we grew closer in a relationship than I could have ever envisioned. As I matured as a Christian, I read the Bible and gained new insight into my spiritual encounter. In the book of Revelation, I found uncanny similarities, correlations, and insights into what happened to me. The following sections present some of the parallels found in the book of Revelation.
PROOF OF THE LAKE OF FIRE
The orange plasma that I swam in (see THE LAKE OF FIRE AND BRIMSTONE) is mentioned in the book of Revelation. It is the eternal destination of Satan, the beast, the false prophet, death, Hades, and everyone whose name is not in the book of Life.
Revelation 20:10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
THE JUDGMENT OF WORKS AND THE OPENED BOOKS
In my spiritual reality, I stood in a gray place while being judged (THE GRAY PLACE AND JUDGMENT DAY.) I heard the voices of the beings that searched for the record of the good works I had done. I also experienced the pain that I had caused others as the sins of my life passed before me.
Is there a reference to being judged in the Bible? Are records kept to assist in the judgment? The answer to both of these questions is yes. Everyone will be judged in accordance to their works:
Revelation 20:11 – 13 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things, which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.
THE SECOND DEATH
Since only truth existed in the place of my reflection, I somehow knew that the pending judgment before me was regarding the second death. In this natural world, I did not have a clue that such a thing existed. Is there evidence of the second death in the Bible? Yes, again, it is explained in the continuation of the passage above. The second death is the end of hell and death. The result is to be the total elimination of evil. There will also be the elimination of dying, pain, and tears. Sadly, however, there will be no more chances for repentance as only those whose name is in the Book of Life will remain:
Revelation 20:14 – 15 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
THE SAVIOR
On that night, I swam in the lake of fire and brimstone and later walked in the halls of HELL where I faced THE BEAST. I knew that there was no escape from these places, so how did I get out? I also sustained the reality of the second death, but who has power over death; to let live or let die? The answer is Jesus! The following words from the book of Revelation are the words of the resurrected Jesus:
Jesus “The Way, the Truth and the Life,” Rises from the Dead
Revelation 1:18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of hades and of death.
THE JUDGE
In my recollection, I stood while being judged. To whom do I owe my redemption? Who sits on the throne of judgment?
Revelation 7:10 And crying out with a loud voice, saying, Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!
I was returned to life that day despite my stained garments. Who has the power to forgive sin?
Mark 2:10 – 11 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins; He said to the paralytic, I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.
I stood in a place where only truth existed and was asked, “Why should you live?” But, who is it that will judge the living and the dead?
2 Timothy 4:1 I charge you, therefore, before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom.
The answer is that Jesus the Christ of Nazareth is our Lord and Savior. Even though I had made poor choices in my life, Jesus covered me with His blood and kept me from the second death I truly deserved.
Jesus Sheds His Blood on the Cross
My story provides insight into the meaning of our lives because it accurately describes the consequences of poor choices. I had made the poor choice of disbelieving in the existence of the devil, and God revealed the truth to me. The truth is that the devil, hell, the lake of fire and brimstone, the judgment, and the second death are the consequences of our poor choices. God, Jesus, heaven, and life everlasting are the consequences of our good decisions.
A CORRELATION WITH PSALM 30
As you know from reading CHAPTER 2: The Spiritual Warfare Over Me, I entered the emergency room of a major hospital on November 7, 1986, believing that all would be well soon, not knowing that THE DAY OF MY DEATH was knocking on my door . Nor did I know that God would miraculously deliver me from a long string of attacks and calamities.
A correlation to my experience exists in Psalm 30, a psalm of David, who gives recognition to God for saving him from his foe, for healing him, delivering him from the grave, and saving him from being cast into the pit (SPIRITUAL GOLGOTHA.) I believe that my experience shows that God did these things for me also, and therein lies the correlation. Let’s start by reading a portion of Psalm 30.
Psalm 30: 1-5 I will extol You, O LORD, for You have lifted me up, and have not let my foes rejoice over me. O LORD my God, I cried out to You, and you healed me. O LORD, You brought my soul up from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. Sing praise to the LORD, you saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
Let us honor God for His great mercy and love! I completely relate to the message of Psalm 30. So much so that I modified it to become my prayer of thanksgiving for all that my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, has done for me. I present it here, so please read along with me in thanksgiving and praise:
I will exalt You, Oh Lord, for You have lifted me up and have not let my enemy the devil rejoice in victory over me. Oh Lord, my God, I have cried out to You, and You have healed me from a great affliction of which there was seemingly no hope. Oh Lord, You have lifted my soul from the grave of death and you have saved me from the eternal damnation of which I truly deserve. You have kept me alive and spared me from the fate of the Lake of Fire and Brimstone and the everlasting torture and agony of the second death. Sing praises to the Lord, you saints of His, and give thanks to the remembrance of His holy name; His name is JESUS, THE CHRIST OF NAZARETH. For His anger is but for a moment, but His favor is forever. Oh, weeping and sorrow may endure for a night, but joy everlasting comes in the morning, and a new life begins.
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.
One of the important traditions our family kept was our frequent visits to my grandmother’s house. I remember one such occasion when I was probably three or four years of age. For some reason my uncle set out to test my intelligence. To accomplish this, he held a new shiny dime in one hand and a new 1943 penny in the other. The unique characteristic of the 1943 penny was that it was made of steel, not copper like other pennies, apparently due to the shortage of copper during the war. These pennies when new were just as shiny and bright as a new dime. Here is a picture of one of these penny’s that will give you an idea of just how much they looked like a dime.
He held the dime between his right thumb and forefinger and the penny between his left thumb and forefinger. He carefully explained that the dime was much more valuable than the penny (although I was not sure of what this meant.) He then placed them both directly in front of my face and asked me to choose the
one I wanted.
Initially, I reached for the dime based on what he told me. But when my hand moved toward it, he moved the penny closer to me and then jiggled it back and forth in front of my face. The penny flashed streams of light before my eyes when he did this. My thoughts were that the penny seemed to be much more fun than the
dime. I picked it out of his hand.
He rushed to proclaim my stupidity to everyone else in room, stating that I would never amount to anything. I felt duped and betrayed. I became extremely angry at my uncle. In fact, I wanted to punch my uncle right in the nose and teach him a lesson about playing such a cruel trick on me. But then, somehow I knew that it would do me no good, so I held back.
In retrospect, this event was just a precursor to the truth that life would always present me with choices. Some bad choices would look good and some good choices would look undesirable. It would be up to me to discern the truth and make the right choice and receive the best possible reward. I was beginning to find out that poor choices would result in paying the consequences. As you read on you will find that much of this book is dedicated to communicating the horrible consequences of my poor choices as well as the wonderful rewards for the wise choices I made in my life. These stories communicate the spiritual truth of the world around us.
Please note that even Jesus was tempted and had to make choices that were pleasing to the Father.
Jesus is Tempted on the Mountain
So the lesson here is that there are misguided people in the world that will
attempt to deceive the children of God and destroy our creditability. In order to protect ourselves we must have spiritual discernment because the proper choices in life are critical to our overall welfare, our relationship with God and ultimately, our salvation. Anyone seeking guidance in this regard, may find the following series of hyperlinks very helpful. I pray that Jesus enlighten your pathway.
Love,
Papa Joe
Jesus the Light of the World is Transfigured before His Disciples
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
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
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 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.
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
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.
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 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
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.
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 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
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
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
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.)
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!
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
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 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.
I had a reader comment that I was a false teacher. He based his opinion on my statement that Jesus claimed to be the entryways into the Tabernacle when He said; “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.” The problem according to this reader is that there is no direct scriptural reference to support such a statement. So, in this posting I will begin to address these issues. The first thing I would like to present is a statement from Paul that comes from 1st Corinthians 4:
1. Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. 3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. 4 For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord. 5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.
I am content on Paul’s statement as I am not concerned by the opinions of men and I am prepared to let the Lord be my judge. This is because I have only shared my personal journey with the Lord, a journey that has revealed many things to me and hopefully my readers as well. This journey was motivated by my desire to better understand Jesus, a task that included a quest to understand what He meant when He said “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.” This quest led me to the answers I have communicated on this site. It was a quest that included a comprehensive search of the bible, and reaching out in prayer asking for answers. Based on this I would say that the teaching of Jesus is that we should not Judge, not even someone we believe to be a false teacher. This is in line with the statement of Jesus that proclaims: “Judge not lest you be judged!” In addition, please understand that I should not be considered by any of you as your teacher, as it is written in Matthew 23:
Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, 2 saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. 3 Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. 4 For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. 5 But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. 6 They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, 7 greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’ 8 But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ,[b] and you are all brethren. 9 Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10 And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. 11 But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
Jesus Speaks to the Multitude
So as you can see that you have only one teacher. Your learning has to come by way of the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ. My part in all of this is to present my journey with the Lord to you, in the hope that the Holy Spirit will enlighten you pathway as He did for me. In my next posting I will address the other issues identified in the first paragraph. Until that time, may all of God’s blessings be upon you. Papa Joe
SEEKING JESUS 