Audible Visual
Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” John 14:9 NASB
Who has seen Me – Imagine standing with Philip during this conversation. Yeshua directs a question and a comment to you. “Do you really know me?” How would you respond?
“Yes, I’ve been with you for several years now. Yes, I do know you.”
But the question is rhetorical. Of course Philip thinks he knows Yeshua. He’s been part of the group for quite awhile. Obviously the question is not about personal acquaintance. Yeshua is asking if Philip sees what Yeshua represents, if he understands the deeper purposes and identity of Yeshua as the Messiah. Does Philip recognize the Father in the life of Yeshua?
This seems pretty clear from the next sentence. “How can you ask, ‘Show me the Father,’ when you’ve been with me so long?” There’s a Jewish assumption here that needs to be spelled out. No one can see God. Every Jew knows this. It’s fundamental to the revelation of the prophet Moses. Philip’s demand to see the Father violates Jewish reverence. Why does he ask such a thing? Was Philip Greek? His name certainly is, but we’re reading a Greek text, so maybe it’s just a translation from a Hebrew name. In some multicultural environments, men often had two names, one name for each language spoken. Or maybe Philip is a Greek proselyte. At any rate, he is associated with Andrew and Nathaniel, all from the same village. He would have known the prohibition of seeing the One True God. So his demand is unusual. Perhaps it is a disguised rebuke of Yeshua’s claim to be the Messiah. Perhaps Philip isn’t just a skeptic. Perhaps he is so steeped in Jewish tradition that he isn’t ready to accept this man as Messiah. He wants more. In fact, he wants what cannot be given.
No matter what Philip’s motivation might have been, the point here is that we have a tendency to read this text for more than what it is. We ask more of it just as Philip asked for more. If we read the text in the context of a Jewish, First-Century viewpoint, won’t we discover that Yeshua is simply making a claim about the similarity of action? After all, YHVH is represented in the Tanakh by actions. He is a verb. Even the Tetragrammaton is a verb. If I were to point you toward God, would I direct your gaze to a painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, or would I show you compassion, forgiveness, grace, mercy, judgment and love? If you wanted to “see” God, wouldn’t I ask you to look at His handiwork in creation and in the lives of His followers?
Perhaps we are a bit like Philip. We want everything confirmed with incontrovertible evidence. We want proof! Yeshua directs us to something else—the evidence of actions. They might always be a bit ambiguous, but then that’s where faith occurs—reading between the lines.
Topical Index: Philip, see, faith, proof, John 14:9
I could not agree more. Skip well explained.
I think this is the same problems followers of Yeshua teachings have. They forget his name is not about him but about his actions and what he stood for. When we refer to him as lord we should be saying forerunner of the truth. When we do things in his name we manifest the actions he started. When we say by his name we sacrifice ourselves to manifest this we are calling into action.
Whatever you ask in my name the Father will give. Now the asking is a action into following through what Yeshua represented sticking out till the end if I may modernise the terminology.
Blessed is he that is forsaken for my names sake. That is what you seem to be reiterating here…
His disciples were always limited to trying to understand Yahoshua,they were men who could only discern things through their 5 senses. Until they received the Ruach did they get the full understanding as to all he taught them. I am not convinced it was because of their (Jewish thinking) that gave them so little in comprehending him but lack of spirit. They were trying to see him through only body and soul man. Same today natural man cannot understand the things God without the Ruach it’s foolishness to them.
Pam, that is about as simple as you can get.
I have been thinking a lot about the Name. We in the West think that names are about personalities, but the way I read the Bible, names are about character. We are adopted into the family Name as we live the character of that Name. We argue a lot about exactly Who (Person) ‘is’ the Name, but I think that may be the wrong question altogether. Yeshua perfectly reflected the character of His Father, and so He shared His Name in perfect unity.
Hello laurita???I have found that unbelievers can counterfeit love ,compassion, justice and mercy very well and will insist they are the same as us and from a five senses view you can’t argue. But ask them if you do this out of the depths of knowing how depraved you really are and in need of a saviour or do you think you can save yourself.conversation ends. I am so thankful for him leaving and ascending on high,as he imparted a mighty gift the ruach which his disciples did not have when he was here.
I know what you are describing, Pam, and I run into the problem, too, but I will say there is one thing that cannot be faked and that is true peace; shalom. These folks all suffer from the evidence of the lack of that peace which are the diseases of mind and body and spirit that arise from that lack of homeostasis; or, stress.. The body does not lie.
Amen and amen to that Laurita????
We are all a work in progress. Me too!
“Paul said, ‘I am determined to know nothing but Christ and Him crucified.’ I think that that was a wise determination and it probably cost him much, being Jewish, because there is something about Jewish intellect that just likes to know for its own sake, many things. It probably took a supreme act of will and discipline, determination, not to know the things that were extraneous, though interesting. How many are hearing me now whose minds are either a battlefield or a playground for all kinds of things. And I will tell you that if you have graduated from Playboy and Sports Illustrated and other kinds of worldly things that our minds love to fasten upon, they will, if you’ll give them no other alternative, even fasten upon things spiritual and religious; so long as they can be occupied.
If we knew the importance of Christ and Him crucified, we would clear the deck and not allow our minds to be a mishmash of all kinds of things until God has Himself established an understanding that is utterly fundamental to our faith and to our walk. ‘Christ and Him Crucified’. I think that it is the answer to the kinds of vagaries and self-imaginings to which we are prone. I am becoming conscious that, far from God making us in His image, we are most of us guilty of making Him in our image.
There is a kind of fancy and fantasy and projection that takes place in the minds of many saints, and though we use the name ‘Jesus,’ probably every one of us has another variation on the same theme. Without exception if our ‘Jesus’ is one other than that which was crucified, it is a self-serving Jesus which we have projected out of the fancies of our own mind – its inspiration is taken by any of the number of present portraits which are available in this generation as posters, every one of them impressive and heads and shoulders above the hokey and corny kinds of depictions of Jesus that might have been painted a generation ago. These Jesuses are manful and attractive and beguiling, but I will tell you that however great the artistry and however great the imagination, they fall short of the Jesus, crucified.
We need desperately and urgently to know Him, exactly as He is – radically and utterly. And I have a suspicion that He is nowhere presented as the reflection and the image of God more accurately than in His suffering and death.”
From” And they Crucified him “Art Katz
Mark, There were thousands of people crucified in the Roman era but only one who lived as Yeshua did and certainly none who were resurrected. What is more important to you, the death or the resurrection? To me the death is “just” another death but the resurrection is what the life is all about.
George, If we belive the scriptural record over 3,000 saw Yeshua was indeed resurected, thus initiating the kingdom of YHVH and showing us the way to enter it…As previously suggested one follows the other. Speaking metaphorically (in the context of our present spirtiual experiance). An incomplete crucifixion, one that does not incorporate the totality of the whole person will I fear (and Art Katz suggests) leads to an incomplete resurection, at least on this side of the space and time continuum. We walk around half hearted dragging about us leperous limbs, attitudes – disfunctions.
I am so sorry George that you find Yahoshua’s being crucified a trivial thing!! A blood ratified contract is a serious matter if you can’t understand all it entailed you cannot comprehend the glory of his ressurection to its fullest.the reason Paul taught crucified because that’s where repentance starts and the gentiles needed to understand that first.
Prefer using covenant but unfortunately spell check doesn’t always recognize biblical words strange how that happens or is it?????
I don’t regard it as being something trivial at all if you notice that ‘just” is in quotes. I am pointing out that death without resurrection is “just” death no matter whose it is or how it comes about, peacefully or through unimaginable torture.
Sorry George I do not think his death was equal to anyone else who dies peacefully or by torture.
Not taking sides about this, but just adding this discrepancy out of interest in the matter – “And behold, the curtain of the Temple was split in two, from top to bottom. And the earth quaked and rocks were split apart. And the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the kedoshim who were sleeping were raised to life. And coming forth out of the tombs after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.” [Mat 27:51-53]
Mat 27:52-53 is highly suspect as a later addition for MANY reasons.
I hear you. Very interesting.
“Proof”? The Jews asked for a sign that Yeshua was the Man with that Man standing in front of them! Yeshua asked what sign would they believe? Apparently belief is not based on objective ‘evidence’.
I think about the warnings of deception in the last days that “would deceive, if possible, the very elect”. There will be no ‘evidence’ that the deception is fake; only the faith of the elect in the warning will save them. “Fire from heaven”? That is symbolic language for the Holy Spirit. Many people today are being deceived by exactly this. False holy spirits abound. We have been warned.
We SHOULD want more, because we NEED more, and we can HAVE more, because we SHOULD have more!
Not necessarily incontrovertible evidence, per se. But evidence, nonetheless. But more WHAT? And what evidence? And HOW?
To be most effective in trying to help others “see” YHWH, we need more than to show compassion, forgiveness, grace, mercy, judgment and love. That’s some very important evidence, for sure. But we also need to open up our mouths, preach the gospel, and explain the things written about the Messiah in all the Scriptures. That’s what more! And that’s more evidence! However, to do that there is still more that we need, to even more fully accomplish our intended purpose. To give even more evidence. But more WHAT? And WHAT more evidence? And HOW?
We need THIS:
POWER FROM ON HIGH – IMMERSION WITH THE RUACH HA-KODESH AND FIRE!
We need to receive power from on high. We need to be immersed with the Ruach Ha-Kodesh and fire. Then we WILL show compassion, forgiveness, grace, mercy, judgment and love, Then we WILL boldly proclaim the gospel. Then we WILL explain the things written about the Messiah in all the Scriptures. Then, as He promised us, we WILL be His witnesses, even to the utter most ends of the earth! We must not rely only upon showing His divine nature to help others “see” YHWH. And we must not wait until we show His divine nature before we receive power from on high, or before we are immersed with the Ruach Ha-Kodesh and fire, or before we boldly proclaim the gospel, or before we explain the things written about the Messiah in all the Scriptures.. We must FIRST receive power from on high and be immersed with the Ruach Ha-Kodesh and fire, IN ORDER TO have and show His divine nature, IN ORDER TO preach the gospel, and IN ORDER TO explain the things written about the Messiah in all the Scriptures…..IF we truly want others to “SEE” YHWH!
THIS is what we must pray for! THIS IS WHAT I DESPERATELY NEED, MYSELF. This is what we are commanded to do – To receive power from on high, to be immersed with the Ruach Ha-Kodesh and fire! Otherwise, we may be only fooling ourselves in this endeavor to help others “see” YHWH.
LET US EARNESTLY PRAY AND ASK FOR THIS HELP SO THAT WE MAY HELP OTHERS “SEE” YHWH, IN ALL OUR ACTIONS – WORDS AND DEEDS! I KNOW I NEED THIS! DON’T YOU?
THE END!
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Humbly beg not to proceed unless you wish more Scriptural support for this added exhortation.
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That’s basically the essence of what I have to say. But there’s some other very important things for us all to consider about what Skip has started to say here. So, if you want more scriptural support, more of the meat behind this added exhortation to what Skip has said, you may wish to continue reading.
If your intended purpose is to point me to YHWH, please spare me the religious painting. I may just become idolatrous. Unless you effectively use it, as Shaul did the altar he found with the inscription: “To an Unknown God”. [Acts 17]
Also, you can skip showing me His handiwork in creation. I’ve seen it many times over. Though, yes, by it, you may direct me to see His invisible attributes and His divine nature. However, my thinking may still become futile and my senseless heart made dark. [Rom. 1] So you may need yet something greater to get me there.
But yes, I think we’re getting hotter, if you show me His divine attributes in your own actions, for then I may begin to see the resurrected and living “Messiah in you, the Hope of Glory”. [Col 1] Though even unbelievers may show me compassion, forgiveness, grace, mercy, judgment and love. He’s no respecter of persons and will cause His sun to shine on the righteous and the unrighteous alike.
Now, if we wish to do even better, to get hotter still, we must add to all these ways of leading others to “see” YHWH. We must be like Yeshua with the two men on the road to Emmaus, and do what He did, “…beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them the things written about Himself in all the Scriptures. And it happened that when He was reclining at the table with them, He took the matzah, offered a bracha and, breaking it, gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him, and…..said to one another, ‘Didn’t our heart burn within us while He was speaking with us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?’” [Luk 24]
We must do as Shaul did with the altar he found. He preached the gospel to the people and some joined him and believed. [Act 17]
We must also do what Phillip did with the Ethiopian eunuch, when he “opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he proclaimed the Good News about Yeshua.” This was AFTER [Act 8]
We must display His divine nature in our actions, even direct others to view His creation itself, and even make use the works of the hand men. But we must definitely also open up our mouths and the Scriptures, preaching the gospel and explaining the things written about Messiah in all the Scriptures.
However, to be more certain of achieving our intended purpose, I declare there is more.
We need:
POWER FROM ON HIGH – IMMERSION WITH THE RUACH HA-KODESH AND FIRE!
“John answered them all, saying, ‘As for me, I immerse you with water. But One is coming who is mightier than I am; I am not worthy to untie the strap of His sandals! He will immerse you in the Ruach ha-Kodesh and fire.“ [Luk 3:16]
Yeshua said, “I came to pour out fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already ablaze!” [Luk 12:49]
“But you will receive power when the Ruach ha-Kodesh has come upon you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and through all Judah, and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” [Act 1:8]
“And tongues like fire spreading out appeared to them and settled on each one of them. They were all filled with the Ruach ha-Kodesh and began to speak in other tongues as the Ruach enabled them to speak out. Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let each of you be immersed in the name of Messiah Yeshua for the removal of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Ruach ha-Kodesh. For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far away—as many as Adonai our God calls to Himself. With many other words he warned them and kept urging them, saying, ‘Save yourselves from this twisted generation!’ So those who received his message were immersed, and that day about three thousand souls were added.” [Act 2:3-4, 38-41]
We need:
POWER FROM ON HIGH – IMMERSION WITH THE RUACH HA-KODESH AND FIRE!
“’And it shall be in the last days,’ says YHWH, ‘that I will pour out My Ruach on all flesh. Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even on My slaves, male and female, I will pour out My Ruach in those days, and they shall prophesy. And I will give wonders in the sky above and signs on the earth beneath—blood, and fire, and smoky vapor. The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the great and glorious Day of Adonai comes. And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of Adonai shall be saved.’” [Joel 2, Act 2:17-22]
Even in the context of this “Today’s Word” passage about Phillip from John 14, we see he and Thomas, and we know later, Peter, in John 18, were ALL lacking in, not only their own FAITH, but also their ability to point others to YHWH…..until AFTER they received power from on high, after they were immersed in the Ruach Ha-Kodesh and fire. THAT WAS THE GAME CHANGER! For thousands who witnessed their lives and heard their preaching, there WAS, virtually, INCONTROVERTIBLE EVIDENCE!
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of realities not seen.” [Heb 11:1]
For those who, by the Ruach Ha-Kodesh, receive the revelation and bear witness to the truth of YHWH, and receive faith, and the Ruach Ha-Kodesh, by that faith, the evidence IS incontrovertible, is it not? It is the awesome evidence of realities not seen. As well as the SUBSTANCE of things hoped for…..Messiah in us, the hope of glory!!! He makes us His dwelling place. He finds a resting place in us. Our very bodies are His tabernacle. And we are seated with Him in heavenly places! He is glorified in us and we are glorified in Him. Baruch ata Adonai Melek Ha Olam!
I don’t mean to be a wet blanket, but I am among the world’s slowest readers, and all this talk reminds me of Proverbs 10:19–“In the multitude of words, there lacks not sin.”
Are you a doubting Thomas?
Good question. Are you a doubting Thomas?
Thomas, are you too slow to read this:
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Humbly beg not to proceed unless you wish more Scriptural support for this added exhortation.
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Be careful of trying to quench an unquenchable Fire. It may break out against you and consume you.
You do, indeed, mean to be a wet blanket, Thomas. And apparently your few words were a multitude for you, for indeed it resulted in the sin of lying. You ought to have heeded the leading of the Ruach, if you have received the Ruach, who may have brought to your remembrance this proverb.
And maybe He would have also brought these to your remembrance as well.
Be careful of trying to quench an unquenchable Fire. It may break out against you and consume you.
“Do not quench the Spirit, do not despise prophetic messages… ” [Th 5:19]
“Many waters cannot quench love, nor rivers wash it away.” [Song 8:7]
“His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and gather the wheat into His barn, but the chaff He will burn up with inextinguishable fire.” [Luk 3:17]
But I bless, in the name of Yeshua, with a blessing of His shalom and I pray that He immerses you with the Ruach Ha-Kodesh and fire.
A reminder. On this web site there are no personal accusations. It is a place of open discussion where no question is irrelevant or ignored (hopefully) and no one is castigated because they disagree, etc. So, please keep that in mind with your replies. My web site does not exist to condemn (even if you have a “word from the Lord”) but to explore.
Where was there a personal accusation, a question asked, a severe reprimand (castigation), or condemnation? I do believe there is something else going on here, but I will make no accusation.
Just one other thing. I think it’s rather pointless to simply cite scriptures as “proof” of a position. The approach here is that interpretation of the text is a function of paradigm, and there are always different ways to read the same text. So rather than provide an onslaught of verses, why not try to understand the mind of the questioner and show compassion for real struggles in interpretation? Frankly, I’ve had a lifetime of believers who thought they knew all the answers but never really understood the questions. Why not start there?
Is it any better for contributors to express a lot of opinions without ever citing any scripture? And, again, where did you read a question that was being asked? You will see none. Just a veiled opposing complaint and a misuse of scripture. Maybe that could be moderated and some justice and compassion directed there. I, too, have had a lifetime of believers who thought they knew all the answers but never really understood the questions. And also of those who thought they understood the questions but never really knew the answers.
But here’s a question, where does the idea of the apostolic example of receiving power from on high, being immersed in the Ruach Ha-Kodesh and fire, fit in with our lives here today, the exhortation to show compassion, forgiveness, grace, mercy, judgment and love, and helping others to TRULY KNOW YHWH, not know ABOUT Him, but to TRULY KNOW HIM, as evidenced by our actions?
Pam Wingo, who contributed at the start of this, is hitting the target, I think. Everyone ought to give her comments a “thumbs up” on this one.
“Are you too slow to read this:”? “Are you a doubting Thomas?” These are questions and they are accusations veiled as questions. And no, I am not blind! Way too much hubris being injected here.
If I have caused any ill will by my comment I humbly apologize to all, and beg forgiveness. I can assure you no ill will was intended.
Glenn, I read your question as playful tongue-in-cheek and as friendliness.
On another note, I would hope to be able to count on Daniel to point out hubris when he sees it in me, too.
It’s all fine by me, Glenn. That’s a “nice” thing to say. However, really, if we were to be confessing to YHWH, “If” confessions wouldn’t really mean much, would they? Anyways, if you’re courageous and willing enough to be truthful, maybe you would share what you really meant by saying, “Are you a doubting Thomas?” If not, besides saying nothing, maybe you would share what would you have said differently if you had a do-over?
But, much more important, maybe you would answer this question: Where does the idea of the apostolic example of receiving power from on high, being immersed in the Ruach Ha-Kodesh and fire, fit in with our lives here today, the exhortation to show compassion, forgiveness, grace, mercy, judgment and love, and helping others to TRULY KNOW YHWH, not know ABOUT Him, but to TRULY KNOW HIM, as evidenced by our actions
Jerry and Lisa
I read this in context with the prophetic teachings YHVH will do this self without any rite or ritual from so called ordained ministers. How and when this happens has nothing to do with a time of the year or feast.
The requirements for feasts etc to be in place are according to my understanding not part of a service ritual on YHVH behalf…
I could be wrong…
In the end times, in a pervasive sense, I agree. How about since Acts 2 and now, in the individual and the collective sense, as well? And do you think it is pervasively the case in the lives of believers now? Is is significant and crucial now in regard to us helping others come to KNOW YHWH? Is it enough to show compassion, forgiveness, grace, mercy, judgment and love?
What is the HS for? Power to do what? Is it not to empower us to do the above listed actions? The actions necessary for us to unify that Body?
And if we are not connecting through those actions, are we not dividing instead? In which case the HS would not be working in us.
Won’t they know us (and Him, by extension) BY our love, which are those actions?
Read Micah 6:8. Then you can answer the question, “What is enough?”
Do you think that enough and no more for them to “see” the Father as Messiah posited that Phillip should have been able to by being with Him?
Yeshua seemed disappointed that he couldn’t. Wouldn’t it be His take on it that counts? After all, He is the “express image” of His Father.
You don’t suppose we can see the Father better than they could, do you? You have to suppose that they did not KNOW that what they were seeing was the Father, with that Image right in front of their faces.
In fact, it seemed to take most of them years and decades, even, to figure out what they actually did see. The gift of the HS did help them sort it out.
I think about this when I think about paradigms, and the power they exert. If Messiah showed up today, I am quite sure the establishment set up in His name would promptly crucify Him again, to protect that paradigm. The HS cannot help us against our will.
Jerry and Lisa you ask very valid questions. The HS is revealed unto us when we humbly commit ourselves as Skip reminds. The purpose of this is a mystery as many claim to have received it but still continue doing things believers say are wrong. Even Paul had such a struggle. For me Isaiah 45 may help explain seeing God when we are actually empowered. Things happen without us knowing how. I think Philip had witnessed miracles but never experienced the power self. And this could be the reason for the question. 99% of people need some form of visible or physical proof before they accept. Rephrasing and reiterating what is record helps at times but it is in the taste that the counts. Me I am a Philip I do not seek others comforting words I also need to experience as that is the only way we can comprehend seeing God. How do you see something with our natural eyes that created something larger than we can naturally see… The further you are from the earth the more you see of it but the less you actually see. Seeing God maybe the same we are so closely entwined with him that we only see certain things. The further we move away we the we will see of but the less we will experience…. Just the way I look at your questions. It is enough to experience small things as they confirm the bigger realities.
Have you ever earnestly prayed tell us what to do but never get an answer but when you do the things that come to mind that concern you had faced was resolved??? Let that be enough seeing as if we see more it may remove us from God in stead of uniting us with…
Keep well and keep asking as those who knock and ask will receive…
Ok. You sure? Do you also make judgments about false humility? Nevertheless, let’s not be petty and get side-tracked from the purpose of Today’s Word and the greater concern. PLEASE, answer this – Where does the idea of the apostolic example of receiving power from on high, being immersed in the Ruach Ha-Kodesh and fire, fit in with our lives here today, the exhortation to show compassion, forgiveness, grace, mercy, judgment and love, and helping others to TRULY KNOW YHWH, not know ABOUT Him, but to TRULY KNOW HIM, as evidenced by our actions
Our behavior towards others in ways they are not expecting might cause them to ask us why we are relating to them that way. That opens a door for us to have a conversation with them about our relationship with our Father and the Messiah.
True. It might. Might also need more than that.
Why don’t you just come right and say what you mean by “Ruach Ha-Kodesh and fire”. I’ve heard it used, but I would like your interpretation.
Thank you for asking Craig! Consider what happened to the disciples when they were gathered together and they were immersed by Messiah with the Ruach HaKodesh and fire. Consider how they were different when comparing the before and after. Consider how they not only lived but ministered and the impact they had after the immersion. Consider their “supernatural’ empowerments in the spiritual gifts they received and imparted to others. Consider how many people came to the the knowledge of Messiah and His kingdom and received the same immersion and became bold and powerful witnesses and how aggressively the kingdom advanced. Consider the persecution it elicited and the martyrdom that ensued and further caused the His kingdom to increase.
They were a bold, authoritative, powerful, and effective ekklesia. There were signs and wonders that followed their living and preaching/teaching/proclaiming the gospel of Messiah and His kingdom. They were a radically devoted priesthood, an apostolic and prophetic people who were significantly different than the people of the world. They stirred up and disrupted whole cities and brought conviction of sin, righteousness, and judgement wherever they went, while uniting people in Messiah at the same time, establishing congregations throughout the world that resulted in a lasting people of “THE WAY”.
We just aren’t much of the same ruach, in some very important senses, and do not have much of the same zeal, faith, trust, courage, devotion, or impact, nor do we even experience the same measure of persecution that the Word says will come to the godly. And I may have had more impact in my life than the average believer in Messiah, but still I have nothing to boast about, as I am a far cry from those apostolic and prophetic people who were closer to that first great immersion, though they too received their own immersion with the Ruach Ha-Kodesh and fire after Messiah resurrection and ascended in to heaven, even as have I, with the evidence of speaking in tongues, as well.
My character has significantly changed. I have boldly proclaimed the gospel of Messiah and His kingdom. Many people have come to know Messiah or have done teshuvah, come out of the darkness and come into the light, and live more according to His kingdom through doing the works of the Father in the name of Messiah Yeshua. I have miraculously healed others and had miraculous healings myself, as well as having witnessed “supernatural” gifts of the Ruach Ha-Kodesh and His miraculous signs and wonders. However, I would still not boast as being or living like those early apostolic and prophetic people who, together, were immersed with the Ruach Ha-Kodesh and fire. But this is a good bit of how I would “interpret” what it means to be “immersed with the Ruach Ha-Kodesh and fire”.
Where does the idea of the apostolic and early “church” example of receiving power from on high, being immersed in the Ruach Ha-Kodesh and fire, fit in with our lives here today, Skip’s exhortation to show compassion, forgiveness, grace, mercy, judgment and love, AND helping others to TRULY KNOW YHWH, not know ABOUT Him, but to TRULY KNOW HIM? Where does it fit in with evidence of KNOWING Him ourselves, being His disciples, being an apostolic priesthood? Is showing compassion, forgiveness, grace, mercy, judgment and love enough regarding our endeavor to point others to YHWH or is the aforementioned significant and crucial to our mission?