I am not telling you anything you don't already know when I say that I believe I think differently than most people. That is not necessarily a bad thing, but I have always had a habit of looking at things from a different angle. Granted sometimes that angle is slightly askew. Maybe that comes from my time as a journalist, always looking for a different angle. Could be hereditary. My mother is a good writer, my great-uncle Lawrence Dalton was a published author, it runs in the family.
But the thought that has been running through my head for some time is more visual than literary, but still, I haven't heard anyone else mention anything like this, so maybe it is my own different thinking.
For my entire life, I have been a student of the Bible. I have read and studied so much of it. Many of the stories and passages I have read are etched in my mind using my own imagination. But there are many events of the Bible I want to see, that I would like to have witnessed.
I know we will be singing and worshipping and praising God for eternity. I firmly believe that, but I am not limiting our time in heaven to just that, even though that may be the case. I do not believe I am being blasphemous when I say this, but wouldn't it be cool when we get to heaven, if periodically we have question and answer time with one of the individuals of the Bible. We are all gathered together, and we get to talk to say, Peter. I can imagine the first question, "Peter, what were you thinking..." Or imagine God stretching out his hand and across the heaven and there appear images of an important event from scriptures.
It's the latter I want to swell on today. There are so many things I would have liked to have been a witness to. I am sure when you think about it, you probably have as well. Ok here is my abbreviated list of things I would have liked to have witnessed.
God closes the door to the ark - Genesis 7 - We know that God shut the door to the ark, but before he did, with his family safely on board, did Noah come to the door and take one last look around? When the door was next opened, the world would have been changed
Jacob meets Esau - Genesis 33 - This a tear-jerker, something you would witness on Hallmark. You remember Jacob tricked Esau out of his birthright, infuriating Esau, who threatened to kill him. Many years later they have a planned meeting. Jacob is scared, Esau embraces him, they hug, they cry. They are once again brothers.
Joseph reveals himself to his brothers - Genesis 45 - We all know the story. Joseph was the favorite of his father Jacob, who did not hide his favoritism. The brothers hated Joseph for it and sold him into slavery in Egypt, telling their father a wild animal had killed him. Joseph eventually prospered in Egypt, becoming second only to Pharoah. His brothers came looking for food during a famine, and did not recognize Joseph. He eventually reveals himself. If I were there, not a dry eye.
The burning bush - Exodus 3 - Moses has fled Egypt after killing an Egyptian and was in the land of Horeb. God appears to Moses through a bush that was burning yet was not consumed by fire, telling him to go back to Egypt. Wouldn't you have like to have been behind a rock watching
The fall of Jericho - Joshua 6 - I imagine this would be on a lot of lists. For seven days they marched around the walled city. On the last of seven laps on the last day they blew their trumpets and the walls of the city collapsed. Wow
Elijah taunts Baal's prophets on Mt. Carmel - 1 Kings 18 - Elijah prepares a bull for sacrifice as do the prophets of Baal. The prophets of Baal call on him to send fire to consume the slain animal, but nothing happens. Elijah then taunts them, look at verse 27. "At noon Elijah began to taunt them. Shout louder, he said, perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened." We have our first example of trash-talking.
David and the death of his infant son - 2 Samuel 12 - Nathan had told David of his sin with Bathsheba, and God struck the child making him ill. David laid on the ground for seven days, refusing to eat and pleading with God for the child's life. When the child died on the seventh day, David got up, bathed, put on clean garments and ate. God had spoken
Ezekiel and the dry bones - Ezekiel 37 - God leads the prophet Ezekiel to a valley of dry bones and has him prophesy over them. The bones start rattling, then come together, eventually until a vast army stands before Ezekiel, and then God breathes life into them.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego - Daniel 3 - The trio are thrown into the fiery furnace for failing to bow down and worship the idols set up by King Nebuchadnezzar. As the soldiers watch, a fourth image appears with the three
Mary and the Shepherds - Luke 2 - The Shepherds are in their field tending their sheep at night when an angel appeared telling them of the birth of Christ, followed by a company of angels praising God. They visit the baby, Joseph and Mary telling of what they had seen and been told. Verse 19 tells us that Mary treasured these things and pondered them in her heart. Another tender moment I would have liked to have seen.
Jesus looks at Peter - Luke 22 - Honestly, this may be at the top of my list. We all know Christ told Peter that he (Peter) would deny him three times before the rooster crowed. Peter of course denies he would ever do such a thing, but he does. The third denial is barely out of Peter's mouth when the rooster crowed. Peter then remembered Christ's words from earlier in the evening. Luke is the only one to tell us Christ reaction. Matthew, Mark and John do not, but Luke writes, "...as he (Peter) was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked at Peter, and then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him." What did Peter see on Christ face? I think he saw love, I really do, love and forgiveness.
Christ asks for something to eat - Luke 24 - This is one of those things that often made me wonder, why is that in there? I think I know now, he was showing his apostles he was indeed alive, because while talking to them he asks if they "have anything to eat." They gave him a piece of broiled fish and he ate it. So simple, but so powerful
Paul and the road to Damascus - Acts 9 - Here we have Saul, Pharisee, Roman citizen and persecutor of Christians is heading to Damascus to look for other followers of Christ. On the road a bright light appears, Paul is struck blind and the Lord talks to Saul, telling him to go into the city to the home of Ananias. The rest is history. Saul becomes Paul, he is changed. He has gone from persecutor to preacher, spreading the Good News. Oh, to have been a witness to that.
These are just a few of the things I want to see on the Saturday matinee in heaven. There are many others, just I'm sure I didn't mention everything you might want to see. It may happen. I don't know, but we will find out one day.
Thank you for reading. Be kind to each other.
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