00:00 Intro music and voice over.
Welcome to jesus loves the world podcast. For more information and free resources visit our website jesuslovestheworld.info Be blessed empowered and transformed in Jesus’ name!
00:20 Speaker
Following on from last week, where we looked at the portrayal of Jesus in the gospels according to Matthew, Mark and Luke, let us continue with the Lion, the Ox, the Man and the Eagle.
The gospel according to Matthew emphasised Jesus’ kingship. It includes parables on the kingdom of heaven and how entry into God’s kingdom is to receive the king. One of the most used titles in Matthew is the Son of David. Jesus is the lion of the tribe of Judah, the eternal king.
The gospel according to Mark is a succinct portrayal of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Mark begins with John the Baptist preparing the way for the adult Jesus. One of the most used titles in the gospel according to Mark is Son of God. The portrayal of Jesus, the servant king.
The gospel according to Luke is a detailed portrayal of Jesus birth, life and death. Emphasising Jesus’ humanitarianism and compassion for our every day concerns. It is a gospel full of the injustices of this world, contrasted with God’s compassion and true justice. One of the most frequent titles used for Jesus in the Gospel according to Luke is the Son of Man. Jesus born of the seed of the Holy Spirit is the perfect human.
We will now look at the Gospel according to John. Remembering all four Gospels give us a comprehensive glimpse into the heart of the divine. Leading us deeper in relationship with the living God.
The gospel according to John is believed to be written primarily to those of Jewish lineage. Filled with key themes such as divine light, living waters, liberating truth and eternal life, the Gospel according to John is rich in imagery and emotion.
The Gospel of Jesus according to John is not so much the life of Jesus, but an intimate and powerful presentation of Jesus’ deity and love. Every chapter presents evidence—both signs and statements—of Jesus’ divine authority.
John gives us insight into Jesus’ divinity, opening with one of the most powerful revelations of who Jesus is.
So let is begin with the Gospel of Jesus, through the eyes of John.
John 1:1-5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
In the beginning was the word is reminiscent of Genesis 1:1-3 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
God was there before the beginning. God, the eternal, all knowing and ever present one always was and is. The Father, the Son and the Spirit, the three are one. One God who is spirit, created the heavens and the earth and all things good.
At the sound of His voice, He filled the darkness with His light and the void with His life.
All things were made by Him and through Him. For His words are light and life, revelation and salvation. Jesus, the eternal word, the Son of God, the divine light of all humanity and the Lord of everyone’s destiny, stepped down into our darkness.
Into our darkness of the destructive forces of evil, death and humanity’s selfish desires.
Darkness is the absence of light. In the beginning before the Eternal word spoke light into existence, the darkness was pushed back. For light is stronger than any darkness. It is true, the darkness can never overcome the light. The destructive forces of evil, death and selfish desires cannot overcome the light. For the divine light is stronger, victorious, eternal and glorious.
Jesus the Eternal Word, became one of us.
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
John testifies. He states we beheld the glory of God in the Son who become human. Jesus, the very essence of God even in His humanity, was still fully divine. Full of grace and truth.
Throughout the gospel according to John, there are unique moments not depicted in any other gospel. They all involve relationships of powerful personal encounters with the eternal word who became human. Every moment reveals Jesus’ divinity and ultimately the heart of God for all humanity. Beginning with one of the most beautiful depictions of Jesus’ divinity where He turns water into wine. Through this sign we discover much about Jesus, much about God.
Jesus does not come against the social structure, He redefines it. He does not condemn the cleansing ritual, He transforms it. Jesus does not simply cover the shame, He removes it and replaces it with His honour. God does not approve of exclusion, He includes all. He does not ignore the temporary need, in fact God fulfils it eternally. Jesus the Christ, the Son of God turned water into wine, old into new, religion into relationship, shame into honour, exclusion into inclusion and temporal into eternal.
For a deeper revelation of this, please listen to our jesus : loves the world podcast Water Into Wine and the Wedding.
In chapter 3 and 4 of the gospel according to John there are two contrasting beautiful intimate encounters with the divine. The first is with a the religious teacher of Jewish lineage. He comes to Jesus in the darkness of the night. With a powerful exchange of dialogue between the two, Jesus reveals He is the way to everlasting life. Jesus uses a moment in the history of the Ancient Israelites to open up the eyes of this man. Jesus reveals the truth in a way the religious leader would understand. Jesus goes on to say in John 3:16-18 why He came.
John 3:16-18 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
In complete contrast, in chapter 4, the outcast Samaritan woman encounters Jesus at well in the heat of the day. After Jesus crosses the cultural divide and engages in conversation, He again speaks the same eternal truth and life, this time in a way she would understand.
John 4:13-14 Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”
To go deeper in these two encounters please listen to our jesus loves : the world podcasts - In The Dark of Night and In the Heat of the Day.
Throughout the Gospel according to John there are many more encounters that reveal Jesus’ divinity. It is also recorded several statements Jesus makes about Himself that are not included in the other Gospels. They are, I am the bread of life, I am the light of the world, I am the door, I am the good shepherd. I am the resurrection and the life, I am the way, truth and life and before Abraham was, I am. Jesus also states, I am the true vine, my Father is the gardener and anyone who is My disciple is a branch connected to Me.
In the animal kingdom there are certain species that depict certain aspects or characteristics. Throughout history the animal that is considered divine is the eagle. The eagle soars effortlessly on the warm air currents high up in the heavens. Jesus is the divine light who gives eternal life to all who receive Him and His right to rule and reign. The most frequently used title for Jesus throughout the gospel according to John is, the Son of God.
John states in John 20:30-31 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.
The gospel according to John - Jesus - the Son of God, who became human.
Each Gospel portrays a different aspect of Jesus. Together with Matthew’s portrait of the promised Jewish king (a lion), Mark’s portrait of the anointed servant (an ox), Luke’s portrait of the son of man (human), and John’s portrait of God (eagle), we receive a greater revelation of who God is and what He has done for us.
Let us now take a glimpse into heaven and receive a greater revelation of the lion, the ox, the man and the eagle.
Ezekiel 1:5-12 Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man. Each one had four faces, and each one had four wings. Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the soles of calves’ feet. They sparkled like the color of burnished bronze. The hands of a man were under their wings on their four sides; and each of the four had faces and wings. Their wings touched one another. The creatures did not turn when they went, but each one went straight forward.
As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle. Thus were their faces. Their wings stretched upward; two wings of each one touched one another, and two covered their bodies. And each one went straight forward; they went wherever the spirit wanted to go, and they did not turn when they went.
So the four living creatures gathered around the throne, each had four faces. One was like a man, one was like a lion on the right, one was like an ox on the left and one of an eagle. They all went where the spirit of God wanted to go. The order of the four faces depicted is very significant. First is the man. Then at the right in the position of power is the lion. The right side not only represents the place of power, but also those who accept God’s rule and reign. The left side where the ox is representing the servant heart of God has come for the lost. So they too can make an informed choice to accept His right to rule and reign.
To understand further let us now go to the vision into heaven in the New Testament. This vision was given to the Apostle John.
Revelation 4:6-8 Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!”
The order of the four living creatures are in the same order as the four Gospels. They are not Jesus, however they powerfully testify of Jesus and God’s gift of Himself to us. The four living creatures do not rest day or night saying Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!
They testify of the Holy Father, who sent His Holy Son, who poured out His Holy Spirit. Through the depiction of the lion, the ox, the man and the eagle we see into heaven with the divine. By accepting Jesus - as king, as servant, His sacrifice and His divinity, we too testify. ‘Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, forever and ever. Amen!’
19:40 Outro music and voice over.
For more information and free resources visit our website jesuslovestheworld.info Be blessed empowered and transformed in Jesus’ name!
