“Sir, we want to meet Jesus.” John 12:21
The 12 disciples and the generation of those who saw Jesus in his earthly sojourn were in deed privileged to have seen and heard the word of God in human flesh even though just a few believed.
It is indeed one of the greatest mysteries of the bible, and so perfectly stated by Apostle John that, ‘The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth’. (John 1:14).
In essence Jesus came to fulfil a prophecy that sits firmly in the heart of God, and He will return to fulfill same prophecy in a new heaven and a new earth- even though not many people also believe this testimony.
It is the covenant desire of God to dwell with His people, just as He fellowshipped with man at the very beginning in the garden of Eden and the unbelief of man cannot change this covenanted relationship of man and God.
Among those who believe this covenanted relationship, God gave a foretaste and foreknowledge of the revelation of Jesus thousands of years before His unveiling to the world.
Abraham who had a rare honor of being called a friend of God was privileged to have seen this revelation. Jesus himself testifying of Abraham told the unbelieving Jews, ‘Your father Abraham rejoiced as he looked forward to my coming. He saw it and was glad.” (John 8:56).
In Ezekiel 37:27 we read about this great desire of God: ‘My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be My people’.
One may ask: why does God desire a fellowship with man? Simply answered, we were created for fellowship with God. Since we are created to have fellowship with God, therefore, our hearts will find no satisfaction in any creature but will only find rest in a relationship with the Creator.
Why is the world like a troubled and restless sea today? Why are nations against nations and why are men no longer without restraints in their pursuit of vainglory?
Because they lack a revelation of Jesus and the covenanted longing of the heart to see Jesus have been replaced by the dark desire to worship the creature instead of the creator. This explains the greed of men which stops at nothing as it drowns in the bottomless pit of vanities.
As generally observed, nature abhors a vacuum and in the things of the spirit, no one can be a bystander. Hence once the heart waxes cold for the creator it soon falls under the command of Satan.
Now, how does a heart without a revelation of Jesus function? Romans 1:25 gives us a glimpse: “They traded the truth about God for a lie. So, they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen’.
Without a revelation of Jesus in the heart of man, such a heart gradually slips into satanic coma and death. In Philippians 3:19, we read about a more sordid state of anarchy concerning the heart without a revelation of Jesus which is the lamp of the heart:
‘Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Their minds are set on earthly things’.
Let us ask a contrasting question as well, how does a heart with a revelation of Jesus function?
David’s heart gives us a glimpse as well. His heart panted after God and could find rest only in obedience and fellowship with God. He said: “O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You’. Psalm 63:1.
However, there is good news for all the hearts lacking in the revelation of Jesus. There is a quickening power of the Holy Spirit in our generation made available to restore the heart of man from its fallen state and introduce the light of God into every dark and darkening heart.
Ephesians 2:1 reveals that we are by nature without the revelation of Jesus, but by the miracle of divine birth and revelation we are born again by the hastening work of the Holy Spirit. How does this happen?
The word of God which is the revelation of God is the instrument used by the Holy Spirit to usher those without Jesus into a new life of His being, a new nature.
Therefore, a true Christian is one who is born again (John 3:3,6,8), receives the new life of the Risen Lord (John 1:12-13).
Consequently, for our world to be safer, our hearts must be saved for Jesus. Jesus is calling us today and it is never too late to accept His invitation and guiding light.
Why does our heart and our world need a revelation of Jesus? Why does Satan aggressively use the world of entertainment, power and the love of money to fight for the soul of men? Why does he relentlessly go after the heart of those who are even saved and have had a revelation of the word of God?
Because Satan knows that as a long as Christ remains revealed in the hearts of men his agenda in the end time would be frustrated.
To this end the bible clearly warns: “Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction”. (Proverbs 29:18).
When Satan struck at the heart of the camp of Israel on their way from slavery to salvation they had lost the revelation of the God who led them out of Egypt, the God who performed the wonders of the red sea.
Concerning that generation, the bible gave an interesting account thus:” Now Moses saw that the people were unrestrained (for Aaron had not restrained them, to their shame among their enemies) …”
A more than casual observation would reveal that our generation and that generation of Israelites share a lot of things in common- we are losing the revelation of Jesus and our hearts are quickly giving in to all sorts of lack of restraints as being sponsored by Satan.
What then should be our urgent desire and yearning before Satan engulfs the world with darkness? The desire is that our hearts and the world need revival which is an urgent revelation of Jesus. Ephesians 5:13-15 states this urgency so well:
‘But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that is illuminated becomes a light itself. So it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise’.
Reading: Ephesians 5: 1-19
