On Revelation 22:16, The Deity of Christ, And The Cup-Bearers of Living or Stagnant Water.

Revelation 22:16, “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the Root and descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

It may not be as explicit a reference to the deity of Christ as other verses, but it is worth asking, what being other than God can command the angels? Indeed, this question reminds me of the inquiry of the disciples asked in Matthew chapter 8:

Matthew 8:27, “And the [disciples] marveled, saying, ‘What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey Him?’”

Though not referencing each other or being conterminous in an obvious way, Revelation 22:16 and Matthew 8:27 show us that Christ has the authority over creation and the rulership over the angels. Again, we ask, who else or what else could that be other than God Himself?

Even if we ascribe a god-like state to Christ, like some Christian denominations or sects do, then we need to admit some form of polytheism with roots in mythology (that is the deification of mere humans into godlike forms, a motif which is so prevalent in mythological tales).

It is a possibility that ‘angel’ simply refers to ‘messenger’ in Revelation 22:16 but I don’t think this is the case. In the heavenlies, it seems apparent that angels preside over churches or even locations, i.e., nations and towns. This is suggested in the book of Daniel:

Daniel 10:13, “The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me for twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia.”

Daniel 12:1, “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who was in charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at the time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book.”

Regarding Revelation 22:16, a phrase worth focusing on is, “I am the Root and descendant of David.” The Greek word for root here is rhiza. Rhiza can have a couple definitions, a literal one, and a more figurative one. The literal meaning is, “a shoot; source; that which comes from the root; a descendant.” Figuratively, it means “source.” If we assign the literal meaning to root in this verse, the passage becomes somewhat tautologous. Repetitive verses or those that are tautologous in their content aren’t arbitrary, but rather repetition, at least in the context of biblical exegesis, impresses upon the reader an issue of utmost importance. Yet, here it would seem somewhat erroneous for Christ to state to John something like, “I am the descendant and descendant of David.”

Yet, if we use the figurative meaning, it reads, “I am the Source and descendant of David.” This latter rendering is pretty amazing, but what if we take the words at their face value? What is a root? Is it not that from which things, vegetation and fruit, for example, spring forth?

According to the English dictionary, the noun of root (Christ is using it in this noun context) means, “the part of the plant that attaches it to the ground or to a support, typically underground, conveying water and nourishment to the rest of the plant via numerous branches or fibers.” Also, a root is defined as the “basic cause, source, or origin of something.” Do not these definitions give us insight into the nature of our Lord? Let us consider them for a moment:

The Part of The Plant That Attaches It To The Ground or To a Support

While seeking an intimate relationship with God, we quickly discover this is an impossible task if we wish to approach God of our own accord. It becomes apparent that we need an advocate or some form of spiritual support to keep us firmly planted in God. This advocate for our faith is Jesus Christ and it is in Him we remain grounded that we might be reconciled unto the Creator of all things. Colossians, according to the NKJV states:

Colossians 1:21–23, “And you, that were once alienated and enemies [of God] in your mind by wicked works, yet now has He reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblamable and unreprovable in His sight: If you continue in the faith founded and settled, and not be moved away from the hope of the gospel, which you have heard, and which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I Paul am made a minister.”

Typically Underground

That which is underground is generally invisible to those above ground. Yet, evidence of that which lies beyond the surface may show signs of its presence and be perceivable to those above. Although the glory of our Lord, for a duration, spent time above ground, on the surface with His creation, He has risen and now rests at the right hand of the Father. God’s presence may be invisible, but evidence of His existence and His attributes surround us continually. The apostle Paul makes this clear:

Romans 1:18–20, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them. For His invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.”

This shows that whatever we are grounded in will produce a harvest according to its kind. If we are grounded in unrighteousness and ungodliness then the truth will be suppressed in us and we will discourage and suppress it among others. However, if we are grounded in God, then godliness and righteousness shall be the result, which will produce the appropriate harvest within the self and among all man.

Conveying Water and Nourishment To The Rest of The Plant

Let us consider a plant to be representational of the church. Likening the church to a plant isn’t absurd given Jesus’ numerous parables emphasizing trees, plants, and vegetation, which was extremely relevant at the time with many of the Jews being well familiar with agriculture and agricultural practices. Even today, individual churches, when expanding, are said to branch off or plant other churches.

Jesus, in the book of John, says:

John 15:5, “I am the Vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in Him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”

Thus, Christ truly is the root of our salvation and faith, not to mention our very existence (John 1:3). It is in Him we are grounded. Whenever a branch is removed from the vine, or a plant is detached from its root, it withers and dies. So too does our hope in the gospel when we remove ourselves from the Lord. Christ Jesus provides the spiritual nourishment that we may be reconciled unto the Father and apart from Him, this is an impossibility. He nourishes us and provides to us the living water necessary for eternal life. The apostle John records:

John 4:14, “But whoever drinks of the water I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Revelation 22:1, “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as a crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.”

Via Numerous Branches or Fibers

In the conveyance of spiritual nourishment, the Lord uses several different means. The church itself expresses and shares this same nourishment, but it is Christ who is the source. If a church comes to lose focus or somehow parts from Christ, it is no longer of the river of life from which one drinks to quench their thirst, but rather a stagnant puddle.

Another fiber or branch used are those blessed individuals who have important gifts who serve this water to others. They are essentially the cup-bearers of the church, but again the source of this water is found in the Lord. The prophets of renown and those of today, for instance, are cup-bearers of the living water. The book of Hebrews mentions these cup-bearers:

Hebrews 1:1-2, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers through the prophets, but in these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom He also created the world.”

Yet, this represents just one gift. In truth, we are all called to be the cup-bearers and branches of this living water, to not hoard it, but convey and transmit it unto others, both inside the church and outside it.

Christ encouraged His disciples:

Matthew 28:18–20, “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Yes, Christ is our basic cause. Our source. Our origin. One might be tempted to ask, ‘Being such, wouldn’t the word for seed work better?’ Seed might impart the idea of origin better, but when it comes to all the other attributes we have discussed, I believe that root is the best analogy given the whole scope of the metaphor. Regardless, the one who asks this question is somewhat justified and I would point them to the book of 1 Peter which says:

1 Peter 1:20–25, “He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. Having purified your souls by your obedience to truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for ‘All flesh is like grass and all its glory is like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.’ And this word is the good news that was preached to you.”

The Greek word used for seed here is spora, which according to Joseph H. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of The New Testament means, ‘a sowing; figuratively, origin.”

It is my contention that Christ is referring to Himself as the Root in Revelation 22:16 in a more figurative manner, indicating He is the source of David, for both his existence and faith. As the book of Hebrews states:

Hebrews 12:2a, “[Look] to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.”

It was Christ Himself that was the founder of David’s existence and faith, and Christ perfected this faith in Him. This can be difficult to grasp or wrap our minds around, but only because human thought is trained and often based upon a chronological framework, while Jesus Christ transcends our human understanding of time and chronology, for Christ is not bound to time, but rather is timeless, aka., eternal. Christ is the Root because He is the Creator and Savior. As the gospel of John records:

John 1:3, “All things were made through Him, and without Him was not made anything that was made.”

John 8:58, “Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.’”

To get the most accurate understanding of the nature of Christ we need both the source figurative interpretation of root as well as the descendant element. Each one on its own will not suffice. The former gives us the nature of Christ which is shared with the Father, His eternal nature, and divine substance, and the latter emphasizes the incarnation of Jesus Christ as man. The two are congruently needed to provide the best representation of Jesus Christ.

To continue with Revelation 22:16, the phrase “the bright morning star” raises some questions due to what is recorded in Isaiah chapter 14:

Isaiah 14:12, “How you are fallen from heaven, O day star, son of the dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low.”

Some believe that the phrase, “the bright and morning star” or “day star, son of the dawn!” refers to Lucifer, which is a Latin transliteration of the phrase. Understandably, a few find it odd that Christ would take this name in Revelation 22:16. Yet, there are a couple things I would like to point out: The name Lucifer isn’t even in our most ancient manuscripts. However, concerning the renderings where the name is included, this translation becomes immediately suspect due to the Latin name being included within an otherwise Hebrew text. In these cases, it is apparent that the meaning of Isaiah 14:12 was already presupposed by translators, which supposedly, according to the proponents, references the devil being cast out of heaven, and the phrase was transliterated providing the name.

It is my belief that the context concerns the judgment of the nation or the king of Babylon, which is referred to as the “bright morning star” or “day star, son of the dawn.” It being a worldly kingdom, it is a possibility that Christ referred to Himself as such because He has overcome the world. As the book of John says:

John 16:33, “I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Even if Isaiah chapter 14 refers to the casting down of the enemy, which I don’t believe it does, taking over the name, which in itself is not evil, given its meaning, in the same way, can be symbolic of the defeating or overtaking of the enemy.

However, Isaiah 14:12 is clearly about Babylon, for verse 4 says:

Isaiah 14:4, “[Y]ou will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon: ‘How the oppressor has ceased, the insolent fury ceased.’”

One might argue that there is the possibility that the passage in Isaiah is a kind of veil for both the prophecy and the spiritual truth concerning our shared enemy, but in the strictest of terms, Isaiah 14 refers to Babylon. In my opinion, the motive one might have for holding to this view is that they personally put a great emphasis on church doctrine, but we must be wary of even church doctrine, for this too can go astray. Sadly enough. Let us not be like those sects of Christianity, the names of which I will omit, that put a greater emphasis on their literature than on the Word of God. The cup-bearers of these sects threaten to poison their followers with stagnant water, rather than the ever-flowing water of life which pours from the throne room of our great Lord and Savior.

Thank you all for reading and God bless.

—Brandon

Revelation 3:20, “On The Two Feasts”

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” -Revelation 3:20

The Lord’s presence is everywhere, with everyone, and at any time. Even as I write this, and even, my friend, as you read this entry, He is there with you. It doesn’t even matter who you are or where you are in your life, the Lord stands ready to receive you, if only you invite Him in. It is the fullness of God that calls upon you within even the darkest moments of your life. This is evident by Christ’s usage of the title, “I am.”

The Lord calls on us all hours of the day and night, and we need only open the door to receive Him. We can ignore His calling upon us, but those that answer the call, and invite Christ into their lives will begin a deep personal relationship with the Lord. The analogy of dining here is rather appropriate, at least as my experience, and the experiences I have witnessed testifies.

When a person first invites the Lord in and prepares a place for Him at their table, in the midst of the feast between host and guest, a celebration becomes evident. This is manifest in the pure joy one feels when first inviting the Lord into their hearts. However, while feasting upon the meal, a discourse between the two takes place, which is common at many dinner parties. This conversation is between us and the Lord and great wisdom is shared by the Lord unto us, though it may not always be a pleasant thing to hear. This meal, of course, is not made up of worldly food and drink, but rather spiritual food and drink, which provides nourishment unto our spirit. The presence of Christ transfigures that worldly food, which we all had dined on for so long, into something greater and healthier.

The hospitality of a host towards their guests in the past showed a lot more reverence than it frequently does today. In fact, guests were treated as royalty in accordance with the host’s means. By honoring He who dines with us, and developing a relationship, in faith, with Him, then He is not only invited to our table, but we are invited to His! How much more are the Lord’s means than that of man, and if Christ treats His guests as royalty, the meal He serves to His friends will be immeasurable by anything the world has to offer.

Revelation 3:8, “On Open Doors and The Crossing of Thresholds”

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

The Book of Revelation is one that is commonly cited in regards to prophecy concerning what is still to come to pass in the end times. Though the theme of Revelation certainly addresses this, there are still many deep and wonderful messages contained within. This verse is certainly no exception, and it spoke to me personally in a profound way. Christ, through John, addresses how He views those that flail about, struggle and falter. Glory to Christ that He still loves us despite our backsliding.

While we struggle against sin, we tend to think, without necessarily articulating it, that the Lord pays more attention to our faults rather than our victories. The wonderful message here is the Christ knows and pays attention to everything. The Lord has seen our struggle and seen us denying ourselves in His name, as well as our trespasses, which He forgives us for, if we do not deny Him!

I have recently been struggling with this very thing, and the answer came to me in a vision. On the evening of March 10th, I laid down to rest after a productive day of work. There are moments I feel the joy of the Lord, most certainly, but I tend to always feel He is disappointed in me. So as I lay there a clear vision popped into my head of a door opening. It’s hard to describe, realize I only use the word vision, for lack of any better terminology. It seemed to be registered in a visual sense, but was also resonated in my mind and spirit. It would be kind of how you might see a picture within TV static and how your not really sure if the image was there or if your mind produced the image. This is the only example I could really equate it with. Of course, with the vision, I had a certainty that it was there. This fact is further evidenced by what was to come.

I realized the lack of the knob is an important piece of the vision, meaning that this door could not be opened by my own accord, but rather had to be opened from the inside. It was one of the most clear visions I ever had and I got up immediately and transcribed the experience. In addition to the vision, there was the idea planted within my head and that it would require more study. I looked in a concordance for “open doors,” and the first verse I came across indicated that the vision wasn’t necessarily directed at me, but someone very close and dear to me. When I shared it with her, she found it as profound as I did and it blessed her greatly. Amen!

The second verse I ran across was directed at me, and it is indeed the one I write of today. Not only have I came back under grace as the vision suggests, but the Lord is aware of my efforts. As I have said, I always looked at the disappointment of the Lord, when I fail. Thereby, I have completely forgot the joy of the Lord. How delighted our Lord is when someone turns from sin or temptation in His name! As He says in this verse, “I know your deeds,” He is aware of my victories and failings, and if I feel the Spirit’s conviction through my failings, then it follows that the Spirit is too delighted by my victories. Due to my past and how it torments me, I was unwilling to accept this due to my own feeling of inadequacy, which negates and disrespects the grace offered. While He has forgiven me, I don’t allow this forgiveness to manifest joy in my Spirit. Rather, I keep working for the Lord, as if by my actions He will consider me righteous. Yet, through what action can man be made righteous? The answer is none, and I must allow myself to have the faith in the Lord that produces confidence, hope, and culminates in joy.

Despite this realization, it won’t be an overnight change, but the Lord is telling me to find joy in all that He has done for me. He knows my weaknesses, but at the same time has opened the doors into His kingdom and opened the doors of opportunity in my life. Though I haven’t always kept His word, I kept it in my heart and never denied the Lord, but it was through my conversion and the building of a relationship with Him, by which I was granted a spirit that strives to overcome temptation. I am weak but the Lord’s joy is being offered to me, if I choose to accept it.

Friends, I pray that you would choose to accept the joy of the Lord in your life. The enemy likes to throw our misdeeds in our face when we approach the cross, so that we hide our face from Jesus, rather than look upon Him as we kneel before the Lamb. The Lord knows your deeds in your life, you have done nothing that shocks Him, and if you are given the opportunity for grace, as the Scripture tells us all are, then it follows that His grace can cover your misdeeds, for He knew of you before His crucifixion. I often wonder when Christ prayed, “Forgive them Father for they know not what they do,” if He was only praying for those who nailed Him to the cross or for all man?

We know not what we do, but Christ knows. I encourage you, and myself, to step into the joy that Christ grace has offered us. To not only view our shortcomings, but accept when the Lord is proud of us. All this so that the door, which we cannot open, may be opened to you, granting you access into eternal life and a deeper relationship with our Lord and God, amen.

1 Corinthians 15:20-23, “On The Chaos of Reason, The Firstfruit, and The Transfiguration”

“But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. ²¹For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. ²²For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. ²³But each in his own turn: Christ the firstfruits; then, when He comes, those who belong to Him.” -1 Corinthians 15:20-23

"The Transfiguration", by Lodovico Carracci. oil on canvas, c. 1594

I find that my inquisitive nature is both a blessing and a curse, as will become apparent in my commentary concerning this passage of Scripture. The mind is a astonishing thing, though it can also serve evil, but it was gifted by God that we may seek out the wonderful mysteries of Him. Yet, our faith must surpass our own understanding, for God is beyond the reason of man. Rather than use this as an excuse, the inability to reason God and His ways, is perfectly reasonable. If we were able to reason God, we would need to be Him, which is impossible. Much like you can know a person, you can’t really know them to a full degree unless you are actually one in the same, which trespasses against the law of identity. Thus, we see only as a poor reflection and though we can approach God using the mind, the fullness is unattainable.

We can stretch our minds to have great understanding of the Lord, and such wisdom is provided by Him, but there is a line past which man cannot reason, where thought becomes defused, a chaos of reason, if you will. This is an important thing to realize, if one who is as inquisitive as I am begins to get tripped up from unanswered questions, as it used to do with me. A couple other things to realize are:

• Just because you don’t have an answer, doesn’t mean there isn’t one.
• Answers can be hard to come by, but most often they come not from teachers or pastors, but from the Lord Himself.
• If the mind of man is corrupt and evil, how can we possibly fully comprehend that which is perfect and good? Perfect goodness cannot be fully comprehended.
• If you have pondered it, chances are someone else has as well, therefore a answer, or rather partial answer, is bound to be available somewhere.
• If you feel your questions eating at your faith, this is really a manifestation of pride. Wait on the Lord to provide an answer, if the question is that important to you, remain in prayer.

In this verse, it tells us Christ was the Firstfruit. What is meant by this? Christ at the time of His resurrection, arose with a new glorified body. One that is free of decay and will never pass away. He was the first to receive such a body, but won’t be the last. While Christ justly received His new body, we, those who belong to Him, will receive it according to His grace. If death came through the disobedience of one man, as 1 Corinthians tells us, how much more can the perfect obedience of Christ negate the disobedient act of he who cursed all man?

Again, His body is the first of the new bodies which we will be granted at the time of our passing from death into life. Christians will be raised again, with the blood of Christ covering us and we will be seen as righteous, through grace, and we will acquire our new bodies through the Son of Man. Our bodies will be unperishable and not be bound to the physical world and it’s laws as we now know it.

This certainly is a glorious truth that we eagerly await. When the Lord comes in glory we will be free of the struggle, the pain, the anguish, and the disgusting nature of sin which stains us all. What a glorious day it will be! However, here my inquisitive mind interjects and asks a question, I almost can’t help but ask, and as of now I have no answer. The question is this:

If Christ is the Firstfruit, and I have faith He is, then how could He talk with both Moses and Elijah (Matthew 17:1-9)? Were they not resurrected?

One answer seems rather obvious. Elijah never died, but was whisked off to heaven in a whirlwind accompanied by a chariot of fire and horses. For this reason I believe the two witnesses mentioned in Revelation 11:1-14 will be Enoch and Elijah, for both in the scriptures did not experience physical death, but were taken straight up into heaven in bodily form. Thus, both have yet to die, which the two witnesses will be subject to before being raised up again to life.

The famous Hank Hanegraaff, who is well renowned for providing biblical answers, said on his blog concerning this question:

“There is no reason to think that they (Moses and Elijah) had yet received permanent resurrected bodies.”

Truly, the Bible doesn’t say that at all. Both were beloved by God and may have been called from Abraham’s Bosom to speak to the Lord. Also, the fact that the transfiguration occurred at this very time, might indicate, that in this miraculous event, Christ was transcending the world prior, of course, to His crucifixion. However, this is all speculative, and exactly what form Moses, whom the Law was given, and Elijah, whom was the restorer of the Law, took might be a mute point when juxtaposed with the “pre-incarnate” glory manifest in Christ. Whatever the answer is, perhaps it lies in the chaos of reason and I would not even be able to grasp a full answer, and thereby the inquisitive nature is overshadowed by that of faith. My faith in the Scripture, which I have no reason to disbelieve, tells me that Christ was indeed the Firstfruit, and Moses and Elijah were in form of something different than the glorified body, for Christ had not yet became glorified, so the opportunity for the two men to receive their new bodies had not yet come to pass.

We must be wary not to include those things in the Bible that it does not say. In this case it does not say that they, Moses and Elijah, were in bodily form, so there is no reason, truly, to conclude that they are. Though, again, at least one, Elijah, could have been. Another form is possible, for we know people after their earthly death go into Hades, or Abraham’s bosom. Therefore, it follows that they still exist in some form and perhaps it was this form that, at least Moses took, on the Mount of Transfiguration. Finally, the mountain itself is unknown, but three suggestions have been made concerning its identification, though admittedly this is somewhat irrelevant. The three candidates offered by scholars and tradition are, Mount Tabor, Mount Hermon, and even Mount Sinai, the latter being the most unlikely of the three due to its location.

Thanks again to Terie for her insight, a true Princess of The Lord and The Queen of Grammar. 🙂

Revelation 1:18, “On The Affirmation of Life From He Who Possesses The Keys”

“I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” -Revelation 1:18

The Book of Revelation is a proclamation of things to come, given unto the apostle John, a disclosure and edict given directly from our Lord Jesus Christ. In Chapter one, the Son of Man appears to John in glory and surrounded by seven brilliant lamp stands, the brilliance of Christ trumping them all, as suggested by John’s description. Christ tells John in verse 17 to not be afraid, following it up with the transcribed verse above.

"The Revelation of St. John: St John's Vision of Christ and the Seven Candlesticks," by Albrecht Durer. woodcut, c. 1497-1498

What John saw was He who is truly alive, in His glorified body, given unto Him by the Father, because of Christ’s perfect obedience and righteousness. Frequently in the scriptures, when a heavenly being, or the Lord appears to a mere man, the encounter is so awesome and sublime, that those who are blessed with such visitations, can only respond in reverence and fear, which John indeed does, collapsing at the feet of the Son. This reaction is so common in scripture I would be willing to say that such manifestations and visitations would require the heavenly beings blessing or affirmation that the person upon who the honor was bestowed, would be calmed to receive the message being offered.

The resurrection of Christ is such an amazing truth, I myself had a hard time grasping it. I understood it in terms of an abstract concept, but it wasn’t until I traveled further in my walk that it really hit home, so to speak. Christ not only died, as He indeed affirms in Revelation, but He rose again, being brought back to life by the Father, and in glorious victory! His victory was so great that even Hades couldn’t hold His glory, nor now can it hold our sins, or us, for by His victory we are saved and we perish to the flesh. Thus, we will perish to the world also, and on the appointed day, we will rise again to join our victor and Savior. To be victorious over His own death would be enough, how much more amazing is it then, that He was victorious over ours?

Though a lot of people equate hell with Hades, the two are not interchangeable. Simply, Hades is a place reserved for departed spirits and it is often compared with, or likened to, a state of sleep. Most will enter this realm and be awoken by the Lord in His appointed time. Hell, on the other hand, is a place of eternal damnation, where those who are apart from the Lord will eventually descend. This terrible place, in the temporal sense, doesn’t yet exist, in that man cannot descend into it, until the final judgement.

"Heaven-Earth-Hell", Located in Vank Cathedral, Iran. fresco.

Christ holds the key to both death and Hades, for he entered both, and exited them, being glorified and rising again alive! Furthermore, because He is alive, He doesn’t need to be born again through natural birth. He is already living. This more than adequately refutes those false Christ’s in the world today that profess to be our Lord. Christ not only died for our sins, but defeated them by His resurrection, so that whomever comes to the cross and bows down before it will be saved. Since Christ is victorious, let us be as well through Him, and battle against the evil that surrounds us. I pray that all those in Christ would arise strong and steadfast, adorned in the armor of God, ready to do battle with the enemy, and fight the good fight on Christ’s behalf and through Him. Amen.

I would like to acknowledge and thank Terie, who prior to my posting, gave me her input concerning this entry.

Galatians 1:11-12, “On Paul’s Source and The Shifting of Name”

“I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. ¹²I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.” -Galatians 1:11-12

Here Paul refutes a argument common in his day, and likewise currently, that the gospel was made up by man. Paul’s own evidence is that he did not study under any of the apostles, and in fact didn’t meet them until three years after his ministry had begun. As it states in Galatians Chapter 1, Verses 18-19:

“Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him fifteen days. ¹⁹I saw none of the other apostles only James, the Lord’s brother.”

Cephas, which means “rock,” in this case is actually Peter. Some dispute this, but when one considers that Christ gives Peter this name in the Gospel of John, and that Paul says, “I saw none of the other apostles,” it indicates to us that he did indeed see at least one of the apostles, Peter, and stayed with him 15 days.

The main point of the passage, however, is that Paul, who himself used to be known as Saul, was preaching a gospel without former knowledge from any source apart from Christ Himself. It was from Christ that he received his new name and the message of reconciliation.

"The Conversion of Saul," by Michelangelo. fresco, c. 1542-1545

Yet, why all these name changes? It’s not meant to confuse, rather provide clarity and symbolism. When we come to Christ in faith, we are told we become a “new creation,” and that the old has gone (See my note on 2 Corinthians 5:17, “On The Old Overtaken By What is New”). Thus, our worldly name, and those of many people in scripture, are changed to symbolize that they indeed are a new creation. Our names too will change, according to Revelation, when we are finally removed from this tent and live in our heavenly dwelling with the Lord. Revelation 2:17 states:

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known to only him who receives it.”

The color white within scripture symbolizes, purity, righteousness, and refinement. We will be pure beings which will be represented by our new names. Furthermore, sometimes after we come to the Lord we can feel rather insignificant, that we are merely a small particular in an aggregate of believers and though we may have a relationship with the Lord, it’s nothing spectacular and may be commonplace in the vast sea of the faithful. Yet, this verse in Revelation is touching because it shows us that our individual relationship with the Lord is unique. In fact, the relationship you have, and will have, nobody else has. That’s how close of friends we are with Jesus Christ (See my note concerning John 15:15, “On Having a Friendship With The Lord”). This is an amazing thing to reflect upon and I encourage everyone to do so, and that in love, I pray your relationship with the Lord may grow deeper and infinitely more profound. Amen.

"Christ Pantocrator," by Master of Cefalu. mosaic, greco-byzantine style. Location: Cefalu Cathedral, Sicily, Italy. c. 1150