When Heaven Opens: Part 6

Heaven opening in Scripture isn’t a vague symbol or a mood. It’s a pattern God uses to reveal something specific about Jesus Christ, and once you see it, the Bible’s storyline snaps into focus. We keep moving through the “opened heaven” moments and slow down long enough to ask the real question: when heaven opens, who stands at the center of the scene?

We start with Revelation 19, where the coming Victor rides forth and bears the name “The Word of God.” That title is more than poetry. It connects the Old Testament “word of the Lord” to the incarnate Christ who comes to judge, to make war, and to reign in righteousness as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The armies of heaven follow, yet the victory is His alone. The sharp sword from His mouth points to the unstoppable authority of His word and the certainty of His rule, pictured by the rod of iron.

Then we turn to John 1 and the calling of Nathanael, where Jesus promises, “Ye shall see the heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.” We walk through Philip’s testimony, Nathanael’s prejudice against Nazareth, and the simple, timeless answer to skepticism: “Come and see.” From the fig tree to Jacob’s ladder, we trace how Christ stands as the living link between heaven and earth, the one mediator who brings fellowship back between God and man.

If you want Bible teaching on the open heaven theme, Revelation 19, John 1, and what it all means for faith, prayer, and knowing Christ, press play.

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Transcript

The Word Of God Rides Forth

The Sword Of His Mouth

King Of Kings And Lordship

Heaven Opened In John One

Philip’s Witness And Prophecy Trail

Nazareth Prejudice And Come And See

Jesus Sees Under The Fig Tree

The Son Of Man As Jacob’s Ladder

Open Heaven Means Reunited Fellowship

SPEAKER_01 0:55

All right, and a good day to each and every one of you. I'm Brother James. I greet you in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. And I welcome you to the Preaching of the Cross Radio Broadcast. This is program number six in a series of messages on the opened heaven, the times in your Bible when heaven is opened. And we've looked at the heaven being opened at the baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible says that heaven was opened at the stoning of Stephen in Acts 7. Heaven was opened at the uh in Acts 10 when Peter had his great vision of the animals being let down from heaven. And we were talking last time about heaven being opened at the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we still have to discuss a passage in John's Gospel about heaven being open. And so I told you last time we were going to really have to fly on the broadcast today, and that's what we're going to have to do to finish up all this material. So I hope you'll just fasten your seatbelt and uh settle in and get as much of this material as you can. I believe God will make it a help and a blessing to you. Now, we read in Revelation chapter 19 that another title was given to describe the mighty victor that's coming on the white horse, and that title is the Word of God. Now, this phrase itself is a very frequent one in the Old Testament where we read of the word of the Lord coming to the prophets. The phrase was used usually before some revelation of a warning against evil or a declaration of an impending judgment against sin. As a title of Christ, the Old Testament phrase has now become incarnate. He has come to judge and to make war. He brings retribution upon the enemies of God who have corrupted the earth. He is not alone, for with him are the armies of heaven. Colossians 3 4, Jude 14, 2 Thessalonians 1, 7 to 10, Matthew 16, 27, Matthew 25, 31, Zechariah 14, 5, all these passages state with absolute certainty with Jesus Christ at his coming are the armies of heaven. He is truly the Lord of hosts. Now the armies have no swords and no weapons. They do not need them, for the battle is the Lord's. They will not need to fight. He doth make war, the Bible says, out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword that with it he should smite the nations. He treadeth the wine press alone as the Bible prophecy, and they will witness the resources of his mighty power. Their robes are not dipped in blood, for he has and will tread the wine press alone. To them will remain only to share in his triumph. As to the sword which goes forth from his mouth, the power of his word is designated. The scriptures are called a sharp two edged sword in Hebrews four twelve. The power of his word has an illustration in the falling back of the hostile band that came to take him in the garden. They were held powerless. You read this in John eighteen six. If his utterance then prostrated his enemies, what will it be when he rides forth in might? Yet more gloriously will the power of his word be felt when he will slay the wicked with the sword of his mouth. Now he also has as a scepter a rod of iron. It is the same scepter as is referred to in Hebrews one eight, where we read a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom. It is the same rod that is found in Psalm number two and verse nine, with which God's appointed king will smite the nations and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. The determined will of the nations must be broken, and their power destroyed before Jesus sets up his righteous, inflexible government. To only one hand can God give the scepter of universal sovereignty, and that is a nail pierced hand, and in that hand it will never know weakness, nor ever degenerate into tyranny. That universal sovereignty is confirmed by the final title King of Kings and Lord of Lords is clear to all. Is not this the same one of whom the Psalmist speaks in Psalm number forty and verses three through six? And in these words of Psalm forty, beginning at verse three, He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God, many shall see it in fear, and shall trust in the Lord. Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside the lies. Many, O Lord, my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to usward, they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee. If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered. Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire, mine ears hast thou opened, burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Then I said, Lo I come, in the volume of the book it is written of me. Does not the Apostle Paul confirm the identity of the glorious conqueror before us when he writes in first Timothy chapter six, verses fourteen and fifteen? Interesting how those verses fourteen and fifteen have come up several times in this study. First Timothy chapter six, verse fourteen, that thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which in his times he shall show, who is the blessed and only potentate, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Here is a description which in the Old Testament and in later Hebrew literature was given to the Most High God, and it is here applied to Jesus Christ. It would be difficult to think of a Jew giving this title to any other being than one whom he recognized as God. The title in addition proclaims a final victory. It reveals an irresistible power, and it heralds a universal sovereignty. All hail coming King Jesus. Now we've got one more case of heaven being open to look at. There are some expressions in John's Gospel, the passage in John's Gospel which records Nathaniel's call and response, which require some explanation. If you read in John chapter one, beginning at verse forty five, there are some what seem to be some rather strange words. Philip findeth Nathaniel, and saith unto him, We have found him of whom Moses and the law and the prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And Nathanael said unto him, Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. Jesus saw Nathaniel coming to him and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile. Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him before that Philip called thee, When thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. And Nathaniel answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the king of Israel. Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? Thou shalt see greater things than these. And he saith unto him, Verily, verily I say unto you, hereafter ye shall see the heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man. A fifth time, a final time in the New Testament scriptures when heaven is opened. Now why, for instance, Nathaniel's incredulous statement, Whence knowest thou me, in answer to the Lord's opening statement, Behold an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile? Is it that the Lord was stating something which had a meaning for Nathaniel, but which requires some searching out on our part? Who was Nathaniel? And how did he come to meet the Lord? What was his reaction at first, and how did Jesus convince the skeptical man that he was indeed the Son of God, the King of Israel? It does seem from a comparison of the lists of the apostles and the association of names, particularly with that of Philip, that Nathaniel is the man who is also known as Bartholomew. As to answers to the rest of the questions, we may find them as we consider the following three factors. First of all, the testimony of Philip The testimony of Philip. Nathaniel owes his introduction to Jesus to a friend. Have you introduced others to Jesus? As soon as Philip became a disciple, he became a witness and a missionary. Like Andrew, he could not keep the good news to himself. He has met the Lord himself and he wants others to meet him too. There was Levi, the man no one else wanted, and the Lord chose him. His immediate reaction was to prepare a meal to which he could invite his former associates that they too might come to know this Savior. You read of this in Mark two, verses fourteen and fifteen. It's worth noting how Philip described Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and by that title he became well known, as its frequent occurrence in the gospels indicate. And then followed this the son of Joseph. And here Philip was quoting popular belief, but Scripture carefully indicates that the truth was otherwise. Matthew 123, Luke 131 to 35, and finally Philip refers to the Lord as being the sum and substance of the Old Testament. This can easily be verified by looking at one theme, the revelation concerning the woman's seed. Now as to the Messiah's family, he would come from mankind, Genesis three fifteen. He would come from the Semitic race Genesis nine twenty six. He would come from the seed of Abraham, Genesis twelve, one to three. He would come from the tribe of Judah in the nation of Israel, Genesis forty nine ten. He would come from the family of David Isaiah eleven one and first Chronicles seventeen three to fourteen. As to the place of his birth, it would be Bethlehem, Judah, Micah two. As to the time, Daniel nine, twenty five and twenty six sets the schedule. The exact number of years being given from the going forth of the decree of Artaxerxes recorded in Nehemiah chapter two to the cutting off of Messiah the Prince. As to the manner of his birth, it would be miraculous, a virgin birth, Isaiah seven fourteen. As to the person who is coming, he would be God with us Isaiah six. He would be a prophet, Deuteronomy eighteen fifteen, and a priest, to which fact all the tabernacle service and sacrifice is witness, and a king, Numbers twenty four seventeen. The scriptures, Jesus said, are they that testify of me. Philip said we have found him of whom Moses in the law and the prophets did write. The testimony of Philip is that this one, this Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph, is the Messiah, fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies. Then secondly there is the challenge of Nathaniel in verse forty six. Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? Now it would appear that Nathaniel had imbibed the current and popular notions of the Messiah. Nathaniel was a great student of the scripture, for he had studied it through the spectacles of the rabbis, and therefore he was looking for the Messiah, but the Messiah he looked for was not the suffering Messiah of Isaiah's prophecy, not a man of sorrows acquainted with grief. No, the Messiah Nathaniel looked for was the Messiah he had been taught by his rabbis to expect, a triumphant and conquering prince. Thus when Philip came to him with this message, Nathaniel's preconceived notions would not allow him to believe it. Hence the question, and all his prejudices came to the fore. Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? Now it's well to remember that whilst Jesus came from Nazareth, he had in fact come from heaven in the first instance, and that his goings forth had been from everlasting. It is important to note what is said of Nazareth in the New Testament, and it's mostly very unsavory. The Lord left there and preferred to live at Capernaum, Matthew four thirteen. He would do very little among the people of Nazareth because of their unbelief, Matthew thirteen fifty-eight. Their unbelief was so great as to make him marvel, Mark six, six. And you'll note that only twice is the Lord said to have marveled, once at unbelief, and once at a man's faith, Matthew eight ten and Luke seven nine. Once the people of Nazareth tried to stone him Luke four twenty-nine. But here we're looking at Nathaniel's prejudices. You know men's ears are closed against the gospel by prejudice. It was so here at the first. It was prejudice that caused the nation to see in Christ no beauty that they should desire him. It was prejudice that made them deaf to his appeals. It was prejudice that made them blind to his divine majesty and power. It was prejudice that made them utterly reject his claims. Search and look, they said in scorn, for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet, and their prejudice led them to crucify the Lord of glory. Being no more in the blessed Son of God, they they saw no more in this blessed Son of God, they saw him to be no more than a blasphemer. Now the answer to such prejudice has not changed from the answer given by Philip. And listen to me, every one of you that is a soul winner, as the term is used nowadays, every one of you that is a witness for the Lord Jesus Christ, trying sincerely to bring men and women to Christ, there is no greater answer than the one that Philip gave to the skeptical prejudice of Nathaniel. Come and see. Philip was wise. He did not argue. He simply said, Come and see. You know, not very many people have ever been argued into Christianity. Very often our arguments may do more harm than good. The way to convince a man with the supremacy of Christ is to confront him with Christ. It's not arguments that win men, but the presentation of Jesus Christ. We have to know the Lord Jesus ourselves before we can invite others to see him. And personal experience of Christ is the best test of the truth of our Christianity. And next let us look at the insight of Jesus. Quite clearly the Lord was demonstrating a supernatural knowledge of Nathaniel here, and Nathaniel knew it. This is not the only occasion where this knowledge was demonstrated. If you read the Gospel of John, you'll see in chapter 1, verse 42, chapter 2, verse 25, chapter 4, verse 17, chapter 4, verse 39, chapter 13, verse 10, 21, 26, all through this Gospel of John you'll see that Jesus had to be God. He knew man inside and out. This gospel, this gospel of John, is the gospel of the knowingness of Christ. The word know occurs many times, as John seeks to indicate the omniscience of the Son of God. Now notice what he says here. Behold, an Israelite in whom there is no guile, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile. He did not say no guilt, for all have sinned, but he was an honest and a sincere Israelite, a Jew without duplicity. He had become such an exception that at the approach of Nathaniel Jesus exclaimed, Behold, an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile. He was doing more than expressing his appreciation of Nathaniel's guilelessness. Nathaniel had been under his fig tree, and doubtless his occupation had been one of meditation. The Lord knew the drift of his meditation, and that causes the surprise in Nathaniel's response, Whence knowest thou me? Now consider the Lord's play on words. Guile was a characteristic of Jacob. Indeed, when the word comes to mind, the one person of all the Bible characters who who seems to personify Guile is Jacob. What a record was his. He cheated his brother of his birthright, he deceived his aged father, he proved more than a match for his cunning uncle Laban, and he would have even tried to wriggle into the land again by his own scheming if the one who wrestled with him had not stopped him. In Genesis thirty-two. But the man who personified Gile became Israel, the prince who had power with God. And now consider the play on words. Behold, a descendant of the man who had power with God in whom there is no Jacob. That's what Jesus is saying. The penetrating eye of the Lord had entered even the sanctuary of his inner devotions beneath the fig tree. You can't help but think of the psalmist words in Psalm 139, O Lord, thou hast searched me and known me. These must have been akin to Nathaniel's thoughts which gave expression in Whence knowest thou me? Is there not here a confirmation later when the Lord says thou shalt see the angels ascending and descending? Now who in the scriptures had been such a had seen such a wondrous phenomenon? It was Jacob at at Bethel. You remember in Genesis twenty-eight, verse twelve? Nathaniel's response found expression in a great confession. Thou art the Son of God. He thereby refers to the Lord's divine origin and divine nature. Thou art the King of Israel. Here he refers to his human sovereignty. Note the confession of the deity of Christ, the Son of God. This confession in the Gospel of John is found again and again. John 6, verse 67 and 60 to 69, John 11, 25 to 29, John 20, verses 30 and 31. But Nathaniel is the first to make this confession. The Lord continues. Note the two phrases thou believest and thou shalt see. In the realm of spiritual experience, you must believe first, in order that you might see. Believing is seeing in relation to God and the spiritual truth. The Lord Jesus said to Martha in John 11 40, said I not unto thee that if thou wouldest believe, thou should see the glory of God. There is a way that secures endless progress, and here is the secret of it. Thou believest, thou shalt see greater things than these. Have you seen further into the depths of Jesus Christ than you did when you first came to him? If not, it's because your faith has waned. Now what would Nathaniel see by faith, by believing, if he if he continued to believe the revelation that God gave to him, if he continued, what would he see? Heaven open. Heaven opened. Think of it. Symbol of free fellowship between God and man. He would see the Son of Man. The passages in which this title is found may be grouped into two classes those that refer to the earthly work of the Lord at the time of his humiliation, and those that refer to his future coming in glory. The idea of the true humanity of Christ lies at the foundation of the title that he used for himself, the Son of Man. It indicates Jesus' identification with our manhood, apart from its sin. It is in this man, the man Christ Jesus, that access to heaven is achieved. Christ Jesus, and he alone, is the sole means of communication between heaven and earth, inasmuch as he is the one mediator between God and man. In him, in Jesus Christ, the sense of separation and the reality of separation between God and man are swept away forever. Inasmuch as by him all divine blessings, all grace, all helps, and all favor come flooding into our weak and needy hearts, how wonderful it is to know this Son of Man. Inasmuch as by him we pour our desires and prayers and intercessions to God, He truly is the last Adam, the Son of Man. Jacob's ladder, which he beheld in Genesis twenty five, reaching up to heaven, finds its anti type and fulfillment in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is here represented as the link between heaven and earth, the bond of union between God and man, the one by whose sacrifice reconciliation has been made between God and man. Did Nathaniel actually see the angels ascending and descending? Well, no such occurrence is found in the gospels. Thou shalt see, said the Lord Jesus. Now does not that promise in its literal sense await a coming age, when there shall be intercommunication between heaven and earth, and the means of it, the center of it will be Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, the King of Israel, the Son of Man. Oh my friend, what a wonderful, wonderful person is this Lord Jesus Christ. There's none like him. Never has been, never will be, never could be. He is the only begotten of the Father. And what a wonderful thing. Heaven opened. The first time the baptism of Jesus. Who is central? The Father speaks from heaven, the Spirit descends like a dove, but Jesus is central. Then we talked about the stoning of Stephen. Who is central? Is it those casting the stones? Is it the martyr laying down his life? If you'd asked Stephen, he'd tell you who is central. The Lord Jesus Christ. The third case we looked at. Peter. Was he the center of that story? Was he the keynote of that story? Was Cornelius the keynote of the story? Were the animals in the sheet let down from heaven? No, the central one in that story was the Lord Jesus Christ who broke down that middle wall of partition between Jew and Gentile. Who came and by his blood established a new covenant of grace? And of course Revelation 19, the heaven open, and that white horse rider coming down as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. There's no one else even in the picture. Not the armies at Armageddon, not the host of heaven following. And then the case of Nathaniel. Philip played a great part. Nathaniel, a key figure. The angels of God ascending and descending, what a curiosity. But oh my friend, the center is the Lord Jesus Christ. What's so significant about heaven being opened? The revelation in every case that it's the will and desire of God that God and man be brought once again into union one with another, that there is once again correspondence, union, concourse between man and their maker, and this only through the person of the blessed, glorious, wonderful Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

SPEAKER_00 27:26

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