And The Temple Of God Was Opened In Heaven, And There Was Seen In His Temple The Ark Of His Testament - Part 2188

"And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened ..." (Revelation 15:5; Revelation 11:19)

In the New Testament, there are several references to the heavens being opened. In Noah's time, the fountains of the great deep broke up, and the windows of heaven were opened. (Genesis 7:11) In the Psalms, David writes, "because they believed not in God, and trusted not in His salvation: though He had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven, and had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven." (Psalms 78:22-24) And also from the prophet Ezekiel -- when he saw visions of God when the heavens were opened. (Ezekiel 1:1)

In the New Testament, both Stephen and Peter witnessed the opening of heaven. (Acts 7:56; Acts 10:11)    Likewise John (who saw the vision that reveals Jesus as King of kings and Lord of lords in the book of Revelation), and also, in the opening of the seventh seal in Revelation, when there was silence in heaven -- for about half an hour. (Revelation 8:1)

But the scriptures most known in terms of the heavens opening is the moment in time when Jesus has just been water baptized by John the baptist [baptizer] in the Jordan River. Therein, as the scripture states, when Jesus was praying, the heaven opened. "And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him." (Mark 1:10)

In Matthew's account of the same baptism -- And Jesus answering said unto John, "Suffer [it to be so] now: for thus it becomes us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he suffered Him. And Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto Him, and he [John] saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him: and lo a voice from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:15-17)

From Luke's account -- "Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened ..." (Luke 3:21)

For clarity, note that the Spirit descending like a dove upon Jesus was for the benefit of the baptizer, and perhaps too, those standing on the banks. Although misunderstood by many in the modern day religious community, Jesus tells the people the voice was for the benefit of the people (John 12:30) What happens next? As Luke tells us, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted forty days of the devil. From Luke 4:

"And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days He did eat nothing: and when they were ended, He afterward hungered. And the devil said unto Him, "If Thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread."

And Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word of God."

And the devil, taking Him up into an high mountain, shewed unto Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto Him, "All this power will I give Thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it -- If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine."

And Jesus answered and said unto him, "Get thee behind me, satan: for it is written, "thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve."

And he brought Him to Jerusalem, and set Him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto Him, "If Thou be the Son of God, cast Thyself down from hence ... For it is written, "He shall give His angels charge over Thee, to keep Thee: and in their hands they shall bear Thee up, lest at any time thou dash Thy foot against a stone."

And Jesus answering said unto him, "It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God."

And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from Him for a season. And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of Him through all the region round about. And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. (Luke 4:1-15)

Observations? Jesus was tempted of the devil after He was water baptized. There was also a beginning and an end to the temptation that lasted 40 days. Interestingly, the scripture informs that He did not eat in those days, but was hungry afterward. And that the devil always referred to Jesus as the Son of God. As well, Jesus cited scripture (the Word of God) in response to satan's false promises. I say false because the world and everything within was not for the devil to offer. But as we know, the devil is the father of all lies, and thus, could not be expected to act differently on this particular occasion.

But there is much more to ponder. The Holy Ghost is New Testament only, beginning with John the baptizer who was full of the Holy Ghost from birth, and his father Zacharias too. (Luke 1:65-67) It was the Holy Ghost who overshadowed Mary so that she could bring forth a son. (Luke 1:35) The Holy Ghost this signified, as we read in Hebrews 9:8 -- confirming the foundational teaching of the "doctrine of Christ" -- but that subject is for another post. (Hebrews 6:1-2; II John 1:9)

The point that I would like to dwell herein is the Son of God -- wherein the devil only understood Jesus to be an heir. As Jesus shares in the parable, "But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, "This is the heir; come, let us kill h/Him, and let us seize on h/His inheritance." (Matthew 21:38) Indeed, satan could not believe that God's love for His beloved creation could include God becoming clothed in humanity to deliver to His people salvation.

"After the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared ..." (Titus 3:4-7)

Neither did satan believe that this same Jesus, whom He had allowed to be crucified, is both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:36; Revelation 1:8) Or that the "He that was in the world" was the same He that created the world in the beginning. (John 1:10-11; John 1-14) Or that Jesus was God manifest in the flesh. (I Timothy 3:16; Isaiah 9:6) Or, to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself. (II Corinthians 5:19; Acts 20:28) Or even that the dayspring from on high visited His people.

Thus, because satan was duped into not understanding what Jesus meant when He said, "thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God" in the desert, he doesn't want people in this current dispensation to understand the greatest love story ever told either. This is why satan is so determined to deceive those in the modern day churches into believing that Almighty God sent a Son (outside of His own flesh/humanity), making the One and Only God into a Spirit with three heads. Sigh! 

Nevertheless, for those who seek the I AM that is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, we have an assurance that if we have seen Jesus, we have seen the Father and similarly know Him. (John 10:30; John 14:6) That after Jesus was taken up, He through the Holy Ghost gave commandments unto the apostles whom He had chosen. (Acts 1:2-3) As well, that Jesus had to go (and we would see Him in the flesh no more) in order for the Comforter -- the Holy Ghost to dwell within. 

So much here to understand, but the key is knowing that Jesus said,  "All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth." (Matthew 28:18) The first man Adam -- earthy, but the second the Lord God from heaven. This is why Jesus could say, "I AM the Bread of Life!" And "I AM the Light of the world!" Let those with ears to hear, hear. Stand in the offering plate.