The Light and the Glory

Over the years, the Lord has given me insights into his glory and what that means.  This study is a compilation of those insights. In it I seek to answer questions about the glory of God.  What is glory?  Is it visible or is it a moral attribute?  How does man give glory to God?  How does God give glory to man?  What is the relationship between glory and character?  And what is the relationship between the kingdom of God and the glory of God?  Is the glory of God something that we can experience now or is it strictly a future expectation? And finally, what is the relationship between light, darkness, and glory?

The Radiance of God's Glory
First, I’ll address the question, “Is glory visible or is it a moral attribute?”

“When Moses came down from Mt. Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands he was not aware that his face was radiant, because he had spoken with the Lord.  When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him.”

“When Moses was finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. But whenever he entered the Lord’s presence to speak with Him, he removed the veil until he came out.  And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, they saw that his face was radiant.  Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the Lord.” (Ex. 34: 29-35).

From this passage, it is abundantly clear that the glory of God on Moses was visible; it was not merely a spiritual or moral characteristic.  His face was radiant.  This means that there was a shining or a glow about it.  We also observe a cause and effect relationship here.  Whenever Moses would spend time in the Lord’s presence and speak with the Lord, this glory would appear on his face.  We also know that this was limited to Moses at that time, as it did not happen to all the Israelites.  It was so unusual that everyone else who saw him was afraid of the bright glow on his face.  That’s why he covered up his face with a veil.

But now under the New Covenant, this is not limited to one man.  All believers have access to his presence, and the Lord’s glory is now reflected on the faces of all who know Him.  In fact, this glory is even more glorious than what Moses experienced.  Paul spoke of this to the Corinthians.

“Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness?”  (2 Cor 3:7-9)

“Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.  We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away…But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.  Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.  And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Cor 3:12-14, 16-18).

Stephen is a New Testament example of someone on whose face the glory of God was visible. “All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.” (Ac 6:15)

When we spend time in the Lord’s presence, praying, meditating on the Word, worshipping, and adoring Him, our faces reflect His glory in a greater way than even Moses ever did.  At the same time, we are being transformed into His likeness. As we are transformed in this way, the glory that radiates from our faces is always increasing.

Jesus Glorified the Father
Glory is something that may be given to another.  Jesus said to the Father in prayer, “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.” (Jn 17:4).  This prayer was about glorifying God.  How do we glorify God?  Put differently, how do we give God glory? In this statement, Jesus teaches us that the way He brought glory to the Father was by completing the work the Father gave Him to do.

Just as Jesus did, we too bring glory to the Father on earth by completing the good works He has given each of us to do.  Jesus said, “You are the light of the world…let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Mt. 5:14,16).  When people see our good deeds and praise God in heaven, it glorifies Him.  God is glorified by our obedience to Him.

The Father Glorified Jesus
After Jesus prayed about glorifying the Father, He prayed that the Father would glorify Him.  “And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.” (Jn 17:5).  This is significant, because it shows us that there are two distinct but related things happening here.  Certainly Jesus glorified the Father during his life on earth.  Yet the Father glorifying Jesus was something else. 

For the Father to glorify Jesus meant for Him to give Jesus the glory He had before the world began. The “glory” Jesus “had with the Father before the world began” was something Jesus divested himself of when He came into the world in human likeness.  This was the "kenosis" Paul referred to.  He emptied Himself and “made himself nothing, taking the very form of a servant…being found in appearance as a man.” (Phil 2:7,8).

Jesus Glorified His Disciples
The Father did give Jesus glory, and Jesus in turn gave that glory to His disciples.  Speaking to the Father in prayer regarding His disciples, Jesus said, “I have given them the glory that you gave me” (Jn. 17:22).

This has application for us today.  We know that Jesus has given us (as disciples) the glory the Father gave Him.  We “all reflect the Lord’s glory” and we are “being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Cor 3:18).

So it is true that we all reflect the glory of the glorious Lord.  We reflect the glory we have been given.  How do we reflect that glory? We do so with “unveiled faces” ( 2 Cor 3:18).  Just as the glory of God was reflected in the face of Moses, so the glory of God is also reflected in our faces.  Just as it was with Moses, that glory is seen as a certain radiance about us.  “We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away.” (2 Cor 3:13).

Also, whereas the glorious radiance on the face of Moses was such that it faded away, the glory we have been given is an ever-increasing glory (2 Cor 3:10).  It is shining ever brighter until the fullness (Prov 4:18).  It surpasses the glory given to Moses.  This is both a greater glory and a lasting glory!  “How much greater is the glory which lasts!”  (2 Cor 3:11).

The Relationship Between Glory and Character
According to Webster’s Dictionary, character is “the combination of emotional, intellectual, and moral qualities that distinguish one person or group from another.”  While there can be no glory without a godly character, the glory of God is not the character of God.  It is rather the effulgence of light that comes from His presence. 

For us who are still earth-bound, the glory of God is not something we currently display in its fullness, although God is glorified through our lives (as when men see our good works and glorify God in heaven).  While we do have glory in part now, our final glorified state is yet future.

The apostle Peter said, “I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings and one who will share in the glory to be revealed.” (1 Pet 5:1).  Peter spoke of his sharing in the glory as something yet future that would eventually be revealed.  As an elder, Peter was a man who displayed godly character.  We can clearly see that in the book of Acts in the first 10 chapters. Yet he spoke in the future tense of sharing in the glory to be revealed.

Peter also spoke of the Spirit of God as the Spirit of Glory, saying, “The Spirit of glory…rests on you.” (1 Pet 4:14).  So we see that this glorious Spirit already rests upon us presently.  Yet there is an aspect that is yet future.  What is it?

Paul said, “When Christ, who is your life appears, then you will also appear with Him in glory” (Col 3:4).  From this we see that Christ will appear one day in the glory of the Father and His angels.  When that occurs, then we who believe in Christ will appear with Him in glory.  This is not a present state, but a very specific reference to a future event.

Paul also referred to “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col 1:27).  Christ in us presently is the hope of a glory that is yet future. If we already radiated glory in its fullness, then we would not hope for it.  Who hopes for something he already has?  But we hope for what we do not yet have.

While our final glorified state is yet future, Paul indicated that we do presently reflect the Lord’s glory in part. He said that our transformation into Christ’s likeness is happening in such a way that causes us to increasingly reflect His glory more and more.  “We who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Cor 3:18).

Paul said that if the Lord knew us before we were born, He predestined us to be conformed to the likeness of Jesus.  And if He predestined us, He also called us by name to serve Him.  If He called us, He also justified us.  “Those he justified he also glorified.” (Rom 8:30).  This is an amazing thing that we have been given in Christ by God.  But there is still something much greater to come that is yet future.  Paul spoke of  “The glory that will be revealed in us.” (Rom 8:18). He also said “We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God” (Rom 5:2).  Both of these statements refer to something that has not happened yet. 

Even Jesus, while on earth, prayed, “Father, the time has come.  Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you…I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.  And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.” (Jn 17:1,4,5).  First of all, since we know He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, we know that His character never changed. (Heb 13:8)  Yet we see that Jesus did not claim to be in a glorified state, but spoke of the glory He previously had with the Father (past tense), and the glory he would have in the presence of the Father (a future state). 

This is why we certainly cannot claim to have the fullness of the glory of God, nor can we claim we will have it until Christ is revealed.  Even Jesus didn’t claim to possess it while walking the earth, and we know his character was impeccable.  Therefore, the glory of God is not the character of God.  Rather, glory reflects ones true character.

Bright Eyes, Light-filled Bodies, and the Kingdom of God
The holy angels who come from the Lord’s presence carry His glory, which is visible upon their bodies. One example is when an angel of the Lord appeared and announced our Savior’s birth to the shepherds staying out in the fields of Bethlehem, and keeping watch over their flock by night. “And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.” (Luk 2:9)

Brother Daniel Ekechukwu experienced a terrible car accident in Nigeria in December 2001.  While he was in the ambulance, being taken to the hospital after the accident, he died.  Two angels appeared to him.  He said their appearance terrified him.  They wore bright white robes that appeared to be attached to their bodies and the pupils of their eyes were white.

Jesus said that if our eyes were good then our whole body would be filled with light.  The reason is that our eye is the lamp of the body.  He said that if our eye is bad then our body would be filled with darkness.  He went on to say, “see to it that the light within you is not darkness.” (Lk 11:35)

So from this passage we learn that there is supposed to be light within our bodies.  This is God’s purpose.  But it depends on the quality of the eye.  In the natural, a person whose eyes are bad (or who is blind) sees nothing but darkness.  But when our eyes are good, we see the light around us as it enters our eyes and reaches the optical nerves, sending signals to our brain to interpret the images we’ve seen.  Likewise, in the spirit, if we are able to see well spiritually, then our whole body will be full of light.  Jesus concluded saying, “Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be completely lighted, as when the light of a lamp shines on you.” (Lk 11:36).

This final state that Jesus described indicates how we will appear if our whole body is full of light and no part of it dark.  When that happens, then our whole body will be completely lighted.  In fact he said it would be like the light of a lamp is shining on us.  Clearly he meant our bodily appearance would be visibly affected.

On the contrary, when someone is filled with wickedness, they will not have this bodily appearance.  We have all seen someone who is living in sin and depravation, and it seems they have an actual darkness about them.  In order to understand this phenomenon, it is helpful to see an illustration in real life.  First we find an example of those whose eyes were bad in Luke 11:37-54.  The Pharisees wanted to look bright and clean and to have their cups and dishes look that way also.  So they cleaned the outside.  But Jesus said they were full of greed and wickedness, which is darkness.  So they were going about it backwards.  If they would rid themselves of the darkness in their hearts, they would be bright and clean on the outside.  But it all began with the eye, and their eyes were bad.  As we read the rest of the passage, it is clear that they did not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ. They were blinded.  That’s why they “opposed Jesus fiercely, besieged him with questions, and waited to catch him in something he might say.” (Lk 11:53,54)

Now for an illustration from real life of someone who had good eyes and whose body was full of light.  For that we turn back to Lk 9:28-33.  Jesus’ eyes were good and, of course, His whole body was full of light.  But he took upon Himself the nature of a servant. He was made in human likeness being found in appearance as a man.  Just as the angels can allow men to see their glory or not, so Jesus chose not to allow His glory to be seen.  He also told demons to hush when they declared who he was.  And when he healed people, he told them not to tell anyone who did it.

But he told His disciples that He would come in His glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” (Lk 9:26).  That coming will usher in the kingdom of God visibly into the world.  For He went on to say, “Some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.” (Lk 9:27).  The way Mark recorded it, Jesus said, “Some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power” (Mark 9:1).

Only 8 days later, “He took Peter, James, and John up onto a mountain to pray.  As He was praying, the appearance of His face changed, and His clothes became as bright as a flash of lighting.” (Lk 9:28, 29).  Mark recorded that “His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them”  (Mk. 9:3).  So these three disciples got to see the kingdom of God before they tasted death, just as Jesus said.  They saw the kingdom of God as Jesus allowed them to see His glory. It says, “They saw His glory and the two men standing with Him.” (v. 30).

Peter, James, and John were the closest disciples of Jesus.  They had walked with Him for nearly 3 ½ years at this point and knew Him.  They had seen His holy, loving, and merciful character every day.  But now for the first time they saw His glory.

Moses and Elijah also appeared with Him in “glorious splendor” speaking about His departure.  So we find here a perfect example of those whose eyes are good, whose bodies are completely lighted as when the light of a lamp shines upon them. 

Does this mean I can have that today?  What’s the practical application for my life?  Well, to a certain degree, I can have this today. 

A Modern Day Transfiguration
Dr. Richard Wurmbrand once told of his experience in the communist Romanian prison, where he was confined for fourteen years for his faith in Jesus Christ, because he was a pastor.  There were others in the prison, too, besides Christians, including political dissidents and capitalists.  During his years in solitary confinement, kept in a dark, sound proof cell underground, there were times when the Light of Christ appeared to him.  And later when he was put into a common cell with about two hundred other prisoners, there was a Christian peasant there who had determined to lead one particular professor from the Royal Academy of Science to Christ, who was also a prisoner in that cell.

The professor would ask the peasant some challenging questions, many of which he could not answer, while others stood around them in a circle listening.  And one time brother Wurmbrand heard the peasant say that although he may not be able to answer all those questions, He knew Jesus was real, because he walked with Him.

The professor ridiculed him, saying that it is impossible to walk with Jesus, since He lived far away in Palestine two thousand years ago.  He said that even if he were to give the peasant a globe, he could not even point to Palestine on it. And besides that, he said, Jesus is supposed to be in heaven, which is millions of light years away, so it would be impossible for him to walk with Jesus here on earth.

The peasant replied, “You may be right in your thinking, but I walk with Jesus.  I talk with Jesus. I see Jesus.”

The professor was really indignant.  “You dare to say that you see Jesus?”

He replied, “Yes, sir. I see Him.”

He continued to ridicule him further by saying, “You say that you see Jesus. How does Jesus look to you? Indignant? Annoyed? Bored? Indifferent? Happy to see you? Or does He sometimes smile at you

The peasant replied, “Sir, how did you guess? He sometimes smiles at me.”

The professor laughed, “Jesus smiles at you?” He said to all the prisoners, “What a stupid thing! This man says that Jesus smiles at him.”  He turned to the peasant, “Jesus smiles at you?”

“Yes He does,” replied the farmer.

So the professor said to him, “Show me how Jesus smiles.”

Brother Wurmbrand says that all the prisoners were hungry, ugly, due to malnourishment, they were unwashed, and there faces were like scarecrows.  Their faces were only skin and bones with dark circles under their eyes. They wore the uniform of prisoners.  They were very, very ugly – unimaginably ugly. But when the peasant smiled at the professor to show what Jesus looks like when He smiles at him, his face shone with the glory of God. Brother Wurmbrand says it was like the transfiguration of Jesus before His disciples on the mount, and it was the most beautiful episode he had ever seen in his entire life.  The peasant began to shine and a gorgeous smile appeared on his face, as he radiated the light of God’s glory that is in the face of Christ.  Brother Wurmbrand said that he had seen many smiles in his lifetime, but never one so beautiful as the peasant’s smile that day. There was so much yearning in this smile, and so much compassion for the lost soul whom he had near him, and so much desire to see him saved, and so much love and so much goodness.  The whole splendor of heaven was in this smile. And the professor bowed his head and said, “Sir, you have seen Jesus.”  (See Dr. Wurmbrand tell the story here.)

That simple peasant had walked with the Lord and had seen Jesus.  He radiated His glory on that day supernaturally when he smiled.  That was a supernatural manifestation, which God can do anytime through the earthen vessels of His servants here on earth.

So I can experience this today, if the Lord wills it. Then ultimately in my glorified state, I will appear fully glorified.  “When He appears, we shall be like Him.” For the time being though, I am being changed from glory to glory in a gradual way.  And since Jesus was telling the truth, I will experience the light of His glory now to the extent that my eyes are good, and to the extent that I rid myself of all darkness.  Then one day I will be completely glorified (Rom 8:30).

What will my body be like?  The “sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another, and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.” (1 Cor 15:41). The word we translate as “splendor” here is doxa, which means glory.  Notice that the sun, moon, and stars all have a splendid light, or a glory, about them.  But they vary in intensity and brightness.  Likewise, my final glorified state will have a splendid light, a glory, about it.  Its intensity and brightness will be in proportion to the extent I follow the Lord in obedience now and walk in the light during this earthly journey.  As Dale Rumble once said, “The garments we’ll wear for eternity are the ones we’re weaving today.”

“See to it then that the light within you is not darkness.” (Lk 11:35).

Suffering Produces Glory
The apostle Paul’s life was full of sufferings like persecution, afflictions, hardships, distresses, beatings, imprisonments, tumults, labors, sleeplessness, and hunger. He said he was “always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus.” ( 2 Cor 4:10a). He also said,  “We who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake.” (2 Cor 4:11a). But he did not get discouraged by his sufferings, because he knew they were producing glory.

“Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2Co 4:16-18)

All the sufferings we experience for the sake of the Lord and for the gospel are producing an eternal weight of glory that we will enjoy in heaven far beyond any comparison to our sufferings. In fact, our sufferings here on earth are merely light and momentary compared with the eternal weight of glory to be revealed in us one day.  So if we want to experience that glory, we must not be afraid to suffer for the Lord.

Also see Seeking Glory from God.

Radiating the Light of God’s Glory
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His Powerful word.” (Heb 1:3)  Jesus is described as the radiance of God’s glory.  The Greek word for radiance is apaugasma, which means radiance or effulgence.  Effulgence is a brilliant radiance.  So apaugasma may be seen as a brilliant radiance.  In this passage, the writer says Jesus is the apaugasma  tas doxas, which is the brilliant radiance of the glory of God. The church fathers (Origen, Gregory of Nyssa, Theodoret, and Chrysostom) said that the Greek meaning of this verse was phos ek photos, which means Light out of Light or Light from Light.  That’s what Jesus is.  He described Himself as the Light.

“The light shines in the darkness…The true Light that gives light to every man was coming into the world…We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son.” (Jn 1:5,9,14).

The apostles who walked with Jesus saw His glory.  And we see that same glory with the eyes of our hearts, when we believe in Jesus.  “For God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness,’ is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” (2Co 4:6)  Where there was once darkness within, now there is the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God. 

God is the One who has shone in our hearts, just as He caused light to shine out of darkness at the creation. Until He did so, we were all perishing as unbelievers, and the god of this world had blinded our minds, so that we could not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ. “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2Co 4:3-4)

Saul of Tarsus was one unbeliever, who was perishing and could not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ. Yet the Lord in His mercy revealed Himself to Saul on the road to Damascus, and the Lord’s glory is so bright that when Saul saw Him in the brilliance of the noonday, the Lord’s glory blinded him.  “Suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.” (Acts 9:3).  Afterward, “Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing.” (Acts 9:8).  The glory that the Lord radiates is far brighter than the sun.

Perhaps one of the most powerful passages in the Bible is in Revelation 1.  There the apostle John described what the glorified Lord Jesus looked like when he saw Him on the Isle of Patmos. 

“And among the seven lamp stands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest.  His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.  His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of rushing waters.  In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp double-edged sword.  His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance” (Rev. 1:16).

When John saw Jesus like this he fell at His feet as though dead.  Who can see the glory of God’s face and live?  Who can see Jesus in this glorified state and not be forever changed.  The brilliant light in his eyes and body is unlike anything we have ever seen. 

We shall be Like Him
Yet we will be like Him when He appears.  John said, “What we will be has not yet been made known.  But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself” (1 Jn 3:2,3).  We who believe in Jesus have this hope in us of seeing Jesus as He is, and being made like Him.  As John said, we purify ourselves in preparation for it.  Until then, we continue to reflect his glory in an ever increasing way as we do the good works He created us to do.

Putting it All Together
As the Scripture reveals to us, glory is something visible.  As Dr. Rodman Williams states, “The divine glory is the radiant splendor and awesome majesty of God Himself. Glory is not so much a particular attribute but the effulgence of splendor and majesty that shines through in every aspect of God's being and action.” 

We give glory to God by completing the good works He has given each of us to do.   This includes spending time in the Lord’s presence and speaking with the Him.  When God gives glory to man it affects his appearance, making his face positively radiant.  When we walk in the light, that light is reflected and seen in our being.  Those who walk in darkness cannot experience this divine glory.  In fact, they cannot experience glory at all, except in some temporal, worldly sense, such as that associated with fame, fortune, power, and physical beauty.

But the path of the righteous is like the dawn, shining ever brighter until the full day.  As our character is gradually transformed to become more like Christ’s, there is a gradual increase in his divine glory upon us.  Glory follows godly character, but is not itself that character. 

In the kingdom of God, Jesus rules and reigns supreme.   Because of that, His glory is evident in His kingdom.  When the disciples saw His kingdom, they saw His glory, and it was brighter than the sun.  While the glory of God is something that we can experience now, there is a future consummation of glory in the world to come for those who know Christ.  The deepest longing of mankind is to see God Himself, and that will be fulfilled when we see his face.

Attribution notice: Most Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, unless otherwise noted.

Author's Note: If you enjoyed this article, you may also like: Light of the World, Being a Light in a Dark World, The Bodily Form of the Lord Jesus Christ, Seeking Glory from God, and For the Glory of God Alone. 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 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?"

_________________________________________________

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.

Jesus is Yehova

I have written previously about The Name of Jesus.  In that post, I mentioned that Jesus equated Himself with the "I AM" name God gave Himself in Exodus 3:14.  Let's dig deeper into that truth and find more treasures of wisdom in God's Word.

Here is what transpired as Moses was kneeling barefoot before the burning bush.

Then Moses said to God, "Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you.' Now they may say to me, 'What is His name?' What shall I say to them?" God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM"; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" (Exo 3:13-14)

Anyone who is acquainted with the account of the burning bush knows that God identified Himself to Moses there as "I AM." In Hebrew, this name יהוה 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, YHVH.  This is referred to in Hebrew as "HaShem," meaning "The Name." YHVH, the Almighty One of Isra'El refers to Himself by Name.  Rather than pronounce it, the Jews preferred to say instead, "the Lord."  For the purpose of this article, I will spell the holy name of the Lord reverently as "Yehova."  However, we may just as well have spelled it "Yahveh," so I am not saying it must be one or the other.

Now let's jump ahead to the conversation Jesus had with the Jews in the first century. "Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I AM.'" (Joh 8:58).

When He said, "I AM," He described Himself with the same name that God used when He identified Himself by name at the burning bush.  Although Jesus spoke in Aramaic, His words here are recorded in Greek in the gospel of John as "Ἐγώ εἰμι" or "Egō eimi," which means "I AM."

In the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament, called the Septuagint, God identified Himself to Moses with the words, "Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ὤν" or "Egō eimi ho ōn," which literally means "I AM He Who" or "I AM Who I AM."

Therefore, in both the burning bush account and the gospel account of Jesus speaking to the Jews, the same name "Egō eimi" or "I AM" is used.

It is interesting to note that in the garden of Gethsemane, when Judas came with the Roman cohort and the commander and the officers of the Jews to arrest Jesus, He asked them, “Whom do you seek?”  They replied, “Jesus of Nazareth.”  And when He said, “I AM,” the Scripture says they all drew back and fell to the ground (Joh 18:6).  In the modern English versions, it may say, “I AM He,” but the Greek simply says “eimi” meaning “I AM.” It seems they were so stunned when He spoke this that it had the effect of knocking them to the ground, as if the power of God hit them.  In fact, it so immobilized them that He had to ask them a second time whom they were seeking, once again confirming His identity to them, and inviting them to come and arrest Him.

Furthermore, when Jesus said, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me (Lk 4:18), He was reading from Isaiah 61:1, which begins with “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me.”  In this verse, the prophet Isaiah used the word "Yehova," which would be read aloud as "Lord."  Therefore, Jesus meant, "The Spirit of Yehova is upon Me."

When Jesus said, "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath" (Lk 6:5), His hearers would have recalled that God gave them the fourth commandment with the words, "the seventh day is a Sabbath to Yehova your God." (Ex 20:10).  So once again Jesus identified Himself as Yehova, when He said He is "Yehova of the Sabbath." 

When John the Baptist came preaching repentance in the wilderness, Matthew said, “For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet. When he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, “Make ready the way of the Lord, make His paths straight!” (Mt 3:3). The prophet Isaiah said, “Prepare the way for Yehova.” (Is 40:3). John was preaching that people should repent to prepare the way for Yehova, meaning the Lord Jesus.

Another example is when Jesus said, “For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘Blesses is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” (Mt 23:39). He was quoting the psalmist who said, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of Yehova. From the house of Yehova we bless you.” (Ps 118:26). Jesus came in the name of Yehova. Think about what that means.

Likewise see Acts 4:26, in which the disciples of Christ prayed regarding the Lord Jesus, according to Psalm 2:1,2, which also refers to Yehova.

When the apostle Paul said, “That if you confess with your mouth ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved," (Rom 10:9), he went on to say, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Rom 10:13). He was quoting the prophet Joel, who said, “Everyone who calls on the name of Yehova will be saved” (Joel 2:32).  Therefore, to say “Jesus is Lord” is to say “Jesus is Yehova”! To use His Hebrew name, we would more correctly say, “Yeshua is Yehova.” Or to use a variant spelling, “Yahshua is Yehova.” 

In this article, I have given just a few examples, but there are many other Scriptures that also confirm my premise.  The name of the Lord is Yehova, and Jesus is Yehova.  He manifested the name of the Father to His disciples.  If there were a higher name, then God would have told us.  But the Scriptures say that this name, Jesus, is the name above all names.  "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)

 Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. "King of Kings" painting © 2012 Danny Hahlbohm, all rights reserved by the artist.  

Author's note:  I recommend reading my companion article The Name of Jesus. Other related articles include Yehova as Both Father and Husband to the Hebrews, Is Jesus God?, Christ the Beginning, 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.

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?"

_________________________________________________

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?"

_________________________________________________

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.

Candle in the Dark

I recently watched a movie about the life of William Carey, called Candle in the Dark. It was excellent. I knew he had made great sacrifices to take the gospel to India, but never realized all he went through.

He was a cobbler in England, who lived from 1761 to 1834 -- an era when the Protestant church didn't believe that Christians had a responsibility to take the gospel to the nations. But he saw it differently. He wrote a booklet that made the case from Scripture that the disciples of Christ have a responsibility to reach other nations for Christ. He taught that in order to reach other nations for Christ, we need to cooperate, organize ourselves, and plan strategically.

He would not simply sit back in his own comfort zone, and wait for God, in His sovereignty, to get the gospel out to the nations. He said, “Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God.” His motto was: Begin with prayer, asking God to do great things in your own life and in the lives of others. Then act on those prayers, attempting great things for God as you expect great things from Him.

And he practiced what he preached. He became the first Protestant missionary, leaving his homeland with his wife and children to take the gospel to India. Although he lost his wife and one child, who succumbed to deadly diseases, he remained obedient to the Lord. During his forty years in India, he translated the Bible into many Indian languages, printed Bibles, and established schools, as well as a college that offered theological training. He also helped bring about the abolition of Sati, the traditional Indian practice of burning widows on their husbands' funeral pyres.

There is still so much work to be done today to complete the Great Commission of Jesus, who commanded His disciples to "make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." (Mt 28:19). America was once the greatest missionary-sending nation on earth. Yet sadly today many Americans spend more money on their pets than they do on missions.

There are a few, a remnant, who are passionate about taking the gospel to the nations. They understand that we need to cooperate, organize ourselves, and plan strategically for these ventures to do so. If you are not presently involved, let me encourage you to pray and ask the Lord how He wants to use you.

I encourage you to pick up a copy of this "Candle in the Dark" movie online, and watch it. You won't be disappointed, and the Lord may use it to give you a fresh passion for fulfilling the Great Commission.

We should all be involved in making disciples among the people around us. But regarding foreign missions, some are called to go, others are called to give, and still others to pray. Ask the Lord what your role is in this exciting end times harvest.

Jesus said, "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come." (Mat 24:14). His words will be fulfilled. Will you be a part of it? Will you be a candle in the dark?

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, 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?"

_________________________________________________

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.