Saturday, June 25, 2016

Reflecting the Glory of God. Sermon by Pastor Rusty Lyon




2 Corinthians 3:7-18 (NIV)
7  Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone,
came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was,
8  will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?
9  If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness!
10  For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory.
11  And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!
12  Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.
13  We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away.
14  But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away.
15  Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts.
16  But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
17  Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
18  And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.  
Exodus 33:1-23 (NIV2011)
1  Then the LORD said to Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’
2  I will send an angel before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.
3  Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way.”
4  When the people heard these distressing words, they began to mourn and no one put on any ornaments.
5  For the LORD had said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people. If I were to go with you even for a moment, I might destroy you. Now take off your ornaments and I will decide what to do with you.’ ”
6  So the Israelites stripped off their ornaments at Mount Horeb.
7  Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting.” Anyone inquiring of the LORD would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp.
8  And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent.
9  As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the LORD spoke with Moses.
10  Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to their tent.
11  The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.
12  Moses said to the LORD, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’
13  If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”
14  The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
15  Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.
16  How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”
17  And the LORD said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”
18  Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”
19  And the LORD said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
20  But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”

21  Then the LORD said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock.
22  When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by.
23  Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”  


Exodus 34:1-35 (NIV) 
1  The LORD said to Moses, “Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke.
2  Be ready in the morning, and then come up on Mount Sinai. Present yourself to me there on top of the mountain.
3  No one is to come with you or be seen anywhere on the mountain; not even the flocks and herds may graze in front of the mountain.”
4  So Moses chiseled out two stone tablets like the first ones and went up Mount Sinai early in the morning, as the LORD had commanded him; and he carried the two stone tablets in his hands.
5  Then the LORD came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the LORD.
6  And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,
7  maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”
8  Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped.
9  “Lord,” he said, “if I have found favor in your eyes, then let the Lord go with us. Although this is a stiff-necked people, forgive our wickedness and our sin, and take us as your inheritance.”
10  Then the LORD said: “I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the LORD, will do for you.
11  Obey what I command you today. I will drive out before you the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.
12  Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land where you are going, or they will be a snare among you.
13  Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and cut down their Asherah poles.
14  Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.
15  “Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land; for when they prostitute themselves to their gods and sacrifice to them, they will invite you and you will eat their sacrifices.
16  And when you choose some of their daughters as wives for your sons and those daughters prostitute themselves to their gods, they will lead your sons to do the same.
17  “Do not make any idols.
18  “Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread. For seven days eat bread made without yeast, as I commanded you. Do this at the appointed time in the month of Aviv, for in that month you came out of Egypt.
19  “The first offspring of every womb belongs to me, including all the firstborn males of your livestock, whether from herd or flock.
20  Redeem the firstborn donkey with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, break its neck. Redeem all your firstborn sons. “No one is to appear before me empty-handed.
21  “Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during the plowing season and harvest you must rest.
22  “Celebrate the Festival of Weeks with the firstfruits of the wheat harvest, and the Festival of Ingathering at the turn of the year.
23  Three times a year all your men are to appear before the Sovereign LORD, the God of Israel.
24  I will drive out nations before you and enlarge your territory, and no one will covet your land when you go up three times each year to appear before the LORD your God.
25  “Do not offer the blood of a sacrifice to me along with anything containing yeast, and do not let any of the sacrifice from the Passover Festival remain until morning.
26  “Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the LORD your God. “Do not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.”
27  Then the LORD said to Moses, “Write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.”
28  Moses was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant—the Ten Commandments.
29  When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD.
30  When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him.
31  But Moses called to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and he spoke to them.
32  Afterward all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commands the LORD had given him on Mount Sinai.
33  When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face.
34  But whenever he entered the LORD’s presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded,
35  they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the LORD.










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Thursday, June 23, 2016

Are We to Believe That a King Was Attracted to Sarah When She was 90




by
Eric Lyons, M.Min. Apologetics Press
By the time that Abraham and Sarah traveled toward the southern border of Canaan, to the city of Gerar (Genesis 20:1; cf. 10:19), it appears that Sarah was 89 years old (cf. Genesis 17:1,17; 21:1-5). Yet, despite her old age, Genesis 20 makes clear that Abimelech, king of Gerar, was quite interested in Sarah—so much so that he “took” her from Abraham, whom he thought was merely Sarah’s brother.
Recently a gentleman inquired about these recorded events, saying, “She [Sarah] is 90 years old and the hard part to believe is that a king would be that impressed with a 90 year old woman. Is there any knowable reason for this? It seems to be a fairytale and I just don’t see how it’s possible and it could lean towards Genesis being a fable.”
Admittedly, when interpreting this account from strictly a 21st-century American’s perspective, Sarah’s age might seem quite strange. After all, the average life expectancy at birth for females in the United States is 81 years1—nearly 10 years less than when the Bible indicates that Sarah was pursued by a king. What’s more, we rarely, if ever, hear of local or national leaders around the world seeking to marry 90-year-olds in the 21st century. So would it be fair to write off Genesis 20 as merely a fairytale? Not at all.
First, we are not informed of the age of Abimelech. It could be that he was around the age of 90 himself. If some 400 years later, an 80-year-old shepherd (Moses) could lead hundreds of thousands of Israelites out of Egyptian bondage and serve as their leader until he was 120, perhaps in 2,000 B.C. Gerar had a 100-year-old king who was attracted to an 89-year-old woman. What’s more, one of the United States’ greatest presidents (Ronald Reagan) led the most powerful nation on Earth until he was nearly 80 years old. Again, who is to say that thousands of years earlier Gerar did not have a more aged leader who was attracted to a woman who may have been closer to his age. If 90-year-olds can still be attracted to, and marry, each other today, they certainly could have 4,000 years ago.
Second, and more important, ages of men and women in the Bible must be interpreted in light of the life spans that people were still living at a particular time in history. Though Abraham, Sarah, and Abimelech did not live as old as people in Noah’s generation (Noah lived to be 950, Genesis 9:29), Abraham was only separated from Noah by 10 generations (Genesis 11:10-26). Abraham’s dad died at 205 (Genesis 11:32). Abraham lived to be 175 (Genesis 25:7). The point is: Sarah, at age 89, may have looked similar to a 45-55-year-old woman today. And, there are still plenty of 45-55+ year-old women today that kings and other world leaders find very attractive.
Finally, the Bible describes Sarah as “a woman of beautiful countenance” (Genesis 12:11). In fact, when Abraham and Sarah traveled to Egypt when she was in her late 60s, the Egyptians saw her as being so “very beautiful” that they commended her to Pharaoh (12:14-15). Clearly, the Bible implies that the next 25 years were good to Sarah, because, by the grace of God, her beauty did not fade [or at least not so much that she (even as a modest woman—1 Peter 3:1-6) at the age of 90, could not attract the attention of another king].
It should not surprise us that many people in the 21st century will read accounts of biblical events and have serious questions. As Christians, we welcome such sincere questions, as we seek to give consistent, biblical answers (cf. 1 Peter 3:15) in light of the overall historical and biblical context—which we must recognize was often very different than life on Earth today.

ENDNOTES

1 Larry Copeland (2014), “Life Expectancy in the USA Hits a Record High,” USA Today, October 9, http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/10/08/us-life-expectancy-hits-record-high/16874039/.



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Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Do the Resurrection Accounts Conflict?

Suppose we have a general knowledge that there is going to be funeral tomorrow morning at our church. Several groups of people will potentially be involved. Communication between these groups is primitive to nonexistent. Our church members live in various locations and are coming from different directions and at different times.

velpke-107353_1280The first people arrive at the church and are unable to get into the church because for some unknown reason the key will not work in the door lock. After a certain amount of discussion and attempts at using other keys, the decision is made to leave and go get some different keys from another church member. In the meantime another group shows up and are wondering where everybody is. They expect the church to be open and decide to leave and try to contact others who might know what is going on. The first group arrives at the home of some people who did not plan to attend the funeral but decide to rush down to the church to see if they can get the door open. The original group follows behind them, but are slower and cannot keep up. The non-attending bunch get to the church, cannot get the door open and decide to go find a locksmith to get the lock open.

 The group that showed up expecting to find the church already open and who went seeking info, run across the folks who now have a locksmith with them and they all return to the church just as the slow group also show up. The church get opened up, everybody is at the church and the funeral proceeds.

Now if each group were to give their own version of the incident, can you see how if all the individual stories were contrasted, it might seem like we had contradictory untruthful stories. Each group has no idea what the others were doing and it would take a certain amount of investigation and reconstruction to make sense out of the different version.

 Let us look at one possible scenario which might harmonize what might appear to be conflicting resurrection accounts.

 Very early on Sunday morning the resurrection took place, the earthquake followed, the angel descended and rolled away the stone (Matthew  28:2-4) and the guard fled (Matthew 28:11)

cross-66700_640 Matthew 28:2-4 (NASB) 2  And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it.3  And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.4  The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men.

 Matthew 28:11 (NASB) 11  Now while they were on their way, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened.

 A little later Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome hastened to the sepulcher while another group of women follow with the spices. Mary Magdalene reaches the sepulcher first, sees that that it is empty and immediately goes to inform Peter and John.

 John 20:1 (NASB) 1  Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene *came early to the tomb, while it *was still dark, and *saw the stone already taken away from the tomb.

 The other Mary and Salome approaches and see the angel (Matthew 28:5). Thereafter the other women with Joanna among them come along, they see the two angels and receive the message that Jesus has risen (Luke 24:1)

 Matthew 28:5 (NASB) 5  The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified.

 Luke 24:1 (NASB) But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.

 In the meantime Mary Magdalene reaches Peter and John, and they hasten to the sepulcher (John 20). Mary Magdalene also follows them again and arrives at the sepulcher after the others have departed.

the tomb John 20:2-10 (NASB) 2  So she *ran and *came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and *said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”3  So Peter and the other disciple went forth, and they were going to the tomb.4  The two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter and came to the tomb first;5  and stooping and looking in, he *saw the linen wrappings lying there; but he did not go in.6  And so Simon Peter also *came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he *saw the linen wrappings lying there.

 (She weeps at the sepulcher (John 20:2) and sees the two angels, who ask her why see is weeping.  After this she sees Jesus herself who she mistakes for the gardener.) (John 20:14),

7  and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself. 8  So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb then also entered, and he saw and believed.9  For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.10  So the disciples went away again to their own homes.

 John 20:14 (NASB)  14  When she had said this, she turned around and *saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus.

jesus-160077_150In the meantime the other women had gone to the other disciples (which do not include Peter and John) disciples and told them their experiences, but their words are regarded as idle tales, until Peter and John confirm them.

When the women were afterwards probably again on their way to the sepulcher, Jesus meets them (Matthew 28:9)

 Matthew 28:9 (NASB) 9  And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him.

  Later in the day the savior appears to Peter alone (Luke 24:34) and 1 Cor. 15:5). Toward evening he appears to the men on the road to Emmaus, and a little later to the whole group of disciples, with the exception of Thomas. (Luke 24:36-43), (John 20:19-24)

 Luke 24:34 (NASB)  34  saying, “The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon.”

 1 Corinthians 15:5 (NASB) 5  and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

 Luke 24:35-43 (NASB) 35  They began to relate their experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread. 36  While they were telling these things, He Himself stood in their midst and *said to them, “Peace be to you.” 37  But they were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing a spirit. 38  And He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?39  ”See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.”40  And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.41  While they still could not believe it because of their joy and amazement, He said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?”42  They gave Him a piece of a broiled fish;43  and He took it and ate it before them.

 John 20:19-24 (NASB) 19  So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and *said to them, “Peace be with you.”20  And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord.21  So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”22  And when He had said this, He breathed on them and *said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.23  ”If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.”24  But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

 A week later he again appeared to the disciples, including Thomas, who was convinced of the certainty of the resurrection (John 21:1-23)

 John 21:1-23 (NASB)   After these things Jesus manifested Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and He manifested Himself in this way. 2  Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together.3  Simon Peter *said to them, “I am going fishing.” They *said to him, “We will also come with you.” They went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing.4  But when the day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.5  So Jesus *said to them, “Children, you do not have any fish, do you?” They answered Him, “No.”6  And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat and you will find a catch.” So they cast, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish.7  Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved *said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put his outer garment on (for he was strippedfor work), and threw himself into the sea.8  But the other disciples came in the little boat, for they were not far from the land, but about one hundred yards away, dragging the net full of fish.9  So when they got out on the land, they *saw a charcoal fire already laid and fish placed on it, and bread.10  Jesus *said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have now caught.”11  Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not torn.12  Jesus *said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples ventured to question Him, “Who are You?” knowing that it was the Lord.13  Jesus *came and *took the bread and *gave it to them, and the fish likewise.14  This is now the third time that Jesus was manifested to the disciples, after He was raised from the dead.15  So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus *said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He *said to him, “Tend My lambs.”16  He *said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He *said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.”17  He *said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus *said to him, “Tend My sheep.18  ”Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go.“19  Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He *said to him, “Follow Me!”20  Peter, turning around, *saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; the one who also had leaned back on His bosom at the supper and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?”21  So Peter seeing him *said to Jesus, “Lord, and what about this man?”22  Jesus *said to him, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!”23  Therefore this saying went out among the brethren that that disciple would not die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but only, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?”

  And during the 40 days before his ascension the Lord also appeared in Galilee to the seven disciples at the Sea. Obviously the Galilean disciples, especially after Jesus’ command that they should go there, left Jerusalem after a few weeks for Galilee.

He also appeared to the 500 hundred of His followers in Galilee (as a result of the command of mark 16:7 they would probably, after the reports concerning Jesus’ resurrection had been brought to them, have assembled spontaneously in expectation of His appearance). When Paul wrote 1 Cor. 15:6, most of the 500 were still living witnesses of the fact of the resurrection.

 Mark 16:7 (NASB) 7  ”But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He told you.’”

 1 Corinthians 15:6 (NASB) 6  After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep;

 From Acts 1:3-4 and from the whole history from the commencement of Christianity, it appears that during the 40 days before His ascension Jesus often appeared to His followers and spoke to them about many things in order to prepare them as builders of His church.

 Acts 1:1-3 (NASB)  1  The first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach,2  until the day when He was taken up to heaven, after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen.3  To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.

 Toward the end of the 40 days he commanded them to go to Jerusalem and to remain there until the promise of the Holy Spirit.

After their return to Judaea the Savior also appeared to James (1 Cor:15:7) and to the apostles.  After His ascension he appeared to Paul near Damascus (Acts 9:3-6),  and again in the temple (Acts 22:17-22)

 1 Corinthians 15:7 (NASB) 7  then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles;

 Acts 9:3-6 (NASB) 3  As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him;  and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5  And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, 6  but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do.”

 Acts 22:17-22 (NASB)  17  ”It happened when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I fell into a trance, 18  and I saw Him saying to me, ‘Make haste, and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about Me.’19  ”And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves understand that in one synagogue after another I used to imprison and beat those who believed in You.20  ~’And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I also was standing by approving, and watching out for the coats of those who were slaying him.’21  ”And He said to me, ‘Go! For I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”22  They listened to him up to this statement, and then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he should not be allowed to live!”

 Also Stephen, the first martyr, saw Jesus after His resurrection (Acts 7:55).

Last of all Jesus appeared to John, the gray haired exile on the isle of Patmos (Rev. 1:10-19)

 Acts 7:55 (NASB) 55  But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God;

                                                                                                                                                                                                           Revelation 1:9-19 (NASB) 9  I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet,11  saying, “Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”12  Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands;13  and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash.14  His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire.15  His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters.16  In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength.17  When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, 18  and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.19  ”Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things.

 Do the Resurrection Accounts Conflict and what Proof is there that Jesus Rose from the Dead.  John Ankerberg and Dr. John Weldon ,pages 87-88

 

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