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?"

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

The Name of Jesus

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

_________________________________________________

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.

All Things Handed Over to Jesus Christ

Jesus said, "All things have been handed over to Me by My Father...” (Mat 11:27a; cf., Jn 13:3; Lk 10:22a).  There's a lot of meaning packed into that statement!

The Good News Bible translates it, “My Father has given me all things.”  The Darby Bible says, “All things have been delivered to me by my Father.” And the God's Word Bible puts it this way: “My Father has turned everything over to me.”

Jesus also said, "The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand.” (Joh 3:35)

We know that all things belong to the Father. "The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it." (Ps 24:1). And Jesus said, "All that belongs to the Father is mine." (Joh 16:15a, NIV). Since all things belong to the Father, and all that belongs to the Father in Christ's, then all things belong to Christ.

In His High Priestly prayer in the garden, Jesus prayed to the Father, “Everything I have belongs to You, and everything You have belongs to Me…” (Joh 17:10, NET)

All Things From Him, Through Him, To Him
All things are from Him and through Him and to Him!

“For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.” (Rom 11:36)

“yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.” (1Co 8:6)

"For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings." (Heb 2:10)

All Things Made By Him, Through Him, and For Him
“All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.” (Joh 1:3)

“For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him.” (Col 1:16)

All Things in Subjection to Him
The Scripture says, "'For HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET.' But when He says, 'All things are put in subjection,' it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him. When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all." (1Co 15:27-28)

“’YOU HAVE PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET.’ For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him.” (Heb 2:8)

“And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church,” (Eph 1:22; cf., Phil 3:21)

All Authority
Jesus said, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” (Mat 28:18)

“…You gave Him authority over all flesh...” (Joh 17:2)

“…He is the Head over all rule and authority;” (Col 2:10)

All Judgment
The Father has entrusted all judgment to His Son.

"For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son.” (Joh 5:22)

“and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man.” (Joh 5:27)

All the Fullness of Deity
“For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him,” (Col 1:19)

“For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,”  (Col 2:9)

Jesus is fully God and fully man, yet without sin!

All the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge
The apostle Paul said of Christ, "In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." (Col 2:3)

Heir of All Things
The apostle wrote to the Hebrews, “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.” (Heb 1:1-2)

Jesus is the heir of all things!

Holds All Things Together
“He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”  (Col 1:17)

“And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,” (Heb 1:3)

All Things Summed Up in Him
The apostle Paul said, “He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth.” (Eph 1:9-10). Therefore, all things are summed up in Christ.

Another translation says, “…to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.” (Eph 1:10, ESV).  All things will ultimately be gathered together in Christ.

God glorified in All Things in Christ
“Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (1Pe 4:11)

It was God's good pleasure that He be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ.

In Christ All Things Are Ours
The amazing thing for us, who are in Christ, is that all things are ours in Him.

Paul said, “So then let no one boast in men. For all things belong to you, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you,” (1Co 3:21-22).  He told the Corinthian believers that all things belonged to them, including the world, life, death, things present and things to come.  This applies to us as believers in Christ, because we are in union with Him. These blessings are all ours with ten thousand more beside.

Paul also said of himself and his coworkers, “as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things.” (2Co 6:10).  He said they possessed all things.

Speaking of food, drink, clothing, and all the things that we need, Jesus said, "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Mat 6:33).

Jesus said, "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.” (Luk 12:32) For those of us who are in Christ the King, the Father has given us the kingdom!

The psalmist said, "For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless." (Ps 84:11)

The apostle Peter said, “As his divine power has given to us all things which relate to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that has called us by glory and virtue,” (2Pe 1:3)

Since the Lord has already given us all things pertaining to life and godliness, and since we possess all things, and since He has given us the kingdom, this gives new meaning to the Prayer Promises in which the Lord says He will give us whatever we ask for in Jesus name! 

Joint Heirs with Jesus
The saints are joint heirs with Jesus. The apostle Paul wrote to the Romans, "The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him." (Rom 8:16-17)

To be fellow heirs with Christ means that whatever He has inherited we have also inherited. Whatever belongs to Christ belongs to us also, as long as we indeed meet the Scriptural condition of suffering with Him. (Also see An Incomparable Inheritance).

All Things Possible Through Faith in Christ
And Jesus said to him, "'If You can?' All things are possible to him who believes."  (Mar 9:23).  No matter what the situation, there is no mountain too high; no valley too low; no problem too great; no sickness or disease that cannot be healed; no financial need too large.

For those of us who believe in Jesus, all things are possible.  Nothing is impossible for us.

Putting it All Together
So to summarize what the Word says, the Heavenly Father has handed all things over to Jesus.  All things are from Him, through Him, and to Him; all things are in subjection to Him; He has been given all authority; all judgment belongs to Him; all the fullness of Deity dwells in Him; all things were made by Him, through Him, and for Him; He is the Heir of all things; He holds all things together; all things are summed up in Him; and God shall be glorified in all things in Christ!

That is why it's true that in Christ all things are ours.  If you are in Christ, you possess all things, including things present and things to come, things that can be seen and things unseen.  As coheirs with Christ, whatever belongs to Him belongs to us also. The Father has given us the kingdom! Seek first His kingdom and all these things will be provided for you. All things are possible through faith in Christ.  Nothing is impossible to Him who believes.

Matthew Henry said, “All powers, all treasures are in his hand. Observe, The Father has delivered his all into the hands of the Lord Jesus; let us but deliver our all into his hand and the work is done.” Let me encourage you to deliver your all into His hand today.

Epilogue: After the Lord revealed this message to me in my own time with Him, and I had already posted this article here, I searched online and found that a brother named Chip Brogden wrote: “Everything He has is freely given to us, and through Him we possess all that He possesses. When He has all that we have, then we have all that He has. When we give Him all that we are, He gives us all that He is. Oh, the depth of this love! Oh, the depth of the richness of His grace to us! Who can understand it? Who can know it?”

I also discovered and read a message once given by William Branham, called Possessing All Things, in which he said, “We may not be rich in this world's goods, but we possess all things. The Church itself possesses all things. Yet poor, yet rich and possess all things. I like that…A little old song we used to sing years ago...”

           My Father is rich with houses and lands,
           He holdeth the wealth of the world in His hands.
           Rubies and diamonds, and silver and gold,
           His coffers are full,
           He has riches untold.

“And we are a possessor of it, because we are a child of the King. Amen. The child always falls heir, we know...we're heir to all things, yet we're heir to every spiritual blessing, every physical blessing, every blessing the Bible promises, yet you have to fight every inch of it. That's the way God, He's got it set up. It's always been that way. You have to fight to possess what you know is your own. You have to fight to possess it. And that's what we have to do now.”

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Most other Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, unless otherwise noted. The "All Hail King Jesus" painting © 2012 is by Danny Hahlbohm, all rights reserved by the artist.

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, please also read Identification with Christ, Your Identity in Christ, An Incomparable Inheritance, What's Wrong with the Prosperity Gospel?, and The Fiery Sufferings of the Believer. You may also like Prayer Promises, as well as Is Jesus God? and Supremacy of Christ. 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 Eternal Firstborn of All Creation

God is so amazing.  Often we try to understand Him using our human intellect, and we limit Him.  We need spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that we can have a true revelation of Him.  Jesus Christ reveals the Father to us.


The Firstborn of All Creation
Paul said He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.  (Col 1:15).  I love this verse.  Jesus is the image of God.  If you want to know what God looks like, look at Jesus.  He said, "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him." (Joh 14:7).  He also said, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father.” (Joh 14:9a)

It says He is the “firstborn of all creation” (Col 1:15b).  The word for firstborn is the Greek word prototokos. It means “first born (usually as noun, literally or figuratively): - firstbegotten (-born).”  -- Strongs.

So how can He who is the image of the invisible God, who is without beginning, also be the firstbegotten?

In the heart of the Triune God, Elohim, before He created the first Adam, He already planned for the Word of God to become flesh.

The Lord Jesus Christ created all things, including things in heaven, both the invisible things and the visible.  He created all thrones, dominions, rulers, and authorities, including satan.  “For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” (Col 1:16-17).

In His all-wise, all-knowing mind, do you think He didn’t know that satan would rebel?  Just as Jesus knew Judas was a traitor, the Lord knew what satan would do before He created him.  The Lord also knew how He would defeat, dethrone, and destroy satan before He ever created him.  He knew that He Himself would do it through the cross.  First He banished satan and his demons from heaven.  Then He decided to make something called man in His own image.  Adam became the image of the invisible God.

In the beginning, when the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, we know that satan was already on it, because he was already around when Adam and Eve were in the garden (see Gen 1:1 and 3:1-5).

The Lord gave him dominion over all creation on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’”  (Gen 1:26).  Every creeping thing that creeps on the earth included the serpent and all his subordinate minions.  “God blessed them; and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’” (Gen 1:28).  Man was authorized to rule of every living thing that moves on the earth.  That included satan, that old serpent, whom the Scriptures says “was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.” (Gen 3:1).

But before the Lord ever created man in His own image, He knew that satan would attack man with temptation.  And you can be sure the Lord already knew that man would fall into sin, thereby distorting the image of God in which he was created.  And the Lord already had the rescue plan to save fallen mankind.  As I have already mentioned, before the Lord created the first Adam, He already planned for the Word of God to become flesh.  He knew that He Himself would then be the One to defeat, dethrone, and destroy satan through His work on the cross.  God actually mentioned this plan of His to satan in the garden, when He cursed him saying, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel." (Gen 3:15).  The seed of the woman Who would bruise the head of satan is the Lord Jesus Christ and His holy offspring.

The apostle Paul said, "When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him." (Col 2:15) Jesus has stripped satan of his authority and spoiled him through the power of the cross!

Now through faith in Christ, those who come to Him have their dominion over all creation on earth restored as it was before the fall.  Jesus said, "Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you.” (Luk 10:19)

God’s rescue plan was not an afterthought.  It was premeditated.  He knew that the Word would become the firstbegotten of the Father, Jesus our Lord, who is Christ eternal.  So when the apostle says that Christ is the firstbegotten (prototokos), it means that in the heart of God, before He created man, Elohim intended that Jesus would be the firstbegotten of the Father.  He would be the first, direct human offspring of the heavenly Father.

When Jesus was conceived in the womb of Mary, there was no seed of man involved. There was no human insemination of her womb, but rather a divine one that came through the Holy Spirit.  “Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’ The angel answered and said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.’” (Luk 1:34-35).  It was a virgin birth.  This is why He was called the only begotten Son of God, because He was the first human Son the Father had ever directly begotten.

But God wanted a big family, so through Jesus He brought many sons to glory.  The apostle says, "For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings." (Heb 2:10)

Now there are many sons and daughters of God through faith in Christ and His finished work on the cross.  So the apostle refers to Jesus as the firstbegotten.  Surely He has now begotten other children, but Jesus was the firstbegotten.  The firstborn son in any Jewish family always has the inheritance rights, and holds a place of preeminence above all the other children.

As far as God is concerned, He was the firstborn even before the first Adam was created.  He already had the solution to man’s woes before man ever had a problem.  God is in control!

The apostle Paul said, "He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him." (Col 1:17-19)

This is such an awesome description of Jesus.  Before anything else existed, He was.  As the eternal God, He is the beginning.  Not only did He create all things, but all things are held together by Him.  That includes everything from the smallest atom to the largest galaxy.

Once He became flesh, He was then fully man (Son of Man) as well as fully God.  As such, when He rose again after His vicarious death on the cross, He became the firstborn from the dead.  He was the first one ever to be resurrected and receive a glorified body, so he became the first fruits of the coming resurrection.  Like an athlete who places first in every competition, He will come to have first place in everything!

Putting it All Together
When you know Jesus, you don’t need to worry about your troubles.  Just pray about everything, and the Lord will take care of you.  He had the solution long before you ever knew you had a problem.  He Himself is the solution.

He's not only the firstborn of all creation, He is prior to all things, before all, the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, and He will ultimately have the first place in everything.  Everything that exists was created by Him and for Him, and is held together by Him.

Therefore this helps explain how the Creator of all things could be called the firstborn of all creation.  It was God’s intent before He created anything that Jesus Christ would be the firstborn Son of God to save mankind from perishing.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, you may also like Is Jesus God? and Supremacy of Christ. 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.

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?"

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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.