Ezekiel 1:25-2:1; Revelation 1:9-17

While these types of experiences seem rare, they can occur today, not only to great prophets but those that consider themselves ordinary believers. They are especially crafted by God to produce “Awe”, or what we call the “Fear of the Lord” which is a foundational experience (Proverb 1:7, 9:10) which aids the believer to develop “Compassionate wisdom.” This type of experience usually induced by either theophany or angelic appearance can be shocking to the surprised recipient but it is given to produce awe of God. This experience prepares the believer for a very challenging call and mission. This type of experience can also resolve the subtle evil of becoming “over-familiar” with God: all daddy and no Lord; which may lead to a primarily egocentric relationship, where God becomes an easy broker or a soft touch: Remember that in the Lord’s prayer “your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” come before Give us today our daily bread etc. God has for all of us His will to be done on earth and sometimes it is so challenging that He gives such shocking experiences. It helps produce awe, respect, reverence for God that surpasses the normal human responses like fear because of the difficult call and challenge to their faith. And as in Paul’s life, God given radical manifestation began his ministry and continued throughout his ministry (Acts 9:23:11; 27:23)

Our key passages (Ephesians 1:25-2:1; Revelation 1:9-17) Continue to illustrate the humanly uncomfortable manifestations for God’s prophets’ but what begins as a shock ends with wisdom, confidence in God and His plan.

1. Usually these shocking manifestation of God occur when God’s macro/major plans are revealed: Other examples are easy to locate in Scripture.
2. Abraham’s call in Genesis 12:3 “Where he fell face down” before God’s revelation.
3. Moses Burning Bush experience in Exodus 3, The whole chapter records Moses shock and human reticence
4. Isaiah’s reaction in Isaiah 6:1-5 especially verse 5, “woe to me!” I am ruined… because eyes have seen the king, the Lord almighty” Remember also Job 42:1-5)
5. Mary’s response to the angel Gabriel, Luke 1:29-30 “... Mary was greatly troubled and confused at the angel’s words’
6. The disciples at Jesus’s transfiguration (Matthew 17:6 “When the disciples heard the voice of the Lord, declaring Jesus as His son, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified!

While these experiences themselves seem to be far from a blessing they all lead to a great respect for God and HIs personal call in their lives, an “Awe” and confidence that He who calls us is able to empower us to get it done (Philippians 1:6) a shock experience that leads to glory.

1. Finally these experiences can be distinguished from an Ananias and Sapphira type of experience. Which illustrates a judgment from God. John the revelator’s “falling at the risen Jesus’s feet”, as though dead that produced great fear” was only a prelude to His call that produced great awe before God: John was “awestruck” before Jesus and His great Revelation. He received an experience while in prison at the island of Patmos, to encourage him to continue to see and write God’s final Revelation. John still had a purpose for the Kingdom & God had not abandoned him, even in prison.

Amen

Read 1 Samuel 24 (See also a second similar experience in 1 Samuel 26); Romans 12:9-21 (See also Hebrews 10:30-31)

David, pursued by a spiritually declining King Saul, who lost his throne because of disobedience to God (1 Samuel 15) hid with his small band of misfits in the cave of Adullam: In Chapter 26 a similar experience of pursuit is detailed where as in Chapter 24 by divine design Saul was given information as to David’s general whereabouts: “The desert of Enged,” (24:1); yet not an exact location. In chapter 24 it is assured that God in His providence led Saul to David’s exact cave, where he and his men were hiding. Saul entered this cave alone to relive himself. How convenient for David to be alone with Saul undetected in the cave. David was given by God a golden opportunity for revenge against his very real enemy and God’s rebellious king; wouldn’t he be doing himself and God a favor in killing him? And doesn’t he have a biblical right, although he wasn’t an official judge or jury, according to the Torah(e.g. Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20: Deuteronomy 19:21, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, wouldn’t it be justice to enact his personal revenge? The answer according to David’s Inaction (verses 3-7) and the N.T. (Matthew 5:38-48 and Romans 12:9-21, is No! According to the concept of progressive revelation and in the shadow of Jesus' revelation concerning His teachers against personal retribution: it’s not allowed except for self-defense. Only God the creative sustainer and atoner remains the ultimate Judge. This is especially clear in the N.T. but not absent in O.T, for note David’s “stricken conscience,”(24:5) and a God supported reaction of mercy again paralleling N.T. teaching on the topic of judgment (again note Romans 12:9-21). Saul was still King, although a very backslidden royal, was still the anointed of God and David respects that. David even regretted cutting off a small corner of Saul’s robe, to demonstrate what he could have done to Saul. And it seems in Saul’s reaction, what looked like the possible reconciliation between David and Saul; and through Saul’s conciliatory words a possible peace between Him and God.

But according to 24:16-24 Saul’s words of seeming repentance lasted only a moment and not long lasting as to Saul’s further behaviors in chapter 26 indicate and also 24:25, David was not counting on Saul’s rehabilitation.

Saul’s further spiritual decline is recorded in his consultation with the medium/ witch of Endor, since God was no-longer speaking to him and Samuel was dead, in chapter 28; and his ignominious death, with his sons, even Jonathan, in chapter 31. But, what can we as N.T. believers be reminded of David's inaction?

1. As answer to the question: If God chose David to replace Saul for valid reasons as King, why allow Saul to pursue David? He loves David, chose him and is almighty, could He not put an end to Saul before the pursuit?
   1. Possible answer: David was also being tested by God to learn something about himself: would he continue to trust God in this seeming paradoxical situation? Even Jesus, in His humanity was tested (Matthew 4, Luke 4) tempted and had to learn something about humanity, “yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15) James 1:2-4 underlines God’s use of tests to further our growth in developing the mind of Christ.
   2. David as chosen king expressed the correct, divinely approved behavior in regards to Saul. But, David was far from perfect as the rest of his monarchy demonstrates(remember David and Bathsheba 2 Samuel 11; but he proved to be a great repenter not a rationalizer, see Psalm 51.)
2. Since it was God, working behind the scenes that brought Saul to David's doorstep in Chapter 24 & 26, so that David could wax N.T. How can we know when God is orchestrating a personal test to gauge our trust in Him in paradoxical situations? The answer is, as in

Luke 10:38-42 (Verse 42) Matthew 6:32-33; Matthew 6:19-21, 24 (Treasures in Heaven)

This brief text underlines two main points: first, that Jesus looks to both men and women to be dedicated disciples; Second, that in our physical, societal lives our goals and priorities are more easily earthly, the heavenly goals are more difficult and ethereal. This is part of our fallen human nature and it’s focus that’s why the Gospels present such episodes our text where earthly practiced good duties are considered important but we should also include and make room for the spiritual and as difficult as it may be for us fallen humans, Christ’s Kingdom and calling should be prioritized not only by full-time ministers, but for every believer and as I emphasized many times before, God promises to provide needed help( Matthew 6:32-33; Luke 11:3) This brief episode in Mary and Martha’s (Lazarus sisters), lives demonstrates that what can distract us from our expected devotion to Christ, His calling and Kingdom are good, practical earthly things, in this case a cultural expectations for honorable women to prepare a feast for an honored rabbi; what would be wrong with this? But, this text interprets this good thing being done as a distraction(verse 40) in contrast to Mary’s adoration of Jesus “... (sitting at the Lord’s feet listening to what He said(His word)? While Martha was covering all the basis of societal, cultural expectations for such an event Mary seemed to not be doing her part for the honored guest and this bothered Martha. And she demanded that He command Martha to “help me”. Jesus' response to Martha is culturally counter intuitive in that society. Martha Martha… you are worried about many good things but compared to them there are more important things, summarized as only “a few or even one.” Mary has come up short for the expected societal demand, but has chosen what is better and even if the soup prepared gets cold, her taking time to worship Jesus will be accepted. This does not mean that Martha, Mary don’t also have good earthly duties beyond hospitality and even more important societal responsibilities to family, careers, comfort, upward mobility, but these come also because they are not easily detectable distractions as to our calling from Christ. While we strive to not commit clear heinous sins that are obvious to all, there exist other demons behind the so-called respectable actions that take up too much of our time and energies and they then become a distraction to our relationship with God and our service to Him. Satan’s temptation of Jesus in the wilderness (Matthew 4, Luke 4) included some good practical earthly suggestions for a fasting, starving Jesus: “Jesus turn the stones to bread, for you are physically hungry, this would be a good thing, even a good thing to do, but Jesus said No! (“It is written, humans and even Jesus, shall not live on bread alone (Luke 4:4).” It would have been a good thing but Jesus taking this road would have led to a distraction from His mission. Other stories of women ministry to Jesus make similar points: first, a sinful woman anoints Jesus feet with tears, even pouring expensive perfume on them in the supper at the Pharisee’s house. Jesus becomes a display of repentance but for the Pharisee, this was a distraction from holiness and proof that Jesus may not be a true prophet. After all and possibly a waste of something very expensive. Second, possibly the same event in Mark 14:3-9 Jesus becomes was rebuked by those present as a waste of a years wages that could have been sold and given to the poor; but to Jesus it was a “beautiful thing she did to prepare for His burial,” as out of worship, their seeming reasonableness in this situation became a distraction. Judas Iscariot was one of the critics who shortly after the betrayal of Jesus (verses 10-11). Third, a similar strong reprisal in Matthew 26:6-13 Jesus' indignant audience spiritually could not see beyond their legalistic no