What would it be like to ask a Spiritual Leader a question
when suddenly a voice from heaven speaks back? Incredible, right? Just before
Jesus was crucified, after riding into Jerusalem, but before his last supper,
Jesus was speaking to a multitude of disciples that had been following him.
After seeing Jesus heal the blind, the lame, and the lepers, he raised Lazarus,
and the people wanted to see and know more. This was not the first time an
audible voice from heaven spoke to people on earth. In fact, we see it all
through the Bible. The more incredible understanding is that it is for the
benefit of the people on earth. And more importantly, the redeemed have a hope
of the heavenly voice calling them up.
A few weeks ago we saw Josephus’ account of the warnings to
the Jews to get out of Jerusalem. There were several signs, some audible to
those people. This shows us that even history records audible voices from the
heavens at important times. This is an interesting perspective. Let’s pick up
where we left off last week regarding Jesus’s last few days. The Pharisees were
frustrated as all their plans and schemes to keep people from following Jesus
had failed. http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2016/03/zealots-fascists-civil-war-7-signs.html
John 12:19 Then the Pharisees said among themselves, You
see how futile your efforts are and how you accomplish nothing. See! The whole
world is running after Him!
From last week: Notice that the untranslated words here
renders this more emphatic. Perceive
how nothing prevails, nothing! The Pharisees were quite upset that all
their efforts were unsuccessful.
John 12:19G3588Then the
G3767 G*Pharisees
G2036said G4314to G1438themselves,
G2334Do you
contemplate G3754that G3756you
benefit G5623 G3762nothing? G2396See! G3588the G2889world G3694 [2after G14733him G5651went
forth]
As if it wasn’t enough that thousands of people were
following Jesus because of his miracle working power; now the foreigners, Greek
speaking Jews who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover, came to chat with
Jesus and they all heard an audible voice from heaven. Recognize that random
Greek people had no interest in worshipping at the temple during feasts. The
people coming to worship in the temple were people who did not live in
Jerusalem, but felt impressed to worship during the feast, obviously having an
association or tie to Judaism. Who could they be?
John 12:20 Now among those who went up to worship at the
Feast were some Greeks. 21 These came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in
Galilee, and they made this request, Sir, we desire to see Jesus. 22 Philip
came and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip together [went] and told Jesus. 23
And Jesus answered them……
Answered them? What was the question? John doesn’t record
the question but let’s look at the answers and decipher the question. Like
Jeopardy.
John 12:23 And Jesus answered them, The time has come for
the Son of Man to be glorified and exalted.
What was the question? When will you die or be glorified,
or how long will you be around? These “Greeks” were probably people from the
Essene/Nazarene/Therapeutae communities who knew Jesus and knew what he came to
do. The Essenes were fluent in Greek. Who else would ask the kind of question
that Jesus would respond to in this manner and also be coming to worship at
Passover? These people had to travel into town so they must have lived out of
town. “The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified and exalted” Jesus
is telling them that this is the time he will be crucified. The Old Testament
is full of prophecies regarding how the Messiah will die, and some people knew
what was written and believed on Jesus. What else did Jesus say?
John 12:24 I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, Unless a
grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains [just one grain; it
never becomes more but lives] by itself alone. But if it dies, it produces many
others and yields a rich harvest.
Jesus compares himself to a grain of wheat that will
multiply after death, bringing in a harvest. Let’s go on.
John 12:25 Anyone who loves his life loses it, but anyone
who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. [Whoever has no
love for, no concern for, no regard for his life here on earth, but despises
it, preserves his life forever and ever.] 26 If anyone serves Me, he must
continue to follow Me [to cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My
example in living and, if need be, in dying] and wherever I am, there will My
servant be also. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
This is the way people who serve Jesus should behave,
despising life, without regard for earthly life, following Him, cleaving to
Him, and conforming to His example in life and death. Then His servants will be
honored by the Father. But Jesus’ soul is agitated like rolling waves cresting
at the beach, so he asks a rhetorical question. This also tells us that part of
the Greeks questions were in the context of “why do you have to go so soon?”
Jesus came to undergo the crucifixion.
John 12:27 Now My soul is troubled and distressed, and what
shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour [of trial and agony]? But it was
for this very purpose that I have come to this hour [that I might undergo it]. 28
[Rather, I will say,] Father, glorify (honor and extol) Your [own] name! Then
there came a voice out of heaven saying, I have already glorified it, and I
will glorify it again. 29 The crowd of bystanders heard the sound and said that
it had thundered; others said, An angel has spoken to Him! AMP
Instead of lamenting the death he was about to face, Jesus
said Father glorify Your name. What Jesus was telling the people who came to
see him was that this was it, the time of his earthly end, and instead of
running from it, he was running to it, asking the Father to be glorified in His
death. Remember that the Essenes were not opposed to death, nor did they fear
it, but rather they rejoiced in it as they believed that their earthly bodies
were binding them from their true being, and once freed from their bodies they
would live spiritually. That is our true life, a spiritual life not bound to
earth. Then a voice replies from Heaven.
John 12:28G3962O
father, G1392glorify
G1473your G3588 G3686name! G2064Then
came G3767 G5456a
voice G1537from
out of G3588the G3772heaven,
G2532Even G1392I
glorified, G2532and G3825again G1392I will
glorify
NT:5456 phone (fo-nay'); probably akin to NT:5316 through
the idea of disclosure; a tone (articulate, bestial or artificial); by
implication, an address (for any purpose), saying or language: KJV - noise,
sound, voice. (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with
Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc.
and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
The voice, phone,
said “Even glorify and again glorify”. This is like a double positive,
expressed as if saying I am doubly
glorified. The illusion is that Jesus makes the Father doubly glorified in
his mission to rescue mankind. Compare this to the double negative of the
Pharisees statement about nothing
working, nothing! The way the Holy Spirit is communicating to us is
intriguing. The Pharisees are doubly negative and Jesus is doubly positive. In
other words, the hatred the Pharisees had for Jesus and their behavior is bad bad, while the mission Jesus is on which
glorifies the Father is good good.
The multitude heard this.
John12:29G3588Then
the G3767 G3793multitude
G3588 G2476standing
G2532and G191hearing,
G3004said, G1027Thunder
G1096has
taken place; G243others
G3004said, G32An
angel G1473has
spoken to him.G2980
30G611Jesus
answered G3588 G* G2532and G2036said, G3756Not G1223on
account of G1473me G3778has this
G3588 G5456voice G1096taken
place, G235but G1223on
account of G1473you
To some this was a voice like thunder, to others it was an
angel. Jesus says it was for their benefit, not his. Why? It was another sign.
Again, from Josephus’ account of the destruction of the temple, there were
several signs over the course of a couple of years warning people to leave.
Jesus had already told people when they saw certain things to get out of the
city and by the time Josephus was recording this the city was involved in a
civil war with the Zealots and Idumeans.
Jesus responds to the people marveling by saying that it
was for their sake because judgment of this world is coming and the ruler of
this world will be cast out.
John 12:30-41 Jesus answered, This voice has not come for
My sake, but for your sake. 31 Now the judgment (crisis) of this world is
coming on [sentence is now being passed on this world]. Now the ruler (evil
genius, prince) of this world shall be cast out (expelled). 32 And I, if and
when I am lifted up from the earth [on the cross], will draw and attract all
men [Gentiles as well as Jews] to Myself. 33 He said this to signify in what
manner He would die.
Jesus secured the final sentence by his death. He, being
lifted up, ensured the righteous dead would be freed of the devils power in
hades and taken to paradise. The devil has no authority over the righteous in
hades, nor the unrighteous in hades. He was cast out, ejected, and now Jesus
has the keys to hell and death. But judgment comes on the unrighteous, they are
sentenced to hades and Jesus has the keys. Therefore, if one curses Jesus, he
will face Jesus upon death and his sentence is a term in hades from that day of
death through the millennial kingdom until the white throne judgment when all
works are judged. If I were an unbeliever, I would rather be judged by Jesus
than the devil as to hades and the white throne judgment. Even as an unbeliever
one would concede that Jesus would be more fair than the devil.
The people then bring up what they learned from the law
that the Messiah would remain forever. Remember there were multitudes, not just
the twelve disciples and the Essenes.
John 12:34 At this the people answered Him, We have learned
from the Law that the Christ is to remain forever; how then can You say, The
Son of Man must be lifted up [on the cross]? Who is this Son of Man? [Ps
110:4.] 35 So Jesus said to them, You will have the Light only a little while
longer. Walk while you have the Light [keep on living by it], so that darkness
may not overtake and overcome you. He who walks about in the dark does not know
where he goes [he is drifting]. 36 While you have the Light, believe in the
Light [have faith in it, hold to it, rely on it], that you may become sons of
the Light and be filled with Light. Jesus said these things, and then He went
away and hid Himself from them [was lost to their view].
The common people were not sure why Jesus had to die like a
grain of wheat. They understood the serpent being lifted up in the wilderness,
but they didn’t understand that Jesus had to be lifted up, before he would
remain forever. It almost sounds like the common people were not hearing all of
the things written in the scrolls in their synagogues or in the temple. Similar
to today in our congregations where the people only hear certain scriptures and
not all of them. There has always been a molding and shaping of religion by
religious leaders, therefore we have to study for ourselves, all the words
written to and for us. John then gives
us a little hindsight.
John 12:37 Even though He had done so many miracles before
them (right before their eyes), yet they still did not trust in Him and failed
to believe in Him — 38 So that what
Isaiah the prophet said was fulfilled: Lord, who has believed our report and
our message? And to whom has the arm (the power) of the Lord been shown (unveiled
and revealed)? [Isa 53:1.] 39 Therefore they could not believe [they were
unable to believe]. For Isaiah has also said, 40 He has blinded their eyes and
hardened and benumbed their [callous, degenerated] hearts [He has made their
minds dull], to keep them from seeing with their eyes and understanding with
their hearts and minds and repenting and turning to Me to heal them. 41 Isaiah
said this because he saw His glory and spoke of Him. [Isa 6:9,10.] AMP
Looking back, we see that the Pharisees had some impact on
the population. They succeeded in causing people to doubt all the miracles and
even the voice from heaven. John then tells us many leaders believed in Jesus
as Messiah, but didn’t confess it.
John 12:42 And yet [in spite of all this] many even of the
leading men (the authorities and the nobles) believed and trusted in Him. But
because of the Pharisees they did not confess it, for fear that [if they should
acknowledge Him] they would be expelled from the synagogue; 43 For they loved
the approval and the praise and the glory that come from men [instead of and]
more than the glory that comes from God. [They valued their credit with men
more than their credit with God.]
John then tells us Jesus loudly declared. This means he was
speaking to a multitude not just a few people. Jesus made sure everyone could
hear that he came to save the world.
John 12:44 But Jesus loudly declared, The one who believes
in Me does not [only] believe in and trust in and rely on Me, but [in believing
in Me he believes] in Him Who sent Me. 45 And whoever sees Me sees Him Who sent
Me. 46 I have come as a Light into the world, so that whoever believes in Me
[whoever cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] may not continue to live in
darkness. 47 If anyone hears My teachings and fails to observe them [does not
keep them, but disregards them], it is not I who judges him. For I have not
come to judge and to condemn and to pass sentence and to inflict penalty on the
world, but to save the world. 48 Anyone who rejects Me and persistently sets Me
at naught, refusing to accept My teachings, has his judge [however]; for the
[very] message that I have spoken will itself judge and convict him at the last
day. 49 This is because I have never spoken on My own authority or of My own
accord or as self-appointed, but the Father Who sent Me has Himself given Me
orders [concerning] what to say and what to tell. [Deut 18:18,19.] 50 And I
know that His commandment is (means) eternal life. So whatever I speak, I am
saying [exactly] what My Father has told Me to say and in accordance with His
instructions. AMP
The Pharisees were condemning the world and everyone who
didn’t believe and act like they did. The Pharisees were the hammer of the day,
but Jesus was not. Instead Jesus did the opposite, he loved the world and gave
his life for all of us to have an opportunity to live a good eternal existence.
Jesus also said and did what the Father told him. He did not act on his own.
Many people have the misconception that Jesus was a rogue prophet/healer who
did what he wanted, but he testifies over and over that he was sent on a
mission to save humanity by the Father. He did not do and say things of his own
accord.
This is where we want to consider the voice from heaven
again. It was for the benefit of the multitudes, not the believers, but the
ones who had doubt and were still questioning Jesus as Messiah. The audible
voice was for the benefit of the unbeliever. How does a voice come out of the
sky? How does a spiritual being break through the 3-4 dimensions we know and
perceive? It turns out, that audible voices have been heard from the sky
throughout history and will be heard again in the future. The only times we can
say for sure that an audible voice was or will be heard are the times it is
recorded in the Bible. Historians record those past events, but we cannot
predict future events before they happen on our own accord. We have what is
written to help us with future events.
One would think that the heathen wouldn’t hear from God,
but Hagar did. This tells us that God does not disregard people we may call
heathens. Hagar was a mistress to Abraham. She was given to Sarah as a servant,
and she was from Egypt, but she was considered by God to be valuable as a person,
even when her actions were not kind toward Sarah.
Gen 21:17 And God heard the voice of the youth, and the
angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven and said to her, What troubles you,
Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the youth where he is. AMP
I love the way Moses speaks about this to the people who
came out of Egypt. He reminds them that they heard the voice of Elohim and
lived. Yahweh Elohim spoke to them and it was a sign to them so that Yahweh
Elohim could correct discipline and admonish them.
Deut 4:33-36 Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking
out of the midst of the fire, as you heard, and live? 34 Or has God ever tried
to go and take for Himself a nation from the midst of another nation, by trials,
by signs, by wonders, by war, by a mighty hand, by an outstretched arm, and by
great terrors, as the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? 35
To you it was shown, that you might realize and have personal knowledge that
the Lord is God; there is no other besides Him. 36 Out of heaven He made you
hear His voice, that He might correct, discipline, and admonish you; and on
earth He made you see His great fire, and you heard His words out of the midst
of the fire. AMP
This is a song David wrote and prayed after God saved him
from his enemies and Saul.
2 Sam 22:14 The Lord thundered from heaven, and the Most
High uttered His voice. AMP
It seems like the understanding of the people of this time
was that Elohim would speak from heaven on occasion. Asaph writes about the voice of Elohim coming
from a whirlwind. The understanding is that a whirlwind is an angelic being
called the Ophan, or plural Ophanim. The voice of Elohim is carried
by spiritual beings; angels (as with Hagar), a non-consuming fire, in thunder,
and in a whirlwind. http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2013/04/ophanim-ezekiels-wheels-enochs.html
Ps 77:18 The voice of Your thunder was in the whirlwind,
the lightnings illumined the world; the earth trembled and shook. AMP
This story about Nebuchadnezzar is interesting as in this
case Elohim uses his voice from heaven for correction and chastisement in Nebuchadnezzar’s
pride.
Dan 4:30 The king said, Is not this the great Babylon that
I have built as the royal residence and seat of government by the might of my
power and for the honor and glory of my majesty? 31 While the words were still
in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O King
Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, 32 And
you shall be driven from among men and your dwelling will be with the living
creatures of the field. You will be made to eat grass like the oxen, and seven
times [or years] shall pass over you until you have learned and know that the
Most High [God] rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whomever He will. 33
That very hour the thing was [in process of] being fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar.
He was driven from among men and did eat grass like oxen [as Daniel had said he
would], and his body was wet with the dew of the heavens until his hair grew
like eagles' [feathers] and his nails [were] like birds' [claws]. AMP
Those are probably not words one would wish to hear from
heaven. In Ecclesiasticus, Jesus son of Sirach recounts Samuel the prophet
calling on Yahweh and Yahweh thundering from heaven.
Ecclus 46:13-18 Samuel, the prophet of the Lord, beloved of
his Lord, established a kingdom, and anointed princes over his people.14 By the
law of the Lord he judged the congregation, and the Lord had respect unto
Jacob.15 By his faithfulness he was found a true prophet, and by his word he
was known to be faithful in vision.16 He called upon the mighty Lord, when his
enemies pressed upon him on every side, when he offered the sucking lamb.17 And
the Lord thundered from heaven, and with a great noise made his voice to be
heard.18 And he destroyed the rulers of the Tyrians, and all the princes of the
Philistines. KJV
We should remember that when Jesus was being baptized by
John, the people all heard the voice of the Father from the heavens.
Matt 3:17 And behold, a voice from heaven said, This is My
Son, My Beloved, in Whom I delight! [Ps 2:7; Isa 42:1.] AMP
Peter heard an audible voice from heaven after which he
went to Cornelius’ house and they all received the Holy Spirit.
Acts 11:9 But the voice answered a second time from heaven,
What God has cleansed and pronounced clean, do not you defile and profane by
regarding or calling it common or unhallowed or unclean. AMP
Peter recounts the time he was on the mount of
transfiguration or the holy mount as Peter calls it. They heard the audible
voice of the Father.
2 Peter 1:16-18 For we were not following cleverly devised
stories when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ
(the Messiah), but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty (grandeur, authority of
sovereign power). 17 For when He was invested with honor and glory from God the
Father and a voice was borne to Him by the [splendid] Majestic Glory [in the
bright cloud that overshadowed Him, saying], This is My beloved Son in Whom I
am well pleased and delight, 18 We [actually] heard this voice borne out of
heaven, for we were together with Him on the holy mountain. AMP
All of these instances are in the past, but what about the
future. In the tribulation time there will be many times that voices will be
heard making announcements and pronouncements from heaven. But the believers
won’t be on the earth for those announcements, but instead observing and living
from above. There are two announcements that the redeemed will hear in the near
future. Near meaning “before the
tribulation”, but not necessarily in our lifetime. The Lord will call the
believers with a shout from heaven. We studied this parallel to the Feast of Trumpets
a while back. http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2014/08/rehearsing-for-rapture-passing-from.html
1 Thess 4:16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven
with a loud cry of summons, with the shout of an archangel, and with the blast
of the trumpet of God. And those who have departed this life in Christ will
rise first. AMP
The dead in paradise will hear the summons and rise, and
then those on the earth will join them in the air. When will this be? When the
door of heaven opens. http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2013/06/doors-and-clouds-jesus-tells-us-of-his.html
Rev 4:1 AFTER THIS I looked, and behold, a door standing
open in heaven! And the first voice which I had heard addressing me like [the
calling of] a war trumpet said, Come up here, and I will show you what must
take place in the future. AMP
The door opens in heaven, John hears the voice calling him
up, and then what does he see? The redeemed saints in heaven. This is the last
time that a redeemed saint on earth will hear a voice from heaven as after this
the redeemed saints will be in heaven. For the concern of the individual who is
not sure about believing Jesus is Messiah, this will be the start of
tribulations on the earth. Once the door opens and the saints go in, many will
stand at the door and knock as Jesus explained in the parable of the ten
virgins. The people will try to remind Jesus of who they are and what they did,
and he will say that he never knew them.
http://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2013/03/when-we-get-to-heaven-revelation-5_11.html
After the redeemed are redeemed to heaven, those on the
earth will hear this:
Rev 8:13 Then I [looked and I] saw a solitary eagle flying
in midheaven, and as it flew I heard it crying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe
to those who dwell on the earth, because of the rest of the trumpet blasts
which the three angels are about to sound! AMP
There will be several more times that voices from heaven
will be heard on the earth. One time will be after the two witnesses, Elijah
and Enoch (the only two people who still have their bodies), are killed and
left for dead for three days. A voice will call them up to heaven. The next
time, right after this event, will be Jesus’ coronation as King of kings and
Lord of lords.
Rev 11:12-15 Then [the two witnesses] heard a strong voice
from heaven calling to them, Come up here! And before the very eyes of their
enemies they ascended into heaven in a cloud. [2 Kings 2:11.] 13 And at that
[very] hour there was a tremendous earthquake and one tenth of the city was
destroyed (fell); seven thousand people perished in the earthquake, and those
who remained were filled with dread and terror and were awe-struck, and they
glorified the God of heaven. 14 The second woe (calamity) has passed; now the
third woe is speedily to come. 15 The seventh angel then blew [his] trumpet,
and there were mighty voices in heaven, shouting, The dominion (kingdom,
sovereignty, rule) of the world has now come into the possession and become the
kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ (the Messiah), and He shall reign forever
and ever (for the eternities of the eternities)! [Ps 22:28; Dan 7:13,14,27.]
AMP
The redeemed are in heaven with front row seats for these
events. This is when the devil is finally cast out of heaven to the earth and
he knows that his time is short. The tribulations of earth will get worse. Now
whether we believe on Jesus as Messiah before we die will determine this (our)
future. Clearly, there are records of voices from heaven announcing monumental
events. Therefore, believing that there can be voices from heaven, is already
established. The question becomes what will you hear and be a part of? The glory of heaven or the woe of the earth?
