Signs and Wonders – Part 3
The Lord Goes For a Walk
Hebrews 2:4
God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will? (Hebrews 2:4)
And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. (Luke 24:13)
And they talked together of all these things which had happened. (Luke 24:14)
And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. (Luke 24:15)
But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. (Luke 24:16)
And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? (Luke 24:17)
Their hearts were perplexed as they walked from Jerusalem, all their hopes had been dashed upon the stone. Their hearts were heavy laden, and they talked one with the other of the things that had taken place, and with all the signs and wonders, they were still despondent.
What is man, that thou art mindful of him, (Oh Lord, thou, the Lord of glory that smooths the road ahead, that protects from the pit, and we still desire to walk alone as man. Although, thou has humbled us many times, we, as man, still rebel against thy marvelous grace. It takes a blinding light in the soul, and a quickening of thy Spirit, and the voice of a loving Savior in the depths of the heart to woe us unto thy marvelous grace. It is not my faith, but the faith of my God, it is the God of heaven who lets His faith rest in my heart and soul. And when I need more, He pours His faith into my vessel in abundance. The cruse of my soul is never empty of faith, that Thou hast given. With Christ love is unbounded and free.)
As they walked, the Lord drew near; only two, and the Lord made three, what a meeting. What a marvelous mystery that where two or three are gathered in His name, He is in the midst. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20) True spiritual freedom is sitting at the feet of the Lord Jesus. We can only learn the things of Christ from the presence of Christ and the Holy Spirit. Too many spend their time listening to men with a man made spiritual philosophy, only the Spirit of God can give discernment to the Word of God. Therefore, the Lord drew near and walked with man. He was an unseen voice, yet He was present. They were looking for the consolation of Israel, yet could not recognize the Consolidator; He was but a stranger to them. So many have walked in His presence, and yet, He remained a stranger to them. The one who holds the very breath of life, and yet, a stranger. You are marvelous and fearfully made — breathe in — breath out — that breathe brings life and vitality to your blood, which in turn gives life to your flesh, and marrow to your bones. Every cell of your body depends on your breath. (Genesis 2:7) And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. As God breathed breath into the nostrils of Adam, so He counted those breathes until Adam returned to the dust. We, as man, are created by God, it is God who breathes breath into our nostrils. From a child He counts our breathes until the last. How close is God? As close as your very breath. We fail to look at ourselves in the light of God’s truth because of worldly surroundings, and worldly toys. Yet, we need to sit, to breath, and to examine ourselves that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. Breath in — breath out —so simple in a perplexed world. Yet, it is our very life that God holds in His hand.
As they walked with Him the Lord expounded the Scriptures from Moses to the prophets and the Psalms. What a wonder, I ask you to begin a conversation around the word of God, and the Person of Christ, and see how far it goes, and where it goes before the words ‘my church’ come into the conversation. In my experience, it quickly becomes only ‘my church,’ you will soon see it is all about ‘me and my church;’ or as they of the world would say ‘let’s talk about me.’ However, when the subject remains on the Word of God and Jesus Christ, does not our hearts burn within us? If there was such a thing as a spiritual meter, or spiritual judgment for Christ in our midst, the conversation must be about Him, and His glory.
When Christ is in our midst, He is a comfort to our soul. His presence also brings testing of the soul. And as He walked with them, He was testing them with the word of God. There were no scrolls in His hand, yet He, a stranger, knew all the words of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms — . . . Never man spake like this man. (John 7:46)
How little of the Word of God we carry around in our hearts and souls. My prayer would be like the psalmist, Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. (Psalm 119:11) When Paul referred to the Church and each and every Christian, he said that we should be epistles known and read of all men. Beloved, it is only what is on the inside of our hearts and souls that shows forth the glory of Christ in our outward man. That which is spirit is spirit, and that which is flesh is flesh. Romans 8.
And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? (Luke 24:18)
Here is a question from man to God, Art thou a stranger? (Job 35:10) But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night; He was expounding the Scriptures to them, and still they did not know who was in their midst. The Lord had clothed Himself with a body with no marks of the cross, and to them He was just a stranger. This was a lonely walk. He took His time with their unbelief, He was the messenger of the covenant, and the vehicle of grace as He poured through the Scriptures beginning at Moses. This is a good place to begin, for we have no written revelation from Adam to Moses. God has seen fit that we should see Him through the Holy Spirit by His servant Moses. The Lord Jesus took them to Moses in His writings, back to the beginning; the beginning of what? When God chose Moses to write ‘in the beginning’ it was not only the beginning of creation, but the beginning of God revealing Himself through the written word. It was the beginning of revelation! God would reveal Himself to Moses as past, present, and future: the Creator, the Law-Giver, the Prophet, and He continued to reveal Himself to John on the isle of Patmos. And now, by God the Holy Spirit through His word, He reveals Himself to us in all His glory. We are thankful that we have the living and breathing word of God. Each time I quote a verse I contemplate that, that word is living and breathing in me. When I reach this section of Scripture with the Lord walking with them away from Jerusalem, and away from all that happened in Jerusalem; I think of my own life, and my walk with the Lord. Sometimes I contemplate my whole life before the Lord Jesus Christ, and after He gloriously saved me. In my high school days, I attended a school 30 miles from my home; and because I lived in the country I could only take a bus so far, there were many times I would have to walk over 10 miles in each direction, and often got home after dark. I think how nice it would have been if I had realized, that although not saved, the Lord of glory my Creator, was walking with me. We could have talked along the way. He was probably talking with me, but my ears were shut and my eyes were blind. What joy I could have had in my youth walking with Him, and what sin I could have avoided if I had only humbled myself when I was young, and trusted Him by faith in His saving grace. Now when I walk, we talk and I listen as a child; listen to a tale of a prince and a princess. We, as children of God, have been brought into His body. We are being prepared as a princess for her prince. This time will come when He calls us all home, and He finishes the glorious work of His Church. She is a bride walking with her love, the love of her life. His countenance glowing with love, His majesty Being in control of all things. His grace as an eternal bouquet of flowers. His eyes as pools of love. His tender touch as a small breeze filled with the scent of His grace.
Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices: (Song of Songs 4:14)
A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon. (Song of Songs 4:15)
Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits. (Song of Songs 4:16) All my senses are touched by Thy divine hand, And even though I walk in the shadows, I am waiting for that day. Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense. (Song of Song 4:6)
(Romans 13:12) The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. In the passing of the night of Romans 13:12 there is a glorious day awaiting for the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Our souls will be beside Thee, we will bathe in the light of Thy presence in a new and living way, the sting of death is gone, the gates and doors of eternity are wide open, and we bow our face to the Creator of all things. We are away from the dusty roads of earth to walk the golden streets filled with Thy presence and all your blessings of grace divine. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32)
In the Gospel of Luke 24:28 we read, And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. What has the Holy Spirit revealed in this verse? We see our own self will, and the path that it takes us on. We might think that we have arrived, yet the Lord wants to take us further. He wants to show us all things concerning Himself. Was this a point of departure or a point of learning? Through the Spirit of God, they constrained Him, and He went in with them, and sat and continued to expound the things concerning Himself. The Holy Spirit adds in verse 29 that the day is far spent. This is in contrast to the verse in Romans 13:12. If you view it in Luke 24:29 as one covenant coming to a close, the Lord Himself closing the law and fulfilling all things written of Him in the prophets concerning His suffering, and His death and resurrection. Then in Romans 13:12 as He has ascended, the light of day has given way to a dark and evil world. We wait in this darkness with our lamps burning, waiting for His call to take us into His bosom of light; for in Him is no darkness at all. The bride is waiting for the bridegroom, He puts her first in His love. As Isaac saw Rebecca approaching, his heart was full of wonder and love. As Rebecca saw Isaac, her only thought was to make herself ready.
And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man: and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way. (Genesis 24:61)
And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahairoi; for he dwelt in the south country. (Genesis 24:62)
And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming. (Genesis 24:63)
And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel. (Genesis 24:64)
For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a vail, and covered herself. (Genesis 24:65)
And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done. (Genesis 24:66)
And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death. (Genesis 24:67)
It is the Spirit of God working as the unnamed servant drawing us to Christ. As the servant of Abraham went in search of a bride for Isaac, so the Spirit of God has reached through time and space to draw out of this world a bride for the Lord Jesus Christ; clothed with the righteousness of God as a chaste virgin, and being delivered unto the Lord of glory so then He will take her into His tent of eternity. But for now we journey through this dark and evil world. We must take time to sit at the table and muse upon Him. He will come, and make His presence known. Our table will become His table, and He will sup with us, and we will sup with Him. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20)
Notice, first we must be listening, we must hear the knock at the door, we must acknowledge the voice of the Lord; but that’s not all, for many are called, but few are chosen. You might hear the knock at the door, you may hear the voice of the Spirit of God, but until you run to the door and open it, you will not find the fullness of God in Jesus Christ; for on the other side of the door is all the blessings of eternity in Him. You must open the door, and He will come in, and He will sup with you, and you with Him.
There was a stranger in their midst and soon He will become the Lord in their midst at the breaking of bread. What a humble experience for these two on the Emmaus road. I might note in Luke 24:29 the Holy Spirit uses the word ‘tarry’ it is not for an hour, it is not for a day, but as long as His presence is needed. It will be that He desires nothing better than to be in the presence of His brethren.
For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. (Hebrews 2:10)
For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, (Hebrews 2:11)
Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. (Hebrews 2:12)
And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. (Hebrews 2:13)
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; (Hebrews 2:14)
And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (Hebrews 2:15)
For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. (Hebrews 2:16)
Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. (Hebrews 2:17)
For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted. (Hebrews 2:18)
His brethren delight in Him. As He sat at the table the Lord opened their eyes, He was known to them in the breaking of bread. Is not this a wonder? From a stranger to the Lord of all in a twinkling of an eye. From sadness to jubilation in a moment of time. Have we not been there in our spirit and soul? This table can also be found in the Song of Songs, and the banner over that table is the banner of His wonderful love. The Spirit of God is leading us now to the Song of Songs, one of just many of Solomon’s songs, but the only one that the Spirit of God preserved for us at the end of the age. As we wander through this world, His light in us is bright and then dim, then bright, then dim. It is not Him that brings the shadows, but our spiritual condition and lack of love for Him. If we read this short song over and over we will begin to feel His tender touch drawing us closer to Him and filling our hearts with His marvelous love and grace. As they sat at the table with the Lord Jesus, they saw with new eyes, eyes that have been opened by God, ears that have been unstopped by the Spirit of God. It is the Lord in their midst. What joy fills the soul, the soul says, ‘I cannot wait to tell others of this great love, my heart is burning within the grace of God, let me run with thee, and tell my brethren of the One who holds Orion in His hand and stands on the circle of the earth, and in love has sat down at a table, and shared His unbounded grace.’
They were so joyful that they left to tell the eleven. (Luke 24:33)And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, What a story that they had to share of the Lord in their midst. As they talked and told the eleven with great joy in their hearts, the Lord Jesus once again came into their midst. Is not this a wonder? You share what wonders are in Christ and immediately you feel His presence. His presence is there to lead you, and guide you through this life. Oh, beloved, He has lifted up those gates and opened those everlasting doors. Let Him come in, He will be known to you — don’t be afraid of man — sit down, take some bread and wine and sup with Him. He will reveal Himself to you and your heart will burn with spiritual passion for Him. The Spirit of God uses the term ‘bridegroom’ not ‘groom’ for a reason. It is the bride He loves, it is the bride He cherishes, and she is His bride for all eternity. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. (Revelation 22:17) Amen.
© Copyright 2015, Michael Haigh
Article may be used, but not for gain. Freely ye have received, freely give.
All Scripture references are from the Authorized King James Bible. (KJV)