Ezekiel 1: See the Glory!

Ezekiel 1

Ezekiel’s Vision of God

¹ Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the River Chebar, that the heavens were opened and I saw visions^[a] of God. ² On the fifth day of the month, which was in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, ³ the word of the LORD came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans^[b] by the River Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was upon him there.
⁴ Then I looked, and behold, a whirlwind was coming out of the north, a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself; and brightness was all around it and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire. ⁵ Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man. ⁶ Each one had four faces, and each one had four wings. ⁷ Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the soles of calves’ feet. They sparkled like the color of burnished bronze. ⁸ The hands of a man were under their wings on their four sides; and each of the four had faces and wings. ⁹ Their wings touched one another. The creatures did not turn when they went, but each one went straight forward.
¹⁰ As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle. ¹¹ Thus were their faces. Their wings stretched upward; two wings of each one touched one another, and two covered their bodies. ¹² And each one went straight forward; they went wherever the spirit wanted to go, and they did not turn when they went.
¹³ As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches going back and forth among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and out of the fire went lightning. ¹⁴ And the living creatures ran back and forth, in appearance like a flash of lightning.
¹⁵ Now as I looked at the living creatures, behold, a wheel was on the earth beside each living creature with its four faces. ¹⁶ The appearance of the wheels and their workings was like the color of beryl, and all four had the same likeness. The appearance of their workings was, as it were, a wheel in the middle of a wheel. ¹⁷ When they moved, they went toward any one of four directions; they did not turn aside when they went. ¹⁸ As for their rims, they were so high they were awesome; and their rims were full of eyes, all around the four of them. ¹⁹ When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up. ²⁰ Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, because there the spirit went; and the wheels were lifted together with them, for the spirit of the living creatures^[c]was in the wheels. ²¹ When those went, these went; when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up together with them, for the spirit of the living creatures^[d]was in the wheels.
²² The likeness of the firmament above the heads of the living creatures^[e]was like the color of an awesome crystal, stretched out over their heads. ²³ And under the firmament their wings spread out straight, one toward another. Each one had two which covered one side, and each one had two which covered the other side of the body. ²⁴ When they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of many waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a tumult like the noise of an army; and when they stood still, they let down their wings. ²⁵ A voice came from above the firmament that was over their heads; whenever they stood, they let down their wings.
²⁶ And above the firmament over their heads was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it. ²⁷ Also from the appearance of His waist and upward I saw, as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around within it; and from the appearance of His waist and downward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around. ²⁸ Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD.

Chapter one hundred: Holy Spirit gives a bonus!

On the day Jack decided to complete the blog series on Journey in the Holy Spirit, he received a big gift, indeed a huge bonus! He woke around 5am and knew in his spirit that he had to go to the prayer table. So he got up and went downstairs. At the table he was still troubled by the dull ache on his left temple. On the previous night it developed into a sharp pain and he had a hard time commanding it to go away.
However he started to talk to God. He was supposed to intercede for a critical case of a man who had again lost consciousness after being resuscitated in the afternoon at a rural hospital. But he was out of words and could not proceed. he prayed awhile in the Spirit. He asked God to reveal to him word of knowledge and wisdom, together with discernment in spirits.
He also committed his own problem, i.e. the dull ache on top of his left eye. Then he opened his Bible and read. He was led to read Psalm 103. Normally he would have read verse 3 about forgiven and healing. But today he was led to read verse 5, describing the Lord God “who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” Then he was led to note verses 20-21, which he had previously read without noticing anything. “Bless the Lord, you His angels, who excel in strength, who do His word, heeding the voice of His word. Bless the Lord, all you His hosts, you ministers of His, who do His pleasure.”
He suddenly realized that the angels who minister to the believers (as stated in Heb.1:14), listen only to the word of God and put the word of God into action when the believers proclaim the word of God!
It was indeed a bonus! The next thing that happened further demonstrated to him how close to him and how much the Holy Spirit is willing to impart important wisdom.
As he pondered over the obstacle to the intercession for that very sick man, and bothered by his own nagging ache, he saw a book lying around. It was a classic book on divine healing, a recent gift which he had not been able to read yet. He took it up, opened and glanced through the contents just to see what are inside. He was looking for “eyes” ailment, but he was disappointed.
However, he read on and found something relevant. It was on “Stress disorders, anxiety and fear”. He turned to the section and found what he was looking for. It described how the brain affects the body (including health). The author used certain medical and physiological information and links them to emotional manifestations and spiritual causal factors.
The author then quoted one crucial verse, “1 John 4:18 is the functional Scripture for the healing of many fear, anxiety and stress disorders“. He concluded and summarized his recommendation for healing: reconciliation with God and His love; reconciliation with yourself; and reconciliation with others.
The verse was exactly the same verse Jack had given to his class last Sunday as the key to casting out fears (which he described as a major hindrance to faith and healing). “There is no fear in love; but perfect love cast out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.” In that class, Jack also emphasized the need to reconcile and not harbor unforgiveness which could hinder the participants from experiencing the manifestation of the Holy Spirit.
Later that morning Jack further saw the unfolding of the mystery surrounding that poor man. The big picture emerged clearly.
He decided to go to the Prayer House to pray in the Spirit. It was a purposeful morning and the Lord was with him just as He promised.
Although this blog series ends here, he will continue to walk in the Spirit and learn from the Anointed One. His life remains that of a man who travels on in the Spirit.

Chapter ninety-nine: Seeing the big picture from the miniature

It was like walking in the desert and coming across a small patch of oasis. There were only two palm trees, a well and a tiny tent enough for one traveler. When Jack first started this travel blog (in the Holy Spirit), he had no idea what he would find each step of his way. After such a long (in his own perception) walk with the Lord all these years he had reached a point where he had to have a breakthrough. He only had one road map, the Bible. He knew the answer was there somewhere.
His daily journey after stepping out in faith was increasingly focused, as he allowed the Holy Spirit to lead him. There was never one clear road map with every details but the details provided were essential and clear enough for him. He was led step by step.
A number of things emerged and confirmed to him he was walking toward the right direction in his journey of faith.
As he had recorded previously, they came in the form of visions, dreams, verses, messages, words of knowledge and words of wisdom from others, and the fresh assignments given to him.
Prior to this journey, he had been given a variety of ministerial functions, including, teaching, preaching, serving in committees, training, exhorting, encouraging, helping, shepherding small groups etc. He did not know then whether he was anointed or not for any of them.
However, during this journey in the Holy Spirit, he was clearer about his anointing for specific assignments. At first he was unsure as he found that he was assigned a variety of functions with the relevant gift/anointing for that specific occasion. The assignment (and the anointing therein) was meant for just that occasion or a few of similar ones.
What was his calling? He had often asked God. Why was he given such a variety of tasks that demanded different gifts/anointing? Why was his audience so limited (in numbers and other natural aspects)?
After taking on each assignment by faith, he gradually saw the big picture.It finally dawned on him the calling and the answer to his questions.
He was not called to stand in the office of a pastor, nor an evangelist, nor a prophet, nor a preacher, nor an Apostle. He was called to be an ‘anointed type teacher’. A teacher of anointed ‘type’ to be exact. The Holy Spirit manifested in many different gifts during the respective assignments to give demonstrations to his lessons.
His lessons were to focus on showing examples of different anointed functions. There was no requirement for him to stand in the office of any of the anointed offices.
This revelation explains why he had been exposed to so many different offices and gifts.
Knowing this calling has cleared all his doubts. He is no longer under pressure to ensure a large turn out for any class. As the Lord Jesus promised in Matt. 11:28-30, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
To his amazement, he was the student learning and benefiting most from the lessons where the Anointed One conducted the teaching. Indeed, the lessons carried on outside the classroom, often when he was alone worshiping or just resting in the presence of the Almighty. Even the garden has become his personal classroom.
As for why he is required to learn to teach anointed ‘type’ teaching, he is still waiting for the next instruction from his Teacher. Meanwhile, he just continues to enjoy the role of a student himself.

Chapter Ninety-eight: The Holy Spirit confirmed on the third day

On the third day after Jack first received the prompting of what to proclaim, he attended an international meeting wherein a very senior intercessor and encourager from a faraway nation was invited to preach. he was an elderly frail looking man who told the participants that he had been near death so many times and had enough dying practice so he was not afraid to die. His countenance was that of a man ready to meet His Savior in heaven, filled with the Shalom peace, the joy and hope of glory of Jesus Christ.
He opened his sermon by making a statement that he was moved by the terrible suffering mankind went through when he first started serving the Lord. All his life as a preacher he was motivated by one thing, that is, to turn the situation around. Jack was moved to tears (together with many others as those on his right and left were weeping uncontrollably!) when this elderly man spoke his mission in life. He had been a pastor for fifty years. His first statement can be summed up in the same passage describing the Lord Jesus, in Luke 4:18,
“ The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;”
The speaker continued and shared the key to his ability to fulfill the assignment given to him by God. 2 Corinthians 4:9-10 “persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.”
The speaker started a simple but true Gospel about the Savior Jesus. How He was crucified and died for us. How He took away our sins and curses, how He healed all our diseases.
Based on the fact that Jesus had already died for us, he gave the participants a five-fold blessings:
“I am righteous. I am holy. I am healed. I am blessed. I am a child of God.”
Jack was indeed touched to hear the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ: the cross, the crucifixion, the salvation, deliverance and healing.
Three days ago he woke to find that he needed a great miracle within the next five months. He was led in the spirit to proclaim the passage in Luke 4:18, in his diary. He wrote, “Jesus was anointed to deliver me from the following: poor, broken-heart, under captives, blind, oppressed. I am accepted by the Father in heaven as a child of God.
It is amazing that the Holy Spirit has led him to hear this message. On that day he slept for four hours, woke at 4.00am, traveled from 5.15am to 6.30am. He had a cup of coffee, hanged around a subway and then decided to go to the meeting place, waited from 7.30am to 8.45am standing or squatting on the ground in the open. He managed to get in a side hall and looked at a screen (the source who was supposed to bring him his ticket was delayed by someone, so he could not get into the main hall). After the four hours meeting he waited for transport and reached home by the evening. By the time he went to bed it was 1o.30pm. He was sustained for over 16 hours under divine fitness and energy.
Jack has recently been prompted in his heart to share the words of God in his blogs by grouping verses that witness Jesus. The next day he was led to publish verses on the ‘blood’ of the Lamb. On the third day he rose at 4:00am after sleeping for four hours. He woke with the urgent reminder of the center focus of the Gospel, the cross. He prayed about it and then left for the meeting.
The speaker’s sharing was a confirmation that he heard the Holy Spirit message correctly, that is, in the end time Christians have one important assignment, that is, to share the Gospel.
Another wonderful thing happened at the meeting. He found a book called, “Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem” and he was asked to do that lately by the Holy Spirit!

END TIMES WITNESSING: TESTIMONY OF THE BLOOD

BACKGROUND
Exodus 12:13 Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
Leviticus 1:5 He shall kill the bull before the LORD; and the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall bring the blood and sprinkle the blood all around on the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of meeting.
JESUS SHED HIS BLOOD FOR MANY TO ENTER THE NEW COVENANT
Jesus who had no sin, became sin for us. He shed His precious blood so that we can be redeemed and set free. (Matthew 27:24 When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.” )
By shedding His blood, He qualified those who believe in Him to enter the New Covenant. ( John 19:34 But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.)
Jesus' blood for the New Covenant
Matthew 26:28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. Matthew 27:25 And all the people answered and said, “His blood be on us and on our children.” Mark 14:24 And He said to them, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many. Luke 22:20 Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you."
John 6:53 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. John 6:54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:55 For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. John 6:56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.
Blood is life
Acts 21:25 But concerning the Gentiles who believe, we have written and decided that they should observe no such thing, except that they should keep themselves from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality.” (Genesis 9:4 "But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.") Acts 17:26 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,
God has purchased the church (all believers) with His blood
Acts 20:28 Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.
Romans 3:25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, Romans 5:9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace Ephesians 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. Colossians 1:14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
Jesus' blood cleansed us from all sins.
1 Peter 1:2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied. 1 Peter 1:19 [you were redeemed] but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
The Holy Communion's true meaning: The Covenant
1 Corinthians 10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 1 Corinthians 11:25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 1 Corinthians 11:27 [ Examine Yourself ] Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
Hebrews 13:20 [ Benediction, Final Exhortation, Farewell ] Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant
Only the Blood of Jesus could take away sins
Jesus' blood fulfilled God's complete holy requirement and replaced the blood of sacrificial animals used in the Old Testament.
Hebrews 2:14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, Hebrews 9:12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. Hebrews 9:13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, Hebrews 9:14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Hebrews 9:18 Therefore not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood. Hebrews 9:19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, Hebrews 9:20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you.” Hebrews 9:21 Then likewise he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. Hebrews 9:22 And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. Hebrews 9:25 not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another—Hebrews 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.
Hebrews 10:19 [ Hold Fast Your Confession ] Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, Hebrews 10:29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? Hebrews 11:28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. Hebrews 12:24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. Hebrews 13:11 For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. Hebrews 13:12 Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate.
Jesus' blood is God's witness
1 John 5:6 [ The Certainty of God’s Witness ] This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. 1 John 5:8 And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.
End Times witnessing: the blood of the Lamb
Revelation 1:5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,
Revelation 5:9 And they sang a new song, saying: “ You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
Revelation 7:14 And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
Revelation 19:13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.
___________________________________
There is no other witnessing more powerful than the witness of the blood of Jesus, our Savior, our Lord. Those who believe will be covered under His blood. They will be able to enter the Most Holy, into the Presence of God. We all need this assurance for end times survival. The protection in Psalm 91 is ours only on this condition!

End Time Assignment to all Christians: Witnessing

The Holy Spirit gives power to witness Jesus to all nations
Acts 1:8 "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Jesus gave importance to witnessing: John 8:14 Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going. John 8:18 I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me.” John 10:25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me. John 12:17 Therefore the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness. John 15:27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

Jesus is the true witness: Revelation 1:5 from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, Revelation 3:14 [ To The Lukewarm Church ] “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness,'
God (Holy Spirit) also witness: Heb. 10:15 "But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before," Hebrews 2:4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will? Hebrews 10:15 But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before,

1 John 5:6 [ The Certainty of God’s Witness ] This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. 1 John 5:7 For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. 1 John 5:8 And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one. 1 John 5:9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. 1 John 5:10 He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son.

Disciples accepted the importance of witnessing: Acts 1:22 beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.” Acts 2:32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Acts 3:15 and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. Acts 4:33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. Acts 5:32 And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.” Acts 10:43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.” Acts 14:3 Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. Revelation 1:2 who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw.

Paul's witnessing: Acts 22:15 For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. Acts 23:11 But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.” Acts 26:16 But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. Acts 26:22 Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come—

Many witnesses: 1 Tim.6:12 "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses." 2 Tim.2:2 "And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also." Heb. 12:1 "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,"
Revelation 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

Peter and John: 1 Peter 5:1 The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: 1 John 1:2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—

Old Testament witnesses (the prophets):
Hosea 12:10 I have also spoken by the prophets, And have multiplied visions; I have given symbols through the witness of the prophets.”
Isaiah 43:10 “ You are My witnesses,” says the LORD, “ And My servant whom I have chosen, That you may know and believe Me, And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, Nor shall there be after Me. Isaiah 43:12 I have declared and saved, I have proclaimed, And there was no foreign god among you; Therefore you are My witnesses,” Says the LORD, “that I am God. Isaiah 44:8 Do not fear, nor be afraid; Have I not told you from that time, and declared it? You are My witnesses. Is there a God besides Me? Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one." Isaiah 55:4 Indeed I have given him as a witness to the people, A leader and commander for the people.

Origin of witnessing: Genesis 31:44 "Now therefore, come, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it be a witness  between you and me.”
God's words witness: Numbers 17:7 And Moses placed the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness. Acts 7:44 “Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as He appointed, instructing Moses to make it according to the pattern that he had seen," (the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments referred to as the witness/testimony contained within the ark of covenant). Deuteronomy 31:26 “Take this Book of the Law, and put it beside the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there as a witness against you; Deuteronomy 31:28 Gather to me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their hearing and call heaven and earth to witness against them.

Chapter Ninety-seven: "Urgent, go back to your original calling!"

He woke with time urgency on his heart. He knew time is running out fast. When he opened the Bible he was led to read Nehemiah 8-9.
Nehemiah Chapter 8 was all about Ezra the scribe reading the Book of the Law to the people (the children of Israel). The people gathered as one man in the open square in front of the Water Gate at Jerusalem. When Ezra opened the Book, all the people stood up. And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. Then all the people answered "Amen, Amen!" while lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. The priests and Levites also assisted by reading distinctly from the Book, gave the sense and helped the people understand the reading. All the people wept when they heard the words of the Law. (Nehemiah 8:1-9)
As Jack pondered on this powerful and touching passage, he wondered why the people responded with their whole hearts to the words of God. The answer was in Nehemiah Chapter 9, in the contents of a song sung by the singing Levites. The song narrated how God had chosen Abram (later renamed by God to Abraham) and made a covenant with him to also include his descendants (the Israelite). God remembered and kept the covenant. Despite His great mercy, deliverance and blessings upon them, the nation of Israel rebelled against God and turned to wicked ways. However, as God had promised, after seventy years of bondage in foreign land, they were again set free to return to their homeland.  God had never imposed any requirement on them except heeding His voice and carrying out His Book of the Law.
When the Book of the Law was read, the people wept. Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."
What sort of a man this Ezra was? When Jack read Ezra Chapter 7, he found that Ezra was thus described, "7:6 this Ezra came up from Babylon; and he was a skilled scribe in the Law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given. The king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him. 7:10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel".  7:11 "Ezra the priest, the scribe, expert in the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of His statutes to Israel."
Ezra was a captive just like other Israelite. But he maintained his original calling: a priest, a scribe, an expert of the words of God. He maintained his standing among his country men. He also established himself in that capacity among the foreign rulers. It was amazing how the foreign king could concede to his requests and gave him all the things he asked for. His trip back to Jerusalem was sponsored and financed by the foreign king!
What was his only goal? He just wanted to teach his people the Law of their God so that they know the true God and obey His words.
_____________________________
Reading this passage, Jack recalled his first vision about Jesus. In the vision, he saw in his spirit Jesus walked towards him in a hurry on a busy road, holding something in His hand. When he came near, He handed the thing to Jack. It was a rolled up scroll. In a subsequent vision, he saw Jesus handed him a quill pen. Much later he had another vision of Jesus holding an open scroll, reading the contents to him. Often in his visions, Jesus is teaching, demonstrating, showing to him or others as in a teaching and discipleship situation.
Last Sunday's sermon reminded him the passage in Matthew 13:12 "For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him." Indeed, he has been given a number of gifts and one which he has often been asked to utilize is teaching gift for which he has received confirmations. He also heeded the godly advice that God does not look at the numbers of how much/many we have accomplished. But He will want to see how faithful we have been using that gift and how we have improved our skill every time we use it to edify others.
Today he examined his blogs and found that he had been too engrossed in describing his experiences in the Holy Spirit to the neglect of teaching God's words!
This wake up call confirmed his previous day's discovery (led by the Holy Spirit) of the key role given to every Christian for end time living, "witnessing" God's Word.
To be continued...