TRANSITION OF SAUL TO PAUL - NYOBS 83.08

TRANSITION OF SAUL TO PAUL

Did Jesus instruct Paul face to face? – Where was Paul during the 14 LOST years?

First Thoughts

·I usually choose a subject for a Word study that is controversial and this is certainly one of them; the Apostle Paul said he was taught by direct revelation from Jesus Christ.  Since Paul’s wisdom and authority came directly from Jesus Christ and not from any man, he felt he was an Apostle that was “BORN OUT OF DUE TIME”. 

·I looked up several translations of the Book and they all used the same word REVELATION; now does this mean Paul’s direct revelation from Jesus Christ was face to face, in a vision or in a dream, in prayer or after study and meditation on the scriptures and prophecies of the Torah? – Did it include meditation on the 613 extra laws of Hebrew tradition?

• The Apostle Paul was born a Jew and lived in Tarsus Cilicia and studied the Law and was a Pharisee zealous for God, but he was not one of the inner circle of Twelve Disciples; in fact it was just the opposite, he was zealous in the persecution of all Christians.
• He was probably 10 years younger than Jesus as he was referred to as a young man and was originally called Saul until Christ revealed himself to him on the Damascus Road where Saul’s name was changed to Paul.

·         Then there is the controversy of THE FOURTEEN LOST or MISSING YEARS.

Acts 8:1-3 – Saul persecutes the Christians

1 And Saul was there, giving approval to his death.  On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.

2 Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him.

3 But SAUL BEGAN TO DESTROY THE CHURCH. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.

Acts 7:55-58 – Saul, a YOUNG man at Stephen’s Death

55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit… "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." ….they all rushed at him…. to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. NIV

1 Corinthians 1:27 - Saul – an unlikely candidate for an Disciple

27 But GOD HATH CHOSEN THE FOOLISH THINGS of the world TO CONFOUND THE WISE; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; KJV

Acts 9:15-16 – God chooses Saul as His instrument

15 But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! THIS MAN IS MY CHOSEN INSTRUMENT TO CARRY MY NAME BEFORE THE GENTILES and their kings and before the people of Israel.

16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name." NIV

Acts 13:9 - Saul’s name changed to Paul

9 Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, NIV

1 Corinthians 15:8 – Born out of due time

8 And last of all he was SEEN of me also, as of

ONE BORN OUT OF DUE TIME. KJV

2 Corinthians 12:2-4 – Taught by Christ

2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know-God knows.

4 was caught up to paradise. HE HEARD INEXPRESSIBLE THINGS, THINGS THAT MAN IS NOT PERMITTED TO TELL.

NIV

Romans 11:13-14 – An Apostle to the Gentiles

13 I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I AM THE APOSTLE TO THE GENTILES, I make much of my ministry

14 in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. NIV

1 Timothy 2:7 – Paul, a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles

7 And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle -

I am telling the truth, I am not lying-and

A TEACHER OF THE TRUE FAITH TO THE GENTILES. NIV

2 Timothy 1:11- Paul appointed an apostle and teacher

11 And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an

APOSTLE AND A TEACHER. NIV

2 Peter 3:15 – The Twelve Disciples endorse Paul’s authority

15 Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as

OUR DEAR BROTHER PAUL also wrote you with

THE WISDOM THAT GOD GAVE HIM.  NIV

14 year Controversy

·         When you read of the life and work of Jesus on the cross, His death, resurrection and ascension into heaven, the next thing you see happening is Saul on the Damascus Road where God changes his name to Paul and he begins his ministry to be a light to the Gentiles.

·         But that’s NOT what happened; FOURTEEN YEARS is what happened BEFORE his ministry began in Jerusalem when he went there to receive instruction from the church leadership. THREE of the years were was most likely spent in the desert where Jesus Himself prepared Paul to transition from Saul the Avenger to Paul the Evangelist working through the meaning of what “Jesus the Messiah” meant and his role in being the “Light to the Gentiles; then there was Eleven more years where he preached and taught around Antioch, planting churches as he traveled.

·         Paul said he was not taught by flesh and blood, he did not look at polling data, nor take the advice of a committee, but received direct revelation from Jesus Christ.

·         You might note that when Peter confessed that Jesus was the Son of God, Jesus responded, that flesh and blood had not revealed that to him, but was a direct revelation from God.

·         Upon comparing the notes of what Paul was teaching with those of the church leadership, they were all in agreement that his teachings were the same as what Christ had taught them for three years and they supported and encouraged him. – The only thing that the Church Leadership added was that it would be good to continue taking care of the poor which Paul was already eager to do. 

·         Paul also brought additional information that even Peter did not know; just as Peter was to take the Gospel to the Jews; Paul was to take the Gospel to the Gentiles. - When Jesus said He had sheep in another pasture, the Disciples did not realize He was talking about the Greeks; the Gentiles.

Acts 13:47 – Paul was made a light to the Gentiles
⁴⁷ For this is what the Lord has commanded us:  

‘I HAVE MADE YOU A LIGHT FOR THE GENTILES, that

you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” (NIV2011)

Acts 15:23 – Paul planted churches in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia
²³ This is the letter they took with them: “This letter is from the apostles and elders, your brothers in Jerusalem. It is written to the Gentile BELIEVERS in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia. Greetings!

(NLT)

2 Corinthians 12:2-4 – Paul spent time in heaven 14 years ago
²  I was caught up to the third heaven FOURTEEN YEARS AGO. WHETHER I WAS IN MY BODY OR OUT OF MY BODY,

I DON’T KNOW—only God knows.
³ Yes, only God knows whether I was in my body or outside my body. but I do know
⁴ that I was caught up to paradise and HEARD THINGS so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell.

(NLT)

Galatians 2:1-3 – 14 years later Paul met with Church Leaders
¹ Then FOURTEEN YEARS LATER I went back to Jerusalem again, this time with Barnabas; and Titus came along, too.
² I went there because God revealed to me that I should go. While I was there I met privately with those considered to be

Leaders of the church and shared with them the message I had been preaching to the Gentiles. I wanted to make sure that

WE WERE IN AGREEMENT, for fear that all my efforts had been wasted and I was running the race for nothing.
³ And THEY SUPPORTED ME and did not even demand that my companion Titus be circumcised, though he was a Gentile.

(NLT)

Galatians 2:6-10 - The church leaders had nothing to add
⁶ And the leaders of the church had nothing to add to what I was preaching. (By the way, their reputation as great leaders made no difference to me, for God has no favorites.)
⁷ Instead, they saw that God had given me the RESPONSIBILITY OF PREACHING THE GOSPEL TO THE GENTILES, just as he had given PETER THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PREACHING TO THE JEWS.
⁸ For the same God who worked through Peter as the apostle to the Jews also worked through me as the apostle to the Gentiles.
⁹ In fact, James, Peter, and John, who were known as pillars of the church, recognized the gift God had given me, and they ACCEPTED Barnabas and me as their CO-WORKERS. They ENCOURAGED US to keep preaching to the Gentiles, while they continued their work with the Jews.
¹⁰ Their only suggestion was that we keep on helping the poor, which I have always been eager to do. (NLT)

Matthew 16:13-17 – Flesh & Blood has not revealed this to you
¹³  Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
¹⁴  And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
¹⁵  He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
¹⁶  Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
¹⁷  And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For FLESH AND BLOOD has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. (ESV)

 John 10:16 – I have other Sheep; the GENTILES
¹⁶ I HAVE OTHER SHEEP, too, that are

NOT IN THIS SHEEPFOLD. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be ONE flock with ONE shepherd. (NLT)

3 year Controversy

·         NOTE: There is a transitional time when a Pastor takes leave of the duties in his ministry and goes on a Sabatical for three months or even longer.  This is a transition time where he spends time just waiting on God, seeking to hear from Him.  The Book says taking a little time will renew your strength as an eagle.  (An eagle will sit on the stump of a tree for a time of transition as he molts and gets new feathers to make him SOAR higher and higher.)

·         There were THREE SILENT YEARS missing at the beginning of Paul’s discipleship, this was his transitional time between Saul and Paul.  Although the years were silent, Paul was not. As he learned the Gospel, he took every opportunity to share it, becoming a light to the Gentiles in the Nabatean community that surrounded him.

·         A disciple of Jesus must be someone who had been around from the time Jesus was baptized by John until the day He was crucified on the Cross, someone who would join the other disciples as a witness of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. – Paul fit that description to a “T” and later confesses that he was PREDESTINED by God to be a disciple of Jesus.

·         Paul had been devoted and trained BY MEN in the erroneously traditions of Judaism; he was brilliant and an expert in the law.  He knew exactly what the scriptures said, but NOT what they meant.   One day he was suddenly and unceremoniously stopped on the road to Damascus and commissioned by God to preach the Good News of the Gospel that would be revealed to him by REVELATION through JESUS CHRIST. -  He could no longer trust the teachings of MEN and had to know THE TRUTH from the lips of GOD.  On the road to Damascus Paul discovered that he was BLIND then something like scales fell from his eyes and NOW PAUL COULD SEE.

·         NOTE: Paul could not understand the scriptures until God, by the Holy Spirit opened his mind to the mystery, the shadows and types that were veiled to him.  Moses wore a veil over his face to hide the glory of God that was on his face and even today the writings of Moses REMAIN VEILED until YOU believe in God’s only Son, Jesus the Christ. -  IT’S IN THE BOOK -  

·         There is a example of this happening before just after the death and resurrection of Jesus and just before His assentation into heaven.  The resurrected Jesus was walking with His disciples and began teaching them beginning with Moses and all the Prophets and explained to them the symbols, shadows and types; the things of Himself, spoken of IN ALL THE SCRIPTURES.    

·         After Paul’s conversion from Judaism to Christianity, he spent some time in his home town of Tarsus which was in Cilicia, however his preaching was not received very well as he faced his Jew friends who were now OUT FOR BLOOD, because he was preaching the GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL and he also received OPPOSITION from the Christians because of the atrocities he did to them; the Judaizers wanted to DISCREDIT him because He was against their teaching of the “Gospel plus traditions”; these were the very same people he now wanted to reach. – You would think when you became a Christian, things would get better.

·         Paul reports he received 39 lashes of the ship, beaten with rods, stoned, shipwrecked, adrift at sea, faced dangers from rivers, robbers, dangers from the Jews and Gentiles, danger in the cities, deserts and seas, and danger from men who claimed to be believers, but were not.  He worked hard at his trade mending fishing nets, but hungered and thirst and had sleepless nights, he went without food and shivered in the cold, and was lowered in a basket just in time from a city wall, escaping harm and perhaps saving his own life.

·         By trade, Paul was a tent maker and earned his keep so he would not be a burden to others.  We see him sometimes referred to as a “Leather Worker”, but it is not likely as Cilicia was noted for their goat hair. Paul wove, cut and mended tents made out of cloth of goat’s hair called cilicium. 

·         Paul kept on the move and traveled for some THREE YEARS around Damascus and Arabia which most probably included the Arabian Desert where he would spend much needed time in solitude with contemplation in prayer including profound meditation and study of what we would call today the Old Testament scriptures.  

·         He learning many spiritual truths so that he might be better qualified to share THE GREAT COMMISSION of the Gospel message to those he had so suddenly been called to preach.  Perhaps this was the same steps that we saw Moses and Elijah take in the desert.

·         Interestingly, THREE YEARS is the same amount of time that Jesus spent with the chosen Twelve Disciples, instructing them while He was alive. – This was transitional time for the Disciples training between Jesus’ ministry and His death.

·         There is a “desert” transitional pattern seen here, a shadow of the past; you may recall that MOSES spent some 40 years of transition time in the Midian desert as God prepared him for his great work.  The great prophet ELIJAH as well as JOHN THE BAPTIZER also spent transitional time in the arid desert in preparation for their enormous work. -  John the Baptist most likely spent his transitional time in the desert with the ESSENES who gave us the Dead Sea Scrolls.   Even our LORD JESUS CHRIST had transitional time in the wilderness before His great work in the public arena of life as our Messiah. –  NYOBS 16.34 – ESSENES; WHO WERE THEY -- NYOBS 10.02 – THE PLAYERS; DESCIPLES 12

·         The Book says that those who search for God WILL SURELY FIND HIM and those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, WILL BE FILLED.  – The thing that made Paul such a great disciple was not only his God given Ability, but also his Availability and Dependability.

Isaiah 40:31 – Spend time with God and renew your strength
³¹ but they who WAIT FOR THE LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

(ESV)

Acts 9:18-19 – Paul first went to Damascus for a few days
¹⁸ Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized.
¹⁹ Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength. Saul stayed with the believers in DAMASCUS for a few days. (NLT)

John 9:25 – I once was BLIND and now I SEE
²⁵ He answered, “Whether or not He’s a sinner, I don’t know. One thing I do know: I WAS BLIND, AND NOW I CAN SEE!” (HCSB)

2 Corinthians 12:14 – Supported himself

14 Now I am ready to visit you for the third time,

AND I WILL NOT BE A BURDEN TO YOU, because

what I want is not your possessions, but you. NIV

1 Thessalonian’s 2:9 – Worked hard at his trace

9 Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; WE WORKED NIGHT AND DAY IN ORDER NOT TO BE A BURDEN to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. NIV

2 Corinthians 12:14 – Supported himself

14 Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you.

NIV

2 Corinthians 11:22-33 – Paul was NOT RECEIVED VERY WELL
²² Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.
²³ Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again.
²⁴ Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me THIRTY-NINE LASHES.
²⁵ Three times I was BEATEN WITH RODS. Once I was STONED. Three times I was SHIPWRECKED. Once I spent a whole night and a day ADRIFT AT SEA.
²⁶ I have traveled on many long journeys. I have FACED DANGER from rivers and from robbers. I have FACED DANGER from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have FACED DANGER in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have FACED DANGER from men who claim to be believers but are not.
²⁷ I have WORKED HARD and long, enduring many SLEEPLESS NIGHTS. I have BEEN HUNGRY AND THIRSTY and have often GONE WITHOUT FOOD. I have SHIVERED IN THE COLD, without enough clothing to keep me warm.
²⁸ then, besides all this, I have the

DAILY BURDEN OF MY CONCERN FOR ALL THE CHURCHES.
²⁹ Who is weak without my feeling that WEAKNESS? Who is led astray, and I do not burn with anger?
³⁰ If I must boast, I would rather boast about the things that show how weak I am.
³¹ God, the Father of our Lord Jesus, who is worthy of eternal praise, knows I am not lying.
³² When I was in Damascus, the governor under King Aretas kept guards at the city gates to catch me.
³³ I HAD TO BE LOWERED IN A BASKET THROUGH A WINDOW IN THE CITY WALL TO ESCAPE FROM HIM. (NLT)

2 Corinthians 12:7 – Received a thorn in the flesh from Satan
⁷ even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given

A THORN IN MY FLESH, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.

(NLT)

Galatians 1:18-24 – 3 years later, Paul met with Peter & James
¹⁸ Then THREE YEARS LATER I went to JERUSALEM to get to know Peter, and I stayed with him for fifteen days.
¹⁹ The only other apostle I met at that time was James, the Lord’s brother.
²⁰ I declare before God that what I am writing to you is not a lie.
²¹ After that visit I went north into the provinces of

SYRIA and CILICIA.
²² And still the Christians in the churches in JUDEA didn’t know me personally.
²³ All they knew was that people were saying, “The one who used to persecute us is now preaching the very faith he tried to destroy!”
²⁴ And they praised God because of me.

(NLT)

Galatians 1:15-17 – Paul was PREDESTINED to be God’s Apostle
¹⁵ But even before I was born, GOD CHOSE ME and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him
¹⁶ to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles. When this happened, I did not rush out to consult with any human being.
¹⁷ Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to consult with those who were apostles before I was. Instead, I went away into ARABIA,

and later I returned to the city of DAMASCUS.

(NLT)

Acts 9:19-25 – Paul opposed – Jews plotted to murder him
¹⁹ … Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days.
²⁰ And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!”
²¹ All who heard him were amazed. “Isn’t this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem?” they asked. “And didn’t he come here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests?”
²² Saul’s preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn’t refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.
²³ After a while some of the

JEWS PLOTTED TOGETHER TO KILL HIM.
²⁴ They were watching for him day and night at the city gate

so they could murder him, but Saul was told about their plot.
²⁵ So during the night, some of the other believers lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the city wall. (NLT)

Luke 24:25-27 – Jesus explained with Moses & the Prophets
²⁵ Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures.
²⁶ Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?”
²⁷ Then Jesus took them through the writings of MOSES and all the PROPHETS, EXPLAINING FROM ALL THE SCRIPTURES the things concerning HIMSELF.

(NLT)

Luke 24:44-47 – He opened their minds to Understand
⁴⁴ Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.”
⁴⁵ Then HE OPENED THEIR MINDS TO UNDERSTAND THE SCRIPTURES.
⁴⁶ And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day.
⁴⁷ It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to ALL the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’

(NLT)

2 Corinthians 3:13-16 – The scripture is veiled until salvation
¹³ We are not like Moses, who put a VEIL over his face so the people of Israel would not see the glory, even though it was destined to fade away.
¹⁴ But the people’s minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same VEIL covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And THIS VEIL can be removed only by believing in Christ.
¹⁵ Yes, even today when they read Moses’ writings, their hearts are covered with that VEIL, and they DO NOT UNDERSTAND.
¹⁶ But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the VEIL is taken away. (NLT)

Acts 1:21-22 – Disciple; a witness of the resurrection of Jesus
²¹  “So now we must choose a replacement for Judas from among the men who were with us the entire time we were traveling with the Lord Jesus
²² from the time he was baptized by John until the day he was taken from us. Whoever is chosen will join us as A WITNESS OF JESUS’ RESURRECTION.”

(NLT)

Proverbs 8:17 – Those who love God will surely find Him
¹⁷ I love all who love me.

THOSE WHO SEARCH WILL SURELY FIND ME.

(NLT)

Matthew 5:6 – Those who hunger for Him will be filled
⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For THEY SHALL BE FILLED. (NKJV)

Exodus 33:21-23 – Moses did not see God’s face
²¹ The LORD continued, “Look, stand near me on this rock.
²² As my glorious presence passes by, I will hide you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by.
²³ Then I will remove my hand and let you see me from behind. But MY FACE WILL NOT BE SEEN.” (NLT)

Exodus 3:1-3 – The Lord appeared to Moses in the desert
¹ Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.
² And the angel of THE LORD APPEARED UNTO HIM IN A FLAME OF FIRE out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
³ And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.

(KJV)

1 Kings 19:4-8 – Elijah TRANSITIONAL TIME in the Wilderness
⁴ Then ELIJAH went on ALONE into the WILDERNESS, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.”
⁵ Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, an angel touched him and told him, “Get up and eat!”
⁸ So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God.

(NLT)

Luke 3:2 – God talked to John the baptizer
² Annas and Caiaphas were the high priests. At this time

A MESSAGE FROM GOD CAME TO JOHN (THE BAPTIZER) son of Zechariah, who was LIVING IN THE WILDERNESS.

(NLT)

Matthew 4:1-2 – Jesus Wilderness TRANSITIONAL TIME

¹ Then JESUS WAS LED BY THE SPIRIT

INTO THE WILDERNESS to be tempted there by the devil.
² For FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS he fasted and became very hungry. (NLT)

Appearance of Jesus Controversy

·         After the resurrection of Jesus Christ and His ascension into Heaven there is no record in the Book of anyone seeing Jesus face to face.  Saul who would later be known as the Apostle Paul was struck down on the road to Damascus by a great light and He alone heard the voice of Jesus.  The others only heard a sound, but NONE claimed to see Jesus including Paul.

·         It always bothers me when I read of people who say they have spent FACE TIME with Jesus Christ because I don’t see where the Book supports this. - The Book says it’s possible to CALL UP and communicate with the dead, but it plainly says; DON’T DO IT… You don’t know what you are communicating with.  NYOBS 42.26 - NECROMANCY; COMMUNICATING WITH THE DEAD  

·         The Catholics are having Marian Apparition’s; the appearance of the Blessed Virgin Mary, but what they see does not remain nor walk around among us, it is not flesh and blood. – There is NO SCRIPTURAL EXAMPLE found in the Bible for us to follow concerning visions of someone communicating with us from the grave. – NYOBS 44.02 - FATIMA - FICTION & FACT

·         The Muslims are having Dreams and Visions of Jesus appearing to them and they are worshiping Jesus who they call ISA. - Joy, love and peace immediately floods over them and they accept Christianity; but the Qur’an says ISA will judge Jews and Christians by the Qur’an, not by the Bible. – NYOBS 59.10 – VISIONS AND DREAMS -- NYOBS 46.17 – QUR’AN ON JESUS

·         Moses saw God in the flames of the fire and saw the glory of His back side, but he did not actually see God’ face. – John the Baptist received messages from God, but did not see Him.  The Apostle Paul shares a story about being caught up to heaven where he saw and heard things so awesome that they cannot be expressed in words… He goes on to confess, he does not know if he was actually there or if it was a vision of his mind or was a dream.

·         The Apostle John while imprisoned on the Isle of Patmos, while he was worshipping God in the Spirit had a vision and saw heaven, God and Jesus. – He wrote down what he saw in his book called “the REVELATION of Jesus Christ” and plainly says that what he wrote was when he was “in the spirit”; a vision.

·         Stephen full of the Holy Spirit saw Jesus standing in Heaven just before he was stoned to death. – Whether Stephen literally saw Jesus or saw Him in a vision does not seem to matter as he saw Jesus in HEAVEN and not on earth.

·         Except for Paul (Saul) on the road to Damascus, there is no Biblical record of Jesus appearing to anyone on earth AFTER His ascension into Heaven… However, on the Damascus Road, Paul saw a light and heard a voice; but he did not see Jesus.  - Later on Paul seems to say that for three years he was schooled and had REVELATIONS directly from Jesus. - If that is true, then Paul is the ONLY ONE in the Book who ever saw Jesus after His ascension into the heavens.-  NYOBS 60.31 - RAISING THE DEAD

·         Therefore I believe Paul, who was a Pharisee and schooled in the covenants, laws and prophecies, saw Jesus through the writings of the Torah and the other 613 laws that were written.  So when Paul says he spent time receiving revelations from the Lord, I believe it was NOT a face to face visitation from Jesus, but through the Paraclete; the Comforter; the Holy Spirit who was sent to teach him all things as he meditated on God’s Word.

·         I had a full 4 week lull where I could not find a new CONTROVERSIAL SUBJECT to study, and I caught myself saying, “I sure miss talking with you Lord”. – Although I did not actually see Jesus nor have an audible conversation with Him; I felt that I was in His presence as I studied the Word of God and talked to Him. – Prayer is just a conversation with God.

Acts 22:6-9 – Saul heard the voice of Jesus
⁶ As I (Saul/Paul) was on the road, approaching Damascus about noon, a

VERY BRIGHT LIGHT from heaven suddenly shone down around me.
⁷ I fell to the ground and HEARD A VOICE saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’
⁸  Who are you, lord?’ I asked. “And the voice replied,

‘I AM JESUS THE NAZARENE, the one you are persecuting.’
⁹ The people with me saw the light

but DIDN’T UNDERSTAND the voice speaking to me.

(NLT)

Galatians 1:11-14 – Instructed by direct revelation from Jesus
¹¹ Dear brothers and sisters, I want you to understand that

THE GOSPEL MESSAGE I preach is not based on mere human reasoning.
¹² I received my message from no human source, and no one taught me. Instead, I received it by

DIRECT REVELATION FROM JESUS CHRIST.
¹³ You know what I was like when I followed the Jewish religion—how I violently persecuted God’s church. I did my best to destroy it.
¹⁴ I was far ahead of my fellow Jews in my zeal for the traditions of my ancestors.

(NLT)

Luke 12:12 - The Holy Spirit will teach you
¹²  for THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL TEACH YOU at that time what needs to be said.”

(NLT)

John 14:26 – The Holy Spirit will teach you all things
²⁶ But the COMFORTER, even THE HOLY SPIRIT, whom the Father will send in my name, he SHALL TEACH YOU ALL THINGS, and bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you.

(ASV)

Revelation 1:10-11 – John was in the Spirit; a vision in Heaven
¹⁰ It was the Lord’s Day, and

I (John) WAS WORSHIPING IN THE SPIRIT. Suddenly, I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet blast.
¹¹ It said, “Write in a book everything you see, and send it to the seven churches in the cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”

(NLT)

Acts 7:55-56 – Stephen saw Jesus in heaven
⁵⁵  But STEPHEN, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand.
⁵⁶ And he told them, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!”

(NLT)

Modern Day Appearances Controversy

·         During Old Testament times men did not have a copy of God’s WORD and received God’s instructions through the preaching and writings of the prophets via their dreams, visions, symbols and experiences. – God never did anything without revealing it to His Prophets. – Visions and Dreams in the Old Testament were almost always prophetic.

·         During New Testament times God sent his WORD in the flesh; His Son Jesus the Christ, who lived among men, guiding their paths.

·         In no time in the PAST did men have the completed final Word of God to lead them. Today we have God’s WORD in the Bible directing our path, guiding us through the Holy Spirit.

·         There have been many prophets since John the Baptist who had special revelations or visitations from God which ultimately led the people TO FOLLOW THEM instead of following what God had already written in His Word. – Each claiming that God had spoken directly to them. – VISIONS can cause DIVISIONS.  

·         Joseph Smith had visions and dreams and his followers became the LDS; the MORMONS.

·         Charles Taze Russell had a vision and his followers became the JEHOVAH WITNESSES.

·         Mary Baker Eddy had a vision and her followers became the CHRISTIAN SCIENTIST.

·         Ellen G. White had a vision and her followers became the SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST.  

·         How can one know or verify if a dream or vision is from God? – Well for one thing, God does not contradict what He has already given to us in His FINAL written Word; the Bible. There are no new revelations, only new light on what God has already said. - We must test the visions and dreams with God’s Word, line upon line, precept upon precept. – A dream or vision can be true or false as its source can be generated by the deceit of our own heart.

·         Visions, Dreams, Premonitions & Paranormal Activity can come from many sources; some are from God, Some are from Satan and most are probably from what’s in a man’s heart. - Random occurrences of confused dreams have no true meaning or purpose and should be taken for just what they are; much business with a fools voice. – It’s in the Book. – Ultimately if your vision puts your reliance on something or someone other than Jesus Christ or conflicts with the Bible; it did not come from God. – Satan is the author of confusion. – God does not contradict Himself.  NYOBS 59.10 – VISIONS AND DREAMS

·         Through Visions and Dreams God OPENS the eyes and the heart of man, GRANTS him the faith to believe, then DRAWS him unto Himself; and TEACHES him and thus BEGINS his search for the fullness of the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. – In no way do visions and dreams ADD to the Word of God, nor are they given equal or greater authority than the finished cannon; our Bible is the finished ultimate authority. - NYOBS 37.09 - PROPHETS

·         For the most part, scripture supports that in this age, God speaks primarily to men through the HOLY SPIRIT who illuminates God’s finished work; THE BIBLE.

·         However, God is Sovereign and is not limited by our inability or our disobedience in sharing the Gospel Message.  He can use any means He chooses; in the book of Revelation we see in the “End Times”, God uses an Angel to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. (Notice however, it is an angel and not Jesus Christ Himself).

·         We do not have to see Jesus to believe, Jesus said; “Blessed are those who have NOT seen and yet have believed.”

·         If you have had a vision; before you ascribe it to God, you should prayerfully seek God’s will in how you should respond to the vision; ASK and He will generously give you wisdom.

Ezekiel 13:6-7 - They have False Visions
⁶ They have seen FALSE VISIONS and lying divinations. They say, ‘Declares the LORD,’ when the LORD has NOT sent them, and yet they expect him to fulfill their word.
⁷ Have you not seen a false vision and uttered a

LYING DIVINATION, whenever you have said, ‘Declares the LORD,’ although I have not spoken?” (ESV)

Ecclesiastes 5:3 - Dream are with much business & a fool’s voice
³ For a dream comes with much business, and a FOOL’S VOICE with many words.

(ESV)

Isaiah 28:9-10 – Prove visions line upon line precept upon precept
⁹ Whom will He teach KNOWLEDGE? and whom will He make to UNDERSTAND the message? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts?
¹⁰ For it is PRECEPT UPON PRECEPT, precept upon precept; line upon line, LINE UPON LINE; here a little, there a little. (ASV)

Hebrews 1:1-2 – God spoke to men in divers manners
¹ God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
² Hath IN THESE LAST DAYS SPOKEN UNTO US BY HIS SON, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; (KJV)

John 20:29 – Blesse are those that believe and have not seen
²⁹ Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO BELIEVE WITHOUT SEEING ME.”

(ESV)

John 6:45 – God TEACHES men
⁴⁵ It is written in the Prophets, ‘And

THEY WILL ALL BE TAUGHT BY GOD.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me.

(ESV)

The Take Away

·         We don’t know for sure how Jesus revealed Himself to Paul; face to face, in a vision or in a dream or just by studying the Old Testament.  Based on what I find in scripture I strongly embrace the studying of the written word as that is the way the Holy Spirit reveals Jesus to us today. – I find no examples in the Book of Jesus bodily appearing on earth after His assentation into heaven.

·         The missing years of Paul turns out to be a needed transition time for Saul the Avenger to become Paul the Evangelist. – It’s like he took a sabbatical leave to hear from God on how he was to be a light to the Gentiles.

·         Paul obtaining solitude in the desert was remarkably free from the contamination of tradition, doctrine and the agendas of others. – God had opened Paul’s mind to be able to see “The Messiah as He was presented within the Old Testament scriptures.

·         Paul’s teachings were opposed by the Christian Jews for not including their traditions in the Gospel and they plotted against him. – Paul taught that The Gospel message is not Jesus PLUS tradition, but Jesus plus nothing else. – Paul experienced hardships that Christians in the USA have never experienced and I pray we never do, but with that said, we can expect to have opposition as we OPENLY share our FAITH.

·         Paul sets the example for us when he says the Gospel message was personal for him as he studied the Old Testament Scriptures where Jesus as the Messiah revealed Himself within them. – Whenever Paul spoke, the Bereans would search out the scriptures to see if he was really right.  This is an example to us as we should also DAILY spend time searching the scriptures for The Truth.

·         Charles Haddon Spurgeon in 1890 said "This Truth is now as personally my own as if I had never heard it from the lips of man.  I receive it because it has been written on my own heart by the Lord himself.  It’s coming to me is not after men”. (the Gospel Message)

·         Scripture documents that Jesus went about doing good; performing signs and wonders.   The Church leaders considered His actions blasphemy and had Him crucified.  Three days later He BODILY rose from the dead and was seen BODILY by over 500 people. - The Disciples preached His BODILY resurrection at the threat of death and they ALL DIED and never recanted. – What GROUP OF MEN who knew something was a lie would die for that lie? –Christianity hinges on the belief that GOD raised His Son Jesus the Christ from the DEAD.

·          Do you wonder if you are really a true Believer or just a Make Believer? – The Book tells us You will know them by their fruits; their works. – We do not do good works to be saved – We do good works because we are saved. - Want to know if you are just a Make Believer? – Go look in your checkbook. – NYOBS 16.13 – MAYBE SAVED

• The Sermon on the Mount is not about promises of blessings to the child of God, but is a description of the child of God.

1    They are not proud in spirit – They know they are spiritually bankrupt and can offer God nothing.

2    They mourn over perishing souls – They anguish over sin – They want righteousness to prevail. – They have compassion for injustice, afflictions and the sins of others.

3    They are meek, mild and kind; bearing patiently – They do not murmur nor seek power – They accept opposition, insults and provocations.

4    They Hunger and thirst to do God’s will – To know Christ and make Christ known to others.

5    They are merciful showing compassion and mercy even when it not convenient. They do not show mercy to get mercy, but because they themselves have received mercy and compassion

6    They are pure in heart with singleness of purpose, no hidden motives or self-interest.  They are utterly sincere in their faith.

7    They are peacemakers, not only keeping the peace, but bringing men into harmony with each other – They work to calm the waters, knowing fully many will RESENT their efforts.

·         You may need a sabbatical, some transition time between where you are now and where you want to go; to renew your strength so you can SOAR like an eagle. – As you study God’s Word, you may see a change in your checkbook, the songs you sing, the movies you watch, your circle of friends, how you spend your time and the kind of fruit you exhibit in your life:

Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness,

Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control

- It’s in the Book -

Acts 17:11 Bereans examined the Scriptures EVERYDAY
¹¹ Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and EXAMINED THE SCRIPTURES every day to see if what Paul said was true. (NIV2011)

Matt 5:3-9 – Description of the True Believer taught by Jesus

3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. KJV

Matt 7:20 – You will know them by their fruits

20 Therefore BY THEIR FRUITS YOU WILL KNOW THEM. NKJV

Galatians 5:22-23 - Description of the Fruit of the True Believer
²² But THE HOLY SPIRIT produces this KIND OF FRUIT in our lives:

Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness,
²³ Gentleness, and Self-Control. There is no law against these things! (NLT)

In the multitude of counselors,

there is wisdom.

Proverbs 11:14

I am grateful to those that went before me providing concepts, ideas, historical

information, and scripture verses.  Because of them I can stand on their shoulders

                         and see further that I otherwise ever could have.              

                                                                                                                                     

A Commentary; Critical, Experimental and Practical - Eerdmans

Antiquity of the Jews – Flavius Josephus Matthias

Apocrypha – Goodspeed

Baker Commentary on the Bible – Elwell

Bible Almanac; The – Packer-Tenney-White

Bible Commentary – F.B. Meyer

Bible Dictionary – Harper and Row

Bible Dictionary – Nelson’s

Dake’s Annotated Bible – Dake

English Standard Version Bible – ESV

Expositor’s Bible Commentary – Frank E. Gaebelein

Forgotten Books of Eden; The – World

Gospels Interwoven; The – Karmit Zarley

Illustrated Bible Dictionary; The – Tyndale

Interlinear Greek-English New Testament – Baker

In Touch – Dr. Charles Stanley

Invisible War; The – Donald Grey Barnhouse

King James Version Bible – KJV

Lost Books of the Bible; The - World

Lost Books of the Bible; The - Bell

Matthew Henry’s Commentary - Zondervan

Missing Books of the Bible; The – Halo Press

Mysteries of the Bible – Readers Digest

Nag Hammadi Library; The – James M. Robinson

Nave’s Topical Bible - Zondervan

New International Dictionary of the Bible; The – Douglas - Tenney

New International Version Bible (2011) – NIV

Now that’s a Good Question – R.C. Sproul

NOTE: The “new” NIV has been corrupted & made GENDER NEUTRAL.  AVOID IT.

New Living Translation Bible - NLT

Secrets of the Dead Sea Scrolls – Hugh J. Schonfield

Thru the Bible – J. Vernon McGee

Vincent’s Word Studies of the New Testament – Mac Donald

Who’s Who in the Bible – Paul D. Gardner

Wycliffe Bible Commentary; The – Pfeiffer & Harrison

Wikipedia –

Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible; The – Tenney