Very relieved to report I’m back again after another whopper crying jag and bout of writer’s drought and am working on a fascinating study into the minutia of manna. Promise to have another article out by Friday and so for now here’s this food for thought:

One of the most amazing passages in the Gospels to just read and absorb for its mind-boggling reality is in Matthew 17.

The simple, straightforward account reads, “And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
[2] And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
[3] And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.
[4] Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
[5] While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
[6] And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.
[7] And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.

[8] And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only.
[9] And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.”

*****

Jordan explains, “You look at that passage and, the doctrinal intent aside, think about what Peter just said. Jesus has appeared, He’s in His glory, and then there’s Moses and Elijah with Him.

“Jesus doesn’t say, ‘Peter, I want you to meet Moses. Moses, I want you to meet Peter. John, I want you to meet Elijah. Elijah, I want you to meet John and James.’

“He doesn’t do that but immediately Peter just says, ‘It’s good to be here!’ like Minnie Pearl.

“Nobody said, ‘Well, wait a minute, you’re being forward! You haven’t been introduced yet!’ The assumption was that he would immediately know and he did know.

“Peter says, ‘We ought to build some tabernacles. Memorialize this place! And we’ll build one for you, and we’ll build one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’

“How’d Peter know that was Moses and Elijah?! Like I said, nobody ever introduced him; he just knew! Moses had been dead for a couple of (thousand) years. He’d never saw Moses. They didn’t have videos or snapshots or portrait paintings back then.

“Elijah had been dead not as long as Moses but a LONG, LONG time. In fact, Elijah didn’t even die. He was just caught up. That’s an interesting thing on its own! He gets into a spacecraft that had an atmosphere like earth so he could get in it.

“Then he’s transported in the spacecraft (I know it’s called a chariot, but we call our cars a chariot too—what else would they have called it?) and travels all the way out there to that planet in the third heaven which is called heaven.

“He gets out and there’s an environment there he can live in. Enoch didn’t die and Elijah didn’t die. In fact, Elijah’s gonna come back to the earth in Revelation 11 and be killed. That’s how I know he didn’t die! If he died when he came back, he’d have to be in an immortal resurrection body and you couldn’t kill him then. You with me?

“That’s why we read over there in Revelation 4 that there was the smoke and the atmosphere and the clouds. There’s atmosphere, and what God made down here isn’t the original; the original’s up there (in the third heaven) and He made some replicas of it down here.”

*****

In II Corinthians 12, Paul reports that he was caught up into the third heaven and came to “visions and revelations.” He writes, “It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
[2] I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.
[3] And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
[4] How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.”

*****

Jordan explains, “Now, wouldn’t you figure a guy would know whether he’s in his body or out of his body if he gets caught up to the third heaven? Why would he know? Couldn’t he look down there and say, ‘There’s my hand!’

Well, if he didn’t have a hand, wouldn’t he know it? Sure he would! You know what it is? He’s there and he looks down and he sees a hand. But he’s not sure and he says, ‘I’m a little bit confused. I was up there, I was down here and now I’m up in the third heaven and I look out and see my hand. I got eyes.’

“Do you remember that guy in Luke 16? The rich man he died and was buried, put his body in the grave, and in hell he lifted up his eyes being in torments? He saw Abraham afar off and said, ‘Father Abraham, come tell Lazarus to dip his finger in water and come put it in on my tongue?’ Ever think about that?

“There’s a guy in hell, his body’s in the grave, his soul’s in hell, and he’s got a tongue he wants water put on. He sees Lazarus and Lazarus has got a finger. Lazarus’ body is up there on the earth and his soul’s down in paradise and he’s still got a finger.

“You see, your soul is a real entity inside of your physical body and each has a bodily shape and function. There’s more to you than just that old body that you fixed up this morning to come show off. There’s a guy/gal inside of you and it’s real!

“And Paul gets up there and says, ‘Whether out of the body or in.’ He’s saying, ‘I don’t know whether I was dead or alive.’

“The only way he could do that is he could look out there and he sees his soul! And then he says, ‘I knew such a man.’ ”