( B ) THE POWER OF GODS� PRESENCE; SAUL, ROMAN SOLDIERS, MOSES, PRIESTS OF THE TEMPLE & THE MOUNT OF TRANSFIGURATION ----------------------------------------------------------------- [1] And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, [2] And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. [3] And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: [4] And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? - Acts 9:1-4 13. At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. 14. And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. - Acts 26:13-14 [3] Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. [4] Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? [5] They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. [6] As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground. - John 18:3-6 Why is it that the band of men and officers and Judas are the ones to fall backwards to the ground yet scripture writes nothing of Jesus� disciples falling backwards to the ground as well? This question will be answered in scriptural references to follow later on in this study. [21] And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: [22] And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: [23] And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen. - Exodus 33:21-23 [8] And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped. [9] And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us; for it is a stiffnecked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance. - Exodus 34:4-9 Notice that Moses bows in worship to God in His presence, a forward motion, not a backward motion, ( see also 1 Cor. 14:24-25 / Rev. 5:14; 7:11; 11:16 ). In addition to this, it is an interesting thought to notice that Moses, even in Gods� presence, does not fall to the ground. [10] And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, [11] So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD. [12] Then spake Solomon, The LORD said that he would dwell in thick darkness. - 1 Kings 8:10-12 [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. - Matthew 17:4-6 9. And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses. - Exodus 33:9 4. And the Lord spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out. 5. And the Lord came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth. - Numbers 12:4-5 Gods� voice, glory and presence causes man to fall to the ground in fear and worship. In other situations, such as Moses, Aaron and Miriam, the scripture clearly writes that even though God was present they remain standing. No where in the context of Exodus 33 and Numbers 12 do the scriptures show Moses or Aaron or Miriam falling in the presence of the Lord. In the situation of God showing Himself to Moses in the mountain ( Exodus 34 ) Gods� presence does not overpower Moses and cause him to fall to the ground, much less in a backward position. I make these points to simply share that being in Gods� presence did not always automatically result in the person falling to the ground. This would indicate then that in those instances in which people did fall down in the presence of God had done so of their own will and therefore were never forced by God Himself to cause them to fall to the ground. At this time, it is important to note that scripture makes a specific description and distinction of people in regard to falling backwards, ( or as scripture sometimes calls it, going backward ), as opposed to the forward motion of falling which is a true sign of reverential and fearful worship of God. Judas and the men and officers fell backwards. But there isn�t any mention in the scriptures that this falling backward was due to a worshiping of Jesus nor of any reverance to Him. There is no mention that the band of men and officers and Judas where overwhelmed by the presence of God or the Holy Spirit via a baptism in the power of the Holy Spirit, ( John 18:3-6 ). There is no mention that Judas and these men were experiencing a blessing or an anointing for ministry or joy or peace from the presence of the Holy Spirit even though they fell down in the presence of Christ. It is fair to conclude a distinction of nature and character between the band of officers with Judas and Christs� remaining eleven disciples. Judas, now having had Satan entered into him, ( John 13:26-27 ), becomes a betrayer of Christ who along with his company of men come to arrest Jesus. There is no scriptural evidence of the slightest indication that these men are followers of Christ and His Word which He preached, but rather these are corrupt men and opposers of Christ. On the other hand, all the gospel accounts provide clear evidence that Christs� disciples ( minus of course Judas Iscariot ), were His true followers, His true disciples. And thus were made pure and clean by the Word which Christ spoke to them ( John 13:10-11; 15:3 ). So, there is a distinction of nature and character which the scriptures provide between the true followers of Christ and His opposers. It is by no means a frivolous thing that the scriptures write of Judas and the men who came to arrest Jesus are the ones who fall backward whereas nothing is stated that Christs� remaining eleven disciples fall backward to the ground, ( John 18:3-6 ). Such an example has an Old Testament similarity in the wicked priest Eli as he fell backwards and broke his neck, ( 1 Samuel 4:18 ). This distinction of the nature and character of persons will be discussed further in following segments regarding this issue. Scriptural evidence clearly shows that worship and the fear of God results in an act of forward motion of people who fall down before Him such as the scriptural examples of a person bowing to ones� knees or bowing ones� head as in the case of Moses bowing to God in Exodus 34:8 as he bows his head towards the earth and worships God. Falling down before God in worship is not a backwards motion. But rather a forward motion in which the person falls face down as is the situation of Peter, James and John in Matthew 17:6 or kneeling forward as is the situation of Paul and all people who will give a personal account to God, ( Philippians 2:10 / Romans 14:11 ). True worship of God, if the person should fall in reverence of God, is a forward motion and not a backward motion. If we think for a moment, do people fall backwards in the presence of royalty or the royal authority of a king or queen ? Not at all. But rather, the appropriate and respectful action is to kneel or bow to such authority and royalty. Should it be any different with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords ? Not at all. Later, we will see the various characteristics and nature of people as outlined in the scriptures concerning those who fall backwards as opposed to those who fall forwards. There is no scriptural evidence or example which shows the practice of Christians laying hands on one another with a corresponding result of people falling down backwards under the anointing or presence of God and overwhelming power of the Holy Spirit. There is no scriptural evidence or example which shows that Christians in the church fall backwards out of fear of God or in worship to Him or because the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit overwhelms them. Jesus physically layed His hands on and touched multitudes. But scripture, ( with the only exception of Judas and the company of officers ), never states or describes anyone falling down in a backward motion because of the power of His anointed touch or presence as the present day church would define and experience such activity in a � slain in the Spirit � occurrence. In fact, one example of a woman who suffered with an issue of blood proves quite the opposite. With the example of this diseased woman, scripture shows what commonly did not occur when Christ was present. That is to say, people were not physically overwhelmed and fell backward to the ground due to Christs� anointing touch and presence nor due to any anointing power of the Holy Ghost; 25. And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, 26. And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, 27. When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment. 28. For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. 29. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. 30. And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? 31. And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? 32. And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing. 33. But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. - Mark 5:25-33 ( see also Luke 8:43-47 ) In two of the gospel accounts, the scriptures reveal the healing power of Jesus which leaves Him and enters into the diseased woman and heals her body. Yet no where in the scriptures is there evidence that this anointed, virtuous power causes the woman to fall to the ground much less in a backwards motion. Rather, it is moments later after Jesus asks who touched Him that the woman, of her own physical ability, comes and approaches Christ and falls down before Christ and tells her story. So even the real, evident power of healing which left Christ and entered another human being did not overpower the person which would cause that person to fall to the ground much less in a backward motion. Such a unique occurrence is so rare that holy scripture documents only one instance in which people fell backward to the ground when Christ was present, and as has been previously shared that one time documentation concerned Judas and the men who came by night to arrest Jesus. Persons who embrace the slain in the Spirit experience might attempt to conclude that this scriptural example makes no mention either way whether the woman fell forward or backward when she approached Christ to tell what had happened to her. And therefore, it is possible that she did fall backwards rather than forwards. However, such thinking is faulty for two reasons. First of all, as will be shared in a following segment, section D, various scriptural evidences provide proof that people who fell down before Christ, ( for differing reasons ), did so in a forward motion. Such examples were of persons who received blessings of the Lord and therefore thanked and worshipped Him by falling down before Him. Or they were instances of persons seeking the help of the Lord for a certain miraculous blessing. Or, as in the case of Peter, it was an instance of sorrow and confession of sin, ( Luke 5:8-9 ). In any case, scriptural evidence sufficiently reveals that falling down before Christ was a reverential, forward motion except for the one specific and unique detailed account of Christs� arrest by Judas and the band of officers, ( John 18:3-6 ). There are simply no similarities of the way that Christians in the present church, � fall out under the power of God, i.e, slain in the Spirit �, compared to the way and the reason people fell under Gods� power as exampled in scripture. Yes, Judas and his company of men fell backward to the ground when Jesus spoke. But no scriptural evidence sufficiently proves or identifies those men as true followers of Christ and His teaching. They were not Christs� disciples or friends but rather His enemies. The holy scriptures provide a descriptive and a characteristic wicked profile of persons who go backwards. These articles will scripturally examine the distinction of such wicked people in comparison to those who fall in a forwards motion in the presence of God. At this point, a person may accuse this research by thinking that falling backwards in general is being judged and condemned outright as a wicked and sinful issue. This however is not the case at all. The action of falling backwards as is being examined in this study is not a generalization but rather is issue-specific in regard to the � slain in the Spirit � experience in which falling backwards is a common occurrence. The phrase, � slain in the Spirit �, or, � falling under the power �, are not terms used in any of the holy scriptures. Nor are such terms used in any of the holy scriptures which could provide a definition or example and thus scriptural support for the past and present day activity in the church in regard to the slain in the Spirit experience. It is therefore necessary to examine the visible and common aspect of such an experience in order to better determine that said experience is an error and faulty activity in the Christian church which does not have Gods� approval. Thus, every Christian, if they are discerning ( we should be ), should reprove and reject such activity. Next, let us examine the nature and character of the backward person. ---------------------------------------------------------------- [email protected] - Roger |