Come and See
Chapter 6 of the Gospel of John – part iii
It is I; be not afraid.
Come and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men. (Psalm 66:5)
For I [know] their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory. (Isaiah 66:18)
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He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about tenth hour. (John 1:39)
And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. (John 1:46)
And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. (John 11:34)
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Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; (Philippians 1:27)
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And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. (Revelation 6:1)
And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. (Revelation 6:3)
And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. (Revelation 6:5)
And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.(Revelation 6:7)
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THE STORM
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  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God. (Hebrews 10:31) This is where fear should be centered, and not on our circumstances or the trials of life. The Lord Jesus gave us two references that should direct the fear of man in its proper perspective. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. (Luke 12:5) And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28) These references should give Adam a proper perspective concerning fear and who to fear.
And now let us deal with the disciples in the storm in John Chapter 6.
And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea, (John 6:16)
And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them. (John 6:17)
And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew. (John 6:18)
So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid. (John 6:19)
But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid. (John 6:20)
Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went. (John 6:21)
  The Lord was in the mountain alone. Only heaven was open to Him in His solitude. Earth was a barren land to Him, and He was a root out of a dry ground. But heaven is always a place to be refreshed, to have communion with His Father, and to give Him strength for the day and for the days ahead. The foxes had holes, the birds of the air had nests, but the Son of man had no where to lay His head. As He prayed we see His omniscient mind working, He KNOWS that His disciples are in trouble, and the all seeing eyes of God saw the little ship on an angry sea. The angry sea was being stirred by a great wind, and the small nucleus of His disciples were in harms way, rowing and toiling to stay afloat. They were on the face of the darkness of the deep, and fatigue was setting in, they had rowed five and twenty or thirty furlongs in the darkness of the starless sky. There was no light to guide them, and they were filled with fear. The word ‘great’ in connection with the wind reminds us of the great wind in the book of Job, 1:19, And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. The wind had come from the prince of the power of the air to destroy the family of Job, his sons and daughters. Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: (Ephesians 2:2)
  This is where the disciples found themselves. They were in the grips of the prince of the power of the air. Satan was trying to destroy the very nucleus of this small band that the Lord had chosen for Himself. Although they struggled to stay afloat, the Lord was watching them. He was proving their faith. How would they emerge from this trial? Would they be as Job, and act and declare his faith for God?
Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, (Job 1:20) And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. (Job 1:21) In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. (Job 1:22)
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THE TRIAL
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  Spiritual battles can come in many ways as we see in Job Chapter 1. The battle and conflict can come from human hands that are moved by Satan. In the case of Job, Satan even sent fire, and then the great wind. Do you see the power of this roaring lion, this mad dog that wants to devour? Picture a vicious dog shaking its victim to death within its jaws, and you will have a small picture of the madness of Satan.
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (1st Peter 5:7) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (1st Peter 5:8) Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. (1st Peter 5:9)
  In these verses we have the word ‘devour.’ This means completely dismembered and consumed. Satan wants to leave nothing behind. He wants to erase ALL truth, and those who herald that truth. He wants to rip the truth from the very ones who hold the truth. And only the Lord Jesus can stay his hand. This is why the Holy Spirit tells us to cast ALL our cares upon the Lord Jesus for it is HE who cares for us. When there is no comfort to be found in man, or the world, the Lord is always standing at your right hand ready to intercede and ready to deliver, for He cares for you. Do a study in the book of Job, pay close attention to the Lord’s evaluation of Job in Chapter 1 verse 8, and in 2:3.
And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? (Job 1:8)
And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. (Job 2:3)
  Look what had been laid at Job’s doorstep. This was the trial of Job’s faith; yet, the word ‘faith’ is not found in the book of Job. Job was a jewel of faith to the Almighty God. Not only was Job’s faith tried and tested, but God was showing the adversary the very power and strength of faith. There is more than just a man involved here. It was a battle between good and evil. Notice that Job feared God; yet, he KNEW divine mercy and he KNEW the character and the love of the Almighty. There was none like Job in ALL the earth. Job is a name to remember, for there was only one Job, and at this particular age, he was the most devote man to the Almighty God. He eschewed evil. He put evil in its proper place. should not we be prepared for the trial of our faith? Are we exempt from trials or from persecution without and within?
That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: (1st Peter 1:7) Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: (1st Peter 1:8) Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. (1st Peter 1:9)
  In 1st Peter, verse 7, we see the trial of your faith, in verse 9, we see receiving the end of your faith through all the trials, through all the turmoil of life, including, the ups and downs of your own spiritual life. When all this is shored up by the Lord then we receive the end of our faith, which is NOT a conclusion, but a reassurance that we have endured all those trials and tribulations: even the works of Adam and the devil against us cannot turn us away from our faith. The word ‘faith’ is easy to say, for those of the world use it every day in their own abstract way; however, the faith of a believer in Jesus Christ is a life of trial, a life of rejection. Both friend and foe cannot understand that walk of faith that puts your hand in the hand of the Redeemer, to walk with Him and to tell the world of all His glories. No one wants the trial of Job, yet, the believer today is not exempt.
  The disciples were being tried by the Lord. He had sent them away because He knew the heart of man, He did not want them to get caught up in the anxiety of the multitude that wanted to make Him a king. The Lord Jesus also understood that they still had heart trouble.
And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray. (Mark 6:46)
And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land. (Mark 6:47)
And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them. (Mark 6:48)
But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out: (Mark 6:49)
For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid. (Mark 6:50)
And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered. (Mark 6:51)
For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened. (Mark 6:52)
And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore. (Mark 6:53)
  Was this trial to prove them, to try their faith, to soften their hard hearts? It was all of these things. The Lord Jesus knew what He had to work with in choosing these twelve from the realm of Adam. He knew what their physical and spiritual struggles would be like throughout their life time. He also knew that one whom He had chosen would betray Him, and give Him over to the Jewish leaders (Pharisees and Sadducees) and rulers of the Jews. He knew what was in their hearts. He knew the problems that Peter would have. He knew that Satan was going to sift Peter, but the Lord Himself would undergird and strengthen Peter. The Lord can take the strongest and make it the weakest, and He can take the weakest and make it the strongest. We fail to see the magnitude of the spiritual battles not only in the world, but around us, and yes, IN us. The Lord is the one who searches the heart, and He knew the strength and the weakness of every heart in that little ship.
  When it came to the miracle of feeding the five thousand, and women and children, the disciples hadn’t even given it a second thought, they had seen so many miracles performed by the Lord Jesus that they had become complacent in their evaluation of what had transpired. They were beginning to accept the miracles of God as everyday life because of their familiarity they had with the Lord Jesus. They had lost sight of the divine side, the heavenly side, and who it was who walked with them. However, the Lord had seen their actions in feeding of the five thousand. He knew their hearts, and now the eyes of the Lord would watch them in their struggle of faith upon an angry sea. The eyes of the Lord are never away from His own. For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars. (2nd Chronicles 16:9) For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings. (Job 34:21)
  The Lord Jesus is very interested in our lives, and our walk of faith. He is always the good Shepherd who cares for the sheep. He is always the Savior who cares for His own.
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FLESH AND SPIRIT
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  The disciples were in trouble on the face of the deep, and all darkness was around them. The wind of Satan was against them, however, the Lord KNEW the point at which He would intercede. He knew their frailties, and would say to the proud waves, Thus far and no further. From His mountain retreat He Spirited Himself to them. Yes, this is the same Jesus who fed the five thousand. Now, He changed His manifestation from Man to a Spirit form, and walked upon the waves to His disciples. It is good to understand the divine powers that the Lord Jesus possessed when He was manifested as both the Son of God, and the Son of man. Neither one of these titles changed His deity, nor the powers of that deity. One of His powers was transitioning Himself from flesh to Spirit which we see many times in both the Old Testament and in the New Testament. Most appearances of the Lord Jesus (in both Old and New Testament) were for His own, the ones who He had chosen. Many times the Lord Jesus (as evidenced throughout Scripture) used His divine power in both seen and unseen deliverances. He has the power not only to transform Himself, but also to transform others from flesh to Spirit. The first example that we are given in Scripture is Enoch. Enoch was translated out of the fleshly world to the spiritual world. Elijah was taken out of the world and delivered into the heavenly sphere. Evidence of this is the appearance of both Moses and Elijah on the mount of transfiguration. The apostle Paul was changed from flesh to Spirit, and ascended into the third heaven, and then returned to flesh and blood. In the book of Acts Chapter 8, verse 39, Philip was whisked away by the Holy Spirit and transported to Azotus (Acts 8:40). And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. (2nd Corinthians 12:2) And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) (2nd Corinthians 12:3) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. (2nd Corinthians 12:4) Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. (2nd Corinthians 12:5)
  The apostle John, on the isle of Patmos, was transfigured for most of his communication concerning the revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus also appeared in the hot flaming oven in Babylon to walk in the flaming fires with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He preserved them IN the flames although the fires were heated seven times more than previously. Even the men who delivered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the flames were consumed by those very same flames. Yet, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were unharmed. The presence of the Lord in the fiery furnace preserved them, and they suffered no harm.
  The disciples were rowing and toiling, they were in a fearful condition for they feared for their very lives. In all their rowing and toiling, they had only gone five and twenty or thirty furlongs. These numbers are important in the way that the Holy Spirit presents them to us. Why not say twenty-five; yet it is five and twenty, the number five is the number of grace, and the number twenty is the number of multiple witness, and then the Holy Spirit includes the number thirty; the fullness of Him who filleth all in all. The magnification of the Godhead, and the completeness to His fullest measure. In both cases (the number twenty and thirty) the multiplier is ten, for the Lord Jesus fulfilled the Law and all righteousness for us, and by this He took the Law out of the way and nailed it to His cross.
Was this image on the water Spirit or flesh? His image was both Spirit and flesh! For the Lord had the power of both the seen and the unseen. Lets look at the gospel of Luke Chapter 4 when the book of Isaiah was given to Christ in the synagogue at Nazareth.
And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. (Luke 4:16)
And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, (Luke 4:17)
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, (Luke 4:18)
To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. (Luke 4:19)
And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. (Luke 4:20)
And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. (Luke 4:21)
And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son? (Luke 4:22)
And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country. (Luke 4:23)
And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country. (Luke 4:24)
And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, (Luke 4:28)
And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. (Luke 4:29)
But he passing through the midst of them went his way, (Luke 4:30)
  The book of Isaiah was given to Him. It had become His custom to read from the Scriptures in this synagogue. Remember, that the Old Testament books at that time were in the form of scrolls. The Lord Jesus read from a specific place, for it was time for Him to declare Himself. As He began to read all were amazed for the words that He spoke and read were with power and truth. Although He had read many times before, it was now: after His baptism, and after His temptation in the wilderness, and after He had been anointed by the Spirit from on high that His words cut to the heart of the hearers, and they were filled with wrath. The prophet in their midst was just a carpenters’ son, and they refused to receive His proclamation of who He was. The crowd rushed Him, and took Him, that they might cast him down headlong from the brow of the hill, But he passing through the midst of them went his way. Murder was in their hearts, but He transformed Himself, and slipped through their midst.
  It is now time to visit 2nd Corinthians 3:17. Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. The emphasis of this verse is the Spirit of the Lord IS the Lord Jesus Christ; that in His manifestation, He was manifest in the flesh, and in the unseen, contained the fullness of the Spirit of God. We in turn, as believers, have the Spirit of Christ within us. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. (Romans 8:9) And where the Spirit of Christ is there is liberty, and just what is our liberty? It is to have the mind of Christ in regards to the fullness of His Spirit in understanding and communicating with the Almighty. Our liberty is to be able to worship God WITHOUT the restrictions placed by man, and to know the work of the Holy Spirit within us, to be confident in our liberty as the sons of God, and children of God the Father. The liberty of His Spirit allows His servants to minister to the Lord’s own people.
  Even with the Lord, the people could not grasp that He was both flesh and Spirit. They could not grasp His complete deity, even in our age, mankind cannot grasp the complete deity and sovereignty of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was the GodMan in their midst.
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THE REVELATION
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  In studying John Chapter 6, we should return back to Genesis Chapter 1. In John 6 it is the Spirit of Christ upon the face of the deep. In Genesis 1:2, it is the same Spirit of Christ upon the face of the deep. For all things were made BY Him, and FOR Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made.
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1) And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:2)
  Faith has taught us that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, which in turn, is the word of His power. (Hebrews 1:3) Without revelation (concerning the Almighty God) mankind would never have discovered this, he would be encased in darkness forever. It is only that God Himself HAS revealed Himself to man that man can know there is a God of creation, the Almighty, ALL powerful, ALL seeing, ALL knowing God of heaven and earth. God has testified concerning Himself, for it is God who at sundry times, and in diverse manners who has spoken in times past unto the fathers by the prophets.
  In these last days of man’s history, He has sent forth His Son as a further revelation to man concerning man’s redemption and the state that man is in. For those who do not believe God, there is a great question, if you cast off all belief in God, then your belief must be in man, How is that working for you? It is man who is the murderer, the thief, the adulterer, the abortionist, the homosexual, the liar, and on, and on teaching their children (with video games) how to kill. Whole cities taken over by murder and slaughter, and rape, you can leave out drugs and prostitution, for that has become the norm in every big city. People buy drugs like they use to buy newspapers, prostitution is on every corner, and in every dark hall way. Study the history of man, in his murders, in his wars, in his tyranny, in his dominion over his brother, in his butchery of mankind, now I ask you this question, Is this the type of testimony that you want to believe in, with this testimony, would you believe anyone who told you that there was no God? Yet, you discount this, you make a provision for man’s lies and thievery, and murder, you make excuses because you cannot tell the truth about mankind. So, who can tell the truth about mankind? It is God. God has told us the truth about man, and mankind cannot stand the truth. For example, let’s be kind to Adam. All that was required of Adam was that Adam (mankind) was to obey the ten commandments; find one commandment that isn’t wholly just? Even with the low standards of man one must stand in awe of these commandments because they are so far above the nature of mankind. Man abuses every one of these commandments;  therefore, man removes them from his sight, and his conscience. If man was correct that there is no God, then why would NOT man remove any standards of life for mankind to live by. We see this every day in every world society, man cannot even live up to his own moral codes, which are FAR below God’s moral codes. Man has developed a character, and in this character he takes the ten commandments and declares that he will hate God, that he will steal, that he will murder, that he will hate his neighbors, am I being too hard on you, Adam? You and I both know that man has reached the bottom of all moral threads, he is without hope, and he is without God. This IS the world that we live in today. And once again the Spirit of Christ is hovering or walking over the face of the deep, the deepest darkness that the world has ever seen. You boast of yourself on how you rely on mankind for the future, you credit mankind for all your past accomplishments, and yet, from one small word out of the mouth of God the heavens could be on fire, and the elements could melt.
  God revealed to Moses the God of creation. He gave Moses a moral code for mankind, which still exists today despite the teaching of the world, and the corrupt religious systems. When Moses received these revelations from the mouth of God, God was giving a standard, His standard for all mankind, and a standard that was beyond man’s ability to achieve. Man still today fails to see that ALL true knowledge that he possesses has come from God. And the only way that man can identify the God of heaven and earth is that God reveals Himself. Not one person in all of history has found God without God first revealing Himself to that person. If man is left to himself, it is his sin that becomes his God. And he will believe that there is no God. The result is not crying to a psychiatrist, but confessing ones’ sin before an Almighty God, and crying out to God for ones’ own salvation in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Without God man perishes. He perishes into everlasting flames, and his soul will be tormented day and night for eternity. Therefore, God revealed Himself in sundry times, and in diverse manners. He established His own line of communication through the prophets with the very Spirit of Christ which was in them.
Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: (1st Peter 1:10) Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. (1st Peter 1:11) Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. (1st Peter 1:12)
  Now in these last days, the days in which we live, the storm of evil is rampant throughout the entire world. The winds of sin have overpowered the hearts of man, and they are being consumed every day by the boisterous waves that crush them under their power of damnation, but God has sent His Son IN these last days, and the Lord Jesus, with the very words and breath of God, has spoken unto us through the very words penned by His Spirit in the gospels.
  Chapter 6 of the gospel of John is a tremendous revelation to the heart of man. It shows man who He is, that even with diverse miracles they still cannot believe in God. Throughout all the history of man, God has sent His prophets, and man refused to believe them. In fact, man was so disgusted with His words of truth (through His prophets who was sent by God) that they killed many prophets at will, and would not accept ANY truth from their lips. Therefore, in these last days, God sent His Son, and has left us with a testimony of ALL the miracles that Jesus performed, and has explained to us (through the gospels and the epistles) WHO this Jesus IS?
  Jesus the Christ of God is the Creator of all things, the fullness of the Godhead bodily with miracles (as proof) and with words that are stronger than steel, or any man made article, and NOTHING on earth can destroy one word that has been spoken by God. For His word is in a sure foundation in Jesus Christ, where His word is settled in heaven forever. Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
  In the Scriptures, both Old and New, we have many descriptive names of ONE GOD, and that is the God of John 3:11, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. In this verse, the whole Godhead is revealed to us as ONE. The Lord Jesus used the expression, Verily, verily, or Truly, truly, or Amen, amen. He identifies Himself with the letter ‘I’ this included Christ in the ‘we’ and three times He used the word ‘we’ as the identification of the Godhead, and then, He concluded the verse with the word ‘OUR.’ The last word in John 3:11 is ‘witness.’ Christ identified the Godhead as being a ‘witness’ both to heavenly things and earthly things. And He is revealed through the letter ‘I’ that He IS the fullness of the Godhead bodily, For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. (Colossians 2:9)
  Let’s move some of that brain matter around. Say that we take a puzzle with many pieces and on each piece we write a descriptive name concerning the God of heaven and earth; for instance, a name like Jehovah, or Lord, which are comparable, or ‘elohiym, or I AM, or Alpha and Omega, or the simplicity of the name ‘El,’ or Adonai, El Shaddai, or Yeshua, Jehovah-Nissi, ALL these names fit in the puzzle, and many more. When we get to the New Testament, we see the descriptive name as Rabbi, or Master given to the Son of God, or the name Son of man. After you collect all these pieces in this puzzle, and you have the last single piece, what does God say on that last piece? It is a name above every name, above all the other names and description and this last piece of the puzzle gives the fullness and the completeness of this puzzle. When this last piece is place into the completed puzzle, you will see the image of the invisible God, and the fullness of the Godhead bodily IN Jesus Christ, the Son of God. At that name every knee will bow in heaven and in earth, and that which is below, and these knees will bow to the glory of God the Father concerning His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: (Philippians 2:9) That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; (Philippians 2:10) And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:11)
  The disciples were in the storm and all around them was darkness. So how did they perceive the Spirit of Christ walking on the water through the darkness? They saw the Light of His radiance, the Light of the world. And yet, He was in the world, and the world knew Him not because they loved darkness and not the Light. We have the Spirit of Christ upon the face of the deep in this great turmoil of waves and wind. The darkness hid the face of the adversary as he attempted to destroy this little band. This was all part of God’s divine plan of salvation for the sons of man. Jesus Christ cannot be hidden even IN the darkness of the adversary for He is the very image of the invisible God.
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: (Colossians 1:13) In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: (Colossians 1:14) Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: (Colossians 1:15) For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: (Colossians 1:16) And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. (Colossians 1:17)
  In Colossians 1:15, we have the visible image of an invisible God. We have both the seen and the unseen. We have the manifestation of God in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ (the Son of God) and yet, we have both visible and invisible. Therefore, let’s stir some more of that brain matter, have you ever considered that in Romans Chapter 8 (concerning our salvation) we have the Spirit of Christ. (Romans 8:9) But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. As we have many names for the visible, we also have many names for the invisible. Let us, therefore, begin another puzzle. We begin with the Spirit of truth mentioned four times in the gospel of John. Our next puzzle piece is the Spirit of the Lord, and then we move on to the Spirit of life, then to the Spirit of God, we have the Spirit of adoption, the Spirit of the Living God, the Spirit of His Son, the Spirit of promise, the Spirit of grace, and the Spirit of prophecy. Now let’s complete this puzzle with Revelation 5:6, And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. Again, by inserting this last piece (the seven Spirits of God ) we see the fullness of the Godhead in the seven Spirits of God and the Lamb as it had been slain.
  The number seven  is not only the fullness of God, but with the combination of the Lamb being slain, we have the perfect rest of God in Jesus Christ our Lord. This number of completion and fullness ONLY adds to the One who is the fullness of the Godhead bodily. When He completed the work of redemption both heaven and earth witnessed the finality of the plan of God in the salvation of mankind. Yes, there are things to come, but in the very words of Christ, It is finished; these were the words that shattered sin and death and every thing that was held against man, so that one word ‘believe’ would be the word that bonds the soul with Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus, in all the turmoil of darkness of sin and death, is now made higher than the heavens. He is truly the fullness of the Godhead, and it is He who fills all things. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; (Hebrews 7:26) In this stormy darkness in Chapter 6, what was the image that the disciples saw?
So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid. (John 6:19)
And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them. (Mark 6:48) But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out: (Mark 6:49) For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid. (Mark 6:50)
And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. (Matthew 14:25) And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. (Matthew 14:26) But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. (Matthew 14:27)
  In this stormy darkness in Chapter 6, what was the image that the disciples saw? It was the fullness of the Godhead bodily. The complete image of the seen and of the unseen, and this was all manifested in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Once again, in the darkness of this world, He walked OVER the face of the deep. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:2)
  He is still walking on the restless sea of humanity. Mankind has to see the wind and the waves of their own destruction. Mankind has to see the devil in the very turmoil in the souls of ALL humanity. Those whom the Holy Spirit has tried must acknowledge a GREATER than the wind and the waves, a GREATER than all the works of the devil, and a GREATER than sin and death walks on the sea of humanity that it is only Christ who can still the storm, hush the waves, and calm the fear.
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IF
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  In the gospel of Matthew, the apostle Peter was bold; however, read his words closely as documented in Matthew 14:28, And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. If it be thou, bid me come, this shows a man of uncertainty, and the doubt within his heart. Was not this One on the water the same One who fed five thousand men, women, and children? Did they not experience His power when He sent them out into all of Israel? Peter said, IF, truly a large word of uncertainty. Many today face salvation in the same way, with a big IF. They use phrases such as, Hope so, and If I go to heaven. There is no determination in their belief. It is shallow to the point of a vapor, and in their hearts they believe not on the Son of God. Many times the Spirit of Christ has walked over the turbulent heart of darkness within various individuals. And yet, they say, IF it be thou? Peter did go directly to the Lord, but his action was based on IF; consequently, when Peter felt the wind and the boisterous waves, he began to sink. Notice that there was no IF then, for Peter’s voice was loud, most likely a scream in this storm, and his words were plain and effective. Simply, Lord save me! The Lord lifted Peter up from the depth of the storm of unbelief. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. (Matthew 14:30) And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? (Matthew 14:31)
  With the Lord at Peter’s side they both entered into the ship, the storm ceased, and all was well. And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. (Matthew 14:32) It is the Captain of salvation who will deliver us from the darkness of the world, and from the prince of the power of the air. As Joshua asked the Captain of the Lord’s host, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? (Joshua 5:13) The Lord Jesus answered this question in His battle and in His death upon the cross of Calvary with the finality of the work and the words, It is finished.
  In Mark’s gospel Chapter 4, we have another example of a storm on the Sea of Galilee. This time, the Lord was IN the boat sleeping in the hinder part, or at the helm. At the beginning of their journey it must have been a good day, for the Lord rested His head, however, a storm came down upon them. Not only were they tossed by the waves but the water began to enter into the boat and they feared that they would drown. Here again, we have His disciples who had witnessed miracles. They also had seen Him go into the kingdom of Satan and cast out demons, and yet, they valued their lives more than they trusted in God. They also had an IF in their hearts, they asked the Lord Jesus IF He cared for them, IF He cared IF they perished. This is man. He approaches God and lays his unbelief at God’s doorstep. Therefore, what was the reaction from the Lord Jesus? He looked into their fearful faces and simply commanded the storm, Peace, be still. And there was a GREAT calm.
And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. (Mark 4:37) And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? (Mark 4:38) And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. (Mark 4:39) And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? (Mark 4:40) And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? (Mark 4:41)
  We should remember that these disciples were hand picked by the Lord Jesus. We also should remember that they were being tried by the Almighty in light of future events to come. Not only had they seen miracles, but there were many more yet to come. The Lord Jesus was going to leave behind a complete understanding in their hearts of who He WAS and IS so that faith would become the determined part of their walk with Christ after Christ ascended into glory.
  At this point during the storm in Mark’s gospel, the Lord Jesus stated that they had no faith. In their evaluation of the Lord Jesus they could only see a man, What manner of man is this? Why were not their eyes opened to, What manner of God is this? The very eyes that could not see the truth in Christ then, are the same eyes who cannot see the truth in Christ today. They have religion without Christ, they have faith without Christ, they have salvation without Christ, and when things go wrong they instantly fade as a flower in the hot sun. Mankind is so unbalanced that he cannot discern his own heart. This is why the Lord tries the hearts of man. He pulls on the reins of the heart through conviction and reveals the NEED that man has, and He pulls the reins to change man’s direction to show every man what is really IN mankind. Man has nothing within himself to present to God. Man has been driven out of paradise, and the gates have slammed shut. The only One who has the key is the Lord of glory, the Lord Jesus Christ. When we examine both of these events in the storms on the Sea of Galilee (although these two storms were different) we see that peace came from the immoveable power of God in Jesus Christ. He not only determines Peace, but peace was according to His time.
  In your present position, is your life (as this little boat) on an angry sea? Is your boat going down? Is the wrath and wickedness of this world trying to sink you? There is only One who can deliver, and this is the Lord Jesus Christ. In the gospel of John in Chapter 6, when the Lord entered into the boat, they were IMMEDIATELY at their destination. This is the result of the Spirit’s work in man. As the Lord Jesus said in Chapter 3 (concerning the wind and the Spirit) as soon as God quieted the storm — in the heart we are safe at home with Him. He will never leave us, nor forsake us. His disciples reached a physical location, but were they in the right Spirit?
  As the Lord continued His ministry MANY of His disciples turned away and left Him. This was not because of His miracles, but because of His claim to be the true Bread from heaven. Even to the twelve, He asked the question, Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? (John 6:67) Again we see the absence of faith. It is faith that opens the door of grace. Read Ephesians 2:8 very carefully, For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; it is faith that is predominant, for it is impossible to please God without faith. Faith becomes the door of salvation. In Hebrews 11:1, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. This substance of faith is tangible in the heart. It is real because of the indwelling Spirit of Christ who is the Author and Finisher of all faith. Many times in Scripture God reveals His faith to His elect as in the case of Abraham, when Abram was in Ur of Chaldees, he was not looking for God, God was looking for Abram, and God APPEARED unto Abram as recorded in Acts Chapter 7. God chose Abraham to be the vehicle of His promise. It is through faith that Abraham believed, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. It was tangible in his heart, and he received that faith from the Lord; the Author and Finisher of faith is the Lord Jesus Christ as we read this in Galatians 2:20. The apostle Paul stressed that he lived by the faith of the Son of God, who loved him, and gave Himself for him. Faith came from the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul did not say, MY faith, but applied the faith of the Son of God to himself. The Son of God is the true gift of God who encompasses faith and without faith it is impossible to please him. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6) In Ephesians 2:8 the Holy Spirit informs us that our grace and our faith are not of ourselves that it is a gift from God pointing to the true gift which is the Son of God. Today, however, the new modern man wants to walk into heaven on his own merit as he continually repeats, MY faith, MY faith, MY faith, however, this faith will not and cannot open the door to heaven. The Lord Jesus is the GIFT. The FREE gift of God, and therefore, it is a sovereign gift, and controlled by the sovereignty of God. Not only is faith tangible, but faith is the EVIDENCE of things unseen. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. (John 20:29)
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  With the turmoil of life in the raging seas of humanity there is only One to still the storm and this is the Lord Jesus Christ. Notice in Matthew, Mark and John that the Lord Jesus stated, It is I. This one letter in the alphabet is the description of personality, of person, both without and within. There is no other letter that can apply to an individual to show the value and the being of that individual. The Lord Jesus applied this to Himself, as the I of all things. That He is the fullness of all things, and all things consist BY Him and FOR Him. He is the FORCE behind the I. He is the Being behind the I. He is the totality of the Godhead bodily behind the I.
  One letter description of the Eternal God, and as we stand in amazement, this is only recorded THREE times for in the gospel of Luke, the storm is not mentioned. In John Chapter 6 in the previous study, I mentioned how many times the Lord used the letter ‘I’ in reference to Himself. The letter ‘I’ also takes in the eternal aspect of His Being, for in the beginning it was God. In the beginning it was the Word, in the beginning it was ‘I.’ In the circumference of this letter we have a wonderful message to every believer: be not afraid.
  As the world changes around you, there are storms of evil that attack the whole world, there are storms of evil that attack nations, and there are storms of evil that attack the individual. As a child of God, whether in the present, or in a future task that you have to perform for the Lord the ‘I’ is right beside you. Be not afraid are the words that He speaks. Remember this miracle, this storm, and the peace that the Lord Jesus gave was NOT for the multitudes, but for His small band of disciples. This miracle was preparing them for something that was about to come. In some ways, it was the greatest revelation that they received from the Lord Jesus Christ, and it was to take place on the mount of transfiguration. God prepares us all through life for particular moments that reveals Him within us and for us. He has not left us alone in this world for every believer has the Spirit of Christ within. This is the eternal Spirit of God that encircles us, and within this circle is our everlasting life: our righteousness in Jesus Christ, our salvation is sure and encased in God’s love. We have been embraced by the Spirit of adoption so that through the love of God we have been made heirs of God, and heirs with Jesus Christ.
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SIX – THE HEART OF MAN
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  In the gospel of John, there is an immediate reaction when the Lord Jesus entered into the boat: they were safe at God’s haven, they had arrived at a place of rest, they had arrived at their destination, and their souls are at peace. In the overview of the Lord’s ministry on the other side of the sea of Tiberias, or the sea of Galilee, we have the mention of His teaching that took place in Capernaum where they received much of the Lord’s teaching. He would go to the Synagogue, and even with the Lord’s personal ministry to them they could not lay hold of the truth that He was the Bread sent down from heaven. They were lifted up to heaven in the ministry of the Lord, but because of their unbelief they were cast down to hell.
And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. (Matthew 11:23) But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee. (Matthew 11:24)
And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell. (Luke 10:15)
  Once again let me emphasize that John Chapter 6 uncovers the heart of man through the miracles of the five thousand, the storm on the sea, and in the ministry to Capernaum. In all this, the Lord was rejected. Verse 66 of Chapter 6 speaks of this rejection, From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. When we lay out the numbers, we have 6 – 6 – 6, the number of the man of sin staring us right in the face, the man of Revelation Chapter 13. In this verse of John 6:66, they went back to what was before. They would no longer walk with Him. This was complete rejection of His message. When we consider how much ministry the Lord taught in Capernaum, and yet, Capernaum did not accept His teaching or even His presence as the Son of God. Our world is in exactly the same shape as was Capernaum. Hasn’t the word of God gone out into the uttermost parts of the world? And yet, the world has and is rejecting the ministry of Christ from heaven through the Holy Spirit.
  At the end of His ministry in Chapter 6, we have the devil come in and take the seed that had no roots. The word of God did not abide in their hearts; this is man in Adam. He sees miracles every day, life itself is a miracle, breath is a miracle, sight is a miracle, hearing is a miracle, all our functions in the human form are miracles, and yet, mankind does not see the God of miracles. Man fills himself every day with the bread of this world, but gives no thanks for the Provider of the bread.
  The Lord Jesus stilled the storm, and man could only see an unusual man, What manner of man is this? The Pharisees and the Sadducees sent out a band they were to bring the Lord Jesus back, they were to bind Him and deliver Him to the Pharisees, and yet, they returned without Him. Their reason for not taking Him was, Never a man spoke like this man. Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him? (John 7:45) The officers answered, Never man spake like this man. (John 7:46)
  They also only saw ‘a man.’ It is difficult for Adam to take his eyes off the earth and off himself. He is always looking at his own accomplishments, and Adam wants to forget God even if it means losing paradise. However, God in His mercy and love has opened the door for mankind to obtain forgiveness for his rebellion. God has prepared a much greater place than paradise. In Hebrews Chapter 2, Paul through the Spirit of God, ask a profound question, How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;. (Hebrews 2:3) Think of the numberless throng who have not taken this warning seriously. How many have cast God off since the Holy Spirit recorded this in Hebrews Chapter 2?
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THE HOUR HAS COME
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  Today the masses want to be fed, yet, not with the word of God, and not by the manna from heaven. The world that we dwell in is on the brink of disaster: world famine, and world destruction is coming quickly. And mankind continues to say, Where is the sign of his coming? Man is playing at Christianity. It is a game of sorcery to them. They treat the Lord’s work as monetary enrichment and opportunity, and few care about the souls of mankind.
  In recent months we have not only seen a ‘virus,’ but a food shortage, and even though this was all man-made by the evil news media, it was very real to individuals. Never think for a moment that the propaganda arm of communism (the American news media) has any feeling for you. It is their perverted evil to overthrow any government in opposition to communism. It is their joy and pleasure to see the mighty hand of communism march hordes of people into forced labor camps and worse. Communism has been the biggest abuser of the people. It cares not for human life, only for the outcome of their communism. This is all being prepared by the satanic will of man controlled by Satan himself. This is going to be more than a great wind on the Sea of Galilee. The mountains will quake, the ground will open and swallow up man; the once fruitful ground will no longer produce fruit because man has overworked the soil, and artificial fertilizers can only accomplish so much. Satan is preparing his king, the man of sin, and when he comes forth, all freedom will be surrendered and will cease for his evil mark.
But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. (1st Thessalonians 5:1) For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. (1st Thessalonians 5:2)
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition (2nd Thessalonians 2:3); Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. (2nd Thessalonians 2:4)
  This is what is before the world. Noah saw all the evil around him, and with that heavy burden he continued to preach the word of God in righteousness. He preached the word of God to the world that was then. They smiled in their sin when Noah spoke of the judgment of God to come, and their reply was similar to the words of today, they told Noah, Not today, maybe tomorrow. But the day came when there was no tomorrow’s left, and how many gave heed to the message of Noah? None, a big Zero. The Lord Himself referred to the days of Noah.
But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. (Matthew 24:36) But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.(Matthew 24:37) For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, (Matthew 24:38) And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (Matthew 24:39)
  The spiritual temperature in the days of Noah reached a terminal point. We are once more approaching that same terminal point today in this ungodly world. Every day we see the ungodly declaring their hatred for God and His people. Cults of all kinds are rampantly active, human sacrifice is on the rise, men are possessed with demons, and their demons extend beyond drugs, alcohol, homosexuality, molesting children, and selling children as sex slaves to the wealthy and to the political elite. Governments are on the brink of war. We see an increase in chemical and biological weaponry, even the designation such as Covid-19 is more a title of a weapon then the name of a virus. I am sure that there will be more man-made illnesses to come. Don’t bury your heads under your soft pillows. These difficult times are not going away. The world is in a destructive spiral because of sin, and it is time to heed the message of repentance toward God. In the days of Noah they knew not the hour until the floods came.
Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. (1st Peter 3:20)
And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; (2nd Peter 2:5)
For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: (2nd Peter 3:5) Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: (2nd Peter 3:6)
  This should sober you up. You can see the clock ticking, well the clock is also clicking on your life, both the rich man and the poor man know not the hour of his departure. However, our Father in heaven knows the hour.
  It amuses me sometimes when I hear stories of those who supposedly departed, and saw a great light, or a glow, and then returned back to the physical world. They never go to God’s testimony to see the reality of what happens to those who depart. We have the complete story in Luke Chapter 16 where the rich man did not see a great light, nor did he see a glow, but he woke up in hell. His hour had come. He had departed and he knew not that hour, but he definitely knew that his life and that final hour had placed him in hell. He knew not that every day the clock was ticking – tick – tick – ticking. He had his whole life to acknowledge his belief in God, and he refused, as so many do today also refuse the bread of life, the Lord Jesus Christ. The bread of life waits for an answer to, Whom do man say that I am?
Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? (John 6:67)
Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. (John 6:68 )
And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. (John 6:69)
Amen.
© Copyright 2020, Michael Haigh
This article may be used, but not for gain. Freely ye have received, freely give.
All Scripture references are from the Authorized King James Bible. (KJV)