Have you ever seen or experienced revelation’s fruit? Whether or not we realize it, most of us probably have. So, what is it? Simply put, it’s a change that takes place within us because of new revelation that comes through exposure to something or someone. There are varying degrees. Today, I want to look at the kind of revelation that changes the very fabric of who we are. The kind that alters us so much so that we will never go back to who we were. Try as you might, there’s no natural way back. You can’t unknow what you know, and that knowledge won’t allow you to stay the same. It can be quite beautiful, but it can also be painful.
There’s an unfortunate truth that trauma can leave behind revelation’s fruit. Children that have a horrible revelation of what evil can do will experience the fruit of that revelation. It steals their innocence, their trust, and sense of security. The revelation of unfaithfulness in a marriage will leave the fruit of brokenness, distrust, and despair. The revelation of evil leaves destruction, but there’s a revelation that can overcome the destruction that evil leaves behind.
Revelation that brings life
It’s the supernatural revelation of God. When we see God for Who He truly is, we will not be able to stay the same. I’m not talking about a casual understanding of God. It’s not the understanding that you get from a friend or neighbor telling you about God (although that can be a start.) It’s the experiential knowledge of God that you get from His revelation of Himself. This is the revelation that can overcome what satan meant for harm. (Rom. 8:28) The revelation of God can break chains, and heal the wounds of the past. His presence can permeate the darkest of hours, days, weeks, months, or years. God is light. His very essence is light, and if we will allow His light to illuminate us and shine into those deep dark crevices, we will be forever changed.
We see God’s revelation of Himself throughout the life of Abraham, and we see its fruit. In the last part of this series, (read it here) we looked at how Abram followed God out of complete desperation. His wife was barren, and his motive for following God was based on the promise that he would have a child. He struggled to trust God. He didn’t leave his family and his father’s house as the Lord commanded. He lied repeatedly to protect himself, and eventually tried to bring about God’s promise in his own strength. However, between the time Abraham left Ur of the Chaldeans and the time he climbs Mount Moriah with Isaac, he is a completely different man.
Abram's Transformation to Abraham
God’s revelation of Himself to Abraham again and again throughout his life brought transformation. On Mount Moriah, we see Abraham walking in obedience without question.The motive to leave Ur of the Chaldeans has now been manifest in his son, Isaac, and God has asked him to lay him down. (Gen. 22:2) He trusts God to the point of being willing to lay down not only his prior motive, but his manifest promise. Abraham no longer struggles to be obedient, because he knows God. Knowing God brought him the ability to trust God. We see it in his two thoughts on his way up the mountain that are recorded in scripture.
First, we see in Genesis 22:7-8,
“But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” Then he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together.”
Secondly, Heb 11: 17-19 says,
“By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called, concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.”
Abraham no longer struggled with trusting God. He knew that God was faithful and able. Abraham didn’t question if God was able to provide a sacrifice; he didn’t question if God was able to raise the dead. Abraham remembered all the moments that God had revealed Himself, all the promises that God had made, and all the things that had come to pass. He hadn’t forgotten that his wife’s womb, once dead, bore him a child in his old age. He hadn’t forgotten the favor that God had bestowed on him again and again. He remembered when God had revealed His name to him – God Almighty. This day, as he journeyed, looking ahead to the place that God would show him, he remembered the greatness of His God.
Many years before, Abram needed to see to believe. We see it in Genesis 15:2 when he says, “Lord GOD, what will You give me, seeing I go childless…” God had already promised him a child, but Abram was walking by sight. On the way up Mount Moriah, Abraham isn’t walking by sight. God had already told Abraham, “in Isaac your seed shall be called.” (Gen 21:12) Isaac wasn’t only a promise of a child, but of a lineage. He was the promise through which God would make Abraham a great nation, and now God’s promise was enough. God said that his lineage would come through Isaac, which meant that Isaac was coming down that mountain with him. How God did it wasn’t Abraham’s concern. His confidence was placed in the character of the God that had revealed Himself to him again and again.
Lots of fruit
We see revelation’s fruit time and again throughout scripture. We see it in the life of Job. He had heard about God and thought he knew Him. After God’s revelation of Himself, Job says, “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You. Therefore, I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:5-6) Repent means a change of mind. Seeing God caused Job to change his mind about God’s character, which changed Job.
We see God’s revelation of Himself change Jacob, Moses, Gideon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Saul, and on and on. Saul believed he was doing God a favor by persecuting Christians. When Jesus revealed Himself to Saul, he was forever changed. He goes from persecuting Christians to preaching that Jesus is the Son of God and the only way of salvation. He’s so changed that he changed his name to Paul, and went on to write a large portion of the New Testament.
This is God’s intention for us too. He wants us to know Him in this transformative way. Looking back at that list of people transformed, you might say, but those were all special people chosen by God for specific purposes. You would be right. But we must realize that under the new covenant all of us who believe in Christ are God’s special chosen people with specific purposes. We see it in these two verses:
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9)
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them (Eph 2:10)
We are chosen by God. He says we are His own special people which He created in Christ Jesus, each with a specific purpose. We are no less to God than Abraham or Paul. He wants us to know Him, and experience the transformation and abundant life that knowing Him brings. (John 10:10, 17:3)
Are you the One?
Jesus’ interaction with John the baptist in Matthew chapter eleven reinforces the importance of revelation. It demonstrates the power that revelation has to bring hope and life in the darkest of times. It not only positions John to receive, but He is also positioning us to receive, if we will heed the call. Let’s take a look.
At the beginning of Matthew chapter eleven, we see that Jesus is going about doing His usual (healing, casting out demons, raising the dead), and John the Baptist is in prison. John sends some of his disciples to Jesus to inquire, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” (Matt 11:3) This is so intriguing to me, because John the Baptist was the one who said about Jesus, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” As well as, “And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.” (John 1:34) This seems so strange. How can the person who first proclaimed that Jesus was the Christ, now be asking, “are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” If we look closely though, we can begin to understand how John can ask this question.
The evil day
We first must recognize where John is physically and mentally. Physically, he is sitting in prison. Being in prison during that time could be a death sentence all by itself. They didn’t care if prisoners ate, drank, or were attended to at all. John was in this very dark place – not just physically, but mentally. He knew that he could be nearing the end of his life. He believes he is the forerunner for Christ. (John 1:23, John 3:28) But in the darkness of the prison, contemplating if death is around the corner, he begins to wonder if he’s missed the call on his life. He’s wondering if he’s labored his entire life, and somehow missed it.
If you’ve ever been in a really dark place, you understand how the enemy can creep in and harass you. he will bring everything you thought you knew into question. he uses the dark place and the struggle, and kicks you while you’re down. This is where John finds himself – in the evil day. In the first part of Jesus’ response to John’s question, He gives John the revelation of the word of God.
“Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: “The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. “And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” (Matt 11:5-6)
The Sword
You might be thinking, ‘how was telling him what they heard and saw giving him the revelation of the word?’ Good question. John the Baptist knew the scripture and being the forerunner for Christ, he would have especially known what was prophesied about the Messiah. When Jesus told John’s disciples to report to him the specific things they saw and heard, Jesus knew that those things would bring back to John’s mind revelation that had been given to the prophet Isaiah years earlier. The revelations that prophesied about Jesus:
In that day the deaf shall hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness. (Isa 29:18)
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing… (Isa 35:5-6)
“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor” … (Isa 61:1)
When we’re in the dark hour we need the word. All of the Bible is God’s revelation to us. In some cases, it is revealed to someone by God then recorded. In other instances, the word of God will reveal to us God’s character because of recorded interactions between God and man. Some revelation comes through God’s guidance given through His apostles as they led the early church.
Hebrews tells us, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (4:12) In John’s dark hour, when his mind, emotions, and will – his soul – was struggling to see the Truth, Jesus sent revelation by the word of God to quicken his spirit and give him the ability to fight.
The God Who Sees
While Jesus doesn’t acknowledge that John is questioning if he missed his call, we know it doesn’t escape Him, because He addresses it in His next statements to those around Him.
As they [John’s disciples] departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? … “But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. “For this is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.’ (Matt 11:7,9-10)
By speaking about John’s prophetic call, Jesus shows that He understood fully John’s concern when he sent his disciples. What an awesome God! He knows our thoughts even when we don’t speak them. He knew John was questioning whether he had missed His call. Yet, it’s interesting that He doesn’t say these things to John’s disciples. Notice it says, “As they departed…” He’s using the opportunity to pose the same question to those around Him – who do you say that I am?
Direct Revelation
Even though Jesus seems to be veering off topic as He questions those around Him and exposes hardened hearts, He’s not. John is still on His mind. Jesus knew that John needed more than a verbal confirmation that he hadn’t missed his call. He had given him the the revelation from the word. Now, Jesus took it a step further and thanked the Father for direct revelation that He is the Christ. (Matt 16:17) This prayer is the second part of His response to John’s question, “Are you the One?”
At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. “Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. “All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. (Matt 11:25-27)
He thanks the Father for revealing His identity to the babes. (including John) Jesus doesn’t directly say identity, but says “these things.” He is referring to the things He has been talking about – things that point to Him being the Christ. The same things that He told John’s disciples to tell him. The proofs that the prophecies regarding His identity were being fulfilled. However, Jesus knew that seeing prophecy fulfilled didn’t cause everyone to believe, (see Matt. 11:11-24) it needed to be accompanied by direct revelation. He’s giving John the one-two punch to defeat satan. He’s already given him revelation through the word, now He prays and thanks God for direct revelation. This will give back what satan has stolen in the evil day.
Come to Me
Yet, Jesus doesn’t stop there. With John’s burden in mind, He extends the same invitation to everyone listening and for us today. He says:
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matt. 11: 28-30)
Jesus is calling to anyone that may be in John’s situation. Anyone that has been laboring and is heavy laden. Just as He has given John the ability to rest in knowing Him, He is extending the same offer to us. When Jesus says, “learn from Me,” He is referring to knowing Him by revelation.
The first indicator of this, is the context. He’s just prayed and thanked God for revealing His identity to the babes. Then He goes on to say, “Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” His very next words are “Come to Me… take My yoke [teachings]…learn from Me.” He’s saying these things in the context of revelation.
The other indicator is the word he used for learn. The Greek word is manthanō. It simply means “to learn (in any way.)” However, according to the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament when this word is used in the Septuagint (OT written in Greek), it has the nuance of “the divine revelation.” Just as Jesus prayed for the Father to reveal His identity to the babes, He is still revealing Himself to us today through divine revelation of Himself.
Our Part
We do have a part to play though – we must come. I’m all about the simplicity of Christ. God couldn’t have made it any easier for us to be saved and to walk in the fullness of the life that Christ died to give us. However, we have a choice to make. John 17:3 says, “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” In knowing Him, we have eternal life. But there is another side. John 5:40 says, “But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.” We choose. Jesus wants to give us a transformed life, but we must come to Him. Paul gives us a beautiful depiction of the process:
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Cor 3:18)
In beholding the glory of the Lord, we are transformed! The words “beholding as in a mirror” are all one word in the Greek. It is derived from the Greek word “optanomai” which means “to gaze with wide-open eyes, as at something remarkable.” Our God is remarkable! When we choose to come and gaze, we cannot help but be transformed. The more we come to Him, the more we know Him, the more we’re transformed. Just as Abraham was transformed through knowing Him, so are we. Peter says:
as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him… by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature… (2 Peter 1:3-4)
When Abram left Ur of the Chaldeans, he walked by sight and according to the wisdom of this world. Even though God had revealed Himself to Abram and had made promises to him, Abram didn’t know God yet. He didn’t understand that God was loving, merciful, all-powerful, all-knowing, self-sufficient, a Deliverer, a Provider, a Protector, the One that goes before us and fights all our battles. He didn’t know that He was a covenant God, in which He could fully place his trust. However, Abram used his measure of faith and kept coming. In Abram’s coming, he saw, began to know, and understand God. He no longer walked as a man amongst many, trying to work it all out for himself. He now walked as a covenant child of God Almighty.
The Big Picture
When you and I are born again, we are also covenant children of God Almighty. All the things Abraham learned about God that caused him to walk differently, apply to us today. Christ doesn’t bid us to come and learn from Him just so we will be transformed. He bids us to come, learn, and rest. (Heb 4:10) His purpose was always to give us rest. Transformation is a by-product of knowing Him. We rest because we see His majesty, we understand His love, and know that He’s for us, and will freely give us all things. (Rom 8:31-32) We understand that He cares for us.
We see Jesus’ heart in Matt 23:37, He says:
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!
I was able to see a picture of this in a book I read recently by Peggy Joyce Ruth called Psalm 91.** The book is about God’s divine protection. In it, Peggy makes a point from Psalm 91 regarding being “under His wings.” It immediately brought the above scripture to my mind. She said that she lived on a farm and had a hen with a brood of chicks. One day while the chicks were scattered all over the yard, she saw the shadow of a hawk overhead. She noticed that the hen didn’t run and jump on top of the little chicks. She said,
“Instead, she squatted down, spread out her wings and began to cluck. And those little chickens, from every direction, came running to her to get under those outstretched wings. Then the hen pulled her wings down tight, tucking every little chick safely under her.”
This is the picture Jesus is wanting to bring to our mind as He’s calling out O Jerusalem, Jerusalem. He wants to take care of us. He’s calling out, but we must come. He will not force Himself on us. When we do come, He will not have a long list of rules, because His yoke is easy. He will not stand there, arms crossed, tapping His toe, waiting for you to get it right, because His burden is light. He isn’t looking for your performance, His intention is to have a relationship with you that brings you rest.
He wants to give you the peace that comes with knowing you are loved, cared for, and protected. He wants to shine His light into the deepest, darkest crevices and erase the lies the enemy has etched into your mind from your past. He wants you to know Him, so you will have a place of rest to abide, and the fruit needed for abundant life. (John 15:4)