The Name Above All Names

From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture speaks about the name of the Lord, which is a unique name unlike any other. I would like to cover some of those passages here in this article, so get ready, because this is going to be powerful.

Men began to call on the Lord's name
It was in the days of Seth's son Enosh that men began to call upon the name of the LORD. (Gen 4:26). This is interesting, since Enosh was the third generation from Adam, so it seems like it took a while before this practice started. Of course, Adam had a relationship with the Lord God, and before the fall, God would walk in the garden during the cool of the day and talk with Adam (Gen 3:8). Later on after the fall, Adam's son Abel sacrificed offerings to the Lord. But the first reference to men in general calling upon the name of the Lord was during the days of Enosh.

His Name is Immanuel
The name Immanuel means "God with us", and that is the name of Jesus, who was born of a virgin. "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." (Isa 7:14).

He'll Be Called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father...
The prophet Isaiah foretold, "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isa 9:6)

From the Womb He Has Spoken My Name
God actually spoke the name of Jesus while He was still in the womb. Isaiah prophesied about Christ with these words:

"Listen to me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations: Before I was born the LORD called Me; from my mother's womb He has spoken My name." (Isa 49:1)

This passage is part of the Servant Song about the Messiah beginning in Isaiah 42, which some people mistakenly assume is referring to Israel or to the prophet Isaiah. The things that are said of the Lord's Servant indicate that they are speaking of Christ.

His Name is Jesus (Yeshua)
The angel Gabriel gave this news to the virgin Mary:

"But the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.'" (Luk 1:30-31)

"On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived." (Luk 2:21)

Salvation in His Name

Paul the apostle wrote that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved:

"If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, "Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame." For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Rom 10:9-13)

Peter said on the day of Pentecost who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved:

"And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Act 2:21)

He was quoting the prophet Joel who said:

"And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has said, even among the survivors whom the LORD calls." (Joe 2:32)

In the passage from Joel, the fact that the Bible publisher printed the name of the LORD all in CAPS means that the original Hebrew word in this passage is YHWH or Yehova (also spelled Jehova). Thus we see in Joel that everyone who calls upon the name of Yehova will be saved, and Peter cites this passage with reference to the Lord Jesus, which indicates that Jesus is Yehova.

My Name is the LORD
Yehova says, "I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols." (Isa 42:8). Again, the fact that LORD is all in CAPS means that the Hebrew word is Yehova, so He is saying, "I am Yehova; that is My name!"

Protection by the Power of the Name Given to Jesus by the Father
In His high priestly prayer on the night He was betrayed, Jesus prayed to the Father:

"I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled." (Joh 17:11-12)

From this passage we learn that the name of Jesus is also the Father's name, which the Father gave to Him. During His days on earth, Jesus protected His disciples by that name, and now He was praying that after His departure from this world that the Father would continue to protect His disciples by that same name.

Likewise, David wrote: "May the LORD answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you." (Psa 20:1)

The Name Above All Names
The apostle Paul wrote that the Father gave to Jesus the name above all names:

"Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Php 2:9-11)

No Other Name by which to be Saved
Peter said that salvation is found in no other name:

"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved." (Act 4:12)

Preaching Repentance and Forgiveness in Jesus' Name
Jesus said: "repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." (Luk 24:47)

Repent and be baptized in His Name for the Forgiveness of Your Sins
Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, 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)

Life in His Name
The apostle John said that by believing in Jesus as the Messiah, you may have life in His name.

"But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name." (Joh 20:31)

Cast out Demons, Heal the Sick, Speak in Tongues, Do Miracles in Jesus' Name
Here are the signs that follow those who believe in the Lord:

"And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." (Mar 16:17-18)

Healing in Jesus' Name
Peter said of the lame man who was healed:

"By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see." (Act 3:16)

"...then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed." (Act 4:10)

Those Who Call on His Name
Ananias was the brother who laid hands on Saul of Tarsus when he first came to Christ. Up to that point Saul had been persecuting those who call on the name of Jesus.

"Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name." (Act 9:13-14)

Suffering for the Name of Jesus
The Lord told Ananias that Saul, later called Paul, would suffer for the name of Jesus:

"But the Lord said to Ananias, 'Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.'" (Act 9:15-16)

Endure Hardships for His Name
We must endure hardships for Jesus' name. Jesus told the Church in Ephesus:

"You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary." (Rev 2:3)

Remaining True to His Name
We must remain true to Jesus' name. He said to the Church in Pergamum:

"I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives." (Rev 2:13)

Don't Deny His Name
We must not deny His name. Jesus said to the Church in Philadelphia:

"I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name." (Rev 3:8)

Ask the Father in Jesus' Name
"Jesus promised His disciples He would do whatever they ask the Father in His name:

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it." (Joh 14:12-14)

"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you." (Joh 15:16)

"In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete." (Joh 16:23-24)

"In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God." (Joh 16:26-27)

Not Everyone Who Calls Him Lord Enters the Kingdom of Heaven
Jesus warned us that not everyone who calls Him Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of the Father in heaven:

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" (Mat 7:21-23).

Notice that He said many people who call Jesus their Lord, who prophesy in His name and cast out demons in His name, will not enter the kingdom of heaven, because they are evildoers in His sight, who do not do the will of the Father in heaven.

Purified Lips to Call Upon His Name
The Lord said we need purified lips in order to call upon His name:

"Then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD and serve him shoulder to shoulder." (Zep 3:9)

Jesus is Present Where Two or Three Gather in His Name
Jesus said He would be present whenever two or three gather in His name:

"For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them." (Mat 18:20)

Beware of False Christs Coming in Jesus' Name
Jesus warned: "For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Messiah,' and will deceive many." (Mat 24:5; cf. Mar 13:6; Luk 21:8)

Welcome Little Children in Jesus' Name
Jesus said, "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me." (Mar 9:37; cf. Luk 9:48)

Those Doing Miracles in Jesus' Name
"Do not stop him," Jesus said. "For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me," (Mar 9:39)

Give a Cup of Water in Jesus' Name
Jesus said that He would surely reward those who give a cup of water to one of His disciple because they belong to Him. He said:

"Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward." (Mar 9:41)

The Father Sends the Spirit in Jesus' Name
Jesus said the Father would send the Spirit in Jesus' name. He said:

"But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." (Joh 14:26)

Pronouncing Blessings in His Name
The Levite tribe pronounced blessings in the name of the Lord and we should do so, too, if we know the Lord.

"At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister and to pronounce blessings in his name, as they still do today." (Deu 10:8)

Speaking in His Name
The prophets of the Lord spoke and prophesied in His name.  Jeremiah said he could not keep from speaking the word in the Lord's name:

"But if I say, 'I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,' his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot." (Jer 20:9)

Living Securely in His Name
"I will strengthen them in the LORD and in his name they will live securely," declares the LORD. (Zec 10:12)

Believe in His Name
If you believe in Jesus' name, God gives you the right to become His child. John wrote:

"Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—" (Joh 1:12)

Many Believed in His Name
In the early days of Jesus' earthly ministry, many believed in His name.

"Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name." (Joh 2:23)

Saved by His Name
David prayed, "Save me, O God, by your name; vindicate me by your might." (Psa 54:1)

"Then I called on the name of the LORD: 'LORD, save me!'" (Psa 116:4)

Put Your Hope in His Name
"In his name the nations will put their hope." (Mat 12:21)

Our Help is in His Name
David prayed, "Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth." (Psa 124:8)

His Name is Good
"For what you have done I will always praise you in the presence of your faithful people. And I will hope in your name, for your name is good." (Psa 52:9)

His Name is Majestic
David sang: "LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens." (Psa 8:1)

His Name is Exalted
"Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens." (Psa 148:13)

His Name Reaches To The Ends Of The Earth
"Like your name, O God, your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is filled with righteousness." (Psa 48:10)

His Name Endures Forever
Solomon prayed, "May His name endure forever; may it continue as long as the sun. Then all nations will be blessed through him, and they will call him blessed." (Psa 72:17)

His Name is Holy
David prayed, "Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits— who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion," (Psa 103:1-4)

Since His name is holy, and since it is in His name that we have all these benefits -- like forgiveness of sins, healing from diseases, redemption from the pit, and being crowned with love and compassion -- we should praise His name.

Seek His Name
Asaph prayed, "Cover their faces with shame, LORD, so that they will seek your name... Let them know that you, whose name is the LORD— that you alone are the Most High over all the earth." (Psa 83:16, 18).

Love His Name
The Lord promised a blessing upon those who love His name. He promised to bring them to His holy mountain, to give them joy in His house of prayer, and to accept their offerings and sacrifices on His altar. He said:

"And foreigners who bind themselves to the LORD to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be his servants, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant— these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations." (Isa 56:6-7).

Notice that these people don't simply love His name, they bind themselves to Him 1) to minister to Him, 2) to love His name, and 3) to be His servants; they keep His Sabbath without desecrating it and they hold fast to His covenant.

Praise His Name with Dancing
"Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with timbrel and harp." (Psa 149:3)

Praise His Name in Song
David said, "I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving." (Psa 69:30)

"Praise the LORD. Praise the name of the LORD; praise him, you servants of the LORD, you who minister in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God. Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; sing praise to his name, for that is pleasant." (Psa 135:1-3)

Praise His Name
David prayed, "I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your unfailing love and your faithfulness, for you have so exalted your solemn decree that it surpasses your fame." (Psa 138:2)

"Let the name of the LORD be praised, both now and forevermore." (Psa 113:2)

Extol His Name Forever
"I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever." (Psa 145:1-2)

Rejoice In His Name All Day Long
Ethan the Ezrahite prayed, "Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim You, who walk in the light of Your presence, LORD. They rejoice in Your name all day long; they celebrate Your righteousness." (Psa 89:15-16)

Glory In His Holy Name
We should glory in His holy name and proclaim His name:

"Give praise to the LORD, proclaim His name; make known among the nations what He has done. Sing to Him, sing praise to Him tell of all His wonderful acts. Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. Look to the LORD and His strength; seek His face always. Remember the wonders He has done, His miracles, and the judgments He pronounced," (Psa 105:1-5)

To His Name Alone Be the Glory
"Not to us, LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness." (Psa 115:1)

Putting it All Together
The name of Jesus is the most wonderful of all names. Scripture teaches us that His name is Immanuel -- God with us. He is called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. From the time He was in the womb God has spoken His name, which is Jesus (Yeshua), the name above all names. There is no other name by which we must be saved. Salvation is found in His name, which is Yehova (Jehova).

We preach repentance and forgiveness in Jesus' name, telling all men that they must repent and be baptized in His name for the forgiveness of their sins. We cast out demons, heal the sick, speak in tongues, and do miracles in Jesus' name. There is life in His name, healing in His name, and deliverance in His name.

All of us who truly follow Jesus are those who call on His name. Many believe in His name. However, not everyone who calls Him "Lord" enters the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of the Father in heaven. We must suffer for His name, endure hardships for His name, remain true to His name, ask the Father in His name. We must not deny His name.

God purifies our lips so that we may call upon Jesus' name. Jesus is present where two or three gather in His name. We must beware of false Christs coming in His name. We must welcome little children in Jesus' name. When we give a cup of water to a disciple of Christ in Jesus' name, we will not lose our reward for it.

The Father sends the Spirit in Jesus' name, so ask Him to do so. We pronouncing blessings in His name, we speak in His name, we live securely in His name, we believe in His name, we are saved by His name, we put our hope in His name. Our help is in His name.

His name is holy, it is good, it is majestic, it is exalted, it reaches to the ends of the earth, it endures forever. We seek His name and love His name. We praise His name, even with dancing and songs. We extol His name forever. We rejoice in His name all day long. We glory in His holy name. To His name alone be the glory.

Attribution notice: Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible NIV, copyright Zondervan, used by permission.The image may be subject to copyright, used per the Fair Use Act for educational and commentary purposes.

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, I invite you to read my articles The Name of Jesus, Jesus is Yehova, If My People Who Are Called by My Name, The Titles of Christ, Repentance That Leads to Life, Seeking Him in the Wee Hours of the Night, Crying Out to God Loudly, Lifting Your Face in Prayer, and Lifting Hands in Prayer. You may find the Main Directory for this blog at Home, and you may also access 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 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.

The Bodily Form of God the Father

Artist's depiction of twenty four-elders around the throne

Prior to His incarnation, Jesus was always the Word and was always with God, self-existent from the beginning.  John says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God…And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (Joh 1:1-2, 14)

We know from Scripture that Jesus has a body now, because took on human likeness when He was born (Phil 2:7).  There was a definite point in time when the Word became flesh (Joh 1:14), and that body of His was crucified on the cross.  We also know that He subsequently rose from the dead after three days, and appeared to His disciples in a body made of flesh and bone, which they could touch.  In that body, He could eat food and walk through locked doors.  He could materialize and dematerialize at will.  He also ascended to heaven in the body right before the eyes of His disciples.  Now He sits at the right hand of God in His glorified body.  While He still has that eternal, corporal body, we know that the Church is His Body on earth indwelled by the Holy Spirit (Eph 1:23; 4:12; 5:30).  All of these are well-known, elementary truths of the Word.

However, did you know that the Father in heaven also has a bodily form?  Some people think that He does not have a form, because the Scripture says God, who is Spirit, is invisible and that no one has ever seen God (Joh 4:24; Col. 1:15; 1Ti. 1:17).

It's true that Jesus did say, “And the Father who sent Me, He has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form.” (Joh 5:37)  Yet when He spoke of "the form" of the Father, He did not deny that the Father has a form, but merely said that those to whom He was speaking had never seen it. The Greek word for “form” is “eidos” meaning “1) the external or outward appearance, form figure, shape; 2) form, kind” (Thayer).

The Father does have a form, figure, or outward appearance. In fact, Moses beheld the form of the LORD in the pillar of cloud.  In the account of Aaron and Miriam's sin of criticizing Moses, God said of Moses, "With him I speak mouth to mouth, Even openly, and not in dark sayings, And he beholds the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid To speak against My servant, against Moses?" (Num 12:8). 

In fact, there was one occasion when not only Moses, but also Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of the elders saw God up on the mountain. Scripture says, "Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself. Yet He did not stretch out His hand against the nobles of the sons of Israel; and they saw God, and they ate and drank." (Exo 24:9-11). This proves that it is possible to see God.

Jesus said, "Not that anyone has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father.” (Joh 6:46).  Up to that point, nobody on earth had seen the Father, except for the instances I just mentioned, because God allowed it.  But Jesus did affirm that He had seen the Father, indicating that the Father can be seen by those in heaven.

We know that the Father is in heaven, according to Jesus, who always referred to Him as such the heavenly Father or the Father in heaven (Mat. 5:16,45; 6:1,9; 7:11,21; 10:32,33; 12:50; 16:17; 18:10,14,19; 23:9; Mark 11:25,26; 13:32; Luke 10:21; 15:18,21).  And we know that He is shrouded with a cloud of glory, encircled by pure light.  But He does condescend to commune with man, since that was the purpose for which He created man.  And that means He can reveal Himself to man in such a way that man can relate to and comprehend.  So let’s look at Scripture to find evidence of God’s form, even prior to the incarnation of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Face of God
The Scriptures speak of God's face:

Moses spoke to God face to face. "Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses returned to the camp, his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent." (Exo 33:11)

Do not hide Your face from me, Do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; Do not abandon me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation! (Psa 27:9)

God be gracious to us and bless us, And cause His face to shine upon us. (Psa 67:1)

Jesus said, “"See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven.” (Mat 18:10).  So even while Jesus was on earth, the angels in heaven were able to see the face of the Father in heaven continually. That means the Father’s face is visible to those in the spirit realm.

"For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and his ears attend to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."  (1Pe 3:12)

Also see Psa 10:11; 80:3; cf., 80:7,19; Eze 39:29; Dan 9:17; Isa 59:2.

Nostrils
The Scriptures speak of God's nostrils:

Smoke went up out of His nostrils, And fire from His mouth devoured; Coals were kindled by it.  (Psa 18:8)

Then the channels of water appeared, And the foundations of the world were laid bare At Your rebuke, O LORD, At the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.  (Psa 18:15)

"Who say, 'Keep to yourself, do not come near me, For I am holier than you!' These are smoke in My nostrils, A fire that burns all the day.  (Isa 65:5)

Eyes of God
The Scriptures speak of God's eyes:

"Behold, the eyes of the Lord GOD are on the sinful kingdom, And I will destroy it from the face of the earth; Nevertheless, I will not totally destroy the house of Jacob," Declares the LORD.  (Amo 9:8)

“Keep me as the apple of the eye; Hide me in the shadow of Your wings.” (Psa 17:8)

"Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see; and listen to all the words of Sennacherib, who sent them to reproach the living God.  (Isa 37:17)

"For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and his ears attend to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."  (1Pe 3:12)

“But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.” (Gen 6:8)

"For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. You have acted foolishly in this. Indeed, from now on you will surely have wars." (2Ch 16:9)

“The eyes of the LORD are in every place, Watching the evil and the good.” (Pro 15:3)

Also see Deu 11:12; Deu 21:9; Psa 34:15; Pro 5:21; 22:12; Zec 2:8; 4:10, as well as The Eyes of the Lord.

God’s Ear
The Scriptures speak of God's ear:

“Behold, the LORD'S hand is not so short That it cannot save; Nor is His ear so dull That it cannot hear.” (Isa 59:1)

“The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous And His ears are open to their cry.”  (Psa 34:15)

“Incline Your ear, O LORD, and answer me; For I am afflicted and needy.”  (Psa 86:1)

Also see 2Ki 19:16; Isa 37:17; Neh 1:11; Psa 10:17

Mouth of God
The Scriptures speak of God's mouth:

“Smoke went up out of His nostrils, And fire from His mouth devoured; Coals were kindled by it.” (Psa 18:8)

"He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD.” (Deu 8:3)

“By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, And by the breath of His mouth all their host.” (Psa 33:6)

“For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” (Pro 2:6)

"But if you refuse and rebel, You will be devoured by the sword." Truly, the mouth of the LORD has spoken. (Isa 1:20)

Psa 138:4; Isa 34:16; 40:5; 58:14; 62:2; Jer 9:12, 20; 23:16; Mic 4:4

God’s Head
The Scriptures speak of God's head:

"Gilead is Mine, Manasseh is Mine; Ephraim also is the helmet of My head; Judah is My scepter.”  (Psa 108:8)

God’s Arm
The Scriptures speak of God's arm:

Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; Awake as in the days of old, the generations of long ago. Was it not You who cut Rahab in pieces, Who pierced the dragon? (Isa 51:9)

“Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?”  (Isa 53:1; cf., Joh 12:38)

'You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out of there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the LORD your God commanded you to observe the sabbath day.” (Deu 5:15)

“O sing to the LORD a new song, For He has done wonderful things, His right hand and His holy arm have gained the victory for Him.” (Psa 98:1)

“Ah Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You,” (Jer 32:17)

Isa 30:30; 40:10; 48:14; 62:8; Deu 4:34; 7:19; 11:2; 26:8; Eze 20:33

Hand of God
The Scriptures speak of God's hand:

Behold, the LORD'S hand is not so short That it cannot save; Nor is His ear so dull That it cannot hear.  (Isa 59:1)

Then the LORD stretched out His hand and touched my mouth, and the LORD said to me, "Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.”  (Jer 1:9)

“As is Your name, O God, So is Your praise to the ends of the earth; Your right hand is full of righteousness.”  (Psa 48:10)

“Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” (Isa 41:10)

“So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.” (Mar 16:19)

But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; and he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." (Act 7:55-56)

Some prefer to believe the theologians, who think that the term "right hand" of God is simply figurative, meaning the place of authority.  If you believe that, then you need to read the section below on the apostle John's revelation of the throne.  The Father was actually holding something in his hand.

Also see Deu 4:34; Luk 22:69; Act 2:33; Act 5:31; Rom 8:34; Col 3:1; 1Pe 3:22; Heb 10:12; 12:2.

Finger of God
The Scriptures speak of God's finger:

“When He had finished speaking with him upon Mount Sinai, He gave Moses the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written by the finger of God.”  (Exo 31:18)

"The LORD gave me the two tablets of stone written by the finger of God; and on them were all the words which the LORD had spoken with you at the mountain from the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly.”  (Deu 9:10)

Jesus said, "But if I cast out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” (Luk 11:20; cf., Exo 8:19)

Feet of God
The Scriptures speak of God's feet:

"But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King.”  (Mat 5:34-35)

“Heaven is My throne, and earth is the footstool of My feet; what kind of house will you build for Me?' says the Lord, 'or what place is there for my repose?”  (Act 7:49; cf., Isa 66:1)

God’s Sandal
The Scriptures speak of God's sandal:

“Moab is my wash-pot; upon Edom will I cast My sandal; over Philistia will I shout aloud.” (Psa 108:9)

God’s Wings
The Scriptures speak of God's wings:

“Keep me as the apple of the eye; Hide me in the shadow of Your wings.”  (Psa 17:8)

“He will cover you with His pinions, And under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.” (Psa 91:4)

God's Back
The Scriptures speak of God's back:

Moses had asked to see God's glory. "But He said, 'You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!' Then the LORD said, 'Behold, there is a place by Me, and you shall stand there on the rock; and it will come about, while My glory is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by. Then I will take My hand away and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen.'" (Exo 33:20-23)

To See Jesus is to See the Father
The prophet Isaiah said, “In the year of King Uzziah's death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called out to another and said, ‘Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory.’ And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke. Then I said, ‘Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.’" (Isa 6:1-5)

Isaiah said, “I saw the Lord sitting on a throne.” He even saw His robe! He said, “My eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.”  Whom did he see?  Was it the Father or the Lord Jesus?  The apostle John said, “These things Isaiah said because he saw His glory, and he spoke of Him.” (Joh 12:41).  John said He saw the glory of Jesus, and that happened seven hundred years before the birth of Christ.  Jesus Himself said, "He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me.” (Joh 12:45)

The apostle writing to the Hebrews says that He is the radiance of His glory (He 1:3a).  So even before He had a body, He had glory with the Father in heaven, as Jesus Himself said (Jn 17:5).

The Prophet Ezekiel's Revelation of the Throne of God
The prophet Ezekiel also had a revelation of God's throne. In the opening of his first chapter, he describes the awesome appearance of the four living creatures that are always around the throne of God, and he described the One who is on the throne above the expanse that is over the heads of the four living creatures. You have to read the entire first chapter to get the full picture, but here is what he saw and recorded specifically about the throne:

"And there came a voice from above the expanse that was over their heads; whenever they stood still, they dropped their wings. Now above the expanse that was over their heads there was something resembling a throne, like lapis lazuli [sapphire] in appearance; and on that which resembled a throne, high up, was a figure with the appearance of a man. Then I noticed from the appearance of His loins and upward something like glowing metal that looked like fire all around within it, and from the appearance of His loins and downward I saw something like fire; and there was a radiance around Him. As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking." (Eze 1:25-28).

As we can see from this passage, there was a figure with the appearance of a man. The Hebrew word for "figure" is "shape", so we see that he was referring to the form of the one on the throne as resembling that of a man's appearance. In addition to all of the features of God's form that I have already described in this post, Ezekiel also described God's loins and upward appearing as glowing metal that looked like fire all around within it. He further described God's appearance from His loins and downward appearing as something like fire. Moreover, he described the appearance of the glory around the Lord as a radiance that surrounds Him, which resembles a rainbow in the clouds. What a glorious picture the prophet has given us of God's awesome and majestic figure!

The Apostle John’s Revelation of the Throne of God
The apostle John had a revelation of God's throne, too, which helps us to properly understand the Trinity. In order to do so, you must read Revelation chapters 4 and 5 together, where you will see the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  So I will quote the two chapters here in their entirety:

“After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, ‘Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.’ Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne. And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads. Out from the throne come flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God; and before the throne there was something like a sea of glass, like crystal; and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind. The first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like that of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.’ And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, ‘Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.’  (Rev 4:1-11)

In this fourth chapter of Revelation, John described One sitting on the throne, Who is called The Lord God, the Almighty, and seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. He saw the Father and the Holy Spirit. Then John continues in Revelation 5, where he describes Jesus.

“I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?’ And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it. Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it; and one of the elders *said to me, ‘Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.’ And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they *sang a new song, saying, ‘Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.’ Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, ‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.’ And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, ‘To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.’ And the four living creatures kept saying, ‘Amen.’ And the elders fell down and worshiped.” (Rev 5:1-14)

In this fifth chapter of Revelation, John stated that in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne was a book. The Father has actual hands!  Then John saw between the throne and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God.  The angel also described Him as the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David.  We know this is our Lord Jesus Christ. And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. If Jesus were the One whom John saw sitting on the throne in chapter four, He would not be taking the book from His own right hand.  The fact is that He took the book from the right hand of the Father.  The heavenly worshipers then sang “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.”  Notice they worshiped both Him who sits on the throne and the Lamb.  This is a clear reference to the Father and the Son.

Personal Testimonies About the Heavenly Father
All personal testimonies must be subjected to God’s Word.  But now that we have seen what the Word says, here are some testimonies from people who have been to heaven, regarding what the Father looks like. 

Anna Rountree describes what the Father is like in her books, “The Heavens Opened” and “Priestly Bride.”  She says, “The Heavenly Father has Huge hands of light. He has two huge eyes aflame -- beautiful, terrible beyond description. Within the resplendent light, part of the Father’s form can be seen. You can see what appears to be His feet and that which looks like a garment falling in drapes to the sea of glass. Flashes of lightning are in this garment. Within the searing light there is something of His hands and the loose sleeves covering His arms. Above His waist, the light emanating from Him is so blinding in its intensity, purity, and holiness that one can see no further…The Father can change his appearance into a burning flame of love.”

She also said, “The Father’s heart is represented by white-hot coals of fire, aflame with love. The heart of our Father is pure, aflame, and holy. You must be invited to walk amid the coals of fire, for although our Father loves all, not all are invited within.”

She continues, “The dark cloud that surrounds God is actually the dense oil of the Spirit, a great good, a visible sign of the magnitude of the anointing, incomprehensible to mankind and therefore seemingly dark. To the majority of mankind, He is hidden in darkness. Light that they cannot see emanates from Him. To many of His children He seems hidden, but the fire of His love is burning through the density of that oil now and will allow His children to see His love, His mercy, and His fatherly compassion, as well as the startling reality of His holiness.”

Listen to "The Heavens Opened" 

Listen to "Priestly Bride"

Brother Yong Doo Kim, in his book, “Baptize by Blazing Fire,” says, “The Heavenly Father’s hand is bigger than a giant mountain.”

In his book, a woman in his church described her experience of being caught up to heaven to the throne.  She stated:

“Jesus took me to Heaven…Jesus asked me, ‘Yoo-Kyung, remember the promise I made to you yesterday? Do you recall?’ I answered, ‘Yes, Jesus. You promised to show me God the Father.’ Jesus faithfully kept His promise and took me to meet His Father. Our Father is larger than we can imagine, reaching up to the top of the Heavenly sky and shines brighter than the sun. He was sitting on an enormously large throne.

I was filled with joy, singing praises before God. I sang  ‘Bless the Lord, my soul’ and God the Father listened to me sing. He danced with joy and whenever He moved, unfathomable colorful rays of light brightly poured out of Him. In front of Father God was a book, larger than a mountain, and He was looking at it. God’s huge hand stretched out and gently stroked my head. The magnitude of how large His hands are can’t be described in words. The upper part of God’s body was covered with fog, like a cloud. Jesus requested I continue singing praises, so I did. God rejoiced in my praising by clapping His hands together and holding my hands swinging back and forth. I was so happy I swung my arms all around. Jesus cautioned me, ‘In the presence of our Father God don’t swing out of control!’ He taught me to raise my arms up high with my head bowed down respectfully. Later, Jesus took me back to the Church.”

Regarding another instance when she was taken to heaven, she described it like this:

“While I was dancing, I saw Father God swaying on His throne. From the throne, Father God displayed a brilliant shining light. God was light. I wasn’t able to look at Him. There were several angels and they were all busily writing something onto books that were displayed in front of the throne. Father God is enormously huge. One cannot imagine His size. Even if one attempted to glance at Father God, it would be impossible due to the brilliant light. The light is too strong for one to look toward. Father’s gown was very long and it reached down to His ankles. I was only able to see His feet.”

“Father God spoke to me as His voice echoed. ‘Yoo Kyung, isn’t it great to be here? If you continue to pray earnestly, I’ll bring you here more often. Therefore, earnestly pray without ceasing.’ I bowed down and replied, ‘Yes sir, Amen.’ After I had spoken, His huge hand appeared from the light and patted my head. Jesus then said, ‘Yoo Kyung, look at me!’ When I turned to see Jesus, I became very sad and my heart broke. I almost cried. On both His wrists, I saw the huge scars where He had been pierced by nails. I also saw the scars on His feet. The Lord continued, ‘As I had my blood poured out, I died for you. Always think of me!’”

Brother Kim also recorded his son Joseph’s testimony of being caught up to heaven.  Joseph described the heavenly Father like this:

“A gigantic…giant?..was wearing a garment that was whiter than the snow. He was sitting on the throne. There were rainbows surrounding and shinning all around, and there are no words to describe what I was seeing. Also, the area above the chest was covered by fog-like clouds. As soon as I tried to lift my head up, it automatically bowed down, and the majesty, glory and light weighed down on me. I thought inside, ‘This is Jehovah God,’ and I lifted my head up to see. God’s figuration was like us humans, and He reached the top of the sky sitting down. He was tremendously big and seemed unfathomable…An intense light poured out from God the Father’s facial area, and my head automatically bowed down once again. God spoke with a strong, thundering voice, ‘Oh, Joseph, my little pig has come. You went through a lot to get here. I will give you mighty abilities, so continue praying diligently!’ As soon as I heard our Father God’s voice, my body froze in place like I was just hit with an electric shock, and I could not move at all.” 

Joseph quoted Revelation 4:2-3 to describe the Father and stated:

“After that, I followed Jesus to travel around heaven, visiting many places that were like the Garden of Eden. It was an amazing place.” He went on to describe it in detail.

Joseph also described another instance when he was taken to heaven:

“That day we started with prayer first and then later pastor followed with praising and a sermon. While I was worshipping, I could see clearly the throne of God. I could see it with my eyes closed as well as opened…I resumed praying in tongues and I was immediately taken before the throne of God. I felt even more insignificant than a speck of dust before God’s presence…Then, while I was still at the throne of God, I saw precisely four beasts: one was a lion, a calf, a beast with the face of a human, and an eagle soaring with its wings -- just as it is mentioned in the book of Revelation 4:7. There were six wings attached to it, with countless eyes in the front as well as the back, and it looked closely and observed what was happening on earth where we lived. As the angels opened up the book of life before the throne of God, God turned the pages of the book one by one looking for something. A short while later God’s enormous hand found and confirmed the matter He had in mind from the book of life. So, after He found it, He pointed at me saying, ‘Joseph Kim!’ and then commanded, ‘Bring me Joseph’s bottle for his tears, as well as sister Shin, Sung-Kyung’s tear bottle to me.’” Then Joseph quotes the psalmist, ‘Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?’ (Psalm 56:8).

Joseph continues, “Immediately after the command was given, in a blink of an eye, an angel brought the bottles, but some were big and some were small. I didn’t know the reason why God asked for deaconess Shin and my tear bottle, but lately she’s been crying often while she prayed, so I think God wanted me to verify it with my eyes.”

Another member of brother Kim’s church described her experience before the throne of God.  She stated:

“Today, Jesus took me to Heaven. One cannot possibly express the sight of Heaven with human words. We were in front of the Father's throne. The Father's majesty and glory were so great, I could not lift my head. I bowed before Him. The essence of the Father is indescribable. His majesty is beyond great. I attempted to lift my head to get a glimpse of the Father, but the pure brightness of the light prevented me from seeing Him. Father God is light. A finite mind cannot comprehend or imagine His glory. The magnitude of Father God appeared as though He covers the height and depth of Heaven. His throne appeared as though it covers the ends of Heaven from east to west. There seemed to be a formation of clouds hovering over His throne. A luminous light brighter than the sun showered down. I felt like a speck of dust as I stood before God.”

Rev. Oden Hetrick described God’s face in his book, “Inside the Gates of Heaven.”  He stated: “When God sits on His Throne before a gathering of saints, He makes Himself big enough so that all may easily see Him.  But when His is giving a personal interview, He appears to be, if He were standing, only twelve to eighteen feet tall.  And His Throne also appears to change in size.”

So God can dial Himself down to the level that we can handle.  He can dial down His brightness, His glory, and the level of His presence to a level that we can handle.

Brother Oden said, “One day Jesus wanted to present me to His Father in Heaven.  Now I knew from previous experiences that Jesus refuses to let me think that I am unworthy, because He has told us to pray that we should be considered worthy to stand with Him.  (Luke 21:36)  So although I was a little afraid, I did want to go with Jesus to see God the Father.”

“Jesus said to His Father, ‘This friend of Mine has been wanting to see You,’ -- and I looked into the face of Love!  My anxiety vanished.  His expression was so loving and kind that I lost all my fear, and my soul was calm.  His love made me feel free, and able to love Him in return.  He gave me the impression that He waited from eternity just to see me face to face.  He looked like a handsome young man and Light was shining from His face.  He completely ignored the fact that I am only a creature, and His manner of speech made me feel like a long-time good friend of His.  Being in His presence has not only changed my idea of Him but has also changed me -- forever!

“Seek His presence.  Seek His face.  He loves YOU.”

Putting it All Together
So we can see from Scripture that God has a bodily form with a head, face, eyes, ears, a nose, mouth, arms, hands, fingers, loins, feet, and sandals.  He may even have wings, as the Scriptures say.  Even Jesus spoke of God’s feet in the third person as His feet, finger, and face, and it seems quite clear that most of these references in the Bible are about the Father in heaven. 

Therefore, the body of Jesus Christ is not the only body God has.  The incarnation of Jesus was the only time God’s body ever became flesh and bone. The Father and Jesus are one, yet the Father appears in a bodily form, too. His body is not one of flesh and bone, but of Light and Spirit, since God is Spirit.  Jesus said that He had seen God the Father.  He also said the angels in heaven were able to see the face of the Father in heaven continually, even while Jesus walked on the earth. That means the Father’s face and body, although invisible to those in the natural realm, are visible to those in the spirit realm, to whom He chooses to reveal Himself.

"Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face continually." (Psa 105:4)

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. 

Author's note: Please prayerfully watch and review these testimonies in their entirety, and use the Testimony Review Process adopted by this blog, as you decide for yourself whether the Lord has spoken to these people.  For issues and concerns, each person must confirm with the Lord, whether something is valid or not.

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like The Name of Jesus, The Bodily Form of the Lord Jesus Christ,  The Bodily Form of the Holy Spirit,  Is Jesus God?  The Holy Trinity, The Eyes of the Lord. You may also access the Main Directory for this blog, or my complete blog directory at Writing for the Master.  

Selected readings:

Inside the Gates of Heaven - Testimony of Oden Hetrick	Michael Thomas Sambo's Revelation of Heaven and Hell	Angelica Zambrano Second Visit to Hell
Baptized by Blazing Fire	Vision of Hell by Emmanuel Agyarko	Angelica Zambrano Hell and Heaven
Australian Pastor Raised from the Dead	Nigerian Pastor Raised from the Dead	Revelation of Hell to Seven Colombian Youths

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.

Christ's Two Ascensions

In my previous post titled, "Ongoing Earthly Ministry of Jesus" (see here), I wrote about how the ministry of Jesus on earth continued after his resurrection, and continues even now, as we hear testimonies from around the world of His appearances in our own day.  I also spoke about His ascension.  Based on my very thorough research of the matter in the Scriptures, I came to the personal conclusion that there must have been two ascensions.  In other words, Christ must have first ascended privately on resurrection day, without any human audience on earth to witness it.  And then he came back to earth later that day to appear to His disciples, and continued to make many appearances for forty days until he ascended to heaven in full view of them all.  But I didn't want to start teaching something I could not be sure of, so I merely stated it in parentheses as a side note that I found interesting.  Here's what I wrote:

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.

That is an excerpt of the article I posted last December, which was nine months prior to writing this present article. 

He Stripped satan of his authority
The Scripture says of Jesus, "Having stripped rulers and authorities, He made a show of them publicly, triumphing over them in it." (Col 2:15) And this is exactly what happened!  Hallelujah!  Our enemy is a defeated foe, who stands condemned already.

Multiple Descents and Ascents
It may seem radical to talk about two ascensions, since we have always been taught that there was only one ascension of Christ -- that is, of course, the public one recorded in Acts 1:3.  However, it would not surprise me, if Jesus actually ascended to heaven multiple times, during the forty days after his resurrection, following each of His appearances.  Allow me to explain.

He appeared to His disciples on earth alive at least three times before the appearance He made on the day He ascended publicly to heaven (Jn 21:14).  The first was to Mary (Jn 20:10-18), then to Peter and the twelve in the upper room (Jn 20:19; 1 Cor 15:5), then a third time to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias (Jn 21:1).  "After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time...then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles." (1Co 15:6-7).  If you count all of these appearances, there may have been as many as six of them! 

We know that Jesus did not cease to exist each time He disappeared, because He lives (see Jn 14:19), therefore, we know that He continued to live somewhere.  So we need to ask, "Where did He go?" Well, we know that from the time of His resurrection, His home was in heaven, not on earth. For according to His own words to His disciples, they would no longer see Him, because He was going to the Father, although He did assure them that they would see Him again after a little while (see Joh 14:19; Joh 16:10,16).  And according to His own words to Mary, after He spoke with her, He ascended to the Father in heaven.  And He sat down at the right hand of God.  But He must have descended each time He appeared to people on earth, and then ascended back to His home in heaven afterward.  He certainly wasn't camping out by Himself on earth for forty days.  So this means there may have been six ascensions, culminating with the public one that was seen on top of the Mount of Olives by those who returned to the upper room where they were staying; that is, "Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James...along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers." (Act 1:13-14)

And since Jesus continues to appear to people on earth today, He continues to descend to earth each time He does so, and then He ascends back to heaven each time afterward, even though they don't see Him do so.

Putting it All Together
You may not agree with my findings, and you don't have to.  But this was the conclusion I had come to through my own, independent study of God's Word.  I believe there was a private ascension of Jesus Christ on resurrection day, and another one that was seen publicly by His disciples only ten days before Pentecost.  There were also likely several other private ascensions between these two.  Likewise, Christ has descended and ascended many times since then.

Jesus has overcome sin, sickness, disease, and death for us, and has stripped satan of His authority through the cross. Indeed, He has overcome the world.  If you need forgiveness, healing, deliverance or salvation today, it is available for you right now!  God wants you to be forgiven, cleansed of sin, saved, healed, and completely delivered of bondage in your life.  Don't live another minute without having your need met by Jesus.  Call upon Him and cry out to Him in your place of need.  He cares and will answer your cry.

Author's note:  I also encouraged you to read "Understanding the Gaps in Scripture" and "Ongoing Earthly Ministry of Jesus."  You may also access the Main Directory for this blog, or my complete blog directory at Writing for the Master.  

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

Now I'd like to ask a very important question.

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.