Yet a little while, and the world sees me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. John 14:19.
Before his departure to heaven, Christ is preparing the minds and hearts of his disciples for their future life and walk of faith amidst panics for the uncertainties of future continuation without him. The gracious Lord spoke comfortable and re-assuring word of his abiding presence: but this time around, through spiritual revelation by the eyes of faith, not in any bodily form again, until the time which the Father has set by himself to restore the kingdom back to Israel – yet a little while, and the world sees me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. John 14:19.
- This text speaks of the eternalness of Christ and the eternal existences of his saints before any natural birth on earth – yet a little while, and the world sees me no more. John 14: 19 a.
Christ, by whom the world was made, came forth from the Father, and entered into the world; but now, he is about to leave the world back to the Father: I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. John 16:28.
This particular statement of Christ correlate him with the Father, to show us the indivisibility of the Son from his Father, and the Father inseparableness from the Son: of whom the Father, when he brings in the first begotten into the world, speaks on this wise concerning him as eternal God: thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. and, thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of your hands: they shall perish; but thou remains; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; and as a vesture shall thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. Hebrews 1:8-12.
Great is the mystery of the doctrine of godliness of God who was manifested in the flesh, justified in spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. 1Timothy 3:16.
The Lord asked the disciples of himself, whom they think he is. Wrong responses emerges, but Simeon Peter discover and confesses him as Christ, the Son of God by the revelation given him through the Spirit of God to make known the divinity of his only begotten Son (Matthew 16:17): it is the prerogative of the Father and his Son to reveal themselves to whomsoever they will: all things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knows the Son, but the Father; neither knows any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Matthew 11:27.
His disciples said unto him, lo, now you speaks plainly, and speaks no proverb. Now are we sure that you know all things and needs’ not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou came forth from God. John 16:29-30. From this text, I want to believe that the disciples understand the depth of their unanimous attestation to the eternalness of Christ as (a) the person spoken by the prophet that he originates from eternity, the carrier and giver of eternal life: for whosoever has not the Son, has no life, for the life is in the Son of God (1 John 5:11-12): but thou, Bethlehem Ephrata, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. Micah 5:2.
Christ had walked before them, lived and performed many miracles among them: yet, their hearts was hardened to his eternal name of EMMANUEL, God is with us. Matthew 1:22-23. This was the holy, anointed and exalted One, he appeared in person to Joshua when he was by Jericho, as the captain of the host of the Lord’s battle, the man Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 2:5), the Lord the man of war (Exodus 15:3), whom Joshua worshipped (for no angle is permitted to receive the adoration of Lord God almighty),from him were commandments and instructions came forth as strategies to conquer the land of Rehab the harlot which was strictly shut up with no man going out or coming in. Joshua 5:13-15.
This is the eternal existing Christ who is the same yesterday, today and forever. Heb. 13:8. He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. Revelation 1:8.
The ‘word’ the beginning and the ending indicate that Christ is the eternal word of God by which all things were made: he is the word made flesh, and dwelled among us. It is by the word – Christ that all things continue to function and be, and by the same word shall they be brought to an end (2 Peter 3:5-7): this is what the writer in the book of Hebrews means, when he says that God upholds all things by the word of his power. Hebrews 1:1-3.
This same Christ is the eternal power and wisdom by which God made all things (1 Corinthians 1:18) when everything was void and without form; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters (Genesis 1:1-2) until God speak to create all things by Jesus Christ who is the creative power of the spoken word of God. Through faith, we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear (Hebrews 11:3): but, the word of God is spirit, and they are life (John 6:63), meaning that the eternal Christ is the word, the bread that came down from heaven (John 6:51), and the same Lord is that Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:17), the eternal spirit by which he offered himself without spot to God. Hebrews 9:14.
God enjoys and receives all the worships and praises in his heavenly temple, but chooses to expand the scope of his temple to the earth, hence, man was made and created to fellowship with God on earth, and to represent him over all things created as the reason and purpose he was brought into physical and bodily existence for his body to become the temple of God on earth. This is the mystery of man whose existence has been from eternity with God before he was made or formed from the dust of earth to live and dominate on earth, until he return back to his eternal home. The fact that God made a call and a plea to the other two parts of the trinity to make man in their likeness and after their image shows us that there was someone or something called man in eternity (Genesis 5:2): that which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he. Ecclesiastes 6:10.
Moses received the revelation that the relationship between God and man goes beyond the beginning of his existence on earth, ever before he was made or conceived in the womb of his mother: Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou have formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. Psalms 90:1-2.
God foreknew man from eternity as he told Jeremiah that before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations Jeremiah 1:1. Note: God set eternity in the heart of man as a reminder that he was from eternity (Ecclesiastes 3:11): even though, he is temporarily dwelling in the house of clay, he will soon return to his eternal home (Ecclesiastes 12:5): but where, Paradise of God or hell prepared for Satan and his angels for all eternity?
- This text speaks of the continuation of fellowship with Christ and the security of God’s saints on earth – yet a little while, the world sees me no more, but you see me. John 14: 19 b
Christ departure out of the world is imminent, his physical and bodily present shall not be seen for a while anymore until he comes back in glory, but he reassured his disciples’ that fellowship with the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost is uninterrupted through the help of the Holy Spirit he will send to help and teach them into all truth.
Furthermore, he asked the Father for continuation of divine protection over his saints from all evil such as protection from false brethren, protection from false doctrine, protection from evil men, protection from the influence of evil system of the world and dangers of any kind with strength for their troubles to confront their challenges in the world – and now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through your own name those whom thou hast given me that they may be one, as we are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gave me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. And now I come to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou should take them out of the world, but that thou should keep them from the evil. John 17:11-15.
The believer in Christ Jesus enjoys the best security and protection on earth from the beginning of his conversion to the end of his earthly walk with God. God’s angels are assigned to attend and protect each of them as soon as they are saved on earth until the end when they will be escorted to heaven at death: (b) the presence of the indwelling Holy spirit of God protect them within and without against all attacks of the enemy: (c) Jehovah God is involve to fight for them in all their battles: (d) there is divine hedge of protection around them which the enemy cannot break, except they break the edge by iniquity: (e) the eye of God is upon them day and night, he that keeps them, neither sleep: (f) above all, his life is hid with Christ in God, being raised up, and seated with Christ in heavenly places, far above principalities and power. All of God’s saints on earth are secured and safe by him. They are jealously loved by him and are in his hand (Deuteronomy 33:3), engraved in the palms of his hands (Isaiah 49:16): they are the apple of his eye, none dare touches them if they are not seeking for his wrathful response and vengeance to defend his children – for thus says the Lord of hosts; after the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that touches you touches the apple of his eye. Zachariah 2:8.
The Lord further eliminate the fear of his disciples telling them that they should not be sorrowful that he is going back to the Father, but they should rejoice because the Father is greater than him and their protection and security is not negotiable, reassuring them that his physical protective presence is as much effective as the protection of the abiding presence of his Father – you have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I. John 14:28.
The disciples had walked and lived with the Lord for almost three years, his personal and physical presence has been a great comfort of security and encouragements to them: but now, they must have faith in God’s promises of protection and deliverance from troubles: they must trust on the unseen protection of the Father by living and walking by faith, seeing everything through the eyes of faith.
The world will not see Christ again until he comes back with flaming fire to take vengeance on them that refused to know God through him, and that do not obey his gospel (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9), but his saints who are called and saved out of the world, his beloved fruitful and faithful servants, will see him now, often and often, as the Lord will deems necessary to reveal himself to them through personal spiritual encounter and revelation before they see him face to face in heaven, where they will forever be with him.
As from now, Christ disciples must be walking in the power and comfort of the promises of the scriptures, that God will do anything and everything for their safety and protection: none of the hairs on their head will fall to the ground without his permission or consent.
Christ work as well as fellowship with him in the life of individual disciple and believer left behind on earth should continue, but unless we keep personal intimacy of practical love to his word, little can he do to help us move forward in the will of God: though revelatory re-appearance is promised to individuals, this depend on their intimacy shown by practical obedient love to his word. The Father has been responsible for the security and protection of Christ while he was on earth, he will also be with them to protect, preserve and to make his abode with them if they will practically live by his word.
Alongside his Father, Jesus will come back to his individual disciple in appreciation and expression of their love to such – Judas says unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, if a man loves me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. John 14:22-23.
We are called, saved and promised to host the presence and glory of God, as it is written, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people, but we must meet the condition to activate the fulfilment of this promise by (a) avoiding commonness with the world (b) separation from unequally yoked with the uncircumcised in hearts in the world. 2 Corinthians 6:14-18.
- This text speaks of the future immortality of the saints with Christ in heaven – because I live, you shall live also. John 14:19 c.
Before the fall, Adam and Eve possessed the divine nature, but as soon as they lost God’s nature for earthly nature, they also lost the ability for any chance to live forever, denied and dispossessed of immortality by the King immortal. 1Timothy 1:7.
Eternal life is a future promise (Titus 1;2), we will not come into it until we leave this world. Meanwhile, believer should continue in the things that accompany his salvation (Hebrews 6:9), working out his salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12), to make his calling and election sure. 2 Peter 1:10-11.
Immortality is linked to divine nature of God given unto us to escape the corruption that is in the world through lust. Except we lived out the divine nature through conscious and dutiful application of the fruit of the Spirit, subduing the flesh with all its works, and overcoming the fleshly lusts which wages war against the soul, we shall not inherit incorruption, for corruption cannot inherit incorruption.
Once the first parent’s fell by sin, spiritual death begins to work in them as Adam hid from the presence of God when he heard his voice calling at the cool of the day. In addition, God cursed them with physical death as sentence of the actual sin of disobedient. First, they died spiritually, being alienated from the life of God, having lost the divine nature: second, they were sentenced to physical death, to go back to the dust from whence they were made.
After the fall, Adam and Eve were sent out of the paradise and an angel was assigned to protect the tree of life to prevent them from eating the fruit of immortality, lest they live forever – this is the first revelation of immortality transferred and transformed into a tree to bear fruit.
At regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, we are given access to all the fruit of the spirit to grow in our present manifestation of divine nature (2 Peter 1:1-3-4), but the fruit of the tree of life is reserved for them that are presently bringing their thoughts into captivity unto the obedient of Christ which Adam failed to do. The tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God is a reward from Christ to recompense and bless the faithful, fruitful, devoted, diligent and holy saints when they get to heaven to obtain immortality in paradise with a new spiritual body fitted or suitable for eternal life.
This will take place at the first resurrection during the judgement seat of Christ before the celebration to feast together with the Lamb at the marriage supper – blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. Revelation 20:6.
Whether sinner of righteous; all shall be resurrected from their sleep or from death, but at a separate different time. Just as Adam was denied access to the fruit from the tree of life after his fall, lest he eat to attain or obtain immortality, so shall the souls of them whose names are not found written in the book of life shall not be rewarded with the fruit from the tree of life to live forever with God.
Life as a gift ought to be lived for the pleasure and will of the giver – God. The soul of man is the spirit or immaterial part of human beings, the seat of human personality, intellect, will, and emotions, regarded as an entity that survives the body after death. Though the believer is promised and guaranteed a new spiritual body at death , a glorious body which shall be fashioned according to the glorious ressurrected body of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:1-5. Philippians 3:21): nonetheless, believer or unbeliever, saved or unsaved, righteous or unrighteous, holy or unholy, all shall be separated from their physical body at death, but each will receive another body – a spiritual body upon which the soul shall be clothed upon for eternity, thus immortality of soul and spiritual or celestial body becomes a blessing (glorious body) to one and a curse (inglorious) to another – there are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. 1 Corinthians 15:40.
But someone will ask, how are the dead raised? What kind of body will they have when they come back? You fool! The seed you plant does not come to life unless it dies,and what you plant is not the form that it will be, but a bare kernel, whether it is wheat or something else. But God gives the plant the form he wants it to have, and to each kind of seed its own form. 1 Corinthians 15:35-37.
The type or kind of spiritual body you’ll receive after death depends on what you are sowing now by the way you are now living your physical life in this earthly body to please God, or to please yourself, to please men, or to please the world – do not be deceived, God is not mocked, whatsoever a man sows, the same shall he reap. Whosoever that sows to the flesh (with its works, fulfilling the lustful desires of the mind and of the flesh. Ephesians 2:3) shall reap corruption or second death in hell fire, he that sows to the spirit (suffered the flesh, bring it to subjection to die daily to the flesh. 1 Peter 4:1-2) shall reap eternal life. Galatians 6:8-9.
All souls are mine, says the Lord. Ezekiel 18:4. The soul of man is a gift of God from his nostrils to man made from the dust of the earth to live. Luke 12:20. Do you remember the story of the rich man and Lazarus spoken by the Lord that the rich man died to find himself in hell where he cried in agony for regret and thirst for water? Luke 16:22-24.
Satan deceived the first parents by encouraging them to disobey God that they will not die, contrary to the warning that they shall die if they should eat the fruit they are forbidden not to eat. The soul that sin, it shall die. First, the sinful soul die spiritually by his present separation from God’s fellowship through the absence of the works and testimony of the holy Spirit in him, and to die eternally aftermath which is the second death in hell for eternity, forever separated from God. Matthew 25:41.
Presently, the unsaved soul of the unrepentant sinner is spiritually dead. If he is not made alive in Christ Jesus before the end of his physical existence on earth by being born again through the incorruptible seed of the word of God, he has come into condemnation and will eternally perish, because he has not believed in the testimony given by God about Christ who has abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 2 Timothy 1:10.
God will make good of all his present and future promises and threats, his reward is with him to give to everyman according to their works. Think about the fire prepared by king Nebuchadnezzar meant to destroy Shad rack, Meshach and Abednego, but they were not hurt, neither burnt by it because the violence of the fire was made of no effect by God to protect and save them! In effect, the fire in hell shall burn sinners, but will not consume them to ashes, though they feel the pain and agony of it, yet, by this shall scripture be fulfilled that it is a fearful and unimaginable error to fall into the hands of the living God. Hebrews 10:31. Isaiah 66:24.