The Refiner's Fire

Just as John baptized with water for repentance, Jesus Christ baptizes with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Jesus identified John the Baptist to the people as the fulfillment of Malachi's prophecy.

Jesus said, "But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and one who is more than a prophet. "This is the one about whom it is written, 'Behold, I send My messenger ahead of you, who will prepare Your way before You.'”  (Luk 7:26-27)

In saying this, Jesus quoted the prophecy given by Malachi: "Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming," says the LORD of hosts."  (Mal 3:1)

Jesus Baptizes with Fire
John also knew he was fulfilling Malachi's prophecy.  This explains how he knew the Lord Jesus would baptize with fire, when he said, "As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Mat 3:11).

John knew the Holy Spirit spoke through the prophet Malachi that the Lord would come to His temple as a “Refiner’s Fire."

The Holy Spirit said: "But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap." (Mal 3:2)

A refiner's fire is used to purify, and that is what the Holy Spirit said the Lord would do. "He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the LORD offerings in righteousness." (Mal 3:3)

Jesus never denied that He would baptize with fire. In fact he declared, "I have come to cast fire upon the earth; and how I wish it were already kindled!" (Luk 12:49)

The word for "cast" in this verse means "to throw."  So just in case you weren't aware of it, Jesus came to throw fire on the earth.  And He was eager to do so!  He said, "How I wish it were already kindled!"

But first He had to undergo His own baptism of fire through the things He suffered in His passion and crucifixion -- not for any sin of His own, since He had no sin, but for our sin. That's why he said, "But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!" (Luk 12:50)

Purpose of the Fire Baptism
If you want a glimpse of what the fire baptism does in a person's life, Malachi and Jesus both spoke of it.  The Holy Spirit spoke through Malachi that "Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years. Then I will draw near to you for judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against those who swear falsely, and against those who oppress the wage earner in his wages, the widow and the orphan, and those who turn aside the alien and do not fear Me," says the LORD of hosts. (Mal 3:4-5)

There was a sort of two-fold purpose of the fire baptism:

On the one hand, a person receives the baptism with fire and allows the Lord to purify their life, their offerings will be pleasing to the LORD.  That includes the offering of their life, as well as anything else they offer to the Lord, including the sacrifice of praise, thanks, and the offering of their body. For such people, who love and ask for the fire of God, it will be glorious.  "'But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall. You will tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing,' says the LORD of hosts." (Mal 4:2-3)

On the other hand, for those who refuse the fire and do not amend their ways, it will be devastating.  The Lord said He would draw near to such people for judgment; and He would be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against those who swear falsely, and against those who oppress the wage earner in his wages, the widow and the orphan, and those who turn aside the alien and do not fear Him. For such people, who refuse the holy fire, it will set them ablaze and leave them neither root not branch. "For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze," says the LORD of hosts, "so that it will leave them neither root nor branch." (Mal 4:1)

Jesus said the holy fire baptism would bring division. "Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division; for from now on five members in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law." (Luk 12:51-53).  There are those in the Church today who love the holy fire and those who reject it.

It will be as Isaiah prophesied: "'If you consent and obey, You will eat the best of the land; But if you refuse and rebel, You will be devoured by the sword.' Truly, the mouth of the LORD has spoken." (Isa 1:19-20)

Putting it All Together
If you have never received the baptism of fire, then you need to ask for it.  Don't be afraid of it, rather be afraid of what will happen if you don't have it!  Very soon, everyone will undergo this baptism, whether they like it or not.  Jesus said, "For everyone will be salted with fire." (Mar 9:49) One way or another, everyone will eventually experience the fire of God.

The ones who are willing, who fear the Lord's Name, and welcome the holy fire will be purified.  Their offerings will be pleasing to the Lord.   They will go forth and skip like calves.  They will trample down the wicked.  The ones who cling to their sin will experience the fire differently.  The Lord will be a swift witness against them.  The arrogant and evildoers will be like chaff thrown into the flaming furnace.  It will set them ablaze, and the fire will not be quenched (Mk 9:44, 46, 48).

The Lord is casting fire on the earth in these last days, so embrace it and let it do its work in you.  It's high time we sought holiness and consecration. Love the holy fire, desire the fire, cry out for it, and receive it from the Lord.  Let Him purify your whole life now, so that you won't be ashamed at His soon glorious appearing.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. 

Author's note:  If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy Holy Fire Baptism, The Burning Ones, Songs of the Holy Fire, The Fiery Sufferings of the Believer, and The Happy Hunters on Fire. I also recommend Should you fear the Lord? and Salvation with Fear and Trembling. You may also access the Main Directory for this blog, or my complete blog directory at Writing for the Master.  

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

The Name of Jesus

If we could only grasp the power and anointing that is on the name of Jesus, then we would believe in it, and nothing would be impossible for us.

Yet many today use His name as a byword or a swear word.  And even among those who believe in Him, many are ashamed of His name.

Let's look at what the Scriptures say about His marvelous Name.

The Father and Jesus Have the Same Name
It may come as a surprise to you that the Father and Jesus have the same name, so let me prove it to you. Jude referred to God the Father as the only God our Savior.

He said, "Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen." (Jud 1:24-25)

The object of this sentence is "the only God our Savior," whom Jude refers to as "Him."  When Jude gives glory to "Him," the only God, he is referring to the Father in heaven. We know this for certain, because Jude says that we give this glory to God "through Jesus Christ our Lord."

This is consistent with the Scriptures written before Christ, in which God was referred to as Savior (2Sa. 22:3; Psa. 17:7; 106:21; Isa. 19:20; 43:3,11; 45:15,21; 49:26; 60:16; 63:8; Jer. 14:8; Hos. 13:4).

Likewise, in Revelation, we read about the great multitude around the throne, declaring that salvation belongs to our God and to the Lamb. "After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb." (Rev 7:9-10)

And Jesus was named after His Father, for the name "Jesus" in Hebrew is "Yeshua," which means "Yehova [the Lord] is Salvation."  The angel of the Lord told Joseph, "...You shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." (Mat 1:21) Likewise, before the child was conceived, the angel told Mary to give Him this name. "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end."  (Luk 1:31-33; cf., 2:21-22)

Jesus said, "I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him." (Joh 5:43)

Jesus prayed to the Father, saying, "I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. (Joh 17:6).  What name did Jesus manifest?  He manifested or displayed the name of the Father, which is the same as His name, Jesus.

Again in His prayer to the Father, Jesus said, "I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are." (Joh 17:11).  Jesus said that the Holy Father had given Him His own name. That's key!

Once more He prayed to the Father, "I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them." (Joh 17:26)

Isaiah prophesied, "For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace." (Isa 9:6)

Jesus also equated Himself with the "I AM" title God gave Himself in Exodus 3:14, when "Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I AM.'" (Joh 8:58). (I expand on this more in my post Jesus is Yehova). In Hebrew, this name that we translate "I AM" in English is "YHVH," the tetragrammaton for Yehova, meaning approximately "he causes to be" or "he creates".  The Hebrews understood the holiness of this name, and did not write it out in full, preferring to use only the four consonants.  Rather than pronounce it, they preferred to say instead, "the Lord."

We know that Jesus is our Redeemer, "who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds." (Tit 2:14).  But did you know the Father is also called our Redeemer? The prophet Isaiah prayed saying, "For You are our Father, though Abraham does not know us And Israel does not recognize us. You, O LORD, are our Father, Our Redeemer from of old is Your Name." (Isa 63:16)

These passages and others make it clear that the Father and Jesus have the same name.  It is part of the ancient Hebrew culture for a son to be named after his father, which is why it was so surprising to everyone when Zechariah named his son John (Lk 1:59-63).  We still do the same thing today, naming sons after their father.  The son always carries the father's family name, or surname.  For example, I have the same "Lacroix" name as my father, which is French for "The Cross." And sometimes a son also carries the father's given name.  For example, a father named "Charles" may name his son, "Charles." 

The heavenly Father did this when He named His Son, Yeshua (Yehova is Salvation, or Jesus).  However, having the same name does not mean they are the same Person.

The Holy Spirit Shares the Lord's Names
I would also like to mention that the Holy Spirit also shares the Lord's names.  For example, Jesus said the Holy Spirit is another Counselor or Advocate:

"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to help you and be with you forever--" (Jn 14:16 NIV).  The Holman Christian Standard Bible refers to the Holy Spirit here as the Counselor.  The original word "parakletos" means counselor, advocate, or comforter.  And this is the Holy Spirit's role in the life of the believer.

This is the same name used for Jesus in the prophecy of Isaiah quoted earlier, where it states: "For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace." (Isa 9:6)

The Father sends the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ Name.  Jesus said, "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. (Joh 14:26)  Just as Jesus came in the name of the Lord, the Holy Spirit comes in the same name.

He is also the Spirit of Truth (Jn 14:17; 15:26; 16:13).  In fact, the apostle John said, “the Spirit is the Truth.” (1 Jn 5:6), and Jesus said He is the Truth (Jn 14:6).  One more example will suffice to prove my point.  In Acts 16:7 and Phil 1:19, He is referred to as "the Spirit of Jesus."  So we could say that in one sense, the Holy Spirit shares the Lord's Name just as Jesus does.

Jesus Performed Miracles in His Father’s Name
Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father's name, these testify of Me. (Joh 10:25)

We Anoint the Sick in Jesus' Name
"Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;" (Jas 5:14)

We Perform Miracles in Jesus’ Name
But Jesus said, "Do not hinder him, for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name, and be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me. (Mar 9:39)

But Peter said, "I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene--walk!" (Act 3:6)

"And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all.” (Act 3:16)

“Let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead--by this name this man stands here before you in good health.” (Act 4:10)

“While You extend Your hand to heal, and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy servant Jesus." (Act 4:30)

We Cast Out Demons in Jesus’ Name
 Paul "said to the spirit, 'I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!' And it came out at that very moment." (Act 16:18)

The psalmist said, "Through You we will push back our adversaries; Through Your Name we will trample down those who rise up against us." (Psa 44:5)

"These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." (Mar 16:17-18)

But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, "I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches." (Act 19:13)

The Name of Jesus is Magnified by Signs and Wonders
When the seven sons of Sceva tried to cast out demons using Jesus' name, it didn't work and they were severely injured.  This happened because they did not know Jesus personally or have faith in Him. “This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived in Ephesus; and fear fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified.”  (Act 19:17)

The Name of Jesus is Feared
For You have heard my vows, O God; You have given me the inheritance of those who fear Your Name. (Psa 61:5)

Teach me Your way, O LORD; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your Name.  (Psa 86:11)

The voice of the LORD will call to the city-- And it is sound wisdom to fear Your Name: "Hear, O tribe. Who has appointed its time? (Mic 6:9)

"Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; For all the nations will come and worship before You, for your righteous acts have been revealed." (Rev 15:4)

Also see Deut 28:58; Neh 1:11; and 1 Ki 8:43; cf., 2Ch 6:33.

His Name is Great and Awesome
The psalmist said, "Let them praise Your great and awesome Name; Holy is He." (Psa 99:3)

"There is none like You, O LORD; You are great, and great is Your Name in might." (Jer 10:6)

"He has sent redemption to His people; He has ordained His covenant forever; Holy and awesome is His name." (Ps 111:9) 

The Name of the Lord is Holy
All throughout Scripture, we see that the name of the Lord is holy.

The psalmist said, "For our heart rejoices in Him, Because we trust in His holy name." (Ps 33:21)

Referring to the Father in Heaven, Mary said, "For the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name." (Luk 1:49)  Jesus also taught us to pray, "Father, hallowed be Your name." (Luk 11:2b)

Also see Lev. 20:3; 22:2,32; 1Ch. 16:10,35; 29:16; Psa. 30:4; 33:21; 97:12; 103:1; 105:3; 106:47; 145:21; Eze. 20:39; 36:20,21,22; 39:7,25; 43:7,8; and Amos 2:7.

Every Knee Will Bow at the Name of Jesus
It is the name above all names!  Paul said, "For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name," (Php 2:9)

‘So that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,” (Php 2:10)

Baptized in the Name of Jesus
Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Act 2:38)

"For He [the Holy Spirit] had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus." (Act 8:16)

“And [Peter] ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days. (Act 10:48)

Jesus commanded His disciples to, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit..." (Mat 28:19)

Clearly Jesus commanded that we must be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Is this one single baptism or not? Is it in one name or three names?  All the other Scriptures above refer to water baptism as baptism in Jesus' name. But they must be understood based on the command that Jesus gave, since He is the foundation of the Church.

When Paul met the men in Ephesus, he discovered that they had only been baptized with John's baptism.  But once they believed on Jesus, they were baptized with water in Jesus' name.  “When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.”  (Act 19:5)

It was after they were water baptized that the Holy Spirit came on them.  "And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying." (Act 19:6).  John the Baptist referred to this experience as the baptism with the Holy Spirit, when he prophesied, "As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." (Mat 3:11).  John the Baptist also testified, "I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, 'He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.'" (Joh 1:33)

Peter referred to it as receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, when he said, Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Act 2:38)

Therefore, believers must be baptized in water in the name of the Father, the Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.  For He is one triune God in three Persons, who share the same names.  Perhaps this is why Jesus said "baptizing them in the name (singular) of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit" and not "baptizing them in the names (plural) of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit."

Then in addition to water baptism, there is a definite second experience, which may occur before or after water baptism, known as the baptism with the Holy Spirit.

Moreover, there is yet another experience known as the baptism with fire that may occur in conjunction with or separately the baptism with the Holy Spirit.  All three experiences are distinct aspects of one baptism, and often happen separately.  Yet all three experiences are necessary to live a holy life for Jesus, separated from the world, and to be a powerful witness for Him.

Jesus Came and Will Come Again in the Name of the Lord
At the beginning of the week when Jesus was crucified, as He entered Jerusalem on a donkey, the people shouted prophetically that He had come in the name of the Lord. "The crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting, 'Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest!'" (Mat 21:9)

Only days before He was crucified, Jesus spoke prophetically over Jerusalem of Himself these words: "For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!'" (Mat 23:39; cf., Lk 13:35).

The Apostles Preached and Taught in Jesus' Name
"For they went out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles." (3Jn 1:7)

“And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.” (Act 4:18; cf., 5:40)

“But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike.” (Act 8:12)

“But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.” (Act 9:27)

“Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.” (1Co 1:10)

“Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us.” (2Th 3:6)

The Enemy is Hostile to the Name of Jesus
Jesus told His disciples, "You will be hated by all because of My name, but the one who endures to the end, he will be saved." (Mar 13:13; cf., Lk 21:17)

The apostle Paul said of himself, before he knew the Lord, "So then, I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.” (Act 26:9; cf., 5:40)

John wrote of the coming beast, "And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven." (Rev 13:6)

For they speak against You wickedly, And Your enemies take Your Name in vain. (Psa 139:20)

The Apostles Suffered and Risked Their Lives for Jesus’ Name
Ananias was afraid to go lay hands upon Saul of Tarsus, since he was persecuting Christians, "But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name's sake."  (Act 9:15-16)

“…men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Act 15:26)

“Then Paul answered, ‘What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.’" (Act 21:13)

Saints Call on Jesus’ Name
“To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:” (1Co 1:2)

We Must Receive Children in Jesus' Name
"And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me;” (Mat 18:5; cf., Mar 9:37; Luk 9:48)

False Christs and False Prophets May Come in Jesus’ Name
"For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will mislead many.
(Mat 24:5)

"Many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He!' and will mislead many.
(Mar 13:6; cf., Luk 21:8)

We Pray and Ask the Father in Jesus’ Name
"Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” (Joh 14:13)

"If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.”  (Joh 14:14)

"You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.” (Joh 15:16)

"In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you.” (Joh 16:23)

"Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.” (Joh 16:24)

"In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf;” (Joh 16:26)

We Assemble in Jesus’ Name
Jesus said, "For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst." (Mat 18:20)

In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, (1Co 5:4)

We Are a People for His Name
God concerned Himself about taking a people for His Name.  James said, "Simeon has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name." (Act 15:14)

James continued to quote Amos 9:12, when he said, "so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by My Name," (Act 15:17).  We who believe in Jesus are among the nations called by His Name.

His Name Will Be on the Foreheads of His Servants
John wrote: "Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads." (Rev 14:1)

John also wrote: "There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads." (Rev 22:3-4)

We Give Thanks in Jesus’ Name
“Always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;” (Eph 5:20)

In God we have boasted all day long, And we will give thanks to Your Name forever. Selah. (Psa 44:8)

Willingly I will sacrifice to You; I will give thanks to Your Name, O LORD, for it is good.  (Psa 54:6)

Surely the righteous will give thanks to Your Name; The upright will dwell in Your presence. (Psa 140:13)

"Bring my soul out of prison, So that I may give thanks to Your Name; The righteous will surround me, For You will deal bountifully with me." (Psa 142:7)

O LORD, You are my God; I will exalt You, I will give thanks to Your Name; For You have worked wonders, Plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness. (Isa 25:1)

We Lift Up Our Hands and Bless His Name
It is good to give thanks to the LORD And to sing praises to Your Name, O Most High; (Psa 92:1)

So I will bless You as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in Your Name. (Psa 63:4)

"All the earth will worship You, And will sing praises to You; They will sing praises to Your Name." Selah. (Psa 66:4)

So I will sing praise to Your Name forever, That I may pay my vows day by day. (Psa 61:8)

I will extol You, my God, O King, And I will bless Your Name forever and ever. (Psa 145:1)

Every day I will bless You, And I will praise Your Name forever and ever. (Psa 145:2)

We Glorify His Name
"Glory in His holy name; Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad." (1Ch 16:10; cf., Ps 105:3)

"I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And will glorify Your Name forever." (Psa 86:12)

"All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, And they shall glorify Your Name." (Psa 86:9)

Not to us, O LORD, not to us, But to Your Name give glory Because of Your lovingkindness, because of Your truth. (Psa 115:1)

Paul said that Jesus’ Name will be glorified in His Saints. He wrote: "To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (2Th 1:11-12)

We Must Do Everything in the Name of Jesus
“Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” (Col 3:17)

His Name is Everlasting
Your Name, O LORD, is everlasting, Your remembrance, O LORD, throughout all generations. (Psa 135:13)

Eternal Life in the Name of Jesus
The apostle John said: “But these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.” (Joh 20:31)

He also said: "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life." (1Jn 5:13)

We Are Justified in the Name of Jesus
“Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.” (1Co 6:11)

Forgiveness of Sins is in His Name
The psalmist said, "For Your Name's sake, O LORD, Pardon my iniquity, for it is great." (Psa 25:11)

Jesus said we must preach "repentance for forgiveness of sins...in His name to all the nations..." (Luk 24:47)

"I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name's sake." (1Jn 2:12)

We Must Believe in the Name of Jesus Christ
“This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.” (1Jn 3:23) 
  
Whoever Calls on the Name of Jesus Will Be Saved
“For whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Rom 10:13)

There is No Other Name by Which We Must Be Saved
In all the Scriptures written before the incarnation of Christ, referring to the name of the Lord, of whom was the Holy Spirit speaking?   Whose name did He mean by "the name of the Lord"?  If not the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, then please tell me what name is meant by "the name of the Lord."

The apostles gave us a very definite the answer. "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved."  (Act 4:12)

Putting it All Together
The Father and Jesus have the same Name, as well as the Holy Spirit, and that name is holy.  Jesus performed miracles in His Father’s Name.  He displayed the Father’s Name, Yehova is Salvation, to His disciples.  We have eternal life in the Name of Jesus. We must be baptized in the Name of Jesus, as well as the name of the Father and the Holy Spirit.  There is water baptism, baptism with the Holy Spirit, and baptism with fire.  You could say that all three experiences are distinct aspects of one baptism, and often happen separately.  Yet all three experiences are necessary to live a holy life for Jesus, separated from the world, and to be a powerful witness for Him. The Father sends the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ Name. 

We perform miracles in Jesus’ Name, cast out demons in Jesus’ Name, as well as speak in tongues, and lay hands on the sick and they recover.  The Name of Jesus is magnified by signs and wonders. It is the name above all names. Every knee will bow at the Name of Jesus, for it is great and awesome. His name is feared!

Jesus came in the Name of the Lord, Yehova.  The apostles preached and taught in Jesus' Name. The enemy is hostile to the Name of Jesus. The apostles suffered and risked their lives for Jesus’ Name. Saints call on Jesus’ Name. We must receive children in Jesus' Name.  Even false christs and false prophets may come in Jesus’ Name, so we should beware of this.

We pray and ask the Father in Jesus’ Name. We assemble ourselves together in Jesus’ Name. We are a people for His Name, called by His Name. We must receive children in Jesus' Name.  We give thanks in Jesus’ Name. We lift up our hands and bless His Name. We love His Name and seek it.  We must do everything in the Name of Jesus. Jesus’ Name will be glorified in His saints. We are justified in the Name of Jesus. We must preach repentance and forgiveness of sins in Jesus' Name. We must believe in the Name of Jesus Christ.  Whoever calls on the Name of Jesus will be saved. There is no other name by which we must be saved.

This name is unique in that it is the only name with all these wonderful and amazing attributes!  This is the name of the Lord Himself. The one true God has no other another name higher than this one with any greater attributes than this name.

Jesus said, "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels." (Mar 8:38).  Don't be ashamed of Jesus' Name.  Lift it up, seek it, confess it, proclaim it, glorify it, and exalt Him.

Then it will come to pass for you, as recorded in Exodus 20:24, “In every place where I cause My Name to be remembered I will come to you and I will bless you.”

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. 

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, I recommend reading the companion message Jesus is Yehova, as well as The Bodily Form of God the Father, The Holy Trinity,  Baptized with the Spirit and Holy Fire Baptism.

You may also access the Main Directory for this blog, or my complete blog directory at Writing for the Master.

Image: "All Hail King Jesus" painting © 2012 Danny Hahlbohm, all rights reserved by the artist. 

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Ongoing Earthly Ministry of Jesus

As believers in Jesus Christ, our hope and faith depend on the resurrection. If the resurrection did not happen and is just a myth, then our faith is in vain.  So that’s why I think it’s so important to examine the biblical evidence that proves it did occur.  My goal is not to prove the sequence of the post-resurrection appearances or the exact number of appearances, since these are not important.  Scholars do not agree on those minute details.  But I simply want to encourage your faith in Jesus Christ.

At the very end of this post, I will share with you about some exciting appearances of Jesus that have occurred in our own day, so don't miss those!  But first, let's begin with the biblical accounts.

In the apostle Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he wrote, “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.” (1Co 15:3-8)

In this passage, Paul speaks of the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.  And to prove that he rose from the dead, Paul cites numerous occasions when Jesus appeared to people after his resurrection.

Peter and the Twelve
First Paul states, “He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.” (1 Co 15:5). Cephas was the name for Peter.  Was it actually Peter who saw the Lord first? 

This differs from the account of the gospels, which record that Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene and the other Mary.  Matthew’s gospel states that the angel at the empty tomb told the ladies, “Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you." (Mat 28:7).  Since the angel told the ladies to go tell Jesus disciples that He had risen from the dead, we know that the disciples had not yet seen Him. 

According to Mark’s account, the “other Mary” was the mother of James (Mk 16:1).  According to Luke, there was also a third woman named Joanna.  Mark states that the angel specifically mentioned Peter to the women, when he said, "But go, tell His disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He told you.'" (Mar 16:7).  Notice how Peter was called out separately from the disciples, since he had removed himself from being a disciple when he denied the Lord.  That’s why the angel said, “Go, tell His disciples and Peter…”

Matthew’s account continues, “And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me.’” (Mat 28:8-10).  Jesus appeared to them after they left the tomb and told them the same thing the angel had just said.  He instructed them to go tell his disciples, calling them his brothers.  Just as the angel had told the women, Jesus also said He would appear to His brothers in Galilee.

Mark states: “Now after He had risen early on the first day of the week, He first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons. She went and reported to those who had been with Him, while they were mourning and weeping.” (Mar 16:9-10). So Mark and Matthew’s gospels agree that Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene, not Peter.

She was obedient to tell the disciples and Peter.  In turn, Peter and John did run to the tomb to verify her report, and later the disciples did go to Galilee, as the Lord said to do.  But they did not go to Galilee right away.  At first they refused to believe it.

Mark states: She went and reported to those who had been with Him, while they were mourning and weeping. When they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they refused to believe it. After that, He appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking along on their way to the country. They went away and reported it to the others, but they did not believe them either.” (Mar 16:10-13)

Luke’s account agrees with this Mark that the disciples refused to believe when they first heard the report from the women who had seen Jesus.  Luke states: “But these words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings only; and he went away to his home, marveling at what had happened.” (Luk 24:11-12)

So after Mary Magdalene, Mark states that Jesus appeared to the two men walking on the road in the country, which was evidently the Road to Emmaus appearance described by Luke.  Note that Luke also placed the Emmaus Road appearance right after the women told the disciples.  He wrote: “And behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. And they were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them.” (Luk 24:13-15)

Interestingly Luke also recorded that when the two who saw Jesus on the Emmaus Road immediately reported their experience to the eleven gathered in Jerusalem, the eleven (including Peter) told them that the Lord had already appeared to Simon Peter.  “And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them, saying, ‘The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon.’” (Luk 24:33-34).  So Luke’s record of the statement by the eleven that the Lord appeared to Simon seems to place that appearance prior to the Road to Emmaus one.  Could it be that Jesus appeared to Simon shortly after he went to the tomb, and that it was not recorded explicitly, but rather mentioned indirectly here?  I don’t think so.

John’s record does not allow for that possibility.  He wrote: “Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark, and saw the stone already taken away from the tomb. So she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, ‘They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.’ So Peter and the other disciple went forth, and they were going to the tomb. The two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter and came to the tomb first; and stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings lying there; but he did not go in. And so Simon Peter also came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself. So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb then also entered, and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. So the disciples went away again to their own homes. But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying. And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him." When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" (which means, Teacher). Jesus said to her, "Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.'" Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and that He had said these things to her.” (Joh 20:1-18).

In this account from John, after Mary Magdalene found the tomb empty and reported it to the eleven.  She did not yet know the Lord had risen, but she thought they had taken the Lord’s body.  Peter and John ran to the tomb to see.  When John saw it He believed.  The he states: “So the disciples went away again to their own homes.”  And the very next thing John records is the appearance of Jesus to Mary Magdalene, who saw Him first. 

John records how the Lord appeared to the eleven that same day in the evening.  He states: “So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.’ And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.’ But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.” (Joh 20:19-24).

That evening on the same day He appeared to Mary, Jesus appeared to the eleven in the locked room.  Thomas was not there, and he doubted the others when they told him. John writes: “So the other disciples were saying to him, ‘We have seen the Lord!’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.’ After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then He said to Thomas, ‘Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.’ Thomas answered and said to Him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.’ Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;” (Joh 20:25-30). So there were two appearances to the eleven on that first day of the week.

John goes on to record that “After these things Jesus manifested Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and He manifested Himself in this way.” (Joh 21:1).  This was the occasion when the disciples had been fishing unsuccessfully all night, and Jesus appeared on the shore in the morning, cooking fish.  He gave them instructions that resulted in a great catch, and they all enjoyed breakfast with him on the shore.  It was then that he walked with Peter and reinstated him as a disciple.

I mentioned earlier that after Mary saw Him alive again, she was obedient to tell the disciples, and the disciples did go to Galilee, as the Lord said to do.  But not right away.  At first some of them refused to believe it.  However, when they did finally do what the Lord said and they went to the mountain in Galilee, they all saw the Lord.

Matthew records their encounter with Jesus: “But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain, which Jesus had designated. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful.” (Mat 28:16-17).  At this point, there were only eleven disciples, since Judas had committed suicide and they had not yet appointed Matthias to replace him.  So Peter was there on the mountain among the Eleven.  Together they saw Jesus, but some doubted in their hearts.

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Mat 28:18-20).  This was the famous event known as the “Great Commission.”

This is the same event that Luke recorded.  Luke placed the timing of it on the day when the two men were telling the eleven they had seen him on the Emmaus Road.  “While they were telling these things, He Himself stood in their midst and said to them, ‘Peace be to you.’ But they were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing a spirit. And He said to them, ‘Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.’ And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. While they still could not believe it because of their joy and amazement, He said to them, ‘Have you anything here to eat?’ They gave Him a piece of a broiled fish; and He took it and ate it before them. Now He said to them, ‘These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and He said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high. And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven.” (Luk 24:36-51)

Now Luke indicates that the Lord led them out as far as Bethany and was carried up to heaven, which is known as Jesus’ ascension.  Unless there were two ascensions, this could not have occurred until forty days after his resurrection, which is when the ascension occurred.  Luke explicitly states this time frame in his second account, known as Acts.

In Acts 1, he records the exact same appearance of Jesus (also see Lk 24:36-51 cited above) with these words, “The first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when He was taken up to heaven, after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen. To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God. Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, ‘Which,’ He said, ‘you heard of from Me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’ So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, ‘Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?’ He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.’ And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.” (Act 1:1-9)

Allow me to recap.  Luke stated it all in his first account as though Jesus led them out to Bethany and ascended the same day he Lord appeared to the two disciples on the Emmaus Road.  That would have been on the same day he was resurrected, since that was the day the disciples saw Him on the Emmaus Road.  In Luke’s second account (Acts) he later stated that it was not until forty days after his resurrection that the Lord gathered them in Bethany for the Great Commission and ascended to heaven!  During that forty-day period, Jesus made many appearances, and spoke about the kingdom. Luke explicitly stated that Jesus was “appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.” (Ac 1:3).  He does not tell us how many times Jesus appeared or in what order those appearances occurred.

So it’s unclear from the gospel accounts and Acts whether Jesus appeared first to Peter, which Paul recorded in his Corinthian epistle.  It’s possible that Jesus appeared to him at the tomb after he ran there and looked in.  But that’s unlikely, since the angel that had spoken to Mary Magdalene earlier told her to “Go, tell His disciples and Peter…”  If she saw the Lord right after that, then this seems to indicate that Peter had not seen the Lord before she did.  However, John’s account gives the following sequence: Mary Magdalene finds the tomb empty, she runs and tells the eleven disciples, Peter and John run to the tomb and find it empty, and then AFTER that Jesus appears to Mary in the garden near the tomb (Jn 20:1-15).  Whether or not Peter saw Jesus when he went to the empty tomb, we do find evidence that He made a separate appearance to Peter prior to His appearance to the two disciples on the Road to Emmaus.  This was what the eleven told the two who reported that they saw the Lord on the Emmaus Road.

Probable Sequence of Jesus' Appearance to Peter and the Twelve
What we can surmise up to this point is the following sequence of events:

1.    Mary Magdalene and the other ladies visit the tomb and find the stone rolled away. (Mt 28:1-8; Mk 16:1-7; Lk 24:1-9; Jn 20:1)
2.    The angel speaks to them. Matthew placed this event before the women tell anyone (Mt 28:5-8).  John places this even after Peter and John look inside the tomb (Jn 20:11-13).   
3.    They report this to the eleven (Mt 28:8; Mk 16:10-11; Lk 24:9; Jn 20:2)
4.    Peter and John run to the tomb and find it empty (Lk 24:12; Jn 20:2-8).  The disciples return to their own homes. John believes (Jn 20:8), and Peter goes away to his home marveling to himself (Lk 24:12)
5.    Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene and the other women in the garden (Mt 28:9-10; Jn 20:14-16).  He does not allow Mary to cling to Him, stating that He has not yet ascended to the Father (Jn 20:17).  The way Matthew records this makes it seem like Jesus appeared to her before she reported to the disciples, but there was a gap here according to the other gospels.  She first reported the empty tomb to the eleven disciples, and then went back to the tomb, where Jesus appeared to her.  Some disciples headed for Emmaus once they heard Mary’s report of the empty tomb and the angel’s appearance, and they did not yet know about Jesus’ appearance to Mary, or they would have told Jesus (Lk 24:22-24)
6.    Mary tells the eleven that she saw the Lord alive, and that He will meet them in Galilee. By now the two disciples are already walking along the Road to Emmaus, and do not yet know that anyone has seen the Lord alive (Jn 20:18).
7.    Some of those who hear Mary’s report that she has seen the Lord alive refuse to believe (Lk 24:11).
8.    The Lord appears to Simon Peter on Resurrection Day, before He appears to the two disciples on the Road to Emmaus that afternoon, or to the eleven later that evening.  The eleven indirectly mentioned this personal appearance of Jesus to Peter, and so did Paul in his account. (Lk 24:34; 1 Co 15:5).
9.    The Lord appears to the two on the Road to Emmaus on Resurrection Day (Lk 24:13-32; Mk 16:12-13).
10.    While the two men who saw him on the Emmaus Road are telling the eleven about it, the Lord appears to the eleven altogether for the first time in the locked room the evening of the same day He appeared to Mary (Lk 24:36; Mk 16:14; Jn 20:19-21).  Thomas was absent (Jn 20:24). (This places the Road to Emmaus appearance earlier that afternoon.)  After Thomas later hears of it, he has doubts in his heart (Jn 20:25).
11.    The Lord appears again eight days later to the eleven in the locked room, and Thomas is there this time (Jn 20:26). The Lord tells Thomas to touch his wounds in his hands and his side (Jn 20:27).
12.    Over the coming weeks, the disciples go to Galilee. (Mt 28:16a).  If we understand that Matthew was recounting the events in broad strokes, not fine detail, we realize that there was a space between this first part of verse 16 and the second half of it.  He covered a large span of time in few words.
13.    Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in the Bible (Jn 20:30). 
14.    While they were in Galilee, they went fishing.  Seven of the disciples saw him on the shore while they were fishing in the Sea of Galilee (Jn 21:1).
15.    The eleven disciples proceed to the mountain in Galilee (Mt 28:16b) and while they are there, Jesus comes up the mountain, where they see Him again, and He speaks to them.  He leads them out to Bethany and commissions them to take the gospel to the whole world (Mt 28:18-20; Mk 16:16-19; Lk 24:50-51).

(Note: In Matthew’s account, the Great Commission appears to happen very soon after Mary Magdalene gave Jesus’ instructions to the eleven to go to Galilee, where they would see Him.  In Matthew’s account, it seems as though it is the first time they see Him after His resurrection, but the Great Commission is recorded there, which Jesus did not give until forty days later, right before his ascension.  There was obviously a gap of time that occurred between verses 16 and 17 in Matthew 28, or between verse 17 and 18.  This is the way Matthew writes. In other words, even though it runs together in Matthew’s concise telling of it, the Great Commission occurred a few weeks after they first saw Him on the mountain in Galilee. For more about this, I suggest "Understanding the Gaps in Scripture.")

(Note about Bethany and Mount Olivet: Bethany is near Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs, according to Jn 11:18.  It only takes about a half hour to walk there from Jerusalem.  You have to walk over Mount Olivet to get to Bethany.  Mount Olivet is near Jerusalem, and Bethany is near the Mount of Olives according to Mk 11:1.  Jesus instructed them to go to a mountain in Galilee where they would see Him, and that is where they saw Him AFTER they had seen Him in the locked room in Jerusalem.  Galilee is not close to Jerusalem. It is unlikely that on the day of his resurrection they saw Him on a mountain, since they were still in the locked room in Jerusalem for fear of the Jews, in the evening on the day of His resurrection.  It is also not possible that the mountain in Galilee where Jesus appeared to his disciples was Mount Olivet, since that is located near Jerusalem, not in Galilee.  According to Luke, Jesus finally led them out as far as Bethany, and there he was carried up to heaven – he ascended -- before their eyes.  This was not a private ascension.  This event occurred forty days after His resurrection.  And Luke added in his second account in Acts 1:12 that after Jesus' ascension, the disciples returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives.  When we put this together with Luke's first account in Lk 24:50, we can surmise that the ascension occurred in Bethany, and they had to walk over the Mount of Olives on their return trip to Jerusalem.  This means that his appearance to the disciples on a mountain in Galilee occurred during the forty days after his resurrection, not the day he ascended.  To summarize the appearances of Jesus to the eleven, His appearances in Jerusalem occurred first, then His appearances to them in Galilee, and finally came His appearance in Bethany immediately before His ascension. So there was a progression from Jerusalem to Galilee, and then back toward Jerusalem, with the ascension occurring in nearby Bethany, with the disciples returning to Jerusalem afterward.)

(Note about Jesus’ ascension: When Jesus appeared to Mary the morning of His resurrection, she wanted to cling to Him.  But He told her not to do so, explaining that He had not yet ascended to the Father.  Jesus said to her, "Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.'" 

This is the only recorded instance where Jesus told anyone not to cling to Him.  Only a few hours later, he specifically told His disciples in the locked room to touch Him.  Luke states: “But they were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing a spirit. And He said to them, ‘Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.’"  (Luk 24:37-39). Some believe that Jesus ascended privately to the Father shortly after he rose on that first day, in order to be glorified, and a change occurred in His body.  This, they believe, was prior to the public ascension seen by his disciples forty days later, and explains why He allowed no one to touch Him until later during the day of His resurrection.

If it were true that Jesus ascended privately on resurrection day, then it would also explain why Jesus said to Mary that first morning that she was to tell His disciples that He was ascending to His Father and God.  If He did not ascend twice, the first time being soon after his resurrection, then we need to explain why He said on resurrection day that He was ascending to the Father.  Was He referring to the public event that would occur forty days hence?  It’s an interesting matter to consider, but certainly not an essential belief for our salvation.)

So the gospel record essentially agrees with Paul’s record that Jesus appeared first to Simon and then to the eleven altogether.  That sequence is correct.  Paul simply left out the fact that Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene before He appeared to Peter.  Whether this was intentional or not makes no difference.  He had the sequence right, and did not explicitly deny the fact that Mary had seen the Lord before Peter did.

More than Five Hundred
Paul went on to describe what happened after Peter and the eleven saw Jesus.  He states, “After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep.” (1 Co 15:6)

So again, Paul does not mention that the Lord appeared to the two on the Emmaus Road, choosing instead to highlight Peter and the eleven.  And after that came His appearance to more than five hundred people at once time.  This rules out any possibility that these people could have been hallucinating.  It is impossible for hundreds of people to experience the same hallucination simultaneously. 

At the time that Paul wrote this to the Corinthians, around 54 or 56 AD, most of these folks were still alive.  So several hundred of these witnesses were still available to be contacted, if the Corinthians wanted to verify Paul’s account of the resurrection. 

It is very likely that this appearance to more than five hundred occurred in Galilee during the weeks following his resurrection, prior to his ascension.

James
After Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene, Peter, the men on the Emmaus Road, the eleven and the more than five hundred at one time, Paul states, “Then He appeared to James…”  (1 Co 15:7)

Since there were two disciples named James, we need to clarify which one Paul was referring to here.  There was the apostle James the son of Zebedee, who was the brother of the apostle John.  And then there was James the brother of Jesus, who wrote the book of the Bible called James.  I don’t think Paul meant the apostle James, because he was one of the eleven who saw the Lord after Peter did.  Paul had just mentioned that the eleven saw Jesus. So it would not make sense to mention James again.  I think rather that Paul was referring to James the brother of Jesus. 

James was one of the elders in Jerusalem who rendered important decisions for the church, such as the one made in Acts 15.  Did you ever wonder how he got to be an elder in the Jerusalem church, even though he was not one of the original apostles?  Well, Paul says the Lord appeared to him, and it is likely that this also occurred in Galilee, since James lived there.

What an amazing experience that must have been!  James had not believed in the Lord during His earthly ministry.  But he came to believe in the Lord later, probably after His resurrection.  And he was blessed to see the Lord, who had been his earthly brother, after His resurrection.  After that, James simply referred to himself as the bondservant of the Lord Jesus Christ.

All the apostles
Paul stated that after Jesus appeared to James, “Then to all the apostles…”  (1 Co 15:7).  This is also a noteworthy statement.  We usually think of the apostles as synonymous with the Twelve, which later became the eleven after Judas “quit.”  But Paul had already mentioned Jesus’ appearance to the eleven.  Now he indicates that Jesus appeared to “all the apostles.” This makes it clear that there were in the early church more apostles than just the eleven.  In fact, in his epistles, Paul mentions other apostles, so this is well established.  And there are still apostles today, since this gift has never ceased to exist since that time.

This event when Jesus appeared to all the apostles was most likely on ascension day when he commissioned them to take the gospel to the ends of the earth.  But there were others who also saw Jesus after that event, like Stephen, on the day he was stoned to death (Ac 7:55).

Paul
Finally Paul comes to the end of his list of those who saw the Lord alive after His resurrection. He states, “And last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.” (1 Co 15:8). Here he refers to his own experience seeing the Lord on the Road to Damascus (Ac 9:3; 26:13). 

On that day, Paul’s travel plans were changed abruptly. He was headed to Damascus for one purpose – to persecute Christians – and when he got there, he had a completely opposite purpose – to preach the gospel.  This itself is proof the Lord appeared to him. Why else would anyone go from being a hater of Christians, imprisoning them and approving their deaths, to being a die-hard gospel preacher, suffering persecution and imprisonment himself for the Lord’s sake? 

Putting it All Together
So what Paul covered concisely in two or three sentences just took me ten pages to cover.  He highlighted only six of Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances.  But we know there were many more. 

Jesus made many appearances during the forty days between His resurrection and His public ascension to heaven, where He was seated at the right hand of the Father.  These include His appearance to Mary Magdalene with Joanna and Mary the mother of James, as well as His appearances to Peter, the two on the Emmaus Road, the eleven, James, and all the apostles.

When we speak of Jesus’ earthly ministry, this was a part of it we often forget.  His earthly ministry did not end after his death on the cross, but continued for forty days afterward until his public ascension.  In fact, His earthly ministry continued after His ascension. 

Jesus appeared to Stephen while He was being stoned to death with Saul’s consent.  Stephen saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God (Ac 7:55).  Jesus appeared to the apostle Paul himself, on the Road to Damascus.  And He appeared to the apostle John on the isle of Patmos (Rev 1:12-20).

In fact, the earthly ministry of Jesus continues to this day. The gospel of Mark ends with the statement that, “They went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed.” (Mk 16:20).  This is a concise summary of the entire book of Acts, and all that the Lord continues to do today to confirm His Word by signs and wonders.

Jesus continues to appear to people on earth today, whether or not anyone wants to believe it or report on it.  For example, many say a supernatural dimension is at work throughout the Islamic world. There is an unseen revolution in Iran, in which many Muslims are coming to know Christ.  Jesus has appeared to many of these Muslims.



If you would like to see some amazing, true testimonies of Muslims who gave their lives to Jesus Christ after seeing Him in a dream or vision, then I want to encourage you to visit "More Than Dreams: From Dreams to Reality." There you will find video dramatizations of five Muslims from the nations of Turkey, Iran, Nigeria, Egypt, and Indonesia, who each had such a supernatural encounter with Christ.  I also highly recommend a book by Korean brother Yong-Doo Kim, called Baptize by Blazing Fire.  It documents how Jesus appeared to him and the members of his church in January 2005, during an all-night prayer rally that lasted for thirty days.  These are just examples, but there is much more happening than I could possibly cover here in this one blog.

Why should we doubt that He is doing this, when it is consistent with His character and past behavior?  He’s alive, He’s wonderfully personal, and loves to reveal Himself to us. He remains the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.

Author's note: You may also access the Main Directory for this blog, or my complete blog directory at Writing for the Master.  

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.