THEIR EYES WERE OPENED,

(Part 5)

#155.02

A Stone For A Pillow

(continued)

"And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and THIS IS THE GATE OF HEAVEN" (Gen 28:17).

One might think that seeing the House of God and the very Gate of Heaven would be anything but dreadful. It is a common assumption that it would be as the comforting, calming, assuring, non-invading balm to the soul, especially since most people desire to go to heaven. There are not many who could imagine that the desires of their heart could be remotely fearful. But their desires are often products of the carnal mind, and when reality opens in plain view of that mind, it can be dreadful. When flesh meets with Spirit, it is always earthshaking. The unveiling is very unsettling, fearful.

By and large, people have seen neither the Gate nor the House, and if they have been seen, many have forgotten how the revelation had initially transformed their lives. Vying for recognition, competing for positions, scheming for prosperity, impatience, complacency, or a number of other interferences might have settled into their lives, and while stewing in those caldrons, their meager existence has become a methodical routine of religious activities. Such are void of any semblance of godly fear.

Ah, but when their eyes are opened to the glories of God's Kingdom, they will fear. "And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last" (Rev 1:17). And "The four and twenty elders fall down before Him that sat on the throne, and worship Him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne..." (Rev 4:10). All these have to do with the Kingdom of God, and when seen flesh quakes; but without seeing the Kingdom, men will work feverishly to win favor and get ahead in the church, or to work their way into heaven.

It matters not, brethren, whether we fill a great office in the Kingdom, possess a mighty ministry, are considered to be on the cutting edge of revelation, or whether we are a lowly Samaritan begging for crumbs -- when our eyes are opened to that Gate and House, there will be an earthshaking, holy fear of God sweeping through our midst. And we will echo the words of Jacob, "The Lord is in this place, and I knew it not."

It goes without saying that it is a fearful thing when a man's eyes are opened to the true House of God; namely, the Kingdom at hand. It is fearfully earthshaking to those who have for years been accustomed to taking the kingdom, or being spoon-fed with pseudo religion.

As it was with Jacob, once their sun goes down and they lay their head upon the Rock, they begin to be broken. As the carnal mind sleeps, their natural enlightenment dims, and they see beyond the veil of flesh and into the heavens of God. Therein they see with open vision the very Gate to heaven, that which they thought they had to seize for themselves, or sail into with "God's man of the hour."

However, with their sun waning and their head upon the stony pillow, their vision will change. They will see HEAVEN'S GATE -- Jesus Christ -- the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Remember, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me" (John 14:6).

Let me ask, did He say that those who came before Him -- the ⁽¹⁾Buddha, ⁽²⁾Mohammad, ⁽³⁾Zoaster, the ⁽⁴⁾Bab, ⁽⁵⁾Bahá'u'lláh, and countless others -- were various ways, truths, and lives? Not by any means, and neither does the word by which we abide say anything about there being many gates to heaven.

Before continuing, let me make it clear to those who read these few words. I do not view these men as evil ogres. Each one walked in the light they had for their day, even though it may have been the light of their own making. Can we say we have done less? It's not likely, only on a smaller scale. Let us not be quick to cast the first stone. Moreover, some of those men died as martyrs for what they believed and taught, and I regard people of such fortitude and character, whether I agree with them or not. The point to be made is this -- all those who came as saviors before Jesus, and who came after Him as saviors, were thieves simply by taking the fruit by way of the natural mind. They were thieves and robbers just like we are when we do the same. There is not one fragment of difference between them and us when the fruit is taken, rather than the broken bread received. Although some were self-centered egotists who ruled with the rod of iron, I am sure most of those noted men were pleasant to be with, loving, likable, kind, honorable, trustworthy, and very easily followed; but so are many today who do not have the words of life, we do not look to them as gates to the Kingdom of God and sell our souls to them, at least, we shouldn't.

These freethinkers of the past who did not fit religions' common cast may have been gates to knowing one's self, but not to the heavens of the Living God and knowing our Father. Jesus said that HE, and HE ALONE is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, i.e., the Gate, the Door,  the Ladder. And for one -- I believe Him!

If, however, you do not believe He said that, then you must not believe the Bible as being a true report. Therefore, if you believe that the Bible is a lie, there is no reason for you to consider the Bible whatsoever. Neither is there cause for you to consider anything I write or say; for the Bible is a confirming foundation of everything I embrace and write.

The Door, the Gate, the Way, and the Ladder speak of being the avenue to the Kingdom of God. Be sure to know, there are not many decorative doors, there is not a variety of furled gates, God does not provide a large number of flower-gilded ways, and there is not a warehouse filled with gem-studded ladders from which to choose to climb into heaven. There is only ONE AVENUE OF ENTRY, my friend, and that AVENUE is JESUS CHRIST! Period!

To be reminded, He said, "I AM THE DOOR: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and SHALL GO IN AND OUT, and find pasture" (John 10:9). "And He saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and THE ANGELS OF GOD ASCENDING AND DESCENDING UPON THE SON OF MAN" (John 1:51).

Jesus is the Way in which to walk, the Door to enter, the Ladder to climb, the Rock to fall upon, and the Stone for our heads. As the carnal minds of our religious brainwashing are laid thereon, mental veils are torn away, we see heaven's gate opened, and God's messengers ascending and descending upon Christ Jesus -- the Ladder. Only upon, in, through, and by Him can the angels/messengers/messages ascend and descend from those awesome heights and into earth's perilous depths.

And what do you suppose those messengers see while at the top of the ladder? Fluffy clouds, harp-strumming cherubs, and lofty choirs filled with heralding angels? That is what resides in the traduced minds of religion's proselytes, so there would be no cause for the flesh to fear such fantasies. They are cute pictures; but they are fairytales not fit for kindergarten, much less for the graduate class for the Sons of God's Kingdom. Such mythical images are not what is seen from the top of the Ladder over which God rules. Everything God ⁽⁶⁾created in the heavens is in that place of clear vision. And with our eyes fixed upon Jesus -- we see His finished work which is yet to be made, or manifested.

I have related the following testimony once before; but I feel the need to touch upon it again; for it fits so well with the matter at hand. It is something our grandson, Christopher Restaino, saw over three years ago at the young age of thirteen.

Although he has always thought it was great that Margit and I, his Mamaw and Papaw, along with his mother, Michelle, had deep-rooted lives in Christ -- it simply was not for him. For that matter, as he had told us, he was not even sure there was a God, since no one could really prove His existence. At almost fourteen, and entering high school, spiritual matters did not fit into his curriculum. Nevertheless, that did not stop Jesus from appearing to him.

While in Brownsville, Texas on vacation, he and his brother, Alex, were laying in bed talking. Alex was in the process of telling him something, and he stopped abruptly in mid-sentence, never finishing his thought, and didn't say another word the remainder of the night. It is not known whether he dropped off to sleep while talking; but it is clear that God closed His mouth. Christopher opened his eyes and was ready to ask Alex to continue with what he was saying. That is when he saw something unexpectedly in his closet. It was the face of Jesus, and He was looking straight at him.

Christopher said that it really sacred him, and he was wondering, not only why Jesus was in his closet; but why was He looking at him in that manner. And then the most profound thing enlightened his understanding while looking into the eyes of Jesus. He said that he knew everything there was to know about God. At the same time, however, he knew that he knew nothing about God, which was very confusing for him. It was something he could not explain. Although he knew nothing about God, he knew all there was to know about Him, and this was as long as he was looking INTO the face of Jesus. Not only did he know everything there was to know about God, he said that he saw humanity from the beginning to the end and everything between. He could see everything (good and bad) which had already passed, which was presently transpiring, and everything in the future. And in it all, he said that one thing stood out in his spirit -- that ALL IS WELL! He also saw that everything will end well.

After several minutes of seeing beyond human limitations and carnal comprehension, Jesus vanished from his sight. I asked him about some of the mysteries he saw, but to no avail. He said that after Jesus was gone, he could not remember one detail, only that he had known it while he peered into His eyes.

This speaks so clearly of what happens when we look INTO Jesus, the Author (Chief Leader) and Finisher of our faith. (Heb 12:2). When we lay our heads upon the Stone and ascended upon the Ladder of Jesus into heaven, it is then that we see all that God has finished. With a bruised thigh we can solidify in the earth that which we saw in the heavens and received command from God to speak and do. We can then descend from the Ladder and declare it into the earth, and it will be seen by others.

There is a closet in each of us, and I can tell you that you will not find Buddha there, nor your higher self, nor any man or spirit except Jesus Christ. "But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet (lay your head upon the Stone), and when thou hast shut thy door (closed your carnal mind), pray to thy Father (ascend upon the Ladder of Jesus) which is in secret (concealed to human reasoning); and thy Father (who is over the Ladder) which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly (bring forth into manifestation that which is finished in heaven)" (Mat 6:6). (Parentheses supplied).

Although Jesus may not be manifestly appearing in the inner closets of most the way He did with Christopher, they can certainly know that He is the author of their faith, and like Abraham and the other patriarchs, it is accounted to them for righteousness (Rom. 4:3-5). This, however, is not the everlasting best. As long as faith for anything is present, THE PROMISE has not been received. Too many today believe faith is the finale of their life in Christ, not realizing the end of it can be known and possessed HERE and NOW! Since HE is THE FINISHER of our faith, there is no reason to expect everything is reserved for tomorrow, or after we die. Some are reserved for tomorrow, such as with tomorrow's sunrise; but we should not put off all things for another day. When we see from His point of view, from the height of the heavens, we will see that He has ABOLISHED OUR FAITH by SWALLOWING IT IN THE FINISHED MANIFESTATION OF LIFE.

If we cannot see this, then let us remain in the faith we have. There is nothing wrong with that. Moreover, I know it is impossible to bring tomorrow before its appointed time, regardless of whether I claim it or not; yet I cannot remain forever satisfied in faith alone. There is too much yearning in my being to become complacent. There is that great desire to know all there is to know of God, to walk in the full light of His glorious Life, to be a part of setting creation free from the bondage of corruption. There is simply too much weighing on my heart to remain satisfied with the status quo.

I must say, however, I am content in the measure of faith that has been given to me, in that which is beyond my reach for the moment, and I am not distraught over not seeing the manifested fruit of what I believe to be waiting in the wings of tomorrow's destiny. Yet my burning desire is to walk in that fulfilled faith! Although the inspiration and revelations are tremendous and exhilarating, to live in an open manifestation with God is my earnest desire. That is what the inspiration and revelation of God's mysteries are designed to do, to carry us to that place of ever abiding and living in Him. And this is brought to pass by One man -- Jesus Christ -- and this is as our thigh is bruised beyond healing.

Ah, looking unto Jesus, or more accurately -- looking into Jesus, the Chief Leader and finisher of faith. I have spoken or written more times than I can count that faith is ignited when we hear the Word of the Anointing, and this is true. But here we see that looking INTO Jesus finishes our faith, as well.

We must know that neither faith nor the end of it comes by some sort of stimulus package. For instance, this nation's leader will present a stimulus package, a plan formulated to lift us from hard times. It may involve lower interest rates, which will cause more people to buy homes, which in turn gives people more jobs, and with more jobs people to spend more money. This stimulates the economy, as well as the people. And so we see the same with professing believers and ministers.

When the lovable, self-assuring man of charming wit brings a word that enlightens people, they are made to believe that all is going well. They feel that the Kingdom economy is booming. Such enlightenment can cause them to believe that it won't be long before they are drinking free Bubble UP and eating Rainbow Stew, as the old song goes. Such excitement energizes people, makes them happy, builds confidence, sparks their querying minds, and they really love the guy who makes them feel so good. And their allegiance will remain, as long as he can keep them stimulated. When his word grows old, however, when it wears thin, when it becomes old-hat, when it fails to maintain their enthusiasm -- they will search out someone else with a new stimulus package.

Across the board, people are looking for a minister who will stimulate and promise them heaven's unchained glory. When he is found, they spend more, their hope and faith rebounds, and very often they can become sparks dancing around his fire while drinking free Bubble Up and eating Rainbow Stew.

People in all spectrums of religion rely too much on good and evil, or good feelings and bad feelings. Sadly, this has been the primary way of judging the word they hear, and this results from being enlightened by taking and receiving the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

I must say, however, there is nothing wrong with having good feelings about a word or the person delivering the word; for when a living oracle of God resounds deep in my being, I feel good, and this is good. It is the Good of God who is Good, and not the good from the tree of knowledge of good. Since there are two goods, we must know from which tree, or spirit, the fruit is being ministered, or from which one we are eating. One may minister from the tree of life; but it is possible we hear it from the tree of knowledge that puffs up. If it is the former, our heads are upon the Stone, and we know Him. If it is the latter, our heads are in the air, and we know ourselves. So, you see, a large part of the fruit we eat is dependent upon where our heads are laying. If it is upon self, we will take the fruit, and by taking, our eyes will be opened to know ourselves. If it is upon God, we will receive the bread, and our eyes will be opened to know Him.

From his very beginning, even while in the womb, Jacob was a taker. He took hold of Esau's heel. He seized it, along with everything else his heart desired. It generally took him a few years; but in the end, it was his, and even in his taking, we can't help from noticing that God often blessed him and used it for good, yet this did not stop him from reaping the harvest of his former years (Gen 34). It seems to have been the same with most of us at one time or another. We started out as Jacob, supplanting and taking everything we could, and this was in the name of Jesus, so we thought. And God blessed us, even as He still blesses many who are supplanting; but there have been many unpleasant harvests as well. There is always a harvest of the seeds we sow.

Some have grown weary as the sun has gone down, and their heads have been bruised upon the Rock of Jesus Christ. With their carnal reasoning fast asleep, their eyes are opened to Heaven's Gate, the Door, the Ladder, and they are beginning to live. Or rather, they are dying to that old game of taking everything for their own. And, praise God, it is during this time that their Joseph is born and truly seen in their lives.

It was fourteen years after Jacob had laid his head upon the stone that Joseph (a type of Jesus) was born, and twenty-one years passed before his all-night wrestling match with the man of God. The Seed of promise is born in a very trying land and under the most dire conditions, which speaks of Charrhan/Haran (parched, to melt, burn, dry up). Benjamin, however, was born in ⁽⁷⁾Ephrath, and this was after Jacob's name was changed to Israel, and after he had built an altar at Bethel. This is where he laid his head upon the Stone and had his eyes opened to see the Ladder from the earth to the heavens. We might note also that Jacob wrestled with the man of God at the stream called Jabbok, meaning to pour forth, to empty, to depopulate (Strong's). First, the vision comes of those things which are finished in the heavens; but the vision is not the manifested reality. The substance of the vison comes after putting away every strange god, after being washed by the water of the pure flowing word of God, and after His garment replaces man's.

The text reads: "And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother. Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments" (Gen 35:1-2).

Even though the revelation of the Kingdom of heaven upon earth has come, as it was with Jacob when his head rested upon the Stone -- there are many strange gods in Haran. And so it is with those of God's Kingdom whose thigh has not been smitten. Inspired doctrines from the tree of knowledge of good and evil are common place in Haran, not to mention the different ways people walk in their attempts of perfection. And it matters not if they are called New Age, Kingdom Truth, Sonship, Protestantism, Catholicism, Interdenominationalism, Nondenominationalism, Independentism, or Nothingism -- they are all of the same fruit and spirit when they come from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. It is not by what a thing is called that determines what it is, but by what fruit is served or eaten.

There is likewise the sweat of man's efforts, and tons of soiled garments of self-righteousness in that realm of knowledge. However, when it is time to establish Bethel (the House of God), not just name it, and when it is time for Benjamin (the Sons of God's right hand) to be born, the dust and sweat of religious notions will be washed away, and all those traduced trappings will be stripped away and buried.

It is great to lay our heads upon the Stone and have our eyes opened to the Kingdom of God which is yet to appear. But it is quite another thing to have our religious strength smitten by the man of God. It is then that we too will call that place ⁽⁸⁾Peniel; for we will know that we have seen God face to face (in His body of people).

Incidently, there is no relation or correlation between the word Peniel and the brain's pineal gland. The pineal gland gets its name from being shaped like a pine cone. The fact is, pineal is a French word and means pine cone, while Peniel comes from two Hebrew words panah (to turn, or to face) and el (God).

I mention this since there are still some who believe spiritual revelation and glorification comes by nourishing that natural gland, and this is supposedly done by ingesting various natural foods, natural minerals, natural vitamins, natural fungi, etc. If such natural means would work, there would be no need for Jesus. Man could become his own savior, which will never be.

It matters not, brethren, whether we fill our bodies with nature's perfections, occupy great offices in the church, possess mighty ministries, are considered to be on the cutting edge of revelation, sing in the choir, or we are a lowly Samaritan begging for crumbs -- we will be no closer to God's glory than a mosquito. None of these outward observations merit a special place in God's favor. However, when our eyes are opened to that Gate and House of God, there will be an earthshaking, holy fear of God sweeping through our midst. And we will echo the words of Jacob, "The Lord is in this place, and I knew it not."

It is fearfully earthshaking to those who have been accustomed to taking the kingdom, or being spoon-fed with pseudo religion. When truth is unveiled, they see that all their efforts, their sweat and tears, their years of toil have availed nothing. They will know that men's fire that they have sparkled around is not their ticket to glory.

What a fearful loss it is to see the true Ladder, the holy messengers, and the Heavens of God; for then their own heavens will pass away with a great noise. Their elements (their primary, regimental principle way of doing things) will melt with His fervent heat, and their works will be burned up (becoming nothing in His presence). It is then that they will enter their closets and pour their lives into the One who resides therein. In that secluded place, they will see Jesus. They will hear what the Father is saying. They will see what He is doing. Jesus will then become the finisher of their faith, and they shall go forth manifesting the Kingdom of God in earth.

They will certainly be stimulated; but it is not a stimulus of man, but of the Spirit of Life. For an appointed time, the violent will take the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and they will drink their sparkling Bubble Up and eat their Rainbow Stew. Ah, but when He appears, their diet will change to that of broken bread of the Lamb. They will put away their strange gods. They will also cleanse themselves in the pure water of life, and their religious garments will be changed to His. No longer will they call themselves Kingdom, New Age, Sonship, Protestant, Catholic; or Bishop, Reverend, Pastor, or Nothing. But they will be everything to the unreconciled world. The House of God, Bethel, will be in the land, and the people of all nations will flow into it.

Ah, the necessity of having a Stone for a pillow; for upon it the heavens open. But to have the thigh of one's strength bruised far surpasses the revelation. It is then that the place which was called ⁽⁹⁾Luz will be called ⁽¹⁰⁾Bethel. "And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first. And this Stone, (Jesus Christ) which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house (of many members)..." (Gen 28:19, 22). (Parentheses supplied).

They who had turned aside from truth will turn again to Him who is truth. They who had departed from the faith will return and fulfill faith. Where they had slipped from sight and walked crooked and in devious ways, they will walk sure-footed the straight and honorable path of righteousness. And rather than trusting in oppressive and scheming practices of their own making, they will understand the plan of God and trust in Him.

Therefore, when our sun has gone down, ending our days with Esau (carnality), let us look for the Stone (Jesus) to lay our heads upon. When we have grown weary of scheming, let us wrestle all night with the man of God whose word will cripple us for life. When our own strength is gone and is no longer an issue, then let Bethel, the House of God, who we are, be forever open to all! Hallelujah!

To be continued...

Elwin R. Roach

1. Buddha: "I have not yet found the truth or light… don''t pray to me after I die, I will be nowhere around." (http://www.why-christianity.com/buddhism.htm)

2. Tradition reports Muhammad having said: "I cannot save you from the punishment of God. I cannot protect you either. I cannot be of help to you." (Athar Husain) (http://www.why-christianity.com/islam.htm)

3. Zoaster: When his new teachings met with opposition, he responded by pronouncing curses.

He never made himself out to be a redeemer.

(http://www.why-christianity.com/zoasterism.htm)

4. Bab: The title "The Bááb" means "The Gate". The Bááb is the Forerunner of Baháá'u'llááh.

(http://www.warble.com/Bahai/BasicFacts/basic2.html)

5. Bahá'u'lláh: The title "Baháá'u'llááh" means "The Glory of God". Baháá'u'llááh is the Messenger of God for this age and the Promised One of all religions. He declared His station (as the Promised One) in 1863. (http://www.warble.com/Bahai/BasicFacts/basic2.html)

6. "And God blesseth the seventh day, and sanctifieth it, for in it He hath ceased from all His work which God had prepared for making" (Gen 2:3, Young's Literal Translation).

7. "Ephrath...fruitfulness...another name for Bethlehem, house of bread" (Strong's)

8. Peniel: Penuw'el...face of God (Strong's).

9. Luz: "3869. luwz, probably of foreign origin or; some kind of nut-tree, perhaps the almond" (Strong's). The word is also used in the negative." (Strong's)

"3868. luwz, a prime root; to turn aside i.e. (literally) to depart" (Strong's)

"The verb lûz is used in Prov 3:21, as Wisdom instructs her son not to let sound wisdom and discretion 'slip from sight' (NEB).... Two passages use it figuratively of crooked or devious ways Prov 2:15; Prov 14:2). (Note NEB 'double dealer' in 14:2.) Isaiah 30:12 also denounces those who rather than trusting in the Word of God, trust in oppressive and devious practices of their own scheming..." (Theological Word Book of the Old Testament, Vol. 1 pg 472).

10. Bethel: house of God.