Background
There have been various prophetic words over the years that in “the last days”[1] Perth would be one of the “cities of refuge”[2] on the earth sheltering people from tribulation[3]. I affirm the direction of this sentiment, and would like to offer some reflections from personal experience and scripture. This teaching will only be relevant to believers who are uncomfortable with their present earthly existence, including their spiritual life. These are the people earnestly seeking the refuge God alone provides.
Looking into the Eyes of Jesus
About 60 Christian leaders recently met in Perth for the annual Prayer Summit[4]. Early in the proceedings people began praying to see the presence of God. Literally, the terms often translated “presence of God” in English Bibles are “face of God” in the original languages[5]. This provoked me to thinking about the description of Jesus in Revelation 1 provided for the present church in its distress[6], in particular the description provided by John in 1:14, “The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire”. It struck me that there were two postures in prayer that kept us from seeing the face of Jesus[7]. One of these is arrogance; presumption causes us to look over the head of the Servant – King[8]. The other is a spirit of subservient fear[9], so that looking down we only see the feet of Jesus.
The more I thought about this, the more I realized how frightened I was to look into the eyes of Jesus. I have often taught, “By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he (Jesus) is so also are we in this world.” (1 John 5:17), so this realisation disturbed me[10]. Certainly, most of the texts to do with the fiery eyes of the Son of man are in the context of judgement on sin[11], but I knew things were not right and that I needed the prayers of others to help me.
Where do we See the Eyes of Jesus?
One of the traditions of Prayer Summits is “the chair”. A chair is situated in the middle of a small group, anyone can go and sit in it, present their prayer request to the Father, and receive the prayers of others. When I did this one of the older men present began to pray for me that I would see the eyes of Jesus in the poor, broken, weak and oppressed – immediately I knew this was profoundly correct[12]. The famous text came to mind, “Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’” (Matt 25:44- 45). This was encouraging and confirmed my convictions that it is serving the down trodden we discover the reality that “judgement has been taken away”; but this word did not touch my fear of Jesus in an immediate and intimate way. Yet, grace is always surprising.
A few days after the above events, as I was about to look up the relevant Revelation passages concerning Jesus’ fiery eyes, somehow, by the hand of God, I was led to Zechariah 2.
The Wall of Fire
“Run, say to that young man, ‘Jerusalem shall be inhabited as villages without walls, because of the multitude of people and livestock in it. 5 And I will be to her a wall of fire all around, declares the Lord, and I will be the glory in her midst.’”[13]
This is a refuge text, the many prayers of the people of God that the Lord provide them with security[14] would in the last days be answered by his own glorious encompassing presence. In other words, fire need not speak only of judgement but of shelter[15].
As the prophesied wall of fire would surround and shelter end- time Jerusalem so I began to see that the fiery eyes of the exalted Christ encircle the earthly expression of New Jerusalem, the church[16]. Instead of fearing the wrath of Jesus we need to embrace it as our security.
The Apple of His Eye
This is reinforced by an unusual expression found a little later in Zechariah 2, “For thus said the Lord of hosts, after his glory sent me to the nations who plundered you, for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye” (2:8). At the centre of God’s eye, signifying his treasured and precious possession[17] is Jerusalem.
This language has rich associations in the exodus from Egypt. ““He found him in a desert land, and in the howling waste of the wilderness; he encircled him, he cared for him,
he kept him as the apple of his eye. 11 Like an eagle that stirs up its nest, that flutters over its young, spreading out its wings, catching them, bearing them on its pinions,
12 the Lord alone guided him, no foreign god was with him.” (Deut 32:10- 12)[18].
God spread his protection over Israel in the desert by means of the shekinah glory[19]. Since both the language for “wilderness” in this passage matches that for “without form and void” and the action of the “encircling” corresponds to the “hovering” of the Spirit in Genesis 1:2, we see that the fiery protection of God over the apple of his eye is none other than the Holy Spirit.
Literally, “the apple of his eye” in this passage is “the little man of his eye”. God sees his own reflection in Israel as a person sees themselves reflected another’s eye[20]. This means that his chosen people are as precious to him as he is to himself[21]. Importantly, the most vivid language of endearment has to do with faithful Israel’s suffering, “From oppression and violence he redeems their life, and precious is their blood in his sight.” (Ps 72:14), “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” (Ps 116:15). The full reality of this intimate care is expressed in Jesus[22].
Jesus and the Wall of Fire
The baptism of Jesus fulfils Zechariah’s use of creation and exodus imagery picked up on behalf of end – time Jerusalem. The language of the Father, ““You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”” (Luke 3:22) is the vocabulary of choice and endearment. The Father sees himself fully in the love of the Son. This is marked by the unique action of the Spirit. As the prophet of the Messiah[23], John the Baptist heard the voice of God, “He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain[24], this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’” (John 1:33). The Spirit’s covering of Jesus is the fulfillment of his hovering at creation and protection of Israel in the desert[25]. Since Jesus is encompassed by the fiery Spirit of God he will, by impartation from his own life, “baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” (Luke 3:16).
The signs of the fiery presence of God are manifest in the ministry of Christ; demons scream out, “Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.”” (Mark 1:24), in the circle of his presence “power came out from him and healed them all” (Luke 6:19), guilt and shame were incinerated (Mark 2:10; Luke 1:17; 7:47; 23:34). Around Jesus is a no- judgement zone for the broken but the experience of alienation for the arrogant[26].
When John sent his disciples to ask, ““Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”” (Matt 11:3), he was no doubt puzzled by the absence of radical signs of judgement in the ministry of Jesus[27]. If the protective grace of God is present in the Spirit of fire that pours from Jesus, where is the destructive element? The answer is in the cross.
“And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice… “ “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”” (Mark 15:34) there is only one explanation for this experience of Jesus on the cross. The apple of God’s eye, his cherished Son, experiences the fire of God in only one dimension, destruction. This is God’s strangest work[28] because he has no heart for it[29].
What Jesus experiences in this hour is all the power of evil – sin, shame, Satan, without the protection of the presence of God. Even more terribly, since it was “through the eternal Spirit (he) offered himself without blemish to God” (Heb 9:14), the Spirit now overshadows him as the agent of God’s animosity[30] upon sinful humanity[31]. This is what Jesus has been prepared for during the entire course of his earthly life.
Once however the fiery anger of God has been expended all that remains is perfect peace[32]. This is the message of the risen Lord, ““Peace to you!””(Luke 24:36; John 20:19, 21, 26).
[1] Contrary to popular opinion, the “last days” began with the coming of Jesus (Heb 1:2) and the outpouring of the Spirit (Acts2:17).
[2] See my Barbecues for the World: Perth as an end time city of refuge http://cross-connect.net.au/barbecues-for-the-world-perth-as-an-end-time-city-of-refuge/
[3] In my opinion, “tribulation” is part of the normal experience of Christian discipleship (Matt13:21; John16:33; Acts14:22; Rom8:35; Rev 1:9; 2:9- 10) and that “the great tribulation” (Dan 12:1; Matt 24:21;Rev 7:14) is the present era. On any Christ – centred reckoning of time, this tribulation must have commenced with Jesus’ own sufferings e.g. Matt 26:37- 38. Western Christians who think otherwise are usually uniformed about the persecutions of the world wide church, see www.worldevangelicalalliance.com/commissions/rlc/
[4] A three day prayer retreat for Christian leaders.
[5] Hebrew panim, Greek prosopon.
[6] See especially the context – setting text at the commencement of Revelation, “I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.” (1:9).
[7] To “behold the face of God” is the highest blessing of the saints (Rev 22:4; Ex 33:20; Deut 32:20; Pss 24:6; 42:2; Matt18:10; 1 Cor13:12).
[8] This was the characteristic sin of the religious leaders of Jesus’ day.
[9] As in Romans 8:15, “the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear”.
[10] It wasn’t an entirely new awareness but deeper and more unsettling.
[11] “his eyes like flaming torches,” (Dan 10:6); “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze ….I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works. (Rev 2:18; 23); “ His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself.” (Rev 19:12)
[12] A few months before a pastor described how he once looked into the eyes of a young Aboriginal girl he was seeking to minister to, and saw Jesus.
[13] Zechariah 2:4- 5
[14] See for example, Pss 7:1; 16:1; 18:2 “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”, 30; 43:2; 46:1; 57:1; 62:7 – 8; 73:28; 91:2; 94:22; 141:3; Prov 30:5.
[15] So when Jesus speaks the church in Thyatira as “ ‘the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze …. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works. (Rev 2:18; 23); his fiery presence brings either destruction (vv.20 -23) or promise (vv.23- 28). A more extended discussion would demonstrate that the fiery eyes of Jesus in Revelation 19:12 indicate a rule that destroys the enemies of the church and protects the saints (19:15). See, G.K. Beale, Revelation, 267- 268 .
[16] For the equating of the heavenlyJerusalem with the perfected church see, for example, Galatians4: 25- 26; Hebrews12:22- 24;Revelation 21:9 -10.
[17] Compare the endearing and protective words of Exodus 19:4- 6, “You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; 6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people ofIsrael.””.
[18] See also “The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!” (Ruth 2:12).
[19] E.g. “The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.” (Exod 13:22)
[20] This picks up the theme of creation in the image of God (Gen1:26).
[21] See, for example, Isaiah 43:4, “Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life.”.
[22] Prophetically, this is signalled in Psalm 22:20, (the first verse of which is applied by Jesus to himself on the cross), “Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog!”.
[23] John is the prophesied “messenger” of Malachi 3:1, who prepares for the Lord’s coming “like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap” (3:2). See also chapter 4, which connects a fiery judgment with the reconciling work of Elijah, whom Jesus identified with John (Mark 9:9- 13).
[24] This permanent presence of the Spirit separates Jesus out from the Old Testament prophets.
[25] Even if the pillar of fire and cloud is not visible around Jesus (apart from the transfiguration), John tells us, “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us”, where the term for “dwell” is literally “tabernacle. (John 1:14). Jesus is the fulfillment ofIsrael’s tabernacle of glory, “For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house ofIsrael throughout all their journeys.” (Ex 40:38). This means the so it was a permanent spiritual reality encompassing Christ.
[26] Principally, the Pharisees, e.g. Matthew 23.
[27] John came in “the spirit and power of Elijah” (Luke1:17), the prophet who saw fire fall from heaven on his enemies (2 Ki 1:9 -12). He expected the Messiah to pour out the Spirit and fire in a similar manner.
[28]Such is Isaiah’s language for the wrath of God, “For the Lord will rise up as on Mount Perazim; as in the Valley of Gibeon he will be roused; to do his deed—strange is his deed! and to work his work—alien is his work! 22 Now therefore do not scoff, lest your bonds be made strong; for I have heard a decree of destruction from the Lord God of hosts against the whole land. (Isa 28:21 – 22).
[29] “For the Lord will not cast off forever, 32 but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion
according to the abundance of his steadfast love; 33 for he does not willingly afflict (literally, “afflict from his heart”) or grieve the children of men.” (Lam3:31 – 33).
[30] This is the implication of Isaiah 63:9- 10, for Jesus substitutes for God’s chosen people on the cross. “In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them; in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old. 10 But they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit; therefore he turned to be their enemy, and himself fought against them.”
[31] This is definitely NOT to say the Father was angry with Jesus (see Eph 5:2) but expressed his anger on our rebellion carried by Jesus on the cross.
[32] The sequence of fiery judgement and consequent blessing is a major theme in Isaiah (4:1- 6; 6:6 – 7; 9:5- 7; 27:4ff; 33:14ff), see also Zeph 3:8ff; Mal 4:1- 3; Rev 11:4, 13.