After Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared in His resurrected body to His disciples and other saints over a period of forty days (cf. Acts 1:3).
Acts 1:3:
3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.
3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.
The Visitation of Jesus in a New Way and the Renewing of the Spirit
The Lord wants to meet us in a new way, which relates to an intensification of quality in the spiritual relationship. This is about the encounter with Christ, which brings us into a deeper revelatory knowledge as well as understanding in His Word.
Based on the Word of God, we are told about the following appearances of Christ in His resurrected body, where He met the following persons:
- Mary Magdalene (cf. Mark 16:9; John 20:11-17),
- the other women – Mary, mother of James, Salome, Joanne (cf. Matthew 28:8-10),
- Peter (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:5),
- the two Emmaus disciples (cf. Mark 16:12-13; Luke 24:13-32),
- the ten apostles in the house in Jerusalem without Thomas (cf. Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-24),
- the eleven apostles including Thomas (cf. John 20:26-29),
- the seven disciples at the Tiberian Sea, where Jesus performed a fishing miracle (cf. John 21:1-14),
- the five hundred men and the eleven disciples on the Mount of Galilee (cf. Matthew 28:16-20; Mark 16:15-18; 1 Corinthians 15:6),
- His half-brother James (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:7),
- His disciples in Jerusalem (cf. Luke 24:44-49; Acts 1:3-8).
After these supernatural encounters Jesus Christ ascended to heaven before the eyes of His disciples on the Mount of Olives.
It is evident from these ten supernatural encounters that some individuals didn’t recognize Christ even though they accompanied Him for many years and had a personal relationship with Him. This calls us as God’s people to renew our minds and spirits in order to be able to recognize Jesus Christ in our time as He encounters and speaks to us now (cf. Ephesians 4:23-24).
Ephesians 4:23-24:
… 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
… 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Through the appearance of Christ in His resurrected body over the period of 40 days on earth, we can discern the following facets of His spiritual presence in His fulfilled triumph:
- Bridegroom (Mary saw Jesus as gardener, an expression of the lover from Song of Songs; cf. John 20:14-16 i.c.w. Song of Songs 4:12-16; Song of Songs 5:1; Song of Songs 6:2-3),
- Risen one (cf. Matthew 28:9-10),
- true Rabbi/teacher (cf. Luke 24:13-32),
- the crucified and resurrected One (cf. John 20:19-24),
- Giver of faith (cf. John 20:26-29),
- Heavenly Father as supernatural provider and as the One, who restores (cf. John 21:5.15-17),
- the powerful One and Commander in Chief (cf. Matthew 28:18-20),
- the fulfilled Word of God (cf. Luke 24:44-49).
In connection with the previously mentioned manifestations of Christ, the Holy Spirit placed His emphasis on the encounter with His disciples while they were together in a locked room due to fear. There, Jesus stepped right into their midst and revealed Himself to them as, among other things, the risen Lord and true Rabbi.
While they saw Him, they were troubled and afraid because they thought that He was a ghost. This shows that in that moment the disciples couldn’t clearly discern spiritually, because they thought that Jesus was a ghost (cf. Luke 24:36-38).
Luke 24:36-38:
36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’
37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost.
38 He said to them, ‘Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?
36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’
37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost.
38 He said to them, ‘Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?
The Alignment of Knowledge, Wisdom, and Revelation with the Presence of God
Jesus invited His disciples to approach Him, to contemplate Him, and to touch His presence.
When they saw His wounds and were given the opportunity to touch His body, it is said that because of their joy they couldn’t believe it, so Jesus asked them for something to eat. As a result, they handed Him roasted fish and of a honeycomb (cf. Luke 24:39-43).
When they saw His wounds and were given the opportunity to touch His body, it is said that because of their joy they couldn’t believe it, so Jesus asked them for something to eat. As a result, they handed Him roasted fish and of a honeycomb (cf. Luke 24:39-43).
Luke 24:39-43:
39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.’
40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet.
41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, ‘Do you have anything here to eat?’
42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish (note: and a honeycomb), 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence.
39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.’
40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet.
41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, ‘Do you have anything here to eat?’
42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish (note: and a honeycomb), 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence.
In order to enter into a higher realm of knowledge of the living Word of God, it is essential that we combine the quality of wisdom/knowledge (note: fish) and revelation (note: honey) that we currently have in the Word of God with His presence, in order to accordingly get the Word of God unlocked in a greater and new way through the guidance of the Holy Spirit (cf. Luke 24:44-48).
Luke 24:44-48:
44 He said to them, ‘This is what I told you while I was still with you: everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.’
45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.
46 He told them, ‘This is what is written: the Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
48 You are witnesses of these things.
44 He said to them, ‘This is what I told you while I was still with you: everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.’
45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.
46 He told them, ‘This is what is written: the Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
48 You are witnesses of these things.
The Necessity of Sobriety in the Spirit
In all of this, it is important that we not give priority to the ‘ecstatic influence’ of our souls at the times of the LORD’s visitation, even if it feels positive, because it can stop us from properly recognizing Christ Jesus at such times.
This is evident from the joy in the disciples when they saw Jesus as described. It is said that their own ‘ecstasy/delight’ lead to the fact that they couldn’t believe it was Jesus and were amazed (cf. Luke 24:41a).
Luke 24:41a:
41a And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, …
41a And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, …
The Word of God encourages us to be sober in spirit because within it the gift of discernment of spirits leads to the right result (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:8 i.c.w. 1 Peter 4:7).
1 Thessalonians 5:8:
8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
1 Peter 4:7:
7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.
7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray.
As humans, we tend to evaluate a moment of God’s visitation through our own emotions, resulting in an unhealthy drive of the moment, which can have devastating consequences.
This is illustrated to us, for example, by Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, who entered the presence of God and offered a strange fire to the LORD as an own drive to hasten the glory of God, which wasn’t in God’s will (cf. Leviticus 10:1-2).
This is illustrated to us, for example, by Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, who entered the presence of God and offered a strange fire to the LORD as an own drive to hasten the glory of God, which wasn’t in God’s will (cf. Leviticus 10:1-2).
Leviticus 10:1-2:
1 Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorised fire before the Lord, contrary to his command.
2 So fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord.
1 Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorised fire before the Lord, contrary to his command.
2 So fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord.
When the presence of the LORD visits us, it is significant that we are not tempted by our own joy to become exuberant to increase the presence of God in a carnal way. It is not in God’s interest that we put His presence on a new chariot (note: misuse of God’s presence by putting the ministry, the gift ...etc. in the centre and thereby robbing God of His glory). Why not? The reason is only because God is a jealous God, and He doesn’t share His glory with anyone (cf. Isaiah 42:8 i.c.w. 2 Samuel 6:3.6-7).
Isaiah 42:8:
8 ‘I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols. …’
8 ‘I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols. …’
2 Samuel 6:3.6-7:
3 They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart …
6 When they came to the threshing-floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled.
7 The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God.
3 They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart …
6 When they came to the threshing-floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled.
7 The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God.
Accordingly, it is crucial that we have all our conceptions and impulses strapped with the reins of sobriety of mind and self-control.
=> Furthermore, our joy about God’s visitation shouldn’t be uncontrolled or become unrestrained, because otherwise there is a danger that the work of the LORD, which is holy, will be humanized by our human adding and thus devalued.
This can lead that God isn’t represented properly in front of the people or the people of God. Our devotion to God should always be within the boundaries and expressions set by the LORD. <= (note: The text set in ‘=>’ is based on an insight from the book ‘Keys to the Torah’ by Ludwig Schneider, page 127-128; ISBN: 3-7751-3398-4)
Amen and Amen.
In His Wisdom,
Daniel Glimm
