Rev 1:10-13 KJV I was in the
Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard
behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, (11) Saying, I am
Alpha and
Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book,
and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus,
and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis,
and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. (12) And I turned
to see
the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden
candlesticks; (13) And in the midst of the seven
candlesticks one
like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and
girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
Rev 1:17-18 KJV And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: (18) I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. Exo 25:31-32 KJV And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same. (32) And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side:
Having read Revelation 1, with the churches as candlesticks as branches on a tree bearing LIGHT, now observe John 12. Joh 12:20-26 KJV And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: (21) The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. (22) Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus. (23) And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. (24) Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. (25) He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. (26) If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour. Here, we read of a SEED as opposed to the picture of a TREE in Revelation 1's vision of candlesticks in the shape of BRANCHES, depicting the churches. And we also find a reference to LIFE ETERNAL.
Gen 2:17 KJV But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. Gen 3:22 KJV And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: Man would die as the result of eating false fruit, and could not eat of tree of life after eating false fruit.
Everyone wants eternal life, but the part about death is what keeps them from this life, since the fleshly desire is against DEATH. John 12:24 has Jesus telling people who want to see Him that HE IS A SEED THAT must fall and die, in order to come up and have many more like Him!
So he uses the same picture as the tree of life in the Garden.
Mankind is supposed to manifest God.
Mat 16:15-18 KJV He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? (16) And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. (17) And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. (18) And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Peter gets insight about Jesus being SON OF THE LIVING GOD.
Now, everyone loves Life.
Mat 16:21-25 KJV From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. (22) Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. (23) But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. (24) Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. (25) For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. We preached this detail before, but notice THE FATHER spoke of LIFE.
DEATH of our old existences is not something we savour.
That is why Jesus spoke of Himself as a SEED that must DIE and BE BURIED. And notice that both Matthew 16 and John 12 mention the same note: Mat 16:24-25 KJV Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. (25) For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. Joh 12:25-26 KJV He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. (26) If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour. He said He must die, and then told us to FOLLOW HIM!
In other words there is a DEATH we have to experience in order to get this eternal life AGAIN! But the reason we do not want to lose our lives, is because this is speaking about DENYING OURSELVES.
This resistance to DYING continued on in the disciples' lives.
Mat 17:1-9 KJV And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, (2) And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. (3) And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. (4) Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. (5) While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; HEAR YE HIM. (6) And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. (7) And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. (8) And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. (9) And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead. The FATHER AGAIN SPEAKS.
John was on the mount of transfiguration with Peter and James.
Mat 17:2 KJV And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. AFTER DEATH AND RESURRECTION: Rev 1:16 KJV And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And John even fell in fear as the first time. Matt 17: (6) And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. (7) And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. Rev 1:17-18 KJV And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: (18) I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. But Jesus is risen in Rev 1.
And there is a fear in both cases.
Heb 2:14-15 KJV Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; (15) And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Rev 1 shows John fall as one DEAD, and we know he fell due to fear, because when Jesus touches him He tells him not TO FEAR.
Many people after they are saved STILL FEAR DEATH LIKE JOHN. You would think that having been attached to Jesus as a branch and therefore having died with Him, one would no more be afraid of death.
We are afraid of LOSING OUR LIVES.
2Co 4:10-12 KJV Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. (11) For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. (12) So then death worketh in us, but life in you. Not only would life work in those whom Paul ministered to, but... 2Co 4:14-18 KJV Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. (15) For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. (16) For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. (17) For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; (18) While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. WE MUST NOT LOOK AT THE VISIBLE THINGS WE DO NOT WANT TO LOSE.
OUR WILLS staying alive and independent are what slay us so often.
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